Local and General

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 187, 17 July 1940, Page 4

Local and General

Another Overheard. Heard at the Domain on Saturday. A supporter of one team, to an official of the other club: "I think you'll beat us to-day.'" The official: "Oh, I don't know; we are playing a lot of juniors to-day—in fact the team is mostly juniors.'" ... . . • "Yes," said the ether, "that's what I'm frightened of." To Keep Things Going. It was up to those remaining to keep things going, said Mr D. Patj erson when referring to the depleted strength of the Bands through enlistments, at the social on Monday evening. Both Bands had suffered in this respect, said Mr Paterson, but there was a job of necessary work to be done and while tli c boys were away doing it those at home should carry on. Once a Novelty. "Not many years ago Pipe music was a novelty in this town," said Mr Alex. Sutherland, Avhen proposing the toast of the Pipe Band at} the social on Monday evening. Mr Sutherland said that some four years ago the Winter Show Association had introduced a Pipe Band to the town and that visit apparently stirred the blood of all Caledonians. To-day the town had a Pipe Band as good as any in New Zealand for a town the same size. He astonished at the progress made since its formation. The M.P. and His Pay. "Members of Parliament are beai--ing their full share of the sacrifice demanded from men and women at the present time, and this sacrifice is not nominal," said Mr F. L. Frost (Government, New Plymouth), when referring to the salaries of members in the House. Mr Frost said that the salary of members was £150 a year, and by Ministers sacrificing their well-earned emoluments Government members were receiving a little over £500. When the Labour Government first came into office there was a proposal to increase the salary of members to £750, but the then Prime Minister, the late Mf Savage, would not agree to members increasing their own remuneration until an increase had first been made in that of the workers. Mem-" bers waited for their increase until others got theirs, Mr Frost continued, but then the war came and the Prime Minister suggested, and the caucus agreed, that it was no time to talk about increases in pay.

They Can Do It. Should the need arise, New Zealand girls will prove themselves equally as capable of filling men's plaices as the young women of England, who are already doing valuable work. The versatility of New Zealand girls has already been proved in a Chris tchurch joinery works, where so many men have left to go on active service that the manager has taken on five girls, whom. ;he has been training for some time. They have proved themselves extremely capable, and are now handling lathes expertly. One of them will shortly be earning £4 a week. Explosives Regulations.. To guard against explosives falling into the hands of people who might be i.ntent upon sabotage, the regulations governing the control of explosives have of lalte been considerably tightened up. The most important new regulation, which must in the interest of public safetiy be strictly observed, is that it is now an offence for any person to sell or give possession of explosives tt> any person who is not the holder of a permit issued under the Arms Act by the police. Failure ta take note of this regulation may cause users of explosives much inconvenience. A Splendid Result, The recent trials conducted by the Bay of Plenty Sheep Dog Trial Club, resulted in a profit of exactly £25. Half of this amount is being donated to the Opotiki Patriotic Committee's Farewell Fund and the balance is to be held in trust fbr returned soldiers of the present war. The members of the club's commlittee are to be congratulated on such a successful outcome of club's trials, and good use will be made of tljb profits handed over. Spirits in the Front Seat. Observing how members of the Wellington Missionary Association conformed wi tli church custom by sitting as far ba'ck as possible at the annual meeting of the association, the newly-elected president, the Rev D. B. Forde Carlisle,; said that for a number of years he had frequently admonished his congregation at Berliampore for this. "I dislike speak ing over a timber yard," he said, "but I was told by irregular churchgoers that though absent in body they were present in spirit." Having this in mind-' he had todd his Berliampore congregation that perhaps these spirits used the front seats. "Don't sit on the front seats or you might sit on a spirit,he said.

The Distinction.; "Why the distinction?" asked someone of His Worship the Mayor at the Bands' social on Monday when Mr Barry said lie knew nothing of music—or the bagpipes. Community Singing. - Commencing on Tuesday evening, July 23rd, a community sing will be held in the King Street Hall every Tuesday, commencing at 7.30 p.m. For the first sing, the Whakatane Citizens' Band will be in attendance. Firemen Photographed. Probably not since boyhood have the members of Whakatane's Volunteer Fire Brigade had to 'look for' the dickey bird' and smile for the cameraman. But they did it collectively and well on Saturday afternoon, when a group photograph was taken outside the station. Making no Bories About It. Unlike Greta Garbo, the girl walk ing along Commerce Street and partaking of her newspaper-wrapped iish-and-chips apparently had no desire to be alone. The majority [of people sneak behind a fence or la shed or something when satisfying palate with the old sixpennorth but not this damsel. She made no bones about it—unless they were in the ! The Telegraph Pole. Two residents of Whakatane were talking about 'the Square/ mentioned in to-day's issue as being the venue for an auction sale on Satur-. day, July 27th. Bath had been resi-< dents of the town for some time and neither knew of the 'Square.* Said one: "Where is it? Is it by the Rock?" ."I don't know,' the other answered. "It might be the junction opposite the Civic Buildings, the Union Bank and the Whakatane Hot tel—you know, where that 'telegraphpole is." Home Fires Burning. v Vacant sections in Gisborne are regarded as a great potential source of production. It was pointed o'ut at a recent meeting, where rribre production was discussed, that there were many vacant ssctions serving no useful purposes, although a number were being used to graze "cows and hofses. It was agreed that a sub-committee should be farmed with a view to investigating the possibility of having vacant sections in the borough brought into production as a part of the Avar ef-t fort. Galatea. Conditions. Although'there was no official statement of the results of the visit of the Minister of Lands, the Hon.F. Langstone, to the Galatea settlement some weeks ago, Mr H. P., Ford, chairman of the Rotorua District Council of the Primary duction, stated at the meeting on Monday evening that he understood conditions were now far improved on what they were at this time, last year. Arrangements had been made for extra paddocks for those'.farmers needing more grazing, while there were good crops of turnips and prospects were bright for hay. Talking versus Farming. "There are so many meetings to discuss increased production that some of the farmers have not time to devote to theii farms," stated a member of the Rotortia District -Council of Primary, Production in hall-humorous . vein on Monday evening. Others commented that although the month was onliy half gone, they had used most of their petrol ration, while the chairman, Mr H. Pi Ford, stated that he had walked two miles to the meeting and would be walking home.. A\ reminder was given that extra pet*rol could be issued for meetings of the Primary Production Council. Be Fair! "There are good and bad on both sides. A man earning £5 10s a week on-a car service which is put off the road has reason to complain ad he has a wife and family to keep. There is a war on, and if the worst comes 1 to the worst farmers can always live within their gates and have roofs over their heads. Farmers have many compensations which cannot be expressed in pounds, shillings and pence, and there are not many of us who would swap with the other fellow. So let us,look at these things in a fair manner.'* — Mr R. A. Candy, speaking to Matamata farmers, when referring to attacks made by some farmers on other sections of the community.