NEW CALEDONIAN HALL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 158, 22 September 1941, Page 4

NEW CALEDONIAN HALL

Many Gatherings. With a further 32 Whakatane men leaving for camp this morning the week-end found many farewell gatherings of a private nature taking place. Guardsman Injured. The case of a man aged 68 who injured a shoulder while on parade with the Home Guard was mentioned nt the monthly meeting of the Tailranga Hospital Board. It was stated that the man was at present a patient in the Waikato Hospital as :i charge on the Tauranga Hosjiifiil Board, and it was decided to make a claim for the fees involved.

THE King Street Hall, has now become the property of the Whakatane Caledonian Society. The question of name which occupied such prominancy in these columns a short time ago, appears to be secondary to the endeavours which will be made by the Society to renovate and improve the present layout of the hall, and as far as the Society i§ concerned we understand that plans are in hand for the completion of the alterations by the end of the year. Probably that will be the time when attention will be devoted towards selecting a suitable title. In the meantime steps are being taken to form working bees for the purpose of grappling with the task of renovation. In extending our congratulations to the Society we feel that we can assure them of the support and goodwill of the general public.

Now Valuablle Wood'. Tawa, a wood formerly thought to be of little commercial value, is now being used for the manufacture of wooden spoons for household use, and for the making of carpenters' and tinsmiths' mallets, as well as for the backs of hair brushes, taps of wooden* barrels, containers for shaving soap, and a variety of other articles. It is. described as a strong, easily worked and attractively grained timber, which is unusually tough and durable. The largest qualities are found in the Rotorua district, but the tree exists all over the North Island. In the past it has been regarded as of little value..