NEWS OF TIE BAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 18, 22 January 1940, Page 6

NEWS OF TIE BAY

A 'large tractor angledazer wMch was toeing operated .on 3ffir. <C. (Douglas's jpr-operity' near Waitnate, iCMfctiing a road trough a :bmsh gully., got .out of (control .-ana went iover a icliffl, falling 40 feet ito the ibKt&om,, 'states, the OaiastciHiir.ch '"Slar-Sun:" 'The macMaae was the property of Contract CiiiiLfevaiaon, Hitd,, and was extensively -damaged. The .driver jimmied clear just .as the ißaacMne started to fell, and had a very fortunate .escape. The •machine cost £2593 and w,as insured for £2000. Shortage off flackers. It is ;expected tthat long before .the peak of season is reached in tHawlce's Bay it will be .found that a serious ,ssißEfcage eof packers exists. The position last 'Season with a light crop was taot .easy, ibut with, the Iheavler crop tfMs .season and jfche departure fecxna Hie (district of some «rf those . men who -were tbo ?be relied on last season,' the iDutlook jjoetw as anythfaig but hopeful. MiLitary service has reduced the ranks .of lihe comp.eten!t packers, and others bave .entered «otiher pursuits- It was suggested io ;a -reporter that Hie defence authorities should not ; call up fruitpackers until the fruit season is ended. Seven Enlist. To have eeven sons enlisted for ,^er-; wtee with the Maori Battalion is the jfine record of ihe Waenga family, of' •Opotiiki, a local correspondent; Two of the bsrotiiers enlisted for service at iGisborne and were passed as ifit. Four more were examined in Opo-; tiki on Thiirsday, all passing the' aaaadiea! test. The seventh brother, who is married, arrived in Opotiki too late ; to he examined, but he is also expected to pass as fit. Should he be accepted for service, the family will; liave the distinction of having seven sons in the main body of the Maori Battalion. Economic Value of Seaweed. A study of the economic value of seaweed at Stewart Island has recently been made by*a party of botanists-who visited the island. Miss Lucy M. Cranwell, FX..SI, botanist of the Auckland Museum, who has returned to Invert cargiU from tlie island, said that there was an abundance round the island of the common kelp; which has special economic value as a source of sea minerals.- During' the last , war this variety had been extensively used by the United States of America for the production of acetone for explosives. The possibilities for its/use were very great, and the quantities available appeared to be such that iri time of need a valuable industry could be developed. -~'-■