LOCAL & GENERAL

Franklin Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 22, 26 February 1940, Page 8 (Supplement)

LOCAL & GENERAL

School Notes. During tiie past lew clays about 70 Papakura school children in standards 3 anil 4 were taken in buses to the Auckland War Memorial and Museum. A visit was paid to the glass works ' ai Penrose by standards 5 and (>. Last week also 120 children in standards two to six were taken by bus to Pukewhirlki Pa on Heel Hill. It is hoped to arrange a visit to the Auckland Zoo and Onehunga Woollen Mills. Last Friday a holiday was declared and numbers of children visited the Auckland show. Fish by the Ton. Westerly winds have caused large shoals of fish to run into bays near Napier. In two nights a party of six Napier amateur fishermen, working with a flat-bottomed boat and a net, took more than 1000 fish. In one night they landed 812 flatfish, nearly all of which were soles, and on the following night they had to strain -every nerve to drag the net clear of flie water with a load weighing over a ton.

Conscription Question. The opinion that, although conscription seemed the only way in which the Government could hope to reach the number of men required for military service, it was not a matter for the local bodies to decide, was expressed at the monthly meeting of the Piako County Council held in Te Aroha last Monday. The subject of compulsory national service arose from correspondence received from the New Zealand Defence League. Prowess of Dog. In the possession of an Otakeho Maori is a stunted yellow dog. Of rakish build, with extremely short and bandy legs, it could penetrate any rabbit burrow that could be travelled by a rabbit. Once when trapped in a burrow the dog was entombed for two days, living on rabbits which it killed, before being dug out by its master. The exploits of this dogplayed a not inconsiderable part in a discussion at a meeting of the Waimatc West County Council on dog registration and the rabbit menace. With councillors agreeing ttiat the Otakeho Maori and bis dogs were doing an excellent work in the interests of the community, the discussion then lapsed.