NEWS OF THE DAY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20737, 11 April 1942, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY

Success in Napier Aclvice has been received in Gisborne that Miss Marjorie Groskery was successful in winning the Dancing Challenge Cup, presented by Miss Dorothy Daniels. Wellington, for Hawke’s, Bay or Poverty Bay .competitor gaining highest marks in the under ,l(i classes in the Napier Competitions festival held in Napier during Easter.

Stranded Blackfish One hundred blackfish were stranded on the Opoutama beach on Thursday afternoon, while another 100 cruised about in the bay. The phenomenon caused apprehension among the nearby residents who remember the strong odours which resulted from, the-last stranding, two or three years ago. Members of the Wairoa Harbour Board visited the locality yesterday to arrange for burial of the fish.—Special.

Air Force Passes

The following Gisborne and district Air Force trainees on educational courses have passed the Air Force preliminary examinations for air gunners and observers held on March 16 and 17. Class passes---C. D. Armstrong, G. P. Sheppard, F. T. Symon. Correspondence passes-^-W. R. Arnold, Ruatoria; R. M. Cowern, Tolaga Bay; L. .R. Hale, D. J. Rutherford, Gisborne; A, D. Wallace, Ruptoria; G. E. Boyd, R. J. Brownlie, W. J. Marshall, and M. H. Tonkinson, Wairoa.

Gisborne Boy’s Promotion Advice has been received by Mrs. K. Bowes, Ormond, that her son. Ser-geant-Pilot James Phillip Farrow, D.F.M., has been granted a commission and now holds the: rank of pilotofficer. Pilot-Officer Farrow has been piloting a- Handley Page Hampden bomber since last July, and . he has taken part in many raids over enemy territory which have included attacks on the Rhur valley, the docks at Kiel, and Emden. His brother, SergeantPilot Ralph Farrow, who has been in England for a year, is piloting Manchester bombers. March Weather According to the Dominion meteorologist, the persistence of damp and mild conditions during the latter portion of March, has favoured excellent autumn growth almost generally, pastures and root crops receiving great benefit. In the Auckland province, previous dry conditions have caused an appreciable falling off in dairy production. Broken weather made further difficulties for late harvesting, and skies were .too dull for ripening fruit. Reports indicate that the linen flax crops have done very well this season. Stock, except in one or two of the wetter areas, have done excellently. Maori Battalion’s Gratitude The sincere gratitude with which the members of the Maori ,Battalion overseas received a consignment of butter from the Ngatiporou Dairy Company, Ltd., was expressed in a letter from Lieut.-Col. H. G. Dyer, officer commanding, the Maori Battalion. He said that such a gift was a luxury, and that the men enjoyed the butter very much.; The butter was kept in cold storage and consequently it was used over a long period. 'He added that such generosity should be gratefully acknowledged, and he trusted that all concerned with the sending of the gift would, be notified of-the pleasure with which it was received, j

Heavy Knitting Order The women of .this district are asked to. knit 4400 pairs .of socks,- 1500 scarves. 1500 balaclavas and 1500 mittens by. the end of August. These figures were given .by Mrs R. U. Burke at yesterday afternoon’s meeting of the East Coast Provincial Patriotic Council, and she said that the district’s quota as represented by those figures did not include the requirements for the .Navy or Air Force. So far only 153 pairs of socks, 646 scarves, 168 mittens and 500 balaclavas had been forwarded. Mrs Burke said she knew large numbers of women were engaged in knitting, but she believed that when the extent of the requirements were made known she hoped many more people would co-operate.