LOCAL AND GENERAL

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 6 January 1930, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A party of eleven Girl Guides and Graders left Hawera by the express this morning to join a Guides camp being held at Trentham. An assurance that New Zealand audiences could not be endangered in the event of outbreaks of hr© in theatre projection rooms was contained in a statement issued on Saturday bv the Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. P. A. <le la Perrelle). The firm of J. P. Morgan and Co. has announced that each of its 1000 employees will receive a bonus equivalent to a year’s salary in 1929, a total of 3,000,000 dollars (says a Press Association message, from New York). 'file Canadian National Steamships steamer Canadian Constructor, which arrived at Wellington, yesterday, brought 2300 tons (measurement) of motor cars from Montreal.

A young man camping on the beach near Opotiki was badly stung din the eye last week by a bee and as his eye very quickly became swollen Erie Mackay volunteered to go for a doctor. He starred off on ai motor-bicycle which, however, skidded in loose metal throwing Miackay heavily to the ground-. His arm was severely lacerated and required attention from a doctor. He also sustained extensive bruises.

A party of Nelson orchardists, who are to make a tour of the North Island this month, will visit the Wairarapa soon after the commencement of tne trip. Greytown, famous for its cherry orchards, will be visited first., and the party will inspect other orchards in the vVairarapa district, after which the journey will be continued to Dannevirke and other North Island centres. The annual Taranaki tennis championship tournament is to begin on the New Plymouth Club’s courts to-mor-row morning. Entries have been received from competitors as far distant as Christchurch and Whangarei, and both the number and the standard of the players compare favourably) with previous tournaments. Trips to the gannet rookery at Cape kidnappers have been very popular when the tides have been suitable during the few fine days of the holiday period. Several score residents of Napier and Hastings recently visited the birds, which are now in various' .stages of nesting activity, some being still on the eggs, while in some cases the chicks are quite young. Others are large and just spreading their wings .preparatory to learning to fly. A regular visitor to the gannet- expressed the opinion that there is no sign of their numbers decreasing.

A striking example of what, a boy can accomplish if iie has the will to •succeed despite very severe disabilities was brought before the Southland Education Hoard; recently, says an excaange. It was an exercise book showing tlie work of a boy at the Night- • .vps Schoo'j. This toy, .although he bias Deea arms from birth and' is ..air a 4 years old, is in Standard 1\ .. and has developed such a remarkable prehensile power -of cue foot that be can write, rule lines, and even draw in a, manner which would be a credit to a normally equipped child of Iris lage. Heeding the pen between his toes, he can perform with remarkable skill all the ordinary tasks of school life. He is ail excellent singer, and is very popular. Although definite figures are lacking it is evident that .unemployment is severe in Christchurch just now. Most of the men who were employed on forestry jobs have been put off, and according to the unemployed, the men who were given a week’s work over Christmas by the Christchurch City Council have finished up and there appears to be no work offering in the eitv, although the position should improve shortly when the freezing works open and harvesting starts. Just at present, however, there is little work offering in the country and the Government employment bureau apparently has no work to offer the men. Since the Otira tunnel was opened on August 4, 1923, a total of 2,734,768 tons of goods have passed through it from west to east..' This has comprised mostly coal, timber and dairy produce. The total for 1929 reached a new high level, 581,216 tons being brought through, representing an increase of 44,678 to.ns on the precediug year. Each year since the tunnel nvas opened the tonnage total has risen. The tunnel was designed to carry a maximum of 1000 tons a day, but during almost the wholp ;of the past year has carried over 2000 tons daily. There was little to interrupt traffic during 1929, the most serious being the subsidence in the line caused by the earthquake on June 17. This was repaired within two days.

Reports received in Napier fr.oni Lake Tapuo say that good catches of trout are being secured there. Five, seven, eight and n-half, and ten-pound, ors have frequently been landed. The weather, which has been bad for some time, making fishing at Tatipo and Toknanu disappointing, lias now improved, giving fishermen bettor opportunities to try their skill. In his reports to the Minister of Interna] Affairs the conservator of fish and gam 0 states that the “fatuiti’’ fly anil the “mafttki’’ fly have been favourite baits. Several “limits’’ under the regulations hftVp been achieved by oversells and New Zealand fishermen, Trolling parties on tho lake have obtained excellent. results, considering the past bad weather. One party trolling in Matuapa Bay secured 27 nice fish, averaging in oveight five pounds, the heaviest being of 10 pounds. The favourite resort for ft_y-fishing appears to be in the Acacia Bay and off Rangitira Point, Adi ere several parties have landed good catches of fish, weighing six, seven and eight pounds.