LOCAL & GENERAL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 95, 5 April 1934, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL

During the Easter holidays the H.B. and E.C. Aero Club’s machines were in great demand, and several hurried flights were made. Many trips were made between Hastings and Gisborne, and on one occasion a return trip was made between Gisborne and Wellington in the one day.

During the next few days considerable activity will be shown in the shipping of export apples from the Hastings district for the London and Continental markets. In addition to the shipments being made by the Port Curtis and Karamea as reported yesterday, provision has been made for the shipping of 8,000 cases by the Sultan Star, which arrived at Napier this morning to load meat for London.

Good progress is being made with the erection of the new Napier branch of the Bank of New Zealand, in Hastings street. This building occupies the site of the old D.S., Limited. It is expected to be occupied in July. The building is to be finished by the end of May and the interior fittings by the end of June. The price for the bank, exclusive of fittings, is £ll,OOO. Angus, Ltd., are the contractors, and Crighton, Haughton and Mackay, of Wellington the architects.

Further work in connection with the bitumen sealing on the Omahu road ils expected to commence next week. The Hawke’s Bay County Council already has authority to proceed with the work to a point a little beyond the Kereru turn-off. A short time ago the work was carried on as far as Flaxmere gate and the contractor expects to resume activities in the next few days. In order to complete the sealing to the Fornhill bridge, a distance of 60 chains, the council is now seeking the sanction of the Main Highways Board.

The number of volumes in the free library of the New Zealand Blind Institute, Auckland, is 5834, comprising 4110 in Braille and 1724 in Moon type. Groups of books of a minimum of 40 volumes are also maintained by the institute in the three principal southern libraries. Last year 48 Braille and 76 Moon volumes were purchased, these figures being considerably below those for previous years. The number of regular readers was 331 and contact was maintained with 900 blind persons.

The godwit migration from the far north to Siberia and its adjacent lands commenced about March 15. This year the main flocks left the upper reaches of the Parengarenga Harbour and then concentrated on the eastern beach At Ngakengo, which is a few miles south of the North Cape lighthouse. From this point the birds flew to Hooper’s Point, which is at the eastern end of Spirits Bay, without landing and thence on their long ocean journey. There are still many birds left In tae harbour reaches, and it is probable further flights will be made this month.

A special staff of detectives and plain-clothes officers is engaged on a far-reaching inquiry to trace the two masked men who escaped with some £25 after one of them had shot and wounded Mr. B. W. de Laurier, an attendant at Mr. W. 8. Miller’s garage, Khyber Pass road, at 3.30 a.m. on Sunday. Many parts of the city and suburbs have already been covered in the course of the investigation, and numbers of persons have been interviewed. Mr. de Laurier was able to give only meagre descriptions of the men, as their features were hidden, but what particulars the police have received have been forwarded to distant police stations.

Taupo was very popular with fishermen and other holiday-makers during the Easter week-end. Motor-cars from all parts of the North Island passed through the district and the hotels were unable to accommodate all the visitors. Motor camping was very popular. The weather was excellent, the lake being as smooth as glass. A south-east wind at the end of last week made fish fairly hard to get, but those caught were in very good condition. Launch parlies working in the western bays were the most, successful, some securing from 20 to 30 fish a day. Several 10]b. fish and a number of six and seven pound fish wens taken.

The Havelock North Fire Brigade acknowledges the following donations: Mrs. Selwyn Chambers £2, Melville Bell £l, A. Bramell £l, Mrs. Turner Williams 10/-, Mr. P. F. Hunter £2 2/-, Anonymous £l.

The Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club’s meeting on Saturday promises to be a very successful one. The acceptances (appearing on page 2) are most satisfactory, and a good afternoon’s sport is assured. The first race is timed to start at 12.30 p.m.

An easy win was scored by the Gisborne Bowling Club rink skipped by H. A. Armstrong, in the final match of the Burton Cup tournament. The final ist rinks were: Graeie, Murray, Sutton, H. A. Armstrong (s); and Nasmith, W. A. Smith, Crawford, and G. Henderson (s). The final scores were 27—9 ia favour of Armstrong.

“There is an ever-increasing tendency on the part of sections of trade and industry to run to the Government for legislation to overcome a particular problem of their own, instead of themselves applying their own energy towards finding a solution,” statue the annual report of the Wanganui Employers’ Association. “This tendency to look to the Government for assistance is to be deprecated. Already the evil has manifested itself in a multitude of legislative enactments which are having tin effect of restricting and hampering trade and industry as a ■whole, until to-day the Dominion is suffering from what has been aptly termed ‘leg: lative indigestion.’ 1 ’

Fully 1000 people assembled at Whirinaki to do honour to the unfurling of the flag presented by the Governor-General and Lady Bledisloc during their recent visit to the district. Prominent among the visitors were chiefs from Hokianga, Whnngaroa, Dargaville and North Cape, and surrounding districts. The work of providing for such a large gathering causes no difficulty to the Maori, and on this occasion more than enough food was provided to satisfy the large number of people present. The unfurling of the large Union Jack was an impressive ceremony. After the ceremony some 20 memorials were unveiled by ministers of several religions.

“I was surprised at what might be called the socialisation of England.” said Mr. Will Appleton, of Wellington, when addressing members of the Palmerston North Citizens’ Lunch Club yesterday on his recent tour of England. “We have always regarded it as a very conservative place, but so far as Government or municipal services are concerned, New Zealand .is 20 to 25 years behind. Every individual is properly cared for in England, and it is one of the reasons why she is emerging from her difficulties. It was a real -tonic to go to England. The Old Country is well on the road to recovery. There is no doubt about that. This is due entirely to one thing—character. The people have stood up to their obligations and nobly met taxation.”