LOCAL & GENERAL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 231, 16 September 1935, Page 6

LOCAL & GENERAL

Hastings Citizens' Baud. The Hastings Citizens’ Hand were favoured with a large attendance at Queen's Square, yesterday afternoon, when they gave one of their popular subsidy concerts. The programme was exceedingly well chosen, and gave unbounded pleasure to the listeners. District Nursing. During the month the Napier district nurse made 371 visits to 51 patients. For the same period the district nurse at Hastings made 417 visits to 60 patients. The district nurse for natives made 136 visits to 69 patients. In addition she made 20 visits to various pas. Harbour Board Leases. The question of the valuation of improvements for re-leasing purposes was briefly discussed by members of the Napier Harbour Board to-day and referred to a special committee consisting of Messrs E. J. Herrick. J. Barker and It. J). Brown, with power to act. Tins particular matter is independent of the Napier Air Port Bid now before Parliament. The Ranfurly Shield. An appeal for a Ranfurly Shield match with Canterbury, the pi esent holders, on Wednesday, September 25, has been forwarded by the Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union to the New Zealand Rugby Union. Mr N. A. McKenzie, sole Rugby selector for Hawke’s Bay, said on Saturday night that a recently published message purporting to show that Hawke’s Bay would not receive a match with the Shield holders was incorrect. Child Takes Caustic Soda. As the result of swallowing a small quantity of caustic soda, David Dobson, the 18-months-old son of Mr and Mrs S. E. Dobson, of Pakowhai road, Hastings, was admitted to the Hastings Memorial Hospital yesterday in a serious condition. The child suffered from severe burns to the throat and mouth, but this morning the hospital authorities reported that he was responding to treatment and is now making very satisfactory progress.

Overdoing It. An amusing little story is current concerning a well known New Plymouth woman whose love of cats verges on notoriety. Despite the fact that she supports about half a dozen well fed felines she is constantly annoyed by the sound of foraging mice at night. Deciding on an anti-rodent campaign recently she determined also to make a job of it, and purchased a dozen patent mouse traps from a local hardwareman. So far she has caught four cats. The mice are still troublesome.

Washout Bridge Approaches. In accordance with a request by the Hawke s Bay County Council, the Hawke’s Bay Rivers Board this morning decided to build the approaches to the south end of the new Washout bridge. A letter from the council commended the board for its organisation, and said that it would be preferable for the board to do the work. The engineers of the two bodies aro to confer upon the matter

Map of Havelock North. The “Tribune'’ has received from the clerk of the Havelock North Town Board a map of the Havelock N. Town Board district. The map, which is approximately 20 inches square, is a photograph copy of a much larger map which the Town Board had drafted and which hangs in the board’s office. Despite its much smaller size, the photograph copy is very clear and every Word can be easily read. It is very detailed and would be very useful to anyone wishing to know the streets and lay-out of Havelock North. The small maps can be purchased at the Town Board offices at a very small cost.

Alsatian Versus Poodle. Much has been heard about the savagery of the Alsatian dog, but there is evidently one way of intimidating him, and that is to set a poodle or some such animal at his heels. Yesterday a Hastings resident saw an incident that proved this assertion. A great hulking Alsatian dog was making a clumsy attempt to persuade a little dog of the poodle class to play with him. The poodle, becoming annoyed at what was apparently unwished-for attention, turned on the Alsatian and snapped at his heels. With his tail down the Alsatian was across the road and inside his own gate within a fraction of a second. No dog could have shown more instant or more complete fright.

A More Sober People. There can be no manner of doubt (says the “Morning Post’’) that the British are to-day a far soberer nation than at any time since the rule of the Ironsides. The past generation has witnessed a change that is nothing short of amazing. Since 1905 the number of convictions for drunkenness has fallen by five-sixths—that is, from 207,009 to 36,000 in 1933. Since 1899 the consumption of beer has declined by onehalf and spirits by two-thirds. The causes may be attributed partly to the enormous and indeed excessive taxation which has been imposed on alcoholic liquors, and partly to counter-attrac-tions, such as the cinema, wireless and travel facilities. Their Labours in Vain. The expectations of two residents of a Taranaki town rose high when, upon visiting a nearby beach, they discovered what appeared to ail intents and purposes to be a huge mass of ambergris. Furtively they worked to conceal their treasure from prying and envious eyes, laboriously they hauled part of their precious hoard to the top of a precipitous cliff. Two of them not being equal to the herculean task, after due consideration they called in the assistance of a third, swearing him to secrecy. After many strenuous hours the task was accomplished, a specimen sent for analysis—and their hopes were dashed to the ground. Their find was merely a submarine growth which at intervals makes its appearance in Taranaki waters.