LOCAL AND GENERAL

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4811, 17 July 1939, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

There is an energetic movement afoot to form an Otorohanga and district unit of Mounted Rifles, and intending members are keeping in touch with the Defence Department at Hamilton.

There was another large crowd of dancers at the Parish Hall on Saturday evening for the Waitete Football Club's fortnightly dance. Les. Stout's dance band was in good form and supplied excellent music. A delightful supper was served by the Club's Ladies Committee. Miss M. Nealon and Mr. M. Richards were the Monte Carlo winners.

Fish merchants in Dunedin state that there is a possibility of Australia securing some of her supplies of fish elsewhere than from New Zealand. Some months ago fishermen at Stewart Island were on strike for about eight months, during which time difficulty was experienced in handling fish for export from Bluff to Australia, most of these catches being of blue cod. The freezers at Bluff are now full owing to lack of orders from Australia and it is reported that the fishermen have received orders to cease fishing in the meantime, in spite of the fact that at this time of the year fish are very scarce in the Dominion. Under the circumstances the prospects for fishermen when fish are more plentiful do not appear very bright.

In order to allow time for more comprehensive organisation it has been decided to postpone recruiting week until next week.

The Otorohanga District High School Committee is endeavouring to interest the local population and parents in the rural areas of this consolidated school, in the matter of bathing facilities in the school grounds. A special meeting has been convened.

A decision to take action under the Public Works Act against owners of stock who illegally allowed their animals to graze on the roadside, was reached at the monthly meeting of the Waipa County Council last week. A letter was received from a county ratepayer drawing the council's attention to the unnecessary amount of wear and tear on the roads caused by mobs of cattle grazing at large.

The fact that there were a dozen houses short in Pio Pio was stressed by Cr. Crocombe at the meeting of the County Council on Friday. The representatives of the. Housing Department had been out at Pio Pio, but it appeared that there was for the time being no hope from this source. There had been a rumour that an area of land had been purchased by the Department, but there had been nothing further heard on this question. Yet the situation at Pio Pio was exceedingly acute.

Despite the fact that it is midwinter, the remarkable phenomenon of Lake Taupo being almost at record low level continues. Some of the reefs of rock which are usually well below water level are to be observed well clear of the water. However, with the particularly heavy fall of snow which has taken place, as soon as the thaw set in it should not be long before the level of the lake commences to return to normal.

"Danger—Look Out for Women," is a notice that catches the jeye of the traveller on the Napier-Taupo road. Erected in a prominent position on the right side of the main highway, the notice has caused no little amusement to users of the road and can be seen clearly from some distance. Closer observation reveals, however, that the noTice should read, "Danger —Look Out for Workmen," but the upright post on to which the notice board has been transfixed, has obliterated the "RK" from "workmen."

A motorist who was in a hurry to be on time for an interview with the Minister of Transport (the Hon. R. Semple) during one of his recent visits to Chritschurch, has found that in dealing with a Minister of the Crown, discretion is the beter part of valour, states the Sun-Star. On Tuesday the motorist was charged with exceeding the 30 m.p.h. speed limit, and there were smiles when he advanced the excuse that he had been in a hurry to keep an appointment with Mr. Semple. "And now you are keeping an apopintment with us," laughed the Magistrate (Mr. E. C. Levvey) as he imposed a fine.

"On my way from Wellington to Hamilton I passed through Wanganui and New Plymouth and found that the sporting organisations were responding well to the apeal for recruits," said Major G. H. Clifton, secretary of the Army Recruiting Committee, Wellington, in an interview at Hamilton on Friday. "An instance of the response is given by the fact that 31 members of the Pirates Football Club in Wanganui came forward in a body and joined up. Another interesting- personality down there is Brian Silk, the well-known golf champion, who is . now a full private in that territory."

The importation of nurses from abroad as a means of solving the serious shortage of staff nurses at the Napier and Hastings hospitals was considered at a meeting of the Hawke's Bay Hospital Board. Before taking any definite action, however, the position is to be discussed with the Health Department and Miss Lambie, director of the nursing division.

A denial of a statement made by the city editor of the Daily, Herald that some New Zealand banks were known to be hostile, and were working actively against Mr. Nash, is made by the chairman of the Associated Trading Banks, Mr. R. C. Addison. He says: "We would simply refer the Daily Herald to the Prime Minister and Mr. Nash. In view of the actual co-operation of all six trading banks in the steps taken to assist Mr. Nash's approach to the London market, we cannot believe that either Mr. Savage or Mr. Nash would'approve any statement so misrepresenting the attitude of the trading banks in New Zealand in this connection."