Local and General

Northern Advocate, 4 January 1938, Page 4

Local and General

Flounder Plentiful. Fishing with spears on an arm o. the Kaipara Harbour last night, two men collected 120 flounder, mostly of good size. Both incoming and outgoing tides were worked.

White Butterfly at Moerewa. That unwelcome pest, the ' vel ‘ known white butterfly, is particular > active in this district just now. writes our Moerewa correspondent. Gardeners and farmers who rejoiced at the benefits brought to their crops by the warm rain of the week-end, are now faced with increasing numbers of these ravaging little pests.

“They’re Sure Big.” The American of comic-paper fame is notorious for his boasting. It is doubtful whether this is true of him in real life. Certainly the United States visitor to Russell who three lobsters did not comment we have bigger than these in the States when three huge crays of the packhorse” variety were handed to him. "They’re sure big,” he drawled, goodhumouredly.

Waipu Consolidation. When at Waipu yesterday, the Hon. P. Fraser, Minister of Education, received a deputation, comprising Messrs G. Brooks and D. McCathle. urging upon him acceleration of school consolidation in the district, to which he had already given his consent. Mr Fraser said he would investigate reasons for delay and promised to speed up amalgamation in every way which lay in his power.

High School Inspected. This morning the Minister of Education, Hon. P. Fraser, escorted by the Principal, Mr A. R. Ryder, and Mr R. W. Packwood, district engineer, inspected the Whangarei High School buildings. Mr Fraser gave an assurance that Mr Savage, architect to the Education Department, would be sent to Whangarei to discuss with the Board of Governors and the Principal, the style of the new girls’ school. Many Aucklanders Cruising in The North, A tour round the bays indicates that many Auckland yachtsmen are cruising in Northern waters. All the way up the coast small craft are well spread out. This morning the Auckland launch Cyrena was in the Town Wharf basin, and in addition there were three other Auckland yachts there —the Roiata, a C class keeler; the Valdern, a keeler of the E class; and the Cosair, a Y class yacht.

Old Plum Tree. What is perhaps the , largest and oldest plum tree in the Waikato is bearing a splendid crop of red Christmas plums behind the shop of Mr. W. Timmins, of Studholm Street, Morrinsville. This huge tree was planted 50 years ago by Mr. F. J. Marshall behind the butcher’s shop which he established. Mr. Marshall later became Morrinsville’s first mayor and recently returned from a trip to Great Britain. So high is this plum tree that even the most enterprising climbers fail to reach the fruit on the top branches.

Sun-Fish Off The Coast. Visiting yachtsmen who called in at Whangarei this morning, described sun-fish as among the most interesting things seen on the cruise up the coast. Not unlike a stingray, the sun-fish is bullet shaped, though rounded also at the tail, >with a huge fin in the centre of its back. This is very prominent when the fish is near the surface and may lead the casual observer into mistaking the fish for a stringray. On the belly another fin points downwards, and when swimming the sun-fish proceeds with a peculiar roll. Whilst sunfish are not uncommon in Northern waters, visitors find them particularly interesting.

Railway Revenue Increase, Information from the Kaikohe branch of the Railway Department shows a remarkable increase both in goods and passenger traffic for Christmas Week, as compared with the corresponding period last year. During the week this year the inward revenue for freight amounted to £262, an increase of £ 103. The increase •in freight was 112 tons, and the increased revenue for outward goods was £46. The passenger bookings were 627, as compared with 352 for the corresponding week last year, and the revenue amounted to £220, showing an advance of £95 over the same period.

Mechanised Armies and Oxen. A curious contrast of life in the Austrian Tyrol forcibly' impressed a Christchurch visitor, Mr. W. P. McKay. Farms were tilled .by the most obsolete /methods—at one place he saw a horse and an ox yoked together to the plough—and no use at all seemed to be made of scientific mechanical aids to farming. Most of the people seen in the fields were old. the youth of the nation apparently being away at soldiering, or in the national camps. The contrast lay in seeing whole armies, mechanised to the last word in modern army practice, on the same roads that bisected farms worked by such old-fashioned methods.

The Dangerous Part. If rubber “Wings” are an indication of the novice at swimming, then there is one small girl in Whangarei who •should be taught a lesson. She is a little more than eight, and was bathing at the Central Park pool yesterday. With the wings under her armpits, sue made heavy weather in the deeper part of the pool. As a reporter passed, she called to a companion on the bank: “I’m not going in the babies’ pool. It’s dangerous here.” Surely this little lady has been given the wrong slant on swimming. Her attitude may be typical of unbridled childish whim, but, unless she is given a more rational outlook on swimming, certainly she will find herself in difficulties some day. Perhaps shlb will lead others into danger, too. Somewhere, someone is to blame, and naturally eyes turn to the parents.

Buyers of sheetings, towels, damasks, and other Manchester goods, should not miss the reductions at Henry Wilson s liquidation sale, now running. Also marocain and striped Bombevg frocks at half price. Wilson’s ordinary values are good. Wilson’s values at sale time are irresistible.

Fall From Horse

Falling from the horse he was riding yesterday afternoon. Mr Robert Peters struck his leg against a post. On admission to the Whangarei Hospital last evening it was found that the leg had been fractured. His condition today is good.

A. and P. Show for Moerewa.

Judging by the interest displayed, there is every indication that the meeting to be held at Moerewa this week in connection with the proposed formation of an A. and P. Society, and the staging of a show should be well attended.

ICO Descendants On 93rd Birthday. At the age of 93 Mrs Annie Teller, one of Whangarei’s oldest residents, proudly refers to her 100 descendants. Mrs Telfer had 12 children, six sons and six daughters, and the total of these together with her grandchildren and great-grandchildz'en passed the centuary mark, almost coinciding with the celebration of her 93rd birthday some days ago. Safety Stickers.

A series of coloured stickers for use on correspondence has been issued in connection with the National Road Safety Campaign. The subjects are striking in their conception and the admonishments to travellers and pedestrians are effectively worded. A few sample wordings, having appropriate pictures, are: “Your holiday won't do you much good if you don't come back safe and sound.” “Look out for the driver who doesn’t look out for you.” “When going on holiday, start early and cut down your speed.” “Put safetv first these holidays.” “The white lines are your life lines.”