News of the Day

Northern Advocate, 20 July 1938, Page 6

News of the Day

Busy Time for Retailers. Business men are anticipating an unusually prosperous time for the next few days. With about £60,000 being distributed from the three local dairy factories, there will be a natural boost in the retail trade. Today a number of farmers were in town, and it is expected that tomorrow and Friday will see large numbers of farmers from the surrounding districts in the streets of Whangarei. * * * * Citrus Fruit Glut “Seasonable conditions have been most favourable for citrus fruits, which are coming on to the market in nice clean condition,” said Mr. M. Talbot, Government orchard instructor, in conversation with a “Northern Advocate" representative today. “Heavy crops everywhere are glutting the markets, and even the best cured varieties are bringing small prices.” * * ♦ * Marketing of Potatoes, In Parliament yesterday, Mr A. C. A. Sexton (Country Party—Franklin) gave notice to ask the Minister of Marketing, Mr W. Nash, whether he was in a position to- make a report about inquiries overseas regarding the marketing of surplus potatoes. He emphasised the importance to growers of early crops of disposing of any surplus. ■ * • * Poorman Oranges Picked Too Soon “People don’t realise the goodness of the poorman orange, both as a breakfast fruit and in drinks,” said Mr. M. Talbot, Government orchard instructor, visiting Whangarei. “Although there has been a glut in the market, fruit is now more mature and sales should increase. There is a tendency to pick poorman oranges as soon as they become yellow, whereas they should be left on the tree to ripen. The oranges do not reach their best condition until the end of July or the beginning of August, when they rival grapefruit in every way. Prior to that they should be picked only for marmalade.”

See ihe Indians, Rugby Park, Whangarei, August 17, Z p.m. BRS

Young Footballers Complimented. Highly complimentary remarks were passed by members of the Whangarei Rugby Union Management Committee at its meeting last night, on the very high standard of football displayed by the boys in the Central-Horahora third grade match played as a curtain-raiser to the Maori All Black trial at Whangarei last Saturday. If this standard was maintained throughout the lower grades, then, during the coming years the Whangarei Union should be able to field some very fine representative teams, and it was the Union’s duty to encourage these boys as much as possible to maintain and improve their football. * * * * Polish Yachtsman Arrives in Auckland After an uneventful voyage down the coast from the Bay, of Islands, which he left on Wednesday last, Mr. Erwin J. Weber, in the Farys, arrived at Auckland yesterday. On May 11 Mr. Weber, a Polish engineer, left the Bay of Islands for Tonga, but was forced to return when his chronometer was broken in a storm. With the assistance of an unreliable alarm clock, Mr. Weber accomplished the considerable task of navigating his small craft back to the Bay of Islands. The Farys proved particularly seaworthy, and rode out a storm that lasted three and nights, the only damage being a strained gunwale at the bow, where the plug of the sea anchor raised the toe rail a little from the decking, • * * * Whales Increasing in Number? Although the depredations of early whale-hunters in New Zealand almost, completely wiped out whales in New Zealand waters, there is evidence that they are again increasing in numbers. In Cook Strait a total of 53 whales is reported to have been captured by the Te Awaite whalers. For many years, the Cock Strait regions were the bases of operations, a small island off the mainland close by Kapitf Island, 30 miles north of Wellington, being the centre of a thriving trade. In the past few years, however, whales have practically disappeared from the New Zea> land coastline, only an occasional specimen being washed ashore.