News Of The Day

Northern Advocate, 17 November 1938, Page 6

News Of The Day

Musically-Minded Mayor. Whangarei’s Mayor, Mr W. Jones, has an appreciation not only of classical music but also of the lighter type of modern popular song. It was at his request that the band of the New Zealand Institute for the Blind rendered “I Love to Whistle” as a dance selection, during its Town Hall appearance last night, and this was one of the brightest numbers on the programme. * s * * Music in the Aix*. Whangarei was full of music last night. Prior to the commencement of the presentation by the band of the New Zealand Institute for the Blind in the Town Hall, the Municipal Band, the Salvation Army Band and the Pipe Band all marched to the hall through the streets from different points, and the two latter each gave a selection in front of the hall. The Municipal Band combined with the visitors for the last item in the hall. * * * * Teachers’ Reresher Courses. The proposal of the senior inspector, Mr A. Bain, that refresher courses lasting three days for teachers should be held at Whangarei, Dargaville, Kaikohe, Te Aroha, Tauranga, Hamilton, Te Kuiti and Auckland early in 1939 was adopted by the Auckland Education Board yesterday. The subjects most in demand, Mr Bain said, were physical education, music, arts and crafts, choral speaking, and infant work.

* * * $ Blind Band Plays in Dark. Blind musicians need no music sheets while playing, and obviously darkness makes no difference to their performance. This was brought home to the Whangarei public during the Blind Band’s concert in the Town Hall last night. While the Municipal Band was filing on to the stage to combine with the visitors in the final selection, the lights were extinguished, and the sightless visitors rendered a spirited selection in total darkness.

Samoan Clipper Memorial. To commemorate the pioneering achievements of Captain Edwin Musick and six companions who perished v in the Samoan Clipper in the South i Pacific, a memorial trophy is to be| awarded 'annually to any individual? group or organisation in English- i speaking countries responsible for the| most valuable contribution to safety? in commercial aviation for the year,* with preference to trans-oceanic fly-i ing if other considerations (are equal. | The Memorial Award Committee in? • Auckland is having the design pre-i pared for the trophy by a New Zea-| land sculptor. The trophy will be| valued approximately at £3OO, 'and? will be held in the country of the I winner for a year. A miniature will | be awarded, to become the property of ? the successful aviator or group ofj aviators. J,

Greater Care of Kauri Trees. The Hobson County Council has written to the Railway Department asking that grea|ter care be taken of kauri trees growing between Kaihu and Whatoro, The matter was brought to the notice of the couhcil by Mr W, J. Gorrie, who stated that the trees, which were growing well, were once looked after by the Railway Department. Now thjpy were not receiving the same attention and there was some danger of fire from sparks from passing railway engines, he said. **• , • Floating Bottle Found. A bottle containing a note tossed overboard from the Maunganui in the middle of the Tasman Sea on July 26, 1937, was found on the West Coast, near Maule’s Gorge, on Sunday, by Mr C. F. Shaw, of Dargaville. The note was written by Mr Bernard Conway, of Ireland, who was on' the way to Sydney from Auckland. The writing was well preserved. The object of Mr Conway was to discover where the bottle would drift, and how long it would take to be discovered. Mr Shaw is writing to Mr Conway and to Mr F, H. Choate, of Sydney, a passenger who watched whilst, the bottle was thrown overboard.

Hailstorm in Maimgaturoto. In the early part of Tuesday afternoon, heavy rain fell in Maungaturoto, followed by an unusually heavy hailstorm. Large hailstones (some measuring over an inch in diameter) fell for about 15 minutes, banking up in watertables on the rokd and on roofs of houses. In many places heaps of hailstones were over a foot thick and after school the children had a great deal of fun. Damage was done to orchchards and gardens, some gardens being stripped. Rows of beans, rhubarb, potatoes and onions were ruined, while tomato plants were broken right off. Many entrants in the local flower show had their blooms ruined in the storm. The strange part of the hailstorm was that it only covered parts of the district and some places did not have rain at all.