News Of The Day

Northern Advocate, 15 August 1942, Page 2

News Of The Day

Soldiers Photographs Owing to pressure of space it has not been possible this week to publish all photographs of Northland soldiers kindly forwarded by relatives and friends. The photographs will appear shortly.

Aged Tooth An interesting exhibit in a Whangarei shop is a shark’s tooth embedded in a block of limestone. The stone was taken from the Wairoa quarry, and it is estimated that the tooth is thousands of years old. It is of fair size, and the rock has broken to show a perfect side view of the tooth, which is brown with age.

County Council Finances The financial statement presented tc the Whangarei County Council today showed that the General Fund Accoun' was in credit to the extent of £6560. Refunds due by the Government on account oi Highways expenditure were £1203/17/4; on account of Government grants, £ 112/14/8; on account of E.P.S. expenditure, £122/1-0-• total £1439/6.'-. Expenditure on main highways to August 14, 1942, was £920/1/11 (Main Highway Board's share) and £357/15/8 (County share).

Pipe Band Cn the motion of Mr. A. Clarke a grant of £2/2/- was made by the Whangarei County Council today to the Whangarei and County Pipe band. Ir asking for the Council’s support, the Hen. Secretary of the band (Mr. G McCluskey) stated tha although most of the band members are serving with the armed forces, the band is training, free of cost, lads to take their places, so that the band will continue to function in a manner that its members overseas, and the district generally will benclit by, and be proud of it.

Street Lighting Regulations While it was not possible to agree to the restoration of street and community lighting revised regulations to be issued shortly would raise the standard of street lighting in some towns, the electricity controller advised the North Auckland Electric Power Board at its meeting in Dargaville. He was replying to a request from the board for information whether street and community lighting in areas not visible from the sea could be restored. . * * * * Large-Scale Adoption An unusual adoption case came before the Native Lands Court at' Hawera recently'. A Maori woman aged 76 years applied for the adoption of a family of seven children. The judge of the court, Mr R. P. Dykes, who is at present in New Plymouth, suggested that she might like to adopt perhaps only two of the children, but the Maori was firm. She wanted the whole family, and on her death they would succeed to her property and possessions. The adoption was granted.

Application For Garden With a view to growing potatoes and other vegetables as a war effort Mr. A. H. Scanner, of Waipu Cove today applied to the Whangarei County Council to take over a county section at present used to store bridge planking at Waipu Cove. The section would be ploughed up in conjunction with another section stated Mr. Somner, and as time was passing for ploughing, an early decision by the Council was asked for. Mr. J. Garland said several residents in the district did not favour the request of Mr Somner, and he moved that no action be taken at present. This was carried.

Abandoned The President of the North Auckland Primary School's Rugby Union (Mr. J. H. Dennehy), has been advised from the Auckland Union that the annual tourney for the Northern Roller Mills’ Shield will not be held this year. Apart from Northland, only one other team was entered. The Auckland Primary Schools’ Union did not wish to take the responsibility of the assembling of a large number of boys at this time. Postponement of the tournament will be a disappointment to Whangarei boy footballers, a team of whom has been practising every weekend.

High Rainfall Whangarei’s rainfall for the past week was the heaviest for some time, totalling 6.o7ins. After fine weather on Saturday a small amount fell on Sunday. The rain continued on Monday, but Tuesday was clear and sunny. Towards the afternoon the weather became sultry and rain could be seen in the offing. A violent rainstorm swept the whole district on Wednesday night accompanied by high* variable winds. The total fall for Wednesday night was 3.7 Bins. A fairly heavy drizzle continued on Thursday, but conditions yesterday were considerably improved. Service cars have now been able to gt through from all districts. Severe flooding on the Dargaville route has receded sufficiently to allow the car through to Whangarei, although it was forced to use the Houto route as the usual road is still impassable. It is expected that the main highway will be clear this afternoon.