News Of The Day

Northern Advocate, 18 December 1942, Page 2

News Of The Day

Season’s Greetings

At the conclusion of the last council meeting for the year, the chairman of the Mangonui County Council on Wednesday extended Christmas greetings to the councillors, the staff of the county office and the two Press representatives. Mr. L.’ Matthews replied on behalf of the councillors, and added his greetings to the staff and the Press, the representatives of which suitably replied.

Pukenui Wharf Charges Although wharfage charges for the Pukenui wharf were gazetted in February, 1942, no action has yet been taken to collect any revenue there. At its December meeting, on Wednesday, the Mangonui County Council, which was vested with the control of the wharf at the same time, decided that the charges must in future be collected. The wharfinger is to be asked to act as collector of the dues, as set out in the Gazette notice.

Army Digs Deep

“Gur motor mower driver has been called for service and will go into camp on January 5. He is a married man with a family of ten. I don't know what the Army is thinking' about,” said Cr. T. McKay at the last meeting of the Dargaville Borough Council.

Victory Strawberries A recent article in the "Advocate" indicated that latest styles in plants this year might be "V” signs and this prophecy has been borne out by the fact that two pairs of strawberries were discovered by Mr. T. Walder, of Whangarei, joined in a V-shape. The strawberries were grown at Kamo, and are fine specimens. Each pair is joined at the base and has one stem. It was unusual that two identical specimens should be found at the same time, and would indicate that Whangarei has the garden behind it in its war effort. The previous example of a V-shaped vegetable was that of two cucumbers joined in a similar manner.

Gardening' Club Thanked At the Whangarei Harbour Board meeting yesterday, very laudatory expressions were made concerning the activities of the Whangarei Ladies’ Gardening Club. It was resolved that the Club be advised that the Board highly appreciates the splendid work the ladies have performed in the planting and caring for the flower bed rockeries on the Town Basin Esplanade, and compliments them on the most pleasing results with which thenlabours have been rewarded. * * V £ Burglar Takes Tobacco A quantity of tobacco was stolen when an intruder entered the premises of Mr. B. Thdmson. grocer, of Bank Street, Whangarei. Entrance was gained through a back window which was forced open and then a hole was cut in a three-ply panel door to release the catch and gain entry into the shop. With the goods arranged on shelves it was difficult to say if any stock had been removed except tobacco, a quantity of which was taken. The police are investigating. , . 0 * <t Steeplechase Record Announcement that Michael Malloy had established a new record in winning the intermediate three-mile steeplechase championship, was made at the Whangarei High School break-ing-up ceremony. Previously the record books were not available, the compiler being with the forces, but it had nofiv been verified that Malloy’s time was the fastest in which the course had ever been covered by an intermediate boy. * ■’! 3 * Watch On Traffic Sage advice to children was given by the Area Commander (LieutenantColonel H. F. Conyers-Brown), when addressing pupils of the Whangarei High School at the prize-giving ceremony. Colonel Conyers-Brown advised the children to keep their eys on traffic while they were in the streets during holiday time and absent from the control exercised while they were at school. Drivers of army vehicles had been instructed to use the greatest care but the children themselves had a duty in watching the traffic in fairness to vehicle drivers.

Dead—Cut Wouldn’t Lie Down The final ’’battle” of the recent Northland exercises had plenty of excitement for the New Zealand soldiers taking part, and had steel been flying there would have been casualties in plenty. Many a gallant raiding party captured a post, only to find that they had been ruled by the umpires as ‘’dead’” for hours before. The Maoris, in particular, enjoyed themselves, in the latter stages Brigadier Dittmer, former famous commander of the Maori Battalion in the Middle East, was passing by a well-concealed gunpit and called down to the Maori Bren gunner who manned it, “How many did you kill today, eh?” The Maori looked up with a grin, “They won’t lie down, sir!” * ft * # The Town Hall will be transformed to Fairyland on Monday next when the pantomime “Jack and the Beanstalk” will commence a season of three nights and a matinee. Demons, fairies, the conventional Baron and Dame will help to make the presentation a memorable one. The ballet mistress is Miss Shirley Maxwell and the production is in the hands of Sgt. Howard Moody. The entire proceeds are for Patriotic Funds. 483