News Of The Day

Northern Advocate, 15 December 1943, Page 2

News Of The Day

U.S. Sailors For Hokianga. * In addition to the party of 19 American sailors who have been holidaying in the Kaikohe, Ohaeawai, Waimate North and Bay of Islands coastal areas, a group of nine will be in the South Hokianga district over Christmas. The arrangement is being made by the Red Cross organisation. * » * * Chimney Fire A chimney fire in the basement of a flat at the corner of Mill Road and Donald Street last evening was extinguished by ihe Whangarei Fire Brigade stirrup pump. No . damage was caused. * * * * Farmers Cheques Advice has been received that the Whangarei Co-op Dairy Co. Ltd., is paying out its monthly cheque on December 17 instead of December ?.0 as usual, to allow its suppliers more time for Christmas shopping. * * » « Oink, Quack and Baa! When each child at a party is given a piece of paper with an animal's name on it and told to make appropriate noises, you can expect a lot of fun, but some children must have thought it was hardly fair that the adult ladies at the Kaikohe Junior Red Cross party didn’t do likewise. Could it have been that there were a sheep, a duck and a couple of pigs among those adult slips of paper?

Kookaburra at Maunu A most unusual visitor to Maunu is a kookaburra. Several people have heard this native of Australia practising his characteristic vocal exercises in the gum trees near the Maunu School and yesterday morning Mr T. W. Scott, who lives nearby, positively identified the visitor. Five or six years ago a kookaburra was reported in the same vicinity but there is no means of knowing whether this is tbe same bird. How a kookaburra should be so far from its native habitat is in itself a mystery, although occasional birds have been reported over a long period.of years.

Post Office Holiday Arrangements. The Post Office will be closed on Christmas Day. Mails will not be despatched or delivered on December 25, December 27 (Boxing Day), New Year’s Day, or Monday. January 3. The Telegraph Office will be closed on Christmas Day. Telegrams may be presented upstairs between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Boxing Day. New Year’s Day and Monday, January 3. The telephone exchange will be open continuously.

Never Seen Machinery Tuesday was a red-letter clay ih the lives of a party of about a dozen children of the Otaua School who emerged from their backblocks valley to pay a visit to Moerewa. Their teacher (Mr Dudley) had arranged for their conveyance by motorcar to Kaikohe, where they joined a special train which was being run direct through to Moerewa on the occasion of the Bay of Islands schools’ sports meeting. The Otaua party, however, was not interested in athletics—they, spent hours probing the secrets of the whirring machinery at the dairy factory and meat works. None of them had ever seen machinery before: most of them had never seen a train, while some had never even seen the sea. Otaua is a small settlement south-east of Taheke, which is on the Kaikohe-Rawene road.

W.W.S.A. Garden Success The W.W.S.A. garden in Rust Dane, worked by Cirl Guides under the supervision of Mrs. Given and helpers, has proved very successful this year. From the sale of vegetables £2O has been handed to the patriotic fund, a £lO war bond was purchased, and vegetables given for selling at two functions held by Girl Guides during the year. The potatoes have been early, and particularly good. Epicure, Robin Adair and Cliff’s Kidney' were the varieties planted. Young carrots have been a popular line with mothers buying for small children. Peas, beans and lettuce have done well in this soil. A few flowering plants help to brighten the garden.