NEWS OF THE DAY

Northern Advocate, 31 October 1949, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

WHITE STARLING Nature certainly is a crossword puzzle. Why, for instance is a blackberry red when it is green? Why is an occasional blackbird white? Why is the odd starling white? Is he just another “black sheep”? All these oddities do crop up in Northland from time to time. The latest is a white starling which Mr Allan Conn picked up near his home at Mangapai this morning. It was a young bird, not long out of the nest, and not quite ready for its certificate of airworthiness. Mr Conn found it on the ground and took it to his home for safety. When it is able to take the air, he will release it. RACES INFLATE TRICES Even • the very young generation now take a financial interest in horseracing. In one Whangarei household big sister was attending the second day of the local racing meeting and she asked small sister to clean her shoes, offering as a reward, the customary sum of sixpence. Small sister. however had other ideas. “Oh no. not today!” was her reply. “Everything is always more expensive on race-days—it will cost you a shilling this morning." SQUALLS CAUSE DISCOMFORT Squally conditions on the Whangarei Harbour yesterday afternoon made things uncomfortable for anglers and yachtsmen and were responsible for a ducking for three young men in Mr C. Logan's 16-footer Leone. They caught the full force of an exceptionally strong gust of wind just after leaving The Nook at Parua Bay and 1 heir craft overturned. Apart from a thorough wetting, they were unharmed. The anchor was the only part ot the yacht's gear that was lost. NOT SO SOFT Softball, a gentler variety ot America's national summer game, baseball, can be fairly fierce all the same as a Whangarei Girls’ High School teacher found to her cost last week. She was standing near a girl who was batting. The girl, in (lie approved style, flung the bat away to run and the teacher was hit in the face. Fortunately the injuries were confined to a black eye.

“MEANEST THING” A resident on Kamo Springs Flat had to do without his daily newspaper on Saturday. Here is why: It was taken by the driver of a car, who, seeing the paper, pulled up, took the paper from the side of the road and drove off. “It was the meanest thing I have ever seen done,” said a motorist who saw the incident and reported it to the Advocate today. LAND FOR EX-SERVICEMEN Four blocks of land in the Punakitere district have been taken under the Servicemen’s Settlement and Land Sales Act for the settlement of discharged servicemen. One block is of 756 acres, and another of 346 acres, while there are two additional small areas of nine acres and three acres. Henry Wilson’s still remain the premier house for value-giving. Note these money-savers. Beautiful Grafton dress-lengths 38/-; 42in. white lingerie satin, worth 11/6, for 7/6 yard; 36in. extra heavy i'uji silk, also lighter quality 5/11 yard. Men’s fine tweed trousers, were 45/- for 35/-; and boys’ khaki shirt and trousers suits, for 18/3. r/wl