LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23708, 15 July 1940, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

"Hitler's Best Friend" At tlio door of practically every shop and oflice in Matamata there is a printed sign bearing the words in bold type: "Stop! Hitler's Best Friend— Rumour." The cards were distributed by the Matamata Chamber of Commerce and have proved very effective.

No Lost Trampers On no occasion last year was it found necessary to bring into use the search organisation of the Tararua Tramping Club, stated the report presented to the annual meeting in Wellington. The secretary, Mr. C. Stubley, said that on two occasions search parties were organised, but it was not necessary to use them.

Bagpipes and Drums More than £SO for the purchase of bagpipes and drums for New Zealand troops going overseas has been raised by the Wcllington-Hawke's Bay Pipe Band Centre, through its bands. The money has boon handed over to the National Patriotic Fund Board and earmarked for the purpose. It is hoped that all pipe bands in the centro will endeavour to raiso funds. Ashes Deposited at Sea

Thirty miles out to sea from the Patea River bar, tlio ashes of tho late Captain A. P. Gibson, who had traded to tlio port for many years, have been cast on the waters. The ceremony took place last week, in tho courso of a trip from Wellington to Patea of the motor-vessel Inaha, and was conducted by Captain W. McKinnon in tho presence of members of tho crew. Northcote School Ransacked

A good deal of damage was done and five shillings stolen from the Northcote School on Friday night by thieves who broke into tho two buildings, and forced the locks of 15 desks, cupboards and drawers in different rooms. In one of the buildings the intruders smashed a pane Of glass near the lock of a door to make their entry, and in the other a door was forced. The police believe that the intruders were boys.

Special Coat for Borax The stowaway dog, and mascot of tho second echelon, Borax, is to be presented with a coatwhich, if not of many colours, will at least be of the fancy variety. It happens that a teacher of the Hutt, Valley High School is an officer in the second echelon, and because of this tho girls of the high school are taking a special interest in Borax, and included in their other knitting activities is a specially-designed coat for him.

Visitors to Camps Largo numbers of Aucklanders took the opportunity of a fine day yesterday to visit soldier friends and relatives in camp -at Papakura and Ngaruawahia. In addition, hundreds of men of the third echelon and special railway units of the Expeditionary force, together with many territorial artillery officers and non-commissioned officers from Ngaruawahia, came into the'city on leave. Throughout the week-end the streets bore a large quota of men in khaki.

Children's Ambulance Fund Nearly £SOO has been contributed by Canterbury primary school children in their effort to raise £2500 to buy a motor-ambulance for the Red Cross. The appeal, which was started little more than a fortnight ago, was arranged by representatives of the Canterbury Education Board and head masters, with the idea that it should involve real self-sacrifice by the children. The money raised is the result of the children denying themselves small luxuries. Evacuation ol Children Tho need for an evacuation scheme to be prepared for schoolchildren in the North Shore area was emphasised by the Belmont School Parents' Association in a letter forwarded to the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Eraser. It was stated that if serious hostilities threatened New Zealand, the Auckland city area, and North Shore in particular, constituted a district that might be directly attacked. As far as could be ascertained, no definite evacuation proposals had been considered. Otahuhu Clothes Drive A clothes drive was held in Otahuhu on Saturday by the local branch of the Lady Galway Patriotic Guild on behalf of Allied refugees. The appeal met with a fine response and a largo quantity of new and used clothing and garments was received. Several donations of money to assist in the work of renovating tho garments were also received. Boy Scouts and members of the Boys' Brigade and ambulance cadets assisted in the house-to-house collection, and motor-lorries for the transport of tho goods were provided by a number of firms. Two Fires Within Hour Twice within less than an hour fire engines raced through the city on Saturday morning. Two passed through Queen Street at about 10.15, going to a small outbreak in tho tobacconist shop of Air. H. J. Sutelift'e, 99 Customs Street East, where stock and window fittings were damaged. Tho shop is in a building owned by Business Blocks, Limited, City Chambers. Another engine travelled along Customs Street at about 11 o'clock to reach Parnell, where the walls of the residence of Mr. H. J. Venn, of 20 York Street, were slightly damaged by fire caused by a painter's blowlamp.

Secondary Schools' Rugby Loader in the Auckland secondary schools' senior Rugby competition. Takapuna Grammar School suffered its first defeat of the season at the hands of Aucklaiyl Grammar School at the Show Grounds on Saturday. In the 12 years during which Takapuna Grammar has been entered in the championship the school's representatives have never defeated Auckland Grammar, the nearest the side having got to success being in the first round this year, when a drawn game was played. Takapuna is still leading by one point from Sacred Heart College and Auckland Grammar, both with nine points. The" latter has played one game less. Soldiers at Ngaruawahia

Territorials and members of the Expeditionary Eorce railway units who aro in camp at Ngaruawahia know how cold and wet that camp can be in the winter. On one night last week the frost inside some of the tents is stated to have been fivo and a-half degrees, and rain on another day reduced the ground between the tent lines to a quagmire, the gravel paths being washed away. Some of the men were taken to the drying tents to sleep after water began to drip through their own tents. However, every care is being taken to ensure that the best is made of the conditions, and men are not paraded in the wet, lectures being given inside.