LOCAL AND GENERAL

Opunake Times, 18 January 1935, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Buildings for Sale. — The old bathing sheds at the beach will be ottered for sale and removal at the Farmers’ Co-op. Yards on Monday next. Painful Accident.—

Wile jacking logs on to a truck at Te Kiri a few days ago, Mr C. Port eons met with an uufor tunate accident. In the midst of operations the jack slipped, falling on his head and inflicting injuries that required the attention of a doctor. A New Foopath.—

Town Hoard workmen are at present laying down a portion of footpath in the main street which will link up with other parts recently completed and, provide the town with a wide level thoroughfare for pedestrians from end to end.

Harvest Home Ball. — The Gtli annual Settlers Harvest Home Rail will be held in the Piliama Hall on Thursday, February 21st. The arrangements at this popular 'function will, as usual, he of the highest order and those who have previously attended may look forward to a real good time. Plenty of Blackberries.— As a result of the dry .weather, stone and small fruits have ripened much earlier than usual locally. In some cases raspberry crops have been picked a fortnight earlier than in recent years. Blackberries have ripened beautifully which makes them quite a month earlier, enabling wine makers to proceed with their work.

Stud Ewe Brings 120 Guineas. — The top price at the sale at Palmerston North of Ellis Bros’, stud Southdown rams was 120 guineas paid by the Canterbury Seed Company. The Australian Mercantile Land Finance Company, of Melbourne, paid 100 guineas for another. Nineteen lots were passed in and 44 sold under the hammer and averaged 40 guineas. Less Road Traffic. —

“The holiday period kept m». busy, but the traffic did not appear to be as heavy as in the past,” said Traffic Inspector, W. E. Nicholson, reporting on bis operations during the past month at a meeting of the Waikato County Council this week. “Probably more people took advantage of particularly low rail fares and left their motors at home.” An Early Harvest. — Haymaking this year lias been carried out much earlier than usual, and notwithstanding the dry weather experienced, crops in most instances have been good. All ensilage crops were taken in well before Christmas. The heavy rainfall resulted in root crops making good progress, but before the rain they were showing signs of wilting rather badly. Huge Sum Invested. — ' “The economic fact that £650,000,000 of British capital is invested in Argentina is not fairly appreciated in Australia,” said Sir Archibald Weigall, former Governor of South Australia, in an address in Adelaide last week. Commenting on Australia’s stand against meat quotas, Sir Archibald said that “both sides will have to give something away. I’* 1 ’* A Big Eel, — Several large eels have been secured in rivers near Opunake recently and trout fishermen are concerned that such monsters, which frequently make a meal off young trout, seem to he increasing in all trout waterways. While fishing in the Oaoiti river last week, Mr H. Turn landed an eel weighing 301bs and another sft 3in specimen was hauled out of the Waiaua. An eel drive would probably prove popular these evenings when those taking part would be assured of some really exciting sport. Porpoises in Gulf.— A school of about 30 porpoises were sighted recently by a party of yachtsmen when sailing down the western coast of Rangitoto. The fish, which were proceeding seawards in a long line, turned about at the approach of die yacht and followed it for about half a mile. Quite suddenly they left the boat and, forming into line, once again headed toward the North and made oil at great speed. Rescue Siren.—

In the event of a bather getting into difficulties in the surf at the Opunake Beach, an up-to-date siren has been installed. The alarm box is attached to a pole in front of tlie Pavilion and the turning of the switch will set tlie siren going. While all hope that file unwelcome nodes will not. he beard, it is perhaps a good idea to aeqaint the public with the above information at the same time warning any unruly spirits tliat a heavy penalty will be inflicted on anyone interfering with the device other than for the purpose intended.