NEWS OF THE DAY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19824, 29 December 1938, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Rotorua Crowded Despite unpleasant weather last week-end, there was an exceptionally large influx of visitors to Rotorua, and by Sunday most of the hotel accommodation had been filled. Motor camping grounds in various parts of the district were also filled. Maori Boy Injured During last week's storm on the Coast, Watene Potu, aged 10, of Wai-o-rongomai, suffered severe injuries to both legs by a fall of concrete from a chimney ai his home. He is now under treatment at Te Puia Hospital. —Special. Takapau Hill Accident A report that Hits condition was unimproved and that he was still dangerously ill was received this morning from the Waiapu Hospital, Te Puia, concerning Edward Ngaronoa, aged six, who was a passenger in the car involved in an accident on the Takapau Hill section of the East. Coast highway on Chi'istmas Day. His mother, Mrs. Ngaronoa, Matawai, who was also injured in the accident, was said to be progressing satisfactorily towards recovery. Christmas Service at Te Puia A service by the Rev. A. R. H. Morris was conducted at the Waiapu Hospital, Te Puia, on Christmas afternoon. The congregation was large, all the guests from the hotel attending. A feature of the service was the singing of the carols, "The First Noel,” “Sleep Holy Babe,” and “Silent Night,” by the I-liruharama children’s choir. After the service the choir entertained the patients and visitors with a programme of Maori action songs and choir numbers. —Special. Wainui Accident In a report of an accident in which three vehicles were involved at Wainui Beach on Christmas Day, it was stated that Mr. R. Porter was the driver of a car whioh, after receiving a'glancing blow from a passing lorry, swerved across the road and came into collision with a machine driven by Mr. Harry Beecham, Manutuke. The latter driver was in charge of the car which first came into contact with the motor lorry, and then struck the machine driven by Mr. Porter, who was following the truck. Church Improvements The new sanctuary at the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, Hamilton, was used for the first time at the midnight service on Christmas Eve, when Pontificial High Mass was celebrated before a congregation of 1200. Completed at a cost of £3OOO, the renovations carried out in the interior of the church have greatly improved the appearance of the building. The decorations are particularly artistic and attractive. The sanctuary has been enlarged, and a huge crucifix has been erected in it. Sea Birds Discovered A bird sent into Invercargill from Otahuti last week has been identified as a broad-billed prion, a sea bird that is found round the coasts of New Zealand. The discovery was followed by another in the city, a bird of the same species being picked up in a helpless condition in the middle of Esk street. The broad-billed prion nests in burrows in the soil or in rock crevices of cliffs, generally on small islands. A single egg is laid in September or October and is incubated by both the male and female birds. Fewer New Cars Sold This Month The fact that there were fewer new cars sold in Gisborne this month compared with the same period last year is shown in the motor registration figures for December. In December of last year there were 111 new vehicles placed on the roads in Gisborne, whereas for the month to date there have been only 87 new licenses taken out this year. It was explained that the figures included all classes of licensed vehicles, and that last December’s figure embraced 15 motorcycles, compared with eight this month. Car Runs Into Bank Three women were injured when a motor car driven by Miss May Flowers, Whakatane, became Out ol control on the Hillcrest road between Whakatane and Ohope Beach on Monday afternoon and crashed, into the side of the bank. Chest injuries were suffered by Miss Flowers, while Mrs. G. Caisley, a passenger, received a broken nose and facial abrasions. The third occupant of the car, Mrs. E. Flowers, suffered facial abrasions. They were taken to the Whakatane Hospital, but their condition was not regarded as serious. Rangitata Theft Inquiries Inquiries concerning the alleged theft of £IOOO from the New Zealand Shipping Company’s liner Rangitata two weeks ago extended to the-Gis-borne district. The theft of the money, consisting of travellers’ cheques and Bank of England banknotes, was noticed on the morning of December 13 by the master of the vessel, Captain Edward Holland, while checking the contents of the safe in his office. Since that date the police have secured the list of depositors and inquiries have been made from them concerning the description of the money they had placed in the safe. Included among th.~ addresses was “D. a>nd N. Ahern, Box 15, Patuta,” and as there is n 0 such township in New Zealand of that name inquiries were made at Patutahi. No trace could be found of any person bearing that name, and the owner of the private box No. 15 at Patutahi knew nothing of the money that had been deposited in the safe on the IIU<W - Philatelic Honour The distinction of having one of his first-day covers accepted for the Royal stamp collection so greatly treasured by the late King George V has fallen to a Wellington philatelist, Mr. Prescott Jensen. The particular cover accepted was franked with the special stamps issued at the time of Che congress of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire ait Wellington. On another occasion when Mr. Prescott Jensen sent the King specimens of the New Zealand Coronation stamps used on the first day of issue he received a letter from the late Sir Edward Denny Bacon stating that although first-day covers of ordinary stamps were not included in the Royal collection, an exception was being made for the Coronation set received. The King of Egy.nt and the President of the United States of America, Mr. Roosevelt, are two other notable men with whom Mr. Prescott Jensen has interest in the hobby of stamp colbeen in contact through their mutual iecting.