NEWS OF THE DAY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19825, 30 December 1938, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Newspaper Holiday The Herald will not be published on Monday, which is officially New Year’s Day,

Crops Damaged by Frost Damage to unprotected crops was caused by a frost at Otane during the Christmas period. Tomatoes, young potato plants, pumpkins and maize are among the crops affected, while fruit trees have also had their crops diminished.

Footbridge Catches Fire When crossing the BaTlance street footbridge over the Taruheru River about (>.45 p.m. yesterday, Mr. H. F. Samson, 354 Ormond road, discovered that the wooden structure had caught fire near the Whataupoko end. There were few pedestrians using the route at the time and it was fortunate that the fire was noticed in its early stage. With the aid of a -bucket from a neighbouring house the -blaze was extinguished -before any serious damage had been caused.

Free Christinas Meals One farmer in a country district not far from Gisborne was indignant last week-end when he realised that he had provided Christmas meals for several people free of charge and without knowing the names of those who had received the benefit. The farmer had enjoyed a pleasant Christmas until the time he noticed that the livestock on his farm had been- reduced in number by three sucking pigs and four or five fowls, a large contribution to the table of some person during the festive season,

Anglican Bible Class Camp

One hundred and ten senior and junior Anglican Bible class members from all parts of New Zealand are encam-ped at the Napier Boys’ High School lor the eighteenth annual camp and conference of the New Zealand Anglican Bible Class Union. Wounded by Stingray

While swimming at low tide at Thornton’s Bay, near Thames, on Monday evening, Mr. E. Day, aged 40, a resident of Hamilton, suffered a severe gash on the leg, which necessitated hospital attention. According to medical opinion -the wound was inflicted by a stingray.

Japanese Tree Tulip Flowers A Japanese tree tulip in the garden of Mr. D. J. Hughes, Normanby, Taranaki, 'has flowered after 40 years’ life. The flowers are pale green in colour and have six petals, each blotched with orange, and large yellow stamens. Because of the shape of the leaves the tree is sometimes known as the saddle-cloth tree.

Three “Borrowed” Cars in Hastings Three cars have -been allegedly unlawfully converted during the holidays in -Hastings, and only two of -the vehicles had been recovered by 3 r esterday. The car that, has not. been recovered is a small -saloon model belonging to Mr. R. J. D. Sharpe, Pukc-hou, which was removed from its parking place outside the railway station on Thursday morning.

Caravans Popular Among the campers at the Rotorua municipal camping ground at present is an exceptionally large number of caravan enthusiasts, including a number oh -members of the Auckland and Hamilton Caravan Clubs. Caravan camping appeal's to be growing in popularity every year, and several of the caravans at present in Rotorua demonstrate all the latest developments of the caravan builder’s craft.

New Car Stolen The holiday plans of a Feild-ing family were interrupted on Wednesday when they were told that their recently purchased motor -car had been stolen from the garage of Hooper, Lowe and Company, Limited, of Fcilding. The car had been left in the garage overnight and when the premises were opened in the morning it was -found to be missing. It was recovered in -the afternoon in a damaged condition

Bishop Bennett’s Tour The Bishop of Aotearoa, the Rt. Rev. F. A. Bennett, who is visiting India, is expected to return to New Zealand about the end of February or early in March. The missionary conference which he is at present attending in Madras is expected to end about to-day or to-morrow, and he will subsequently visit the Diocese of Dornakal. Bishop Bennett’s intention is to collect films and other useful data while in India for incorporation in the missions section at the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition in 1940.

Preservation of Scenery The assistance of the A.A. patrols in its endeavour to ensure the preservation of geenery in New Zealand has been realised by the Department of Lands and Survey, all patrols having recently been made honorary inspectors under the Scenery Preservation Act, 1908. In the past it was learned from the. resident patrol, Mr. D. M. McGregor, an A.A. officer had no authority to prevent campers or others lighting fires in dangerous localities where it would be possible for the flames to spread and destroy plants and trees of scenic beauty. East Coast Railway Although there has been a natural slackening of -business during the holiday period, -the amount of traffic carried on the Napier-Wairoa section of the East Coast railway since the line was reopened for use on December 6 last has -been exceptionally heavy. A large amount of stock has -been conveyed from the Wairoa end during the past few weeks, and in one period of 'l4 days alone the total was 3000 tons. Most of the traffic from the Napier end has -consisted of empty stock wagons 'being sent north to fill the requirements of the service.

Pohutukawas in the South In its native state the pohutukawa is said to have been found no further south than Taranaki, but efforts to cultivate it in Wellington are very successful. The specimens in Courtenay Place and the Botanical Gardens are well known, and a holidaymaker who returned from a trip this week saw a row of fine young trees in flower near the foreshore at the southern end of Evans’ Bay. Although the situation seemed very much exposed to the southerly winds, the trees were sturdy and covered with new green leaves. The same visitor saw another pohutukawa blossoming in a hillside garden at Upper Hutlt. Its owner said that, although the tree had once been “burned” all over by a heavy frost, it had soon recovered.

Cricket Association’s Luck Behind the result of the Wellington Cricket Association’s art union', drawn last week, is an interesting story illustrating that the luck of the game -is not on the playing fields alone. Some little time ago the Wellington Cricket Association’s management committee decided that the services of the coach, J. R. Sheffield, be offered to country districts during part of the school holidays. One offer was to Manawatu, and the cricket authorities agreed to accept the coach’s services. At the spine time it was decided to make a donation of £5 to the coaching fund of the Wellington Cricket Association. The contribution was duly forwarded, but it was made in payment for tickets in the art union. For the £5 Manawatu received 200 tickets. When the lucky numbers were drawn the first prize of £ls went to Manawatu. Thus, for the invested “donation” of £5, Manawatu secured the services of the coach and made £lO into the bargain. Cairo Guide’s Enterprise As an example of enterprise, the action of a Cairo native guide in sending out Christmas greetings to New Zealanders who had retained Ins services during the past year deserves notice. Mr. R. H. Shanks, Gisborne, has received one of Ismail Hassan Fayed’s cards, with -a letter in which Ismail writes -that lie has "great honour to write to your respected person, hoping that these few lines will reach you and find you, and entirely family, are enjoying very best of health and .prosperity." In bis quaint brand of English, Ismail adds a hope that Mr. Shanks enjoyed his trip, and that lie and his relative, too, would visit Egypt and stay longer. “I hope that you will recommend me your friends. If you find any of them planning to visit Egypt, you will kindly give them my address, and please let them write to me about the name of a ship on which they are sailing, the date of their arrival, and where I shall meet them, and thank you very much,” the letter concludes