NEWS OF THE DAY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19884, 10 March 1939, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Few Fish Taken The Bay of Plenty district is fishing very quietly at present, although several rivers are responding well to the use of a dry fly. A party of Rotorua anglers which visited Waikaremoana recently found the lake fishing well, especially with dry fly. Sport on most of the Rotorua lakes is, however, patchy. All Services Controlled With acquisition of the control of Kelly’s Auckland-Cambridge road passenger service as .from, Monday, the Government, through the road services section of the Railway Department, now contrbls all services between Auckland and Rotorua. 'Die department had previously acquired control of the Auckland-Hamilton and Auckland-Rotorua services. Unauthorised Burial

Charges of permitting the burial of a Maori woman on October 28, 1938, without proper authority, and of taking part in an unauthorised burial, were preferred against Maaka Ngamare, of Thornton and Patikuri Wetini, a minister of the Ratana Church, in the Whakatane Police Court before Mr. E. L. Walton, S.M., on Wednesday. Constable T. ,T. Cummings described the case as one brought largely as a warning. It was the first of its kind locally. Ngamare’s wife had died, and Wetini had performed the burial service. Wetini in the past had always relied on the relatives of deceased persons to attend to details. Mr. C. S. Suckling, for Wetini, said that his client had informed the police of the breach as soon as he learned that a certificate had not been obtained. Wetini and Ngamare were convicted and ordered to pay costs.

Native Pigeons Increasing Bird lovers are deLighted to notice that native pigeons are definitely increasing in the ranges around Auckland. A Grim Reminder The brass barrel of an old-fashion-ed blunderbuss, doubtless a relic of the lawless gold rush days, was discovered recently in Gabriel's Gully by Mr. .Richard Norman, of Lawrence. The wooden stock has long since rotted away, but the barrel, with its bell-shapecl muzzle, is in a remarkably good state of prcservafio.n.

Motor Car Burned A sedan motor car was destroyed by fire at Murrays Bay, Auckland, recently. The vehicle apparently had been stationary for at least an hour before, and there was nothing to indicate how the fire started. The blaze was sb fierce that a motorist who had parked his car 10yds. away, was unable to remove it until the other machine had been reduced to a mass of molten glass and twisted steel. The name of the owner was not known. Intoxicated Driver A Maori labourer of Te Teko, Robert Tukehu, pleaded guilty before Mr. E. L. Walton, S.M., in the Whakatane Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, to a charge of intoxication while in charge of a motor vehicle at Te Teko on March 1. Constable T. J. Cummings said accused had spent the afternoon in an hotel. While he was driving home he collided with a stationary car and knocked down an elderly Maori, injuring him. Accused had been fined two years ago on a similar charge and his license was then cancelled for two years. The magistrate imposed a sentence of one month’s imprisonment, cancelled accused’s license, and prohibited him from obtaining another for two years.

Defence League Tour “The people are living in a sense of false security and definitely want wakening up (to the seriousness of the position,” commented Major-General Sir Andrew Russell, patron of the New, Zealand Defence League, speaking of the success of his tour of the South Island in the company of 'the Hon. W. Perry, M.L.C., president of the league. Sir Andrew said that he and Mr. Perry received considerable encouragement from the tour. They had addressed meetings in 14 places, travelling as far south as Invercargill. The most satisfactory feature of the tour was the establishment of good solid, foundations in centres where meetings were addressed.

Theft of Home-Brew and Wine The theft of 40 bottles of homebrew, two bottles of wine, and an assault committed on Kelly Bennett, of Te Teko, were admitted when Panapa Ratahi, aged 19, a labourer, appeared on - Wednesday before Mr. E. L. Walton, S.M., in the Whakatane Police Court. Constable T. J. Cummings said that after a function at Bennett’s place on February 11 Ratahi broke into a shed and stole the liquor, the property of Patrick Mayne. Actually, over 80 bottles were stolen, but Ratahi would only admit the theft of 40, although the police believed he had stolen the lot. The assault was a cowardly one. Bennett was a harmless man and accused, without provocation, struck him on the mouth and knocked him down. Accused was sentenced to a month’s imprisonment on the theft charge and seven days for the assault the terms to be concurrent.

Power Board Loan Money Returning to Gisborne last evening from a visit to Wellington, where they discussed with the State Advances Corporation and other financial institutions the capital outlay projected for the ensuing year, Messrs. F. R. Ball and R. P. Ba.igent, chairman and secretary of the Poverty Bay Electric-Power Board respectively, brough information which should be of much interest to the board at its next meeting. Interviewed to-day, Mr. Ball stated that he hoped, as a result of the Wellington visit, (hat sufficient funds would be made available to the board for its urgent capital needs during the ensuing few months. He was unable, however, to give details of the discussions held in the capital city, and deprecated any assumption that the board could proceed without caution in the extension of its reticulation system. “I hope that it will be possible to push on with urgent works, but we have no definite information as yet to go on," he explained.

Maoris Lost Wages at Carnes “I have had many complaints from women whose husbands have lost all their wages at this game. The Maoris are not very good players and the result is that they are taken down by the more skilled pakeha players,” said Constable T. J. Cummings when prosecuting David Taylor, of Piripai, near Whakatane, on Wednesday before Mr. 2. L. Walton, S.M., in the Whakatane Magistrate's Court, the accused pleading guilty to a charge of playing a game of chance in a public place. Constable Cummings continued that twoup had been played in the locality for some time. On March 3 the police raided a school. About 25 men were playing and as soon as they sighted the police they scattered in all directions. The police were able to catch only 'two men. Taylor appeared to be one of the leaders. On this night he had £2 and some odd shillings in the ring. 'He picked the money up and put it in his pocket before the police caught him. There was also a crown and anchor 'board and dice on the ground. Accused was fined £2 and the magistrate ordered the money in his possession to be confiscated along with the gaming material seized.

Threatened Wife With Gun Charged with presenting a fire-arm at his wife on 'February 24 at Tikitiki, Wiremu Wharehinga, a labourer, appeared recently before Messrs. .1. H. 'Pickard and M. Gudgeon, J.P.s, in the Tikitiki Police Cburt and was ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within one year. On a charge of assaulting his father-in-law, Dave Babbington, the accused was convicted and discharged. Constable N. H. Tuck told the court that he had received the complaint and, on arrivel at the house, had learned that Wharehinga had left. After a search the constable fbund the accused some distance behind the house and he admitted that he had had some liquor and had assaulted Babbington and pointed a gun at his wife, not intending to harm the woman. His excuse was that the two had been ‘‘picking on him.” The gun had been in the kitchen behind the door and he had seized it to frighten his wife, knowing at the same time that there were no cartridges in the rifle. The bench Ordered that the gun be returned to the accused, warning him that if there was any further trouble he would be sent to gaol and the gun would be confiscated.

Thousands of Motorists

The .membership of the Automobile Association f Auckland) now totals til ,104.

Little Known Hot Springs

A party of Rotorua Tramping Club members visited the Wailcite Springs recently. This little known thermal area, lying roughly four miles to the west of (Rainbow Mountain, was approached by a track which leaves the main Taupo road at the southern end of Earthquake Flat. There are several hot springs and hot and warm streams and lagoons spread over a mile or more in a valley.

Relic of Early Cycling An unusual exhibit at the annual meeting of the council of the Automobile Association (Auckland) was an old-fashioned “penny-farthing” bicycle. A letter was received from a firm, of solicitors offering it to the association as “a relic of the early days of transport.” The letter staled that the owner, now deceased, rode the bicycle in contests in Auckland in 1888'. The council expressed its appreciation of the gift.

Falling Sheep Prices When aged ewes fell in value to 8s a head some years ago, flock owners considered that rock bottom had been reached, but from prices at the Tuakau sheep fair on Monday, it is evident that the industry on this occasion is in a much deeper trough, for Is a head was the best bid the auctioneer could get for a pen of about 12 aged ewes. Prices for quality sheep were still encouraging, and the range went to fiijgns. for a nice oneshear Southdown ram.

Jellyfish in Auckland Harbour

Jellyfish have appeared in great profusion in the Auckland harbour, and persons bathing on Wednesday from beaches off the waterfront road found they were continually comingin contact with them. Their appearance generally coincides with a period of sustained warm weather, and it is usual to find them appear in the harbour earlier in the year than at present. The jellyfish were chiefly about Gin. to Bin. in diameter and were not the Portuguese man o’ war species, which carries a trailing sting.

Persistent Burglar A record for .burglarious persistence possibly has been established by the individual who, for the third time in as many weeks, broke into the premises of the Rotorua Sports depot in Fenton street during the early hours of Monday morning. On this occasion, however, the intruder, a Maori, was extremely fortunate not to be apprehended as he -was surprised by the nightwatchman, Mr. George Jackson, and was actually being taken to the police station when he broke away and showed Mr. Jackson a clean pair of heels. “Nothing But An 0.8. E.”

State financial assistance has been given to the air transport .companies of several countries Who travel over the route between Damascus and Bagdad', but none has yet .been available to the motor transport firm established by Mr. R. Nairn, a New Zealander, and his .brother on the .same route. Mr. Nairn,, in describing to the Christchurch Businessmen’s Club the important work the company carried out. said that they had the .sympathy and interest of the French, but the British Government had given them nothing but an 0.8. E. “But,” he said, “the pawnbroker won't cash that"

Shooting Seagulls “It has been brought under my notice during the past month that a good deal of .shooting practice is being done by some individuals along the shore between Ohiro Bay and the Red Rocks,” said! Mr. R. A. Nicol, inspector for the Wellington Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. “These young sportsmen have developed a habit of potting the seagulls, and 1 have seen several dead and dying birds as the result of such wanton cruelty. I would remind these people that seagulls are protected, and that those who destroy them can be prosecuted.”

Fire Extinguishers Suggestions that all motor cars should be required by law to carry fire extinguishers as part of their equipment were submitted in correspondence received by the Automobile Association (Auckland). The letters stated that a recent tragedy, when four persons were burned to death, indicated the need for some such provision. On the suggestion of the president, Mr. F. A. Farrell, who pointed out that the provision of extinguishers would involve an outlay of fully £3, it was decided to advise the correspondents that the council regretted it could not support the suggestions.