NEWS OF THE DAY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19887, 15 March 1939, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Frost at Gisborne A frost of 2.3 degrees was registered at the Gisborne aerodrome meteorological station this morning. Canary and Cage Bird Show A meeting of the Poverty Bay Canary and Cage Bird Association was held last evening, when two judges were appointed for the display of birds to be held in conjunction with the Winter Show. Mr. J. Johnstone, Gisborne, was appointed judge of the canary section, and Mr. A. B. Cutler, Auckland, judge of the budgerigar classes, British and foreign. Muriwai Overhead Bridge The rolling of the approaches to the overhead road bridge on the Gis-borne-Morere highway near the tyturiwai Post Office, 16 miles from Gisborne, marks the virtual completion of this work. The bridge is to be opened for road traffic to-day, thus eliminating a circuitous deviation that has caused much inconvenience to road users. Wairoa Hospital Patients Iu all, ITB patients were treated in the Wairoa Hospital during February. Patients remaining in hospital on January 31 totalled 45. while the number admitted during February was 73. Seventy-three patients were discharged last month, and three died, while the number of patients remaining in the hospital on February 28 totalled 42. The average number of occupied beds was 44.5. The number of operations performed during the month totalled 19.—'Special. Wairoa Hospital Drainage A letter was received from the Department of Health at the monthly meeting of the Wairoa Hospital Board yeste"day inquiring as to what action had been taken by the board in carrying out improvements to the hospital drainage. The chairman, Mr. J. M. Taylor, reported on the investigations and the putting, in hand of certa.«i work by the works committee with a view to bringing about the desired improvements. This action was approved.—Special. Napier’s Regatta Crews A party of Napier oarsmen numbering 25, with two coxswains, will visit Gisborne on Saturday for the shield regatta to be conducted on the Waipaoa River course by the East Coast Rowing Association. The fixture ’S the major rowing regatta of the year for this association's district, and the successes gained by Napier club crews at their own regatta, lield a fortnight ago, lends special interest to the club’s representation on the Waipaoa course. Arrangements for the regatta were completed at a meeting of the executive held last evening', when special attention was given to the convenience of spectators. The contests have drawn increasing numbers of patrons to the Waipaoa course for several years.

Club's New Moth Plane The new Tiger Moth ordered by the Waikato Aero 'Club from England a few months ago has arrived at Hamilton from Auckland, To Cost £187,000. Reconstruction, and sealing of the proposed Centenary highway to Akaroa will cost £187,000. Of that amount the Government, through the main highways account, will provide £50,000 as its share of sealing and £120,000 to meet the full cost of reconstruction. Local bodies concerned will be required to find £17,500. Dogs in Motor Camps. Dogs in motor camps have given concern to Automobile Association authorities. Correspondence on the subject was received at a meeting of the executive of the South Island Motor Union. Members favoured the proposal that there should be erected in motor camps notices advising motorists that dogs should be on leashes or otherwise controlled

Man Unlawfully on Premises Charged with having been found on premises without lawful excuse, William Augustine Presfley pleaded' guilt v when he appeared recently before Messrs. A. Tuckwell and H. Williams, J.P.s, in the Waipiro Bay Police Court, and was convicted and fined £2. Constable .1. W. Beasley explained that he had received a complaint from two single girls at Waipiro Bay that the accused had walked into their .bedroom late one night. Prestley said that he had had a few drinks.

Tunneller Injured

Severe injuries to his log wore suffered yesterday by Mr. James Dickson, a tunneller, at the southern fane of the Waiau-Tikiwhata tunnel, the major tunnel on the WaikokopuGisborne railway construction work. Mr. Dickson, who is the head man in the contract party working at the heading, was pinned by a 2cwt. rock, which fell on his ankle. After he was extricated by his companions, Mr. Dickson was brought to Gisborne by the public works ambulance and admitted to the Cook Hospital at 2.1(1 p.m. His condition this morning was reported lo be quite satisfactory.

Homer Tunnel Problem

To determine whether it is practicable to carry out work on the Homer tunnel during the winter months, the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, accompanied by the Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department, Mr. J. Wood, will pay a visit of inspection on March 21 "Winter work would involve a tremendous amount of pumping, explained Mr. Semple. “Mr. Wood and I want to convince ourselves that tne job can be continued with safety. We are trying to make it as safe as possible, trying to protect the men against avalanches.”

Magpie “Arrested" in Peel Street Police duties are varied, and during the life of a member of the force he is called upon to apprehend many strange characters, but this morning in Peel street there was “taken into custody" a magpie that was apparently in the category of one who was idle and disorderly and had no lawful visible means of support. The magpie, probably a pet that had wandered from its home, had attracted much attention from the staffs of shops in the vicinity before they were opened for business. The bird’s wings had been clipped and it was captured and taken to the police station, where it was allowed to run in an adjoining vacant section while awaiting a call from its owner. Sailors Might Not Care! A London exchange carries in iff issue of January 27 a Portsmouth message of interest to New Zealand readers, concerning the arrival of tiie cruiser Achilles at naval headquarters on her return from three years spent on the New Zealand station. On their first day ashore after the long cruise, the men, their pockets filled with New Zealand money, were unable to spend any of it. They found that the banks and shops would not change their money into sterling owing to the Dominion Government's ban on the export of currency. Overnight, arrangements were made for each man to receive sterling to a maximum of £SO, but for their New Zealand notes they received only 15s fid each. Shale Works at Orepuki Much of the plant at the Orepuki shale works, in Southland, which have been closed down for many years, has been dismantled and sold to the Government and to private interests. Some of the cast iron settling tanks have been bought by the State Forest Service for use at Conical Hills, Otago, and Rotorua, and some of the machinery has been acquired by Amalgamated Chemical Industries at Waipango. Southland, which has already begun the manufacture of oil from shale, and has produced as much as 60 gallons of oil to a ton of shale. The lease of the Orepuki property has not yet expired, but recent legislation makes it incumbent on a company to work an oil claim within a stipulated period or forfeit its title.