NEWS OF THE DAY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19900, 30 March 1939, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Over-size in. Tomatoes From seed imported from Australia, Mr. P. Schwabe, an amateur gardener, has raised fruit of exceptional size. One tomato picked last evening scaled 240 z. Amateur Sports Postponed Owing to inclement weather conditions, the sports meeting arranged for last evening by the Gisborne Amateur Athletic and Harriers’ Chib was postponed. The programme will be conducted on a date to be advised later. Holiday for Ex-Soldiers’ Sons On their way to Furlough House, near Sydney, for a holiday as tire guests of the returned soldiers’ organisation there, 64 young sons of New Zealand ex-soldiers will leave Wellington by the Awatea on Monday. They are aged from 10 to 14 years, and come from various parts of the Dominion. The boys will be away about three weeks. Canary and Cage Bird Show A meeting of the Poverty Bay Canary and Cage Bird Association was held on Tuesday evening, when 17 cups and 27 other trophies were allocated for events at the display of birds to be staged in conjunction, with the Winter Show on May 5 and 6 Fanciers have shown much interest already in the bird section of the show and record entries are expected. Armaments, Old and New Mr. John Hewitt, a passenger on the Dominion Monarch, who is visiting Christchurch, is the retired owner of an engineering firm in Bradford which took over an old firm which cast cannon that were used against Napoleon in the Battle of Waterloo. He saw four of these at St. Helena during his journey, carrying the name of Sturgiss, a director of the firm at the time. American Basketball Teams At the conclusion of the normal classes at the Y.M.C.A. hall to-morrow evening a special exhibition of American basketball for men will be given by teams of practised players, the display having been arranged to encourage interest in this lively branch of indoor sport. A number of American and Canadian players will be engaged, these including Elders Anderson, Fawson, Lambert, Acomb, Bladkmore and Wrice, and Mr, F. Shannon. The Y.M.C.A. tenm will consist of Messrs. R. Richardson, T. Martin, Val Steigal. J. Gunn, and J. Niven. Members of the general public are invited to witness the match, no charge being made for admission.

Passing of Fire Boards Regret at the passing of Are boards and the belief that the new legislation would be detrimental to the volunteer fire-fighting service were expressed at the annual reunion of members of the Feilding Fire Brigade, The Exhibition and Billeting At the Dunedin Exhibition, more than 3000 children from a distance were catered for, and it is estimated that more than 15.000 will have to be provided for in Wellington, mainly from January to April. Aeroplane Undergoes Overhaul The Hawke’s Bay and East Coast Aero Club’s Major Moth is undergoing an annual overhaul. The machine has been completely dismantled and will be thoroughly inspected. Ft is expected it will be out of the air for about three weeks. Gift to Auckland Hospital A cheque for £2OO has been received by the Auckland Hospital Board from the Mayor of Auckland, Sir Ernest Davis, in fulfilment of his promise to establish a cot at the hospital. Whakawhitira Native School The Hon. P. Fraser, Minister of Education, has advised Sir Apirana Ngata and Mr. A. G. Hultquist, M.P.s, of his approval of a grant for repainting the Whakawhitira Native School buildings, and also for repainting and repairing the teacher’s residence at, the same .centre. Tribute to President’s Work A ’tribute to Mr. F. PI. Mardon for his services to Rugby in the district was paid by Mr. C. Hall at .the annual meeting of the Wairo’a Rugby SubUnion. Mr. Hall said that he was very sorry to sec Mr. Mardon retire from .the position of chairman. — Special. First Rain for 18 Days Yesterday afternoon’s rain was the first recorded 'in Gisborne for 18 days, but this is by no means a record. The longest period without rain in recent years was 38 days from December 1(1, 1937, to January 24, 1938. Only five points were gauged for the 24 hours ended a.m, to-day, and little benefit will be given to the pastures and gardens, as there was insufficient rain to penetrate the surface. The total raiinfall for the month to date is only .84in., compared with an average of 4.31 in. lor March. Schools’ Rugby Tournament It was decided at the annual meeting of the Wairoa County Rugby SubUnion, that its delegates to the annual meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union urge that this year’s schools tournament for the Ross Shield be allotted to Wairoa. Mr. F. PI. Mardon said it was proposed to hold the tournament in Wairoa last year, but it was put off owing to the fact that the railway was not in operation. Mr. W. J. Phillips, representing the schools, pointed out that it was the general feeling in Hawke's Bay that the tournament would be held in Wairoa this year.—Special.

Revival of Tapuae Football Club The view that efforts should be made to revive the old Tapuae Rugby Football Club was voiced at the annual meeting of the Wairoa County Rugby Sub-Union by Mr. G. M. O’Malley, who pointed out that the club at one time was one of the foremost in New Zealand, and it would be a great pity if it were allowed to die out altogether. Mr. P’. H. Mardon stated that efforts had been made to revive the club, but he gathered that they had not yet met with a great deal of success. There was still talk of trying to get the club started again this season, but whether or not the efforts would be successful remained to be seen.—Special.

Meteorological Service. An officer of the Meteorological Department, Wellington, Dr. R. K. Simmers, was a passenger by Union Airways’ plane yesterday from Opotiki to Napier. Dr. Simmers visited Opotiki in connection with the establishment of a meteorological station in Opotiki, and during a brief stay in Gisborne made arrangements for tire transference of the weather instruments from the old hangar at the aerodrome to a site near the new building. In a discussion with the Union Airways’ meteorological observer, Dr. Simmers referred to the unusually low grass temperatures recorded in Gisborne last December. During that month a frost of seven degrees was registered at the aerodrome, the temperature on that occasion being a shade lower than on the coldest day last winter. Dr. Simmers said that (he readings had been questioned at first, but as a result of subsequent tests he was satisfied about the accuracy of the thermometer.