LOCAL AND GENERAL

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 63, Issue 4463, 13 August 1941, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Expeditionary Force soldiers in training throughout the Dominion began 10 days’ leave yesterday. A large number of the local men have arrived home to spend their leave with relatives.

The firebell rung out an alarm shortly after 8.30 o’clock last night as the result of a chimney being on fire at the residence of Mr G. O. Jourdain, Young Street. The Brigade was smartly on the scene and subdued the outbreak with chemicals. No damage was done.

The Chief Postmaster at Hamilton advises that, on a per head population basis, the Te Awamutu office is leading the Hamilton district in the National Savings campaign with £4 6s. The followino- are the figures for this district: 20.21 per cent and £13,287.

A piece of pine, riddled with dry rot, was an unusual exhibit which the foreman (Mr R. H. Close) produced at Monday night’s meeting of the Te Awamutu Domain Board. Mr Close explained that, owing to interference with the telegraph wires, it had been found necessary to cut down a pine in Victoria Park. The operation revealed a remarkable condition, the dry rot having set in the trunk, so that three feet above the ground there was only a rim of three inches in thickness of sound timber. To all ouilward appearances, he added, the tree seemed a perfectly sound one.

“The sending of New Zealanders to the United States for training in handling tanks is definitely under consideration, but it is inevitable that if the Dominion is to be properly defended then the training of men to handle tanks must be undertaken here,” said the acting-Prime Minister, the Hon. W. Nash, in the course of an interview. The Minister was discussing a statement by the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, a member of the War Cabinet, in connection with training some New Zealand personnel in tanks. He added that the United States army had a tank training school where training in every phase of tank handling was available.

“It sounds almost too good to be true,” said Mr W. J. A. McGregor at a meeting of the executive of the Southland Progress League, when referring to a report that there was a parasite destroying gorse plants in Canterbury. He added that the danger was that, if the parasite were destroying gorse in the way claimed, it might turn round and attack useful plants. There was certainly a need for dealing with gorse. There were great areas of it around Auckland and Wellington. The position in the Christchurch district was not so bad, but |here was a good deal of gorse on the hills around Dunedin. It was decided to write to the Cawthron Institute for information about the parasite.

Supporting appeals for two testing officers of the Auckland Herd Improvement Association at Monday’s sitting in Hamilton of the No. 2 Armed Forces Appeal Board, the general manager, Mr S. J. Sheaf, said 48 officers of the association’s outside staff had been released for military service and 78 others had had then calling up temporarily postponed. To date, he added, 37 women herd testers were employed, and soon this numbei would be increased to 50. The association was training junior officers to replace eligible men of greater experience. The men appealed for were Godfrey John Shirley Hutching and Norman Cedric Drabble, both of Hamilton. The board decided that it was not in the public interest that these men should be called up before December 1.

Speaking at a meeting of the Te Awamutu Domain Board on Monday evening, the foreman (Mr R. H. Close) advised that it was now too late in the season to plant native trees in the triangle at the junction of Bank Street, Puniu Road, and Roache Street. The Board had previously obtained a plan of improvement from Mr M. H. Williams, but, in view of the advice given by the foreman, it was decided to defer the major work till next season; but in the meantime the General Purposes Committee (as constituted for the Borough Council) will make arrangements to plant a number of shrubs which have been donated to the object. In other respects, the Committee will -also endeavour to inaugurate the beautifying scheme, which will ultimately be carried out.

One district farmer, who tends his flock by night <and day with that loving care and attention which character! sea the shepherds of old, was a very delighted man early yesterday morning. He had rounded up the ewes with that slowness and attention which becomes a bit exasperating to the most patient and experienced on a cold morning—-he was certainly in no mood to appreciate the grandeur of the sun rise as it spread its rays over the Te Awamhitu racecourse and far beyond as the early morning* progressed—but his reward in the end was a compensation worth more than mere money, a pride begotten of a man seeing that accomplished which he devoutedly wished for. When hrhad tended the mothers with their newly born “ babies ” he found the tally thus: Twins 12, singles 40. Noi a bad record for a small flock for one day. And it ail occurred within the Parish of Te Awamutu I

That there are too many Council Chambers in Te Awamutu was revealed last night when attendants at different meetings turned up at either the County or Borough Council Chambers, only to find themselves at the wrong place. One attendant had arrived early in the evening and on the “early bird” principle had sorted out a comfortable chair and a place near the fireside. A later arrival discovered his mistake and, after some good natured banter, was about to depart when the chair by the fireside was suddenly vacated. “Gosh! I’m in the wrong place, too,” said “the early bird” as he made a hasty retreat amidst laughter. It was estimated that no less than five meetings were in progress within a few hundred yards of each other last night and in view of the position the annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was adjourned so as to permit its members to attend one or other of the other meetings.