WIND WRECKS FARM SHED

Taranaki Daily News, 17 August 1934, Page 6

WIND WRECKS FARM SHED

UNUSUAL GUST AT WAIPUKU. FARMER NEARLY BLOWN IN DAM. Having only narrowly escaped being blown into a dam owing to the force of the wind while he was feeding cattle yesterday morning, Mr. W. Bullot, Croydon Road, Waipuku, returned to his house to find that the particularly heavy gust of wind which so nearly caused him a “ducking” had lifted the manure and implement shed and hurled it against two trees, smashing it to pieces. The house and milking shed were not touched. ! Mr. Bullot was feeding cattle at the back of the farm and was walking when he was struck by the gust, travelling at a much greater velocity than that of the prevalent northerly which was of no mean force. Mr. Bullot was staggered by the unexpected impact and was on the edge of the dam before he recovered his poise' and made headway against the blast. When he returned he found the shed wrecked. From the mass of splintered wood and twisted iron calmly walked two calves, which suffered not even a scratch. The shed was 40 feet long by 15 feet wide, and with its contents was no small weight, yet the wind treated it as a plaything. Mr. Bullot estimates that he is £4O or £5O out of pocket. GENERAL ITEMS. Roadster Car Catches Fire. The roadster car owned by Mrs. P. G. Walker, Tuna, was considerably damaged about 9 o’clock on Wednesday evening, when owing to a back-fire the petrpl. ignited and. in a few minutes the car was wrapped in flames. Assistance was secured and the flames were subdued, but not before they had taken their toll on the body work, seats, hood and wiring., At the time of the outbreak the car was being driven by Mr. V. G. Milne, Wanganui. Hockey Teams’ Tour. A ladies’ and a men’s team from the ■Stratford Hockey Club played at Taumarunui on Wednesday against King Country teams. The Stratford men won by 3 to nil and the ladies lost by 9 to 2. University Entrance Narrow. A suggestion that the new school leaving certificate should be accepted by the Senate of the University of New Zealand as an entrance examination for the university was made by Mr. E. S. Rutherfurd at a meeting of the Stratford High School Board last night. The present matriculation examination was too narrow in its syllabus to be the only entrance to' a higher education, he said. A pupil who might be “a dud” at every subject except science, and who could therefore not pass the entrance examination, might be another Lord Rutherford’. Beautifying School Grounds. The purchase of half a dozen rhododendrons for planting about the grounds of the Stratford High School was authorised at a meeting of the School Board last night. No locality in New Zealand was so favourable for the growing' of rhododendrons as Stratford, said Mr. E. S. Rutherfurd. MANGAMINGI SUNSHINE CLUB. FINAL MEETING OF SEASON. The final meeting for the season of the Mangamingi Sunshine Club was held on Tuesday afternoon. A display of fancy work done during the year and a programme of musical items were appreciated by those privileged to attend. Being an afternoon’s entertainment, only the ladies of the district were invited. The programme was: Dance, “Bean Setting”; playette, “Miss Prendergast,” Misses Woodley, Barnard and Pennington; song, Miss Harrison; dance, “How Do You Do, Sir?” club members; piano, Miss Barnard; part song, “Browh Owls,” club members; playette, “A Needle in the Haystack,” club members. The secretary of the club, Miss Woodley, read a report of the year’s work and the president, Mrs. A. Simpson, spoke on the work and loyalty of the members, eulogising the efforts of the vice-presi-dent, Miss Corney, and the secretary. Prizes were awarded for the best articles made from sugar bags, and these were won by Misses Doris and Gladys Kirk. Mesdames Hardwick-Smith and E. Boddie acted as judges, and the prizes were given by Mr. Hardwick-Smith. As a mark of appreciation Mesdames ; Hardwick-Smith and Boddie were presented witl bouquets, the former for acting as accompanist and the latter for assisting with afternoon teas during the year. It is the Sunshine Club's intention to resume activities as soon as the busy season is over.