Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1906. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume xxviii, Issue 7031, 20 November 1906, Page 2

Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1906. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A report of last night's meeting of the Ashburton Borough Council will be found on the fourth page of this issue.

Weather Forecast.—Captain Kennedy wires: — Moderate to strong winds from between north-east and north and west j glass rise.

River Report. — The Rakaia, the Ashburton (upper), the Rangitata, and the Opihi are fishable.

Fire.—At twenty minutes to one o'clock this morning the Ashburton fire-bell rang out, and the Brigade made a ready response to the call. The flames seemed to rise to the northward of the Domain, and the scene proved to be a five-roomed wooden cottage, owned by Mr Tomlinson, occupied by Mr Price, junior, and situated at the junction of the Belt and Racecourse roads. The flames spread so quickly that the cottage was entirely destroyed by the time the Brigade reached it. The inmates of the house had escaped in safety, though only in their night-clothes. The insurances were :—On the building, .£l5O in the London, Liverpool and Globe office; and on the furniture, £100 in the Norwich Union office.

I " Not Taking Ant."—When the question of the election of representatives on the Charitable Aid Board was under discussion at the Borough Council meeting last evening, and the Mayor had been deputed to attend the conference with the County Council on the subject, Councillor Ferriman remarked that if the Mayor were elected to a seat on the Board, perhaps he would have a temporary residence erected at hie place where he could take in applicants for relief, pending the formalities they usually have to go through from Ashburton before they can get attention from the Board. The Mayor met this with a vflry negative shake of the head. Cement Works in Kelson. — Some well known Nelson mining men have in hand the formation of a company for the purpose of establishing cement workß on a large scale at Motupipi. The clay and limestone deposits (says the " Mail") have been very favourably reported on by Mr W. Hitchcox, an expert in cement making. He estimates that up-to-date works would return the capital invested within two years.

Boats in thk Domain Waters—When inspecting the Domain the other day Dr le Rossignol, an American visitor, thought the attractiveness of the borough's reoreation ground would be considerably enhanced if boats were allowed to ply on the various lakes. At last evening's meeting of the Domain Board, an applicant made a request to be allowed to place a boat on the ponds. Cr. Ferriman strongly objeoted to this being granted fitating that the birds 011 the islands would be driven from their places of refuge and the shrubberies there destroyed. Cr Clark said many years ago he had had & boat on the Domain lakes, and it had been objected to as interfering with the waterfowl. O Reid was of opinion that if they granted one person the right they must grant it to all. The Domain water was not expansive enough to allow any boats there, therefore he was against having any. Cr Silcock thought the applicant could he advised to take hia boat to the Borough's " Victoria Lake," namely, the pond near the Gas Works. The application was unanimously rejected.

Killing Children,—A remarkable com parison was made by Dr J. Mils ra Rhodes., of Chorlton, at the conference of the North Western Poor Law District, at Chester. " Infantile Mortality " was the title of his address. "Herod," he said, "killed his thousands once; we English people kill more than a hundred thousand infanta every year, and flatter ourselve3 by thinking that we are the finest nation under the aun."

A OHANCIS FOB POULTRY-MBN. — Our readers will notion by an advertisement in dnoLhev column that 11. D. Johnston has two of his breeding pons of Silver Wyandottos for sale. As these are bred from Australia's best laying strain, this is an opportunity not to be lost. 110 Fiahieg Licenses and best; quality Tackle at John Otr and Co 0

Miss NiBRLOK -Miss Mario. Narelle, the "Q'K'anof Irish ■ Sontf," and company, arrived t'-ODi Chi-'Stohureh. by the second express this afternoon, and will appear in the Oddfellows' Hall at 8 o'olook this evening, when no doubt she will be warmly greeted by a large audience.

State Coal Mink — The " Southland Times "is responsible for the statement that " the Seddon State Coal Mine is said to be blocked with slack, for whioh there is no sale, The bins are full, hence soreening cannot be done, and the miners are idle muoh of their time." When the State briqueti c plant, now being erected at Sed,iouville, is complete, (says the " New ZeaUnd Times "), the slaok difficulty should v & got over, if the briquettes oan be manur iotured sufficiently cheaply. Even if they 1)9 sold at cost, the briquette plant would probably pay, for it would get the slack oat of the road without loss. It is hoped, however, that a good profit will be made on the briquettes, and that the compressing of (he slaok will both remove a difficulty aud ha a source of revenue.

A Growing Overdraft—lo calling the

shburfcon Borough Council's attention to the increasing overdraft, the Mayor, at the meeting last evening, said there were a »reat number of bad debts in the way of rates, and in this respect Councillors themselves, he was sorry to say, were as backward as others. He thought Councillors at 1 >ast should set a good example and pay up. He intended shortly to ask the Council to take immediate action aud sue for all rates.

A Heavy Drink Bill.—The drink bill of Western Australia for 1905 is calculated to be £2,381,253. Per head of population the amount is £9 10s 4d; for every male adult per week (about) 10s. Convictions for drunkenness for the year numbered 3436 (equal to one in every 72 o£ the population). Crimes attributable to drink (excluding drunkenness) are set down at 1965. These figures were supplied by the Western Australian Alliance.

The BonouGH Lighting—A question which will shortly come before the Abliburton Borough Council for deoiaion is that of tho lighting of the town, and in this eonneolion Cr Clark (chairman of the Lighting Committee) advised councillors, when visiting the International Exhibition at Christchurch, to take particular notice thereof the new lamps imported by the Christchuroh Gas Company, and also of the eleatric lighting in the building, so as to be better able to consider the lightiug question when it came under deliberation shortly. Cr Siloook asked the Mayor if the Council " would run it " to send the Councillors to Christohurch fofrthe purpose. (A Councillor —" One gentleman offered to pay my fare.") pther Councillors stated that they had not met with this fortune, but the opinion was generally expressed that the idea voiced by Or Clark was a good one.

" The Makings of the Nation."—One of the illustrations cited by Mr A. Hewson, at the conference of investigation into local educational matters by the Board of Education y&sterday, as instancing the growth of Allenton, aud in support of making the side school there a main school, was the fact that in three houses in the immediate vicinity of the school there were being raised families of sixteen, fifteen and thirteen respectively. (Mr C. A. C. Hardy, M.H.R., "That's the sort.") Three more such houses, said Mr Hewson, and they would be able to claim a school of their own. The statement was greeted with applause.

The Noisy Motor —A matter which Cr Eollitt thought the Ashburton Borough Council should at onoe take into considera. tion was the furious pace at which motor bicycles and motor cars were driven through the Borough. The Mayor said to deal with this they must make a by-law. At present the County Council, which licensed the motorists, was the controlling authority and it wa3 the body that should really see to the matter. Cr Rollitt also thought that motorists should be compelled to use mufflers on their machines to silence the noisy manner of their going. Cr Silcock said that the motor explosions not only frightened horses but caused all business to be suspended as no business man could hear what anyone was saying " while them fellows were about." He moved that the matter should be referred to the Bylaw Committee, to bring up a report. The Mayor said it was competent for the Council to make a by-law that any motorist coming into the Borough should have a muffler on his exhaust. The motion was carried.

Peobabi.e Settlers—Disgusted with th 9 state of affairs in the Transvaal, several well to do British farmers in that country have intimated to friends in Wellington (says the New Zealand Times) that they are quite willing to invest a quarter of a million of capital in good agricultural land in New Zealand, provided that they can get favourable conditions. They want the freehold tenure. Otherwise they propose to go to Canada or Australia—the latter for choice. These farmers have had an agent in the colony quietly " spying out the land," and it is understood that this gentleman recommends the acquisition of certain areas in the northern portion of the North Island.

Carelbss Drivers. —Councillor Rollitt brought under the attention of the Ashburton Borough Council last evening several narrow escapes from accident which he had witnessed as the result of drivers of cabs and other vehicles coming out of right-of* ways.at an immoderate pace. He thought the Borough Inspector should be instructed to call the attention of drivers to the fact that they must walk over crossings, or at any rate go at a moderate pace. He moved that the Inspector should be asked to warn drivers who went over crossings furioaßly. Cr. Ferriman, who seconded the motion, further added that every licensed driver and carrier should be furnished with a copy of the by-law on the subject. The motion was carried.

Sports Association and Domain Board.—Speaking in respect to a request from the Ashburton Lawn Tennis Club, that the Domain Board should undertake certain work around the Club's new pavilion in the Domain, Cr Femman said that while supporting the general sports grounds they were neglecting the other w,ork in the Domait). Ho was of ©pinion that in future they should let the Sports Association do its own work so that the curator oould attend to his other work. (A Councillor— ''No,no r') Cr Ferriman then referred to the rent paid by the Sportß Association. The agreement with the Sports Association was then presented for signatare and Or Ferriman moved that Cr Reid should be one of the two to sign it. Cr Eeid objected. " I thought," replied Or Ferriman, fc that if you signed the agreement you would practically state that you were at last satisfied with the Association's rent. But that was a " trap " Cr Reid evaded, amidst a general smile.

Straying Cattle.—The problem of the straying horee and cow is one which has come up before the Longbeaoh Eoad Board at its meeting's for soraa time past, and at the last meeting a member mentioned that .some years ago the Board had sanctioned owners of not more than ten acres grazing one cow on the roads. " But from one cow," said tho chairman, "it hid gone on to two and then three and so on." " And," ohimed in Mr Lill, " the man with two or three hundred acres also partook of the privilege," which was at lasfc withdrawn. A present case was mentioned where an owner of a large mob of oattle uses the roads for grazing, hia plan being that of having two paddooks a considerable disr tance apart and driving his stock daily to and fro.

; Ladies requiring a really reliable, yet "' exceptionally beautiful, bicycle at a r«aaonable price, will be delighted with tbo ' "G. H. Carson," machine. These cycles ' are fitted with free wheel and two brakes, 1 and are sold for only £16 10a. Each ma- ' ohine carries a written guarantee of merit ' from a local man, who fully realises the ' value of a reputation for reliability, and is 1 prepared to stake it on these machines. 1 Every lady interested is invited to inspect ' these beautiful bicycles before coming to a : final decision. 110 Messrs Craighead and Berryman have ' just opened out their New Summer Suit- . ings, comprising the latest and best pat- 1 terns in British and Colonial tweeds, worsteds, vicunas, etc. All wool Tweed Suits to measure, latest styles, from 45 s. Fit guaranteed. Having so many orders already in hand, only a limited number more can be promised before the Shows. 9 0 ' New Season's Tackle just landed. Speci--1 ally heavy mounted minnows for big fish ; extra quality gut traces, patent pliable 1 waders, fish flies, and special lines in rods and reels.—John Orr and Gn. 9 0 DEFECTIVE EYESIGHT. Mr Ernest M. Sandstein, D.8.0.A,, F.S., M.C., consulting optician, returned after six years' special study in England and Continent, may be consulted on all caßes of defective eyesight remediable by glasses ■< Daylight not necessary, artificial light being used. Fees moderate. Consulting riX'MB, Cashel stieefc W Christohurch (next , to Ballautyne's). 9.30 to I, 2to 8 daily.