LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7402, 4 February 1908, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Stipendiary Magistrate, Mr V. G. Day, will preside at the Magistrate's Court every Friday this month, excepting on the 7th instant.

A few days ago a fairly large parcel of the new season's wheat changed hands at 4s 6d per bushel at a country mill, sacks extra.

Sir John Logan Campbell has sold 388 acres of his One Tree Hill estate, near Auckland, for £78,000. The land was bought by a Wellington syndicate.

Owing to the:'increased cost of bunker coal the -Union Company has increased the intercolonial fares by 10s saloon and 5s steerage for passengers as from yesterday.

The Waihi Telegraph says that the Rev. W. L. Salter, of Athenree, Waihi, has shown it a sample of wheat, from a portion of his property, which fully demonstrates the fact that wheat can bo successfully grown in the district, The stalks average over four feet in height, and the grain is well formed and developed. Mr Salter hopes that shortly a creamery will be started in the vicinity of Athenree, as feed is very plentiful :about the locality.

According to the statements made by; shooting parties, who periodically visit country districts, rabbits are rapidly increasing on the Rangitata plains. Hitherto these pests have been confined chiefly to the riverbeds, but it is now stated fet.' phey' are spreading rapidly in' plantation's aud fences right over, the plains. With > View to" checking the increase of rabbits in this county, systematic poisoning should be adopted.

- The Christchurch-Timaru section of the main south railway line was opened on February 4th, 1876.

Constable Martin is proceeding to Mothven to-day, where he will relieve Constable Shepherd, who is about to take a three weeks' holiday.

A recent arrival from the Old Country was arrested yesterday on alighting from the second express, on a charge of drunkenness. At the Police Court this morning, before Mr H. Davis, J.P., he was dealt with leniently on account of being a first, offender, and was fined 10s.

The Ashburton County Brass Band will give its fifth municipal open-air concert in Baring Square West or i;he Arcade (as weather permits) on "Wednesday evening, commencing at 8 o'clock, when the following programme will be given: March, "Sandhurst" (Bulch); waltz, "Olivia" (Stephano); selection, "Gems of Columbia (Round); march, "The Famous Cadet" (Schleiffarth); song, "Asleep in the Deep" (Petrie), soloist —Mr J. Marsden (euphonium); waltz, "Queen of Love" (Round); march, "The Durhams" (Shipley Douglas); "God Save the King."

Mr M'Nab, Minister of Agriculture, was very disappointed during his visit to the east coast of the North Island, with the attempts at fruit-growing there. "It was difficult to get_ fruit on our travels," he said, "and in the hotels it seemed almost an unknown quantity. In the Gisborne shops it was very costly, and infinitely better fruit was obtainable in Wellington. Yet this is a good fruit-growing country.

The general inspection by the New Zealand Sheep Breeders' Association of all flocks in the Flock Book will be commenced almost immediately. It havir" been decided by the Council that the inspection shall commence with Border Leicesters, MrJM. M; Orbell has been authorised to inspect all flocks of that breed north of the Waitaki. Each breeder will be notified of the date on which it is proposed to inspect 'his flock.

A correspondent writes, complaining that a depositing ground for scores^of kerosene tins and other rubbish has been made in the riverbed at the terminus of the South-West belt. _ The tins have been indiscriminately tipped into a stream, which, our correspondent states, will seriously interfere with angling. He concludes by suggesting that the local body interested should take steps to have the nuisance abated.

There was a good attendance of members at the ordinary fortnightly meeting of the Ashburton Court of Foresters last evening, with Bro. T. Kerr, C.R., presiding. One candidate was initiated into the Order, and a small sick list was passed for payment. Three delegates were elected to confer with representatives of other lodges respecting the proposed united picnic. After other business had been transacted a card tournament was played between teams representing the senior and junior members, and the juniors won by 30 games to 27. A programme of song and speech was submitted after the match, and a pleasant evening was spent.

At a meeting of the managers of the Temuka Technical Classes Association on Monday evening, correspondence was read and dealt with from the Ashburton Technical School managers, stating that Mrs Russell had been appointed instructress of the dress-cutting class at Ashburton, and suggesting that the Temuka managers should, if possible, co-operate with them in the appointment to facilitate matters with regard to a railway ticket for her. It was resolved that the directors reply that the matter of the appointment of teachers for the ensuing session is left to the incoming Board of Managers to deal with. From the same with reference to securing the loan of three typewriters, and it was decided that the director should reply that, the matter had been deferred until the election of a new Board.

Improvements in flaxmilling machinery to lessen the cost of production have occupied many minds, but Mr James Shiels, a well-known southern flaxmill owner, is confident that _ he; has invented a mechanical device which will catch the flax from the stripper, shake and wash and hank it. This, says the Bruce Herald, will mean that the fibre will not be handled after going through the stripper until it ie ready to be taken to the bleaching paddock. On a recent visit to Wellington Mr Shiels had his idea patented, and he expects to have machines in running order soon. The cost of production will be decreased something like £3 10s a ton.

A settler who resides near the bush skirting the Longwool, Southland, while out rabbit shooting, had his attention attracted by the cries and strange actions of a tui. On investigating the cause, he ascertained that a stoat was making its way np the tree to the bird's nest. Being-a lover of New Zealand birds, he instantly despatched the stoat, and thus saved a nest of beautiful parson birds. Tuis, mockers, fantails, tomtits, and robins are (says the Western Star) becoming very scarce, and there is an alarming increase of stoats and weasels. The latter were introduced to keep down rabbits, but do very little in. that direction. All is food that comes within their reach, and they seem to prefer native birds to rabbit."

The ordinary fortnightly meeting of the Ashburton Druids r Lodge was well attended last evening, when Bro. M. Morcan, A.D., presided. The. bards reported on the sick brethren, and a small amount was passed in sick dues; correspondence was received and dealt with; three candidates were initiated, and several were proposed for membership. A sub-committee, consisting of two members, was appointed to meet delegates from other Friendly Society lodges regarding the annual amalgamated picnic. Other routine business having been transacted, the Lodge was closed in the usual way.

A circular accompanies this issue regarding i Jhe opportunities now offered to young men by the International Correspondence Schools.

Magic, mirth and myetery will hold high carnival when "Carter," the American magician, and his own special company of modern miracle workers, will be seen for the first time in the Oddfellows' Hall, Ashburton, on Friday and Saturday next. It is said that his illusions and magical effects are all new, and that "Carter," unlike other magicians, is a comedian as well, and keeps his auditors in roars of laughter throughout his incomprehensible entertainment. He carries with him a full retinue of assistants and many tons of stage accessories. At one time he impersonates the clover Chinese conjurers, and mysteriously produces, from apparently nothingness, an immense bowl of w'ator weighing eighty-four lbs. (six stone), and filling three water pails therefrom; a disembodied hand magically tans on a pane of glass and answers qtiestions propounded by the auditors; iii "Out o' Sight" a lady is caused to be whisked into thin air and is seen no more; "The Astral Princess" floats through space at his behest; arid so on. In addition, "Carter" presents numerous other conceits to amuse the children, and fairyland's goblins and gnomes come- and go in a way to delight the eye and charm the fancy of young and oldr ': '■■■.■•■■ ■ » • : The butchers of Masterton have formed an association. The rule relating to' customers' accounts and credit allowed is of special interest to the community as a whole. It is as follows : "Any customer who changes his butcher without settling his account shall not be supplied-by another- membor 6i the association after members have been nptified' to that effect, until such customer pays' cash' at'the time of purchasing the meat. No member of the association shall allow any customer more jthan one month s credit, and unless aec'ounts are paid by the 20th of the following month such customer's name shall be placed on the 'black list",' and all members of the ass.ociation notified to that effect. I\o member 'of the association is allowed to hold out any unfair inducement to obtain a customer, and the practice ot giving customers Christmas-boxes is to be disebntjriuftd.. Any member selling meat under the price fixpd by the association or supplying any storekeeper who sells under the fixed retail price, or infringing any of the rules of the sssocistion, wjll be fined £10 for the first offence, find £gO fop the spppnd offence.

The Ashburton High School re-open ed, after the Christmas ?*<» t"?' b £ n day. So far, 35 new papila have been Xltad for the coming term, «^ compared with 38 at the same time last year It is probable that another halfHn pupil! will be added to the-list inTheSse of a few days but those who are ava ng themselves oi tree Secondary education do not exceed, so far as the Borough School is concerned 50 per cent, of those ;who obtained proficiency certificates There were 30 such certificates gamed this year, only 15 of those who hold them have sought admission to the High School. There is apparently more eagetness shown by country children for a higher 1 education than by those in the town, and more of the former have been enrolled than of the latter this year The dearth of boy labour has, in some measure,, affected the attendance, and the opportunities offered to boys to enter upon a business life have induced many to accept employment,, witn merely a primary education. Owing to delay on the part of the Education Department in forwarding the results of the last examination, some pupils who are awaiting these returns have not commenced to attend the school for the coming year, because they are yet in doubt as to whether they have assured for themselves, h" he number of marks obtained, the continuance of free education. Such pupils should, however, continue as previously until the examination results are to hand.