LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7812, 3 June 1909, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

To-day is the forty-fourth anniversary of the birth of the Prince of Wales. A close holiday was observed by the banks and a number of -business offices, but beyond the flying of flags from the flagstaffs of public buildings there was no other outward celebration of the day. A statutory first offender, who was arrested on the Ashburton railway station yesterday for drunkenness, was charged before Mr H. Davis, J. P., at the Police Court this morning. Defendant was convicted and discharged, and ordered to pay 2s cab hire, Mr H. M. Hutton, who was manager of the Coldstreain estate for some years, has purchased a, farming property m the Riverina district, near Wagga Wagga, New South Wales. Our Kyle correspondent states that the weather m that district has of late been suitable to the needs of farmers, and a large acreage of grain is being sown, under most favourable circumstances.. The Lyttelton Harbour Board yesterday granted leave to its engineer, Mr Cyrus Williams", to go to Napier to report with other engineers on an improvement of the harbour at that port. St. Matthew's Church, Auckland, was broken into on Tuesday evening (says a Press Association telegram), an entrance being effected through the crypt. An attempt was made to open the poor-boxes, and they were considerably damaged, while the clipboard containing the vestments of the choristers was rifled, but it is not yet known if anything of value was taken. The Rev. W. E. Gillam's cupboard was also turned inside out, but a valuable set of communion vessels was left untouched. A "weeding" process is to take place m the volunteer force. There arc majiy aged volunteer officers who have been m the servicel for many years, but have never qualified. A regulation exists that an officer must qualify for promotion at a certain age. It is stated (says the New Zealand Times) that all captains of volunteers above the ago of forty-five will bo retired or placed on the "active" (unattached) list. The Wellington Post says that though a mild " meat war " has been declared among the two sections of local butchers —fifty shops against three or four—the hostilities have not yet been attended with any sensational slaughter of prices. In these times when " money is money," many a head of a family, ordinarily too proud to be seen with an armful of goods, especially if wrapped up m a newspaper, is not above saving 6d or Is by being his own carrier. The Sydney Morning Herald, referring to the number of people crossing over from New Zealand, says: "The dominion wants population, almost as much as does the Commonwealth—and for her people- to be leaking through to Australia means the putting back of her clock of progress. The development is all the more regrettable, inasmuch as, up till shej found herself m financial straits, the] dominion was m favourable contrast to the Australian States m regard to her increase of population through immigration." The Herald also notes that there is n steady migration going, on from Victoria to Queensland, owing m the main to there being not enough land for the people to make homes on.

1 Exceptionally mild weather has been | experienced of late, and this is having a marked effect on the appearance of the country. Feed still continues to show a perceptible growth, and cereal crops that were sown early have made splendid headway. Practical farmers state, however, that they would much prefer frosty weather, as this has a tendency to sweeten the soil, and thus increase* its fertility. The boy Joseph Allan Elliott, who was missed from his home at Hampstead on Monday, was brought into Ash burton by his grandfather this morning from the Anama district, to which ho had ridden on a bicycle. Enquiries made at the headquarters of the Flourmillers' Association m Christchurch yesterday afternoon elicited the information that no fresh developments had taken place m respect to the Association's affairs. The monthly meeting of the Winchmore branch of the Women's Christian Temperance Union was held m the schoolroom on Wednesday, . June 2. There was a fair attendance of members, Mrs Hansen presiding. The visitors included Mrs Liddell (Ashburton) and Mrs Mann (Geraldine). Correspondence from various quarters was dealt with and discussed, and after several business matters had been attended to, the meeting terminated m the usual way. Afternoon tea was then handed round. A few days ago a pea-rifle was placed m a corner of a room of a house m Wanganui. A child of five years of age picked it up, and while handling it, touched the trigger, with the result that the bullet struck another member of the family at the back of the head, rendering him unconscious. In that state he was removed to the Wanganui Hosp/tal, where for several days he lay m a critical condition. At the present moment (says the Weekly Scotsman of April 17th) bread is touching the highest point of price since 18S5, with the exception of a very short period m 1908. The Edinburgh bakers put the price of bread up last week to sovenpence for the quartern loaf. Bread has not moved m price for eighteen months up 'till last week, but, as just indicated, m 1908 it was up to sevenpence halfpenny for a negligible period. Previous to that one has to look back to 1885 to get the loaf up to sevenpence. One baker when questioned, said he wras almost sure bread would go up another id, making the quartern loaf 7^-d. A rather unusual procedure had; to be adopted at the Supreme Court m Timaru yesterday, says the Herald. When a jury was being empanelled it was found after the right of challenge had been exercised that there were two short of a complete jury. " What is to be dono,"' asked his Honour. Then addressing the Crown solicitor, he said, " You know, Mr White, the course you can adopt." "Yes," replied Mr White, "I pray a tales." "Very well," said his Honour, "lock the doors." The doors of the Court were locked, and the deputy sheriff (Mr Tayler) was called upon to exercise his right to complete the jury panel by calling upon two persons from the audience assembled m Court. This he did, and the business proceeded. It is well known that when logs, are brought into the sawmill yards it is necessary to cut them into lengths, so that they can be dealt with by the mill saws. To do this -work it takes two men; but the old order of things is likely to, change, as two young, men, employed at Messrs Stewart and Chapman's mill at Rimu, have just patented a contrivance by winch it •will'take only one man to do the work. The patent is said to facilitate matters veiy much, besides saving a great deal of labour. It is quite likely that all the mills on the Coast will secure th:b labour-saving device, as it is pronounced by experts to be just what is required. A pleasant-faced farmer' from Shannon, whose ideas on electoral eitquette were more chivalrous than up-to-date, told the Farmers' Union Conference, which met at Eketahuna, how he was enlightened (says the Post). There was a local body elected at Palmerston,, and his friends nominated him. He got his voting paper, and the first name he struck off was his own. He left on the paper the full number of names which corresponded with the vacancies. When the poll was decided he was amongst the defeated. Next day he told the returning officer what he had done, and that official exclaimed, " Man, man ! why did you do that ?" The man from Shannon said he did it because it was what every candidate did. "Oh, no, they didn't," was the unexpected answer, " what they did was to strike out every name but their own !" A recently gazetted regulation regarding manual and technical instruction provides that where m the secondary department of a district high school a course of agricultural instruction approved by the Minister is taken regularly by not Jess than ten pupils for not less than twenty hours a week regularly throughout the school year, a payment not exceeding £5 10s per annum may be made on account of each pupil who has regularly attended the classes included m such course, The following sales wrere effected at the Addington market on Wednesday on account of Ashburton farmers: Fat wethers —W. Wilkinson (Chertsey), 59 at 11s 4d to 12s lid; McCrory Bros. (Chertsey), 34 at 11s 3d to 12s" 9d ;,P. Drummond, sen. (Barr Hill), 42 at 11s to 12s 3d; It. Millar (Methven), 58 at 10s lOd to lls 6d; J. McCrory (Rakaia) 120 at 9s lid to lls 2d; P. Drummond, sen..(Ban- Hill), 40 at 14s 3d to los Id; P. F. Dolan (Rakaia), 24 at 14s sd; McCrory Bros. (Chertsey), 17 at 13s. Fat lambs—McCrory Bros. (Rakaia), 11 at 14s 6d; P. Drummond, sen. (Ban Hill), 40 at 13s 7d to 14s 3d; H. J. Harrison (Rakaia), 148 at 12s 6d to 13s 9d; J. H. M'llraith (Rakaia), 78 at 13s 8d; Q. Giddings (Tinwald). 18 at 13s 4d. \ A well-known Wajrar.apa. farmer has J returned from a second visit to Queensland, feeling that the Government should do something soon to check the oxodus of New Zealand landowners to its sunny shores by removing the disabilities under which they suffer m this country. He told a Dominion representative that h© knew personally ,of twenty men, w-ith a total capital of over £]S.Q,QOQ, who had gojvo over to try their fortuno m the new country. Fully a hundred settlers from New Zealand must have acquired land, and they had taken from these shores sums of capital ranging from. £3000 to £15,000 apiece. He asked some of these men what were the inducements that had led them to desert I'New Zealand for Queensland. TJio.j Replied that they had hesajr}'glowijig accounts of land and prospects;" m Queensland, and that the present labour conditions m New Zealand mado it difficult fo>\ them to farm successfully ■• ih that country. Means for picking up and setting clown the staff signals at wayside railway stations, where the mail train does not stop, are already m use on many station platforms along the' Main Trunk line (says th.c. Wellington Post). Ihe train, however, s i ows c j own some . what to ensure the proper working of the apparatus. Now, the system prevailing m other countries of seizing mail bags mechanically is being considered by the Railway Department. In England the mail hag suspended from a bracket h caught by a reinforced net thrust- out from a window m tho mail van at the right moment. 1 he apparatus inspected by officials of the Postal and the Railway Departments at Lambton station is somewhat different, The mail bag is hung by an iron ring from a hoop of a spring steel, which opens under a smart blow The passing train has a lover arrangement which thrusts n sort of arrow-head through the ring of the bag, and sweeps it clear of its retaining spring Ihe experiment was successful last week, and probably the apparatus will porno mto common ,«„ for the trains which include a mail van

Mr Bates telegraphed to-day as f ollcnys: Westerly strong winds to a gale; rain probable; the glass will fall, but will rise after 24 hours. The secretary of the Ashburton Empire Day Patriotic Celebration Committee has received the following subscriptions: Messrs Fletcher Bros., 10s; Messrs W. Sparrow and Co., 10s; and Mr C. Baker, 10s. The names handed to the secretary of the newly-founded branch of the Navy League, m Ashburton last night included that of Miss Chalmers, of Beach road. So that Miss Chalmers is the first lady to become a member of the League m Ashburton. The Rev. A. T. Chodowski, Jewish Rabbi of Dunedin, is at present on a visit to Ashburton. Mr Chodowski is well known, apart from his rabbinical status, 6n account of the good work he has done m connection with charitable aid and benevolent institutions, and on account, also, of* his active interest m social and; humanistic reforms. A social was held m the supper room of the Oddfellows' Hall last evening m connection with the Ashburton Rifles. Music was supplied by Messrs E. Hughes and Rodger Matheson, and Mr W. Page acted as M.C. Refreshments provided by the ladies were handed round during the evening. Now that the threshing season has been practically completed, a fairly large body of men have been thrown out of employment, but a good deal of the surplus labour has been 1 absorbed by casual work' on the farms. The large area of land that is being sown m cereals this season is providing work for more than the usual number of men employed on the land. The Borough Council Chamber was decorated m a very effective and suitable manner last evening with flags, m honour of the Navy League meeting. The table was over-laid with the Ashburton Mounted Rifles flag, and on the walls were the Union Jack and the New Zealand flag. For these the meeting was indebted to an officer m the A.M.R., and to Mr A. C. Elliott, the caretaker of the Oddfellows' Hall. In summing up the Pennal-Baigent case m the Supreme Court at Timaru, yesterday, Mr Justice Denniston said that the Pennals seemed to have taken the selling up of their place rather hardly, and though he did not say that this had anything to do with bringing the charge now before- the Court, it was open for the consideration of the jury as to whether it might m some way be connected with it. The jury retired for 10 minutes, and returned with a verdict of not guilty, and the accused was discharged, The following ladies; who have been attending a class of instruction m first aid at Rakaia, under the auspices of the Christchurch Centre of the St. John Ambulance Association, have been notified of their having passed an examination m the subject; Mesdames Hardy, Jackson, and Strachan, and Misses R. Cordner, E. Edgington, G. A. Harrison, M. G. L. Holmes, R. Lawrence, A. M. Morland, M. Oxley, C. M. Richards, J. Stevenson, and L. Tucker. Miss M. L. Christmas also passed and qualified for the medallion of the Association. The, lecturer is Dr Turnbull-Duncan ; examiner, 'Dr Lester. The success of these classes is mainly due to the perseverance and energy of Mrs Walter Coath, who acter as honorary secretary for the Association. The Rev. E. Eliot Chambers mentioned last night, as a remarkable fact, that most of the boys for the British navy were drawn from the Midland counties, and not from, towns bordering on the sea coast, as might be .supposed. In trying to satisfactorily account for this, the speaker was at a loss, but thought that not a little vanity was mixed with the patriotism of those who offered for service. The yarns told by the boys who, after being m the navy, visited their friends on holidays, so stirred the blood of the young people that no coe.rcion was necessary and they were filled with an eager desire to enjoy life on a man-o'-war. Presumably, Mr Chambers' s point was, that inland" tbwns like Ashburton count quite as much m the defences of the country as seaports. Anyway, of course, he did not mean that people who live inland are more credulous than those who have a more intimate acquaintance with the ocean, and that they are prepared to swallow any yarn that may be told them by any inventive storyteller that com,es along. There are conflicting opinions regarding the number of unemployed m Napier at present. The Daily Telegraph staies that there have been about 100 applications for work at the Napier Borough Council and for a number of those employment has been found, while the big majority are strangers to the town who have evidently been attracted by the proposed municipal loan works. The books at the Government Labour Bureau show the same state of affairs, and m neither case can there be said to bo any acute sign of labour depression. On the other _ hand, a prominent- labour unionist informed a reporter that he knew of considerable hardship amongst working men. The books of his union contained a, number of applications for employment, while a number of other working men, although m casual employment, were finding it very hard to pay their wsy.

The Loyal Ashburton Lodge, 1.Q.'0 F M.U.. will celebrate its 36th anniversary by holding a social m the Oddfellows' Hall to-night, commencing at 8 o clock;,