LOCAL AID GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7826, 19 June 1909, Page 2

LOCAL AID GENERAL.

At a meeting of, the unemployed in Christcliurch on Friday evening, the following resolutions were carried : " That tho secretary be instructed to write to the Acting-Minister of Labour, asking how the monthly labour reports are compiled, and who is responsible for the accuracy of these reports, and whether the Department would give reports from secretaries of Unions." " That this meeting of the unemployed and sympathisers, having heard reports from the delegates who have waited on the Premier, on the Christchurch local bodies, and the Canterbury Farmers' Union, instructs the secretary to draw up a letter to be submitted to, and signed by, the committee, for the purpose of being forwarded to the Labour j and Socialist Press in Britain, America, Germany and Australia, explaining the deplorable sta^e of the labour market here, and advising all intending emigrants, of both sexes, 3.0 give New Zealand a wide berth for the next' two years." " Do you know what a ' Kyle mouth.' is ?" asked counsel of a witness in a sheep-dealing case at Cliristchurch on Friday. "Kyle," added counsel, explanatorily, addressing the Judge, "is a district in Ashburton." " Oh," said his Honour,/'arid also a much better known place in another part of the world. ' There was a lad was born in Kyle.'." Counsel went on to say that "Kyle mouth" was a phrase used to indicate a. mouth worn down by feeding on gritty land. In reply'to his Honour the witness said the phrase was confined to Ashburton, and he had never heard it outside. "I am afraid," said his Honour, " that I cannot take judicial notice of an Ashburton phrase. I might if it was a. New Zealand phrase. You had better leave Kyle alone." No doubt Ashburton will endeavour to survive the learned Judge's satirical severity. Is his Honour's mental attitude another instance of: "Can any good thing com© out of Nazareth ?". At the last meetng of the Geraldine County Council, Mr Macdonald said he noticed that the Ashburton County Council had discussed the question of making owners of motor-cars take out an annual license. At present they paid only 10s for all time, and it should be 10s a year. They paid that much for a dog, which did no damage to roads. An annual fee would be no hardship on owners of motors. He had intended to bring this matter up before, and was glad that Ashburton had taken it up. The clerk said that he had up to the present registered forty motor-cars in the Geraldine district. It was .resolved, on the motion of Mr Macdonald, seconded by Mr A. Metcalf, that it be a remit to the Counties' Conference that motor-cars and motor-bicycles should pay an annual fee. .

It seemu that the SoHcitor-Gfeneral^. visit to the Old Country i» in connection with a claim made by a citizen of the United States of America for something between £400,000 and £500,000, but beyond this nothing has been made public. / Twelve degrees of frost were registered at the Domain weather station for Friday night. . Mr W. Nosworthy, M.P., arrived in Ashburton by the second oxpress today; on his return from Wellington. Constable 1 KiM, of Christchurch, has been appointed to AanbUftort, and com- 1 mence^d his duties here ofl Thursday. Mr FV fSfnn\Bn. reports the sale of R.S. 21620, bohbiiTiinjg^ thirty.,acres, with a small house, a'fc Gre'eristfeefc, on account of Messrs D. A. and F. X. Clark, to Mr S. fi. White. While Mr Thomas Perks was har-i-;ne§sii>g a horse the other day, some of the harried sttaehments came undone and startled the amiiiS}, jtvliich resulted in Mr Perks receiving liijiirtetf to one of his shoulders. It is. stated that Mr James Small, Wheatstone, will be asked to contest the election to fill the vacancy on the County. Council caused by the resignation' of Mr John Studholme. ,- . Spurioits .coin's fife, Jrt eketilation in | Christchurch.., A silvered pe'tiiiy,^ an excellent imitation 1, 6f a two r shill.ing piece, with milled edge, was taken into the Lyttelton Times' office by a gentleman to whom it had been passed; "

The entries for the Timaru Poultry Show have closed with a total of 563, somewhat fewer than last year,. but I more than the year before. The several section entries are: Poultry 326, pigeons. 78, canaries 73, cage birds. 4, cats 21, cakes, etc >, 48, dolls o, pets 8. The principal falling off is in poultry and pigeons about 40 in each*; The committee" of the Ashburton Rifles Volunteer Bazaai' ...announces that a handsome* trophy will be given to the person making the best piece of fancy-work from material tMTcost of which is not more than" two shillings. An article headed "For Bazaar Workers," in the Women's World Column of the supplement included with this issue will explain more fully thes committee's idea in having the competition. ■ , ' „.»'.\ At Thursday night's meeting of the Baring Square Literary and Debating Society there was a debate-on the statement "that compulsory, military training is desirable." Mr: Norman opened in the affirmative and Mr McFarlane on the negative. After an animated discussion, the mbtiori, on being puti to the meeting, was declared carried by a substantial majority.

Mr W. 3. Courtier, Government Instructor of Orchardists, who was in this county for a short period last year, is at, present in Ashburton. _ It-is Mr CourtierV intention to give, before leaving; a public demonstration, in spraying fruit trees, and thus, in a practical way, show orchardists who have yet something to learn in this branch 1 of pomologyhow to spriay effectively. He is anxious to give-all the assistance he" cart to fruitgrowers durI ing his stay, and any t information solicited will be readily given. ,- -.., vA good deal of comment was: made at the Winter Show regarding , the ,primeness of the three-year-old heifer exhibited by Mr James Stoddart which was awarded first prize in -its class. Mr J. H. Rule, butcher, who purchased the beast, had it slaughtered yesterday, and it 'will'-'.be interesting to. many to know thatjts dead weight waslo6olbs. The heifer was considered one of,,the primest seen in Aehburton for some time. -v •: The value of judicious manuring is exemplified on the Temuka bowling green. When, top-dressed this.season it was treated with artificial manure (mainly superphosphate); at the rate of 3cwt per acre, and the result is most gratifying. For the first-time in its history'there is now a.good carpet of grass, and it has, a thriving green texture. The weeds ha:ve disappeared, their place being taken with grass, and Dr Hilgendorf, of the Lincoln College, rcommends a couple of dressings; of nitrate of podium.in spring and early sumfmer, which will strengthen the styard for the season's,wear, says the Temuka Leader. A member of the Ashburton A. and P. Association informed one of our reporters that the Association could do a lot towards popularising. its' shows in Ashburton. In the first place, the last Winter Show had been insufficiently advertised, otherwise the takings would have been £40 '. or £50 in excess of last year's takings, instead of less than £2. * They talked of the Ashburton county being the most-import-ant agricultural' centre in the dominion. He admitted that such was the case, but the people of Ashburton could not be given credit for being "the most •progressive class in the dominion, with all the natural advantages which they enjoyed. The A. and. P. Association should- erect a grand stand, should improve the appearance of its showgrounds, and should provide adequate seating accommodation ; and he had no hesitation in saying that these-innova-tions would all go towards inducing people from the country, and from sources outside the county, to visit the shows.

The quarterly summoned meeting of the Loyal Ashbiirton Lodge of:. Oddfellows, Manchester Unity, was- held .last evening; when Bio, A. J. Childs, N.G., 1 presided over a good attendance. Sick pay, amounting to £7 10s, surgeons' salaries, and other accounts were passed for payment. The social committee's report and balance sheet in'jjonnection with the lodge's recent anniversary was received, and showed a small credit balance, which was considered satisfactory. The election of officers or the ensuing term resulted as' follows: N.G., Bro. G. Leonard; V.G., Bro. E. Childs; E.S., Bro: D. Broome; G.M., Bro. A. J. Childs. P.G.'s : Bros. J. Mrshet and F. Pritchard were the installing officers, and the newly-elected qfficrs briefly returned thanks* One brother was accepted by clearance and one was granted a letter of recommendation.. It was decided that Bro. R. H. Davis's name be placed on the merit board and that he receive a framed certificate. After the transaction of routine business, the lodge, was closed in due form. The receipts for the evening amounted to £47 6s lid.V.; ■■„

At the time of the appointment of the Conciliation Commissioners exception was taken by the Auckland Trades and Labour Council and in various other quarters to the selection of Mr T. Harle" Giles as the Auckland Commissioner; but the New Zealand Herald says that the Commissioner, has succeeded not only in disarming the criticism to which he was subjected, but also in turning the tide of opinion on both sides in his favour. About a dozen disputes have already- been settled by conferences between! employers and employees over which Mr Harle Giles has presided, and the'; representatives of both sides have expressed eulogistic opinions of. the' Commissioner's tact and discretion. The services at the Baring Square Church to-morrow will be conducted by the Rev. W. Slade, superintendent of the Dunedin Central Mission, and expresident of the Methodist Conference.