LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIII, Issue 8726, 27 November 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

This afternoon's express from the north was 23 minutes behind schedule time- on arrival at Ashburton, having been delayed to connect with the ferry boat.

Snails' of the shell-backed variety are causing great ,havoc in Ashburton vegetable gardens, stripping cabbage, lettuce, and most things green bare to the stem. In the daytime they retire beneath the hedges, and at night come forth in hundreds, to feast upon the reward of industrious gardeners. Some growers have already caught and destroyed hundreds of "these molluscs.

A Dunedin Press Association telegram states that ; the Fairfield;. Company, of .^Gtlasgqw, builders of ■, the Maunganui, have . secured a contract from the Union/Steam Ship Company to build another passenger-cargo steamer similar,in size and type to the Niagara, but with several improvements. , The .new steamer will be equipped to burn oil, and be used in one of the, Pacific mail services.

At a meeting of the. District. Methodist Synod, at Timaru ..yesterday,,, the Rev. W. J. Elliott,was appointed District .representative,;i; to the 1914 Conference. It was agreed to, recommend the re-appointment' of the Rev. W. J., Williams as editor of the "Methodist Times.'— It was stated that nearly £1000 has already-, been raised in. South Canterbury for the South Island Methodist Orphanage. ,■..'.

I A o ■■.>■■ ' ' I ' The following sales were effected at Addington yesterday on behalf of owners in Ashburton County: —Fat; Sheep—Woolly wethers: For T. Dowl-: ing (Springfield, Methven), 70 at .24s . to 24s sd; J. Murray (Lyndhurst), 70 at ,23s to 2,4s 2d; J. C. Irwin (Rakaia), 72 at 23s to 23s 4d; J. and A. J. Wilson (Methven), 69 at 22s 5d to 23s 104. I Woolly ewes: W. Wilkinson (Chertsey)i 60 at 22s to 23s 4d;L. Ruddock' (Chert-. sey), 70 at 1,9s 2d to 23s 3d. Mr. Schnack, conductor of the Regimental Band, suffered a serious loss on I his way down to the .Jhyercargill cpnI test (says the Timaru, '' Herald "). At I Dunedin, or betw.|i'en' v ,,that city and i Invertiargill, all hw personal belongings ! were! taken, • including his suit case. ' containing nearly 201 gold and silver 'medals-.which he had won,at former' contests. On arrival at Invercargill, Mr Schnack found, himself with merely 'the clothes he stood/up in. The train was searched and stations-telegraphed to, but the clothes and medals are still missing. I It is a habit with some Ashburton, children to take risks with incoming! . trains—they seem to think it fine fun to race across the line just in front of the engine—but the practice almost resulted in a fatality this afternoon as the' first' express from the south was steamjing into the station. Four little girls from the ' Borougli School, seeing the express approaching, commenced to run across the line at the Havelock Street crossing witli a view to getting on to the eastern side of the platform | before the train passed. The driver | noticed their danger and immediately applied the brakes, the train slowing up sufficiently to allow the children to get safely across.'-v Had :the train not slackened pace it is probable that one or more of the little girls would have I been cut to pieces :by-the engine. The \ sudden stop proved so: great that the ] engine couplings broke, but a new part was placed in position in a second or two and the train steamed into the station. The little? girls seemed blissfully unconscious of the fact that they I had had a narrow escape.

The following letter on. the subject of week-end excursions between Christchurch and Timaru has been received by Mr J. Craigie,, v;M-.P., ..from the Minister for Railways ■■::—" .With .reference to your representations' in regard to the request made fey the president of the 1 Caroline Bay£• Association that the Railway Department should institute : week-end excursions to , Timaru during the summery months,-1 have the honour to inform you that tickets at day excursion rates-; will be issued from ■pliristchui'ch and intermediate stations, to Timaru by special trains,on suitable ■holidays, when the. Department, is in .imposition to undertake the business,, and. such an excursion -has, been arranged for December 16, being the anniversary of Canterbury. The Department is also prepared to run similar .excursions at other times suitable to your Association, provided a guarantee is given. I regret, however, that I cannot see my way to authorise regular week-end trips to Timaru, as neither the existing nor the prospective traffic would Warrant such a course."

BarsdelFs tobacconist shop was burglariously entered last night, and over £18; belonging to ■ the Oamaru Choral Society and £56 odd belonging to the Rugby Union way stolen. Mrs Austen Chamberlain christened the Warspite at Devonport. The vessel is the heaviest ship afloat, and will carry 15-inch guns.