LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIII, Issue 8803, 26 February 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The annual district meeting of Oddfellows at Napier (says a Press Association message) -carried a resolution strongly objecting to the .consolidation of sick funds proposal, and instructed the delegates .to..the.conference to oppose the project, strenuously.

Mr P. O'Grady, of Wirichmore, 'this year had a very fine, crop,of solid bLraw Tuscan wheat, which was grown on?the Wirichmbre Plains. When threshed by Messrs Capon Brothers the crop;jreturned an average [of 39 bushels to,-, the ■'acre, a very high yield for this kind of land. / ;. '

A Press Association message from Wellington states that Warden Burgess gave his decision yesterday in the Miners' Hall case, in which the old Federation Union claimed £500 damages and possession of the hall against the Arbitration Union. The Warden decided in favour of the old Union, and ordered immediate possession to be given and £50 damages, with ordinary costs. ' "'•■■■■■> .... -.-:- '>......■..■ ..- .

The action John Jamison v. Trustees of Chalmers Church, was concluded in the Supreme Court"' at Dunedin yesterday. The plaintiff asked for the removal of tho Deacons' Court of the congregation from the trusteeship of the church, and the appointment of other persons in their stead, and also asked for a declaration as to 1 his rights and as to the rights of those in conformity with him respecting the funds in the trust, and further that the Deacons' Court should pay the cost of the riction. Decision was reserved.

The passengers by the early morning train „ from Ashburton south yesterday received a rude shock when travelling between Winslow and Wmdermere, when the long line of trucks and the two cars were pulled up very suddenly. The engine-driver is deserving of great praise, as, but for his prompt action in applying .the emergency brake, there would have been * great slaughter amongst a big mob of sheep which was blocking the^ line at a level crossing. As it was, a number of the sheep escaped, death by the narrowest of margins.

' " The call for help in the country continues to be keenly felt, but very little can be dne to relieve it," is the report of, the; officeMtt-charge of the Christeliurch Women's Employment Bureau which appears in, the latest number of the Labour Department's "• Journal." "There is a very great demand for domestics, cooks, and cookgonerals, and exceptionally high wages are being offered, but girls seem to prefer a lighter class of employment," she (declares.

A-capital story illustrative of the reality of the entente cordiale is narrated by v the Paris "Gaulois" apropos of the. recent visit of the British fleet to Toulon. A party of British seamen ashore, looking around for a place to get tea-; were attracted by the English words "Tea Room" over a very fashionable restaurant. They promptly went in and ordered tea. When the bill, .amounting to £2 odd, was presented, they could not raise enough money between them. A French naval officer in mufti, who had observed their embarrassment, went across from his table, and explaining that he was a French naval officer, begged the bluejackets to consider themselves as his guests for the day.

* The sagacity and homing instinct of dogs has frequently been noted, and in this connection the feat of a canine owned by a farmer in the Manawatu district is well worth recording. Last Friday.week, while at Porangahau, Hawke's Bay, he lost his dog when out working, and as it had not turned up next morning, he returned home. On Saturday morning, much to the owner's surprise'] the" u dpg 'arrived,."at, .t.lie, farm, footsore and weary, after its long • tramp from Porangahau to Palmerstbn,:,a distance of over 100 miles. The intelligence and sagacity of the dog in making its way 1 home is all the more remarkable when it "is' stated that it wfls taken up by train to where it was lost. ■ ' -..

Prospects along the Wellington water*f ront for the coming winter j; are not Very bright at the preserit time. Even with Avoi-k in full swing there is a great deal of unemployment as the result of. the recent ihdustrial turmoil* and with the natural'falling off in work the trouble will be made all the more acute. Many of the men who were formerly engaged on the wharves have had.only very casual employment—and some of them practically none at all—for the past three months, and it is these men totally unprepared for the financial strain, who! will feel the pinch most severely. Owing to the large importation of overseas coal, rirffcti' extra work has been provided, but all these cargoes have arrived, and when they are un- | loaded there will be a serious shortage of work. v ■' ■

Tho sudjlen easing of the London money market and the great^ success of colonial loans have had their reflex in New Zealand. Inquiries made among prominent merchants,, bankers, and others, concerned in, the' money and property market show that there has been a definite easing of financial conditions. Will the improvement last? Inquiries iwere directed the other day towards getting aii answer if possible," and the replies were hopeful. There seems (says an Auckland " Star " correspondent) a geiieral agreement in banking circles that at the end of the financial year, March 31, the rates on overdrafts will have to be reviewed. They vary from 5£ to 6 per cent., according to security, with occasional higher charges according to the borrower's stability, and have stood at this height for two years. As an indication of the improvement in affairs locally a prominent estate >gent stated that sales of city and suburban-.pro-perties during the pa-st two months had shown a'marked ■increase. j

On February 20 there \vere 79 inmates of the North Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board s Memorial Home, 80 at Tuarangi, 37 in the Female Refuge, and 18 m the Orphanage. ■ " ; '■-."'• ' ■ ' . ■■..; '

The penguin which was presented to the Domain on Monday last seems to be taking kindly to its new quarters, and the quaint, wise-lookmg bird seems fairly cheerful, despite the loss of his plumage through moulting. ;

The following were among the .sales of fat sheep made: on behalt ot Ashburton County farmers at Addmgton; on Wednesday: —Wethers: Geo. Harris (Methyen), 62 at ,20s 9d to 20s lOd. Ewes: E. Hampton (Chertsey), 59 at 16s 7d to 20s Id; Ashburton client, 62 ■at 17s" lOd to 19s 9d; ■ Ashburton client, 60 at 17s; to 18s 7d; J. Gardiner (Rakaia), 56 at 15s 7d to 16s 9d; Georga Harris (Methven), 56 at 16s 3d to 16s 6d. '

On Saturday.l night about. 400 Auckland watersideirworkers, assembled in one of the Queen's Wharf sheds to hear an address, which, was given at their invitation by Mr A. Schmitt, provincial secretary of the New,- Zealand Farmers' Union, in favour of the starting of. a co-operative scheme by which the' waterside workers ! could purchase the necessaries of , life through direct channels. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to the speaker, and his liame'Hvas included, ex officio, in a committee-of 12, which was set up to go thoroughly into the.matter...;;.

A boisteroiiS'tinie was experienced by those camping in huts at the mouth of the Ashburton"-River last nightl: , The wind blew: with great velocity and shrieked through the sturdy .little tenements, while the roar of the 1 mountainbus seas rolling in to the land'"was deafening.. Of late the river at the mouth has been frequently changing its course, and instead of making its way straight, to the sea it had yesterday worked its. way along the foot of the cliffs in a northerly direction for 300 or 400 yards. It is expected that last night's, heavy, sea will cause the flow of water to work further north along the shore.

A memorandum has'been issued from the headquarters office of the Canterbury Military District to all group officers, directing that during the next two months particular attention is to bq paid to the uniform 'and equipment of all Senior.Cadets. Instructions are given regarding the bearing and drill of the boys'l.on ceremonial parades, and also to officers" of Cadet Companies regarding saluting in marching past. The authorities are desirous that the Senior Cadets shall, make the best possible showing at ,the big parade on May 4, when they will be received by General Sir lan Hamilton, Inspector-General of the Oversea Forces. ■' ■' >

" In a certain country town within the Otago borders," (states the Dunedin " Star ")"-" the main topic of conversation is as to the doings of one of its practising solicitors. It is- openly stated that; trust moneys to a fair anioiirit have been juggled with. So furious is the explosion over this matter that'-its reverberations have reached;.-Dunedin. People say. that friends are ,'intervening and endeavouring to Vget the parties concerned 'to give time" to find the money. In the meantime, the matter, has been brought to ' the '. knowledge of tho Otago Law Society, a body that may be relied oii': to;'jealously guard the honour of the profession."

To have lived in the reigns of six sovereigns is an experience that falls to,the lot of few people. Mr Charles Edward Osmoiid, of Wallarobba (N.SIW.), however, .can lay claim to such a record.' On February 9, at the residence of .his daughter, Mrs Hugh Fraser, he celebrated his 100 th birthday. He was born in /Somersetshire, England, on February ■9, 1814. He came to Australia in 1851, with his -wife and seven children. The voyage lasted six months. About 300 relatives, friends, and. neighbours took part in Mr Osmond's birthday celebrations. These included his sister-in-law, Mrs George. Osmond, of Paterson, who is 84 years of age. Mr Osmond is still in 1 possession of all his faculties, and is able to do gardening. r

: News has ,been received by cablegram of the further success of a pupil of the Jubilee Institute for the Blind, Auckland, Mr - Doric L. Algie, who has secured his Bachelor of Arts Degree in addition'to passing the first section of the JAi.% degree. Mr Algie's subjects were English, Latin, jurisprudence, and constitutional history, general history, and economics. Although not :.quite blind, it is necessary for Mr Algie to study under the system and conditions of the institute, and his success is the more remarkable in view of the fact that all th© text-books required have to be copied into ■ the Braille system. The successful student is a son of the postmaster of Queenstown. He was educated at the, Blind Institute and King's College, imatriculating in .1910- He went to, the University College.; in 1911, andf secured the Latin premium at the * college in 1912. -r .■■-•;• ■■•"-. ■'''"iU ..■:,;. ..,

The dangers of• hydatids. and the great spread of the disease among sheep and dogs with tho-consequent.in-fection' of human beings was referred toi at yesterday's meeting,. :of the Farmers' XJnion (says the Lyttelton "Times ")!:■: Mr F G. Livingstone stated that the attention of. the Government should be drawn to the mat•ter, :;and;- that it should be -urged to ;do something to stop the spread of the disease. The president (Mr G. H. Ensor) agreed that thematter was of great importance. He thought that the. farmers should be made aware .of the dangers that existed of the transmission of-the disease from animals to human beings. .." The worst of all," he stated, ." is the nasty, dirty little lap-dogs that ladies cpitv about with them." " What are they to do ?" remarked a,.frivolous member, "'if they haven't anything else to carry about?" The committee then went on to the next business. . ■■.

The Waimate Egg Circle sent 156 dozen eggs to Dunedin for the Saturday's market and they sold at Is 7d per dozen.

As an instance of how necessary the revaluation of Napier property had become it is interesting to note (says a local journal) that the value of the Criterion Hotel,, which belongs to the Council, has been increased by 400 per cent, in the new valuation.

Decrees nisi were granted in the following divorce cases, in the Divorce Court at Wellington • to-day: —Arnold William Jacomb v. Elsa Emily Jacomb, misconduct; Emily Jane Martin v. Henry Campbell Martin, misconduct. — Press Association. „ ■ -... . . ;

The American Boy, Scouts claim to have in their • ranks the biggest Boy Scout in the world; His name is Cook, of Philadelphia, and although he is only 15 years old, he stands 6ft 7in m his stockings, arid weighs 13 stone. His boots are No. 12, and his hats 7f.

A Press Association message -from Oairiaru states that the body of Miss Mary Goulding, who disappeared on Monday) night after, leaving home on horseback to bring in the cows, was found on an island in the Waitaki River. It is presumed.she was crossing over to the island ( and was-, washed off N her hprse. -<••.-■ .

An old man named- Linch, aged 70, left the Tuarangi Old Men's Home at 11 o'clock, this- morning, and has not yet been traced. "']. „ A description supplied to the police is as follows.:— ■ Very slight build; ■ medium height," shuffling walk, i; and; stoops; long grey hair; no hat, no.jshirt;. was wearing a dark suit of clothes. "...

A remarkable statement was made m the Reichstag recently by the./ Centre" deputy, Herr Erzberger, in the course of a plea for "the abolition of the duel. He said that there existed in Berlin an institution . which hired out so-called men of honour .to lead wives into _ misconduct, with the: object of providing indefeasible grounds for a duel.; The deputy added that the .existence of this institution was known to the police and the Public Prosecutor.'

There was a fall in music in Ashburton this morning when a piano in a case, which was being. conveyed down East Street by a local I'carrier, took leave of the vehicle and fell heavily on to the roadway. The case, with its contents, bowled over a couple of times before ,it came to a standstill, and the discordant tintinnabulations provoked by the shock the' instrument received had scarcely died away before a small crowd-collected at the scene of the catastrophe. Though the fall was great, the instrument was well protected by the stout case, and instead of being smashed to atoms, literally, it suffered very little harm, and will probably give many years' service.

' After 5} years of procrastination, the Victorian authorities, have decided to abandon, for the time being at any rate, the establishment of a reformatory prison under the Indeterminate Sentences Act. In lieu of this the Chief Secretary's department,- at the -instance of the inspector-general of penal establishments (Mr Callaway), proposes to secure a suitable farm somewhere in the Castlemaine district for use as an open-air training hbhje for . youthful offenders who, give promise of reformation. \Prisoners who have shown themselves amenable to. reform will have an opportunity of doing .outside work, under as little restraint as possible.

Some difficulty, owing to the Indian coal used, was experienced in the early part of the journey of the Wellington-. Woodville mail train on Tuesday last. The load was rather heavy, and the engine was burning Bengal coal, which was ordered at the time of the labour trouble, to meet any probability of the crisis extending over a long period. Any difficulty in this respect will only be temporary, as no more of the coal has been ordered, and the stock is being speedily depleted? It is understood that when coals differing widely in quality are used a certain amount of knowledge of the particular coal is 1 required before the best can be got' out of, it. In.this case the men had no former experience of "firing" with Indian coal.

Bush" fires in the Skipton district have destroyed the historic Wilson mansion, occupied by Mr H. W. Wilson and his family (says a Melbourne message to the Sidney newspapers). It was a spacious building, containing 42 rooms, and was erected and- magnificently furnished at. a cost of • something like £20,000. The Mount Emu Estate, owned by the family, covered 14.000 ■'acre's, and was stocked with 15 iOOO sheep and a large number of horses and cattle. The "James seemed to; jump suddenly across from the adjoining holding, and ;' travelling at a rate of about 20 miles an hour, bore down on the homestead with a rush. A great effort had to be made in order to save the women. Fully 5000 sheep perished • probably many more. $ The cattle saved ■fliem'selves by-stampeding. Every panel of. the. fencing, 20 miles in^ all, was burnt, together with the drafting, yards and three stacks ;of hay, while "the bridge over' the Emu Creek leading to the' homestead was demolished. . ■ .... ,--..., „ ..,.,.'■. ..; ■:■,

"Taking the Maori work generally, I have the^ greatest hopes now of seeing something of a tangible and permanent nature accomplished among them in the near future," was the emphatic assur- | ance of Commissioner Richards when questioned at Wellington by a representative of the "Post " -with regaifcl to his recent tour among ,the Maoris in tlie north. "I had not visited 'them for 12 months until tho tour I have just concluded," he continued: " I rfind a vei-y great improvement in every branch of the work. Numbers of young: men and women have been added to our forces. I had a very remarkable time, particularly all' the Sunday a.nd Monday I was among them. About 40 seekers for light and salvation: came forward. Each of the meetings was crowded. .We inaugurated a brass band of nine instruments, and I gave them their first lesson in scales. Although there was riot very much harmony," smilingly. remarked Commissioner Richards, "I fully exoeot to have the pleasure of Jiearing this band playing some of the Army classical music within the next 12 months. We are arranging for the divisional officer to enlarge his borders and to open up in other districts, gravitating from Tauranga as centre.". Among other things, Commissioner Richards mentioned that the young peonle were receiving great attention ar>d +hat companies were being formed throughout the districts in. question.