LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8202, 27 July 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

„ Clouds are again looming over the industrial horizon at Kaitangata. Tho Clutha "Leader's" corre v spondent at that town advises that "It is persistently rumoured that tho time is not far distant when a struggle for mastery will take placo between tho Federation ■and Arbitration supporters among the local coal miners. Agents of the former body are particularly active at present, among these agents being one of the prominent leaders (Mr R. Semplo) of tho old days of strikes and goncral confusion in tho ranks of Labour."

The Secretary of the New Zealand Council of Agriculture reports that tha Government is making arrangements' by which, should the number of harvesters offering be insufficient, the number of men required will be released from various public works. The Government anticipates that with a supply of labour assured, farmers will be encouraged to proceed with the sowing of larger areas of cereal.

Bombardier. J. M. March, who some time ago was. invalided home from Egypt, died at his parents' residence at Water ton yesterday. He was buried this afternoon with military honours. "It is stated that with the _ next batch of wounded there will arrive in Wellington from the front a man with two logs and one arm off," said Mr J. Vigor Broivn in the House of Representatives recently. _ "He is a man who previously occupied a good position in the city."

At the mooting of the Ashburton High School Board of Governors this morning, when the chairman had reported on the financial position of the Board, Mr W. B. Denshire said that the finances of the Board did not appear to him to be quite satisfactory. He thought the responsibility should not be thrown entirely upon the chairman, and he moved that a finance committee bo set up to report on tho financial position of the Board as. at August 1, 1915, an 3 the approximate fiuanciar position, of the Board as at August 1, 1916. Mr C. Roid seconded the motion. He agreed with the mover of the motion that the Board should go slow for a few months.' The position would be easily explained. Somo things had cost more than was at first expected. The Chairman snid that the Board 'owed for somo things, but it did not have the money, find, the people would have to wait. -The motion was carried. The;, following were appointed a fin^n^e committee : —: Messrs Tucker; Reid, Denshire, and' Collins. :

Passengers by the first express from Christchurch this morning report that, a, strange occurrence took placfl when the train was about ono and a-half miles on the south side of Selwyn station. Two young men —11. B. Harris, of the Christchurch Railway Department's staff, and William Richards, of Kelso. Otago—were standing on the outside platform of one of ;th<> carriages, when suddenly they fiearcl the spatter of shots, and simultaneously they were struck by several pellets. The man Harris received one in vhe right side of his neck, nne through the ton of his hat, and another through the collar of his overcoat. A pellet i.lso penetrated the clothing of Richards! On the side of the r.irrinse several pellets were imbedded in the woodwork. Tho missiles had apparently come from a shotgun, and were somewhat spent in force, else TTrirris would have suffered grentor injury from the wound in the neck than ho rcnllv did. The wound bled but very little. ' The ™on told the story to Rptnor-Sonxonnt Emerson, who happened to bp on thr Ashburtoii stati^^, n-nf[ jin nwked. the. stationn^st^.r /Mi: T. J. Cowan), to. comnmnicate with tne.stdtionrna'stor at Solwyn on the matter. . .'

Swanson's are still buying new tweeds at the old prices. They have just landed another cose of up-to-date suitings, and those are selling fast. There is no rise in tile priw of their suits yet, "but it is bound to oome, so readers aro advised to-'place their orders oarlv. •'. • ■ ■"■•• 600