LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8210, 6 August 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

-"'I bought some oats from the plainbiff about four years ago, and he hasn t been paid for some ot it yet," sauL a witness at the Magistrate's Court this morning, amid general laughter.

The chairman of the Ashburton County Council reported at to-day s meeting that up to date 2752 dogs had been registered, as against 2797 for the corresponding period last year. There were, he said, many more dogs to be registered, and it was expected that last year's record would be exceeded.

It was decided by the Farmers' Union Conference at Wellington "that the attention of the Government be directed to the. necessity for seeing that local authorities be compelled to take steps to destroy the small birds in towns, as at present these places form a perfect breeding-ground, to the detriment of the crops in the adjacent country."

"I believe it is absolutely a mistake,?' said Dr. F. W. Mackenzie, in giving evidence before the Camp Commission, " to allow soldiers to go into hotels and drink. If it is going to be supplied to them, thoy ought to have it in camp." The • chairman (Mr Justice Hosking) intimated that this question did not come within the scope of the Commission.

The Canterbury Land Board, at its meeting yesterday, had -before it an application for the transfer of L.P. 1500, Section 9, Rosewill, 350 acres 2 roods, from J. Lawlor to Fritz Kleim. Replying to questions by Mr.R. Lcckie, clerk to the- Board, Mr Kleim_ stated that he was a German by . birth, 26 ye.nrs of age,.that he arrived in Australia when 15 yearfe of age,, that he had been about 12 years in New Zealand, and that he was not naturalised. He had applied to the Minister of lutornal Affairs, after the war broke out, for letters of naturalisation, and Was informed that his application had been postponed till after the war. In yiow of those statements the Board declined to sanction the transfer.' ■ ■

The 'Waikduaiti County Council on Friday last- considered tho following circular-resolution sent on by the Manawatu Colin ty;: Council: '"That this County: Council; approaches all othsr; councils in New Zealand with a view of making a ■■combined effort to get the Telegraph Department's telephone regulations amended so" as to allow telephone exchanges, where there aro over 30 subscribers, -to' bo' opened between the hours.of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.-: In "small townships] where .the' majority of subscribers are farmers, it--is very : often impossible lto obtain'so subscribers, and farmers -.are^^'tlier4by*pGnalised > as "the de-' partmerit's regulations, do not provide for an exchange to be open other than between the hours of 9 aim:, and 5 p.m.. unless subscribers number 50 or over." The Chairman (Cr. 'JJ McGill) p;iid lie thoughb this was a step in the right direction.

Some of the.wealthiest and most influential people in the Old Country and elsewhere are the most enthusiastic of the Ford Co.'s patrons. Latest purchasers among English nobility are the Marquis of Bath, the Earl of Yarborough, Mr Hilliare Belloe, General Sir Goorgo Aston, and the Countess of Fingal. The idea occasionally developed by people that they should part with large sums of money to buy a! good ear has long since been proved I erroneous, and will continue so while j the Ford Car is procurable. Price £180. Catalogue and full particulars furnished on request by G. H. Carson, the! Ford Co.'s Local Agent, Tailored j Street. COO'

At the meeting of the Ashburton County Council to-d-ay the chairman reported that a sum of £4009 Ihad been paid on account of the current rate, and that this amount represented about half the total rate collectable.

" No sacrifice has been made yet by the producers of New Zealand in connection with the war," said Mr Hine, member for Stratford, in the House recently. "It is for the Taxation Bill to show what sacrifices the projducers will be required to make."

Stoats and weasels, which were imported 30 to 40 years ago to extirpate the rabbits, are in turn becoming such a pest that Canterbury has sent a remit to the Acclimatisation Conference asking that the Government should impose a royalty on' all stoats and _ weasels destroyed in other than rabbit-infested districts.

A "Wellington Press Association message states that the Union Company's, crreo steamer Corinna, 1271 tons, which left Wellington at 10.45 last night for New Plymouth, returned to port at 1.15 this morning. Apparently she touched on Barrett's Reef at the Wellington Harbour entrance.

The monthly meeting of the Canterbury Land Board was held yesterday. The following; applications for transfers were o-ranted:— V. 557, section 36487, bloclc; X., Shepherds' Bush,' 47 acres— Gallagher and Glassey to W. Glassey; V. 221, section 36297, Shepherds' Bush, 50 _ acres—Charles Sewell to Sara.h Lilley.

"If some of the suburban railway passengers in Now Zealand were to travel by train in" Australia for a. while they would soon discover that the placing of dirty boots on seats in rail.way carriages>is^not tolerated." _ The f,or.egoin'g.;iiemark pas made by a visitor to,' New : Zealand. hHio was travelling in a suburban train! "When he went to tak? a seat hexfcmnd that some person Kadi made a door-mat of it. . ••■•.•

The Chambers of Commerce Association (says a Wellington Pross Association telegram) elected Mr • James Macintosh, of Wellington, president, and Messrs It. Burns, of Auckland, and T. F. Gibson, of Christchurch. vicepresidents. A resolution was. carried urging earlier publication of grain and sheep statistics; also, affirmin" the desirability of the various Chambers establishing a commercial defence fund. The conference decided to urge the Government to introduea -legislation cancelling contracts mado with subjects of enemy countries.

A well-dressed woman attracted the attention of some of the. employees by her actions'.whon she was shopping on Thursday morning (states the Auckland "Star"). She carried a_ muff and a basket, and made successive inspection of the goods displayed on a number of counters in the shop, till a member of the firm became convinced that things were not quite right, and he accosted the woman, and eventually handed her over to the police. In a net bag, which was inside her basket, were found two towels,- a hat. two cakes of soap, three lengths, of. silk, a length of velvet, and two packets of shaving cream, which were alleged to have been lifted by the woman. She came before Mr ¥. V. Frazef. S.M., on Eriday, and was reiinanded'till to-day. . ; ■

At the request of Sir James, Wilson/ the Council of Agriculture gave.. its attention to the timber supply,.question^ of"the Dominion, and adopted the following motion: —"Realising that the provision- of ■ an adequate supply of ■timber for the future requirements of this Dominion is • necessary, and inasmuch as it is estimated that at least 500,000 to 700,000 .acres should be in a commercial forest to allow a sufficient area" to be cut annually, this conference would urge the Government to set aside a suitable area of poor land and to make it an inalienable reserve for the purpose of growing timber." Mr J. C. N. Grigg. who, in the absence of Sir James Wilson, moved the resolution, said that at the rate timber was being out it would soon be a tremendous price unless steps were taken to set aside timber-growing areas. Only poor land was required, provided it had a good rainfall.

To get a. true perspective of events of this war one lias to compare them with parallel 'historical cases. Many people believe that Germany's submarine and mine blockade is a more serious thing than it really is. In 1812 England was at war with France •and America, and in seven months of that year American warships and privateers alone captured 500 British ships —an average of 2£ vessels a day; and in three years the average was main-tained,-and .2500 vessels were captured. The American edition of the " World's Work" for June gives interesting statistics that show from February 18 to May 7, 1915, or 78 days, there was a total loss of 90 ships destroyed trading to Britain, or an average of 1 1-16 per day—less than one-half of the average 100 years ago at the hands of America. As England has 13.058 vessels engaged in her trade, it will take Germany, nt the present rate, 30 years 10 months and 7 days to destroy the fleet if she can, without touching our newly-built ships in^ replacement.. Dreadful as the wanton reckless loss of life and destruction' of non-combatant ships may be, it is _ but a poor result for. the German policy, as compared to the British losses 100 years ago jn open naval combat with Franco and' America.