LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8464, 1 June 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The secretary of the Canterbury Automobile Association, has boen advised that the ford at the Selwyn Itivcr is impassable for motor-cars.

The hay harvest promises to be one of tho most important in British history. Seven 'million acres are mowablc, as compared with 6,200,000 last season.

A Christchurch telegram states, that a case of infantile paralysis, the patient being a male 18 months old, in South Canterbury, was reported to-day.

A special train bringing recruits from tho south will pass through AshWrton this evening, arriving at 6.42 and departing after tho arrival of the Christchurch train.

The Suez Canal report {"or 1915 shows that the total net tonnage of tho ships which passed through during the year was 10.26G.000 tons, a decrease of over 4,000,000 tens.

The London Docks return for tho financial year ending March 31 shows that the total imports and, exports amounted to nearly .'5,700,000 tons, an increase of over 500,000 tons.

It is understood that the Christchureh Meat Company, Ltd., intends altering its mime to " Tho New Zealand Refrigerating Company, Ltd.," a name more in keeping with tho extended operations of the company.

Tho Ti mam.'Harbour Board has decided to lay up its dredge for three months as a measure of economy. Tho saving thus effected is computed at £2000. There is a. greater depth of water "in the harbour now than ever before, and it is considered that dredging can very well cease for the period named. > .

A novol m;usie-hall turii was recently .billed > iiv San Francisco. Two er-aok teams o-f picked mechanics wre .matched at piittiiiG; together on the'stago the narts of a"Ruick" and an "Oldsmobile" ear. The.."Buick" 'team won with 2min. 57pec. to spare. The turn, is said to ha.ro proved a decided success.

A Wangauui .message states that in connection with an appeal by a schoolmaster, Mr Bowater, against his transference, Judge Edwards has decided on the points of law raised by the Education Board' that if the Appoal Board decided Bowater was wrongly transferred he was entitled to be reinstated in his old position, and not given another position at equal salary.

The commercial instinct is evidently highly developed in some of the Rakaia youths, Recently a small boy a])-' nroached the clerk of the' Road. Board and intimated that ho had some rate' tails' for sale. The clerk srsked. tho lad to spread them out in hi.s hand for the purpose-of counting them, and : before making a deal ho was induced to make a closer inspection owing to the neculinr appearance ol' somo of tho alleged toils.. His .surprise can bo better imagined than ex pressed when ho discovered that the alleged tails were healthy specimens of dock-roots, hll about a uniform size, and about tho same length as a rat's tail. Tho specimens wore shown to tho members of tho board at its meeting to-da.y, and created- considerable amusement.

At. the Addington stock market yesterday the following sales wero made on account of Ash burton County farmers : -—Cattle—For W. J. .Crozie.r (Mitcham), 1 heifer, at £0 17s 6d; W. Wilkinson (Chertsey). 3 rows at £9 15s. to £12, 4 steer* at" £6 17s 6(1 to £8 7h 6d, 1 heifer at £S lO.s; T. Dowiing (Methvon), 8 cows at CIO 17s G«l to £13. Sheep—Wethers: For T. Dowling ("AletlnviiK 28 nt 3ls to 355; .1. Stuart (Lyndhurst), 00 at 26n 9d to 28s 9u ; ,J. Travis (Rakaia), 3] at 2os 7d to 2Gs; 11. Kennedy (Ashhurlon I'orka), 12."5 fit 23* 3d to 25s 6d ; X F. J. Grips? (KiflVlton). H at Los Id. Kwes: T. Dowlinif (Mfthven). 42 at 27s 6d to 41s 6d; W. Kninvontlior (Rakaia), 17 at 27s 3d; K. V. J. Grieg (Eiffelton), IS at 2fi.s fid; A. Orr (Methven), 100 at 22s 6tl to 2t<s: J. W. Ormnmond (I'.nrr Hill). (34 at 21s lOd to 24s fid ; P. Tully (Knkain), 53 at 20s Id la 24s Cd ; J. Hart (Laurision). 56 ;it IRs Hd to 21s 2d; P. llumhy (Chertsey), Gl fit !?s Id to 2N. ,1. rJravers (7?akaisO, 2G at 20s 7d; W Hreadincr (linkup), 03 at 17k od to '20(= hi; R. Cnmpboil (IV O . more). r.fl_ at His to 18^ 10d. Fa(, Lamb.-; —For J. Hart (I>:iurL«ton), 7 at IDs lOd to LMs; T. Dowlin-r (Rk-thvcn'), r,l al 20s to 23s 3d; W. Fairweather niakaid). H.« at 2ls to 23s lid; M. J. Rains (Rjil<.-.ia), P0 at 19h 4d to 21s Pd : P. TiiM.v (Kakiiia), R;~ at 20s 5d to 22s Id; K. F. J. Gritrp (EUVeltoa), 117 nt 20s 3d to 22s lOd; H. Drnmmond (Lynclhiu-5t)..7 nt 21s 9d; W. J. Broading (Uakaia), 7 at 17s 3d. £10 Ri»hnte on Ford Motor-cars. — The New Zen land--agents for the Ford Motor o!ovnpairy ol? Canada, luwo recently ifi.stalled"an assembling plant in Wellington. This plant recoives the car in sections and assembles it 111 jsew Zealand. The. smaller shipping fipjieo required reduces the cost of freight. The company r':1" thus effect a considerable saving, which is being bonded on to buyers. Thow 1 who hnvo bonght en.rs recently for ■fi2i'-'> aro being given the benefit of this rebate. Mr Carson lias three now Mod"! Ford Touring Cars in stock, which nre being sold :Wthe new price. £215 delivered. 041 For Chronic Chest Complaints. Woods' Grfiui Peppermint Cara.

A ease of diphtheria in th-a AshLnirto/i \ Borough was notified to the Hospital Board to-day.

The Arbitration Court will sit at Christcllurch on June 12. Thoro is a very long list of matters to deal witfe.

A large number of Ashburton sporting enthusiasts left by tho first train thts morning to attend the trotting meeting at Uhristchurch. About 70 or 80 joined the train at. Rakaia.

It is the intention of the Health Department to rigidly enforce the law as far as butchers' shops are. concerned. Within the last few days two butchers —one at Bulls and the -othor at Wanganui—were (hied £10 and heavy costs for having dirty shops. In one case the Magistrate said that the maximum fine was £50, and if any more cases of a similar nature came before him he would have no hesitation in, inflicting the full penalty.

Owing to tho recent heavy rains, ploughing operations have been suspended in tho Rakaia-district. A Rakaia fanner informed a "Guardian" reporter to-day that the .rain/will do. an iminen.se amount of good, to oat crops, which arc' being extensively grown for cr-een. feed this season. He also stated that for.a considerable time'past it had been almost impossible to dig post-holes without a good deal of .hard labour; but those who ihavo. fencing todo: will now be able to set about the work with comparative ease. . |

Tho disease known as Australian xtringhalt lias visited .Rakaia and surrounding districts,.'with serious consequence to many farmers. A fanner informed a "Guardian" reporter.today that he knew pf two farmors who hn'i] recently lost throo horses each through the disease; One of tho farmers 1 referred to had to shoot the horses shortly after they had contracted tho disease.- It appears that when the horses become affected a form of paralysis sets in in tho hindqxiartors. . • ' ,

Attention was drawn to tho dearth of veterinary surgeons by it speaker at the Auckland provincial conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union last week (states the " Herald'/), llepivins; to a suggestion that dairy herds' 1 should be inspected with tho object of eliminating unsatisfactory animals, ho said that in one- district, carrying between 10,000 and 15,000 cattle, there was not one qualified veterinary surgeon. Whether or not that wasT due t.o the war he did not know. It i\as no use appealing for heip from tin- Government, because there were no veterinary officers to spare.

At the farewell function given to the Ashburton soldiers in the drill hall last evening, Lieutenant Grut, in the courso of a brief speech, said that hitherto the friends of soldiers had been allowed to mix indiscriminately with tho men on the 'railway station, and in consequence some of the men had been loft behind. He realised that those having friends going away naturally desired to see as much of them as possible beforo they left, but it was necessary that tho military arrangements should not bo hampered. Tie asked those present to say their, fareu ells at the conclusion of the function. Although a guard of Senior Cadets was formed round the departing men on the station, many of the public apparently did not know of the new regulation, and broke through tho guard and mixed just as froely with the men as on previous occasions.

It is surprising, with the advance made in the price of petrol in this and other countries, that some endeavour has not been made to eliminate tho expense of tho standard four-gallon tin, tho cost of which must run into hugo figures in 12 months. In America the majority of motorists are supplied from bulk systems, tho petrol being delivered through pipes, or hoses, and -checked by* automatic gauges. The,; saving .as regards wastage and handling outsido the cost of tins is very, considerable. A few of the more progressive 'firms in this country have already installed petrol systems, but the petrol is delivered in tin's, which are emptied into tho bulk reservoir, so that the cost of canning, handling, etc., has still to'bo paid for by the consumer. This costly method is one that should be superseded by more up-to-date and economic systems.