LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4021, 30 March 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

, «» ' The only, amount received .to-day for the gramaphone fund for G Company, Twenty-fourth lleinibrcoments, was from "Mrs .). A. Andoreon, who donated £1. / Somo Mayfield .ladies visited Methvon Show yesterday, and succeeded in. disposing of a. large number of tickets for the lied Cross gathering to he held sit Mayfield early next month. At a largely-attended meeting of ■the Gin-istclmrch ■ Dairymen's Association it was decided to raise the retail price of. milk to 5d per quart from April 1. Ab Auckland .yesterday Thomas McGcc, a. builder, was sentenced to 11 months' imprisonment for desertion from the Expeditionary Force*,by attempting to leave Now Zealand "by the Kurow. The price of gas in Wellington is to be increased next month by od ' per. •1000 feet. The present rate is 7e 6d per 1000 I'oot. The reason fdfif the advance is the extra cost of labour and material. Yesterday a number of the Sixth Standard pupils of the Ashburton Borough School were examined for proficiency passes by Inspector Brock, of Chris'tehurch.'' The- results will bo .announced in ii clay or two. The shesif-tossing. competition in connection with the Methven Show, for which there was a large number of entries, was won by J. Rouse, of that district. The correct weight of the wether for the guessing competition was 2021b; J. W. Cummings. secured first prize, having guessed 203-J-lb, and G. Richards and J. Sullivan tied for second prize, their guesses being 2001b. The weight of the fat lamb was.B9.Jlb; A. McNeill won the. lamb, his guess of 88$lb being the nearest to the actual weight. Amongst men who, upon examination by the Military Boards, are classified C.I or C2—unfit for military service abroad but fit for home, ser-, vice—there exists some doubt whether they should hold themselves ready for A call at any moment, or should resume their ordinary civil life in the confidence that if called up .again they have, the right of ' appeal: 1' We have good authority -for saying that all members of Class C(1 and,2) of the! Expeditionary- Force are 'transferred to the home service section,, and if called up will have the same right of appeal as those passed fit for active service. Our Hinds correspondent writes: — The ordinary meeting of Hinds branch of the Red Cross Society was held in' the hall on Wednesday afternoon. Mrs D. Shaw presided over a good attendance of members. The financial statement was read by Miss ■ Hayes, the treasurer of tho branch. A considerable amount of. work was. distributed, and many parcels of finished work were -sent in. The main business was to decide on ways and means of raising funds to carry on this necessary work. After considerable discussion, it was decided to hold a fete in Hinds on April 19, the function to take tho form of a sale of produce, competitions, afternoon tea, concert, and dance. The tentacles of war (says tho Auckland " Star ") are beginning to stretch far and wide, and tho time has come when the grip on New Zealand, as well as on other parts of the Empire, is made more manifest week by week. Trades and professions are now being exploited for men to strengthen the battle line. The legal profession is also under the ban of war. Before the First Auckland Military Service Board, Mr R. Me.Veagh (president of the Auckland Law Society) gave evidence to the effect that there was a marked shortage of solicitors, and it was exceedingly difficult to obtain qualified members of the profession not now liable, so many had dropped tho solemn quill to take up the sword. He was of opinion that the majority of First Division solicitors were oil " First Division Service." The board appeared to appreciate the facts as 6tated. Mr Justice Sim, after summing up, strongly against tho accused, the evidence in a charge of assault and robbery, which was tried before him at Greymouth last week,, is reported to have spoken as follows: —He would like to say to any juryman that if ho thought tho evidence did not leave any doubt as to guilt and that juryman allowed a verdict of not guilty to be returned, he (the juryman) would be guilty of a, breach of the oath taken, as well as failing in his duty as a citizen. His Honour further impressed on them the necessity of having the law vindicated. Jurors who brought in a verdict of not guilty where _ they believed the prisoner to be guilty committed a crime worse than that of the accused and one that would upset our social order. In tho vindication of the law, tfhere the ultimate responsibility' rested with the jury, any nun who believed an accused to be guilty and still desired a verdict of not guilty was v greater criminal than the person charged. Was it to go forward that '.thieves/. rogues, and abortionists worn: to gcr unpunished in Westland, that all they had to do was to get a common jury in Westland to try them and they were safe ? Would they allow it to go forward that a Westland jury would Dot convict ? After four hours' retirement the jury was unable to agree upon n verdict, and a new trial was ordered. .Motor Repairs by Specialists.—By specialising on Ford Cars, G. B. Carson lias reduced the- cost of repairs to the minimum. It is an eye-opener to most ear-owners to learn what can be done Cor very little money. In planning his new garage and workshop. Mr Carson made a. point of providing conveniences for prompt sorvire. The snvinjr of time effected therein' lias reduced the cost appreciably. Konl owners and sill those interested in economical motoring are invited to call and inspect this up-to-date workshop.

; At -the ewe fair at -Tiuwald yards 'to-day Messrs Matson and Co., Ltd., sold a line of 2M six and eight-tooth three-quarterbrcd owes on bohali" of Mr 'W. J. Dailey, Waimate, .at the substantial .price of 40s 3d per head. The Mayor (Mr R. Galbraith) dosires to acknowledge receipt of £13 11s 6d from the Winchmore Red Cross branch and 16s 9d from the .Watcrtou Red ! Cross branch for tbo Y.M.CA. Trench Comforts Fund. In ;tho pony class at the Mcthvcu Show yesterday Mrs E. A. Denham was awarded first and special pmo i'or pony 14.2 hands and under. The .report stilted that the ward had been given to Miss B. Harper. Mr C. .Branlgan, Government Fields Inspector, who was present at the ram and ewe fair at Tinwald to-day, secured the. names of a number of County fanners who did not plant wheat last year, but who will do so this season. The areas to be planted range from 20 to 250 acres. A country man, whom events subsequently 'proved to be unbalanced, made a meteoric tour of Timaru on Friday, when" (according to the "Herald") he gave free rein to a desire i'or purchasing all manner of things. Among other things he bought .two organs, various articles of jewellery, cigarette and pipe tobacco, two tombstones, and signed for the purchase, of two houses. In most cases h<> paid cash, and in others he left a deposit. Ultimately, however, the police were 'informed, and after examination by two doctors he was taken away to a mental hospital. A Christehurclx Press. Association telegram states that Sir James Allen, in an interview, said he was gratified at the loyalty oi the people oi' the Dominion, as shown in the manner in which they had faced the tasks caused by the war. He paid a tribute to tho National Efficiency Board members, arid said he would bo able in a few days to appoint members to give financial assistance to tho board. Tho names would /be submitted to Cabinet to-day, and would be made known soon. The board's duties would Be to' consider applications for extra financial help for soldiers, and the members would probably begin the work in a week's time. Before the Military Service Board at Wellington on Friday, the. Railway Department (represented by Mi 1 John Bevin, district traffic manager), applied for temporary exemptions in respect of 147 vailwaymen. 121 of whom were called up in the ballot, while 26 were voluntary recruits. Of tho 147, 17 bolonged to the clerical staff, 36 were traffic outside, men (porters, etc.), 28 fitters, turners, .etc., 50 firemen, 1 and engine-drivers, and 21 miscellaneous (electric linesmen, surfacemen, etc.). The,-chairman: ".Has. anything been; done yet with regard to' the reduction of. the train .service?" Mr Bevin: "The proposals are being considered - by, the Cabinet." The chairman: "May' we take it that something is likely, to eventuate before May 1?" Mr Boviii: "I cannot say. It is for the Cabinet to decide." The 147 men were exempted from military service till May 1. Some discussion took place upon tho subject of wheat-growing at a recent meetings of tho Wairarapa P. and A. Society. Tho committee decided to do everything in its power to encourage the growing of wheat. It was mentioned that thoro was plenty of land available for .wheat ■•growing-., but there wa«" a ■'great:.shortage of labour. It was thought that the Govern merit .should exempt ploughmen and farm labourer's conditionally upon certain areas being put under' wheat crop. A reason why wheat was not being put in was tho uncertainty of the farmer or his man being allowed to 1 stay and attend, to it. If there had been th<> usual crop of wheat in the Wairarapa thero would, have been tho greatest difficulty experienced in harvesting it. As it was, according to a. threshing mill proprietor, tho grain crop in the Wairarapa this year is barely one-eighth of tho usual. Information has reached Sydney ;of one of tho largest shipping transactions ever reported. Britain requires faunage, and -requires.it badly, henoe, no doubt, the acquisition of no less than 17 vessels from the Japanese. The vessols arc at present under construction by tho Kaw&shi Dockyard Company., Limited, of Kobe, and realised from £42 to £4.3 per urn deadweight, which, on the aggregate ■ tonnage, represents tho outlay of £6,600,000. Of the fleet,, all of which will be delivered within tho next six months, one vessel ■will carry 12,000 tons d.w. on a 28ft draught, and will, be of 9400 tons gross register.' Two are 7500 tons register; or 26ft. 6in. draught, and tho remaindear are to be of about 5700 tons gross. The smaller vessels aro of the siiigle screw class, and have a speed of about, 11 to 12 knots, and tho others twin screw, and steam at about 12 to 13 kmots. From tho information t^> hand, 'it appears the whole fleet was Uujd down onVspcc by the fihipbuilding company. A well-known Southland farmer, who is iv a position to offer an authoritative opinion on the farming position, in the south,, makes a rather disturbing .statement of agricultural affairs in Southland (says the "Otago Daily Times"). This farmer has an estate of over 3000 acres, and he states that this year, owing to tho shortage of labour, he has not be.en able to put in any oat crop at all, and that the. outlook for winter feed, despite the fact that he has an area under turnips, is very bad. One plot of 100 acres has had to be given over to the woods because rio men are available, fco work it. Five teams have beon wait ing over the past 10 months for "teamsters, but none have boon forthcoming, and the horses havo now bad to be-turned out.- This farmer .stated -that; at nf sitting of the Military Service Board at Iriveroargilltho inspector of factories said that plenty of men were awaiting farm work. Ho rang him up nexj, day, arid asked for nine men—he was prepared to pay up to los a day, with keep, for men for particular classes of work. ■ He got two men, .and has since telephoned up this inspector daily for ..more men, without any result. He has also communicated with the inspector of factories in Dunedin, 'but has boon unable to' got one man. In Southland, the farmer points out, they, must havo winter feed, and he says that the position is now serious, and must become increasingly so as the months pass. Ho further assorts that the Military Appeal Board is not paving duo attention to tho plosis nut forward by farinors v who ;>'• •■> flrpt em? 'vs.-* iiroducors. and states that one of tho bigfrost nroducors in Southland who apnoalorl tho othor day Isad his nppoal rejected. In many oasoss tho owners of farms havo simply hart to lock tiiotr pares and foavo ttiot'r fai'ins. ;

Tho Wanganui. Borough. Council is rocounneuding concrete for streets with a line carpet, of tar macadam as a wearing surface. This class of roadway is now the. standard in Wellington, and coste about 8s per square, yard, as against 6s for tar niacada<jiv aiid 20s -for wood-blocking. \ News comes from England of "the Home Secretary having issued' to a. baker who is now' employing two men and 18 women, where in pre-war days he had 20 men, :i license (after .making full inquiries into the conditions) for women to bake bread by night. It was thought likely that ■ othor licenses for women bakers would probably be issued. That young women can effectively tako the place of men is at present indicated iv Timaru (says the Timaru " Herald ") by tho fact that a young, woman is doing her brother's work (taking -orders on a grocer's round), while the latter is at tho war. Prior to'leaving, the brother had some difficulty 'in getting anyono to take his place, so his sister volunteered, ami " she has been doing tho work well ever since. ■ A glimpse of the pasture lands of Southland makes it hard to realise that March is more than half gone (says the " Southland Times"). There appears to be an abundance of grass everywhere. There ought to be »o necossity for farmers to break into their .winter feed any earlier than they like to, and the saving at this end should provide a surplus of root crops When the winter lias _ passed, which' surplus always coujos in handy ag a reserve against a nasty spring. VJL " Articles of clothing which cost 2» 6d. before the war now cost 3s 6d;" said the manager of one. of the big London stores recently. "The boot and shoe departments present the most difficulties'at tho. moment, a* practically no leather is procurable. the whole supply being in the hand* of the Government. We shall all have to go about in patched and old boots. All articles made in England," he concluded, " are 1 high-priced, while the cheaper lines are being dumped- here 1 from the United States." By the-last'steamer to arrive at Auckland there were several animate consigned to Dominion breeders. The most important was a valuable Jersey bull calf named Canadian, which is fai> go to Mr Chasi Goodson, a woll-known breeder of Hawera. Tho bull wok shipped by Mr J. A. Perree, of Jersey. There is also a border Leicester ram,. and at the commencement of tho voy-' . ago thero were three ewes, but onegave birth to a young one on the w&j out and later died. Tho sea born animal is quite strong. Tho ram and ewes arc for Timaru. Threo oollio dogs arrived by tho same steamer-. They are • for Mr' Lilico, of Southland. Mr J. McGa*Toll, of Aratapu, recently paid a visit to Wellington, -to have audience with the. Minister- of Defence, Sir James Allen, over n.:.very important".suggestion, emanating' from •Mr McCaiToll himself. It had been. 'represented to Mr McCarroll that 2,000,000 tons of shipping was constantly engaged iv carrying lumber toFranco, -mostly required for trencb propping, etc There is abundance oi: \ timber in France, and Mr McCarroll -^j proposed'to tho Minister that ho shai&L/' find 50 bushmen over military age, and . proceed to France, to instruct anA superintend gangs of bushmen in that country, in cutting the native timber, and thus release a largo amount of' shipping for food-carrying and trade purposes'. Sir James cabled Homo.to the military authorities, and expected'to receive orders to p"ut the schemeinto operation. As for himself, he considered tho proposal a, most valuable one.