LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVII, Issue 9125, 22 October 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Spooking at the iarewejl function on Saturday"afternoon, McS. W. X; Watson said she had just received a letter from Mrs A. Boyle, of the ; Christchurch,, branch of the Red; Gross Society, stating that a med'sil was going to be given to every' lied Cross worker who worked live hours a day for three months. Mrs Watson hoped that all the Ashburton workers would succeed in obtaining medals/ A notice was published io a " Gazette Extraordinary," on October 15, requiring a number of reservists to report to the Defence authorities on Wednesday, October 25, for medical examination. The following names of Ashburton County reservists appear in the list:—James Hall, farm labouror, Mayfield; Fred. Poninghauß, farm hand, Ashburton; David Spring, trimmer, 'Roach. Road, Ashburton; Charles Welsh, farm labourer, Raltain.

The Union Steam Ship Company states/that arrangements .have been made for the immediate resumption of sailings from Australia. Nearly all the passenger steamers which were engaged in the New' Zealand service before the strike are at Australian por,ts. . ,

The Rangitata River was in excellent order for the week-end fishing^ but local anglers met with little success. The largest fish reported to have been caught turned the scale at 51b. A few small catches were reported at the mouth of the Ashburton River.

Shortly before 10 o'clock on Friday evening members of the Ashbur.ton "Volunteer Fire 'Brigade were summoned to an outbreak of fire in a hedge in Williams Street, near Mr F. Smith's residence, i The fire had a good hold when the brigade arrived, but was. easily extinguished by the/aid of one lead of hose.

Owing to the curtailed railway services, Ashburton and Christchurch sportsmen desirous of attending the Oamaru races, and who could only afford to be away for one day, were obliged to travel down in motor-cars. All day yesterday a steady stream of motor-cars passed through Ashburton from Christchurch and North Canterbury on thoir way to Oamaru. This morning, when an Ashburton resident wanted to hire a motor-car, he was informed , that nearly -all the cars in the Ashburton garages • had gone to the Oamaru races.

A Methven farmer, speaking to a '' Guardian " reporter on Saturday, stated that the crops in that district are looking very well and are well forwad. On th© road from Methven to Ashburton the farms are in the pink of condition, and the farmer stated that,not for some,years had the crops been in such ft prontable-lookirig condition at this period of the year. In the Wakanui and Riverside districts the crops are also looking well, particularly the wheat and oat crops. Green feed is- plentiful, and the sheep appear to be thriving. The, waterraces are very full. Altogether, the prospects for the coming season are exceptionally bright.

A Press Association message from Auckland states that Francis Walker, aged 62, has been arrested there on a charge that, at Korokonui, near Te Avamutu, ia June, he incited Gilbert Walker to refuse, to render service as a member of the Expeditionary Force. The arrested man is the father of the young man Gilbert Walker, who was arrested about a fortnight ago by constables as-an nlleged, military deserter under dramatic circumstances at Korokonui, when the young man was found to ,be in possession of jfirearms and ammunition; and his actions indicated a possible intention to stand off the police by a show of firearms. The father was remanded to appear at Te Awamutu on Friday next, bail being fixed at £100. '

A contingent of eick and wounded New Zealand' soldiery • totalling 152 officers and men' and two nurses, has arrived at'a New Zealand port. There are no cot or serious xases, though a few of the men have lost" limbs. One man, Private Mark, of Tuparoa, near Giflborne, was left at a port of call, suffering from trench, feet. The latest arrivals include one wearer of the Military Medal, Lance-Corporal Halpin, of Invercargill. The following are the names of the Ashburton men, their ne,xtrof-kin being , given in parentheses:—Bellemah," ' A., compositor (Mrs G. Nelson, Ashburton); McQuilken, J., farm labourer (M. P. Devane. Ashburton). The Ashburton men will arrivel by the express from Christ - church to-morrow.

Motor Ropair Specialist—G. H. Carson now has one of the best equipped Motor Repairing Workshops in the district. Labour saving Tools and Equipment are a feature of the shop. The floor space of tlje workshop is 50 x 50 feet, providing plenty of room for economical handling? of the Cars undergoing repairs.. „-Mr'Carson specialises in Ford Car rejjajre, and will provide an estimate .free for any repairs submitted to him for'inspection O 10