Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, JULY 5, 1019. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9650, 5 July 1919, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, JULY 5, 1019. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

There are at present nine infectious diseases patients in the Ashburton Hospital, ' mostly in the convalescent stage. <

The Government has decided tha^ no subsidies shall be paid in respect of festivities arranged when H.M.S. New Zealand and Admiral Jellicoe come to the Dominion, but all expenditure made by local bodies will.be Validated.

. The County Council yesterday decided to abandon the illuminations outside the council's offices-.-on peace celebration night, the members considering that the expense was not warranted for a one-night display.

• The Ashburton County Racing Club has applied for March 18 and 19 for its autumn meeting, but these dates are objected to by the Waimate Racing Club, which wishes to race on, March 18, this being its usual date. .Alternative, dates submitted for the Ashburton meeting are May 6 and 7.

The. display in Shortland Street, Auckland, yesterday, of a picture of Count yon Luckner, copies of which were being offered at half-a-crown each, caused strong resentment by a crowd- assembled, largely composed of returned soldiers. Threats were made; to destroy the picture, which/however, | was withdrawn before the demonstra- | tion assumed a more serious shape.— \ Press Association.

Mr H. A. Moore, manager of Messrs Charles Begg and Co.'b local branch, met with a severe accident at Dromore yesterday afternoon. He was engaged in starting his motor-car, and the latter being in gear, darted forward, knocking Mr Moore over and cutting him severely about the head. He was brought in to Ashburton by another motorist, where he received medical attention.

The men on the transport Tahiti.had many complaints to make about the. •quality of the food given them during the latter stages of the journey. They stated that practically since leaving Colon they had no vegetables or fresh moat, meals for the most part being confined to bully beef and canned beans or peas. The tea. was, so some of the inch said, undrihkable on many occasions, and the bread was sour about every third day.—Press; Association.

Advice-has been received .that, .the; Ulimaroa? with returning draft .271.,. left Egypt for New > Zealand on : June. 50... The draft' comprises 1092 troops.; Tlie Ulimaroa is oxpected to arrive in the second week of. August. The Pilsha' and Finsbruck are expected to leave. Egypt shortly:, with the balance of the New Zealanders. .. A wireless message states that the Rualune, with returning draft 260,. will-'-probably arrive at Wellington on Monday next, at 6 p.m., but it may. be later.

Mitch discussion took place at the meeting of the Canterbury Education Boar.d yesterday consequent on a- 1 clause in the Agricultural Committee's report/ which stated that a circular had been received from the Department with regard to the observance of Arbor Day on July 23. After some discussion it was agreed that a circular should be sent to nil committees recommending them to observe Arbor Day and co-operate, with the teachers in ; any scheme of tree-planting that might be arranged, the circular topoint out-the very great necessity for tree-planting in view of the serious shortage of wood for all purposes that must take place immediately.

The.rainfall at Mayfield for the week ending July 4 amounted to 2.80 inches.

The Dominion Meteorologist's forecast to-day was as follows: —The indications are for southerly winds prevailing. Weather probably cold and changeable. There will probably be a hard frost to-night. Tho barometer is rising.

Thirteen points of rain toll yesterday, the rainstorm abating in showers during tho evening. The total rainfall for tho three days was 2.11 inches. A clear moonlight night followed, seven degrees of frost being recorded at the Domain weather station.

Tho County Council, at the mooting yosterday, received an account of £7 4s from the Agricultural Department for cutting C-ahfornian thistles off a, reserve in tho , Wakanui district.-—The chairman, when the account' came under review, remarked that the area of the reserve was only three acrcH, and £7 4s was too much for cutting all> the thistles that would grow on that area. —The council decided to inform the Department that the reserve was under the control of the River Board.

.Complaints are frequently made by .drivers'of horse vehicles about, the slippery state of tho asphalted portion of tho - Ashburton Traffic Bridge on frosty mornings. A local milkman remarked to a " Guardian " reporter 'that- the -/bridge was positively dangerbus this ..morning with the white froit following the recent rains. fie suggested that the same practice be followed here as in other town/5, where very fine gravel or sand was iprinklod on macadamised streets to afford a grip for iron-shod animals. It is further (reported that between 8 and 9 o'clock this morning v the bridge we& just one sheet of ice, and blockage wag caused through , horse**- coming down.

.'A.notable record of service in the .'interests ol sport was diselce-'d at. the '.animal meeting of the St. Kilda Bowling Club on Thursday evening. In proposing there-election of Mr A. H. Allen to the position of treasurer, Mr Harris.said he did not think any club in New- Zealand had a more efficient and . painstaking treasurer" tha.n they had at St Kilda. Mr Allen had oceu : pied that jxisition for a period of nine years, and during tlie whole of that* time he had not missed a'single subscription. In replying, Mr .Alien made the interesting statement that during his term of office he had collected from members tlie large sum of €3250. A voice: "Where is it?" (Laughter.) Mr Allen: ""l assure you that every penny of it was well spent. The affairs of this club are most carefully looked after by the board of directors."

Mr J. Cairns, chairman of the County Council, informed & "Guardian" reporter that the County Council received a telegram from the Minister of Internal Affairs to-day stating that the Government now intended to only subsidise for one day's Pecce celebrations. Mr Ga-irua -stated th&t this decision would lead to financial confusion among the local booies in this County, most of them having spent a large portion of the money allowed in their respective districts in bringing goods, etc., for tlie celebrations, including Methven, w-hich bed spent £100 on fireworks. J

Commenting upon the recent wet weather to a " Guardian " report->r today, an agricultural farmer stated that it was mat what was badly wanted. The ground had now received a good soaking, .and ploughing on grasc land, which had been held up,'. could now bo undertaken. Speaking on tbo prospects of the area to be sown in wheat in the County this year, the farmer stated that uhlese an" abnormal quantity of spring wheat was put in there would bo a big shortage compared with last season. In grub-in-fested fields tho rain would also do good by bringing the pest nearer the surface, and giving the natural enemy, the starlings, an opportunity to-help in the eradication, .- ■'

Cr. Maginness, at the County Council meeting, referred to- the recent accident on the bridge over the waterrace near Methven. He y stated that this was the second motor accident at the spot recently. The bridge, was narrow, high up, and had no side rails. He felt sure some person would be killed at this tfpot if the bridge were not altered. —Cr.-.Horsey said the bridge was the most dangerous in the district, and should . be. altered.—Cr. Goodwin said the Mount Hutt Road Board considered this, was purely a council race, and the- council -should bear the cost of bridging.—^The chair-, man said the best way out of the difficulty was for the Mount Hutt, Road Board to construct a new bridge and the council ■. contribute' the usual amount. —The... master was held over until the Mount:,Hutt. Road Board met.