LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9651, 7 July 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Canterbury OwEers and Breeders' Association took a ballot on the yards v. seconds starting system, the Voting beiug 52 in favour of the seconds start, and 22 in favour of the yards system.

'.. Fresh instructions, of a sweeping nature, says a Press Association _ message from , have been issued by the Defence Headquarters regarding demobilisation, particularly in relation to dispensing with the services of all temporary home service officers, N.C.O.'sj and men at present employed. ■

Reels of sewing cotton will soon be cheaper, states a London paper. At present 7£d'is charged for a reel that before the war could be purchased tor a third of that amount, while a prewar penny reel now costs 4d. British drapers have been advised that lower prices to the public for certain of Coats's combine goods caino into operation on 10th May.

Recent references made by.-'the .Inspector of Weights and Measures, and published in tflie " Guardian," relating to firewood delivered in the. Borough, have induced several residents to-stack and measure firewood. One resident informed a " Guardian " reporter to : clay that he ■ discovered hia wood -was nearly one-third short of the stipulated order, for which he had paid .Cflfih on delivery. He had now written to tlte x'endor asking him to be goad enough to make good the. alleged shortage, otherwise he would contest tho .matter in the. Magistrate's Court.

The estate of the late Thomas John Teschemaker has been sworn at £185,000. The following pub-he bequests are madft by the will: —o*^™ and Bluecliffs Parish Church, £500; St. Peter's Church, Upper Riccatton, £500; South Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, £1000; Tinmru Agricultural and Pastoral Association, £300; South Canterbury Jockey Club, £300; St. Saviour's Orphanage for. Boys, Timaru, £1000; St. Saviour's Orphanage for Girls, ChristcburfU, £1000; Tirnaru Borough Council U»v the purpose of improvement and benvibification of Caroline Bay, £1000. ■■

Mr Hugo CunlifFe-Ovven, tho bisgesfc manufacturer of tobacco poods in Great Britain, and vice-president of the America Tobacco Company, recently married in Dudley, Mass., Mir« He Jen Elizabeth Oliver, of New York. He gave hie bride a 4,000,000 dollar cheque as a bridal gift. The bride is but 22 years of age, and is a divorcee. Mr Cunliffe-Owen is 48. It is understood the bride is wealthy in her own right. Her husband is the Bon of Sir Philip Cunliffe-Owen, of England. The plans' for the wedding were kept very quiet, and only became known when the marriage license was, obtained two days before the ceremony. .

Crowds of. people (says a Press Asso* elation message,from Wellington) have been inspecting, the captured German guns, which, as they .are taken from the Waimana, are being placed in temporary position in front of th-o Town Hall. Twenty-nine $, them are to be on view. This by no'meaha represents New Zealand'B haul of £uns, but it is fairly representative of the -different types, especially 'in regard to field "guns. One large howitzer captured in the later stages of the war, which was exhibited through the streets of London on the occasion of the last Lord Mayor's procession, has yet to be brought out to New Zealand. There is, however, a 135 mm. gun, which is feeing placed -mi position to-day. It weighs overi.six tons, and is 33ft long.

Various applications for new 6chools have of late been received by tlie Canterbury Education Board, and at yesterday's meeting the Appointments Committee reported that, concerning Maronan, it was agreed, to furnish the Department with a copy of the report received from the senior inspector, in which it was admitted that unless satisfactory arrangements could be made for the conveyance of the children to the Lismore School the petitioners were entitled to a considerable measure of sympathy; also to ask the Department what it was prepared" to do as regards undertaking the cost of conveying the/children, to school. The petitioners from Mitcham are to be asked to supply the information required by the Department. >■••-.

Tho Canterbury Progress League has received the following telegram from the Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald, Acting-Postmaater-General: —'"With regard to the League'B offer to assist in the carriage of mails to and from country districts, 1 beg to acknowledge receipt of your telegram conveying a resolution passed by the executive of your League in connection with i.tirrangemonts made by it for the maintenance of mail services in North Canterbury, and to state that the Department will not recognise arrangements made without its authority; nor will it reimburse tfoe Leagoio for expenditure incurred without special authority of the Department, which is taking the necessary, steps to make good the hiatus created by interruption of the railway service. "Whilst appreciating the offer made by your League, I am not by any means disposed to allow the'functions of tho Department to be usurped by any person or association." .'.-. . ..-

Late on Saturday night the big people's stand in the inside enclosure at the Cantorbury Jockey Club's racecourse at Riccarton was totally destroyed by fire. How it came to catch alight is a mystery. The caretaker went round all the buildings, at 10 p.m., and everything was then safe. About half an hour afterwards tlie stand w us found to be on fire from end to end, and before 11.30 it was a ruin. The Fir© Brigade went out at the request of Mr Alox. Boyle, president of the Canterbury Jockey Club, though Riccarton is outside the .fire area; but the brigade was unable to do anything but play water on a mass of cinders, which was all that was left of the once huge stand. None of the other buildings in the vicinity was damaged, the night fortunately being very calm. The stand was insured for £7000 in the Alliance Office. The lobs is especially serious, in view of the approaching Hunt and National meetings.—Press ABsooiation. , .

Seven degrees of frost was recorded at the Domain weather station for Saturday night, and 10 degrees last niight.

The local Repatriation Committee mob on Friday evening, and dealt with two applications for loans on furniture and one of sustenance, all bving favourably recommended. Another application for a loan was not approved.

At a Sydney auction a few days-ago 26Jd per lb wag paid for a hide from a Noumean meat works. The gross va-luc of the hide was £7 17s, 6d, which, is claimed to be a record for Australasia for a hide in ordinary condition.

"He is the sort of man who hae bought sixpennyworth of buns and has taken them homo and arranged them around hm plate on the table, and has not asked anyone else to have one," Baid counsel in a separation case in tho Masterton 'Court.

The Dominion Meteorologist's forecast for to-day was as follows: —The indications are for variable and moderate breei&es, westerly prevailing, .and freshening shortly. There is a. prospect of fair weather. There will probably be a hard frost to-night. Barometer little movement.

..Besides attracting a largo auctioneering: firm to come into .business competition, Ashburton has recently offered inducements to . other enterprising men to, set J up in business. At an early date the number of the local solicitors h to be redded to by a local townsman who qualified some time ago, and who intends setting'; up in. business on his ow-ii account. ' .•■■

The\ shortage of railway stairs during the War precluded many railway men from obtaining their annual holidays, and in the case of some these had aecumulatted into months. Now that the Department has instituted draatic temporary, curtailments of its operations; opportunity iB afforded such men to take their overdue vacations: Thus (says the "Southland Times") there are large numbers of railway servants who, during tho ia*t few days, have been unexepctedly presented with "■& free railway ticket from "any to any" station and as mucir aseLs,. weeks' leave" on fall pay. The prospect of travelling'under present-condi-tions, however, will ""naturally bo uninviting to & great many

In London recently, Mr Lyle. MiP., speaking of inefficient nurses, told of a woman in the East End who was attending a patient. The doctor told her that he did not like the look of the man, and instructed her to use the thermometer freely aoid send for him if. necessary. On the following day the doctor called again, and found to his amazement that the patient had disap- | peared. " What has ?" the] doctor asked. "Oh," replied tHe I nurse, "he has gone to work." "Gone to work !" exclaimed the medical man. The narse then cAlmry explained that when' she put the baro- 1" meter "on his chest it registered "Very dry," bo 6he gave him two p!nU of beer and ho went off to work." (Laughter.)

The Hon. W. Pember Reaves, formerly High Commissioner for New Zealand, lias resigned the post ' of Director of the London School of Economics,, "which he .bar held.--, for -the past. 11 "years.-; THe Court ;o£ Governors, in accepting the. resignation, liave placed on record their appreciation of Mr Roeves's great services to education, and the manner in which he maintained 'the reputation o£ the school. Mr 1' Reeves is also a member of the Senate of London "University. and he hfiia frequently been con&ulted by members of the Government daring recent years in the many matters which have called i'or consideration from an economic point of view. Under his guidance the School of Economics inado marked progress, alid he leaves it at a period when. important developments are pending. Incidentally, Sir Ernest Cassel haß recently made a handsome gift to the London University for the foundation of the Faculty of Commerce, of which the teaching will be entrusted to the School of Economics.

An interesting exposition of..the law on the question of drunkenness as an excuse for crime was made by Mr Justice Ca&sen: in the Melbourne Criminal (Court last week (says 'Vth'e.' "s&)•: bourne " Age"). ' The matter arose" m "connection with the case of a young man named Frank Richey, who was presented on a charge of having at-. tempted to commit a serious offence' in' Carlton Gardens. Q.n accused'n behalf it was urged that accused had been on a drinking bout prior to acting as he died, and had been doped, with the result that; he was not responsible for his actions. His Honour said that as a general principle drunkenness was no excuse for crime, unless a person was so advanced in intoxication that he waa temporarily insane. In the case before the Court the evidence did not show that accused had acted as though he were irresponsible, and if the'juryi believed that he was not temporarily insane they should not accept the excuse of drunkenness. Accused was adjudged guilty on a lesser count, and was sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard labour.

The apathy exhibited by the New: Zealand Government in respect to importers of pedigree stock was commented upon by a New Zealander who has returned to the Dominion from the Old Country within the last few days (states the Auckland Star). As a strong believer in imported stock, to improve the quality of the strains already in the country he closely followed what other, countries were doing in the direction indicated. He found that the Argentine was one of the most interested and operating countries, breeders from that country • importing from England valuable bullß at high prices. On inquiry he elicited the information that these men had some inducement to import these, animals, for their republic was defrajTing the cost of carriage from the Home port ta their farms in the Argentine. He considered that the indifference shown by the New Zealand Government was working against such a movement on a large scale by the New Zealanders,' and suggested that in the best interests of the Dominion the Government should, come forward as had the Argentine Republic, and offer some inducement to Dree&ers to improve the quality of .the-stock.;in this country. Their inaction, ho said, was retarding any movement towards such a desirable object. .]'■■■']

Tho first supply of Christchurcß^'municipal coal has arrived at LyttoltoD. from Greymouth. Tho Mayor states - that the maximum each consumer can. •have will be two bags.—Press Associa- -•; tion..

jOno of the queerest occupations which hare sprung info existence since 1914 is that of many boys in Yorkshire' towns who used to hang about the big stations watching for consignments of beer. _As soon as one arrived its destination was found out, and tho address of the particular publicliouse sold to munition workers in the neighbourhood for a penny a timo. ■•-..■■•' ;

The late Mrs Newport, whose death-' occurred a few days ago, . was an old and esteemed resident of Blenheim.. Born in Tipperary, Ireland, 65 yeap ago, she came out to New Zealand in the sailing ship C'amperdown in 1876, landing at Nelson and going straight on to the Wairau district. The deceased leaves three daughters- and three sons. Sergeant Ryan, of Ashburton, is a brother of the deceased lady. : • ' ' "■■' ■■■"•' "■ .;

An ex-member of the Ashburi/on :'' Borough Council, when commenting toft " Guardian" reporter to-day upon. the suggestion of the Canterbury 'Education Board that the: children of the primary' schools should sii^g hymns when the procession on Peace..' Day celebrations was passing, stated that it had been emphasised that the celebrations were mainly .to .impress the, children. ' The board's request for hymn-singing appeared to, be the boot-. t on..tho other foot, and would be a case';" of ■ .the,' children impressing . the , adults.'

At 11 stop-work meeting of boot-' making^' operatives at 'Christchurch, owing' to dissatisfaction with the recent Arbitration Court award, it was resolved that the mooting endorse the resolution passed by the Union calling; the Federation to conduct a ballot of members on the ouestion of cancelling; tho registration under the Industrial "'

Conciliation arid Arbitration Act, ■ and that three representatives be elected to approach the local boot manufacturers with a view to seeking an increase in wages, and that, if unable to securo' tTie. increase, the executive be empowered to call another mass meeting.—Press Association,

Tho ban on services in olrarch and: chapel in Peel, Isle of Man, on account of influenza, had a remarkable effect. The truth is that no sooner were the churches olosed than everybody, wanted to go. Persons who had not been inside a church for years suddenly disr covered the need for attending Divine , worship, and rather than bo deprived of spiritual guidance from the pulpit / they walked a distance of six and' seven miles to country chapels, where th«y gratified their new-born, desires. The moral (says a London paper) if sorely obvious—ration . - church-going, and the queues will follow.

Before commencing his sormon at v the Anglican • Cathedral, yesterday morning, his Lordship Bishop Julius read the following message, which h» - announced he had received from AdTairal Lord Jellicoe, in answer to a communication sent to him by the speaker and the president of the- local branch of tho Navy League:—"Thank*l - for your- telegram. I shall be honour- .' .ed to present to.Christchu,rch-Cathed-ra}." the white ensign flown en board the > New Zealand at the surrender of the -. German fleet." The speaker expressed ' the hope that Admiral Lord Jellicoe would be able to make the presentation in person. ,

At the Labour Party's Conferenceoa Saturday, it was decided, after a long: discussion, to rorain the clause in the constitution providing for, a citizen army on a voluntary basis, With standard payment while on duty. A new clause adopted was as follows:—Repeal or tho Defence^ Act and Military^ Service Act, and repeal of all provisions in the War Regulations Act and ' it^ amendments that interfere with om -

civil and industrial rights.' Another addition to the constitution, under th« heading "Peace," reads: —"The industrial and political unity of all comitries, for the purpose of superseding capitalism by-an industrial democracy, 'and of forming not a League of Nntions, but a League- of "Peoples."