LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9654, 10 July 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

"Rioma," contributes a humourous, article, "The Light Fantastic," to the Open Column, page 2.

" Speaking generally,"• said Dr. E. Hansen, director of the Chrastchureh Technical College,/'! do not know any other class that better repays for education than the returned soldiers."

Probate lias been granted in the estate of the late Mr James McKerrow, Wellington, which was sworn at under £80,000, all of which has been bequeathed to relatives of the deceased.

Advice has been received, by the Defence Department that the . Port Hacking, with returning draft 275, left England on July 4 for Lyttelton, where she is due about August 14. She has 835 troops on board. A wireless message from the Kigoma, carrying returning draft 262, states that she will reach Wellington^ at daylight on July 15.—Press Association.

A verdict of suicide was returned l»y the Sydney city coroner in the inqiiu'y into the death of William Barrett, the leading stoker of H.M.A.S. Swan (says an Australian paper). Evidence showed that<■ deceased drank poison soaif; time before his death. Barrett said the Navy had broken his heart because it "wouldn't let me go and see my mother a second time, acrid tooic my stripes from me."

The birth of quadruplets at Ngaruawahia (says the Auckland "Herald") brings to mind the fact that while the birth of triplets is not uncommon, the occurrence of quadruplets is not frequently recorded. Such an event, believed to be the only one for a considerable time, occurred in an Auckland country district a few years ago. The four children, who are all strong and healthy, are still living.

. A Press Association -messago from Dunedin states that under the will of the late George Gray Russell, who died in England last April,-the follows; me bequests have been made: —£2000, free of duty, to the Diocesan Trust Board, and"-income therefrom to be applied towards the payment of the annual stipend; £500, free of duty, to the trustees of the Melanesian Mission, to be used as an endowment fund to provide for the education of one Melanesian child at Norfolk Island or some other school in the Melanesian Islands; £25, free of duty, to the Patients' and Prisoners' Aid Society.

At the Addington stock market Yesterday the following sales were made on behalf of owners in the Ashburton ■ County :-r-Fat Cattle—For J. Dowling {Methven), 1 cow at £12- 10s. Fat Sfceen—"Wethers:-" For A. J. Wilson (Methven), 130 at 37s 9d to 51s; Hillyer Bros. (Eiffeltcn), 311 at 47s to 53s 9d; R. J. Low' (Highbank), 62 at ; 43s to 47s 6d; A. J. tfHson (Methyen), 85 at 35s to 37s 6d. E-tfes:.;. For J. Wilson (Methven), 132 at 37* "*Q& to 445; Callaghan Bros. (Hi^hlbaak);><s2 at 26s 3d to 335. Fat Lambs—For 7f. x Barrows (Mitcham), 33 at 33s 4d; A. J. Wilson (Methven), 105 at 26s 8d to 33s 4d

A farmer reports that a considerable number .of farmers mad© provision this year to' provide green feed for their 1 sheep in the spring, and the crops, on the whole, and particularly in Rakaia district, are showing good growth. There is also activity on a number of farms at present in preparing for the sowing of turnip crops later in the season. "Asked- regarding the illumi-nating-of the district by the burning of straw stacks on the evenings of the peace celebrations, the farmer stated that he knew of a number of farmers who had saved wheat straw stacks for this purpose, and no doubt a number of these would be burnt on Saturday evening.

The train which left Wellington at 7 a.m. on Thursday (says the "Tribune") arrived at Hastings at 10.45 p.m., and at Napier about an hour later —.197 miles in 17 hours, an average of llf miles an hour. On the window of one of the carriages, a passenger, who was a fairly good artist, besides possessing a humorous mind, had drawn an excellent sketch of the train crawling its weary way through the country, and just in front of the engine was,drawn a passenger enjoying a walk to break the monotony of sitting it out. Underneath the sketch were the words.: " The Napier mail — the only way."' Just think of the agony of the Journey—crawling along for 17 hours at the rate of 12 miles an hour. Where is the efficiency which was talked about so much but two months ago ? • •: ." ■

The need for increase in the- stipends of the Anglican clergy mentioned by Bishop Sprott at the Wellington Synod meeting last week has been referred to by Dr. A. W. Averill,' .Anglican Bishop of Auckland. The fact that it would be necessary for some years to come to obtain New Zealand's clergy from England made it essential, Bishop Averill said, that higher stipends should be offered. The students at St. John's and other theological colleges had volunteered in a, body at the outbreak of war, and a number had been killed at the front, with the v result that the main source of supply of the Dominion's clergy had entirely ceased to exist. Bishop Averill further stated that the laymen of the Aiickland Diocesan Synod had recently conferred with him, and had passed a, resolution that no vicar in charge should be paid less than £250 a year, and that those in parishes should receive more than this amount.

The London "Star "of May 8 hnd the following:—" It is pleasant to Londoners to see that Sir Joseph Ward was present at yesterday's historic -ceremony at Versailles in the honourable, capacity of Empire representative chosen by panel, for he is probably the most personally popular of the various colonial statesmen who have been our neriodical visitors. Others, like Mr Doakin and Mr Hughes, have had their booms and ceased to be, b"t Sir Joseph—urbane and correct, polished of manner, and easy in all societyhas steadily maintained his hold upon our regard. He has had his encounters with' us, of course. For instance, in 1913 he told a New Zealand audience that he found England suffering ' devastating effects * from the degeneracy of age. This gratified those curious Tory gentlemen here who were convinced that England under tho Radicals was going to the dogs, but it was an optical delusion really. The war showed that at the moment when Sir Joseph saw degeneracy all over the English people, it was never so virile."

Seven degrees of I'rost- was registered at the. Domain weather station last night.

The Dominion Meteorologist's forecast for to-day was as follows: —The indications are for northerly winds prevailing and freshening. There is a prospect of fair weather, misty at times. The barometer has a falling tendency soon.

A Waimate (.•onimittotj, formed to erect a memorial to the- Kate Dr. Margaret Cruiekshauk, has C6OO in ha.nd at present. Three New Zealand sculptors are being asked to submit designs for a statue.

The train for the south yesterday afternoon carried a number of soldiers who returned by the Ruahine, including about -half-a-dozen local men. These were met at the station by members of the Patriotic Committee and friends and motored to. their homes.

" I was astonished at the rapid' way in which the countryside was boing brought back into condition," said Mr W. H. George, to a Wellington "Post" reporter regarding his last visit to France a few months ago. "Men and women, old men and old women, on every side \vere l working on the -land from early morning until late at night. They were working by hand and with horse-drawn ploughs and harrows, .while there were also quite a number of motor tractors being used."

Mr A. Cooper informed a "Guardian" reporter this afternoon that the. Theatre Royal is booked for the afternoon of July 21 for a rehearsal, therefore it will not be\ available for the proposed entertainment to the children in connection with the peace celebrations: He has arranged to. secure a .'suitable-•' picture programme' for that: afternoon, which will be screened free to. the children at His Majesty's Theatre. ' , ,

The Health' Department, stated the Hon. G. AY. Jluseell lust week, is endeavouring to have nm*>>es trained au soon a-: possible to put them into the 'baekblocks as nurses in charge of districts. They could bo given a small hospital, or oven rooms, and "tould undertake observation work, and bo available in case of accidents or emergencies. The Department had no lack of applicants ior training at- St. Helens Hospitals, but it preferred nurses who had a surgical nursing certificate, so that they would be available to take charge of districts.

A. raincoat with, a history which is shrouded in mystery mached Gore recently (states the " Ensign"). Major Joll, now in charge of the local Defence Office, lost the coat from a French billet at the time of the first battle of the Somme in July,- 1916. He notified his lose in Orders, but there was no response. He had taken the precaution of marking.-! his" name inside the collar, find the other day received notification from the Napier railway authorities that a raincoat bearing his name had been found- in a train.- He despatched the necessary amount for carriage and storage, and iaa old.friend arrived by mail, .and was fotiiid to be in fairly good condition considering its extensive travels.

-A manager of a local mercantile firm informed a" Guardian " reporter, today that there was sfcilJ a considerable amount of business being transacted in the selling 6i farpi.s- in the County, and the inquiry I'roni outside was also good. AJeaturo of the land deals this year ha&,*been the soundness of the business transacted, and there was little of the element of speculation by persons with a few hundred pounds acquiring farms worth several thousands. As a matter of fact,-the firms in this County did not oater for this class of■• speculation, which at the present time was so prevalent in parts of the North Island. The business man went on to point out the danger of doing business on the latter lines, and the inevitable result if values fell after being so inflated.

Survey maps of lands at- present open for settlement by returned soldiers, which are hung in the Ashburton War Relief Association's offices, revealed the fact that all the selections are in the North Island, with the exception of ono section in Southland. Mr D. Moore, secretary of the association, when asked by^ a " Guardian " reporter! said it .certainly did appear as if the North Island Was getting off the mark well in' regard to soldier lands. He remarked/ however, that the Ashburton County would- soon" be getting its share, and he iris'tance'd the; .soldier settlements shortly t^i bo opened at Wairuna,' Eiffelton, Coldstream,; Staveloy, aud Rakaia. Other selections in, North Canterbury wore at Oxford, and two grazing runs shortly to be thrown op«:ii for selection at Cheviot.