Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 1920. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Issue 9284, 20 April 1920, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 1920. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A Press Association message from Wellington states that the writ for the Stratford by-election has been issued. The date'of the election has been fixed for May 6. ' ..- ' :

"The old pioneers of Canterbury," declared Cr. Hunter at the meeting of the Christchurch City Council last night, " had more pluck and enterprise in their little fingers than we have in our entire bodies."

The nominations for the Ashburton County Racing Club's autumn meeting, to be held early next month, are remarkably good, being 79 in excess of, those received for the corresponding fixture last year. '^ Entries have been general, coming from the North Island, Iticcarton, Greymouth, Oamaru, Dunedin, and Invercargill,

Inquiries iv official circles regarding the probable date of Lord Jellicoe's return to the Dominion a,s GovernorGeneral suggest that it will be early in August. It ;is' ; an unwritten law that the incoming* Goyernor 7 General does not meet ■ the outgoing Governor, and Lord; Liverpool'dotes-..n0t.-leave New Zealand until 'the end of June. Gr. ; Ferrimaii,. moved at the . Cenie-. tery Board's meeting last evening that once ayear, at,-.; the, meeting, preceding i Anzac Day,' a report,be drawn up and I published as to the condition ot tho soldiers' -graves in. the Ashburton cemetery.—The' motion was carried. — Cr. Grigg remarked that it was time the Government provided the central monument promised for the soldiers' plot.—lt was decided to write the Government, drawing their attention to the matter. A report that further trouble has arisen in the coal mines over the interpretation of the recent new agreement was referred to Mr Massey. who stated that he has been in' communication with both sides, . and is satisfied tho matter is not likely to become serious,' but will be easily settled. iMr Massey added that the men are keeping well to the spirit of the agreement. The output has been materially increased, though it has not been possible +c o-pt back all the men who had left the mines 12 months ago. The Works Committee recommended, to the Borough Council last evening that East Street be tarred and topdressed between Tancred, and Moore streets. —Cr. McElrea stated that tho portion "of East Street proposed for treatment was- particularly suited for the experiment. He thought, from engineers' reports in other places, that; this could be tried with reasonable* prospects of success. Underneath the tar was a foundation of broken metal. Either they could put down very thin asphalt or simply tar and cover with pea metal.—lt was decided to approve the scheme.

The additional generator, capable of producing 3000 k.w.s., to be installed at Lake Coleridge, has arrived. . at. Lyttelton in the Tainui, and is to b? railed to Coalgate and transported thence to the Lake by a special road truck as soon as it is unloaded.-. The key of the position with regard to increasing the output of current is the pipe line, and definite advice has been received •of a shipment of some of the pipes by the steamer Westmeath; it is understood that other'shipments will follow fairly quickly. Another shipment of English insulators, 200 in number, has been made.

"The. sere and yellow leaf "> is jDainting some beautiful pictures in thp Domain this autumn. A group, of silver poplars seen from the Coronation Gates against a background of dark evergreens is most effective, while isolated beeches and smaller trees are nicked out in the hectic flush of decay. Most effective, perhaps, is the tall colonnade of poplars bordering ■ the swimming baths,, which-is a study, in yellow and gro^n, and when touched by the sun could not fail to delight the artistic side even of an Orangeman. The foliage of many shrubs in private gardens is a source of pride to tho owners, especially the. flame-colour of the Virginian creeper, which burns so gorgeously on house-walls and fences. .

Carson's Car Accessories.—Motovist« whose ears are hard to .start slvmld consult G. H. Carson, of Tin croc! Street. The trouble may lie in the wrong grade of oil being used. G. H. Carson stocks oils in several grades \o suit all mnkes oi! cars, stationary engines, motor circles, etc. Prices have not as yet been advanced. Phune motor spirit and benzine is now available Champion. A.C., Splitdorf. National, Ajax, aaid Snhinx Plugs. Gofdvoar, Fisk, Miehelin and Clincher Tyros in all sizes Prices on application. ■ • - 4s

The Government Meteorologist's forecast to-day was as follows: —The indications are for southerly winds, strong to gal© at times prevailing.' The weather will probably, prove cold and showery. The night • will probably be very cold. Barometer rising. Two inches 53 points of rain was recorded at Gore in 24 hours, the heaviest fall there since records were first kept.—Press-. Association. . Arising out of the refusal of the Department for Internal Affairs to. provide free travelling for school children to visit the Renown at Lyttelton, the Borough Council last evening decided to ascertain from the Government if excursion fares and special trains would be available for the purpose.

A Press Association message from Tiinaru states that to avoid a clash with the ■ Royal meeting at Riccarton the. president of the Racing Conference has sanctioned a change .of dates for the South Canterbury Jockey Club's autumn meeting from Thursday and Friday, May 13 and 14. to Wednesday and Thursday, May 12 and 13. The second express from the .south last night was delayed for .nearly 35 minutes. Coming up the hill near Oamaru it was found that the train was too heavily loaded, and it. was necessary to split- it, a. part being shunted on to a side-lino. It - left Ashburton for Christchurch. at, 6.40 p.m., but connected with the ferry steamer at Lyttelton. At the meeunfi' of the Ashburton County Rugby Union last evening'the secretary reported that up to the present four, senior teams would take the field this ovason, Methven and Rakaia being absentees. Ths junior competition was lveak, there only being three clubs represented. In the third* grade the position was brighter, six teams entering for the competition. .

At the Borourfi Council meeting last evening, Cr. McElrea,. speaking of the old men resident on the river-bank, said that as winter was coming on it was time to give some attention to this subject. There were some living there who possibly were not able to look after themselves. He thought the council should arrange to visit thorn and advise them to put , the winter in al Tuarangi Home.—Cr. McElrea was appointed to intervieiv the old men

Nethorby residents, having had the high-pressure water installed throughout their district, applied "to the insurance companies for more favourable fire rates. The result was a letter to the Borough Council last evening from the Canterbury Underwriters' 1 Association asking for' a map of Netherby and plan of water reticulation. The residents complain, however", that' tho contractors hnve not levelled off the trenches in the roads, with the result that on dark nights there is danger of a capsize for the unwary. After agitation spreading over 20 years, Allenton will hold for the first time on Monday evening next a householders' meeting as for a main school to elect a separate school committee. I\Fr F. IT. Broome has been appointed commissioner to regulate proceedings until J;he new regime is .launched, but hr>s *h far received no nominations for election to the new committee. These ! may, of course, be made in the ordinary wnv at the householders' .meeting. Although a main school will thus be established in Allenton, it will be next year at earliest before the. .two , hieher standards (V. and VI.). are added to the present organisation.' That the acorn lias other x;?ns than as a missile of annoyance to the unwary has been proved by somo keen youngsters this" autumn who have been busily employed collecting the nuts littered beneath the oaks in the Domain. On inquiry, &bo youthful Josephs proudly stated that they sold tho acorns for pic-feed at 7s 6d per "nek. " But ■it takes a long- time to fill a sack ?" queried the observer. , "Not so very lnnsr, becauso I can get a sugar-bog full in an afternoon, and .six ■ sugar-bags fill a sack." answered the young.hopeful. And yet somo wiseacres say that the rising generation know not the meaning of economy !

" Hoist with .his own petard " was tho predicament of a youngster in West Street this morning. A motorcar towing a lorry was moving towards tho goods shed,' .and the lad- seized the erolden opportunity ■ for a "hang-on." Tho speed was increased disconcertingly, and the hoy was alarmed, to- find it very 'difficult. to put foot to the road again', neither could he raise himself on to the lorry: As the strength of his arms dwindled, the hoy stretched his lungs with shrieks, addressed to the driver. The vehicle had passed Wills Street before the appeal was heard,, and .the way the boy scattered.' on the Rtonnngie of th*» lorry showed that he had received a lesson more lasting than the old-fashioned " whip behind." The following: live' stoclj were slaughtered, at the Borough Abattoirs during March:— Cattle '121. sheep 831 (one condemned), lambs 49, pigs 39 (one condemned). This was a record month's killing, and the figures for the 12 months also showed a. decided increase. The, totals, are as follow,, those for 1918-19 being given in parentheses:—Cattle 1278 (1088), "calves 66 (28). shepp 8677 (8154). mgs 573 {535); totals, 10.593 (9805^.—When the report was submitted to the i3orough Council last evening- Cr. McElrea said it was satisfactory to know that,the abattoirs were at last self-supporting. 'Part of the increase was chic ,to . post-war causes, no doubt, but the .'creditable financial position was largely due to the efficient working of the manager.