LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XL, Issue 9292, 29 April 1920, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Mayor, Mr R. Galbraith, stated to-day that the number of invited guests to the special platform on th« occasion of the Prince of Wales s visit to Ashburton will not exceed 80. The arrangements provide that all present at the Domain Oval will obtain a clear view of the 'Royal visitor.

A new servants' tax lias been decreed for Paris. For a tutor or governess the tax is £4 a year, for a maidservant £1 12s, and for a man-servant £3 4s. Invalids employing male nurses are exempt. The tax is doubled tor servants of Allied nationality, ■ trebled for neutrals, and quintupled tor subjects of France's war enemies.

The Government Meteorologist s forecast to-day was as follows:—1 he indications are for decreasing southerly winds, moderate to strong. Weather probably cold and changeable. Ihere will probably be a hard frost to-night. Indications are for a temporary improvement soon. The barometer has a rising tendency, but falling after about 24 to 26 hours.

The berthing of H..M.S. Renown at the. Queen's Wharf is an event of con-, siderable importance in the history or the port of Auckland. The /battlecruiser is the largest vessel that has ever been iv New Zealand waters— 794 ft in length, with 103 ft boavn ami 31ft draught, and a tonnage of 26.500. The next largest vessels that have been berthed in Auckland are H.M.S. New Zealand 590 ft, and. the White Star steamers Medic, Snevic, and Runic, each 570 ft.

The Prime Minister (Hor W. F. Massey) remarked to a Palmerston resident that it was the intention of the Government to try a "daylight express" between Wellington and Auckland almost immediately (states the "Manawatu Times"). The trains, instead of leaving either end at night, will leave early in the morning, thus avoiding a night on board. Leaving at 5 or 6 a.m.. the destination could 'b*l. reached well before midnight, and give a daylight view for the main part jf the journey. .

While the war 1 was in progress the Danish production of cheese and butter declined greatly; and it is the opinion of Captain W. R. Birks, of the New South Wales Department of Agriculture, that competition with New Zealand in these lines is not likely to increase. Captain Birks was a member of the A.1.F., and has recently made a tour of Scandinavia and North America. High prices of fodder, and the shortage of manures, were responsible, he states, for the decline in Danish production, and the farmers also developed other .branches' of dairying. The sale of condensed milk is increasing, and important experiments are being made with a view to selling fresh milk on the London market.

"The ratepayers are not. satisfied with the state of the roads and footpaths in the Board's area," intimated j Mr W. Thompson at the monthly meeting of the Hampstead Town 'Board last evening. "They think that the Board is strong financially, but that is not the case." He considered something would have to be done immediately in regard to increasing the rates, with the idea of. raising sufficient money to put the footpaths and thoroughfares _in a satisfactory -, condition. The chairman agreed with Mr Thompson, and said that although he always tried to avoid raising the rates, the present high cost of living had made it necessary. Years ago, a workman with a horse and dray could be procured for 17i a day. At the present day he knew of a local body in the County who were employing two teanis at the price of 28s a team.—lt was decided to refer the matter to the Finance Committee to report.

A rather unique ease was heard at the Magistrate's Court, Wangauui, recently, a mother being charged with failing to send a child to school. The defendant (telegraphs the Post's correspondent) stated that she had 17 children, 15 of whom were attending school. The Magistrate said that he would extend the greatest clemency to the mother, who must have a very heavy burden imposed upon her with such a family. She would be fined 2s, and a month' would be given to pay it. In another ease a rather important point was raised. The Court strongly commented upon the truant inspector not making further investigations before taking proceedings against parents sending their children to the technical college. The inspector replied that he had no jurisdiction in technical college cases; they were-isent on to him to prosecute, and he was compelled to do so. The Magistrate maintained that no one should start a prosecution without some knowledge of the facts.

A parent appeared recently at the Wanganui Magistrate's Court to answer 25 charges of failing to send his children to school, the informations being laid by the truant inspector. The-. Magistrate (Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.M.) remarked that surely the whole of the 25 charges were not against the one person, and requested some explanation. The truant inspector intimated that the separate charges had been brought with a view to acting as a warning for parents not to keep their children away from school. There was so much farm-selling going on at the present time, and this was interfering with the attendance at the schools. Parents sold their farms and intimated that they would be going away, and then did not go out of the district, and in the meantime children were kept at home. The Magistrate: "So you have laid the 25 informations with the idea of checking the sale of farms?" Finally the Magistrate considered justice could have been done had there been only five charges, and he would then "have been able to impose costs. Seeing that the inspector had decided to proceed on the 25.charges, which he, the Magistrate, considered was useless expenditure, he would enter a conviction and impose a fine of 3s on each, or 75s in all, without costs.

Quick work.—Motorists generally., require prompt attention when tiieir cars are disabled. Some remarkably good stunts have been put up by the staff at G. H. Carson's motor repair works. A car. was stripped of its body, engine, and axles, and the frame taken to pieces «ud-r-traighten-ed, and new side and front members fitted to frame. The chassis and body .was then assembled ready for the road. The job was completed in 18 hours. The firm which gives such prompt attention to repair work saves money For natrons. G. H. Carson invites inspection of his commodious and! well-rn-<i^npo(} workshop a.nd garage.' next H. 11. "Theatre, laiuwed Street 4x

The superannuation rights of xailwaymen are governed by the Government Railways Act, 1908, which provides that in the case of voluntary retirement from the service or dismissal before the retiring age, a contributor shall be entitled to a refund of contributions, but, without interest. The strike constitutes a voluntary retirement from the service, and the right of striking contributors to count their service for superannuation are therefore terminated automatically. There can be no question of their restoration without special legislative authority.

At the A&dingtori stock market yesterday the v following sales were effected on behalf "of Ashburton ■ County farmers : —Fat Sheep—For J. C Lochhead (Rakaia), 34 at 33s 6d to 37s 3d, J. Malcolm (Chertsey), 50 at. 33s 3d to 355; L. Wilkie (Winslow), 29 at 33s Id. Fat Ewes: For S. Cox (Lyndhurst), 35 at 29s sd; W. and A. Dixon (Methven), 178 at 32s to 40s; J. Malcolm (Chertsey), 50 at 26s 5d to 35s Id; J. 0. Lochhead (Rakaia), 32 at 31s Id. Fat Lambs: For S. Cox (Lyndhurst), 31 at 31s 6d to 335; J. Malcolm (Pendarves), 10 at 32s lid; Mrs 11. Bums (Rakaia), 80 at 24s 4d to 275.

Light polling took place yesterday for the election of representatives on the Lyttelton Harbour Board of the ■Waimairi County and Riccarton Borough combined • districts and. of the combined districts of the counties of Paparua, Tawera. Malvern, Springs, Ellesmere, Halswell, Heafchcotej .Selwyn, and the borough of Spreydon. In the nz'st-mentioned district the roll number was roughly 3000, and in the other district it was roughly 8000. Following are the results: —Waimairi and Ricearton: Wilfred John Walter, 334 (elected); Charles Edward < Cross, 179. Paparua Combined District;. Thomas Dewar Boag, 446 (elected)'; James Storry, 446 (elected); James Charles Free, 341; Edwin John Howard. 325.

It is stated that German residents in Samoa are to be deported at an early date, and this is the reason why a detachment of police were sent there some months ago. Up to the present the Germans have had no notification of the intention of the authorities, and are actually looking forward to resuming operations. It is the intention of the New Zealand Government to take over the Samoan plantations formerly owned by the Germans. The value of these is estimated at something like a million sterling, and orders on -their own Government will be given to the deported Germans for the value of the property they held, and the gross amount will be deducted by Germany from New Zealand's share of the indemnity.—Press Association.

A quinnat salmon weighing- 181b was caught near "the mouth of the Rangitata at the beginning of last week by Mr Jack Brown, of Wakanui. So faronly six of these fish have been caught in the Rangi tata this season, although many of them could be plainly seen porpoising in the lagoon during March. Anglers'who have not had an opportunity of examining a quinnat are very apt to mistake them for trout, especially the smaller ones. They should carefully note that a quinnat has 16 rays in the anal fin, while a trout ihas only 10. If all salmonoid fish caught in our waters were tested by this rule some interesting facts might be brought to light, as quinnat are sometimes caught in unexpected places. The late Mr Shury claimed that he caught small quinnat in tho Ashburton. Quinnat between 51b and 61b have been caught off the Timaru breakwater. The 24£lb fish camrht by Mr C. Bonnington, of Ohristchurch, during tho Easter holidays, and re r ported here as a salmon trout, was found to be a quinnat when examined by experts in Christhurch.