LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLI, Issue 9431, 31 January 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The following is the river report: — Rakaia, • clear; Waitaki, fishable; Opihi, dirty j Ashburtori, discoloured.

Referring to the state of the labour market, at yesterday's meeting of the Timaru Harbour Board, Mr J. M. H. Tripp said it might be taken as symptomatic of the times that for his station at Orari Gorge he had recently advertised for a cook's mate, and m response had received 53 applications. Members agreed that this looked as though the labour market was well supplied.

Commercial keenness ,m. Japanese firms is not always supported oy ah accurate knowledge of commercial English, as the following letter from an Osaka manufacturing firm to the Wellington City Council shows : — " It is our, Tong-cherished wish to enter into relations with your •respectable h6,'tisej we have, owing to various . circumstances, not been able to realise. 'We can boast you that our manufactures are getting a great applause at everywhere they have beenf. supplied^ owing to their superior quality at ,tlje low .prices. We, are^ always , "paying our particular attentions to finish our' makes perfectly, to /deliver them on positive terms,, and offer thereto any purcjva'ser at competitive prices. .. We solicit •■i the -favour of your commands, which we assure 1 ;you that no exertion and attention .shall be spared to' pxo- : mote your , interests and attain . ihe accomplishment' of your wishes.-— Yours very truly, , etc." „-.:. „'-r ,< '■■'.' ' '-rri .'-(■'

On one or two points the housing legislation is decided, and admits of no discretion on the part of a magistrate to whom the plaintiff may refer his claim for the eviqtion of a tenant. Thus, if a tenant allows his rent to fall^ into arrears, the magistrate has no option but to make an order m favour of the plaintiff landlord. Some weeks ago, says the "Post," a, Wellington landlord sought possession of a house occupied by a man, his wife and eight children, the eldest of whom is only ten years of age, not m order that he might occupy it himself, but so that he might renovate it. The Magistrate, r r F. K. Hunt, then adjourned the > to afford the occupier aA opporV to pay up the rent, which was n 4 weeics m arrear. When the me on again on Thursday, it that but three weeks' rent naid off, and that the occuot hope to earn more than 'eek.yas he suffered from . "This is a terrible Hunt. " I ixnust make -iere this family is to jw. they will .1 back \on charitable aid. undlord): How long can you •'em ?" "Two or three weeks." ■■ the answer. "They will have >ix deks to get out," replied the ~Mn<nvtrate

Service, plus safety. The brake* 6n my car are good. Are they? Have you tried them out on a steep' hill. A lons steep declivity may prove disastrous if vnnr brakes are not anrnly strong (3noi\'.xh to hold your car back. Tf your oar braking system is defective, v?g have the means to rectify it. We <r.ivo you free adyicse which may save you • ( pounds- m car service, and renew your txmfidence m your car. Consult G. H (. Larson to-day, whose' nibtto^ is: "S<?t---v. ice plua: Safety .. rV , li

Notice of , motion has been given by ' Mr D. Stow ell to move at the Febru- ; ary meeting of the Canterbury Land Board that as educational leases expire they should be renewed on a 21 years' tenure, instead of 14 years as at present. An Oamaru message says that a warrant has been isued for the arrest of T. L. Ralfe, late secretary of the North Otago Soldiers' Aid Association, on -a charge of embezzlement. Though the amount mentioned m the warrant is small, It is stated that a oonsiderable sum is involved. The following weather forecast was received to-day :— The indications are for south-easterly winds, strong to gale at times, and backing by east to north. The weather will probably prove squally, with heavy showers. The night will probably be very cold. Barometer rising. The Llandinam family, N of which Major^David Dayies, M.P., the Welsh philanthropist, is a member, have given £50,000 to the Welsh Presbyterian Churches on the condition that "a corresponding amount is raised by the denomination within five years, to form a central fund for augmenting the stipends of Presbyterian pastors, financing missionary work, and maintaining home missions. Residents m Ashbur^on and district who hare business m witn the Lands and Survey Department have been at a < disadvantage m not being directly represented on the Land Board, and m not being able to apply to any representative of the Department m Ashburton. At Saturday's meeting of the Land Board this matter was brought up by Mr D. Stowell, and on his motion it was decided that the Crown Lands Ranger should be m attendance every Saturday morning at the Department's office m Ashburton to answer enquiries and to give information.

A cold southerly pi-evailed at Ashburtfon over the week-end, 8 and was accompanied at times by squalls of heavy rain. The total register for the 7 48 hours up -to 9 a.m.' this morning was 57 points. : On the hills a fall of sno'vf covered the summits and down to a fairly low altitude. To-day the barometer is high: at 29.99in5./ but the sou- west conditions continue. Fortunately the rain has been ''bold for the, time of year, the maximum and minimum tenipeTatures being 57 and 47 degrees respectively, and sprouting of grain m stook will not be so r - serious, .as Tinder moist warm conditions.; •Nevertheless w ( sprouted ■ grainy • -is. . le- j ported ' from *■■ several country ' , dis-' tricks, and discolouratiM grain by watear is bound to affect the attractiveness' of samples. : ; i"i., Two men, to whom Ashburton was apparently only nominally "dryj" were to be seen very late on Saturday night steering a zigzag course- along East Street, intent upon getting where. Between them they had a bicycle, but the behaviour of the machine was disgraceful, -for it evinced a very strong desire to let itself down ont o the roadway, and pull down either one or both of its guides with it. Eventually, one of them thought that he could handle the machine much more easily by riding it, and he attempted to carry his thought into deed. The attempt was disastrous, for with a loud crash, the bicycle went down with its would-be, rider on top. With difficulty he succeeded m extricating himself from the wheels, chain, frame, mudguards, etc., arid managed to get on to his feet. The two men then had a consultation, but evidently decided that the best to^ m which to get tihe machine home was to lead it. Accordingly the zigzagging was resum- ; ed, and continued without further incident.

The quest, for oil still goes on m many parts of Australia, and it is hoped that one day the. nation will rejoice at the announcement that one of the lucky prospectors has made the find which will mean great wealth to the Commonwealth (says the Melbourne " Age"). In each State, m the Northern . Territory, and m New Guinea, prospectors are now earnestly at work, boring, testing, and searching for " indications, "but,; although many favourable reports haye "reached the Department of Home and. Territories, and . some ■ prospectors -'.Pave come to announce, definitely that /they have •^ struck .-Qili'.' the reward'^of £50,G00,f to .be paid. to the man who first! r findsi oil^ m payable quantities, is' still claimed:. Repent" : (rfeports ' have sugy-j gestetT renewed activity m the^'*search, m W. pstem Australia, ., where there are. parties' hi •'work bqtbV'jm 1 ' the 'extreme souttt . . and v.ih'e, far 1 iiorth. Promising; indications, <-.nave, i|>,;is apseirted, been detected 'in* both dJstrictsV", feutj tjie real arid edgerly-sougijfcfor find has not yet beeh. Made* ', In tfte^Nortfaern Teiritoi'y leases ttavte beeii /granted-, 1 and /optimis- . tic prQspectors^^ are intent. 'rm~ the' .search, and in V Papua the,. exr>ej&s deputed by. the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, under the terms of agree-y mept with the Oom'monwealth . Government, are . testing new country. The . day Johnnie goes to school' is j one- of the most important m hia. life. Secure a Bunz photoaraph of him .m his school rig — it will bring great treasure and .recall fond memories down through th© years. Call m making an appointment. — Bunz Studio, opposite "Guardian" Office.