LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLIII, Issue 9776, 18 January 1923, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

_ ■, ... i s' Apropos of the article in yesterday’s “ Guardian” in which it was stated that there was to be a rise in woollen and cotton goods, the Ashburton retailers have now received official intimation to this effect, so far as woollen goods are concerned, from the mills.

At the Addington market yesterday the following sales of fat stock were made on behalf of Ashburton County vendors: —hat Cattle —For Ashburton client, 11 steers at £ll 12s 6d to £l3 2s 6d; L. White (Rakaia), 3 cows at £3 10s to £5 17s 6d. Fat Lambs —For 0. W. Simes (Lyndhurst), 81 at 27s lOd to 32s 3d.

A plea for the seats on the* newlyplanted reserves in East Street to he of a sensible height was made by Mr J, B, Christian at the meeting of the Advance Ashburton Association executive last night. Too often, he said, there were to be seen men and women sitting on the seats at present provided with their feet dangling in midair. He advocated low seats resting on blocks of concrete let into the ground, level with the sward.

The completion of work on the reserves at the northern end of East Street near the railway station was urged at the meeting of the Advance Ashburton Association executive last evening by Mr J. B. Christian. He said: “What we want is travellers through, Ashburton, to be favourably impressed with the town, even if they have no intention of ever staying here. We want them to say, ‘ What a desirable town that is 1’ ” The executive decided to complete the reserves between Tancred and ( Kermode strets, and to treat the reserve opposite the Post Office for sowing.

The contour of the great'Antarctic Continent, stated Sir Douglas Mawson at the! Wellington Town Hall, is roughly that of a huge inverted saucer; and in the centre of the continent the land is buried under thousands of feet of ice. Here and there crops out a small peak of rock, the top of some big mountain, the rest of which is buried far below. Indications on the Rocky, .Mountains, stated the lecturer, show the geologist that when America was buried under a polar ice-cap in the far distant past, the ice in places was 9000 feet thick.

While many visiting bowlers do not believe in Sunday excursions, which were in some cases arranged for their entertainment, and went to church on Sunday morning, it was very noticeable at some of the kirks' yesterday that while many of the visitors were very devout during the whole, of the service, they were not above discussing their favourite game at the door of the church after the service was over (says Monday’s Auckland “Star”). At one church in the suburbs more than one challenge was issued and accepted, and matches and return matches were arranged on greens which are not being used for tournament purposes. l

Caves having potentialities , from the tourist’s point of view are being investigated in the King Country, says •the Auckland “ Star.” A visitor to Pio Pio stated that within a mile of that town there is an underground cave, through which runs a river. This cave has been explpred up to 1200 yards, but that is not its full extent. The distance explored showed that there were a number bf branch caves, all of beautiful formation. These side caves are at present blocked by silt, but this could be easily removed. If these caves were considered, after a thorough investigation,.to be of value from a tourist point of view, they could be illuminated by electric light, if the Wairere scheme is earned out, for a very small sum ; Sufficient water power, however, is avaialble to generate electricity in the, caves themselves. There is another cave known to exist about a quarter of a mile from Pio Pio, and although this has not been explored to any extent, it is believed that it is of larger dimensions than the fiTst-mentioned one. It would take a small sum of money to explore this latter, but a movement is afoot to have this done by sinking a hole through the silt formation at the opening. : ~

Dr. Buck has often spoken in his lectures of the affinity of the Maoris to the Scotchmen, and has pointed out many traits which the two races possess in common. Recent visitors to the King Country who have returned from holiday trips in that direction (says the Auckland “Star”) speak with interest and amusement of the efforts or some of the leading Maoris in the district on Hogmonav Night, and as the New Year came m to “first foot” some of their Scotch neighbours. The ceremony was carried out in no halfhearted way, bells beihg rung as the houses were approached, and afterwards Highland reels were intermixed with Maori hakas and * nose-rubbing. Cupboards were depleted and bottles were emptied, and it is very hard to say who enjoyed the fun most, Certain it was that when the farmers rose on the New Year’s mom they looked out on their lands and estate feeling that Everything looked rosy for the future, and that the New Year had opened well; and the Maori, as he went down to his favourite shady " spot by the river to catch a few big “tunas” for New Year’s dinner at the pa, was heard to ejaculate several times, as is the custom of the old-time Maori when he is ruminating over past events, “ Kapai, kapai ! the Scotchman he the good fellow.”

C.A.V. Batteries.—The Willard Patent Treaded Rubber Separators- are used in C.A.V. British-made Starter Batteries have been adopted on account of their indestructible qualities. Wood separators in time become rotted by the acid in the electrolyte. The Treaded Rubber Separators last longer than the wood separators, hence their extra value. C.A.V. Batteries cost no more with Treaded Rubber Separators. Prices range from £9 10s for 6 volt. 80 amp. size. This size suits Buiclc Four, 16-18, Chevrolet 17-22. Cleveland, Dort, Ford 21-22, Hup 1822, Mitchell 18-19, Oakland 16-19, Overland 18-22, Saxon 16-20, Soripps Booth 16-21, Studebaker Light Six 22. and Velie 16-19. Special sizes quoted for on application.—G. H. Carson, Agent, Tancred Street, next H.M. Theatre. —Advt.

, If you have an old and valued photograph which is fading and deteriorating take it along to the Bunz Studio, who will be pleased to advise you on the best method of preserving it. We produce copies and enlargements which often outshine the original in point of clearness and faithful reproduction.— Studio, 116, Burnett Street, opposite Guardian.—Advt.

It is understood that the Ashburton police yesterday carried out sly-grog raids at five places in the Allentou and Hampstead districts. At one place it is believed a small quantity of liqupr was found.

To-day is the eleventh anniversary of the arrival at the South Pole of Captain Robert Falcon Scott, R.N. It was on January 18, 1912, that, accompanied by Captain Oates, Commander Evans, and Dr. Wilson, Captain Scott reached the Pole, to discover the Danish flag, planted a few months earlier by Captain Roald Amundsen. On the return journey Captain Scott and his party were lost in a terrific blizzard.

There can be no such thing as a goslow policy in the magisterial life. Mr E D. Mosley, S.M., has just had added to his circuit the Metliven Court. Altogether Mr Mosley has now seven Courts to preside over —Timaru (a daily Court), Ashburton (weekly), Temuka and Waimate (fortnightly), and Geraldine, Fairlie, , and Methven (monthly). The Magistrate announced in the Court at Timaru'yesterday that he would visit Methven on the fourth Thursday of . each month. At present Thursday is the day set apart for police cases, but his Worship explained that any urgent cases would be taken on Mondays, as he could sit in Timaru on two Mondays of the month. In order to hold the sitting at Methven Mr Mosley will require to leave Timaru at 7.16 a.m. for Ashburton, arrive there at 10.35 a.m., then motor 22 miles to Methven, arriving about noon. After the Court business is completed he will return to ‘ Ashburton, remaining there oyer night for the weekly sitting of that Court on Friday, ,

Whaling from open boats on the high seas has its own peculiar perils, states Captain H. F. Cook, master of the Hananui II. }i who has had 50 years’ experience in this particular line. Only once, he says, has he had his boat “chewed up.” That was when he was serving in the Especulador, reports the “New Zealand Herald.” ' Off the Kermadec Islands they were after a big “lone” bull whale, a type which may be likened to a “rogue” elephant. The harpoon had been sent into him, when he turned in anger on 1 / Captain Cook’s boat., He came at it openmouthed, and. bit it clean 1 in two. The men were all thrown into the water, but none, were injured or drowned. Two other of the Especulador’s boats were in the vicinity at thb time, and the huge bull put both of these out of action. One he stove in with his flukes, and'the other he . broke with 'his teeth, but not sufficiently to sink it. The men in the. water were all picked ,up, and the whale then disappeared from the scene. “That was a bad-tempered fish,” said Captain Cook, “ and it was the nearest escape I ever had. It was touch and go.”

A paper, “ Studies of Attention, specially the Development of Concentration,” was read by Mr H. B. Fitt, M.A., Ph.D.j at the Science Congress in Wellington yesterday. A study- of concentration of attention based mainly upon the presentation of a 30-minute cancellation test (cancelling two letters of an unknown text) to 1000 .people, boys and girls and adults from the age of seven years on, attending two large State primary and two large State secondary schools in Melbourne and the Melbourne Teachers’ College. The results provide the first definite standards of the development of concentration through the different periods of growth and development. The type of mental activity for the child in this continuous 1 concentration task is that of . the slow-adapter vvhich changes gradually year by year to that of the quick-adapter, the characteristic adult type. An important difference between boys and girls and between men and women has been found in the concentration task, that girls and women excel in speed, boys and men in accuracy. A high correlation has been found between concentration as measured by cancellation test and general mental .ability, thus giving this test a high place for many purposes of mental measurement. Using the concentration values as a measure of general mental ability, a low correlation was found between general mental capacity and special teaching ability. A study of the relation between physical development as represented by height and weight and mental as represented by concentration brought out the possibility of, certain, periods of repercussion or/agreement between the physical and mental factors as well as of other periods of antagonism. The closing years of, the_ primary •school stage show out specially .as strongly consolidating on both sides hence as years capable of, much work.