LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLIV, Issue 10132, 9 June 1924, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The prize-money at the Ashburton trotting races on Saturday was shared by 23 owners. Mr L. (3. King was the principal winner with £SOO, followed by Mr R. M. Morten, £475: Mr H. F. Nicoll, £455; and Mr T. G. Fox, £2OO.

A claim to be the inventor of the death rays is made by Mr Harry Fvfe, employed by the Union Steam Ship Company on the Auckland wharf. He states that in 1917, while in the New Zealand Artillery in France, he demonstrated with an appliance of his own devising the possibility of projecting destructive heat rays. Hs states he reported the main facts to the war authorities, who asked for further details; but on learning he would receive no personal return for the invention he did not feel disposed to disclose them, and decided to do nothing until he returned to civil life; but he then did nothing. He now intends to press his claim? for recognition.

The Ashburton Hospital Board decided this morning t<j invite applications for the position of secretary at a salary of £4OU> per annum. The resignation of Mr A.. Clarke, the present secretary, who has been secretary for a great number of. years, has been accepted, to take effect from October 31.

The practice of riding bicycles on the footpaths in Ashburton is the subject of comment in a letter from a lady I correspondent, who claims that the "evil" is rapidly growing. The writer stated that on Friday evening when she was leaving her home she was knocked down and run over by a young man who- was riding on the footpath, and apparently not caring what accident he might cause. The lady states she might have been seriously injured, but as it happened she escaped with severe bruises.

Large dividends were the order of the day at the Ashburton trotting races on Saturday. On only one occasion did a first favourite win,, and in four out of the eight races there were double-figure dividends, while one dividend was just a few shillings short of double figures. In three instances the backers of winning horses collected well over a score. The day was started with a big dividend, and very soon the majority of the speculators were getting into financial straits, with very little hope of recovery unless they were lucky enough to strike one of the ruling big returns. That the totalisator investments were divided among a comparatively few was evidenced by the decrease in the turnover for the day, which was £20,157, against £23,790 last year. The crowd seemed to be up to "the average, and the financial conditions of the immediate age are no worse now than they were twelve months ago. That being so, it would seem that the old saying, " The bigger the dividend the smaller the turnover,' was well illustrated on Saturday, when, if a speculator had a £1 ticket on each winner, he would have made approximately £ll3.

For a Hielan'man to loose his breeks would be but the discarding of what he considered an entangling superfluity, but the average product of civilisation deprived of his nether garments is a heartrending though amusing spectacle of shorn pride and dignity to his fellowmen (says the Auckland "Star"). The simile of the forked radish is humiliating to reflect upon, yet it is doubtful if the driver of a motor-lorry who lost his way out beyond Avondale the other night gave it a thought. It was after the heavy rain, and running along a side road he came to what looked like a bit of a wash-out, with a storm stream bisecting the highway. He investigated, and decided to try the depth and bottom, to which end he divested himself of his nether gear, including trousers. But the mud was deep, and the stream turbulent, and in the argument he lost trousers and boots. It was a sad predicament on a cool night, and it was only after a long tramp and many misgivings that he managed to borrow a friendly pair o' trews to cover his nakedness. The lost trousers were discovered next day buried in the mud some distance from the mishap, to the great relief of the loser, for in the pockets was a cheaue for a considerable amount, and a number of notes.

That the missionaries' lot in China today is not always an enviable one is evidenced by a letter just received by a Palmerston North resident from Hankow (states the Manawatu "Daily Times"). The writer, who has just returned from a well-earned furlough, says that the C.I.M. mission station had been looted during their absence, and while in charge of native Christians. He says "The robbers are Yunnanese ex-brigands, so we are told, and this probably accounts ' for their evil deeds. They smashed the mission house badly, thus gaining admittance into it; they then set to and looted our home and belongings. One of the fellow missionaries of the province > when writing to let us know of the illfate of our home and belongings, said the soldiers were to be seen carrying off all our crockery and cutlery, and all sorts of things out of our home. And the lovely "Cornish" organ which my wife wished me to buy her in place of the engagement ring when we became engaged to be married (since gold rings were a source of temptation to evil men out here) this being too heavy to be carried off by them, they ruthlessly chopped it to pieces, and left it in the house."

Coercion as a means of gaining recruits to religion is not believed in by Captain Gypsy Pat Smith, the evangelist, who is now visiting Wellington. "I think there is too much in the way of forced results in the world he remarked to a Wellington reporter, "and this applies as much in religion ' as in anything else. I believe in a man making a decision of his own vo-

lition, and without undue pressure, and I don't like the thought of people being made conscripts to such a cause. The reason why some evangelists have failed in the past is that they have pressed and stressed so hard about conversion that their words have not had the desired effect upon their hearers. I also think that a number of evan-

gelistic campaigners have failed in that so many things hare been offered for sale, such as photographs, books, etc. That should not be part of a religious campaign. Other preachers have demanded financial guarantees before starting a mission, and in such cases they naturally cause working men and women to wonder how deep is the desire or conviction of the missioner. Gipsy Smith stated that he was financing his campaign out of the collections taken up at the meetings. All he derived was the balance after expenses had been met. Frequently meetings were quite profitless to'himself, but on the other hand, as on a recent occasion

in Auckland, the generosity of the peo- [ pie was such that he was able to distribute large sums of money for the prosecution of evangelistic work in a particular centre "After all," he declared, "if a man's heart is right, he does not need to stress the financial side of his campaign."

Chevrolet Cars.—Acting on instructions from the N.Z. Agents, G. H. Carson, the local Agent, announces a reduction in price of Chevrolet Cars. The new price for the Chevrolet with standard equipment is £233. Although the output of Chevrolet Cars is over 3000 per day and the factories are working three shifts daily the makers cannot keep pace with the demand. The Chevrolet is no doubt the leader for value in its price class. It has several features which are accepted by leading designers as being of the best. A full description -of the specifications is contained in the makers, catalogue, which will be posted to any address on application to G. H. Carson, District Agent, Tancred Street.—-Advt.

The bicycle shed at the East AshBurton School, funds for which a euchre party and dance was held some weeks ago, has now been, erected, and is capable of accommodating 48 machines.

The Hospital Board decided , this morning that th© matron in charge of each cottage hospital shall decide whether any of her staff should attend outside cases, and that the old scale of fees for district nurses be adopted as the basis of the charge for services rendered by any of the staff.

The stated lack of accommodation at the East Ashburton School was the subject of a recent letter from the committee to the Education Board. The latter body has now replied that the communication has been forwarded to the Department, with a recommendation that its contents be given effect to. ' ' ■ ' ■ '

A gun accident occurred yesterday afternoon, whereby Edward Brophy, aged 20 years, had the thumb and forefinger of his left hand blown off. He was attended to by Dr. W. J. Mullm, and taken to the County Hospital. He is employed as clerk in the office of the Ashburton Permanent Building and Investment Society, and resides m Beach Road, Hampstead.

It is being freely rumoured that the connections w of Onyx, winner of the County Handicap at Ashburton trots on Saturday, took about £2OOO off the totalisator, the mare "having paid just over a score and a half. For such a sound known performer over two miles, the surprise was that the public should have let Onyx go out with so little support. Her timet, 4min 26 4-ssec, was one of the fastest winning performances in New Zealand. ,

The Ashburton High School "Memorial Library will be officially opened to-morrow afternoon by the Hon. W. Downie Stewart. The memorial tablet to those old pupils who fell in the Great War will also be unveiled by the Minister. There will be various representative speakers at the function, to which the public are invited. A collection will be taken up in aid of the library equipment fund.

The matter of increased accommodation for the nursing staff was mentioned at the Ashburton County Hospital Board's meeting this morning, when, on the motion of Messrs F. W. Watt and W. T. Lill, it was decided that the architect be instructed to prepare a sketch plan and provide an estimate for 20 additional bedrooms and one sitting-room. The matter will be considered by the Building Committee during the month, and will come up for consideration at the next meeting of the board..

The Ashburton branch of the British and Foreign Bible Society has made four awards in connection with its recent competition among school children for essays on "The Life History of John Wycliffe." The subject matter of the essays is appropriate, in that this year is the sixth centenary of Wycliffe. Each prize-winner was given a Bible, handsomely bound. The successful essayists are as follow: Master H. Montgomery 1, Miss E. Money 2, Miss Gwen Silcock 3, Master W. E. Broom 4.

"The number of cases of scarlet fever is definitely on the increase," stated the medical superintendent of the Ashburton Hospital in his report to th© board this morning. "Eighteen such patients are at present under treatment. Tfcm. cases are not from any definite area, but from all -"tarts of the county. Many of the cases are extremely mild, the rash being slight and so liable to be overlooked bv the parents, and it is in just this class of case that the condition is liable to spread to others. The public should be warned of this type of case,, and any suggestion of a rash should be sufficient to warrant a medical opinion being obtained."

A meeting of the Ashburton Subcentre of the St. John Ambulance' Association was held on Saturday night, when there were oresent: Messrs H. M. Jones (chairman), G. V. Furby, C. Hawkey. W. Osman, Mesdames Matthews. Alington, and Totty, and Miss W. Watson. The secretary reported that both the ladies' and men's first-aid classes were being well attended. Most of the members .were very keen on the work and enjoyed the doctor's lecture thoroughly. It was reported that so far nothing had been done in connection with the Canterbury Centre's request to form firstaid classes in country districts, as it was extremely difficult to get any district itself to move in the matter.' Several Wakanui residents had ex- , pressed a desire to have a course of lectures, and the secretary was instructed to arrange a meeting of those interested. A number of Ashburton members would attend and assist in enrolling the class and giving practical demonstrations. The secretary reported having received a; donation of £2 2s from the Rugby Union, and a letter of thanks for services rendered. Members of the brigade had attended the trotting meeting, and had rendered assistance in one minor case. Accounts amounting to £7 9s 5d were passed for payment.

" I think the great shortcoming, peculiar to all national system of education, is the too large class," said the Minister of Education at the annual dinner of the Auckland Headmasters' Association on Saturday. The large class, continued Mr Parr, naturally struck at the root of all efficiency. It was impossible for the teacher to give that degree of individual attention demanded. The new Minister of Education in Britain had put this great question in the forefront of his policy. Apparently there were great difficulties in the Old Land, and even under the, London County Council there were more than 3000 classes with over 50 pupils, and some 2000 of these classes contained 65 pupils. In Australia also there were large classes. Headmasters would agree that they were not free from the evil in New Zealand, and he was concerned about it. In the old days he frequently saw dozens of classes of over 100 pupils, but there were very few classes' to-day which reached the century. Through additional assistants coming from the training colleges, the evil was gradually being reduced. In 1913 there were 390 students in training colleges, as against 1256 now. It was necessary to have man power to reduce classes. At present 23 cent, of the classes ; had over 60 pupils, but a special effort was to be made to remedy that state of affairs. Maybe there were not sufficient teaehers, but at any rate the causes had to be sought. The number of large classes might be considerably reduced shortly. Speaking at a later stage, Mr J. Drummond, headmaster of Auckland Grammar School, remarked that in secondary schools there was one teacher to under 30 pupils.