LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLV, Issue 10279, 10 December 1924, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

One Ashburton County exhibitor figured in the prize-list lor cattle at the Southland Agricultural and Pastoral Association's show. Mr D. G. Wright,, of Windermere, gained the reserve championship for a Shorthorn cow.

Since the year 1916, a war regulation has been in force prohibiting an enemy alien from making application to the Supreme Court for probate of the will or administration of the estate of a deceased person. An amendment to this has been gazetted which states thaiTthe prohibition shall not to the will or estate of an enemy alien who died after the signing of the peace treaty. -

Writing from Washington, Sir Lindo Ferguson has notified the Otago University Council that he has secured from the College of Physicians, Phila 7 delphia, between 11,000 and 12,000 valuable medical volumes, duplicates of the college's magnificent collection, for the Otago University library. The Philadelphian authority had no -ower to donate the books, but offered them at a nominal price of 10 cents for each, whereas many are valued at 10 dollars. —Press Association.

Something in the nature of a whirlwind was experienced recently at the State nursery, Hanmer Springs. Hearing a loud roaring noise, some men working in a nearby shed rushed out to see four pieces of scrim, each a chain in length, used to cover seed bed frames n being whirled violently into the air. Two pieces, assuming the shape of parachutes, floated away and pradually drifted back part of the way. The remaining two pieces went up lengthwise, and rising to a height of apparently several hundred feet, were plainly visible from the township a mile away, being ultimately picked up half a mile from the scene of the occurrence.

Sydney now has six playgrounds for the youngsters of the congested quarters, and it is proposed to bring the number ultimately up to 40. For nine of these additional playing areas resumptions are now taking place, the ,City Council having voted £13,000 for the purpose. The playgrounds will be supervised by teachers of the Kindergarten Union, without cost to the council, and will be chiefly for children under eight years of age. They will be equipped along most modern lines. The aim is to make the playground movement a factor in promoting the health and the morals of Sydney's slum urchins. The example is cited of the policy in Adelaide, where areas of land which bear the donors' names are devoted to playgrounds. This, it is believed, is one way in which philanthropists might find very welcome expression in crowded Sydney,

A Wellington telegram says that Mr G. V. Pearce, the well-known sheepbreeder, of Kakaramea, who has just returned from an extensive tour through the wool manufacturing centres of England, states that he was surprised to find the strong exception which was taken by nearly all brush manufacturers to the increase in the amount of Romney-bred wool in New Zealand crossbreds. After reviewing the manufacturers' objections to this class of wool, and suggesting remedies. Mr Pearce says: "I think we shall have to look to the Leicester and Lincoln cross to make our wool more suitable for the Bradford manufacturer. It is a well-known fact that 15 or 20 years ago the basis of the ewe flocks in New Zealand was Lincoln and Leicester, and manufacturers in Bradford say that 'when first crossed with Romney the New Zealand wool was more suitable to their purpose than it is now when almost wholly Romney."

It was bound to come. Nepia has been selected as a likely name for a horse. At yesterday's meeting of the Board of the New Zealand Trotting Association, Mr W. J. Humphreys made an application to change the name of his colt Westward Ho to Nepia. He stated that the people to whom he intended to lease the horse objected to the name of Westward Ho. The colt was a three-year-old, and had never been raced. The chairman (Mr P. Selig): I see no reason to object to it. Mr J. Williams: Ought we to allow this horse to be called Nenia ? Is he a black horse ? The chairman (reading the application): No, a bay. Mr H. W. Kitchingham: It is a good name. He in a good full-back. A member: He might always be a fullback. It was decided to hold over the application till information is obtained as to whom the horse is to, be leased.

An interesting address on the proposed trans-Tasman flight by New Zealand airmen was delivered by Mr H. J. Wilson at a luncheon gathering of the Auckland Rotary Club. The speaker drew attention to the fact that, while the pioneers of aviation had conquered vast spaces of sea and land, no airman had as yet crossed either the Pacific, Ocean or the Tasman Sea. It was extremely probable, however, that American aviators would cross the Tasman conrarrently with the visit of the American fleet to Australia and New Zealand next July. This was a matter which closely affected the pride of both countries, for unless a pioneer flight were made within the next few months the honour would pass to American airmen. Mr Wilson outlined steps already taken by himself in connection with a trans-Tasman flight, to which the New Zealand Government had given its approval and a preliminary grant of £3OO. He was now negotiating with Vickers, Ltd. of England, for a large seaplane, which would cost about £7250. A sum of j £2OOO had already been guaranteed, exclusive of the Government grant. ]

All the expenses incurred % the special enquiry into the collapse of the Western Wharf at Auckland have not been computed, but the total will run into a considerable sum. The fees of the Commissioners, Messrs C. J. R. Williams and F. W. Furkert, have been fixed, it is understood, at £3OO each, exclusive of the customary allowances. The resignation of the Harbour Board's engineer, Mr Hamer, is stated to be already in operation.

It has been decided by the Government to call applications throughout the British Empire, as well as in New Zealand, for the position of chief mechanical engineer of the New Zealand Railways, which has been rendered vacant by the retirement of Mr E. E. Gillon. The salary offered is £1137 per annum. Pending the appointment of a successor to Mr Gillon, Mr R. P. Sims, assistant chief mechanical engineer, will have charge of the mechanical side of the Department.

Farmers who have had services of boys who have come to New Zealand under the junior immigration scheme speak highly of the manner in which they are carrying out their work (says the "Poverty Bay Herald"). Most of the boys came out without previous farming experience, but they have been quick to learn. Most of them have had their wages increasedsince they commenced, and other farmers are now endeavouring to arrange for boys for their farms.

The First (Canterbury) Mounted Rifles' Band has decided not to participate in the New Zealand bands' contest at Auckland early in the New Year. This decision was arrived at after considerable thought, and it was generally admitted that, owing to several prominent members having left the ranks since the last contest (they having since been replaced by recruits from the junior division), the band was below contest standard at the moment. Moreover, a number of members intimated that domestic and business reasons would prevent their going, and it was realised that in such circumstances as these the band would > not be justified in undertaking the trin.

A large number of residents assembled at the Westerfield store on November 27, their object being to form an athletic and cycling club. The meeting proved successful, and the following officers were elected for the ensuing year:—President, Mr R. T. Coward; secretary, Mr J. A. Lowry; treasurer, Mr A. Rusbatch; committee, Messrs J. A. Conway, J. H. McC'ann, L. Watson, R. B. Cain, C. Morse, J. A. McElhinney. 'The newly-formed club held a six-mile cycle race for local competitors on December 6. The race proved interesting to the public as well as to the riders. Of the numerous entries the following were successful: I. Fechney (£min) 1, Martin Laffey (£min) 2, Michael Laffey (imin) 3. Fastest time, I. Fechney (17min 15sec). Another race will be held on Saturday, December 13.

The Oriental atmosphere has been created in the Tancred Street Hall. A bazaar of distinctly Eastern appearance was opened there this afternoon by the Rev. A. G. Irvine. The proceeds will be devoted to the child widows of India, in Ramabai's Mission Home. The various stalls are keenly on the alert for business to help this cause. Mrs George Mackenzie, general secretary for New Zealand for the mission, is assisting with the arrangements. A brief history of the work of Ramabai was given by the Rev. Mr Irvine in his opening address. He dwelt upon her birth as a Hindoo, her great culture and command of different languages, her social work and conversion to Christianity, and finally her establishment of the mission home among the Marathi child-widows and orphans. The bazaar will be continued each afternoon and evening until late on Friday.

That perennial subject, road boards versus County Council control of roads in the Ashburton County, will be further debated at the County Council Chambers to-morrow morning by chairmen of the various road boards. The Mount Hutt Road Board is responsible for having taken the initiative, this body believing that the County Council should content itself with looking after the main highways, leaving the county roads to the boards. It is desired that the council hand back those roads recently taken over by it, the Mount Hutt Board contending that unless this is done the abolition of certain boards is inevitable, their scope of activities having been considerably reduced since the council assumed control of certain roads. Objection is ■ being taken to what the board describes as the "arbitrary" manner in which the County Council has acted in the whole' matter, the boards not having been consenting parties in any way. All the boards have been invited to attend the conference. Its success, from the convening board's viewpoint, is difficult to forecast, because there is not com plete unanimity among them on paramount question of the abolition of road boards, a question distinctly corelated to all aspects of road administration brought into view from time to time.

The last of the great kauri forests in the Auckland province, or in the world, at Waipoua, an area south-west of Hokianga Harbour, is in the keeping of the State Forest. Service. Various proposals have recently been made in regard to this valuable possession, and the Minister in Charge (Sir R. Heaton Rhodes) therefore; decided to inspect personally this national endowment before coming to a decision. Settlers to the north of the forest have several roading schemes, the proposed routes being coastal, central, and eastern. The Minister, however, does not incline favourably toward any route involving a cut through the forest, considering it would increase the risk of fire and the opportunity for poaching kauri gum, as well aa admitting too much light into the sombre forest glades. No decision has been reached, but Sir Heaton will require that a strong case be made before he will permit a road outlet to be constructed through the forest for southern Hokianga settlers. The general health of the timber in the forest was found to be excellent. Sir Heaton minimised the reports of decay, and declared that the need for milling matured timber did not appear to be as urgent as was represented. He stood for the preservation of this last great stronghold of the kauri. A good deal of healthy regeneration was going on, and he was loath that the process should be disturbed in any way. A good many North Auckland settlers had very little respect for the kauri except as a business proposition, but Sir Heaton though the nation would endorse a more far-seeing policy, involving careful preservation of this last magnificent kauri domain.