LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLV, Issue 10349, 12 March 1925, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The record draft of fat stock from Methven was trucked an Tuesday. It comprised 950 fat lambs belonging to Mr James Campbell, “Westward Ho, Methven. The sheep were sent to the freezing works at Kaiapoi.

The Hon. W. Nosworthy, replying to the Auckland Presbytery, says they can rest assured there is no intention to allow tennis to be played on Government grounds at Rotorua on Sundays.

A fire at Devonport, Auckland, destroyed a 12-roomed house owned by Mrs McDonald, and occupied by Dr. Hagen. The four occupants escaped, but lost all but tho clothes they wore. The house was insured.

A Press Association message from Greymouth to-day states that despite the Miners’ Union vote yesterday the co-operative miners are working today at tho James and Binns extended sections. The other parts of the mine are idle.

Since the installation of the highpressure water supply for Methven a proposal lias been on foot to form a Volunteer Fire Brigade. Mr G. Nicholls, formerly of the Ashburton Fire Brigade, is very enthusiastic _in support of the proposal, and is working hard to establish the scheme.

The maximum load recorded at the Lake Coleridge power station during the week ended last Sunday was 11,650 k.w. (between 7.20 and 8 p.in. last Friday), compared with 11,270 kw. the previous week. The lake level was at 1669.98 ft (previous week, 1669.8 ft), and the average inflow from the Harper was 206 cusecs (140 cusecs the previous week).

A London message states that Lady Galway, speaking at the Mansion House in support of an appeal for £75,000 for the Extension Fund of the Elizabeth Garrett-Anderson Hospital, detailed a sectional scheme to build a nurses’ home as a memorial to nurses who gave their lives in the war, numbering 87, including 24 Australians and 15 New Zealanders.

Tlie foundation stone of tlie new Masonic Temple at Invercargill, to cost £15,000, was laid with full Masonic rites yesterday afternoon by Bro. tlm Hon. H. L. Michel, Right Worshipful Grand Master. The plans show that the building will be a most imposing and valuable additipn to the large number of fine public buildings possessed by the town.

To further the scheme for a proposed Ashburton, or Canterbury, Court at the Dunedin Exhibition in November, the Ashburton Chamber of Commerce is negotiating for a meeting of representatives of the Borough and County Councils, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Canterbury Committee, to be held in Ashburton next week. At this meeting it is hoped the Christchurch people will have some definite information regarding costs to lay before the local authorities.

The fortnightly meeting of Daphne (Rebekah) Lodge, No. 34, 1.0.0. F., was held last evening, Sister B. Thompson, N.G., presiding over a good ■attendance. One candidate was initiated. Correspondence was received from the Edith Cavell (Rebekah) Lodge, Rakaia, asking the lodge to send an initiating team to Rakaia on March 23. For various reasons the date was found inconvenient, and tho secretary was instructed to ask the Rakaia Lodge to arrange another date. During the supper vyhich followed the meeting, Sister Thompson referred to the impending departure of D.D.G.M. Bro. G. Fowke, who is to attend the Grand Lodge sessions at Whangarei commencing on March 17. Sisters and brothers joined in wishing him a good trip. Bro. Fowke suitably replied.

At the meeting of the Otago Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union yesterday the following remits from the Milton branch came up for discussion: —“ (1) That the executive take steps to bring pressure to bear on the Government with a view to having Government superannuation limited to £2OO, or, in the alternative, to having it based on the average earnings over the whole of an annuitant’s service, and not on the wages being earned on retirement.” “ (2) That, in view of the large sum the Government has had to pay into the superannuation funds, the executive be asked to approach the Chamber of Commerce with a view to having the funds placed on a more satisfactory basis.” Clause 1 was held over till next meeting, and the proposal in Clause 2 to approach the Chamber of Commerce was agreed to.

Although the regulations under the Weights and Measures Act provide that all spring balances in use within a radius of ten miles of the office of an inspector of weights and measures must be re-verified every six months, and that all weighing machines must be re-verified every 12 months, many shoDkeepers and hawkers are apparently not carrying out their obligations in the matter. At Christchurch yesterday a hawker selling fish and potatoes was charged with being in possession of an unstamped 251 b spring balance. Inspector G. McKesr-ar said that the scales were half a pound out in 141 b. A fine of 10s and costs (7s) was imposed. In discussing the matter with a reporter, Mr A. E. Waite, officer in charge of the Christchurch Office of the Labour Department, stated that although the regulations had prohibited the use of the vertical slide scales since April 1, 1923, there was still a fair number in use.

Mr W. J. Gardner, registrar of marriages in Brentford Union area. England, has retired after 35 years’ service, during which he officiated at 7000 marriages.

You can now cut your car upkeep cost by availing yourself of the new system adopted by G. H. Carson. By this system car owners are protected against overcharges, and more prompt delivery of their car obtained. Electrical equipment repairs are especially catered for, and spare parts for all standard makes supplied promptly at competitive ( prices.—Advt.

Tlie South Chamber of Commerce last night carried a resolution condemning absolute control of dairy produce exports. The resolution was couched in similar terms to that passed by the Dunedin Chamber.

A particularly expensive bonfire was arranged after due negotiation and in full compliance with the statute in Wellington a few days ago, when five large cases crammed with five full hundredweights of debentures, each of the face value of £IOO, went up in smoke in the presence of representatives of the Harbour Board, of the company holding the debentures, and of Hie Audit Department. Under the law as it was prior to last session of Parliament, local bodies could issue debentures of not more than £IOO, consequently when a financial organisation took up a big parcel, and took up more parcels as other loans were floated, the pile of papers grew to most imposing dimensions. The new law allows of the consolidation of debenture holdings into a single debenture taking up no strong room space worth worrying over. This amendment made the bonfire possible, for prior to the application of the match the quarter of a ton of good and ornate printing and many hundred signatures had been replaced by one single sheet, no more ornate, but with much more authority in the sum it mentioned.

Another decline in the price of fat lambs was recorded at the weekly stock sale at Addington yesterday. The decline, which was said to be in sympathy with the lower values in London, amounted to id a lb, and best sorts did not make much over 12d a lb. The offering of store 6lieep was the largest this season. The demand for ewes was good, but lambs reflected the decline in the “fat” market. Store wethers sold at about late rates. The fat slieep sale was on the dull side, and ewes declined by 2s to 3s a head, though wethers showed little alteration. The following sales were made on behalf of Ashburton County vendors : —-Fat Cattle—For L. White (Rakaia), 26 heifers at £4 10s to £7 12s 6d; D. G. Wright (Windermere). 3 cows at £lO 10s to £lO 12s 6d. 3 heifers at £4 17s 6d to £6 os. Fat Sheep—Wethers: For D. H. Clements (Metliven), 62 at 33s 3d. Ewee—For R. D. Miller (Methvcn), 60 at 28s 7d to 35s Id; P. F. Dolan (Rakaia). 187 at 28s lOd to 34s 10d; F. W. Ruddenklau (Metliven), 60 at 29s 2d to 34s od; A. Shepherd (Tinwald), 38 at 28s lOd to 32s 7d; R. Ci’o.v (Chertsey), 60 at 28s 6d to 31s 8d; J. Moore (Ruapuna), 101 at 24s 7d to 31s 7d: G. Dickson (Metliven), 62 at 26s 3d to 29s sd; G. L. L. Richards (Highbank). 33 at 24s lOd to 27s Id; H. L. Mangin (Lyndhurst), 34 at 2os 4d; J. R. Dalton (Methven). 28 at 22s 4d to 24s lOd; D. H. Clements (Methvcn), 11 at 24s 7d.