LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLV, Issue 10354, 20 March 1925, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Ashburton Old Boys’ Football Club has asked Mr R. H. Loy to represent it on the Ashburton Rugby Union.

“Whoever gets the greatest air force in the future will be the ‘ cocky ’ nation in the next war,” said Colonel R. Young at the annual banquet to soldiers last evening.

If New Zealanders were in Bolshevik Russia they would begin to appreciate the freedom they enjoyed in their own country, said Mr G. W. Andrews, when speaking last night of the laxity shown on the nart of people eligible to vote upon the weekly-holiday question. Mr Andrews was averse to appealing to people to vote, for, he said, those who did not vote did not deserve the privilege.

That the Allenton Sports Club’s new grounds in Cavendish Road were now ready for ploughing was reported to a general meeting last night. The president of the club (Mr D. A. Morgan) presided over about 20 members. The committee reported that Mr A. W. Buxton’s report on the laying out of the grounds had not yet been received. Working bees had cleared the area- of weeds." It recommended that the ground be laid out, and that the extra piece of land under offer be not purchased at present. Subscriptions and donations were coming in freely. The report was adopted, together with a set of rules for the club. The matter of club colours was held over.

“The production of wheat has become a very vexed question,” said Mr R. M. Morten, retiring president of the Canterbury A. and P. Association, at the annual meeting last evening. The cost of production had reached extreme limits, and unless it was reduced there would appear to be no other remedy, from the wheatgrowers’ noint of view, than the imposition of an import tax, to an extent necessary to adequately protect the wheatgrower. The necessity for the extension of scientific farming knowledge was evident, and it was quite possible that with such an extension farmers might see their way to increase their yields, while at the same time reducing their overhead costs of production.

At the annual meeting of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association last evening Mr J. D. Hall moved: “That the matter of allowing halfbreds, which are the progeny of two registered flocks of different breeds, one of which must be a merino, to be entered in the ram fairs, be referred to the incoming committee with a recommendation to convene a snecial meeting of the association if necessary or desired by the necessary number of members.” Mr George Gould moved as an amendment: “ That the present rule be rescinded and that in its nlace a rule be substituted that no rams other than those from registered flocks be admitted to the fairs, other than first-class rams, the last progeny of registered merinos and registered Lincolns or Leicesters, the property of one owner.” The amendment was carried.

The holding of the weekly halfholiday on Saturday has a deleterious effect on the proper observance of the Sabbath, said Mr H. M. Jones at last night’s meeting in support of Thursday. There was a moral aspect of the question, he said. When people took their pleasure on Saturday afternoons it often meant their being away from the town for the week-end. There was a tendency to make the holiday extend over Sunday as well, which was not the proper way to keep the Sabbath. When any individual, community, or nation neglected to observe Sunday as a day of rest, demoralisation surely followed. This was as true to-day as it had been in the past. Only three out of every ten young men in this country, he said, attended church services, while only 40 per cent, of the children went to Sunday schools.

Tlie importance of maintaining the j highest possible quality in the exnorts | of frozen meat from tlie Dominion was j emphasised by Mr R. M. Morten, the I retiring president of the Canterbury A. and P. Association, in his address !at the annual meeting. Mr Mort°n I said he realised there were great diffiI cultieo' in regard to the matter at prej sent. “Tlie foundation of our halfbred ! lamb industry,” he said, “was undoubtedly our back-country merino flocks, and these hare become practically extinct owing to the shortsighted policy adopted by successive Governments in cutting up our backcountry into unsuitable areas, and allowing men with insufficient capital and practically no back-countrv experience to take up these reduced back-country areas, and who have allowed their country to become overrun with rabbits, and are attempting to graze a ouite unsuitable class _ of sheep. I have no hesitation in saving that the result of this _ short-sighted policy has been reflected in the lowered quality of our exports of meat from Canterbury.”

The annual exhibition of the Canterbury Art Society was officially opened in the Art Gatlery last evening. In, declaring the exhibition open the president, Mr Robert Bell, said that of 600 pictures submitted, 459 had been accepted and hung. The outstanding feature was the large number of portraits. The quality of the exhibits as a whole, so far as his judgment in matters of art was concerned, was well up to the standard of former years. Regarding the important question of the erection of a new permanent gallery, which had been before the society for the past few years, he was pleased to be able to report that a very generous offer had been made by Mr James Jamieson to bequeath his fine collection of pictures, antique furniture, and other articles of vertu to the society, conditionally on its being housed in a new gallery, to oe erected in the Domain within a reasonable time—say. three to four years—the collection in the meantime to be placed in Canterbury Museum. The Domain Board had granted a site in the public gardens adjoining the museum, and it behoved members to get busy and comply with the conditions, and thus secure this splendid offer. >

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 ear obtained. Electrical equipment repairs are especially catered for, and spare parts for all standard makes supplied promptly at prices. —Advt.

A party of Geraldine anglers had good luck at Lake Clearwater* recently. They obtained 16 fish, running from 41b to 51b. The fish were m good condition, and provided good sport for the day.

It is announced to-day that the Ashburton Trades’ picnic to Timaru, which was to have been held on March 7, and was postponed on account of the prevailing epidemic, has been cancelled.

Two quinnat salmon, about 151 b each, were landed from the north side of the Rangitata- yesterday. Three good-sized salmon were hooked the previous day, but were not landed. The rivers are reported to be in better form than at any time for this year. Good sport is anticipated at the weekend.

A destructive fire occurred on the farm of Mr Henry Tobeck, Tai Tapu, early on Thursday morning. Six stacks of wheat, between 40 and 50 bags of peas, and 40 bags of chaff, \yere destroyed. There is no indication as to the origin of the fire, but it is significant that all 6ix stacks were in full blaze at the same time. They were not covered by insurance.

In the Dundas Mackenzie case, at Auckland yesterday, counsel addressed the Court. Mr Meredith commented on the refusal of Dr. Mackenzie to maKe tests. The Judge said that all over the world scientists were trying to discover the cause of cancer, and if there was any cure there was opportunity for the test. Judgment was reserved.

There appears to be a strong probability that Mr J. McCombs, Labour M..P. for the Lyttelton seat, will have as his Reform opponent at the next general election Mr W. R. Carey, a Christchurch business man, who has interests in the electorate. Mr Carey has not yet decided finally to be a candidate, but it is considered likely he will consent to nomination.

“ When the men were going to the front we cheered and made lots of fine promises,” said Mr Ferriman at the soldiers’ banquet last evening, “and this is only one way of showing our appreciation of what they did for us. So long as there is a limbless soldier in our midst these banquets will not stop.” This declaration was received with cheers.

The commercial value of pigeons was demonstrated in the county yesterday. A farmer in the Pendarves district, whose house is not connected by telephone, sent a couple of pigeons with a lorry-load of produce to a West Street firm. Tied to one of the pigeon’s logs was a. business, note requiring an answer. Instructions were given to reply in the same way.» This was done, and the pigeons returned home ivith the desired information in a very short time.

The Hinds Football Club tendered a social to Mr A. Beatty, who is leaving the district. Mr Donkin, in making the presentation of a case of pipes, referred to the valuable assistance Mr Beatty had rendered to the club, ■'specially in conveying the teams and in supplying music for socials. Mr Chisnall also spoke. Dancing was kept up to music gratuitously supplied by local residents. Mr T. Hurley acted as M.C.

There was a short sitting of the Ashburton Magistrate’s Court this morning, the list of cases for hearing being a very small one. Judgment for plaintiff by~ default was given in the case of G. Struthers (Mr R. Kennedy) v. John Rennie, claim £9 7s 5d costs £3 16s. On a charge of allowing stock to wander, E. E. Hepburn w*as fined 10s and costs. E. J. O’Brien was fined a similar amount for riding a cycle at night without a light.

Shrieks of laughter followed Colonel R. Young’s query at last evening’s banquet whether anyone present had been torpedoed. When the laughter died down, the Colonel declared that his question was not intended to be humorous. Mr F. Z. D. Ferriman then held up a finger to indicate that there was one perjon present who had been torpedoed, but his accompanying remarks were drowned in fresh laughter, and the soldier speaker capped the situation by declaring that “ Mr Ferriman had been torpedoed.”

“ I suppose the council must take the bad with the good,” said Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., this morning when he withdrew a case against F. Bull on a charge of allowing a horse to wander, and granted defendant 10s costs. Defendant stated that the horse in question was not his 1 . The Borough Inspector went to his house, told him that a horse of. his was at large, and drove off without waiting to see if the horse really was defendant’s. The Inspector (Mr J. R. Richardson) said he had no witnesses, and the Magistrate thereupon allowed the charge to be withdrawn, granting defendant costs, which he asked for.

The fortnightly meeting of the Pride of Wakanui Lodge, 1.0.G.T., was held in the schoolroom on Tuesday evening. , Bro. R. Leadley presided over a good attendance. _ A vote of sympathy was passed to Sister .McLean iii her illness. Owing to the infantile paralysis epidemic it was decided not to hold the Easter picnic this year. Bro. Corbett reported having attended the No-license rally in Ashburton The harmbny for the evening was hattrimming and drawing. After the lodge was closed supper was handed round.

The Agricultural Commission concluded its Christchurch sitting yesterday. Mr J. C. Stephens, solicitor, of Dunedin, representing the Council of Otago University, strongly advocated raising the status of Lincoln College, in order that full and efficient teaching in agriculture might be given to students. As a remedy'in the system at Lincoln College, in order that it might bo raised to the same standard as other universities, he recommended that a four-years’ course be established, and that students should remain at Lincoln College for the whole four years.

Several anecdotes were included in a speech made at last evening’s banquet in Ashburton by Colonel R. Young, who kept the gathering in merry mood. He was worked up to a dramatic utterance at one time, and fell from grace in the eyes of the ladies present. He was relating how sonm Australian soldiers were torpedoed and one soldier went to his officer and said, “ Well, sir. I have never learnt to swim, hut this looks like a good chance to learn !” As soon a°> the laughter broke forth the soldie 1saw the blunder, and he literally “ paled beneath his tan.” When he could get a hearing, he said that lie intended to say “ blooming.”

A croquet match between the Ashburton and Rangiora croquet clubs is. in progress on tne Ashburton Domain greens. The match will be continued to-morrow.

The Waikino School tragedy was recalled at a meeting of the Auckland Education Board by the receipt of advice from the Education Department as to recognition by the Governmentof the devotion to duty displayed by Mr R. T. Reid, then head master, in defending the scholars. The letter stated that the Cabinet had approved a payment to Mr Reid of a special grant of £2OO.

The sports programme for to-morrow will include a cricket match between the Ashburton Club and the Rest of the County, a second grade game between the Ashburton County and South Canterbury, at Temuka; the final day’s play of the county tennis competitions; and the continuation of the two-days’ croquet match between Ashburton and Rangiora, at Ashburton.

At the request of the Ashburton Borough School Committee the Gay Galateers will give an entertainment in the Theatre Royal on Wednesday evening in aid of the Borough School bath funds. The programme is a revision of that presented last week by the company, and a good evening s entertainment is promised. The amusing sketch, “ The Bathroom Door, which created so much merriment last week, will again be a feature. The cause is a good one, and should appeal to everyone.

What has amounted to disgust has been expressed by the All Black footbailers with regard to the manner in. which their matches were reported by the English newspapers. Mr K. Stewart, the South Canterbury representative in the team, who. passed through Ashburton this morning, said that most of what was written amounted to “ atrocious piffle.” ‘ The papers in Neiv Zealand,’ he said, “ have it all over the Home papers. The stuff they wrote after the games, was aivful. Perhaps it suits the intelligence of their readers, but it didn’t suit us.”

At the Canterbury ram fair the keenest competition was for Southdowns, which sold at from 10 guineas to 27i guineas. A large entry of Corriedales also sold freely, the top price being 17 guineas. Halfbreds made up to 17 1 guineas, Shropshires. to 14 guineas, Romneys to 11 guineas, Ryelands to 7 guineas, and English Leicesters to 14i guineas. A penning of 3154 English Leicesters mot ivith S Tactically a complete clearance. Mr '. M. Young, of Winchester, topped the market in English Leicesters at 14-i guineas. This is the fourth year in succession that rams entered at the Christchurch fair by .this popular breeder have won this distinction.

The Loyai Ashburton Lodge, M.U., 1.0.0. F., met last evening. N.G. Bro. G. Ede presided over a good attendance. Two candidates were' initiated and five proposals for membership ■were* received. The balance-sheet for theDistrict Conference to be held in April was received, and Brothers Garrard, Childs, Phelps, Pritchard, and Donaldson were elected delegates. Bro. E. H. Childs will bo the lodge’s representative at the meeting of United Friendly Societies’ Committee. Final arrangements were made for the visit to Addington Lodge. Nine members were reported on the 6ick fund, and sick pay amounting to £ll 6s 8d was passed for payment. The social committee reported that fortnightly socials had been arranged.

The Grand Lodge, 1.0.0. F. of New Zealand, which is meeting at Wliangarrei, elected the following officers: Grand Master, Bro. D F. Cooper; Deputy Grand Master, Bm. W. Simmons-/ Grand Warden, Bro. D. F. Smillie; Grand Secretary, Bro. t. Williamson; Grand Treasurer. Bro. L Deans Ritchie; Past Grand Master, Bro. W. J. Hooper; Grand Trustees, Bros. TCemnitz. D. Miller, and J. MePeak: repreentatives to Grand T.odo-p. of Bros. Cooper, Hooper. C. J. Talbot. A. Valentine, Simmons, and G. Adams: alternate representative, Bro. Smillie. _ The Grand Lodge endorsed the action of tlie District D.G M. in discouraging the use of alcoholic liquors at gathering whe-g the r.ame of the Order is used, and recommended the strict observance of the Sovereign Grand Lodge’s Law. It was resolved that the presentation of a jewel now granted to each member who proposed ten new members be issued only after pavment of six months’ contributions.