LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLV, Issue 10384, 1 May 1925, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A Melbourne cablegram states that the wholesale price of flour has been reduced by 5s to £l4 17s 6d per ton.

The vital statistics for the Ashburton registration district for April are: Births 35, deaths 6, marriages 8. 1M iigures for April, 1924, were: Births •28, deaths 15, marriages 13.

The tender of Messrs Millichamp Brothers, at £25 for the planting of about seven acres of trees in the northwest end of the Rangitata section, has Leon accepted by the, Ashburton Acclimatisation Society.

The Marino Department has written to the Ashburton Acclimatisation Society regretting that it cannot withdraw the prosecutions issued against certain local residents for selling salmom without a license, as instructions hud already been given to cany on with the summonses.

At this week's meeting of the Ashburton Acclimatisation Society it was decided to approve of the South Canterbury Society's proposal that a game license issued in one centre and endorsed by the Society secretaries in other ditsricts, should be available m all parts of the South Island.

The finances of the Ashburton Acclimatisation Society are on a sound footing. At present the credit balance is £144 Is 6d. It was stated at the last meeting of the Council that the revenue from the issue of license since 1922 has increased by £llß 10s lOd. During the past year the hut at the Rangitata mouth was re-built at a cost of £2ll 15s 7d.

Six nominations for four vacancies on the Council of the Ashburton Acclimatisation Society have been received. These are Messrs W.H. Robinson, G. H. Hefford, and H P. Arnst, (old members) and Messrs E P. V. Sealy, J. Donn, and L. F. Wood (new members).

The answer to the question, "Do weasels hunt fish like the otter?'' was furnished the other day by a Patea resident in a most convincing manner. He saw a weasel emerge from a small creek with a live eel about 6in. long in its mouth. He tried to capture the animal but it eluded him and ran into a hedge, with the eel still gripped tightly in its mouth.

Usually wild game is open to guns during the open season at all hours ol the day, but this season, which commenced to-day, birds may be shot at tAvo periods of the day only, namely, half an hour before sunrise and halt an hour after sunset. This was pointed out at this week's rreeting of the Ashburton Acclimatisation Society, by the chairman (Mr E. B. Newton), and it was stated that a copy of the regulations accompanied each license issued.

The problem of the ranging of the Rakaia River has. been exercising the minds of the North Canterbury and the Ashburton Acclimatisation Societies and they came to an arrangement whereby both rangers would devote a considerable amount of time to the river. At the last meeting of the Ashburton Society, the chairman (Mr h. B Newton) stated that so tar the northern society's ranger had not put in an appearance. It was decided to ask the Society why the arrangement had not been adhered to.

Excursion bookings on the railways in Canterbury during Easter this year showed a decrease compared with previous Easters, accounted for, as regards the number who travelled, by fewer bookings for short-distance journeys, and as regards revenue by the fact that excursion fares were lower this year The number of bookings this year was 8269, and the revenue £6814, compared with 9364 bookings and a revenue of £8549 last year, and 10,932 and £9337 in 1923.

The net Customs duties collected at Christchurch in April amounted to £92.676 10s Bd, an increase of £24,749 5s lOd compared with April, 1924, but a decrease of £1307 3s 8d compared with March last. Beer duty collected last month totalled £7208 7s 6d, a decrease of £1823 Os 3d compared with April 1924, and a decrease of £ZU)o 6s 9d'compared with March, 1925. Not Customs duties collected for the first four months of the calondar year totalled £377,906 16s Bd, compared with £334,413 2 S Id for the corresponding month in 1924. Beer duty collected tlus year so far amounted to £31,743 15s lid, compared with £36,04!; 8s 3d for the corresponding four months laot year.

It is surely rather surprising that the Sargasso' Sea, which for centuries has stimulated the imagination of romancers, has attracted so little attention from scientific explorers. An American expedition, however, is now starting in order to obtain some more exact knowledge of this strange patch of the Atlantic Ocean. The leader of the party Mr William Beebe, is a New York naturalist who has already had many strange adventures in the jungle of Guiana, on the islands of Galapagos, and among the pheasants of Malaya. When Columbus was marooned for a fortnight in the tangled seaweed of the Sargasso Sea, little could he have foreseen the pattern of the vessel, named the Arcturus, in which Mr Beebe is about to carry out his exploration. L is equipped for dredging and trawling, with a sort of cow-catcher in front to facilitate operations with the net and the harpoon-gun, with a gangway around the outside of the ship, and with a platform that can be lowered from the boom. On this platform o scientific observer, clad in submarine costume, will be able to be let down fifteen or twenty feet below the surface, where he will study V' lc wavs ot the denizens of the sea as calm v *■• though ho were watching birds build their nests. And of course the Arcturus will carry a wireless installation

New Model Chevrolet.—The Chevrolet Motor Co. has put on the market » new model in which the design has been materially altered. The new Chevrolet has enclosed valves, Zenith carburet to • with short induction pipe, enclosed dip clutch, longer wheel base, semi-elliptif rear springs, semi-floating rear axler with banjo housing, grained upholstery black hou'tli, with glass rear light, nickc plated radiator, Duco enamel finish, air straight side tyres. The price remainat the very low fiCTro of £233. G. H Carson", the District Agent, will br pleased to show you one of the new Chevrolet Cars bv appointment. Kin? 'Phone No. 129 to-day.—Advt

For Influenza Colds take Woods' Great Peppermint Cure.

An inspection of the County plantations will be carried out by the County Council on Tuesday. Probate of the will of Mrs Maria Marion Beach, of Ashburton, has been granted to the Public Trustee by the I Supreme Court at Wellington.

No fewer than 125 tons of apples were exported from Hawke's Bay to England' last month. This is more than the total for the whole of last season. The fruit includes all exportable hues.

" I was up at 5 o'clock this morning looking at this property," counsel to a witness in a case in the Court this morning. "It is marvellous what a man will do when he is well paid ! replied the witness, amid laughter.

Counsel was prosecuting a certain line of argument with a witness in the Ashburton Court this morning, and after some cross-examination the witness burst out with: "Ah! 1 see your point now." Counsel smiled and said: "Oh, you see the snake in the grass, do you ?''

The 1925 game season opened this morning, and will continue till the end of July. In the Ashburton district game is reported to be plentiiui, and in the far reaches of the rivers and among the pond* and lakes in the hill country large numbers of birds have congregated, ensuring good sport tor those who take gun and dog to those localities.

The duty parents owed to children was the subject of an address to the Mothers' Union yesterday afternoon by Mrs Ruddock, who presided m the absence of the president (Mrs K. Galbraith). The work of the Union was also dealt with in the address. Mesdames G. Service, and Matthews aLb spoke. The meeting was well attended. An apology was received tor the absence of Mrs C. AC. Hardy, of Christchurch, who is indisposed, and it was decided to forward her a letter of sympathy.

Reference to the condition of St. Stephen's Church was made by the vicar's warden (Mr R. B, Coward) at the annual meeting of parishioners last evening. He said there were very serious cracks in the stonework round some of the windows. Mr &. M. Gabites, an architect, had reported anything but favourably upon the condition of parts of the building Ml Coward suggested that the ArcWicon of the Diocese be written to, asking him to make a personal inspection or send an architect to report. Ihe matter was not discussed further. _^

The official count of the votes cast in the local body elections on Wednesday was continued to-day. Yesterday the Mayoral and Hospital Board votes were counted. In the former Mr K. Galbraith gained 1057 votes instead of 1059 as announced on Wednesday night, and Mr H. R. £. McElrea gained 595 in place of 596 In the Hospital Board election Mr*. W. Watt's lead of 12 was increasedl to 1?, the figures being: Mr Watt 832., Ui place of 830. and Dr. J. R. Wells/ 817 in place of 818. The Power Board votes will occupy the officials to-day, and the council returns will probably take two days.

The annual harvest sale in aid of the funds of the: Methven Parochial District was held yesterday in the Parish Hall. There was a large attendance in the afternoon, and good business was done. The stalls were under the charge of Mesdames U. a.. Pawson, Lloyd, and White (produce), Mesdames Baxter, Bremer, and J. Shearer and Miss Richards (sweets), Mesdames Stanley Smith and Miss Rundle (cakes). Mrs Bland, with a large number of assistants, did exceptionally good business m the tea-rooms, while Messrs J. R. Dalton and W. if. Richards had charge of the sheepguessing competition. In the evening a concert was held, the following contributing items:—Mesdames F. A. Toolev and J. F. Stone, Miss Annie Duff." and Rev. F. A. Tooley (songs), The Methven choir also contributed an item. "The Lone Day Closes," and a <dee by Messrs Heney, Battson. Haden and Rev. Tooley was nicely sung. Mrs A. L. Hibbs and Miss Dulcii Pawson acted a- accompamstes. An auction sale of produce and poultry was held at the close of the concert, Messrs Lloyd and Jones officiating to good effect. The sheep weight-guessing competition was for a prize of a 51b box of tea. Messrs Beaton, R. Dart, and H. McNeill all guessing the correct weight. 901 b. In the draw for the prize Mr Beaton won. Miss Kate Dickie won the two-tier cake donated by Mrs Haden. At the conclusion of the function the vicar, the Rev. F. A.. Tooley, thanked one and all for the generous response, as the funds would probably benefit by about £IOO. He also thanked the many willing workers for their assistance, as well as the donors of produce, etc.