LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLVI, Issue 10532, 23 October 1925, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Monday being Labour Day, all places of business in Ashburton will be closed, and country mails will be suspended. The big attraction in the County is the Ashburton Gala, and as special train arrangements have been made by the Railway Department, a large influx of country visitors is expected.

At the Magistrate’s Court this morning Francis Henry Reeves, charged with being in possession of an unregistered firearm, was fined os.

While playing at the Allenton School yesterday, Noel Bathurst, son or Mi E. C. Bathurst, fell and dislocated the right wrist, the ligament being torn right off at the joint. The lad underwent an operation, and is reported to be doing satisfactorily this afternoon.

Speech under difficulties could be aptly applied to to-day’s meeting of the High School Board. Throughout the meeting the dull roar of a concre e mixer outside the windows resounded through the Board-room, and at time members could not bo heard speaking. No complaints were uttered, a tribute to members’ keenness not to delay tie work of reconstruction at the sciiool.

The question of arranging for stock demonstrations at the High School was brought up by Mr Brown at the meeting of the Board to-day. Mr Brown said it would be a simple matter to arrange, and would obviate the necessity of the boys going some _ distance to be present at demonstrations. It was decided to communicate with the A. and P. Association with a view to arranging suitable dates for demonstrations.

Little has been heard of late of the proposed new theatre for Ashbui ton, but there is a possibility that something may bo done before very long to improve the present position. It has been proposed that His Majesty s Theatre should be altered te -render it suitable for the accommodation of travelling theatrical companies, and it is understood that plans for this are being considered by the firm controlling the theatre.

The exceptionally mild winter experienced 1 until recently at Stewart Island has evidently induced some of the native birds to nest .very much earlier than usual (says the “Southland News.”) Already eggs in the nests of the little rock-hopper penguins beneath the rata roots have been seen, and a pair of wekas with two. fluffy brown chicks appeared right in the township of Half Moon Bay last wek, an excellent testimony to our genial climate.

A robbery was perpetrated at Te Aroha on Wednesday night, says a Hamilton telegram. The windows of the New Zealand Bacon Company’s premises were broken, and the building entered. The thief got £25 in one sum, besides other money left in the office by the manager for the use of the skin buyer, who made an early departure for the country. The manager’s bowls bag and a stack of letters and other correspondence were also taken, besides some Lodge money.

The Cliristchurch City Council’s loan proposals—£2s,ooo for the erection of an Art Gallery and £12,000 for the enlargement and improvement of the City abattoir —were submitted to the ratepayers yesterday, and both proposals were defeated, the Art Gallery proposal by 1770 votes and the abattoir extension by 233 votes. Of the 18,000 persons qualified to vote, 4000 recorded their votes. The results were:—Art Gallery—For, 1090; against, 2860. Abattoir Extension — lor, 1855: against, 2088.

The outdoor sports at Ashburton tomorrow include cricket and bowling matches. The tennis season will also be officially opened both at the Ashburton and 1 Te Mara© Clubs’ courts. The cricket matches are a continuation of last week’s matches, which were all unfinished. The first of the Pennant matches under the auspices of the Christchurch Bowling Centre .will be played, three teams representing the Ashburton Club playing in Christchurch and three on the local green. The Gun Club hold a shoot on the Ashburton Racecourse.

A Wanganui lady had an embarrassing if not unenviable experience whilst on a visit to Wellington last week (statos the “Herald”). The night was dark and stormy—the sort of night that murderers and thieves choose for their evil deeds, and policemen pace their beats with firmer tread and ears and eyes alert. One guardian of the law who was patrolling an important business thoroughfare saw a young lady drinking from a bottle which was being held for her by her male companion. The policeman tapped the young fellow on the shoulder and informed him that “that sort of thing wasn’t done here.” He grasped the bottle, sniffed, but was doomed to disappointment. The bottle contained a popular brand of cough mixture! The bottle was handed back without a word, and the young man resumed his administration of the medir cine to his fair companion. The young lady states that never again will she relieve her cough in the streets of Wellington, especially in the dark.

An amusing incident tos related by Mr H. J. Farrant, chairman of the Southland Provincial Court Committee, at a recent meeting (reports the ‘‘Southland Times”). A well-wisher from a neighbouring country town, not 100 miles away, secured a beautiful specimen of pig in splendid condition, and decided to offer it for exhibition in the Southland Court. He communicated with Mr Farrant, impressing upon him that it was an unusually large specimen measuring no less than 6ft. in length, and would make an ideal exhibit of the wild pig obtainable in Southland. Mr Farrant decided to accept the offer. He instructed the supplier to have the animal cleaned and forwarded direct to Mr Gibson, Otago Museum, Dunedin, but by a combination of circumstances the animal, only partially cleaned and sewn up again, was delivered by a Dun|edin carter to Mr Gibson’s residence, where the carter, who was in a humorous frame of mind, deposited the precious exhibit on the lawn in front of the house. Imagine the chaos that reigned when this six-foot specimen of a “Captain Cooker” was discovered in a standing (posture inviting all and sundry to “come this way.”

Two French airmen have easily beaten all previous records for a non-stop flight by remaining in the air for over 45 hours. They covered 2750 miles.

.The Housing Committee of the London County Council have arranged for wire guards to bo suirplied with all gas fires in the council’s dwellings.