LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLVI, Issue 10670, 15 February 1926, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Asliburton Hospital Board has r&ceived from Sir Maui Pomare, late Minister of Health, a letter expressing thanks for the motion appreciative of his services, carried at its last meeting.

The wheat-growing possibilities of Maronan Estate are well known, and if the crop to he seen along the Main Road is as good as it looks, it should show an excellent return when threshed out. Part of the crop is now in stook, and looks clean, and the ears are well filled. •

A license to ride a motor-cycle issued by the Ashburton County authorities in March last has been returned to the Council from Melbourne. It was picked up in Royal Park, Parkville, Victoria, and mailed to the police, who, when the owner did not claim it, returned it to Ashburton.

The Aiiama district picnic was held at Timaru on Saturday. Residents, had made an early start, and motored by car and 'bus to Caroline Bay, arriving there about 10 o'clock. A pleasant day was.spent by the the usual games and sports being indulged . m, with a dip in the briny to finish off.

The potholes and bumps of the business section of East Street to-day received the attention of the Borough Council workmen, who tore up the bad portions of the surface.- Should approval be given at the meeting of the Council to-night, the bitumen remaining from the work in Burnett Street will be used in repairing the road.

An offer to kill rooks at Is 6d each was not accepted bv the Hawke's Bay Countv Council. "It's, better than sheep-farming," said one member. " Does he also collect on the birds poisoned by farmers ?" The chairman remarked that he would if he found them first.

About 20 members of the Washington Lodge (1.0.0. F., ' Christchureh) will visit the Hakatere Lodge next week-end. A business meeting will be held on Saturday evening, followed by a social in the Tancred Street Hall. On Sunday the visitors will be taken over the Longbeach Estate, returning to Christchureh in the evening.

The Hakatere Lodge's opening dance of the season, held on Saturday evenin"- was very well attended, the hall biniig crowded. Music for the dance was supplied by Mrs Mitchell's orchestra, extras being played by Mr J. Childs and Misses M. Rook and Laffey.

Matters in connection with the forthcoming carnival for the Boxing Association, Miniature Rifle and Defence Rifle Clubs, formed the subject of a round-table talk attended by the promotors on Saturday evening. Mr H. R, C. McElrea presided. It was decided to hold a meeting of- all members and supporters of- the Iwdies concerned on Wednesday, when the whole matter will be gone into. A

Campers at Peel Forest state that there was an exceptionally heavy hailstorm there on Friday afternoon. Foliage and berries were cut off trees and bushes, and 24 hours later large heaps of hailstones could still be seen in sheltered spots. The storm kept to the hills, as reports from the Peel Forest township state that heavy ram only fell there.

An aged Maori, a victim of blindness, had a narrow escape when his whare in the Tikitiki district was burned recently (says the Poverty Bay Herald last week). A passerby discovered the outbreak, and knowing that Rihara Mauheni, a blind man, popularly known as "Stephen," occupied the house, took" the precaution of approaching the door. Stephen was sitting in the whare unconscious of his danger, and the visitor barely had time to lead him into the open air out of harm's way.

It may be that milkers of cows in Taranaki have by their skill made a reputation for themselves, in other provinces, and that their training in this province is a hallmark and a recommendation to employers. Certain it is that the ploughmen of Canterbury, which is regarded as the home ef the teamster, have earned a good reputation in the North Island. According to a New Plymouth labour agent, ploughmen from Canterbury are given preference by Taranaki employers when they seek work behind the horses.

Quinnat salmon are commencing tQ run freely in the Rangitata, and several were secured during the weekend. The fish, however, are said to be keeping in mid-stream, and only stragglers are being caught. Two, weighing 151 b and 15Jlb respectively, were caught by Mr W. Timms over the week-end, whiles several trout were also caught. The first quinnat of the season was hooked by Mr E. Millichamp last Thursdav, when a 10-pounder was landed. A 'big elephant fish . was caught yesterday by Mr G. Thomson.

" I lost about £250 of the money at the races," was the frank admission made bv a bankrupt at a meeting of creditors at Auckland. " A relative or mine had a horse and it did not turn out the 'good thing' we expected. "Well, you are very frank about it, anyway f" commented one of the creditors, while a ripple of amusement passed round the room. "It is lovely to hear an admission like that. 1 noree," said the official assignee, Mr Fisher. "Most of the men who come here have never seen a racecourse in their lives, and have never invested more than five shillings."

The Methven and Rakaia hospitals were visited on Saturday afternoon by the following members of the Ashburton Hospital Board : —Messrs W, T. Lill (chairman), F. W. Watt (chairman of the Hospital Committee), W. Bryant, A. T. Lilley, and C. Hardy. Dr. H. S. Billcliff (medical superintendent of the County Hospital) was also present. The object of the visit was to obtain first-hand information as to the requirements of the two institutions prior to the framing of the estimates for the coming financial year, and several matters that were brought up will be reported upon to the full Board at its next meeting.

California's Response.—California is a wonderful motoring country. The people there know a good ear as well as anyone. Recent sales prove the popularity of Hudson, Essex, and Chevrolet Cars. During September last, Hudson - Essex sales numbered 3158 and Chevrolet sales 2718. If you intend purchasing a new car, you should insist on a trial spin in a Hudson, Essex or Chevrolet.—G H, Carson, the local agent will gladly arrange for a demonstration. Make arrangements today.—(Adrt.)

Two cases of diphtheria, the first for a week, were reported from the County to-day. On© patient is at Fairfield, and the other resides in Allenton.

The Ashburton Power Board only! lost one pole in the recent ChertseyPendarves grass fires," reported the chairmani (Mr J. Cow) at the meeting of the Board to-day.

At the Supreme Court, Christchurch, to-day, James Symonds was fined £2O, in default three months' imprisonment, for assaulting a newspaper runner.

The Tinwald School re-opened for 1926 to-day, after having been closed an extra two weeks on account of the recent cases, of diphtheria from that suburb.

"Farmers will have to go back to the 'kidneys out,' " said Mr J. Cow at the morning tea session of the Power Board to-day, when general topics of interest were being discussed. "One penny a iamb is often being lost to the farmers, at Home, through the kidney fat being left in."

,In the Christchureh Magistrate's Court this morning, a woman whose name was suppressed, was charged with fraudulently destroying a ballot paper at the electoral office for Avon. In evidence the woman said she made a mistake in casting her vote. She tore up the ballot paper, and refused to give it up. Further hearing was adjourned to have certain points cleared up, says a Press Association message.

A portion of the Main South Road just north of Hinds is still undergoing re-forming, and motorists' on . the through trip would be well-advised to take the Maronan Road. The part of the road in the contractor's hands is in a very rough and soft state, and after the rain of last week, ears, and more especially motor-lorries, found it most difficult to negotiate. Apart from this, the Main Road via Hinds is in better condition than the Maronan Road, and is practically free from potholes. •

While the greater part of the wheat threshed in the Wakanui district in the past ten days has been rejected by merchants, owing to it being badly conditioned, through being threshed too early, in one crop threshed at Mitcham last week, only one bag in every 600 was classed as second grade. This crop averaged 34 bushels to the acre, and it is reported that this will be about the average for the district. The wheat generally is of a very good sample, and will thresh out much better than, would appear at a passing glance. Farmers in the Mitcham district also state that the grass seed so far threshed is the best for y r ears.

The report from the Lake Coleridge power station for the week ended February 7, shows that the maximum load at the Power Station is gradually increasing. For some weeks the maximum has been in excess of the nominal generating capacity of , the plant, but has not exceeded its estimated overload capacity. During the week under review the peak load was 13,760 k.w. (recorded between 11 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. on the sth) compared with 13,110 k..w. for the previous week. In January and February last year the maximum load ranged from 10,160 k.w. to 10.690 k.w." The lake level, during the week was at 1670.5 ft (previous week, 1670.72 ft); and the average inflow from the Harper River was'3o cusecs (previous week, 35 cusecs). \

A reception to the American athletes will be held in the Boroiurh Council Chambers to-morrow at 10.15 when the public are cordially invited to be present.—Advt.