LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLVII, Issue 10807, 30 December 1926, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The weather on the West Coast has been gloriously fine for the last three weeks.

Three eases of diphtheria, one of which, that of a child, proved fatal, have been reported from Windermere district to the County Health Inspector (Mr E. N. Johnson). A building in Cambridge Terrace, Christchurch., occupied by the Canterbury Iron and Hardware Company, was badly damaged by fire shortly before 1 a:m. to-day. The stock also suffered severely (says a Tress Association telegram).

Writing from Gibraltar in the middle of November, Mr Robert Bell 1 says: “In a shop window to-day my eye caught an announcement: * New Zealand butter, 2s per lb.’ ”

Sunday school teachers from all parts of the Dominion are in residence at the Bishop Julius Hostel and Cathedral Grammar School, Christchurch, attending a summer school. About 60 attended the opening function, and it is expected that 100 will be present during the next few days. The school will continue till January 6 (says a Press Association message).

A Wanganui telegram states that the Presbyterian Bible Class Conference is toeing held there this week, nearly 800 delegates from all over New Zealand attending. A boy named Keith Doyle, of Oamaru, who left home to attend the conference, has not arrived, and this is causing consternation in conference circles.

The man whoi was suffering from loss of memory and who walked into the police station at Palmerston North on Sunday morning and inquired what town he was in. definitely established his identity ont Tuesday and was discharged’ from hospital. It is understood that the man previously suffered from loss of memory, which is attributed to the after effects of a tropical illness.

A party of Red Indians from North America, who are at present touring Australia, will be in the Dominion shortly (says an exchange). The Arawa Maoris at Rotorua, sent an invitation to the chief and his party to visit Rotorua as guests of the Arawa people, and word has now been received of the acceptance of the invitation. The visit is being keenly looked forward to by the Arawas.

When a steamer arrived unexpectedly at Terakohe, near Nelson, recently, and heralded her arrival by vigorous blasts on her whistle, it was little thought that the noise would be’ the indirect cause of saving a man’s life. The whistling aroused a. workman, who got up and went to the boat. During his absence a huge stone fell from the hill on to his tent, and buried the bed where he had been sleeping.

Increased duty on imported woollen goods is advocated by the New Zealand Federated Woollen Mills Employees’ Union, which decided at its annual conference in Christchurch yesterday to support the local manufacturers in their action in petitioning Parliament for an increase. It was stated that New Zealand could not, with the present tariff, compete with other countries, especially in the lower grades of goods. An increased 1 tariff would give more employment in this country. '

A Palmerston North telegram states for some time past the Power Boards Association has been endeavouring to obtain legislative authority to allow one Board to lend any surplus funds it may have to another Board temporarily. The Minister of Finance has informed Mr J. Nash, M. P., chairman of the Association, that it is not considered desirable to grant such authority, adding that the proposal would possibly mean granting further powers to the borrowing Board to borrow without consent of the ratepayers, and that difficulty also would he experienced ini raising sufficient cash to meet the demand for repayment when the lending Board required the money.

A Lane, who was the sole representativo of the Ashburton Club in the South Canterbury Bowling Association’s Christmas tournament at Timaru, was the winner of the Timaru Pairs, m partnership with Leslie (Timaru). The Pair defeated Kia Koa (H. y. Berry) in the semi-finals by 17-13. In the final the Ashburton team met and defeated Sydenham (Clark and 7.V„ : 20-17. The play in the final waG 'C T consistent so far as the winners were concerned, though in the early stages it look as though they might he put down. At the 13th head they were four down, but after the 16th )ie<ul Sydenham failed to add to their score, and Ashburton wound up with a trio to the good.

■ More power from: Lake Coleridge will be available in the next few days, when two new generators will operate. As soon as the holidays are over the powerhouse will he subjected to a. steadily increasing demand for power, hut the plant will be able to cope with the most abnormal demand, once the No. t and No. 8 generating units have been put on load. The work in. the No*. 2 tunnel is practically completed, cleaning now being carried out, and it is expected that the intake gate of the new tunnel will be opened again during the coming week-end. Because ot the amount of work required at the new tiinnel, it has not been possible to carry out the intention of making a cross-drive between the two tunnels at the intakes. It will be next December before this operation will be carried out. The new extension work at the power-house itself is practically completed. ~

The Hakatere Snorts Club met last evening, a good attendance of hutholders' being present. 1 Mr Cookson reported that Mr E. P. V. Sealy had donated a silver vase, and it was resolved that it be a prize for a race for married lady anglers and anglers wives. The following committees were appointed in connection with the annual sports on Saturday: —Toys: Messrs (P. Cookson and W. H. Robinson. Sports: Messrs H. Knox (convenor), R. Shearman, H. Anderton, A. Thompson, P. Cookson, J. Dailey, and W. H. Robinson. Grounds: Messrs H. Hyde (convenor), J- Rae, J. Burrows, S. Beauvais, and R. Thomas. Sideshows.: Messrs F. Crum (convenor). J. Burrows, S. Beauvais, and_ J. Rae. Hot Water: Mr F. Thomas. Gates and Checkers: Mr F. Crum. Competitions: .Miss Cates (convenor), Mrs Opie, Misses G. Robinson, H. Crum, F. Hardy, and P. Anderton. It was resolved that Messrs Cates, Robinson, Crum and Anderton report upon the question of a hall, tennis court, or other improvements to the grounds, and that a general meeting of hutholders he held on Saturday. January 8, to 1 decide what should be done. Rugby Prices Reduced. —A reduction in price of Rugby Cars is announced by G. H. Carson, the Local Agent. Rugby Cars are now made in Canada, and the reduction in duty obtained under the preferential tariff is being passed on to buyers. You can now buy a Canadian Rugby Chassis, with N.Z.-built Coach body, for less than £3OO. The Rugby 4-cylinder Tourer with five cord tyres is now £239, and the Rugby Six Tourer £285. De Luxe Models have leather upholstery and bumper bare, ete A Xmas. Box consisting of a Spare Petrol Can and a Set of Kick Plates and Mats is being supplied with each Rugby sold before December 31. Bee G. H. Carson about it to-da^—Advt.

All the huts at Hakatere are nowoccupied, and with the change in the weather the i campers are having a most enjoyable time.

Havelock Street West, which has been in a very bad state of repair for some weeks, has been by the Borough roller and grader, and is now in excellent order.

A very clear record of what will almost sure to prove to be the Albanian earthquakes has been obtained on the seismological instruments at the JJominion Observatory (Wellington). The shocks are shown as lasting °7 ei ! a considerable period of time, and the record gives indications of the long waves having travelled right round the globe. Details in connection with the record have still to be worked out and checked.

A relic of bygone days has come into’the possession of the chief officer of the Dunedin City Fire Brigade in the form of a sword. When a chimney was demolished at the Phoenix factory, where a recent fire occurred, the sword was retrieved from the mass of debris (says an exchange). On the handle is the crest of an English regiment. That portion of the factory which was gutted was formerly the old gaol, and it is surmised that the swbrd was hidden in the old-style chimney.

A photograph in a recent issue of the “Bulletin and Scots [Pictorial/; a ■Glasgow paper, shows the Admiral Codrington, once familiarly known in this'part of the world as the “farmers steamer,” ashore in the Gareloeli at Shandon. No details of the steamer s mishap were cabled to New Zealand, and when the report was referred to Mr W. D. Lysnar, chairman of the •Poverty Bay Farmers’ Meat Company, he stated that ‘nothing had been reported to him concerning the accident. He presumed that the grounding was a minor mishap, and that the vessel was got off without trouble or damage, says the “ Poverty Bay Herald,” as in the event of anything serious happening to the Admiral Codrington Jns company would have been advised immediately. If small repairs _ were necessary as a consequence of the grounding, the insurance, company would doubtless have attended to the matter without reference to the owners in INtew Zealand.

After breakfast in Elephant Gove, Hauraki Gulf, one day last week* the crew of a yacht went ashore, and from the cliff on the west side of the island saw a rare sight (writes a “New Zealand Herald” correspondent). A school of kahawai fully 500 yards long and 30 yards wide worked into the clear water immediately below. It moved exactly as a mob of sheep worked by good dogs. The front was always an eddying curve and for some reason there was no flurry in the water. Most wonderful of all was the sight ’of several huge kingfish, not less than 6ft in length, which swam slowly through the school, the kahawai always making a.; lane for them. There was an occasional splash, but apparently the kingfish were not attacking the school fish. For ail*'hour the men watched the fish, and marvelled at the system and order of the school, which numbered hundreds of thousands. During that time it hardly changed its position. The front moved forward a little and then receded, and to and fro through the clear lanes ~made for them the giant kingfish slowly waggled their way. How much has Nature hidden from man beneath the surface of the sea !