LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLVII, Issue 10808, 31 December 1926, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The "Ashburton Guardian" will not be published to-morrow (New Year's Day).

The Selwyn River was unfordable yesterday on the Main South Road, also at Hororata.

The well-known Auckland bowler who expired yesterday on the Porakai bowling .green, Helehsville, was Mr George Thomas Ox'ley, aged 62, otf Heme Bay, formerly of Northcote, of which he was town clerk, retiring in 1919 (says a Press Association telegram).

A Press Association telegram states that Keith Doyle, of Oamaru, the boy whose non-appearance in Wanganui for the Presbyterian Bible Class Conference, for which he left home early in the week, caused some anxiety, has been found to be staying with friends in Wellington.

A Napier,telegram states that Mr J. H. Coleman, one of the oldest settlers in Napier and Hawke's Bay, has made a gift of £SOOO to the Hawke's Bapi Hospital Board, to commemorate his fiftieth summer residence in Napier, ajid his 68th in Hawke's Bay. The purpose of the gift is to erect a new ward of the Napier Hospital. It carries a Government subsidy of pound for pound.

At the South Canterbury Caledonian Society's annual meeting to be held at Timaru tot-morrow and on Monday, F. S. David and E. J. MeEachen, both of Ashburtofrt, will run off back marks. In* the 440 yjards amateur handicap David is on 15 yards, and MeEachen 20, the scratch man being C. L. Ridgen, of Christclmrch. MeEachen is on scratch in the 880 yards amateur handicap, with N. Cartwright on 50 yards, five yards off the limit. In the 100 yards amateur handicap Ridgen is on scratch, David i a yard, and M. Farrell 4i yards, the limit being 9 yards.

The name of an habitual criminal was suppressed by order of Messrs P. L. Davies and H. F. Herbert, J.P.'s presiding in the Police Court at Christchurch yesterday. He was charged with theft of a gramophone at Palmerston North. The Chief Detective, in asking for a remand, said accused admitted the theft, but as he was an habitual criminal it was not in the power of the Justices to deal with him. He said a request had been made for suppression of the man's name, because his mother was ill.

Gas meters, apart from their bad reputation for veracity, are accepted as one of the concomitants of existence, which one may use and abuse at will (states the "Auckland Star"). Whether they be slot or account meters the same .thing applies, the only difference being that the visit of the meter reader in the one case means an account and in the other a discount. These gentlemen, no matter how courteous they may be, are rarely! treated as welcome visitors. It therefore came as a surprise to one the other morning to be treated as a friend of the family. "They said they were so glad to see me, and had been waiting for me,' said the collector. It turned out that the lady of the house had been saving up a gold sovereign for Christmas extras, and for safe keeping has made a bank of the slot gas meter. The approach of Christmas made it desirable to "draw on the bank," and until the arrival of the collector this had been problematical. When the bank paid out its hoarded deposit the collector was regarded in the same friendly light as the "tote" clerk who pays out a handsome "divvy" after race.

Prices Reduced. —A reduction in price of Rugby Cars is announced by G H. Carson, the Local Agent. R.ughy 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 Rucby Chassis, with N.Z.-built Coach body, for less than £3OO. Tho 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 bars, etc. A Xmas. Box consisting of a Spare Petrol Can and a Set of Rick Plates and Mats is being supplied with each Rugby sold before December 31. See G. H. Carson about it to-day,—Advfc.

GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP Practically all the Professional Goiters taking part in the New Zealand Tournament knew the value of <J-loj as a cooling skin emollient, and as a soothing embrocant for tired feet or stiff muscles.—Advt.

A Sydney cablegram states that all the city daily newspapers have increased their price to lid. This is the outcome of the imposition of the tax on newspapers.

Almost a week of continued wet wear ther at Mayfield was ended on Thursday. The sowing of turnip® and rape has been delayed, while shearing is progressing very slowly. There is an abundance of feed everywhere, but lambs not doing well owing to the wet nature of the feed.

The fortnightly meeting of the Loyal Mayfield Lodge, M.U., 1.0.0. F., was held in. the hall on Wednesday evening the N.G. (Bro. J. Sewell) presiding over a large attendance. Sick pay and distress amounting to £lO were passed for payment. The sentiments of the evening were given by Bros. J. Addis and J. Winchester. Fraternal greetings were received from Loyal Methven, Ashburton, and Blackball Lodges, and the Grand Master.

An unusual sight in these modern J days of quick communication by flying 1 locomotives and speeding automobiles was to be seen in Waipukurau on Monday, says "The Daily Telegraph." Plying for hire from the town to the racecourse was an open drag of the approved pattern of a decade back, drawn by three sturdy horses, schooled in the aft of the perfect trot that delights the lover of "horse flesh. Amidst a stream of care making to the "ground the wagonette made a> peculiar and unusual blending of the present and the past.

A case of interest to sheepowners and shearers is reported from a Poverty Bay station where shearing operations were in progress (states the "Poverty Bay Herald"). A Maori shearer, who was said to be a rough clipper, was warned by the owner, before he began, to exercise care in his handling/of the sheep Later the Maori cut a sheep badly in the brisket, and when the owner came along he found the sheep covered in blood and at its last breath. On questioning the Maori the latter said that he did not think the sheep was badly cut, but the owner maintained that the shearer would have to pay for the sheep's value, and docked £l, the price paid for the sheep, from the Maori's wages. The shearer appealed to the secretary of the Shearers' Union, who contended that: the sheepmani would have to return the £1 deducted, and that his remedy at the time was to discharge the shearer for carelessness. To this the owner replied that had he done so, and thereby been a man short, he would have been unable to cut out his shed until the following day. He has appealed to the Farmers' Union, which has decided to refer the matter to the Sheepowners Federation with, a view to contesting the case.

The inmates of the Old Men's Home wish to thank the undermentioned for their generosity towards their Christmas Cheer:—Hon.. W. Nosworthy, Mrs E B. Newton, Hyman Marks Trustees, The Empty Stocking Fund, Messrs P., W., and A. Walker, Mrs Wells, Mrs J ; Stephenson, Mrs S. Ross, 'Anonymous and 'W.O/TJJ.,' "Guardian "list, Mr E. C. Rawnsley, W. Patching Ltd., Mr H. Addis, Strange and ta., Ltd., John Orr/and Co., Ltd., Mr William Dixon, W. H. Collins and Co., Ltd., New Zealand Breweries Ltd. Barretts Ltd. Mr W. J. Moore, MrT. P. Barber. Collected' by Dr. J. Connor.—Advt.