LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLVII, Issue 10826, 22 January 1927, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tlie first of the outdoor-grown tomatoes have made their appearance in tlie fruit shops of Christchurch. The unsettled weather has had its effect on them, hut they are a good cooking tomato. Good crops are coming on. The present supply is sell in" at 6d a lb. On hoard the Patch IV -which will arrive in,.Auckland pext F„ridav, is a party of farm youtlps,. coniine to the Dominion under the Salvation Army Immigration. Department. This will make over 400 who have come uiit under the Salvation Army hovs’ farm scheme during the last two years. Recently a Mount Eden (Auckland) resident installed a radio set,, and though dissatisfied with the standard of entertainment broadcasted from Auckland station, he says lie has received his money’s worth in the salvation of a much-prized peach, tree. This was badly affected with leaf curl, but after installation of the copper wire aerial overhead it began to improve immensely, and is how quite rtself again. The man referred to dissented most emphatically from the suggestion that perhaps the tree had benefited from IYA programmes, pinnimr lus faith in the efficacy of copper as a cure for parasitical diseases of jilatits. His confidence in this respect vs borne out bv the experiences of a resident of Greenlane, who declares that bo has effected a complete cure in the case of tomato plants badly affected with blight by sticking copper tacks in the stems. And wliv mot ” lie asks. "Is not sulphate of copper used as a spray for plant diseases ?**

A meeting of creditors of Thomas Johnston Kennedy, salesman, of Waimate, and formerly of Ashburton, who lias been adjudged bankrupt, will be held in the Deputy-Official Assignee’s (Mr J. B. Christian) rooms next Tliurs-1 day afternoon. A. Greymouth telegram states that a large air compressor and an eightinch Cameron pump at the State Mine have been dismantled and sent to the Dobson Mine for the purpose of unwatering the mine, which will be commenced as early as possible. The unemployment whiph lias been so rife in Christchurch during the last week or two has eased considerably. This morning there was a good demand for men on tlie waterfront, and a firm of coal merchants also took a number of men. For nine years a girl pupil of the Hornby School, Ina McDonald, lias walked to school and back to her home daily without a break, the distance being three miles. In appreciation of the remarkably regular attendance of this pupil the Canterbury Education Board decided yesterday to send her a framed certificate. Next Saturday the Christchurch grocers will hold their annual picnic in the Ashburton Domain. Two trains ; will cpnvey excursionists. This is one of the most enjoyable outings of the year, and is generally taken advantage of by a large number of people. The Ashburton Domain is one of the most beautiful in Canterbury, says the ‘‘Lyttelton Times.” " We arp leaving the whole question to the farmers,” was the reply of Mr F. R. Corson, manager of Distributors Ltd., when a Christchurch reporter asked him yesterday whether the flourmillers could prove specific cases of dumping. ." The price of flour ; affects wheat, and 1 both the millets and the farmers, hut. that’s the. stand the millers are taking.” f , On the principle that it is no use locking the stable door after the steed is stolen, the Mayor (Mr R. Galbraith) purposes calling a meeting of representatives of the. Borough and County Councils and the St.' joint Ambulance Brigade , to discuss, as a purely precautionary measure, ' the preliminary position in regard to organisation in the event of influenza breaking out in this district. James Pullar, of Dunedin, aged 45, was charged at the Magistrate’s Court to-day, before Mr . .G. W. Andrews, J.R., with behaving in it' ; disttfderly manner while drunk on the Ashburton railway station. Constable O’Grady, for the police, said that accused was arrested yesterday morning by Constable- Hessell. Accused, who pleaded guilty, wa.4 fined’- £2, In default three days’ imprisonment. Mr J. Hamilton, of Rakaia, who was admitted to the County Hospital on Wednesday suffering from serious injuries to his head us a result of- the accidental discharge oT a pea-rifle, is still in a serious: condition, There being little change to report. The injured man is believed to -have- come from Wanganui recently, but his next-of-kin are not yet kin Own to the hospital authorities. The ten per cent, penalty will be added to £570 4s Id of the current year’s rates struck by tlie Ashburton Borough Council, this amount being outstanding of a total of £10,939 6s 6d. Last year the amount outstanding on the same date was £405 2s sd, £10,024 0s 9d beiSg collected of a total rate of £10,429 3s 2d. At yesterday’s meeting of the Canterbury Education Board a renort was presented by Messrs Armitage and Hughes on tlieir inquiry into the cause of the fire bv which the- school residence at Chertsey was destroyed by fire on 16. Ime report was adopted, and it was resolved that a copy should be -sent to the Department, accompanied by an application for a grant for tlie replacement of the residence. 1 The overseas trade of New Zealand, judging from tlie Customs returns for exports from the Dominion for the month of December, 1926. were £3.631,698. and for the year 1926 £45.275,575, says a Wellington Press Association telegram. For tlie month of December, 1925. they were £4,613,488, and for the year 1925 £55,262,272. Imports into New Zealand for the month of December, 1926. were £4.288.096. and for the year 1926 £49,789.563. For the month of Deceml>er, 1925, t-hev were £4.641,751, and for the year 1925 £52,456,407.

An unenviable experience befell George Muir, a 14-vear-old Hastings liov, last Sunday night. Together with bis parents and two other boys, be set out for Cape Kidnappers on Sunday morning, but at Clifton the boys changed’ into their swimming costumes, leaving tlieir clothes with the parents, and in this dress they continued tlieir journey- They arrived at the Garnets., and when tlie other boys started tn return young Muir remained behind to watch some photographers, saving lie I’ould return over the bills Inter on. The lad started on his return later. U<P eonipletelv lost his way and wandered through the hills, clad only in his bathing costume, states an exchange. He snent the nigM- in a gully by a stream, and protected himself as much as bo conk/ from the cold hv means of grass and scrub. At dawn lie found bis wav to the beach, and by 6 o’clock 1 ■-> bad reached Clifton, where lie was met by bis Father, who bad spent the night there. The bov seemed in a dazed condition, and could give po account of how he received a bruise oil the back p.fjiis bend, which.i it..is thought, must be the result of a fall. Hf* lias, however, practically recovered from his experience. Improved Truck Design.—(-Motor truck users have often asked why a dual high speed gear was not provided. On level roads where faster speed could be safely employed it has been necessary to race the engine. This is unpleasant to the driver and decidedly uneconomical to the machine. The Durant Motors, Ltd., makers of Locomobile Flint and Rugby Cars, have produced a 25-30 cwt. 6-cylinder speed truck with 4 speeds (twin high gears), which is .capable of from 3 to 50 miles per hour/with load. It climbs bills with ease, and will carry 25cwt, wherever a car can travel. On a 10,000 mile trip with load the Rugby Six Truck averaged 18 m.p.g. on petrol. The price £385 will ensure ready sales for this high grade Canadian production. Frill particulars obtainable from G. H. Carson, District Agent, Tailored Street. —Advt. ‘ Charges in nursing homes in the West End of London may be as much as 30 guineas a week, with all sorts of extras.