LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 81, 16 January 1928, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It is seldom that a public body meets and has no outside correspondence to deal with, but such a position prevailed at the meeting of the Ashburton Power Board this morning.

A total of 850 lambs, or 93 per cent. of the season's production has been dispatched from the Ruakura■ State Farm (states an exchange). The management has consigned the lambs to England.

Twenty-eight Boy Scouts and Wolf Cubs of" St. Stephen's troon under Scouter and Mrs L. H. Arnst and Mr H McElrea left by mofor-lorry on Saturday afternoon for a week's camp at Hakatere. The boys, who ace accommodated in ten tents, will spend the week in scouting and sporting activities.

Numerous dead trout were seen floating down the Waikato River the other day states an exchange). No angling has been done in the river from Arapuni downstream since the water flowed over the spillway on January 1, and it is believed that the foreign substances brought down by the erosion in the Waiteti channel have kdled most of the fish in the river.

Fishing during the week-end was again disappointing in all three rivers, iiakatere, m particular, through the agency of a strong east wind was unproductive. For the same reason the Rakaia was poor. Fishermen at the Rangitata were a little more successful, one 341 b salmon being landed, but conditions were, nevertheless, far below the average.

The fine weather on Friday was especially good for the stripping of grass-seed (says the "Guardian s Chertsey correspondent). One farmer who found he was in urgent need of an extra hand hastened to overtake a man on the road and offered him Is 9d an hour to sieve the* seed. This requires no special skill, but the man refused the work, saying he was .looking for gardening.

In the absence of the Rev. .B. B. Tinsley, who is on holiday, services at the Baring Square Methodist Church -yesterday were conducted by the Rev. F. T. Read, of Christchurch. At the evening service the choir, under Mr H. Watts" sang the anthem, "Sun of My Soul." A quartette, "Evening Prayer," was given by Messrs H. Clerho, E. R. Hopwood, and J. and W. Corbett.

For many years the cow that" was most popular in North Otago for dairying purposes was the Ayrshire, which combined milking qualities with a robust constitution (states the "Times ). The claims of this'breed are now disputed by the Holstein Friesian (better known as the "black and white") and the Jersey, both- of the latter have strong supporters in the district, and milking strains of all breeds have this season been in good request.

The latest bowling story that is going the rounds concerns some lady players who were spending the afternoon on a certain green in Invercargill (says the "Times"). To the consternation of one newly initiated but en thusiastic lady player she sent down a bowl which, instead of rolling neatly down the green to the kity, turned off and finished up two rinks away. "What was wrong with that?" she in recently remarked. "Oh," was the reply, "the bias was on the wrong side." I must take it down to-morrow and get it fixed," said the aggrieved lady.

A fire which burned right to the clay almost completely destroyed the vegetation of the most western of the three islets at the foot of £he Paritufcu on a recent morning (states the "Taranaki Herald"). The extent of the damage was noticed from a harbour launch cruising in the vicinity. The island was of interest not only because of the native flora, which was of a rare type, but on account of the remain? there of a Maori pa. At one time there were notices warning visitors of the danger of firing the vegetation, for which there is a heavy penalty.

An Auckland telegram spates that the prediction of southern boot and shoe manufacturing and retail houses that there will be'at least, an increase of 10 per cent, in the price of boots and shoes at the end of tin's month is shared by those interested in the trade in Auckland. "There will be an increase of at least 10 per cent.," said the head of a large manufacturing and retail concern. "This is being brought about by a world shortage of leather, although it is very difficult to understand why there'should be a shortage."

A fair-sized kitten in the Eketahuna district, which in various ways, seems to possess more than ordinary intelligence, has commenced to retrieve small birds which are shot with an orchard gun while raidinir small fruit (says the "Express"). It does not seem in the least disconcerted by the noise of the explosion of the gun. An older cat of the same family will round up fowls m the garden, at the word of command, much "an the same way as a dog rounds up sheep. Both, are keen small bird hunters on their own account.

The long spell of dry weather experienced in Waihi has made it necessary to confine the use of water from the town supply to domestic purposes only and consumers have been warned to exercise the strictest economy to avoid further restrictions and possibly rationing (states an exchange). While the position is not such as to cause immediate alarm, it will become serious unless the warning is heeded and the weather breaks during the next few weeks.

The Ashburton "Mail" of 50 years ago contained the following item: Ashburton and Rakaia Water Sup«lv.—An important public meeting for the consideration of a scheme for irrigating the plains of the Ashburton and Rakaia districts was held vesterday afternoon at South Rakaia. It was decided that a committee be formed to wait upon the Counfv Council and reouest them to initiate' the scheme, such committee to consist of Messrs E. S. Coster. James Wood, Passmore. H. T. Winter, B. Laurie, N. McLean, D. Middleton, J. Mann and Maugham.

When the Conciliation Council met at Christchurch this morning to hear the tramwav workers' dispute, the assessors for "the. Tramway Board declared that the Board would not give any increase in wafies. The representative of the union contended that motormen.and conductors were not beine; adequately paid for the strain placed upon them. Mr William Hayward said that eranlovers in New Zealand had gone to the limit. Thev could not give away farthings. The assessors for the Board offered 'a renewal of the old award (says a Press Association message).

To slip "on a banana skin and .break her right arm was unfortunate experience of Mrs A. Burr, an elderly lady residing in Cox Street, on Friday evening, as she was walking in East Street.

Light rain fell at Methven on Saturday morning .and although the weather cleared later the day was overcast. All snorts were postponed. A i air number of residents attended the Ashburton Racing Club's meeting, and moat of these participated in the dividends paid by the winners of the trotting events, both horses having been trained in the Methven district*