LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 84, 19 January 1928, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The maximum load at Lake Coleridge power station for the week ended Sunday was 17,140 k.w. (previous week 15.440 ltiw.) and was recorded between 11 30 am. and noon on Wednesday, January! 11. The lake level was at 1665 65ft. (previous week 1666.10 ft.); and the average flow from the Harper River was 3 cusecs, the same as the previous week.

Many people are prejudiced against the “blue kidney” potato, but it has a strong advocate in one Oamaru reside t, who, on digging liis week-end supplies the other day, wes elated with the yields under most of the shaws, one plant yielding 101 b which is an unusually high average, and one rarely exceeded (says the “North Otago Times”). -Moreover, there were no “smalls,” the potatoes being all of god size.

It is reported that one of the largest drafts of fat lambs recorded im the \V airarapa in recent years came off Mr J. D McDougall’s station, Lower Valley, recently, when 3800 prime lambs were lifted (states the “Age”). Five thousand ewes were turned out with Southdown rams this season, and, in addition to the above mentioned draft of fats, 2000 store lambs were sold off the station.

The Ashburton “Mail” of 50 years ago contained the following para-graph-.—Railway Extension. —A meeting of persons interested in the extension of the railway from South Rakaia to Alford Forest was held at the former place yesterday afternoon, when a report Bumbitted by the committee of the proposed company was adopted. The meeting pledged itself to support the directors to the utmost in the speedy carrying out of their project.

In reference to the 69 cases ot scarlet fever in the infectious diseases hospital at Bottle Lake ' (Christchurch) it is stated' that most of the sufferers from the disease are children. The malady has been increasing in and near Christchurch for a few months.' Thirty-two cases were reported to the Medical Officex.of Health from Canterbury during the week ended Monday. This time last year there were only 30 patients suffering from different diseases in the infectious diseases hospital; to-day there are 80, including 69 scarlet fever patients. Of the 80 patients, 27 are children. The nursing staff at Bottle-Lake has been increased to cope with the position.

The following sales were made »on account of County clients at the Addington stock market yesterday:—J. C. Lockhead (Rakaia), 22 wethers at 28s 10s to 31s 4d • R, Jamieson (Dromore), 57 wethers at 26s 7d to 27s lOd; Somerton Estate (Rakaia), 42s ewes at 23s Id to 30s 4d; S. G. Holmes (Mitcham), 63 ewes at 25s Id to 28s Id; C. Sergent (Dorie), 27 ewes at 22s 4d to 27s 7d; J. F. Langley (Rakaia), 110 ewes at 18s 4d to 26s 7d; J.‘ C. Lockhead (Rakaia), 12 ewes at 23s lOd to 24s 7d : D. McKendry (Lyndhurst), 128 ewes at 17s Id to 20s lOd; W. Hood (Chertsey), 67 lambs at 32s Id to 34s lOd • James Gromie (Rakaia), 18 lambs at 30s lOd to 32s Id.

A former In.vercargill resident now in the Federated Malay States Mr S. Chapman, established a record recently in constructing nontoons 160 feet jjy 54 feet and eight feet six inches m depth in the short space of four months, the contract time being six months (says the “Southland Times”). The pontoons themselves weighed 400 tons, and when the machinery had been placed in position 1000 tons. The greater part of the material used was manufactured in Holland. The plant is to be used in connection, with the dredging operations of the Malayan Consolidated Tin Dredging Company, with headquarters at Chemar, Perat.

Recognised as the best authority in New Zealand on the life and works of Robert Burns, the Hon. James Craigie, M.L.C., of Timaru, has consented to give a lecture at the Burns’ night banquet to he held in the Orange Hall by the Ashburton Scottish Society on Saturday evening. The 169th anniversary of the birth of Burns falls on January 25, but prior engagements prevented Mr Craigie lecturing here on any date other than Saturday. It is 14 years since he last spoke in Ashburton, and' his address is being keenly looked forward to. An appropriate musical programme has been arranged.

“During the whole time I have lived in the district,” remarked an old North Otago settler to an “Otago Daily Times” representative, “I have never seen things on the farm looking better than now. Generally at tliig time of the year the country has a parcher appearance, but to-day it is beautifully green. The crops are ~a picture to look upon, and the yield per acre should he well up to that of last year. In some cases the crops have been flattened bv the heavy rain*.but they are beginning to come up again, and a north-wester would put them right. ‘Take all’ has made its appearance, but it is in patches, and is not likely to do a serious amount of damage. I expect the coming harvest to ho one of the best we have seen in North Otago.”

When William Small was passing a pond at Little River he saw a wild duck, and disregarding the fact that it had a brood of dhcklings, he stopped his car and shot the duck. He appeared in the Magistrate’s Court (Christchurch) yesterday before 'Mr Lawry. S.M., charged with killing native game during the close season. A ranger said lie was returning from Little River when he saw a car on the road in front of him. Presently the car stopped, a man fired a shot from it, and then drove on. Witness saw a duck lying dead on the water of a pond, so he went after Small and caught him. Small admitted having shot the duck. When witness went back to the pond, there “were seven young' ones swimming round the dead duck. “This is a very serious offence,” said Mr Gresson, who prosecuted on behalf ofjtlie Acclimatisation Society. “This man deliberately shot a cluck on the water, knowing that it had young ones with it. It was an unsportsmanlike action. Last year Small was fined £5 for shooting without a. license, but it does not seem to have done him much good.” The Magistrate: “He is a fine of £lO and £1 for each bird. In view of the previous conviction, he will be fined £lO and costs,”

Owing to on© or two examiners delaying the return of papers the Matriculation Examination results will not be available for a week (says a Wellington telegram).

The Auckland swimming team to take part in the Dominion championships at Dunedin passed through Ashburton this morning on the first express. Mr Edenborough, who has long been associated with swimming in Auckland is manager of the team.

The ambitious project to establish a 12-storied hotel in the centre of Auckland, involving a capital at £2IK),OGO, has collapsed owing to' the failure of the promoters to obtain capital from Australia when appealed 1 to, when local subscriptions proved insufficient. The owners now propose to subdivide the site for sale.

The gardeners of the Domain have, for a short period, become farmers, being engaged in haymaking. There is a large quantity to be collected from the Oval and the top grounds. There then remains the stacking to be done, so it will be some time before the gardeners return to their usual occupations.

Now that the new Arapuni lake is gradually taking shape, it is becoming quite evident to' even the casual observer that this sheet of water, whiqh will extend for some 18 miles up-stream, is destined to become one of the greatest sporting centres in the Dominion (says the “Auckland Sun.”)-. Lake Taupe is almost as broad as it is long and is thus affected by every wind that blows to the hindrance and annoyance of fishermen, but the new Arapuni lake, being landlocked; will be free from such •disabilities.

“Two years ago I was told that there was no chance of England taking her allocation of 42 per cent., of Nauru phosphate,” stated Mr J. H. Absolum to members of the Hawke’s Bay A. and P. Society the other day. “Now we see it stated in the cable messages,” he continued, “that Mr Baldwin is considering whether the Old Country should take its quota. New Zealand and Australia ard now using all the phosphate they can get, and if we lose this 42 per cent, the price of phosphate is going to rise again. Cannot we make some move to get the whole of the Nauru quota, because we want it?” The meeting decided to write the Department of Agriculture urging it to take some steps in the matter.

Half a ton of dynamite, or even a hundredweight, would end Auckland’s present water shortage (says an exchange). This is the assertion of a German geologist, at present visiting Auckland, who lias seen dynamite used to produce rain many times in Germany. “It would cost £3OO or £4OO to do it, but apparently it would be worth it,” he remarked. “You pack the dynamite and send it up in a balloon with a time fuse. In half an hour it will go up anything from 14,000 to 20,000 feet. It would be a particularly good place to try it over the Waitakeres. The force of an explosion will probably have an effect 20 miles either way, but it never does any damage, the force going upwards. Under present cloudy conditions, I should think two hundredweight of explosives would give rain to fill the dams.” .

To achieve a production of 3401 b of butter-fat per cow in a herd of over 40 animals is an enviable thing. It has been accomplished by a. Taranaki farmer through exceptionally heavy topdressing and careful testing and culling (states an exchange). Reckoning butterfat at Is 6d per lb, these cows have averaged over £25 per cow for a season. This farmer’s position is all the more to be envied when it is remembered that even if butter-fat were to fall to only Is per lb his cows would return him £l7 per cow and would! still show a good profit . over maintenance costs, which are generally reckoned to be between £l2 and £l3 per cow. On a 90-acre farm he has wintered .40 cows, a bull, 18 calves, three horses, and 50 grown sheep. Supplementary crops have been grown for the milking cows, and ensilage has been made each season. In effect the farm is top-dressed three times every two year's, owing to the system! in vogue. The land is fair average Taranaki country, and the herd is comprised of Jerseys, the replacements being made from the heifers of the best producers. The results which have been obtained on this farm could be got by any progressive farmer using the same methods.