LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 92, 28 January 1928, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The name of William Henry Dalton, of the Ashburton Technical School, was omitted from the list of successful candidates in the Public Service examination. He headed the list of County candidates, being 157th in order of merit for tho- whole iD’ominion.

Now that the Christmas holidays are nearly finished, pupils will be making preparations to return to school.. The primary schools in the County will reopen next week. The Ashburton East. Borough and Allenton schools will commence on Wednesday. The Technical and High School will not re-open till Monday, February 6.

Hearing of tlie case in which A. J. Betts (Mr V. W. Russell) claimed from F. Sumner (Mr G. G. Nidoll), the sum of £7 Is 9d, alleging that defendant bad failed to clear a paddock,, whereby bis mowing machine was damaged, was continued yesterday afternoon in the Magistrate’s Court. Plaintiff claimed that he had been engaged at 8s an hour, but defendant said he had been engaged at 8s an acre. The case was again adjourned till next Court day. j

One hundred years ago to-day on January 28, 1828—French iPass and d’ Urville Island were discovered by d’Urville. The quality of Timaru flounders lias .always beon noted, and tho grounds at Thames may gain a reputation tor the sizo of tliis delicacy (remarks the Ne\v Zealand Herald’’). A flounder caught at Thames measured 194 inches m length. It weihged lbs. An eel weighing 2511 b. was landed from a pool on the Henui River not far below tlie Junction Hoad 13ridge, the other afternoon (says the 1 Taranaki News”). It measured 15in. round tlie girth, and four feet seven inches m length. The premises of Mr R. Lomas, general storekeeper, at Hikurangi, were entered by burglars on Thursday night by means of a back window. About £I.OO worth of goods mostly drapery. There is no qlue to the perpetrators (says a Whangarei message). A rather novel reason for wilfully damaging a Nelson Automobile Association notice board was given iby a youth at the Magistrate’s Court (says the “Mail”). He said that the association should 1 not put their signs so close to the ground, because anyone running along would knock his head on them. That was why he pulled the sign down. The Ashburton bakers’ picnic, which is being held 1 in conjunction with the Christchurch 'bakers, took place at Timaru to-day. About*2oo people from Ashburton journeyed south by two special trains which left at 9.80 a.m. and 10 a.m. respectively. Caroline Bay with its pretty surroundings and splendid beach proved to be the main attraction for the visitors, especially the children. The fine weather enabled many to bathe.

“How like the chalk cliffs of England,” remarked a woman traveller between Wairoa and Gisborne the_ other evening, when from a high point on the road near Wairoa she discerned the cliffs along the south-western edge of the Mahia Peuinsula (says an exchange). The white faces of the foreshore, lit by the late afternoon sun, did resemble strongly a favourite view along tlie Folkestone Leas. To-morrow is the second anniversary of the grass fires that' caused such damage in the Chertsey and Pendarves districts. The fire burned from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., destroying pastures and besides stables, outbuildings and miles’ of fencing. The saddest aspect of all was that Mr William Page, of Ashburton, who was assisting to remove furniture from the threatened dwellings, sustained burns to which he succumbed early next morning. The .12 young men who came from public schools in England a year ago have undergone their 12 months’ training in agriculture at the Ruakura State Experimental Farm and' have been drafted to various fanners to complete their period of training (says the “Auckland Star’s” Hamilton correspondent). On the whole the youths did well at Ruakura, ar.d have adapted themselves readily to Dominion con-; ditions. Tho.se who were in charge of them at the Ruakura School express confidence that they will make good as farmers. *' Only those who dwell in the bush know its daggers during a dry, warm spell, and realise that unlikely yet possible conditions may bring disaster (remarks the “Auckland Star”). A resident of Ohakune whose toil keeps him much in the forest is yet in touch by telephone with his township home, where his wife and family are under instructions that, on receipt of a message over the wire, they are to pack up at once. The husband knows the forest, and realises the possibility that in a gale, fire may sweep over the little settlement that hugs the rail halfway between Auckland and Wellington.

Through the generosity of private citizens the Advance Ashburton Association has. been able tot plant annuals in several small reserves in the borough. Where Victoria Street crosses Peter Street there is at present a most attractive display of flowers, the multi-coloured patch drawing the attention of passers-by. At the juncture c.f Peter, Vctoria and William Streets there is a second but much smaller display. while a third is at the corner, of Victoria and Wills Streets. Long grass on the road side near these reserves has detracted from them somewhat, but the attentions of the Council staff have been directed in that locality in the last few days, and the roadsides are being cleared of grass.

“Hello, Maud !” When Mr E. Boyd, Ellerslie, visits the lions’ den at the Auckland Zoo and makes that remark, the big lioness immediately raises her head and smirks in the way that lionesses have when they meet an acquaintance (says the Auckland “Star”). Three of the animals in the den at the zoo were trained by Mr Boyd during the period of the private zoo at Onehunga; they have long memories, and never forget an old friend. When he passes along and says: “Hello, Kitty,” another lioness immediately springs to attention with a pleased look, and to the call of “Hello, Tommy!” one of the best specimens of the lion exhibit in the zoo begins to show animated interest. All the lions recognise Mr Boyd’s voice, and take little notice if greeted in the same way by other visitors. Incidentally, Maud, Kitty, and Tbmmy all appreciate the ample accommodation they now ha ye compared with their previous life in more cramped quarters.

A special, branch of the dead letter office work is dealing with wrappers that have come loose from their contents (says the Auckland “Herald”). In every case where it s possible the wrapper is sent on .to the addresses so that he may have ah opportunity of identifying the handwriting of the sender and ascertaining the contents. A complete written record is kept of every stray racket of the value of a penny upwards, and 1 these notes often help in the ultimate restoration of the article to its owner. The patience of the officials engaged on this work seems, inexhaustible, and by long experience they become exceedingly expert m unravelling mysteries that the layman would promptly abandon as hopeless. In addition to their other work they have to face a constant series of anxious inquiries from people in search of some postal packet ■which they believe has gone astray. There is eloquent testimony to the efficiency of the postal service in the brief record that during the last postal vear the actual losses amounted to only .0009 per cent., or nine in a million of the total number of articles. In the previous year the figure was 13 in a million.

A Wellington telegram states that a young farmer, Francis John Douglas, of Hawke’s Bay, was fined £25 and prohibited from driving for twelve months, for being intoxicated while in charge of a motor-car. To be imprisoned in the uncomfortably warm metal telephone kiosk outside the Post Office, was the annoying experience of a visitor froni airfield, who had been using the telephone yesterday afternoon. For nearly five minutes the prisoner, bathed in perspiration, wrestled witli the door, attracting amusement but not assistance from passing pedestrians. Eventually, a young lady member of the telephone exchange staff passed by, and, realising the position, brought another member of the staff, who, with a sharp wrench, succeeded in opening the door.