LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 49, Issue 66, 28 December 1928, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Ashburton County representative cricket team, accompanied by Mr F. Pritchard, as manager, left by the early train this morning en route for Greymouth. where it will play against the West Coast team to-morrow and on Monday. Mr A. H. Todd also accompanied! the team.

An Auckland telegram states that owing to the rain the New Zealand lawn tennis championships were postponed till one o'clock. (Play is unlikely to-day.

The loss of a Christmas dinner through, thieves rifling meat-safes and hencoops is a common occurrence, but a resident of Allenton had an experience of the reverse order on Christmas morning. He was awakened by the cackling of a goose on the lawn. No one has claimed the bird.

The early harvesting has been delay- | cd by the wet weather, but in some 1 districts toward the coast a few paddocks of oats have already been cut. Several farmers with largo crops have decided to harvest their grain b.v> contract, and one Ashburton labour agent has arranged for men to inspect and carry out the work.

The value of buildings for which erection permits were issued in Hamilton in the year just closing is less than last year's figure by nearly one-half. The new structures represented a total value of £35,000, against £60,175 the previous year. They compare badly (says an exchange) with the boom years, when in one twelve-monthly period the figures topped the £250,000 mark.

The construction of the railway to the: Waitaki dam site is now completed, and the railway is in use (reports the Waimate "Daily Advertiser"). It is now possible to walk across the bridge which is being erected near the dam for constructional purposes,' and a new road has been formed along the hill to replace the one on the flat which will be immersed when the dam is in operation.

Many curious eyes were turned toward two portmanteaux on the platform of the Ashburton rajiwav station this morning after the arrival of the first express from Christchurch. One of the bags was so covered in labels, bearing the names of towns and cities in different parts of the world, that it was difficult to see the leather. The other bag, which was comparatively new, was also liberally adorned with "stickers."

Large numbers of sheep are at present on the road between Gisborne and Morere, bound for Hawke's Bay, while mobs of cattle are also engaged in the trek southwards (says a northern exchange). Long road journeys northwards will be commenced by large mobs of sheep after the holiday traffic is off the roads, these lots being bound mostly for the Waikato, while at the same time large consignments i will continue to go to Hawke's Bay.

Casual labourers in search of harvest work have begun to come into Ashburton., and already several have arrived from the North Island. There is little demand for their services yet, however, as harvesting is still in the early stage, and many of the farmers help each other, thus minimising the necessity for outside labour. There is a good demand for blade shearers but the shortage of them is still acute. Tractor drivers are also in demand, but there are not many about, despite the good wages offering. Apparently the men are content to wait until harvesting has become more developed.

A full realisation of the advantages that will be derived from electrification of the Port line was gained by tEe Passengers on the "ferry train from ivttelton yesterday morning, when a defect caused the engine of the train to stop. Although the engine could not be persuaded to move a yard nearer the City after the breakdown, it was as efficient as ever in the reverso gear, so the train was shunted back to Lyttelton. another engine was attached, and this time the section was negotiated without mishap. The delay amounted to less than half an hour.

Popular acceptance of the superstition regarding the number 13 will be disturbed by a curious coincidence that occurred at a recent meeting of the Northern Building Society (says the "New Zealand Herald"). The thirteenth group was included in the list of appropriations by ballot, and the winning number was 13—this being the cluster number representing four shares. As there were about 500 numbers in the ballot, the coincidence was no doubt due to chance, capable of mathematical calculation rather than to temporary aberration of the occult influences that are supposed to influences that are supposed to prejudice the number 13.

A touch of humour was imparted to the proceedings at a recent bankruptcy meeting in Auckland, when, debtor, a Dalmatian, was asked the name of his native town (says the Auckland "Star"). It turned out to be a place called Vrgorc. As may be imagined, such a word is easier written than said. The pronunciation completely baffled the meeting, but it presented no difficulties to the native. As noar as can be indicated, the sound is "virjoik," but it is a real pronunciation puzzle to those who know not the Dalmatian language. The problem was solved by the Official Assignee's typiste. who got the letters safelv on paper. Vrgoro is almost worthy to rank with that unpronounceable war time classic, the Russian town of Phzemysl, generally rendered as "schmitzel" —or sounds to that effect.

Interesting stories of many strange parts of the earth are told by Mr J. A. Bond, artist and traveller, who is at present visiting Wanganui (says the Chronicle.") Before coming to New Zealand, Mr Bond spent about 12 months in Northern Queensland, Where he journeyed into many out-of-the-way places in search of material for his brash. He was camped for four or five' months in the bush about 150 miles past Cairns, studying the remarkable scenery. At Mai ay town one day, he was walking near the mangrove gwamps fringing the shore, when he noticed a curious-looking object moving about in the mud. On investigation he found it to be a fish, which Avas actually walking about among the tree roots on its fins. Had it not been for the softness of the mud, which impeded his progress, he considers ho could have captured, it. He learned later that it was called the "walking fish," and was found only in that part of the world.

When buying an Agricultural Drill, price should be the last consideration; evenness of discharge the first. In this important quality our Star Drill is unique; the only drill to meet the requirements of the Agricultural Department for experimental plot sowing. For that purpose, a drill which will only "put it somewhere in the paddock" is useless.—P. and D. Duncan Limited, Ashburton, and Tuam Street, Ohristchuroh. — Adtt.

The annual picnic of the Fairfield Freezing Works will be held at Timaru on Saturday, February 16. The Fairton and Dromore schools will hold their annual picnic in conjunction with it.

The reliability of evidence given by defendants who are charged with being in charge of motor vehicles while in a state of intoxication was questioned by Mr J. H. Salmon, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court at Wellington yesterday. "I have come to the conclusion in this class of case," said Mr Salmon, "that the evidence of defendants as to the number of drinks they have had is thoroughly unreliable. The defendant ie deposing to something that lie knows the prosecution cannot contradict, and he takes full advantage of it. The only reliable evidence the Court has of his condition is that given by reliable witnesses."

Speaking at the St. Andrew's Society's concert at Invercargill recently, Chieftain W. Ronald referred to a journey made, by several members of the society to visit the Gore Highland Society (tays a southern exchange). When the visitors arrived at the hall where they were to be entertained they entered a cold ante-room, and as the fireplace was filled with straw and wood one member of the party applied a match with a somewhat startling result. A member of the Gore Society dashed into the room exclaiming: "Who lit that fire? The whisky is hidden in there!" The speaker concluded by saying that he was then convinced that the Gore Highland Society contained a great many very promising firemen.

A notable visitor to the forthcoming conference of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association will be Dr. Sampson Handley, an eminent London surgeon, who is one of the leading authorities on the subject of cancer. He is professor of surgery and pathology of the Royal College oi Surgeons at Home, and is chief surgeon of the Middlesex Hospital. Mr Victor Bonny's recent visit to New Zealand has been of value in linking the medical profession in the Dominion with that in England. It is probable (states the "New Zealand Medical Journal") that Sir Berkeley Moynihan, another of the leading surgeons of Great Britain, will pay a visit to New Zealand before long.

To shear 600 sheep, have the wool transported 25 miles by road and loaded on to a vessel due to sail the same day is no mean feat, but this was accomplished recently (says the "Poverty Bay Herald"). Delayed by wet weather, Mr Vincent Barker desired to have the wool from the sheep on the Pukeakura Station landed in London in time for the January sale, and the Port Darwin was the last boat from Gisborne that would suit his purpose. With perfect weather, six shearers set to work full of determination to have the job accomplished to enable loading to proceed during the day. As soon as the wool came from the sheep it was classed, pressed, baled, and loaded on to lorries. Arriving at the Gisborne Sheepfarmers F.M. and M. Co.'s store at about 1.30 p.m., the 30 bales which comprised the clip were lightered out to the ship and were safely below tre hatches of the Port Darwin by nightfall. The vessel sailed shortly after midnight for Napier.

In an article in the journal of the New Zealand Institute of Architects a correspondent, F. E. Greenish, says:— "The attention of the executive has been called to the desirability of the architect's consideration of the claims of British goods to preference when specifying or selecting materials and fittings for buildings, and in consequence it has directed that the matter be brought to tlio notice of members. There is no doubt that our profession, though generally well disposed in this direction, can do much to assist in what is both an altruistio and an economic movement, and we can no doubt do more than we are doing. In general, our members respond very well to the appeal of New Zealandmade goods, and, given good quality and reasonable, price, them is no doubt that such poods should have first preference; the next preference should certainly bo in response to the call 'Specify British Goods.' To do so is not merely to aid in that reciprocity of trade which makes for the stable balance of exports over imports, but is a recognition of the debt which the young nation owes to the Mother Country."

An example of the hardly understandable Jack of feeling; and affection which allows some people to go away on holiday without making; proper provision for the feeding and care of their domestic pets, and in some cases to vacate a house for good and leave behind a dog or cat as readily as rubbish, is given in a recent copy of "The Waikato Times." Its owners, moving to another part of the borough, a. bearded collie over ten years old and in the first stages of blindness was left entirely without food or shelter. For days the old (log crouched away from the blazing sun in the long grass of a vacant section near the place where, in the past, he had been fairly treated. As his eyesight failed he could not scavange 'for food and it was not until a friendly neighbour discovered his plight after some weeks had run that the blind animal enjoyed a bed and a. regular meal. The dog comes of good stock, and a few years ago would have been worth well over £2O. As the dog is registered, says "The Times," the borough registrar has no power to take its life, but it is possible that its former masters may be found and brought to realise their responsibilities to a "dumb (and blind) companion.

The lot of a school teacher—or at least a secondary school teacher—is no bed' of roses, to judge from the remarks of the headmaster of the Mount Albert Grammar School, Mr F. W. Gamble, in hie annual report at the schools prize-giving ceremony. "At times it is apparent that not only the general public, but also the very department, from whom a full understanding might b<» expected, fails to realise the exacting nature, of the tasks of secondary school teachers," said Mr Gamble. The headmaster devoted a large part of his report to this question, and paid tribute to the loyalty and energy of his own staff. He had too clear a recollection of his own service as an assistant, ho said, and too great an appreciation of _the work done by the staff of his school, not to challenge the belief that in our secondary schools the lot of a teacher is an easy and privileged one. An average case of a master's work was investigated, and the time spent by him at work which it was definitely his duty to carry out amounted to 52 hours weekly, averaged over a term, and this left out of reckoning time given up bv him in directions where no actual responsibility rested. Forty-eieht hours a week is a perfectly reasonable estimate of what any assistant master must do in the way'of regular work.

There was a shortage of threshing mills in the Ash burton County to cope with the demands of a bumper harvest last season, and many farmers had to wait a considerable time, being consequently late in getting their grain on the market. This season owners are on the qui yive. Several have already had their plants overhauled, so that there may be no delay from, the outset. Eleven rooms in the staff quarters at St. Mary's Home, Otahuhu, were thoroughly ransacked by thieves between 9 and 10 o'clock on Wednesday evening, and about £ls in money was stolen. The largest individual loss was £l2, belonging to a nurse. At the time the nurses were entertaining the inmates in a room at the Tear of the institution, and entrance to the nurses quarters by way of the French windows would have been an easy matter. Drawers were turned out, and there was evidence of a thorough search in every compartment. Jewellery was left untouched.