LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 124, 7 March 1930, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

“Honey is scarce and we cannot get enough of it to supply our customers. Tlier appear to be all asking for it on that account,” remarked 1 a Wanganui grocer the other day.

At a brief sitting of the Ashburton Magistrate’s Court this morning,; before Mr W. H. Rundle, J.P., and Mr E. F. Nieoll, J.P., judgment for plaintiff bv default was gi.ven in the case of E. C. Bathurst v. J. 11. Bates, £33 2s 7d, and £1 12s costs.

Unpleasant conditions to-day were responsible for the postponement of the annual swimming sports of the boys of the Ashburton Technical School. This is the second occasion this week that this meeting lias been postponed owing to bad weathdr.

A satisfactory decrease in the number of cases of infectious diseases during February was reported to the Ashburton County Council by the Health Inspector (Mr E. N. Johnson) to-day. Six cases were reported as follow: — Scarlet fever: Springburn two. Hinds one : ( tuberculosis. Fairton and Hinds one each ; pneumonia, Ealing one.

Some time ago Mr J. F. Walker, of Columbus, Ohio, visited New Zealand for the purpose of inquiring into sheep farming conditions on behalf of the United States Government. Speaking recently at a convention 'of wool growers, Mr Walker said: “The New Zealand sheep farmer is the most progressive in the world, and certainly knows what he is doing.”

A sale offtakes and produce, in aid of the funds’ of the Ashburton branch of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, was held in a marquee at the corner of East and Burnett Streets today. Despite unpleasant weather a fair sale resulted. The stalls were in' charge of Mesdames Weir. Thornton, Tulloeh and Bennett and Miss Watson.

The question of hospital policy, with special reference to medical staffing of public hospitals, is being discussed at a conference convened by the Minister of Health (says a Wellington telegram). The Director-General of Health (Dr. Valintine) presided. At the opening the Hon. A. J. Stallworthy said it was the first conference of the kind to be held in the Dominion, and was really the fruition of a desire expressed by both the Hospital Boards Association and the British Medical Association.

“I paid a visit on Wednesday,” said Mr It. Irwin, of Wanganui, a retired schoolmaster,’ to an “Otago Daily Times” reporter, “to Bracken’s tomb in North-East Valiev Cemetery. I noticed lately in “John o’ London’s Weekly’ that his burial place was given elsewhere—not Dunedin, and also •» an earlier volume of this well-known journal that “Not Understood’ was on ithe unknown authors’ list. I was pleased to find two verses of the poem inscribed on the tombstone. I should like to draw the attention of the ‘powers that be’ to the fact that the monument is sinking on one side and has already broken the concrete edging of the grave. I was delighted to learn that Bracken’s last resting place was in this beautiful, well-kept cemetery.”

The Gazette notifies that summertime ends at 2 a.m. oil Sunday, March 16 (says a Wellington Press Association message). * The Empire farmers arrived at Palmerston North on Wednesday evening, and were accorded a civic welcome. Yesterday morning the inspected the Massey College before leaving for Woodville. Fifteen motor driver’s licenses were issued by the County Traffic Inspectoi (Mr E. N. Johnson), making a total of 2856 for the motoring year. Eighteen motorists were caught speeding ou the traffic bridge and action lias been taken against them. A delay of half-an-hour in the arrival of the first express from Cluistchurcli this morning occurred as the result cf engine trouble experienced near Rakaia. The engine from the Methven branch line was summoned and brought the express and disabled engine to Ashburton, where the engine was replaced. The train pulled out ol the station at about 10-45 o clock. A gift of £IOOO has been made by Mr S. Hooper, of New Plymouth, for the foundation of a bursary for Now Plymouth or other Taranaki boys at the Catholic seminary at Mosgiel. It is to be known as the Hooper busary. This is the second time Mr Hooper has made a generous gift to his Church. Some years agb he gave £IOOO towaicl the establishment, of St Josephs School New Plymouth.

In a group on Saturday afternoon recalling unusual occurrences, the following story was told (says the Southland Times”). A resident pf Wyndham while travelling in South Africa lost his attache case. A year later, when in Invercargill, he happened to to the railway station and took lus bag from a man who came ott the train. There was no opposition to his demand for the return of his bag, which lie recognised by the initials and otliei details.

Mr J. Mac Gibbon (manager of the Christchurch branch of the Bank of New Zealand) announced at a meeting of the Council of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce last evening that the Associated Banks have decided not to close oil Tuesday in Easter that is, April 22. That day is a special bank holiday, not a statutary holiday. For that reason, it is optional for the banks to close or remain open. The banks will be open on Tuesday, April 22, Thursday, April 24, and Saturday, April 26. Danger to motorists on County roads through intersections being obscured by large bushes, was mentioned at the County Council meeting to-day. It was reported that the Inspector had taken steps to improve several corners, and it was decided that he he instructed to continue with the work as quickly as possible It was also decided that the members of each Riding submit to the Council a list of the corners needing attention.

A Murchison telegram states that consequent upon the earthquake, extensive emanations of natural inflammable gases were discovered during the week by Mr John A. Spencer, (petroleum engineer) and All' C. BCressey in the centre of the township of Murchison. Samples were collected for analysis, it being believed from the nature of the flame that the gas contains othane, which is a component of petroleum gas. The emanations art* within easy reach of the upheaval in whioh several lives were lost.

Visitors to the . Stratford side of Mount Egmont on Sunday were astounded, reports the “Taranaki News,” to see a youth from England laboriouslyl pushing a bicycle up the track. When questioned by other climbers he replied in a bfoad accent that he proposed to convev the bicycle to the top so as to ride down* to the Mount Egmont Hostel and so on to New Plymouth. Despite most discouraging replies he persevered until the Manganui Gorge was reached. There, after careful investigations, he decided to leave the machine and continue his climb, on foot, recovering it again on his way down'.

The executive of the Napier branch of the Returned Soldiers’ Association last evening resolved:—“That this executive impresses the headquarters of the Mew Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association with the necessity, in the interests of those vitally affected, of taking steps to urge the Government to release for immediate publication the report of the Commission of Inquiry set up to investigate the question of the rehabilitation of ex-service-men in New Zealand.” The order of reference required the Commission to report by February 10. However, the report was actually in the hands of the Government some time in January, b'ut has not yet been released for publication (says a Napier Press Association telegram).

The retirement at the end of this month of Dr. J. S. Maelaurjn, Dominion Analyst, recalls to mind t-he value of what is known as the cyanide process for the extraction of gold. During the ’nineties. Dr. Maclaurin published in the “Transactions of the Chemical Society (London) 1 ” his researches on the solvent action on gold of cyanide solutions. These were of such outstanding merit that he was elected a Fellow of the Society, the first New Zealander to be so honoured. This work had very great practical importance, for it proved that air was necessary to the process of the recovery of gold from its ores by cyaniide, a process by which at least half of eighty millions pounds worth of gold won from tlie earth each year is extracted to-dav.

A careful check of the costs of main highway maintenance, kept by the Public Works Department, reveals an astonishing and alarming increase in the cost of maintaining a gravel surfaced highway under modern trafficconditions (states Mr C. H. Briliner, (engineer to the Whakatane County Council). The cost, he pointed out in a recent report to the council, has reached the enormous figure of £250 per mile, and it is estimated that in spite of this heavy maintenance the roads in question have deteriorated to the extent of another £250 per mile which meant that to keep these roads up to original standard would require £SOO annually for every mile ol highway It was perfectly obvious, he declared, the the present subside of £2 for £1 received from the Main Highways Board for maintenance purposes was quite inadequate, with the result that a heavy'burden was beingimposed upon the ratepayers, who were not the chief users of the road.

When ordering a grain and seed drill, be sure you get the best; drilling being the vital operation in p’anting any crop.. The Agricultural Department, after trying all other makes, both local and imported, found our “Star” Drill the only make competent to fulfil all their requirements, and to give the necessary accuracy in drilling test plots. During the last ten years the Department has purchased six seven-coulter Drills from us for that purpose. They know the best.—P. and D. Duncan, Ltd., Tuam Street, Christchurch, and Ashburton,—Advt,

The annual barracks commenced by the Ashburton High School Cadets on Tuesday were concluded this afternoon when a “sham battle” was held in the Ashburton river-bed. There was a large attendance at a concert given in His Majesty’s Theatre Inst evening by Mr P. L. Davies in aid of the Borough School library fund. The takings at the door totalled £26. The annual cricket match between the Ashburton High School Ist XL and the Timaru High School 2nd XI. which was to have been played av Timaru to-day was postponed owing to unfavourable weather. Miniature aeroplanes were flown at a novel pageant held on the slopes of One Tree Hill, Auckland, the other afternoon (states the ‘Auckland Star’). The display was arranged by the New Zealand Xloclel Aero and Gliding Club, nncV was attended by a crowd of enthusiasts. A strong wind blowing up tlie slope had the small aeroplanes :n difficulties, and they were blown backwards, but the larger models gave proof of the makers’ skill. Small machines were tipped about in the eddies and air currents, and the spectators had practical demonstrations of spins and nose dives, finishing with a realistic crash. The machines that measured up to 3ft behaved better, and Mr B. Forrest-Brown had a duration flight of 29 seconds to his credit, with a fuselage model. He was awarded a silver medal. sjMr P. Ohinnery-Brown was second with a flight of 174 seconds. Mr A. Edwards won a bronze medal for the longest duration flight (21 seconds) with a spar machine.