LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 135, 20 March 1930, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A pear tree on Mr C. V. Houghton’s Gladstone Road property, at Parnell. Auckland, this year produced 6558 pears. One branch, which broke with the weight of the fruit, had 380 on it.

A Gazette extraordinary, published last night, announces the assumption of the office of Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief of New Zealand Forces, by Lord Bledisloe, after having taken the prescribed oaths before the Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers). Vandals entered the private garden of the borough gardeners at AVhangarei recently and destroyed the soya beans which had been so much admired by hundreds of Whangarei people during recent weeks. Four beans, each measuring over four feet, were wrenched off and chopped into pieces, and two others, each three feet long, were also ruined.

AY hen the question of selling an old horse, cart and harness came before the Kairanga County Council last week, a member related how he had bought the animal nearly 23 years ago. “I paid £22 for it and was accused of making a had investment and wasting the ratepayers’ money,” he said. “That horse has earned his cost in the last 20 years ” The sale was left to the engineer, who was instructed to find the horse a good home.

For the last three weeks the officials of the Alexander Museum have been working on. the AlcLaehlan collection ot coins (says a AYanganui correspondent). This collection of British coins is said to be the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. It had been stored away until the removal to the new museum made it possible for it to be shown. The collection was commenced 150 years ago in. England by Air AlcLaehlan whose son added to the collection, ins did the third Air McLachlan, so the collection lias been a hobby of three generations. It comprises coins dating over 2003 years. Several are even older—2soo years is the age of one, struck by a Ptlomey, who was probably the grandfather of Cleopatra. A little set dated 70 A.D. to 350 A.D. was found at the bottom of a well near Adrian’s Wall. This wall was garrisoned by men who believed in water spirits lienee the offerings found when the water was drained away. The collection ranges from coins struck in Britain bv the Romans down to the present day, and it is now attractively' arranged on. black velvet in a big case on the main floor of the building.

A Press Association inesage from Auckland states that the young woman passenger who was quarantined for smallpox after the arrival of the Aorangi from Vancouver on February 23, has recovered, and will he discharged from Motuihi Island quarantine station to-day.

The maximum load at the Lake Coleridge hydro-electric power station during the week ended on Sunday last was 22,300 k.w., recorded between 11 a.in. and noon on Tuesday, March 11. The lake level on Sunday was 1671.00 it and the average inflow irom the Harper River was 305 cusecs.

A Gisborne telegram states that polls proposals for two general loans and two special loans, for total amounts oi £131,000, and £250,000, for addition to the sewerage and waterworks in the town and suburbs, were taken yesterday. All were rejected by substantial majorities.

There were DO teams, comprising some 1350 players, engaged each Saturday in the various competitions held in the Union’s area, states the annual report of the Manawatu-Horowhenua Rugby Union for the past year. _ In addition there were 65 school teams engaging some 975 boys. From this it will be seen that 2325 men and boys were playing in the area under the jurisdiction of the Union, thus showing the popularity of the game _ of Rugby in this part of the Dominion.

The members of the Ashburton branch of the New Zealand Labour Party held a meeting in the Arcade on Tuesday evening, Mr Avrington presiding. Mr F. R. Cooke, of Christchurch, addressed the meeting. The position of the United Party was discussed and the failure of the Government to fulfil its pledges came under review, with a possibility of a general election this year. It was decided that Mid-Canterbury should be contested in the interest of the Labour Party.

An Auckland telegram states that last year the Railway Department conveyei 1000 farmers and their wives from the south to various parts of the North Island. The tours were so successful that requests have been made to the Department to arrange a reciprocal visit from the North to the South Island, and 1 , provided sufficient support is forthcoming, an excursion Irom the Auckland province to the South Island will take place in May. It is proposed to leave Auckland on May 13, to visit Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill and Queenstown, and return to Auckland on May 25. The trip will cost £l9.

“I do think we lag behind many other counties in the alignment and width of our roads,” said Mr Mason Chambers at a meeting of the Hawke’s Bay County Council,’ in _ urging that the Council should consider making many of its roads wider and cutting back many of the corners. Mr Chambers said many of the county roads were so narrow and tortuous that an accident was inevitable if two cars met. He urge 3 that, as the county was receiving large benzine tax and lorry fee subsidies it should improve some of its roads. Members generally agreed and it was decided to commence a policy of improvement by carrying out an engineering survey of the EskdalePoliue Road.

AVith a view to improving the grounds surrounding the new infant department at the College Street School, Palmerston North, the school children have been busily engaged in removing surface stones. A count taken over a- period of three days showed that the pupils had removed the substantial number of 139,000 stones. Appreciation of the children’s efforts was voiced at a meeting of the School Committee, the headmaster being asked to convey the committee’s thanks to the children. The headmaster said that while a competition had been held in connection with the stone gathering, there had been no prize attached; the children had done it out of love for the school. ■

A rainbow trout that may solve many of the problems confronting acclimatisation societies in New Zealand is to be imported from California, and nearly 109,000 eyed ova will be sent to the Auckland Acclimatisation Society within the next four months (states the “New Zealand Herald”). A letter received by the Society from the .Marine Department stated that the fish were of a non-migratorvi stock. It was suggested that half should be released 1 in streams never previously stocked, and half in. streams already containing trout with a view to introducing the new type into a common stock. The experiment would show fairjv conclusively whether the tendency to migrate was hereditary or due to- environment.

“Should a club elect a large number of vice-presidents and thereby increase its funds, or should only a few be elected who would work in the interests of the club?” was a question which was freely discussed at the annual meeting of the Allenton Football Club last evening. The chairman (Air J. Smith) considered it was all vow well to receive a guinea from each, but the sooner the custom was dropped and a few vice-presidents were elected who would serve whole-heartedly and take an active interest in the c-iub’s activities, the better it would be for the club. One member moved that the numbe.r of vice-presidents be limited to six. Three amendments were moved: That the. number be limited to 10; that the number be open ; and that the present vice-presidents be reelected. It was finally decided that the number be left open, and 17 were elected.

In the (Public Gardens at Oamaru yesterday Rear-Admiral Byrd presented the prizes won by children in the Scott Alemorial essay competition. In an address before presenting the prizes, lie paid a graceful tribute to tiie memory of the intrepid British explorer, Captain Scott. He said: “There is one thing that members of this expedition hold in common with the people of New Zealand —that is a deep respect for the memory of Captain Sc-ott and his men. As for myself, I think that Sc-ott is a hero of heroes. It is in the field of the spirit that he made his. greatest .contribution to the world. Tilings of the spirit are much more important than things material. In failure he gained immortal fame and in dying left you a heritage that success have given. ”* AA 7 hen he lost a superhuman struggle he calmly wrote words which will make his memory honoured for all times; so we salute the name of this great-hearted gentleman, Robert Falcon Scott.’’

AA 7 hen 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 Ashburtol l . Advt.

While climbing over a gate at the Methven iShowgrounds yesterday’, J. House, aged 14, fell and broke his left wrist.

To spend seven hours adrift in a launch without food or water was the unenviable experience of eight swimming club officials of New Plymouth, who set out to superintend the placing of buoys for an open race. Although the experience was a trying one, it was not without its compensations, fwo enterprising members of the party found some bait in the launch and with it they caught 36 cod and one schnapper.

The tenth annual conference of the New Zealand Y.M.C.A. began this morning, Mr W. J. Hillary presiding (says a P.A. message from Christchurch). In an address to the delegates, the Rev. J. Lawson .Robertson said: “We are not going to right youth by ramming down their throats what we were taught. Religion is not a static thing; it is always progressive.”

.At the Magistrate’s Court at Palmeirston North yesterday, Baclie Wright Harvey, a farmer at Waverlev, was committed to the Supreme Court for trial on a charge of reckless driving and causing death. The case was an echo of a fatal accident near Palmerston North on January 18, when a car driven by Harvey collided with a motor-cycle ridden by Hector Clarence Eggleton and Bertram Cecil Havelhurst, both of whom were killed outright. Bail was allowed.

Rear-Admiral R. E. Byrd will not

sail with the City of New York on Sunday. His route will be announced to-morrow (says a P.A. message from Dunedin). Last night the New Zealand Company of Master Mariners honoured Captain Melville (master of the City of New York), conferring on him the distinction of life membership of the Company. He is the first foreign seaman so honoured. * Members were present from Wellington and other parts of the Dominion.

A Dunedin telegram states that a proposal discussed by the Education Board this morning was that the annual..summer vacation of the primary schools be taken in February and early in March, instead of in Decemlier and January, in order to get the best weather. It was- decided to call a conference of bodies interested. It was mentioned that if the proposal were adopted the Government would be approached to extend excursion fares to early in March.

Sales on account of County clients were made at the Addington stock market yesterday as follow: —Fat Sheep—Wethers: On account of G. Tait (Hinds), 17 at '24s 7cT to 27s Id. Ewes: On account of E. D. Brooker (Lyndhurst), 62 at 15s Id to 24s 7d; W. Hood (Chertsey), 60 at 16s lOd to 20s 10c!; Stephens Brothers (Rakaia), 132 at 15s 4d to 19s Id; J. Tait (Hinds), 44 at 15s 7d to 18s 4d • W. R. Morgan (Methven), 39 at 11s 4d to 15s lOd. Lambs: On account of W. Hood (Chertsey), 66 at 26s 7d to 28s lOd.

“It is a pity' that Australia’s monetary troubles did not occur a little earlier in the tourist season, instead of at a time when it is just ending as far as New Zealand is concerned,” remarked a business man to a representative of the “Evening Post” (Wellington), in the course of a conversation. “For Australians,” he continued, “will find no difficulties placed in their way about money changing in the Dominion. Australians who are prevented from going to England will perhaps now turn their attention to New Zealand as a place for a holiday, and Australia’s misfortunes may thereby be New Zealand’s gain.”

There was a good attendance at the monthly meeting of the Ashburton Women's Christian Missionary Union in the Baring Square Schoolroom yesterday afternoon. The president (Mrs R. Buxton) presided. The president reported that the “Missionary Pageant” which took place last week was very succesful, and in response to numerous requests it had been decided to repeat the performance on Thursday, March 27. The sum of £lO was voted to the Dominion Executive Funds for the sisters’ salaries. The New Zealand president’s quarterly letter was read and appreciated. An earnest appeal was made for an increase in membership and renewed effort on behalf of the funds to extend the work of the auxiliaries. Tea was served and a number of interesting letters from the sisters at work in the Solomon Islands were read. Good business was done in connection with the “Bring and Buy” stall.