LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 138, 24 March 1930, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

There are some good crops of on Is in the Mataura County this season, but one which lias come under notice will take some beating. Mr F. M. Collins, of Wendonside, has threshed a crop of Cartons from 'So acres, and his return works out at 109 bushels per acre, and the oats weigh 471 b to the bushel.

Last winter, settlers on the Werawera Onga Road, in the Patea County, made an agreement among themselves that they would not use their ears in the route during the winter months. This was prompted by a desire to save the road surface as much as possible and comes as an indication of what many of the back country residents have to put up with when the lack ol sunshine robs the highways of their firmness and allows winter to produce its quota of mud.

Fivic cases of typhoid fever, are in New Plymouth Hospital, but none is serious, and the authorities do not anticipate a spread of infection (says a Press Association message). Four ol the children, w'lose ages range from four to 11 years, are ol one family The other child stayed over the week end with the family. All five went swimming in the To Henui Riyer, and the health officer thinks possibly that was the source of infection. Other children of the same family who did not go for a swim are not infected.

The proposed investigation of the secondary industries of the Dominion is to be conducted by a special comntittec . of three, instead of by the Select Comr.lttee of the House of Representatives previously appointed. This decision has been made by the Minister of Industries and Commerce, in view of the representation of the Government on the Select Committee being affected by the resignation of Mr H. R. Jenkins. The personnel, of the committee and the dates of sitting will lie announced shortly.

A Stratford message states that Dr. Doris Cordon (secretary of the Obstetrical Society) has received a cable from Dr. Victor Bonnoy, of London, a women's specialist, who recently visited New Zealand, where he pointed out the deficiencies of the midwifery department of t.'ie New Zealand Medical School, and in public addresses pleaded for immediate financial assistance for the improvement of tin's nhaso of medical tuition. Dr. Bonnoy wishes the appeal every success, and hopes his friends are helping to round off the work he began on his visit. He hopes the public generally will subscribe well in view of the vital importance of the appeal. Dr. Gordon, states that announcements coining from the different committees show that fie appeal movement is now on the high tide of progress and interest is growing daily. None of the committees anticipates that it will finish work before April 1, and some which were set up later may not he ready till April 10.

There was little angling in the County rivers during the week-end', the water'.'being discoloured in each ease.

Owing to the inability of the Ashburtcn Cricket Club to Held a team, the match for the Bristol Cup with the Timaru Club (winner of the South Canterbury senior competition) was not played. An endeavour is being made to arrange for the match played on Saturday, April 5, at Tiniaru.

A strange siyh't was seen in Auckland early one morning last week. A man who had to be at business when comparatively few people were about, was astonished to see eight rats climbing no the side of a high budding. At the third floor the window was open and it is probable that the object oi the migration oi the rodents was there.

Pupils of the Grevmoutb Technical High School who are the guests of the Ashburton Technical School paid a visit to the Ashburton "Woollen Mills this morning, where they were conducted through the different departments. Inter school games were held this afternoon, and the visitors will be entertained at a social at the school this evening. Thev will return to Greymouth to-morrow.

The annual Convention of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, which is being held at Timaru, was continued, yesterday, when "V' demonstration was held. -Mr h\ H. Silcock (Ashburton), opened the meeting with prayer, and < later, in the impromptu speech, took'as his subject: "What indications have we that America is satisfied with prohibition:'"'

The opinion that the drovers , on Hawke's Bay roads did not seem to have the right class of leading doo; was expressed by Dr. W. D. Fitzgerald at a meeting of the Hawke's Bay Automobile Association. Dr. Fitzgerald said half the trouble experienced bv motorists in passing through sheep which were travelling in the same direction, as themselves was due to the fact that the leading dogs failed to check the head of the mob.

While excavating the clay used at a brick kiln at Havelock .North one of the workmen unearthed a quantity of bones from a depth of about 3D feet. An opinion was given that the bones belong to the human species, and are possibly those of a young child. It is curious and interesting that such a find should be made so far down in a stratum of thick clay, and the indications are that the relics may be of prehistoric origin. They have been forwarded to Wellington for identification.

An attractive programme of music was played by the Ashburton Silver Band in the liospital grounds yesterday afternoon. The performance was greatly appreciated by "the patients and staff, beside a fair attendance of the public. The programme was as billows:— March. ".Martial Moments"; hymn, "Rockingham"; descriptive, "Smithy in the Wood"; hymn, "Sandow" ; jazz waltz, "Sleepy Valley" ; trombone solo, "The Joker" ; fox-trot, "Jericho" ; cornet solo, "Bostonian."

A small fleet of 'chasers entered the port on .Monday from the whalers' base at \Paterson Inlet (states the Bluff correspondent of tbe "Southland Daily News.") Their object in visiting Bluff was to procure stores and have their ••ompasses adjusted for the long voyage to Norway, . Being coal-burning vessels, the voyage will ljaye to be made in "laps," the first port of call being Melbourne. It is understood that for next season's operations in the Antarctic the departing 'chasers will be replaced by oil-burning vessels.

"Auckland is not suffering by having an 'open door' for Southern teachers," said Mr G. H. Plummer (acting-senior inspector of schools) at a meeting of the Auckland' Education J'Joard when the relationship of the grading of Southern teachers to that of Auckland teachers was discussed. In reply to a member, Mr Plummer said that most of the teachers who came from the South held their own with Auckland teachers. They obtained advance in grading as quickly as the home teachers.

A member of the Empire Farmers' Party, which spent a day in the County on Saturday, Mr Hill, of Scotland, sustained injuries to his face as the result of a motor accident when on the way to Mayfield in company with tie other members of the party. The motor-cars w>ere passing over the railway crossing at Tinwald, when the motor-car in which Mr Hill was a passenger, and which was driven by Mr H. Sinclair, swerved to avoid colliding with the car in front. Mr Sinclair's car struck a telegraph pole. Mr Hill received cuts on his face, and was treated as an outpatient at the hospital. He was able to rejoin the, party at Ashburton and continue the journey to Lvttelton. The motor-car was badly damaged.

"The frequent granting of odd school holidays is a growing evil,'' said the senior inspector (Mr X. F. McKenzie) at the meeting of the Taranaki Education Board (reports the "Taranaki Daily News.") "It is not a question of losing one day only. The children are excited the day before and tired the day after." The period of the school year particularly under discussion was the present term, when numerous holidays are being taken for shows and picnics. Concern was expiessed by board members at the number of school days that were being lost in this way. When it was suggested the trouble might be overcome by having the picnics on Saturdays, it was pointed out the Railway Department preferred to have them on'a less busy day.

During the recent visit of Mr Barrow Cadhury to New Zealand, opportunity was taken to approach him with reference to securing the services of Mr Clifford Ball, England's premier earillonneur, for the opening recitals in Wellington of the Wellington War Memorial Carillon. Word has now been received by cablegram (says a Press Association message) that ' the proposal has been agreed to. The firm has offered the services of Mr Ball at what practically amounts to no cost to New Zealand, salary and travelling expenses being provided for by Cadburys, Ltd. Mr Ball is the official carillonneur for the Bournville carillon, and was loaned frequently by Messrs Cadbury Bros, for playing the Wellington carillon at the Neweastlo-on-Tyne exhibition. It is estimated that the opening will be between next November and February.

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 lias purchased six seven-coulter Drills from us for that purpose. They know the best. —P. and D. Duncan, Ltd., Tuam Street, Christchurch, and Ashburtor.— Ydvt.

A run to the mouth of the Hinds Riyer wa.s hold by the Ashburton Motor-Cycle Club yesterday. There was a fair attendance of members, and pleasant weather assisted to make the occasion an enjoyable one.

A head-on collision occurred on Friday afternoon on the concrete bridge over Cooper's Creek, on the -Main South Road, between oars driven by Mr C Cressuxdl, of Lismore. and Mr L. Foote, of Christchurch. Both cars were badly damaged, but no one was injured-

An increase of 250,000 boxes of creamery butter graded in Auckland in the seven months of the dairying season to the end of February, compared with the corresponding period of last season, was reported by the chief Government dairy produce grader (Mr E. C Wood) at the conference of Auckland province dairy factory managers. The cheese figures are approximately the same as lor last season.

According to a statement made by the Hon. P..A. die la Perrelle (Minister of Internal Affairs) reports have been received by the Government that psittacosis is primarily a disease of parrots and allied species but the disease also affects smaller birds, and acting on the advice of the Health Department it has been decided not to issue any further authorities for the importation of birds for 12 months, when the matter will again be reviewed.

A car driven bv Mr David_ John Smith, a middle-aged follmonger, residing at Washdyke. who was returning from the Rangitata quinnat fishing grounds, collided with the Empire farmers' special train at Cartwright's crossing, a few chains north of Temuka, at 9.20 a.m. on Saturday. This is a compulsory stop. .Mr Smith was thrown clear of the roadline into an adjoining paddock, but his injuries were of a minor nature. The car, a five-soater touring model, was wrecked, debris being scattered all over the roadway and adjoining paddock.