LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 150, 7 April 1930, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A concert was nriven by the Ashburton Salvation Army Band in the public Hospital grounds yesterday afternoon. The programme which consisted of marches and selections was much appreciated by the patients and members of the staff.

There was a fair number of anglers at the Rnkaia and Rangitata rivers during the week-end, but the only salmon caught was a 20-pounder landed up-stream in the Raknia. The cun of salmon is falling off and angUrs assert that there will bo little doing in either riyer unless a fresh is experienced.

One night recently a Napier resident noticed smoke issuing from a nillar box at the corner of Selwyn Road and Napier Terrace. The brigade was notified and the fire soon extinguished. The postal authorities state that although a number of letters was damaged, none was destroyed beyond recognition. The police have the matter in hand.

An inspection of the combined railway and traffic bridge over the Raknia River is being made, with a view to considering the value which has been placed upon it by the Railway Department. It is possible it will be purchased by the authorities concerned for use as a vehicular traffic bridge solely, in which case a new bridge would be built for the railway. The structure is not considered sufficiently strong to serve as a railway bridge, and it is considered" that the most economical thing to do would be to buy the bridge and wear it out by road traffic. The purchase would be arranged between tire local bodies concerned and the Main Highways Board. At present the local bodies pay only about £6OO a year for the use of this bridge, and of this sum they recover £4OO from the Main Board

. A story of the forcible removal of property of a church by members of a sister church was told at the reunion of members of St. James’s Presbyterian Church in Auckland last week. “I am afraid St. James’s will disclaim nil relationship with St. David’s after I tell a certain episode in its history,” said the Rev. D. C. Herron. “It cceurred in the clays when the congregation of St. David’s ‘went courting’ with another minister and for a period closed St. David’s to attend his church. After a lot of opposition, they succeeded in installing an harmonium. When, however, a return was made to St. David’s, they were told that the harmonium belonged to the church where they had been domiciled. Arguments were no use. so one night a spring cart was hired, a raid was made on the church, and the harmonium was taken to St. David’s. . T am afraid that is the only dramatic episode in ( St. David’s history.”

A Spartan ’phme, owned in Dunedin, passed over Ashburton at 10.45 o’clock this morning, travelling in a southerly direction.

The two lads, Frank Victor Small and Jack Miller Martin, both aged 18, who surrendered to the police on Saturday morning, .and who were later charged with ’having deserted from the steamer Northumberland at Timaru, were sent to Wellington on Saturday evening, and were yesterday placed on board their ship, which sails for England to-day.

The countryside about Wanganui is badly in need of rain. The barren hills, devoid of green growth, are a source of worry to farmers, who are apprehensive of the early approach of frosty weather. A drought just prior to winter (says the “Chronicle”) usually means that the grass has little chance to rally before the frost comes, with the result that winter feed becomes scarce.

To expedite the work of driving the piles for the new Ashburton traffic bridge, the course of the river has been diverted from alongside the north bank to the south bank, and there is now only a small stream flowing along the old course. From a distance of about 40 chainfc above the bridge a bank was constructed by the excavating plant leading diagonally across the bed and thus altered the venue of the riyer. When the piles have been driven almost up to the present course, the river will be turned back into its former channel.

The parrot disease scare has reached Christchurch. [Dr. Telford (Medical Officer of Health) has been informed that during February last 22 parrots were sold from the premises of a. cabi-net-maker in Colombo Street. Some of the parrots were suffering from a malady, but none of them can be located. Dr. Telford is asking that any person who bought any parrots during February should communicate with him. The* dealer describes the birds as fat and healthy-looking, although a few had colds. He does not think that any of the birds imported from Nicaragua brought the disease to the Dominion.

A grievance of local bodies against their bankers was ventilated by Mr J. W. Hayden at a meeting of the Takapuna Borough Council. Mr Hayden said that although a local body might, have large sums of unexpended loan money on deposit, it was charged interest upon any. overdraft in its general account. He said the loan moneys should be taken as a set-off against the position of the general account, and interest charged only on the amount of net indebtedness. If local bodies would take united action in the matter they could, he felt certain, exert sufficient pressure to bring about a reform.

Methods of grassland management whifch are being brought into operation in New Zealand receive favourable comment from Dr. H. E. Annett, of Matangi (Auckland), who has recently returned from a. visit to England, Ireland, Holland and Germany. In a few years, said Dr. Annett, grassland management, operation and research work would place New Zealand in front of other countries. For grassland management the characteristic conditions in New Zealand, particularly in the North Island, could be considered almost ideal. The only part of the British Isles which approached New Zealand in this respect was Southern Ireland.

A wonderful bean that lias averaged a daily growth of three inches for nearly a fortnight has been grown by Mrs Leek, of Auckland. The bean is thought to ‘lave been originally indigenous to New Guinea, and only four of the half-dozen seeds that Mrs Leek procured from an Onehunga dealer have germinated. The plant itself strongly resembles the clioko while the bean, when cooked, also reminds one of that vegetable. Mrs Leek has cut one bean of 40 inches in length, but this champion has reached 4ft 3in, and is still growing! Seventeen clays ago it was a mere baby cf six inches, and now it has at least a dozen brothers three .feet long.

“That ordinary road signs should he removed is intolerable,” said Mr R. \V. Tate, S.M., in the New. Plymouth Court, when two young men were fined £3 and £5 respectively for removing six sign boards, the property of the Tqranaki Automobile Association, between Tataraimaka and Okato on January _ 18. . Senior-Sergeant McCrorie , said that the two young men removed the sign posts, placed them in a ear in which they were driving and changed them at various points. Counsel for one defendant asked that the offence he regarded as a silly prank or horseplay. The defendants, in addition to the fines, were ordered to pay the cost of replacing the signs.

A programme of vocal, elocutionary and instrumental items was given by the Baring Square Church choir in the Salvation Army Citadel on' Saturday evening, marking the commencement of the annual harvest thanksgiving celebrations in connection with the Army. Special services were conducted by Adjutant A. Hildreth yesterday, there being large congregations on each occasion. A large supply of produce was received. At the evening service a tableau entitled “The Missionary Officer’s Vision” was presented, the principal parts being taken by Sisters K, Jackson and G. Drummond and Bandsmen A. W. Allan, assisted by juniors H. Penman and V. Hildreth. The Band played special music at each service. A concert will be held this evening, when the produce will bo sold.

The present spell of abnormally dry weather gives plenty. of scope for the exercise of the powers of amateur meteorological prophets (says the Wellington “Evening Post.”) There are those who say that matters will be balanced by a very wet winter; that the dry spell will be followed by n mild winter ; that excessive cold must be expected Inter on ; that it will not rain until next June; and so on. One school of prophets will doutbless be somewhere near the mark in the end, but all are indulging in guesswork, and. most will be wrong. It is on occasions like the present that the “aged” or “old-time Maori” comes to light with long-distance prophecies, and quite a number of these can he found in the newspapers from different parts of the country. When p’l'ced side by side for comparison their prophecies agree as little as those uttered by their pakeha brethren.

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 lest Mots. During the last ten years the Department has purchased six seven-coulter Drills from us for that ournose. Thev know the best.—P. and D. Duncan. Ltd., Tuam Street, Christchurch. and Ashburton.— bdvt.

The contractors for the erection of the new Catholic Church, Messrs J. Smith and Sons, of Ashburton, have made a start with the preliminary work on the site, and the work of laying the foundationst should be commenced within the next two days.

The rabbit pest in the Ashburton County this season has been no less pronounced than in forrjjer years, and some districts report larger numbers than usual. The County Council took preliminary steps to exterminate them. The next few weeks will see a decided effort on the part of trappers, who, by trapping and laying poison on reserves, will account for large numbers.

Low temperatures were registered in Central and South Taranaki last Thursday night. 4 [airly hard frost was experienced in the Hawera district, and bright sunshine on Friday morning combined to blacken late garden crops of beans, tomatoes. potatoes and gourds. Three degrees of frost were registered at Stratford. This is a high record for so early in the year.

Stoats, the natural enemies of small animals and birds, and a pest with which farmers have to contend, tare to be found in different parts of the County. During the week-end, traps were set on three occasions by people in residence at the mouth of the Rangitata River in the hope of snaring several rabbits. On a visit being to the traps the catches did not include a rabbit, but comprised a large number of stoats and hedgehogs.

The Anglican Sunday School Teachers’ Winter School will be held in Ashburton from May 14 to May 21, and by the courtesy of the Hierh School Board and the headmaster (Mr E. A. Coekroft) will be convened in the school. Miss Park (Sunday School organiser for the diocese) arri.ved in i^sh burton this afternoon to make preliminary arrangements. It is expected that between 30 and 40 teachers, the majority of whom will be from this diocese, will be in attendance.

The transcription of the voluminous shorthand notes which were taken of the evidence heard by the Education Committee of the House of Representatives during its tour through the Dominion is chiefly responsible for the delay in the framing of the committee’s report. The Minister of Education (the Hon. H. Atmore) states that there will be no avoidable delay in completing the work. The first section of the report is being prepared, and when the notes are fully transcribed the committee will resume and the final recommendations will he drafted.

A mock banquet was held by ’the members of the St. Stephen’s Choir Boys’ Club in the Sunday School. The Vicar (the Rev. A. J. Petrie) presided over a good attendance of members and friends. Many toasts were honoured, as follow: “The; King,” “The Officials,” Master S. Childs, responded to by Mr R, H. Biggar; “The Club,” the Rev. C. W. Haskell, responded to by Mr E. C. Bathurst; “The Visitors,” Master O. Bathurst, responded to by Master D. Choate; “The Choirmaster,” Master A. Protheroe, responded to bv Mr J. C. Thompson; “Club Friends,” Master R. Biggar. responded to by the Rev. A. J. Petrie. Sirpper arrangements were supervised by Mesdames E. C. Bathurst, R. H. Biggar, W. C. J. Osman and J. C. Thompson.