LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 171, 3 May 1930, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

There were no notifications of infectious diseases in either the Borough oi the County in the past week.

The New Plymoutli-Oneliunga ferry steamer service has been discontinued, after no years’ operation, by the Northern Steam Shipping Company (says a New Plymouth telegram). When the Ngapuhi sailed on her last trip to-night a large crowd at the wharf <rnve the steamer a rousing farewell. 7Vn indication of the trend of modern transport is the fact that the pert is now without a regular passenger service, for the first time since the founding of the province.

There are usually a large number of seagulls at Ellerslie, particularly on race days, and one of them nearly lost its life" at the recent meeting in a rather peculiar manner. As the field in the Great Northern St. Leger was running across the top near the hill, several seagulls, which had been on flic course, took wing at the approach of the horses, but one was not quick enough, and one of the leading horses struck it. It was picked up in an unconscious state, but soon recovered.

Though the shooting season has it would appear from a happening in Dunedin on Thursday that it is scarcely necessary to no to the country to secure game for the table. As two well-known citizens were walking up Lower High Street late in the afternoon a wounded duck fluttered down on the footpath and sought sanctuary in a nearby doorway. Realising that opportunities of the kind must be seized promptly, one of the men entered the doorway and effected a smart rapture, conveying his nrize to a gentlemen’s club in an adjacent street, where it was duly dispatched and found to bo in excellent condition. For the remainder of the evening the due’- was an object of interest, not unmixed with envy, to the other members of the club.

A petition in bankruptcy lias boon filed at the Ashburton Courthouse by George Alexander Camp-bell, a labourer of Fairfield. and a meeting ol creditors lias been called for Tuesday, -May 13.

The annual meeting ot the St. Stephen’s Choir Hoys’ Club was held on Friday evening, when the following officers were elected :—President, Rev. C. \Y. Haskell; vice-presidents, the Rev. A. J. Petrie, Dr. N. F. H. I'niton, Messrs T. S. J. Doherty, E. C. Bathurst, J. C. Thompson, S. M. Cassidy, If. H. Higgar and F. ./. E. Sinallbone ; secretary. Master R. \V. Higgar ; treasurer, Master .J . Sinallbone ; committee, Masters H. Page, K. Doherty, A. Protheroe, R. O. Bathurst, G. A. \Yarrinor and M. Lees.

An Auckland telegram states that the Auckland Social Workers’ Association yesterday carried the following resolution :—‘'That this conference expresses its alarm at the extraordinary amount of drinking amongst young women and girls when accompanied by men on night motor-ear drives. The conference feels that the lack of proper parental control is in many instances responsible lor this growing evil. We Feel that the public do not realise the enormous dangers attendant upon this increasing menace in the undermining of good citizenship.”

An unusual ascent of Egmont was made the other day when Flying-Officer lan Keith piloted tip* New Plymouth Club’s Moth to the summit. After circling above the North Egmont mountain house, the aeroplane reached the level of the peak and circled it. The machine passed between Fantliam’s Peak and the summit before beginning the long glide to New Plymouth far below. The trip occupied only -lo minutes. This is the second occasion on which Egmont has been topped by an aeroplane, Captain Macgregor having gained the distinction as first.

Opposition to the Education Department’s system under which teachers cannot obtain promotion without moving on, was expressed by Air M. J. O’Connor (headmaster of the Clyde Quay School, Wellington) at the annual meeting of householders. “You cannot blame the teachers for the frequent changes that take place, for it is their only means of obtaining promotion.” said Mr O’Connor. “Indeed, you must commend them, as it •shows they have ambition. A teacher who does not move on has lost his ambition, and when lie loses that he loses his value as a teacher.

In the heart of a pinus insignis log. the metal of an alarm clock checked a saw in the mill of William Casey, Ltd., Auckland, the other day. Evidently the clock had been placed in the work of the tree many years ago and time had covered it with wood. Another log cut sonic time ago had four horse-shoes buried in it. Plantation timber is much more likely to contain buried metal than native trees, for near a homestead the fork of a tree invites discarded. ir.otal. Even in virgin lows, however, the saw sometimes strikes metal, such as a spike or nail once driven into the • trunk near an old camping place.

Writing to Mr A. A. Paape, of Dunedin, a relative in Pittsburg, states: “Admiral Byrd will got a wonderful reception on his return to the United States. There will lie tremendous preparations for the entire party all over the huge country. The international relationship between New Zealand and Australia and the States is more genuinely real than towards any other countries, while Great Britain has regained her previous toehold since Mr Ramsay MacDonald's visit. A great deal of the earlier antipathy was fostered by the foreign element living hene. Please remember that the United States is the greatest melting not for humanity in the world.”

The toll taken each year from tin*, feathered kingdom by vermin is increasing. The Wanganui Acclimatisation Society has expressed grave alarm in this connection. The president (Mr H. J. Duigan) says that stoats and weasels are the most dangerous enemies of birds, and the havoc wrought on Xew Zealand game lias been tremendous. Tiie toll of the hawk comes far behind that of the ether two. Speaking at the society’s annual meeting, Air Duigan said that despite the ravages made upon them, native birds seemed to be increasing. The fantail, the bellbird, and the tui all appeared to be on the increase. Shining cuckoo were soon in greater numbers nowadays. The last-named species had been seen in fairly large numbers about Rotorua.

Group settlement and the promotion of farm projects, in order to stimulate interest in country life anicyig boys and girls, are advocated by the coun-

:*il of the Auckland Educational Society in a report which states; “While heartily endorsing the policy of the .Minister in the direction of giving an agricultural bias to the educationsystem, in order to bring it more into line with New Zealand requirements, the council is emphatically of opinion that education up to the age of 15 or 1(3 should lie broad and cultural in character, and that no purely vocational work should be undertaken until after that age. With a view to breaking down existing prejudices against farm occupations, the council urges that head teachers of schools should lie consulted by the minister as to ways and means whereby the schools can lie used to combat such prejudices.”

Whose brain conceived the idea of frozen meat export? (asks the “Southland Times”). To this question, said Air Alexander Derbie, of Invercargill, in the course of an address at Gore, had been received an interesting reply re:ently in a letter.which quite unexpectedly reached the originator of the frozen meat industry jubilee celebrations. It was from the Rev. Ernest Mart, who, writing from Erensham, Surrey, said: “I am very interested to see in the “Aforning Rost” an account of the celebrations of the jubilee of the frozen meat trade. I cm the oldest surviving son of Thomas Suteliffe Molt. 1 was piesent at the breakfast table when niv father, reading irom til - Sydney “Alorning Herald,” came across the" short paragraph which gave him the idea. It was an account of how a prehistoric animal was found when a glacier in N/rtlicrii Europe broke and disclosed the boc'v in a state of perfect preservation. He thumped bis fist on the table, and said. ‘1 have discovered the secret of how Australia’s abundance may -supply Europe* s need,’ or something to that eflc* t. That’ was the origin of the freezing industry.”

When ordering a grain and seed drill, 1.0 sure you got the best, drilling being the vital operation in planting any crop. The Agricultural Department, after trying all other makes, both local and imnorted, found our “Star” Drill the only make competent, to fulfil all their requirements, and to <>ivo the necessary accuracy in drilling test plots. During the last ten years the Department has purchased six seven-coulter Drills from us for that ournosc. They know the best.—lP. and D. Duncan .Ltd., Tuam Street. Christchurch, and Ashburton. (Advt.) (

The Wellington and suburbs’ subscription to the Obstetrical Fund totals £'2109 14s 7d (says a Press Association message).

A grant toward the cost of erecting a dental clinic at the Rakaia School has been approved, according to" a telegram sent by the Minister of Education (the Hon. H. Atmore) to Air S. S. Kyle, ALP., who is acting on behalf of Mr David .Jones. M.P., during the latter’s absence in England.

“My car roars terribly, oven when I am travelling slowly.” said a motorist who appeared in the Wellington Polite Court on a charge of dangerous driving. The police said defendant was doing about 70 miles an hour. “Everybody looks up in the air when 1 go past,” defendant added, amid laughter, “f suppose, that is why the police say the car flew along,” counsel suggested. Defendant was fined <‘v>

The Ashburton branch of the Plunkot Society held its monthly meeting yesterday afternoon, the president (Mrs J. S. I.aing) presiding. It was reported that the annual meeting would be held on May 23. The nurses’ reports stated that 103 visits had been paid p’jjg'.yes and 496 visits had been made to the rooms in the country. In the town, visits to rooms totalled 608, and those to homes 108. There bad been 23 new eases.

A full parade of Ashburton Girl Guidos, Hangers and Brownies was held in th.e Masonic Hall last evening, when Mrs Studholme and Miss Bromley Cocks (Girl Guides’ Commissioners, of Christchurch) and members of the Ashburton Executive Committee were nresent. The District Commissioner (Mrs G. L. Harold) presided. The Parakeet Patrol were examined for their hostesses’ badges, and helped to' entertain the guests. Members of the Rokeby patrol were also on parade.

Although a fall in the price of wool is a serious matter for the grower, there are others who benefit. Mr J. G. Mitchie, a piominent Aberdeen Wholesale fish meichant, told a Wellington “Evening Post” reporter that one effect of the fall in the price of wool had been to increase the demand for woollen goods at Home, and one manufacturing firm has had to increase its staff from 160 to 600. People who previously were unable to afford woollen goods were now purchasing them, and the increased demand would inevitably load to better prices in the future.

A special inspection parade of Girl Guides and Brownies was held at Alethven yesterday afternoon, when the local troops were visited hv Mrs J. Studholme (Canterbury Provincial Commissioner), Mrs J. Grig" (MidCanterbury Divisional Commissioner), and Miss Bromley Cocks (North Canterbury Divisional Commissioner). There was an almost full muster of Brownies, who paraded under Tawny Owl Bella Bear.v, and of Guides under ActingiCantain Jean Aitken. The Commissioner congratulated the troops on their smart appearance and their knowledge of their work, which was a credit to their instructors. The display Was especially line, considering that they had not yet completed their first year.

The singing of the Maoris at the Anzac Day service in Afoutaa Gardens was perhaps the most solemn note in the ceremony (says the “Wanganui Herald”). Seldom have hymns been so feelingly sung as those sung by tin l Maoris. The Maori tune of “When Our Heads Are Bowed With Woe,” was written many years ago by the Rev. Basil Taylor in the days of the Puliki Church Choir, and it is the Wanganui Maoiis’ very own tune. To them it is ns significant as the wellknown '“Dead March” is to the pakeha, and when it was sung on Friday the voices of the Natives were filled with anguish and tears streamed down their cheeks. Another hymn sung by the Maoris at their service was “An e I In: lirohia,” the favourite hymn of the late Lieutenant-Colonel limes, who was in charge of the Maori soldiers in Europe and Gallipoli. He took part in the unveiling of the Maori Memorial in Moutoa Gardens, and was killed in an accident in Auckland about a year ago. For the first time in Wanganui a hand played Maori hymns at the Maori service, Mr 'l. Gray, the conductor, arranged, the parts, and the innovation was most successful.