LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 298, 29 September 1930, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Very large catches of flounders are report* from many Southland beaches (states the "Southland Times.' ) At BHo Cliff they have been particularly plentiful and of great size.

Another of a series of men's services was held in St. Stephen's Church yesterday afternoon. There was a good attendance, the service being conducted by the Rev. H. W. Monaghan, of Timaru.

After'being dormant for some time, steps have been taken to reorganise the Ashburton Ministers Association. A meeting was recently held when it was decided to resume activities and the following officers were elected:— President, Rey. A. J..Petne; secretary, Rev. A. G. Irvine; treasurer, Rev. C. W. Haskell.

Schoolboys and girls are taught that such words as "unique" and "infinite cannot be used in the comparative oi superlative degree. They will note with amusement that the Education Report on page 51 makes the Director-General (Mr T. B. Strong)" say in his evidence: "The system of educational administration in New Zealand is probably the most unique, as it is a so the most exoensive, in tho British Empire.

A Wairoa (Hawke's Bay) telegram states that Professor Hornell (the Swedish expert) and his assistant (Mi Werner), accompanied by Mr l<. m. Furkert (Chief Engineer to the Public Works Department), Mr kissell (Chief Electrical Engineer), Dr. Barnett M. Ongley (Geologist)., Dr. Marshall and W Anderson (Public Works Engineer), and local officials spent the last three days making thorough investigations at the shores of Lake Waikaremoana and going into the question of leakages. The investigations were completed yesterdav, the party returning to Napier late last night and going on to Wellington to-day. .

Farmers in the Te Awamutu district (Waikato) report very satisfactory lambing percentages this season. In some of the smaller flocks the percentage is as high as 150, while there are many cases where the lambing was about 120 per cent, (says the "NewZealand Herald.") It is the exception to find percentages below 100. There is an abundant growth of grass in most of the districts round Te Awamutu, but probably none is better in tUis respect than Tarawera and the Owairaka Valley. There some of the settlers will have to increase the number of their stock to keep the grass down.

Fort Street is one of the few examples Auckland has of the use of wood blocks for paying (says the "Star.") When the street was given its annual dressing of bitumen last week the blocks looked surprisingly well preserved after their 17 years of wear. It was in 1913 that the City Council decided to try New Zealand birch from the Rangitaua Forest, in the King Conntrv, instead of the jarrah blocks that had been used previously on Karanaahape Road and a portion of Svmorjds Street and Customs Street. The birch was specially treated with hot vapour, and at present it is difficult to decide which gives the best wear, birch or jarrah.

A Christchurch Press Association message states that an- increase in the retail price of rpetrol, making firstgrade 2s a gallon, is expected in the city on Wednesday.

A church parade of the Ashburton Girl Guides was held at St. Andrew's Church yesterday morning. The first and second companies and the Hangers assembled at St. Stephen's Hall and paraded under Captains I. Hillier, F. Cambridge and D. Cambridge.

The Indian Runner ducks at Springvale' evidently knew that something unusual was going to happen the other morning (states the ".Wanganui Herald.") For some little time before the earthquake the ducks became considerably agitated and continued loud quacking for some minutes after the shake.

It is' understood from the management of the Linton Coal Company that owing to the recent go-slow policy in force in the Linton mine outside coal supplies have had to be obtained to meet the requirements of the markets (reports the "Southland Times.") It is stated that a continuance of such a state of affairs will mean general tinemployment and a resultant considerable loss or wages in the Obai district in the near future

A grammar school student was set a question in an examination paper: "If 20 men reap a field in eight hours, how long will it take 15 men. to reap the same field?" The student thought long and carefully before writing the answer, and when he handed in his paper this is what the examiner read: "The field having been reaped by the 20 men, could not be reaped by the 15!"

Egg producers are urging early action by the Agricultural Department for the introduction of regulations governing the grading and selling oi eggs The situation of the market was described as "chaotic" at a meeting of the executive of the Wellington and Suburban Poultry Keepers' Club last week and a resolution was carried requesting the Wellington council of the New Zealand Poultry Association to call a meeting to discuss the necessity for marketing regulations.

The passing of the first quarter cf the moon has been more welcome in Ashburton this time than is usually the case for it means that the lack of street lighting owing to the shortage ot power loses its inconvenience to pedestrians. Since the lighting of the streets has been discontinued the borough presented an eerie appearance after dark. The streets were comparatively deserted, the headlights of motor cars alone giving temporary relief from the oppressive darkness.

"There are nearly 200 New Zealanders living on Norfolk Island, and I was surprised to meet so many who were born in Gisborne or had lived here" said Miss Ream Woodward, who is visiting Gisborne after spending nearly three years on the island, "The total* population is about 900, and I know them 'all, both islanders and mainlanders. Instead of saying 'Good morning!' the greeting is 'Whataway you?' meaning 'How are you?

Usually when vacancies occur on boards, which have to be filled by local bodies it has been the custom in New Zealand to fill the position with a member of one of the bodies concerned. The New Plymouth Boiough Council, which has to fill a vacancy on the local Hospital Board, lias, however, adopted a sub-committee to select suitable membership. These names will be submitted for the Council's approval prior to an appointment being made, and will in no way bar a councillor from receiving the nomination if he is considered the most suitable person.

The average loygr of flowers is quite content with low-priced bulbs when, the matter of preparing for his early spring display is under consideration. In contrast, there were exhibited at the Flower Show at Wangamu East blooms from bulbs which were priced as high as £25 each, though the largest number of entries appeared in the section reserved for bulbs priced at the humble half-crown or lower (states the "Wanganui Chronicle." As often happens, it was not the aristocrats of the bulb world that carried off the best prizes.

The suggestion that while economy was being so much stressed by the Education Department, schools on the old central corridor principle should be built instead of those on the much more expensive "orientation pan, was made by, Mr J. J. Clark at last week's meeting of the Wellington Education Board. Dr. J. W. Mcllwraith and the Board's architect (Mi G Powell) said that the central corridor plan killed ventilation and shut out sunlight. But Mr Clark replied that he had been educated in a central corridor school and he ventured to say he was just as healthy as the boys being educated to-day. "Orientation gone mad," was his description of the erection of some of the present schools.

About a year ago more work was in prospect for builders of Gisborne and the district than was apparent since pre-war times, according to a bisborne architect who commented on the position at the time (states the ''Poverty Bay Herald.") A proportion of the work contemplated then did not eventuate, however, and some ot it still remains to be done, for a number of plans and specifications prepared then were for houses to be built by Government loans, which have not yet been granted. The granting of these loans wouldi be of considerable assistance at present in view of the unemployment position, for otherwise builders' are facing the prospect of little work in the near future. The springtime usually brings with it a large number of jobs, but the same munbei as usual has not come forward on this occasion.

Twelve complete stories are contained in the August number of the "Novel Magazine," received from Gordon and Gotch, Ltd. per Mr M. J. Burgess. There is also the first instalment of a short serial, "Small Ram, by Lesley Storm. The writers include several old favourites and some new ones, the general standard being up to what is expected in the "Novel, '..tor those whose reading tastes are serious the "Sunday at Home" for August will prove a delight. "Walcheren,-Where Old Blends With New," is an exceptionally interesting article by F. Selvey Howell, while "Heritage Schools at Chailey," by Marjory Royce, the sixteenth of the series on great religious institutions, is another that compels attention. The August number of "Good Housekeeping" is one that every woman, will find interesting. _ As the title implies, this publication gives many valuable hints making for good housekeeping, but it also deals in many other features, the special articles treating of questions of interest to women, fashions and fiction by some of the best writers of the day. The current issue of "Weldon's Bazaar of Children's Fashions" contains all those fashions that have established its popularity.

With a view to taking part in the Canterbury bands' contest in Christchurch on October 25, the Ashburton Silver Band held a quickstep practice in the Domain on Saturday afternoon. It will be decided this evening whether the band will enter or not.

The effect of the curtailment of the coal trade on the West Coast, winch has involved a considerable loss ot Avages, is being felt by many of the business people at Greymouth (states the "Argus,") whose trade has been reduced considerably during the past fortnight.

"It has been staled that the Education Department needs a staff of clerks to correct the mistakes of local controlling bodies, but I think the converse replies," said the chairman, Professor A. P. W. Thomas, at a meeting of the Auckland Grammar School Board, when a letter was received from the Department admitting a mistake in computing the salary of a rehevmg teacher. The Department previously disputed a payment made by the Board, and when its attention was drawn to a circular upon which the Board had acted, the Department replied that "the provisions of the circular were inadvertently overlooked.''

A human jawbone with two gold teeth, one gold filling, two platinum fillings, and 13 teeth in all, was found on the beach at high water mark about a mile south of the mouth of the Waimakariri. River on Friday afternoon. Mr J. J. Kiesanowski, of 500 Armagh Street, Christchurch, was walking along the beach with his son David, when the latter found the jawbone. ' The teeth were for the most part in good condition, and the bone was not greatly worn, suggesting that it was of a person who died comparatively recently .Mr Kiesanowski is of opinion that the jawbone is that of a person drowned in the Waimakariri, as debris from the river is usually washed up at the spot where the find was made.

On a Tokarahi farm visited by a "Daily Times" reporter last week, father and son were busy re-thatching an old sod hut that had passed the half-century mark and was still wea-ther-proof. The original roof convering, thatched by craftsmen whose craft would appear almost to have died with them, was being torn off to be replaced by new straw, and with hands as proficient and as thorough as an old-timen's coaching could make them. The sod walls still stand staunch and trim, and even the onslaught of a heavy six-cylinder motor-car sliding along wet and slippery grass could accomplish little more damage than the constant wear and) tear of 50 summers and winters. Inside this relic of another age is yet another reminder of past days. A "cider press that has done duty for many a year turns out the soft sweet wine of the apple that our forefathers brewed so carefully and drank so appreciatively. No better cellar for such a vintage could be found than the old sod house that summer could not warm nor winter freeze. Ihe cider-house is the last of hundreds of its kind in the district, and is regarded as am interesting relic of the early days which is worthy of preservation, and many a toast to other times and. other men is drunk in the old-fashioned beverage it produces and houses.