LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 51, Issue 25, 10 November 1930, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

“He was travelling at a fair speed,” said' a young witness when dence in the Palmerston North bu preme Court in a motor accident,. case.■ “What do you call a fair speed ? ask ed counsel “Oh, up to 45 miles an hour,” was the reply. Counsel: Gracious, what do you call an unfan speed—loo miles an hour.

Mr Carl Dahl, of Hawera, is in receipt of a Danish newspaper of July 1/, in which reference is made to javelin throwers. The paper states that no fewer than 12 throwers in hmland have thrown over 60 metres. ihe two best were M. Jarviner, whose best throw was 63.38 metres (223 ft 9m) and Pcntilla 58.5 metres (207 ft). llm former is considered .the all-round world champion and the lattei is ai ex-champion thrower.

At least two men have been continuously employed by the Board during the last few months, reported the secretary (Mr A. Prentice), to the Ashburton Hospital Board this morning, when giving particulars of what tno Board had done to assist unemployment. He said the Board had paid more in charitable aid and grants and relief work this year than for a very long time.

The latest figures of the World’s Sunday School Association show that it has now within tis. organisation a total of 33,751,632 scholars 3 officers and teachers and 320,620 Sunday schools. By far the largest number is in North America, where the scholars total nearly 22,000,000, and the officers and teachers total 2,ibU,000. Since 1924 there has been an increase of more than 4,000,000 sclio ars throughout the world. _

During the hearing of a case in the Auckland Supreme Court the other dav a young man entered the witness box'with a half-smile on his face. It was a re-trial, and he knew what was coming. “Your full name, Mi- • asked counsel. “Louis Frederick Thomas George Ronald Rudolph —, witness replied, lapsing into a broad grin. General laughter in the Court was siienced sternly.

A halo of various colours encircled the sun for a time in .Christchurch shortly after noon yesterday, providing a brilliant sight. Bordering a mass of cloud below the sun to the north, rainbow colours, spread in an arc, were particularly bright, and extended over a wide expanse of sky. Above this, and surrounding the sun, similar colours, but of a softer strength, were noticeable, and loir several minutes the glow of the lights was very pronounced. Then the clouds drifted away, and with _ them the lights faded. The filtering of the sun’s ravs through the vapour of passing clouds has been suggested as the probable cause of the halo.

An unusual coincidence, of the soi t that fishermen talk frequently about, but can rarely substantiate, is reported from the Breakwater, says the Napier Telegraph,” by an authority ol unimpeachable veracity. On a recent Sunday, a line fisherman brought to the Glasgow wharf a fine mold, weighing about a dozen pounds. At the edge of the wharf, unluckily his tackle gave way, and the fish fell back into the sea. Seven days later the same fisherman, with a companion, was fishing from the same spot. This time his companion caught a mold, which, by the hook and strand of catgut hanging from its lacerated' mouth, was identified as the identical fish which had been lost the previous week-end.

To-morrow will be the twelfth anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that closed the Great War. In accordance with the King’s desire, traffic will be suspended 1 for two minutes from 11 o’clock, and flags will be flown from public and private premises.

Owing to the lateness of the season, and the cold nature of the weather, recently, there has been little growth with the result that kitchen gardens have suffered badly. The protracted spell of wet weather retarded the planting of the seeds, and little headway has been made. A spell of warm, dry weather is now needed to assist the growth.

With the production of an Auricula stalk bearing a head of no fewer than 80 blooms, it appeared as if it would remain a record for this season, at least. Mr T. Sim of Invercargill, who grew this auricula has, however, produced a still better one., and has beaten his own record, the latest stalk bearing the remarkable number of 93 blooms. Mr .Sim also produced a stalk of polyanthus with no fewer than 72 well-grown blossoms.

“The State will keep going and borrow money so that the unemployed may be employed; that-is the principle isn’t it?” said Mr Justice Herdman in the Auckland Supreme Court the other day. Reference had just been made to the State pushing ahead with a tramway connecting the McDonald mine to the railway station at Glen Alton. “The unfortunate taxpayer is not taken into account,” was His Honor's comment.

A suggestion that one of the jurors in the panel might ,be relieved from service owing to somewhat unusual circumstances was made by counsel in the Supreme Court. yesterday. “He occupies the dual position of friend of the defendant and employer of the plaintiff,” added counsel. His learned friend agreed that the man should not sit on the case. ' His Honor Mr Justice Ostler approved, and when the man was called he was relieved from attendance until to-day.

What is supposed to be the sequel to the savage fight witnessed off the New Plymouth foreshore between a large whale and a shark last week has been the discovery of the carcase of a whale which was washed ashore at Middleton’s Bay, near Opunake. The body, which was more than 30 feet long, bore evidence of a strenuous fight. It was gashed deeply in several places. The finder endeavoured to try out the blubber, but his utensils were not suitable ana he gave it ui>.

An act of vandalism has robbed the Domain of at least some of its beauty for this time of the year. One bed of tulips, of which there is now a beautiful display, was stripped of its blooms during the weeluend. These flowers, owing to the lateness of the season, were at the height of their bloom, and at this time of the year, when there are few flowers, gave a colourful relief to the green surroundings of lawn, shrubs and trees.

The large De Haviland 50 aeroplane which is being used on the Christchurch to Dunedin service was flown over Ashburton at 10 o’clock yesterday on its way to Dunedin on the second trip. At the request of the MidCanterbury Aero Club, Captain M. C. McGregor, pilot of the ’plane, flew over Ashburton to give local people an idea of the size of ,the ’plane, as it is the largest ever flown over here. Three other ’planes (all Moths) also flew over portions of the County yesterday afternoon.

A decision to create a voluntary medical service fund, subject to confirmation at a later meeting was made at a meeting of the "Wellington Municipal Employees’ Sick Benefit and Death Levy ’ Society. A review of the society’s operations during the last half-year showed receipts totalling £1992 and disbursements amounting to £1693. The death rate of society members was considered very satisfactory, the figure for the first 12 months being only three-eighths of 1 per cent.

An indication of the high regard with which some of the Gisborne stud stock is hold by flockowners outside the district is that Mr E. R. Renner, of Repongacre, has just completed negotiations with an Otago farmer for the sale of 35 ram lambs at a satisfactory figure. This is the second occasion on which Mr Renner has sent rams to Otago (says the “Poverty Bay Herald”), and the most recent sale is the result of a nrevious deal, which gave so much satisfaction that the purchaser has returned for more of the same blood. As Otago, itself is the home of the well-known Romney breeders, it speaks well of the Qisborne stock that the purchaser should go so far afield for Ins requirements.

The fact that the new Auckland railway station is 32 chains further south than the old one (says our correspondent) is going to have a farreaching effect on passenger fares and railway freights between Auckland and many stations south. This is disclosed in a new instruction from the general manager (Mr H. Sterling), who authorises all fares, goods freights, and parcel rates to be computed on a basis of the reduced mileage. Reductions in fares and freights will he brought about as between Auckland 1 and a. number of stations throughout New Zealand. It is estimated that lower charges will mean a reduction of hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds annually to the Railway Department.

According to a return published in the “Gazette” last week, the estimated population of New Zealand (including Maoris) at September 30 last was 1,494,628—762,631 males and 731,997 females. The estimated total population of New Zealand, the dependencies and the mandated territory was 1,555,399, including 14,812 in the Cook and other Islands, 999 in the Tokelau Islands, and 44,960 in Western Samoa. The population of New Zealand proper was divided as follows: —North Island, 963,695; South Island .530,933. _ The estimated Maori population was 67,593 only 2953 of whom lived in the South Island. During the quarter ended September 30, 1930, the population showed an increase of 3941, compared with an increase of 3907 during the corresponding quarter of 1929.

A Wellington telegram reports that the Chinese Consul there states: “ Several of my countrymen have made representations to mo regarding statements made in the Magistrate’s Court at the hearing of a case against a Chinese charged with cruelty to cats. According to the newspaper reports it was alleged, as a defence, that in China all cats are confined in small boxes during the planting season. This statement is absolutely untrue. It is a fact that in China cats are hiorhly valued, and when bought and sold the proud purchaser will keep a oat in a roomy basket for a day or two until it becomes acquainted with the neople of the house. I am assured by those well acquainted with the rice-growing districts that it is not the custom to keep cats in confinement during the planting season, nor at anv other time, save as already mentioned.”

About 30 returned soldiers have notified their Intention of attending the reunion arranged to be held in Christchurch this evening by the Canterbury Regiment. This will be the first reunion of members of the Regiment. There was a good attendance at the Tailored Street Ball on Saturday evening when a: social was held by the Hakatere Lodge, 1.0.0. F. Music for dancing was supplied by Mr H. Thompson, extras being played by Mr Jackson.

During the past three years there have been two deaths each year in New Zealand as the result of the unwise use of defective portable electric lamps. This fact is disclosed by a table of deaths caused by faulty lamps, contained in a circular letter from the Chief Electrical Engineer to the Public Works Department, Mr F. T. M. Kissel, to electrical supply authorities throughout New Zealand, fn all there have been 10 deaths in New Zealand from this cause. The letter contains a warning that all the accidents have resulted from defective wiring, usually carried out by the consumer himself.