LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 51, Issue 129, 13 March 1931, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A Mnsterton message states that during Tuesday night the offices of Bortliwick and Sons; Ltd., at Waingaw a, were entered <md £350 stolen from a safe. The burglary was a daring one, as the night shift was working at the time. The secretary of the _ Ashburton branch of the Nursing Division of toe St John Ambulance Association (Mrs F J. E. Small bone), has received a letter from the matron of the Napier Public Hospital expressing appreciation and thanks for the consignment of hospital clothing and bandages which had been forwarded' from Ashburton to the stricken areas. A further consignment is being forwarded to-day. A Nelson telegram states that a combined meeting of public servants passed the following resolutionin common with the other sections of the community we are prepared to bear an equal share of sacrifice or temporary taxation. We' fail to see bow a reason able person, can expect the public servants to bear 0110-third ’of the estimated deficiency, whilst they represent only one-ninth of the wage-earners ot the* Dominion.” A horticultural curiosity was exhibited at Nelson, last week by Air J. Mead. Included in a purchase of peaches was one fruit that was halt pencil and halt nectarine. The- nectarine portion was quite smooth and the typical colour of this fruit, the other’ portion having the rough skin and colouring of a peach. The specimen will probably be preserved as an unusual horticultural freak. “Wo hope to get 1,000,000 bricks out of the building.” said Mr J. L. McMillan, contractor for the demolition of the Mount Cook barracks, Wellington, when discussing the work now in progress. “The walls are 6ft. in thickness at the base, and there the mortar is lime and sand, and the bricks will be easily cleaned. Above the base cement mortar has been used.” The whole of the building would have to be “shot down. This would be done in small sections, commencing in the rool, as only a plug and a half of dynamite was allowed to be used ip one shot. The bricks of which the building is constructed' are of excellent quality. They wore made by prison labour 011 the spot over 40 years ago, and each bears the impress of the Government’s prison insignia, the broad arrow. A ripple of laughter ran roundl the precincts of the Blufl Police Court on Friday at the naive remark of the defendant in a licensing prosecution in which he mineonstrued the attitude of Police Sergeant C. W. Tcmkinson towards the legal profession (says the- “Southland Times.”). The sergeant, questioning the defendant. who had entered a plea of not guilty, said: “Didn’t you ask me not to prosecute you?” The defendant replied that he said he would get a solicitor to defend him if the sergeant carried out the prosecution, and ■‘•hat tiie sergeant had said not to bother, as he would look after bis side of the case. “1 hope that the sergeant does not always tell tliat to my prospective clients,”' jocularly remarked Mr Eustace Russell, counsel for the defendant, as ' amidst laughter the defendant’s statement was amended to the effect that the sergeant would take care to lay the defendant’s version before the court in the course of the prosecution.

T'iie secretary of the Ashburton Acclimatisation Society has received reports of the fishing rivers in the County as follow:—Rakaia, dirty; Ilangitata, dirty.

About ,50 parents and children from the To Pirita School arrived in Ashburton this morning by motor cars for a picnic in the Domain. Most of the time was spent by the children on the swings and other playground apparatus.

A Wellington telegram states that a request for legislation to prohibit work in bakeries between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m. was made by a- deputation front the New Zealand Federated Bakers and Pastrycooks and Related Trades Employees’ Association to-day, to the Minister of Labour (the Hon. S. G. Smith). The Minister’s reply was that no legislation could' 1 be passed this session, but lie would give the deputation’s requests sympathetic consideration.

A protest against the employment of a, married woman teacher at a school in a' southern district was received by the Auckland Education Board the other day from the local school committee (states the ‘‘New Zealand Herald.”) The chairman (Mr A. Burns) said the husband and wife were teaching at neighbouring, schools, and in addition to their ordinary salaries each received a house allowance of £4O a year. li> was decided l to place the case before the Education Department.

A resolution that the Southland Provincial Executive be asked to bring pressure to bear on the Government to discuss with the Imperial Government the price charged for rock from Nauru Island and, if possible, secure a reduction, was carried at a meeting of the Invercargill branch of the' Farmers’ Union recently (states the “Southland Daily News”). It was contended that by reducing the price of this important constituent of superphosphate the price to the farmer would be reduced.

While carrying out miuor repairs to the lining boards of his coal-shed on Wednesday an Ashburton resident discovered an ancient firearm between the lining and' the weather boards. It was a revolver of the muzzle-loading type, on which percussion caps wore used to set off the charge, and its age must be over 100 years. It is in excellent order, the trigger spring, being very strong, but the spring which turned' the chamber has ceased to function. The owner is intrigued by the possible history of the weapon.

The lengths to which superstition will carry an otherwise normal man came before the notice of a local firm to-day. A client came ini from, the country to finalise a matter of business that had been under negotiation for some time. He had decided to close the deal, and. he was required to pay £l3. He was about to do so, when he realised that the day was Friday and that the date was the 13th. He immediately called a halt in the proceedings and' declared that he would come back some other day and complete the transaction.

The fortnightly meeting of the Loyal Ashburton Lodge, M.U., ■1.0.0. F., was held last evening, the N.G. (Bro. W. J. Miller) presiding. A motion of condolence with the family of the late Bro. H. Cliilds was carried in the manner usual in the Order. One candidate was initiated. Sick pay amounting to £2O 16s 8d was passed in favour of 16 members. It was reported that arrangements for the official visit of the Grand Master of the New Zealand Branch' (Bro. H. S. M. Quigley, of Dannevirke) to-morrow evening were complete. The Lecture Master conferred the Blue Degree to' two candidates.

Famed in the past for large yields, the Lopigbeach Estate has again upheld its reputation, for one of the host allround grain and seed yields in the County this season lias been, threshed there. In spite of adverse weather conditions at the beginning of the season, a, large area which had been cropped in wheat and which" 1 has just been threshed yielded 61 bushels to the acre. Another area of oats produced 60 bushels to the acre. A good return has been obtained from a paddock of 50 acres which has been sown down in perennial ryegrass for the last 20 years This area threshed 45 bushels to the acre.

In a case heard in the Supreme Court at Gisborne recently a witness, a young woman, said her father gave her half a crown a week in 1918 as an allowance for the work she did on their farm. “Half a crown !” said' the opposing counsel. “How did you dress then?” “We had to, dress on the halfcrown allowance,” said witness. “I wish it could be done now,” said Mr Justice MacGregor, amid laughter. Counsel pursued the subject. “Well, you were well dressed,” he said. “But we could not go in for any extras,” replied the witness. “You were sufficiently well dressed to —what I might term —catch a, 'husband?” asked coumsel. “Well, I would pot say that,” replied the smiling witness, amid more laughter. Counsel dropped the subject.

As an indication of the decrease of imports into New Zealand from the United Kingdom, several of the large overseas liners which are scheduled to load primary produce in New Zealand for Home have had to come out in ballast. Most of the principal companies liaye been similarly j.Footed m this respect. The Shaw, Savill, and Albion .Company have had the Zealandic and Coptic already out in ballast this year, and these two ships, _jn addition to the Gallic, will come out again in ballast later on. The Norfolk, Huntingdon, and Tekoa have come out this year in ballast for the New Zealand Shipping Company. The Commonwealth and Dominion Line has a vessel for Australia from Plymouth in ballast, but so far has not had any ship coming direct to New Zealand without cargo in the holds. The Canadian National Steamships, because of the prevailing depression affecting their shipments from Montreal and Halifax, have had to curtail their services to Australia and Mew Zealand. ■

In the Pendarves Hall on Wednesday evening a card tournament and dance was held bo the (Jhertsey branch of the Women’s instittite in aid of the earthquake refugees Mrs J. W. Watson, Mrs W. Hurst and Miss Eva Doig formed an able committee. The games were controlled by Mr A. P. Bruce, and about eighty players sat down at the tables. Prizes were won as follow: Ladies, Miss Thelma Thompson, (Chertsev), 147 points, 1 ; Mrs S. Symister (Chertsev) 115 points 2. Men Mr S. Symister 147, 1, Mr F. W. Ironside, 122, 2. The ladies’ prize was donated 1 by Mr J. Lambic and Mr J. W. Watson. A dainty supper was provided by the Indies and was followed by a dance, the music being contributed by Mr W. Rankin, with an extra by Mr Simrnonds (Chertsey). Mrs H. Wilkinson, on behalf of the Eherfcscy Women’s Institute, thanked Inc Pendarves ladies, for their generous si pport, while Mr J. W. Watson ’ hanked Mr WL Rankin for contributing the music for the dance.

“I have been forcibly struck with the spirit of confidence I have met with everywhere that New Zealand will be able t'o overcome any difficulties either in the present or in the future she may meet/’ declared Mr P. Pratt, a director of a prominent London firm, who has just completed a tour of the Dominion. “There is no need for pessimism,’’ continued Mr Pratt. “Trade is expanding in Britain at a most satisfactory rate, and very soon the Empire will be in a better position than ever.”

At Wellington yesterday, James Henry Morgan, of Petone, employed by tiie Public Works Department, ciaimed in the Arbitration Court from the Orowpi compensation at the rate of £4 a week, £1 medical expenses and any further compensation considered necessary in respect of injuries following an accident in the Tawa Flat tunnel. He struck a leg on the edge of a. truck and was disabled from work. The defence alleged that, but for. the reason that there was a varicose condition: of. the leg, nothing more would have been heard of the matter. The Court awarded' the sum of £IBB, being £4 a week for 47 weeks, including £56 already paid, costs £11) 10s, and witnesses’ expenses £4 4s.

Counsel in the Wellington Supreme Court the other day used the term “sex equality” to rather neat advantage when urging that one pf the plaintiffs, who was carrying certain scars on her face as the result of a motor collision, should not be awarded substantial damages because she was a woman (says the ‘.‘Evening Post.”) “A man would not be greatly concerned' about the scars,” counsel argued. The Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers): “It would depend upon his Occupation.” Counsel: “Oh, of course, if lie were a beauty specialist or an actor. But in these days of sox equality we find the plaintiff doing a man’s work and earning a man’s wages. No doubt she feels very strongly about these sears, but when it comes to a question of damages 1 submit the disfigurement is not a ground for substantial damages.” s