LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 51, Issue 143, 30 March 1931, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Minor injuries to his face were sustained bv Mr N. Johnson as a result of a fall while competing in the Ashburton Motor-Cycle Club's hurly-burly at Seaview yesterday.

In the list of Ashburton competitors who were successful at the Winchester Show, published in "The .Guardian" on Friday, the name of Mr R. Oakley was omitted. Mr Oakley took hist and second prizes for Romney flock rams of one-shear and over.

The place of registration for unemployed was officially changed on Saturday from the Labour Bureau at the Courthouse, to the Post Office. Mr A. C. Williams (representative o? the Labour Department, Ashburton), who has been in charge of the registrations up to date, stated that he had handed over about 350 names to the Postal authorities.

As a result of the jamming of the accelerator, a five-seater car, owned and driven bv Mr R. J. McGee, of 35 Aldred Street, Christchurch, struck the kerbing near the Havelock Street railway crossing in-Ashburton at midday yesterday. Mr McGee was turning into Havelock Street from West Street when the accident happened. The two right-hand wheels and the running board were damaged. There were three adults and three children in the car at the time, but no one? was injured.

Because he paid an excess amount of one penny in nnepiploymcnt tax, Mr N. Prestegar, a member of the Coopers' Union, Melbourne, had the experience of receiving a Government cheque for that amount. It was a "not negotiable" cheque, signed by an officer of the taxation department, and it was payable from the stamps tax refund account. The cheque, which was drawn on the National Bank of Australasia, aroused much curiosity at the Trades Hall, where it was exhibited. Mr Prestegar said that he did not intend to claim the penny, but he would frame the cheque.

The sight of an aeroplane over Ashburton less than three years ago was the signal for all eyes to turn skyward. 'Planes were rarities in those days, but the arrival of a 'plane over the town these davs is taken as a matter of course. Activities of the Aero Club have familiarised Ashburton. people to 'planes, and the majority now give no more than a brief glance upwai;d in an endeavour to identify the visitor. Two years ago the light 'planes in New Zealand could be counted 1 on the fingers of one hand, but to-day there are over 50 in daily use, most of them Moths.

01' eight members on the Ashburton Hospital Board, six represent the County, one the Borough, and one Tinwa'ld Town District. The. six Countv members are Messrs A. Horsey, G. S. Hardy, W. T. Lill, C. A. Campion, W. G. Gallagher, and F. Framptcn. -The Borough member is Dr. .1. R. Wells, and Mr W. Bryant represents Tinwald. The County members are elected every three years, and the next election will be held in Mav, 1932. The Borough member is elected every two years, and the next election will take place in May next, when the Borough Council elections are held The Tinwald representative is also elected for two years, and the nextelection will be' held in September. 1932.

The sum of £47 8s was paid by the Ashburton Borough; Council to men on relief work last week.

Men employed by the Ashburton County Council on relief, works last week numbered 95. The wages paid out amounted to £1.59 12s.

Out of a total of approximately £27,000 levied in rates and water charges Jjy the Ashburton County Council, tne sum of £21,372 12s 5d nad been paid up to Saturday.

Four crates of nigeons, belonging to the Oamaru Homing Pigeon Society, were released by the stationmaster at Ashburton on Saturday for a race to Oamaru. Two crates of nominated birds, belonging to the Dunedin Homing Pigeon Club, were liberated an hour before the Oamaru birds.

The Ashburton Ministers' Association met this morning to make arrangements for the forthcoming Anzac Day services. The same arrangements as last year were decided on, only the parts to be taken by the various ministers being altered.

The secretary of the Ashburton Acclimatisation Society has received reports of the condition of the fishing rivers in the County as follow: —Ashburton, clear; Rakaia, fishable; Rangitata, fishable.

In the report of the Rakaia ram and ewe fair published in "The Guardian" on Friday, Mr R. Campbell, el' Dromore, was erroneously stated to have sold 35 two-tooth halfbred ewes. Mi- Campbell sold no sheep at the fair in question.

A large attendance marked the annual harvest thanksgiving services held by the Ashburton Mission last evening. Mr W. J. Brown preached, and there was bright singing by the choir. A large quantity of produce which was displayed will be sold tonight.

A woman in Blenheim had an unusual experience with a six-months-old calf. She noticed a piece of rope hanging from its mouth, and began to pull it out. Much, to her amazement, she had to keep on pulling until four yards of rope came from the calf's mouth. But rfor her timely assistance the animal would probably have choked.

A feature of the evening service at St. Andrew's (Presbyterian) Church vesterdav was the singing of Stainer's "Crucifixion" by the choir, under Mr L. J. Watt. The soloists were Messrs L. J. "Watt, T. E. Watt and E. Craighead. A full choir gave a .very impressive rendering of the cantata. There was a large congregation.

The Flemington and Tinwald Presbyterian churches held harvest thanksgiving services yesterday. The Rev. W. Hannah, of Southbridge, preached in the monfing and afternoon, and the Rev. G. D'. Verco in the evening. Substantial thankofferings were taken during the day, and a large amount of produce came in.

A decrease in the rate of pay for relief work has been decided upon by the Unemployed Board, and the Ashburton Local Unemployment Committee has been notified that- as from April 1, married men will receive 12s 6u a day and single men 9s a day, in place of' the 14s a day set at present. In Ashburton, men have been, receiving 12s a day. This rate will be retained for married men and single men will receive 9s a day after tomorrow.

The beauty of Mount Hutt and its sister peaks was brought prominently under notice on Saturday. In the morning it stood opt bold and vaguely blue against a speckless sky. The* southern slopes of the topmost crags still held a good deal of snow, and a strata of woolly clouds wreathed its head. Wisps of cloud lay in the. gullies of all the adjoining ridges, and to the south Mount Somers peeped through a cloud bank. Many people at the Methven Show commented on the beauty of the hills.

Speciments of three commemorative stamps issued in Australia on March 19 in honour of Air-Commodore Kingsford Smith's achievements in aviation have been received in New Zealand. The stamps, which are all similar in design, comprise a sixpenny air mail stamp and threepenny and twopenny postage .varieties.' Ihe design consists of two worlds side by side, surmounted in the centre by the aeroplane Southern Cross. At the foot is the inscription: " Kingsford Smith's World Flights."

A showman in charge of a wrestling troupe at the Methven Show on Saturday was endeavouring to arrange a contest between one of his wrestlers and a County youth, and the negotiations gave rise to a good deal of heckling on the part of onlookers outside the tent. Having in vain reciuested some of the hecklers to "behave," the showman at last- lost his temper, and, taking in the crowd before him with a sweep of his hand, told them he thought they would all be better on the farm milking cows! The crowd did not object to this sally. Rather, it applauded the outburst, and when the "show" opened the tent was full.

"Longer dresses for girls means a 'waist,' and it is quite startling to see how they are concentrating on belts of the right design, so that they may 'pull in' in the bad, old-fashioned Avay, just because it has become the vogue," lamented the matron of ona of Auckland's largest institutions where young women are employed. "Dresses have in some cases been too short, but I hope we may never return to the long frocks like those worn before the war. The new standards of eight or nine inches below the knee are very becoming for girls with the?. proix>r athletic public school bearing, and one of the first things all those, who are interested in the sex should do is to see that the baneful belt does not become common, because it will bring in its train many of the evils which we used to deplore in connection with our pre-war fashions."

The way in which some houses in Xapier were affected by the earthquake of February 3 has to be seen to be believed, and adds to the wonder that is felt that more lives were not lost than was actually the case (remarks the "Telegraph"). One house situated in Shakespeare Road dropped at one end about It feet, the side being pitched into the earth, white numerous residences were rocked off their piles, but maintained their equilibrium in an amazing manner. One large house situated on Hospital Hill, beyond the institution, was hurled, several yards off its foundations, and is in a precarious position near the edge of the cliff. while the ground in the vicinity, lacking in lateral support, has cracked up badly. There are many homes thus situated, and it is feared that with the advent of heavy vain nothing can stop them from completing the descent of the cliffs which was commenced by the great upheaval.

An increase of 205 names is noted on the Borough Electors' Main Roll tor the election which is to he held on Mav 6. Tiie total is 2459, against 2290 on the main roll in 1929-30. The supplementary roll will be closed at 8 o'clock on April 8.

There is still a fair inquiry for houses of the bungalow type to let in Ashburton! The demand has eased somewhat the last week or so, and it appears that what demand there is, is being met. There is no business in the sale of property just now.

Harvest thanksgiving services were held by the Rev. A. J. Fetrie at Greenstreet yesterday, when there was a large attendance. Members of the St. Stephen's choir assisted. A large amount of produce was sent in, and this will he given to the church's orphanages.

A motorist, who was a defendant in a civil case heard in the Magistrate's Court at .Nelson last week, explained to the Coiu't that when driving on a showery day he cut an apple and rubbed the juice on the windscreen, which then readily drained off the water and gave him good vision. "1 have an apple in my car," remarked the Magistrate, Mr T. E. Maunsell, and looking out at the rain, added: "I'll try it on the way home."

An example has been made of a young man who has beep employed on relief work in Ashburton lately. A report on his work showed that his work had been entirely unsatisfactory; in fact, he had been loafing, making a convenience of the work. The Local Unemployment Committee lias therefore made liim stand down on its list aud he will not be given work for two weeks. Whilst most of the men employed under relief schemes have worked well, there have been a number who have been loafers.

Sir Philip Game (Governor of New South Wales), speaking at the opening of Armidale Show, told the story of an English boy avlio was 'called upon to write aii essay on "Farming." The lad started off by saying that his father had told him that farmers had a bad year "this year, last year, and the year before that, and that if they had another bad year they would be ruined." When ruin stared the farmer in the face, the farmer stared ruin in the face and bought a motorcar. Sir Philip said that farming was the only business in which a man could be ruined year after year and still make a living.

A considerable impression was made in the Assessment Court in. Auckland (says the "Star") by a woman aged 84, who, owing to the illness of her solicitor, found herself obliged .to present her own application for relief from rating on three properties. Though she was trail and walked with the aid of a stick, she revealed a particularly keen intellect, and presented her case jn a voice which could be heard on all sides, which was more than could be said for many of the other objectors. She declared that she was trying to do her best for her mother's estate, and rounded off her plea, which was given sympathetic consideration by Mr W. R. McKean, S.M., by remarking that "when you get to S 4 you are not so young as when you are young." "I am sorry my solicitor is ill and could not come," she l added. Mr McKean: "You have-' done very well without him."