LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 52, Issue 206, 13 June 1932, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

An unusual find was made on the Haumoana Beach, near Hastings in the form of a frost fish. The fish, which was discovered by Mr R. MartinSmith, was three feet and a halt in length. While plaving for the Rakaia junior football team against Methven at llakaia on Saturday, W, Duncan received a broken leg and was admitted to the Ashburton Public Hospital. His condition this afternoon was reported to be comfortable. An anonymous donor has given £SOO to the Auckland division of the British Empire Cancer Campaign Society for work in Auckland, the money to be used by the committee at its discretion for any purpose for the relief or prevention, of cancerous disease.

''The recent convictions brought about by the good work of the society's rangers ought to remind those who have not the decency to play fair by the fish and game laws of the Dominion that their day of reckoning is not far off and that they had better * quit while the going is good." Tins »*n extract from the annual report, of tne Wellington -Acclimatisation Society.

At a meeting of the council of the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society on Saturday, a letter was received from the Ashburton Society advising that a fish trap had been placed in Lake Clearwater, and that periodical visits would be made to the place. The South. Canterbury ranger would lie advised so as to meet any desire he may have to obtain ova from Lake Clearwater. The secretary was instructed to forward a letter of thanks and to advise the writers that the society's officers would bo uleased to co-operate with them at any time.

"lii my opinion there is no greater enemy of game than the domestic cat when it has taken to' the bush," said Mr C. H. Drysdale at a meeting of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society. "The ordinary cat is,far worse than any stoat or weasel." he added. The secretary (Mr 0. M. Gordon), who reported that over £4OO had been expenderl in rewards for vermin destruction during the past two months, said it might be well worth while to tnvo a reward for killing wild cats, but ircobablv it would be a dangerous nrecedent. It 'would certainly be no easv matter to distinguish between the tail of the ordinary domestic pnssv and that of a cat that had "gone wild."

A Spartan aeroplane, piloted by Squadron-Leader T. W. White, of New Zealand Airways, Ltd., paid a visit to Loweliffe during ,the week-end for the purpose of passenger-carrying, but only two or three people were taken up. A new class of exhibits was intn> duced with success at the' Bay of Plenty Winter Show, held at Whakatane. Tins was for home brews, and the response fully realised expectations, a total of 30 entries being received. Last Aveek three expert rabbit trappers from the Cambridge district arrived in the Waitomo Valley, and were allowed to follow their calling on two farms five miles from Otorohanga. During four days' operations they secured 927 rabbits, 850 of which were consigned to the Wellington markets at 6d per pair, netting the rabbiters over £2O. The freight was paid at Wellington. Although he has been Minister of Education for eightmonths, it was admitted by the Hon. R. Masters, when officially opening the Otahuhu Junior High School (Auckland) on Wednesday, that until that day he had not visited one school tin his Ministerial capacity. "Since I took over the portfolio I have not had much opportunity to move about the country," said Mr Masters. "Indeed, with the exception of two schools I visited at Pukekohe. this morning, this is the first school I have inspected during the eight months I have been in office, so lam either doing my job or not doing it. You can judge." -.

The Otago University. Council decided cii Friday to, mitigate in some measure the penalty previously imposed on a medical student, who had been editor of the "Critic," a students' magazine, in which certain articles had appeared to which the University Council took exception. The student will be permitted to complete his medical course this year, but he will haveHo take his future chemical training at some centre other than Dunedira. The reason for the decision to reduce the penalty previously imposed was, at> stated by the University Council, that the' student had tendered a full and complete apology, expressing contrition for his action. The dangers attendant upon motorcars being driven at night with only one headlight burning were stressed at a meeting of the council of the Auckland Automobile, Association. A letter received from the North Island Motor Union asked for. the support of the association in requesting the Commissioner of Transport to see that the regulation providing a penalty for driving at night with only one headlight. was enforced. The president (Mr A. Grayson) said he had noticed a number of cars in use with only one headlight burning. The practice was undoubtedly dangerous, but would probably cease if the Commissioner of Transport circularised local authorities, and they took suitable action against offenders. A Masterton resident tells of the following curious dream that came true: In lbb)6 a prominent, racing man, Mr D. Greig, of Ballarat, had a norse named Jsewhaven entered for the Melbourne Cup. About a month before the cup was to be run Mr Greig visited ■Tattersall's Club in Melbourne. While conversing with some members he told them of a strange dream he had the previous night. He dreamt he saw his horse Newhaven win the cup. Moreover, the jockey wore a black band on his arm. A bookmaker present, Joe Thompson .(the "Leviathan,") thereupon bet Mr Greig £IOO to a cigar that Newhaven would not win. A few days afterwards Mr Greig died suddenly at Ballarat, his widow left the horse in the race, which it won. ine jockey was wearing a crape band on liis arm out of respect for his late employer. The bookmaker paid Mrs Greig the £IOO wager without a quibble.

Colonel A. J. Bennett has completed three years as' Administrator and Chief Magistrate at Norfolk Island, and lias returned to Sydney with* his wife. He said that Norfolk Island, had passed through important stages of its career during his administration. A system of barter had given way to commercialism, due chiefly to an influx of tourists from Australia, and New Zealand. The advent, of commercial conditions had first caused an unjustified boom, and later, banana growers, faced with losses, had turned to other products such as passion fruit, bean seed,' „and citrus and other fruits. The tourist traffic was a substantial asset. Improved transport facilities had made the inland more popular. People with small' l incomes did not have to pay taxes, and their expenses were very small. Costs of administration were paid by a low Customs tariff and a subsidy from the Commonwealth Government. Colonel Bennett said that the belief that prohibition was in force on Norfolk Island was incorrect. Reputable residents and visitors .could .obtain good liquor without trouble.

A meeting of Crown tenants was held recently in the Orari Gorge School. Mr 11. Gihcspie* (chairman of the School Committee) was voted to the chair. It was decided, on the motion of Mr A. Adamson, seconded by Mr 'l'. Lysagiu, that a branch be formed, to be known as the Orari Gorge Branch of the Grown Tenants' Association. .Mr C. W. Markiiam was elected president. A prolonged discussion took, place on general relief for farmers, ai%.it was ia& opinion of, tlie meeting tnat the Government should do something; at once to ease the present impossible position of most farmers and run-hold-ers. The motions moved at Ashburton and Timaru were considered, and it was felt that some form of temporary relief should be granted at once, say 33 1-3 per cent, on general farm lands, with perhaps 60 per cent, reduction on sheep runs, sheep men being the hardest hit. Itegret was expressed that the 20 per cent, reduction of rents and interest brought little or no relief to Crown tenants. The i per cent, reduction in interest by the banks was also adversely criticised.

A large iceberg was sighted in the Southern Indian Ocean from the Shaw, Savill and Albion motor-ship Karamea, which arrived at Auckland from Liverpool, via Cape Town, last week. The iceberg, which was estimated to be about oOOft. in length and about 100 ft. high, was seen early on the morning of May 23 when the Karamea was in. latitude 44 degrees 52 minutes south, and longitude 53 degrees 25 minutes oast. When first sighted the iceberg was distant about two miles on the starboard bow and was about a mile away when the Karamea, passed it. The weather was fine and ,clear and the moonlight gave the iceberg a silvery appearance. The conditions were not extremely cold, the air temperature at the time being. 42 degrees, or 10 degrees above freezing point. It was the only ice sighted by the Karamea. On a dark night and in very thick weather the iceberg would have been a danger to navigation and for this reason "information regarding its position, its estimated drift and the weather conditions was, broadcast by wireless from the Karamea.

The annual cleaning of the waterrace which feeds the street' channels in Ashburton is being carried out at present and the supply of water has l>een cut off for several days! A Gisborne telegram states that following a fire in S. Bardwell's confectionery shop, the police received a report that £7O had been stolen from the safe. Mr Bardwell states that he locked the safe before leaving the premises. After the fire the safe was found open and the money was gone. Asked whether dairy factories should continue to use foreign timbers for making butter boxes, Mr W. E. Gwillim (assistant-director of the Dairy Division), speaking at the conference of the New Zealand Dairy Factory Managers' Association, said: "I have no hesitation in. recommending dairy companies to use nothing but your white pine." (Applause.) Many inquiries regarding the results of the general election in New Soutn Wales on Saturday were received by the "Guardian" over the week-end, before the telegraphed summary was received in New Zealand, and many were also made to the Post Office. The fact that the Lang Plan forces had been routed seemed to give general satisfaction. Few people bothered about the Queensland general election, where the issue was in many ways akin to that in New. South Wales.'

The ruins of Dr. W. W. Moore's Hospital in Napier, between the Marine Parade and Byron Street, are gradually disappearing. The efforts of the demolishing gang engaged on thenremoval have been responsible for the clearing of the greater part of the site. The men are at present working on the Byron Street frontage of the building, which is the last portion to be removed. The spoil is being tipped behind the Municipal Baths building for the formation of a wide pathway which will be continued northwards outside the paddling pools until it .finally links up again with Coote Road. Only a few hundred yards away another extensive filling job'is being carried out opposite the end of Emerson Street, where debris from the demolished Technical College building is being tipped to .create a parking area, for motor cars. A phenomenon was observed at Opotiki the other morning. A resident was awakened at 2 a.m. by the barking of dogs and, on looking outside, observed a wonderful glow in the sky in the direction of White Is and. It was so brilliant that the whole, of the d strict: was illuminated. It is recalled that about three years ago a similar phenomenon was observed. On that occasion what appeared, to be the glow from flames was seen coming from AN lute island. On several occasions red dust has been emitted from the blow-holes at White Island, and the phenomenon observed on Sunday corning was probably indirectly caused by dust. It was also" stated that at' the; time oi the White Island disaster in 1914. when the island workers, were killed b 3 debris, a glow above the island *as seen from the mainland.