LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 131, 15 March 1933, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A loss of £43 10s 6d was made by the Masterton A. and F. Association on the recent show, according to a financial statement submitted at the last meeting of the General Committee. A start has been made with the tarrinV and sanding of the footpaths in Ashburton. There are loj nines pi paths to be treated and the work will be completed before winter, 12,000 gallons of tar being needed. The paths were not attended to last year. Thirteen eels were caught recently by Messrs H. and T. Rickit, of Tanpo. at the Aratiatia rapids. The presence of eels in the Waikato River abovu Arapuni has never been reported previously, and it has generally been accepted that the alkaline property ol the pumic district prevented their establishment. What could be claimed as a record for brevity in court procedure occurred at Paeroa the other day, when a Judgment debtor appeared before Mr F. \\ . Platts S.M. The judgment debtor was called 'and sworn. Mr Platts: Are you a relief worker? Debtor: Yes. Mr Platts: No order. The case lasted less than one minute. A conference between the Minister of Transport (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) and representatives of the North and South Island Motor Unions and the County Associations was held at Wellington vesterday over the limitation of motor speeds. The mam point of difference is the 40-mile-an-hour limit on gravel roads with the onus on the driver to prove that beyond 35 miles an hour is not driving•to the, public danger. • A wild duck is one of the most timid of Nature's creatures, but even with i this shy bird the maternal instinct will rise pre-eminent. Recently a party of fishermen returning by launch through the Ohau Channel steered their craft into the bank to give right of way to a grey duck accompanied by three tiny ducklings ('says the "Rotorua Tost"). Although their intentions were excellent, however, the wash of the boat lifted the three ducklings right out of the stream on to the bank. Apparently convinced that she was being deprived of her brood the mother 'duck suddenly made a violent assault upon the launch, and although worsted in the unequal contest had all the sympathy of the unwilling interlopers in this scene of domestic peace. Education.and more contact with the outside world were sadly needed by the 196 persons on Pitcairn Island, said Captain E. H. Willson, formerly master of the tug Terawhiti, on his arrival on Saturday evening. The islanders were reasonably happy, and so far thev had not been affected by the depression, but they were suffering from ignorance of world affairs. At the most called only once a month, and last year, owing to an acute shortage of vessels calling, the islanders were seriously affected. They had been dependent upon the outside world for stores, and, having planted no crops, were in serious' position. Captain Willson said that the land on Pitcairn was worn out. and required treatment with fertilisers and modern methods of agriculture, ISome of the plots had been growing potatoes continually for 20 years, and the crops were exceedingly poor. If they cared to utilise the natural advantages" to the fullest extent the islanders could lie very well off so far as this world's goods were concerned, but there was a calm indifference to the realisation of such an objective, and they were exceedingly jealous of each other, probably owing to the native blood which many had in their veins.

The Ashburton, Rakaia and Rangitata Rivers remain clear, according to reports received by the secretary of the Ashbur.ton Acclimatisation Society (Mr J. B. Nicoli). Levels have been taken for the'new water main which is to be laid along Park Street as part of the augriientod water supply scheme adopted by the Borough Council, and it is expected tliat the work of putting down the pipes will be commenced at an early date. The visit of the Main Highways Board's electro-magnetic truck to Invercargill was productive of a great haul of metallic objects. As a result of travelling over approximately fifty miles of streets, 1131 bof nails and other puncture producing objects, and rather more than that weight of flattened tins were gathered tip. The harvest of nails is estimated to represent 25,000 potential punctures. Had it-not been for the installation of the air compressor, operating on the new bore, Ashburton would have been short of water on many occasions in the past two months. There has been a heavy and continuous demand.for, water for gardening purposes since Christmas and if the additional supply had not been at hand the main tank would have been emptied, as was the case last summer. The Methodist Parsonage Ladies' Guild held art enjoyable picnic near the Burnside Tea Gardens on the Ashburton River yesterday. Most of the members were present and the party motored to the.picnic place during the morning, spending the whole day. there. Weather conditions in the afternoon were not all that could be desired but the 1 outing was a pleasant one. '' Two unusually low claims for expenses were made by the police in the Magistrate's Court at Auckland, when shopkeepers were convicted of Sunday trading. After a womanihad been fined £l, Detective-Sergeant MoHugh asked for expenses. "They are only 3id," he added with a smile". "I suppose the police have eaten the chocolates or whatever they bought," replied Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., who refused to admit the claim. In the next case, a similar charge, the police expenses totalled Is, which was also disallowed. "The State has got £l," remarked the Magistrate, who imposed a fine of that amount. ■ The question whether an auctioneer was an itinerant trader was the subject of much legal argument in the Morrinsville Magistrate's* Court, when the Morrinsville Borough Council (Mr A. Needham) prosecuted John Matthew Kennedy (Mr B. McGregor), auctioneer, of Auckland, on a charge that, being an itinerant trader, he had exposed for sale, offered for sale, andsold goods on March 3, at a sample room, without being licensed" by the ( council (reports the "New Zealand Herald"). The defendant' counsel submitted that an auctioneer w;as not a trader in the meaning of section 348 of the Municipal Corporations Act. The Magistrate (Mr S. L. Paterson) fined defendant £5, with costs 10s, and solicitor's fee £3 3s. Security for appeal was fixed at £lO.

The survey of the riverbed of the Rakaia from the railway bridge to a point several miles upstream, 1 which was started by the iPublic Works Department about a year ago to obtain data for use when considering the possibility of erecting a new.'railway bridge oyer the river, has been completed. It is possible that the present bridge over the Rakaia, which is now used, by both rail and road traffic, will be handed over to_the roading authorities for use as a public highway, and that a new bridge will be erected to take the railway. The actual object of the survey was to find out whether it would be possible, in the event of the construction of a new bridge. jto shorten its ""length, and with this in view data relating to the fall, flood level of the river, and variations in width, has been recorded. The Railway Department shared the cost of the survey. Whether it was a Diunedin City Corporation, trap for tinkering young boys or the accidental discovery of an effective catch for small fingers of children travelling on the city tramcars has not yet been officially intimated, but a 'member of a party of schoolboys who travelled by the Cayersham tram to the loop will probably be able to supply the answer, states an exchange. When his mates left the tram he remained to struggle with the folding iron gate, in whicU he had, by some mischance or other, securely fastened his fingers. In vain he tried to extricate his imprisoned fingers, and even the application of grease by a tram official and the scheming of the motorman, conductor, and teacher failed to release him. The lad was eventually taken back with the tram to the depot, where engineering skill was summoned to effect a rescue. Where power dams or other obstructions are placed across rivers in which salmon spawn, some means have to be provided by which the fish can surmount the dams to reach the headwaters. Salmon, and trout also, can surmount almost incredibly swift water for short distances, and accordingly fish "ladders" are used in salmon rivers where there are dams. On the "Waitaki, the river in which quinnat salmon were successively acclimatised in large numbers for the first time in New Zealand, and from which they have spread to most other South Island rivers, the construction of the.power dam above Kurow prevents their passage. The Public Works Department has in hand the provision of the necessary fish ladders. Advice has been sought from other countries as to the best means of dealing with the special problems of the Waitaki job, and the work has been started.

A special meeting of the Ashburton Fanciers' Society was held last night when the revised rules were approved. It was decided to hold a further meeting prior to the next committee meeting to finally adopt the rules. At the conclusion of the "general meeting the committee met, Mr W. H. Robinson presiding. The chairman welcomed Mr A. Thomson to the committee. Letters were received from various judges and the following were appointed:—Poultry, Mr G. Bimdy: canaries and ca.i'», Mr Wilkinson: rabbits, Mr A. Lawrence ; dogs, Dr. McKillop ; collie dogs, Mr A. Mclennan; grain, Mr Lawson ; roots, Mr E. M. Bates; needlework, Mrs B. Clark; home industries, Mrs Lewitt and Mr Woolley; writing ana drawing, Mr J. Cook -artificial flowers, Mrs Yeoman; photography, Mr E. J. Daniel. The chairman and Messrs 0. Nicoll, IX Smith, 0. Digby and T. Rattray were appointed a ■sub-commit-tee to obtain special prizes. In connection with added attractions for the show it was decided to hold tug-of-war contests for two classes, light-weight and catch-weight. It- was resolved not to participate in the annual are union conducted by the South Island Poultry Association, "

A short earthquake shock was reported in the Mount Cook region at 10.30 yesterday morning. The tremor, which "was felt at The Hermitage, was slight, and it is understood no damage was done. Two very bright stars are attracting attention at present. They are the planets Mars and Jupiter, the former being distinguished by its ruddy hue and the latter by its great brilliancy. The two planets are this month directly opposite to the sun, which means that they remain visible practically all night. Although they were close together at the beginning of the year, their apparent motions are causing their distance apart slowly to increase. A Wellington telegram states_that when the grocers' dispute opened before a Conciliation Council a claim that chain store proprietors should have representation was made. Alter considerable argument Mr D. Mouat (one of the master grocers' assessors) offered to withdraw, and Mr B. Sutherland was appointed to fill the vacancy on behalf of the chain stores. Before'the council resumed to-day a conference between "the two , sections of employers was held to endeavour to settle the existing differences. There has been a gradual diminution in the 'number of ducks on the ponds in the Domain in the past few years, and the birds that remain are a mere handful compared with the number five or six years ago. The decrease is accounted for lafwl->v it is said, by the fact that young ducks have been killed almost as quickly as they have been hatched, and one resident declares that the ducks have not hested so much since the undergrowth was cleared from the islands. It is stated, also, that fish have increased in the ponds, and that eels have .taken most of the ducklings. Small boys and dogs have likewise accounted for the disappearance of some of them. There is 'a larger percentage of wild ducks on the ponds than formerly. Considerable damage is being dene to laurel fences in Ashburton by a grub whose existence in such,fences seems to be something new to owners. The grub, which is yellow in colour, is about an inch long and has a series of raised rings running round its body, so that it appears something like a dozen miniature cotton reels placed end to end. The insect enters the stem about eight or ten inches from the tip and bores outward through the pith, depositing eggs in carefully sealed compartments as it progresses. The main stem of the tree is not attacked but the branches into which the grub makes its way die off and are easily broken. To prevent the spread of the grub-in his fence, one Ashburton resident has decided to strip his fence almost to the main stems. Members of the Ashburton branch of St. Anne's Home Guild held their'annual pound day yesterday afternoon at "The Willows," * the residence of Mr and Mrs E. B. Newton, and a most enjoyable afternoon was spent. More than 70 members and friends were present and the response to the appeal for contributions for the home was most liberal, a large collection of gifts of groceries being received. The gifts were so numerous that six large cases were filled for dispatch to Christchurch. Friendly games of tennis were played and competitions were held. I'he bowling competition was won by Mrs F. Makeig, and the "Charlie Chaplin" competition was wen by Miss Molly Findlay. Afternoon tea was provided by Mrs Newton, members and friends.