LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 208, 15 June 1933, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Ashburton Volunteer Fire Brigade was called out to a chimney fire at the home of Mrs T. Alexander, Chalmers Avenue, early last evening. No damage was done by the fire.

Tbe Lower Hutt Borough Conned has arrived at an agreement with the State Advances Department to guarantee the rent up to a certain amount on a limited number of vacant State cottages in order to find houses for some relief workers who have been evicted from their homes.

According to reports received by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Annuals, cases of sheep worrying continue to occur on farms in the neighbourhood of Wellington. Investigations made by the inspectors of the society have proved that in the mist the majority of cases of worrying have been caused by unregistered stray dogs.

"Honey has a very high food value on account mainly of the natural sugars it contains," said Mr S. C Rhodes Government Apiary Instructor, at Dunedin, Mr Rhodes added that honey required no digestion, but passed almost immediately through the walls of the stomach into the blood stream and produced energy. For this reason i! was valuable for . infants, while athletes were now beginning to realise that a teaspoon fid of honey taken about 20 minutes before their exertions had a gratifying effect on their staying powers.

Freighted with 60 gallons of hot soup, the Salvation Army's travelling soup kitchen started the winter programme in Auckland on Tuesday, when part oi' the Newton district was traversed. For three months the kite-hen will dailv be on the road, and this year a wider area will be visited. Major T. E. Holmes, who was responsible 1 for the soup supply, said that last year about 600 families were nrovidecl for. The real benefit oT the travelling kitchen was that they were able to "reach directly women and children at their homes.

A proposal to levy a rate of onesixteenth of a penny over the board's area was adopted at a meeting of the Manawatu-Oroua Tower Board., following on a recommendation to this effect from the executive.

In the issue of summonses by the Auckland 'City Council for rates in arrears for the past year, which ended on May 31, in cases in which payment cannot be secured from the ratepayer, proceedings are being instituted against the mortgagee.

An injury to his right foot was received by Mr F. Waddell, an employee of the Wakanui Road Board, while working in a shingle pit at Chertsey yesterday afternoon. He is now confined to his home in Ashburton. The accident was caused through a quantity of shingle falling from the face of the pit and embedding his foot. The limb was badly swollen and bruised and yesterday it was.not possible to ascertain the extent of the injuries.

A difficulty which had arisen over tlie use of certain motor-vehicles for the conveyance of players to, football matches has been overcome as a result of representations made by the New Zealand Rugby Union. A notification has been given to unions that as a result of negotiations it has been decided by the authorities, for the purposes of indemnity l under the Motor Vehicles Insurance (Third Party Risks) Act, 1928, that lorries used for the conveyance of players should be registered under class 9. It is stated also that the Transport Department is agreeable to issuinc. the necessary certificates of fitness at a reduced fee.

"After a long experience 1 have decided that the positive method, or, in other words, indicating by an X or some other «mark, the names of the candidates desired by the voter, is simpler, more direct, and more likely to be less confusing to many persons than is the method of striking out tohse names that are not wanted," stated the returning officer, Mr P. R. Purser, at a meeting of the Hastings Borough Council, when reporting on the recent municipal elections. Theoretically, the principle of having all the elections on the one day was sound, but in practice it was not so satisfactory, said Mr Purser. The multiplication of papers and the numerous names on some of them made it very complex and confusing for a large number of people.

A discovery of gold has been reported at Imlay, "the "prospectors'' being employees at the New Zealand Refrigerating Company's works, states the "Wanganui Chronicle." It is understood that traces of gold were noticed in the jawbones of some 'boners which were goine through the digester department. At first this was thought to be some form of mica deposit, but on the jawbone and teeth being submitted for test at a Wanganui jeweller's it was discovered that the glittering substance was gold, though of low grade. It is stated that the cattle under treatment came from the Egmorit Reserve. Prospects of a gold rush, however, do not as yet appear bright.

Members of the North .Canterbury branch of the Ashburton High School Old Pupils' Association and..their friends held a reunion dance at Christchurch last evening. This was the tirst social gathering arranged since the annual meeting of the association and the new executive had made preparations which ensured a successful reunion. Many ex-pupils attended, some making the 'journey from Ashburton. Streamers in the school colours, gold and black, decorated the hall, and the lamp shades were adorned with the same colours. The committee, of the North Canterbury branch responsible for the organisation of the gathering comprised: "Misses Joyce Woods and Jeanne Service, Messrs J'. A. Lane, J. Rigbv, V. C. McPhail, C. S. Thomas, C A*. limes, L. Penny, A. G. A. Baigent, D. K. Boyd and R. T. Clarke.

Napier nrcperty owners are in a dilemma owing to steps which are being taken bv the Nnnier City Council to recover fates which were due for the years during which the earthquake of February, 1931, took place "We did not have any money at the time to pay the rates," and one retailer when approached in regard to the matter. "Since the earthquake we have been hard pressed .to find the necessary cash to pay current rates," he continued, "and. this latest scheme to recover the amounts due from two years ago is going to be very difficult to face." The Town Clerk (Mr J. Dick) stated, says the "Daily Telegraph," •that the council had adopted a recommendation that steps be taken to siie for all rates outstanding for the year 1930-31, and that prior to the issue of summonses the notified! of the council's 'intentions^---The action of the council was/not being taken in a vindictive manner, but rather to secure the council's statutory rights to claim rates against the land. It was also decided to set up a special sub-committee to consider the position of ratepayers with a view to giving time in which to pay the amounts.

Sales on account of Ash burton County clients at the weekly stock market ac Addington yesterday were: —1< at Lambs —Un account of VV. G. Gallagiier (Asliburton), 140 at 13s 7d to j.7s •±d; J. Jjangiey (iuiKaia; 73 at i'b's 4d to lis id; u. Lociineaci (liaiiaia), oo at lis iUd to 17s id; KaKaia client, tfi at 15s Id to 16s 7d; ±i. A. Harrison (Rakaia), ol at 15s lUd to 16s 4d ; A. G. Holmes (Rakaia), 53 at 13s 7d to los 4d; J. Penny (Rakaia), 22 at 9s 4d to 10s 4d. Fat wethers—On account of M. 11. Wilkinson (Chertsey), 5 at 18s 4d to 22s 10d- O. J. "Watson (Pendarves) at 20s 7d; C. G. Johnston (ituapuna) at 19s lOd; J. S. Aicken (Metuven), 22 at lis 4d to 18s lOd; J. Campbell (Methven), 108 at 16s 7d to 18s 4d. Fat ewes—On account of J as. Campbell (Methven) 51 at 18s 7d to 20s lOd; E. F. Nicoll (Lyndhurst), 60 at 14s 4d to 18s lOd; Jas. Campbell KMethven), 56 at 14s 4d to 18s 7d; H. it. Wilkinson (Chertsey), 34 at 12s lOd to 18s 4d; J. Campbell (Methven) 65 at 17s 7d to 17s lOd; Jas. Campbell (Methven), 124 at 13s 4d to 17s 4d; C. G. Johnston (Ruapuna), 49 at 13s lOd to 16s 7d; 0. J. Watson (Pendarves), 34 at lis Id to 15s Id: H. S. Richards (Valetta), 64 at 12s lOd to 14s 10d; 1). McLeod (Methven), 99 at 10s 4d to' 14s Id : S. Campbell (Methven), 27 at 13s Id to 13s 7d; D. I. Harrison (Methven), 36 at lis 7cl to 12s lOd ; Maginness's Estate (Methven), Go at lis Id to 12s 7d; Harrison's Estate (Uakaia), 70 at 12s 4d; W. G. Gallagher (Ashburton), 51 at 9s Id to 12s Id; J. S. Aicken (Methven), 12 at lis Id; J. C. Lochhead (Rakaia), 10 at 10s 4d to lis Id. Fat cattle—On account D. Greig (Rakaia), 2 heifers at £2 12s 6d to £3 2s 6d; J. Camubell (Mavfield) 5 steers at £2 7s 6d to £5 7s Od, 1 heifer at £2 2s 6d; A. N. Grigg .(Surrey Hills) 7 steers at £4 7s 6d to £6. 1 cow at £3 12s 6d: P. Mulligan (Maronan), 7 steers at £5 17s 6cl to £7 2s 6d, 1 cow at £5 17s 6d.

An increase of $d a pound in the wholesale butter market which was passed on by Wellington grocers, .advanced the retail price of butter to lOd a pound.

■ In a swede crop this year Mr A. H. Halcombe, of U renin, Taranaki, has some exceptionally heavy roots. A number have been weighed and turned the scales in the vicinity of 201 b, and one was pulled which weighed 24s lb.

The half-yearly inspection of the Ashburton Volunteer Sire Brigade was carried out last evening by Mr H. R. 0. McElrea and Dr. J. Connor. Owing to the indisposition of Superintendent "'. P. Barber, the brigade paraded under Lieutenant L. Kidd. Mr McElrea congratulated the men upon their smart appearance and their good service to the borough..

In a letter received by Mr A. E. Marchant, of Wanganui, Mr B. J. Browne, of New York, writes:— "Kindly advise if you are able to supply two man-eating snails. The Associated Press says you are an expert." This is the outcome of the report in American journals of Mr Marchant's discovery of the Paryphanta Marchanti snails on the Ruahine Ranges. It is known that the snails have a habit of eating'one another, but the American journal evidently likes sensationalism combined with imagination.

The difference .between the Danish methods of marketing dairy produce and those adopted by New Zealand was the subject of an address to the New Plvmouth Round Table Club by Mr R. W. D. Robertson recently. The vital difference between the. two countries' conceptions of marketing, said Mr Robertson, was that New Zealand looked upon it as salesmanship while Denmark concentrated on supplying the required quality of butter and allowing it to sell itself.

A particularly large sea-horse, caught in a piper net off Kawau Island, has been photographed and preserved by the finders '(savs the "New Zealand Herald"). Its length is llin. It belongs to a division of the sea-horse family known as the spiny sea-horse, which Mr L. T. Griffin, of the Auckland Museum staff, states grows frequently to a length of 11m. or 12m. It uses its long, prehensile tail to cling to deep seaweed, and is not usually seen by the ordinary shore fisherman, although it is not uncommon in these waters and is frequently taken bytrawlers. In colour, it ranges from cream to a bright yellow or orange.

Hearty support to a proposal that travelling school dental clinics should be organised was given by the members of the Ashburton West Dental Clinic last evening, when the subject was discussed. It was regretted, however, that owing to the cost involved it would be impossible to take any action at the present time, but the hope was expressed that in the near future country schools would have the benefit of such a clinic. Mr W. Osman was re-elected chairman of the clinic committee and Mr C. H. Maynard was reelected secretary. Mr A. L. Jones took his seat as the new representative of the Borough School Committee. Nurse West reported that work for May had been 'as follows: Operations, 289"; attendances.. 177; children reexamined, 87; new patients, 2.