LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 255, 9 August 1933, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Scores of magpies are to be found in most of .the western districts of the Ashburton County where they are afforded good shelter by the numerous plantations. Hawks are also plentitu this year and of late there have been many seagulls searching for food- ovei 30 miles from the coast.

“I earned £5 in 10 minutes this morning,” said a defendant in tne Police Court at- Auckland, in giving details of his financial position. ‘ L wish I could do that,” replied the Magistrate (Mr W. It. McKean). Defendant hastened to explain that he was a steeplejack, and although well paid when working, he was not employed permanently.

The n.c.o.’s of B. Squadron (Ashburton) of the Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry met last evening in the social room at the Drillshcd. A social horn v<is spent in games and shooting. the best shooting scores handed in were: Sergt.-Ma'jor K. Thompson. 76, Lieut. G. Brown 74, Sergt-Major E. it. Hopwood 72, Trooper It. Chambers /l. Trooper It. Sim 70.

It is reported that following a recent flood in the Pelorus River, Mr A. W. Luff, a. resident in the locality, discovered some 27 Maori axes strewn along a shingle bank near the bridge. Some of the axes were in a rough state (says the “Marlborough Express ), but others were quite well finished. It is possible that the flood waters had unearthed them from some old hiding place where a camp or pa had once been, as this section of the. river is on the old Maori route through to the Coast.

The Lovai Tinwald Ledge, M.U. 1.0.0. F., met on Monday evening, the N.G. (Bro. A. E. Frew) presiding over a good attendance of members. The sick visitors reported that ten members were on the funds of the lodge and sick pay amounting to £2O was passed in their favour. Invitations to the annual balls of the Mayfield and Waterfall Lodges were accepted. A white degree lecture was delivered by the I.P.N.G. (Bro. It. S. Harkness). One candidate was initiated into the Order.

Considerable damage was done at the Auckland Hospital Board’s dental clinic last week (says the “Star’ ) through leaky zinc pipes, which were thougiit to be secure. When the matter was traced to its source by the plumber, it was found that rats had gnawed the heavy pipe of Glb-to-thc-foot gauge, so that'there were quite big holes in it. A plumber said that such occurrences were not rare, and it was thought that the rats found zinc a suitable substance on which to sharpen their teeth. They wore not after water, as in most eases water could he easily got. 3 lie front of the dental rooms was completely flooded.

Among the 80' ex-servicemen of all flic fighting services who assembled at the Putaruru Returned Soldiers’ Association reunion recently (says the Auckland “Star”) was an ex-member of the French Foreign Legion (Mr J. Holmhoy). In the course of a few remarks, he refuted a popular belief that the legion consisted largely of criminals. There were men of over 50 different nationalities in his regiment during the war, and 13 different ones in his section. Some 96,000 men had enrolled in the legion during the war. but only 1400 had paraded at its dose. Many people might have read more about the legion than lie had, and might know more about it than lie did, but he could assure them that criminals were not wanted in the legion.

A start lias been made with the trimming of the trees in Chalmers Avenue and workmen were engaged there today removing dead and unsightly branches.

There was a large attendance of members of the Ashburton Tramping Club in the club rooms last evening. Dr G. 1. Miller ga.ve an interesting and instructive address on first-aid. A vote of .thanks was accorded the speaker. Refreshments were dispensed by lady members.

Members of the St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Young Men’s Bible Classes have formed a physical culture class, and met for the first time in the hall last evening. Tnere was a fairly good attendance and those present ■ were drilled by the instructor (Mr A. Calder), afterwards taking part in ball games of various kinds.

The inscription on the monument at Burke’s Pass is quoted by tiie Native Bird Protection society in its August bulletin. The inscription makes a plea on behalf of the trees of the forest. It reads: “To put on record that Michael John Burke, a graduate of Dublin University and the first occupier 01 Kaincliff Station, entered that pass—known to the Maoris as Te No pi Opihi—in 1885.' Oh ye who enter the portals of the Mackenzie to found homes, take the word of a child of the misty gorges and plant forest trees for your nves. So shall your mountain facing and river flats lie preserved to your childi*en’s children and you evermore.”

At least 10,000 Maoris will gather at Waitangi on February 6 next, the anniversary of the Treaty, to take part in celebrations there, said his Excellency the Governor-General, Lord' Bledisloe, in an address at the Wellington Savage Club ladies’ korero. “A liaka in which at ieast 1000 men are to take part is being organised,” said his Excellency, “and the Waitangi National Trust Board has been asked to find at least ten acres of land in which to grow kumeras to support this large number of Maoris in the isolated spot during this unprecedented ceremony, which will, no doubt, be one of the historic events in the Maori history of this country.”

A touchstone of accuracy was suggested by a witness when giving evidence before the Transport Appeal Board at Auckland. He produced a statement, signed by a number of motor-bus patrons and setting forth the distance which each lived from a railway station. “Here is one man who savs he lives lil miles from a station,” said Mr Aickin (Railways Board representative) to witness. “Do you know that lie lives Uj miles away?” “Be says so there,” replied witness. “Yes, but do you know?” persisted Mr Aickin. “If he says lie lives If miles away you can be sure he is ngnr.” replied witness. “He is a very accurate gentleman. He is a Government official.”

An interesting distinction between Australians, New Zealanders and Englishmen in thejr attitude to discipline was drawn by Mr J. W. Shaw, when speaking at a reunion at Auckland of old hoys of the Otago Boys’ High School. Discussing the development of a New Zealand type, in the moulding of which he believed the secondary schools played an important part, Mr Shaw said he had been interested during the war in contrasting .the characteristics of soldiers. “The Australians objected to discipline on principle,” lie said. “The New Zealanders objected to discipline but, if they could he shown an objective' that could he obtained through discipline, they accepted it. The Englishmen, it appeared to me, were more inclined to accept the discipline for its own sake.”

That the. cost of running a train might he estimated at about 14s a mile was stated by an official of the Railways Department when giving evidence ‘before the Transport .Appeal Board at Auckland. He stated this figure, although more, or less in the nature of a guess, would include all capital and overhead charges. There were so many circumstances to he taken into account, such as whether or not the engine furnace, had first to be lighted, that without detailed data only a”very approximate estimate could he made.' It would be impossible to state a cost without going into each particular case. The cost of staffing a train and operating the engine ought' be about 2s 6d a mile. When told that the cost, of running a tram had been stated at 15s a mile, witness commented that his gness was a fairly accurate one.

The Ashburton Fanciers’ Society met last evening, Mr W. H. Robinson presiding. Correspondence was received from the New Zealand Kennel Club advising that the annual meeting would he held in Wellington on September 13.‘it was decided to forward a. remit that Alsation dogs, when shown, should be muzzled. The New Zealand (5.1.) Poultry, Pigeon and Canary Association forwarded a list or exhibitors and officials who were disqualified through showing at an unaffiliated show, also advising that the disqualification imnosed on Messrs D. J and H. Grindlay had been removed. The North Canterbury Club suggested an alteration in the scale of prizes for the cat section. It was decided to defer action until the schedule would be revised, when consideration mould be given to the North Canterbury Club’s suggestion.

Through allowing the London funds to accumulate, the Hawera. Dairy Comvanv has made a profit of £3120, it was stated at the annual meeting of the company. It was explained that for some time prior to the increase m the exchange rate in February last, the directors had adopted the policy of drawing only portion of the amounts payable on cheese shipments. In addition, certain f.o.b. sales were made subject to payment in London. _ This policy resulted in an accumulation of funds in London and immediately following the increase in the exchange rate these funds were remitted to New Zea'aml, thus obtaining the full benefit of the higher rate. After making allowance - for the additional interest caused by short drawings the not profit was £3120.

“In spite of adverse propaganda there is no proof that the very best cheese cannot be made from Jersey milk.” said Mr H. J. Kayo, president of the Stratford Jersey Cattle Club, reports the “Taranaki Herald.” “One aspect of high testing milk for olieesemakiirr,” continued Mr Kaye, “has as vet never been brought out. We in New Zealand are using the richest milk in the world for cheese-making. Surely here is matter for advertisement of the very best nature, but instead of proclaiming the fact from the house-tops as any other country would wc read speeches deploring the fact in nractieallv every newspaper. Then the Press is blamed for ‘running down’ our own produce. The Press would, I am certain, he only too pleased to advertise the fact that our dairy produce is made from the richest milk in the world.”

Pupils from the class room in the Borough School infant department where the fire occurred last week, are still being taught at St. Stephen’s Schoolroom-pending repairs to the wall which was badly damaged. Representations have been made .to the Education Department by the Canterbury Education Board and it is anticipated that the class will be able to return to its room in two or .three weeks’ time.

Balmoral red granite belies its name, for it comes not from Scotland, hut from Finland, according to evidence given to the Tariff Commission at Auckland by Mr William Parkinson, a monumental mason. In support of his statement, Mr Parkinson said his firm had received a quantity of the granite by the Tainui this week. It came on a through hill of lading from the Finnish port of Hango, being transhipped at London.

The anniversary to-day of the. disposal of £33,000 worth of land in Mr Glenmark Moore’s Wakanui Estate over half a century ago, recalls .the fact that the first subdivision sale of large estates in Mid-Canterbury took place in 1876. The next was the breaking up of Mr Duncan Cameron’s Springfield Estate at Methven. Others were the Marawiti, Highbank and Hekeao Estates (purchased by the Government) over 30 years ago, and the Lagmhor Estate later subdivided and sold on behalf of Mr G. A. M. Buckley. In. these transactions a total of over 200,000 acres was involved.

Whilst traversing the road between Mossburn and The Key last Sunday morning a party of travellers en route to Lake Te An an noticed a somewhat peculiar phenomenon (says the “SouthJand Daijy News”). Frosts have recently been fairly heavy in most parts of Southland, but not so rmren as they apparently have been in the area referred to.* In many respects the frost which covered the telephone lines, fences and clumps of tussock grass was exceptionally white and glistening, and on the lines and fences was quite an inch thick. No doubt the absence of sun in the valley had been mainly responsible, while on the return journey in the evening the fog on this portion of the road was so dense that progress was impeded and driving was attended with a. great deal of risk, especially with a heavy yehicle.

In liis paper on the subjects of transport and transport regulation, read at Victoria College, Wellington the Commissioner of Transport J. S. Hunter) remarked that passenger traffic between the North and South Islands had- steadily increased, but the number of passengers carried along the co'ast- of both the North and South Islands had decreased rapidly and v*os now practically non-existent. It was .a striking fact that passenger traffic inevitably drifted over to land services by either road, motor, or rail as soon as alternative services became available. Striking instances in this connection were the shipping services between New Plymouth and Auckland, Gisbore to Auckland, Bay of Plenty to Auckland, and Gisborne to Wellington, which once carried considerable numbers of passengers, hut which now carried an occasional passenger only. Land travel was, of course, much quicker than sea travel, but even where the land trip covered a much greater distance than the sea and the actual travelling times were approximately equal, the preference for travel bv land was paramount.