LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 286, 14 September 1933, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

An Auckland motorist was recently puzzled to hear the meowing of a cat, apparently in his vehicle, which was parked in a city street. With, the assistance of passers-by he made a thorough search of the car. but could find no trace of the cat. When the motorist drove oh. the unaccustomed noise still persisted, and he stopped the car and found the cat above the differential.

A freak lamb was recently born on Mr H. P. Hole's property at Hatuma. In place of a nose the animal had a snout, and an opening extending from one ear to the other was evidently intended for a mouth. The ears were placed on both sides of the neck, while the peculiar nose arrangement resembled a parrot's beak, with a small opening in the end of it.

The Ashburton branch of the Plunket Society, wilt hold its annual Daffodil Day street appeal to-morrow and member's have been working enthusiastically for some time in preparation for the effort. The branch is always generously supported by the public in its work and it is expected that in spite of the difficult times the people will give, liberally to this cause. The usual street stalls will be held and flower-sellers will canvass the streets.

A prominent Auckland business man was an innocent cause of amusement to many people in Queen street one morning lecently. He was walking from W'ellesley Street East to his office clad in an excellent suit, but completely unaware that he was wearing one tan shoe and one> black. It was not until he reached the door of his oince that an acquaintance pointed out his error in dressing. The business man lost no time in bailing a taxicab and departing for his home to effect a change in footwear.

"The re-reading of wills made in better times will show ( that present economic conditions have repercussions in a. variety of ways" (says.jin article in the latest issue of "the "New Zealand Law Journal"). "A number of wills have made specific legacies of war bonds and similarly described securities. There is need to re-read wills in view of the disposition and variations of such investments since the will was made. The recent New Zealand Debt Conversion Act in itself is an argument for the overhaul of many wills."

The Mayor of Christehurch (Mr D. G-. Sullivan, M.P.) stated yesterdvy that the City Council had decided that the Council should pay exchange on tne interest due in London, in other words, that payments would be made in sterling. The Council also came :o a decision at its last meeting in commi-tae in favour of the conversion of loans raised overseas' and the Finance Committee was instructed to make the necessary representations to ■'"he Government to give effect to this decision- .

A Press' Association telegram from Wellington states that the Land and Income Tax Act gives the Commissioner of Taxes power to call upon mortgagees to pay land tax when the mortgagor falls into arrears, and this power has been exercised recently. The land tax is the first charge on the land, and takes precedence over rates. It is understood that a number of mortgagees from whom land tax has been demanded have placed' their position before the Government, and before payment is actually enforced the circumstances of each case will be taken into consideration.

Not since the Great War has there been such a demand for farm and utility horses as was shown at the annual ' spring fair held at Cambridge last week. The best price obtained was £4B, for a six-.vear-old bar mare sold on account of Mr E. A. Duncan, of Pukeroro (Cambridge), to Messrs Roberts Bros., of Rukuhia. Ten extra choice Clydesdale horses offered on account of Mr Duncan realised the fine average price of £4O 10s. Two fine two-year-old fillies were purchased by Mr M. Fitzgerald (Mangaiti) for £42 each. Prices from £.'lo to £.15 were common, and any animals showing staunchness and quality brought from £25 upwards.

Because of an order which prevented their making hot tea for their noon meal, 30 men from the Forestry Department's No. 3 Camp at Eyrewell struck on Tuesday and made their way back to Christehurch by bus, bicycle, and en foot. It is stated that the order prohibiting the making of hot tea was on account of fire risk, but the men, who assembled in Christehurch yesterday morning-to interview the officer in charge of the Unemployment Bureau, said that it savoured of pin-pricking, especially as tkey were receiving only 10s a week. Mr "Johnston heard what the men had to say, and advised them to call on the Conservator of State Forests.

A Press Association telegram from Wellington states that Captain W. M. Bell (Resident Commissioner at Niue Island) who has been on a short visit to New Zealand, left for Samoa and Niue by the Maui Pomare en Tuesday. Interviewed before his departure, Captain Bell emphasised the importance to these islands of the steamer connection afforded by the Maui Pomare. These and the outlying islands had previously to depend on the uncertain visits of sailing vessels.. He stressed the quality of the fruit and the development that had taken, place in production and export, and Jhe improved conditions of the inhabitants.

In aid of the work stall at the spring flower show to be held on September 29, a gift afternoon was held by the St. Stephen's Ladies' Guild at Lewitt's reception. 1 rooms yesterday afternoon, when there was a large attendance of members and friends, despite the inclement weather and many useful gifts and contributions of money ,-,tere received. The president (Mrs F. Curtis) was the hostess. Miss I. Barber won a competition. The following contributed to a musical programme arranged by Mr A. T. Smith : —Vocal solos and vocal* duets, Mesdames A. T. Sniith and D. A. Lawson; pianoforte solos, Miss Audrey Ruddock; recitations, Miss Ida Ede. Miss Ruddock played the accompaniments. On behalf of the guild, the Rev. A. J. Petrie thanked th» performers and all who had brought gifts for the stall and Mrs E. Ruddock moved a vote of thanks to Airs Curtis for her hospitality.

The bi-monthly meeting of the Ashburton Presbyterial Association was held on Tuesday afternoon, the president (Mrs! R. Morgan) presiding over a large attendance, including representatives of the Ashburton, Methven, Wakanui, Tinwald, Lagmhor and Pendarves branches. A letter was received from Mrs J. Wilson, of Wellington (secretary for New Zealand) asking for information concerning the schedule of the respective branches, and forwarding information relating to the alteration of the dates for the financial year. Mrs Morgan read extracts from a pamphlet covering activities in the work of the busy bees. Mrs F. Wear reported that there was every likelihood of a new

"hive" being formed at Tinwald this week. Nomnations of office-bearers for the year were received. The date of the annual meeting was fixed for November 14. Mrs R. S. Watson consented to give an address at the meeting. It was decided to send an invitation to the Moderator of the Ashburton Presbytery (the Rev. A. D. Kirkland, Mayfield) to take the chair at the annual meeting.

A petition in bankruptcy has been filed by Herbert Leonard Elvy, of Ash burton, bookstall proprietor, :.nd a meeting of creditors will be held :'n Christchurch on September 22.

An instance of the widespread reputation of the Plunket system in New Zealand has been announced by Sir Truby King in a communication .to an Ashburton member of the Plunket Society. He states that one of the last official acts of King Feisal, of Iraq, before he started on the holiday tour which ended fatally last week, was to arrange for a Karitane nurse from New Zealand to spend two years at Bagdad to organise a Plunket system in Iraq.

"There has been unusual mortality among breeding ewes this "season, owing to sleeping sickness," a wellknown farmer in the Wanganui district informed a reporter. "The percentage of twin lambs has been very high, however, and the lambs are coming on well." No remedy had yet been found to combat the sleeping sickness, he said, although if an animal were observed in time "a change of food sometimes cured it."

A kitten and a young opossum have struck up a. great friendshib at a residence in Grey town. Some time ago a baby opossum was noticed cuddling up to a kitten, and the progress, of the friendship has been watched with interest. Now the two animals arc almost insenarable friends, and feed regularly from the same saucer. The opossum rides everywhere on the kitten's back, and after meals cleans up the kitten's milk-splashed whiskers as a matter of course. Photographs have been taken of the strange friendship and form a delightful study of animal life.

Contrary to common belief the kiwi is by no means practically extinct in the North Island of New Zealand and it is reported that there are a number of these windless birds in the Tutira and Puketitiri districts. A Hawke's Bay resident who was pig shooting at Tutira a, few days ago saw a kiwi which his dogs had disturbed. Upon giving chase he discovered a kiwi's nest in a clump of manuka, at the, foot of a cliff. There were two eggs in it, which is most unusual, because the kiwi seldom lays more than one egg to- hatch. This is so on account of the size of the egg, which is larger than a. duck's e~t.

Sales on account of Ashburton County clients at the Addington stock market yesterday were as follow: —Fat wethers: On account of James Campbell (Methven), 178 at 27s Id to 31s 7d; 11. D. Robinson (Tinwald) 64 at 25s lOd to 27s lOd; W. S. Greenslade (Mayfield) 37 at 18s lOd to 21s 4d. Fat ewes—On account of Somerton Estate (Rakaia) 33 at 22s Id to 25s Id; J. Connolly (Rakaia), 60 at 22s Id to 25s Id; J. W. Watson (Pendarves), 10 at 21s Id to 22s lOd ; James Campbell (Methven) 3at 22s 7d; W. S. Greenslade (MayHeld), 32 at lis Id to 14s 4d.

"He hasn't a dog's chance," one might have said, but it would not have been correct, for that was orecisely what he did have. A New Plymouth art union ticket seller was sitting at his deck when a black-coated dog naid him a call on Saturday morning, put his forepaws on the desk, and deposited a note, which read: "Dog will bring 2s 6d; please give him a ticket. 'A Dog's Show.' " The ticket was made out" and given to the dog, which took it away to the other side of the street and in a moment returned and placed the price of the ticket on the seller's desk.

It was reported at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Kennel Club, held at Wellington last night, .that 1550 registrations and transfers had been received during the year The election of officers resulted: as follows: 'Patron, the Governor-General, . Lord Bledisloe ; president, Mr Norman Wade (Auckland); executive, Messrs D.D. Wilson (Hamilton), A. G. Betts (Nelson), D. T. Sinclair (Napier) W. C. Leversedge, and W. M. Jack (Chnstchifrch), W. Leathern and D»H. Edgar (Wellington); secretary. Mr S. H. Kastall (Wellington).

A. resident of Hamilton who communicated with the Minister for Mines (the Hon. C. E. Macmillan) regarding allegedlv erroneous statements made m the prospectuses issued by mining companies Sias received the following reply from the Minister: 'L regret to"state that I am not empowered by law to take any action in connection, with the prospectus issued by a mining company, but if you are satisfied that any statements in a prospectus are contrary to fact, and you have absolute proof thereof, it is open to yourself to consider the question of ventilating .the matter in the press. Moreover, if the promoters of a company haye misrepresented thc» position in the prospectus the shareholders have their remedy at law."