LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 54, Issue 2, 13 October 1933, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Distemper is very prevalent among dogs in Whangarei just now, those ot tov varieties being the principal sutferers (says the "Advocate ). lne disease often takes the form of rickets and partial paralysis of the hind legs.

While digging in his garden at Nelson, Mr O. F. GY White unearthed what appears to be a most interesting relic—a Victoria Cross. These medals are made of gun metal, and the one found by Mr White, though probably buried for a great many years, is almost intact, only a small portion of two corners being missing.

"I did not see benzine at a higher price than 21 cents a gallon," said a Wanganui resident who has just returned from a trip through the United States. He said that the oil wells on the west coast, between Los Angeles and San Francisco, were very numerous. Some of them were out in the sea, up to a quarter of a mile.

The Woolston Band, the champion band of the Dominion, intends to visit Victoria next year on the occasion of the centenary celebrations there (says a Press Association message from Christehurch) and in view of this will not comnete in the 1934 contest in New Zealand to be held at Wellington from February 19 to 24.

The tender of William McLellah, Ltd., of Dunedin, of £34,698 for the main block of the new general hospital at Kew was accepted by the Southland Hospital Beard yesterday (says an Invercargill Press Association telegram). This was the lowest tender and was £3607 below the architect's estimate. It is expected that the work will 1 begin about October 26.

Considerable interest is being taken in the Busy Bee organisation in connection with St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church and a senior department has been formed for those members who are too eld for the junior class. A junior class has also been established at Tinwald. The organisation has the same objects as the Girls' Auxiliary of the Presbyterian Women's Missionary Union and aims at creating interest in missionary work. Mrs F. Wear is the leader.

A gale of laughter swept round the St. John's Hall, Napier, at the conclusion of an address given by Miss Violet Macmillan, on "Food and Health." In the course of her address she told her audience what was the right food and what was not. At afternoon tea parties, she said, people would think .her insane if, instead of asking for a cream puff, she asked for a carrot —and yet the carrot would be a, far better form of nourishment. When the address was over the chairwoman (Mrs E. A. W. Henleyt announced: "Afternoon tea may be obtained in this hall—l am almost afraid to mention it."

"Ever since the Waiknio Agricultural and Pastoral Society began shipping the carcases of lambs exhibited at the Waikato Show to Smithfield market for judging we have received better orices for Waikato lambs than the South Island has," said Mr G. Irvine at a general meeting of the Morrinsville Agricultural and Pastoral Society (renorts the correspondent of the "New Zealand Herald"). Members agreed that the annual competition held by the Waikato Society had been a splendid advertisement for Waikato lambs. It was decided to write to the Waikato Association expressing appreciation of its efforts on behalf of fat lamb raisers.

The New Zealand Brass Bands' Association has decided to accept the offer of the Wellington Contest. Committee to hold the next championship contest at Wellington hpm February 19 -to February i 24 (says a Press Association telegram).

In an endeavour to induce motorists to exercise more courtesy on the roads, the executive- committee of the South. Island Motor Union decided last evening to ask affiliated associations to impress upon members the necessity for hand signalling. It was also suggested that radio talks would greatly assist in educating; members in this matter.

The level of Lake Coleridge continues fairly steady, the report from the power house this week living the neight of the water as 1670.315 ft, compared with 1670.075 ft last week. On tne corresponding date last year the lake level had started 1 .to recover and was at 1662.6 ft, or 9.4 ft below, overflow level.

A Press Association telegram from Wellington states that a referendum of fruitgrowers throughout districts covered oy the New Zealand Fruit E'xport Control Board was held for the purJose of ascertaining their attitude toward .the practice of pooling fruit for export. The ballot was a postal one and the result was a majority of 24 against the proposal, the voting being: For, 230; against, 254. , .

"It is a miracle that Archbishop Julius is here at all to-day," said Bishop West-Watson, speaking at the opening of St. George's, market at Christchurch. "Yesterday I saw him sitting on a cricket ground, when there was a keen east wind blowing, wearing an alpaca coat, and with his hat off, while some sports prizes were presented. I could not stand it myself, and retired before the end, but the Archbishop saw it through. It shows that the men of old are made of stuff that is not turned-out now."

' 'There is a keen " : gardener whom I know, and one day I saw that she was cultivating a pretty yellow flower. I was suspicious—and I was right—it was ragwort," said Mr D. Weir at a meeting of the Papakura Town Board (Auckland), when supporting a resolution, adopted by the Board, urging that the Department of Agriculture place exhibits of the ragwort plant in a prominent place in all main towns. Mr G. W. Kerr'said ragwort too often gained a hold in a district because people, did not know what it looked like.

Two Auckland golfers chose an unusual means of viewing the championship play at Titirangi links on Saturday last, and obtained an unrestricted panorama of competitors on every part of the course. They took off from Mangere aerodrome in two Moths_belonging to the Auckland Aero Club and flew round the links. The pilots were Messrs I. Mac Ewan, who - took Mrs Mac Ewan as a passenger on her first-flight, and Mr N. Louisson. The duration of the flight was only half an hour, but in that time the flyers were enabled to fly the whole way round the course and watch the play from different angles without disturbing the golfers.

A practical joker whose identity is unknown is now "one up" on a member of the Napier Police Force. When about to read a statement by one of the combatants during the hearing in the Napier Magistrate's Court of charges of disorderly behaviour against two women, Constable J. R. Williamson was instructed by Mr A. W. Mowlem, S.M., to omit all references to bad language. The constable therefore substituted a loud cough tor each unprintable word, but the interruptions occurred so frequently that he informed the Magistrate that he had "not got a cold, Your Worship/ Now Constable Williamson is looking for the person who sent him a packet of CMigh lozenges through the post.-

The first of its kind to be held in Ashburton, the Mid-Canterbury Girl Guide and Boy Scout rally, which, will take place in the Domain to-morrow, promises to be very successful. All troops and companies in Mid-Canter-bury will be taking part. Principal among the events will be a massed display of the Flamborough Sword Dance, by 10 teams, and the St. George and the Dragon Pageant. There will also be badge displays, ambulance work and signalling, concluding with a camp fire. The rally will be preceded by a parade of all. Guides and Scouts taking part, as well as. visiting companies and trcops. There will be a parade to St. Stephen's Anglican Church on Sunday morning.

The Tinwald Women's Institute held a musical afternoon yesterday when members of Mrs H. J. Constable's Hampstead Sunshine Circle contributed a programme which was much .appreciated. Items were;contributed as follow: Recitations, Hay Ede; operatic dance, Helen Loudon and Betty Holland ; recitation, Jeanette Buxton; dance. Daphne White; recitation, Helen Loudon; story without words, Mis Constable and l Bay Ede; vocal duet, Helen Loudon and Joan Knight; Dutch dance, Helen Loudon and Betty Holland pianoforte solo, Miss P. Clark. The accompaniments were played: by Miss M. Sutherland. Afternoon tea was served by the hostesses, Mesdames T. Gudsell and W. Brady and Miss K. Sewell. Votes of thanks were accorded the performers.

The annual report of the Associated Chambers of Commerce deplores the introduction of partisansm'rj into national problems. "It is most regrettable," remarks the report, "that the depression and its problems have in some cases brought sectional differences into relief, but the policy of the chambers has been, as ever, free from any partisan considerations. It has been the, high function of the executive to uphold sound economic principles and practice, and to endeavour to ensure, in the interests of the whole of the r.eople, that national adventures shall be in directions which will preserve and encourage individual freedom and enterprise in trade, Mlt hampered by negative restraints and restrictions, by excessive tribute, by unjust conditions, and by the dominance of bureaucracy."

Investors who are casting about for I opportunities to lend in something safe and at a fair rate of interest may for a few months strike Dunedin Corporation bonds out of their thoughts, says the "Otago Daily Times." It is not likely that the city treasurer will be issuing debentures during the remainder of the financial year that ends on March 31, 1934. At the present time the corporation is lending, not borrowing. Some folk have been expecting that a loan would be . floated to supply the '£lßo,ooo required for the water reinforcement to be taken from Deep Stream. That scheme, however, is to occupy three years, so that £60,000 a year will furnish the money requirement, and if a loan has to bo raised for this purpose the time for even considering it has not yet arrived.

A distinctly favourable report in the Kaiapoi charge was given by the Rev. R. Warnock at the Christchurch Presbytery. Kaiapoi, he said, was a town of about 2000 persons, and it had six churches. If any place should be godly it-was Kaiapoi.

"The West Coast people are not like the people on this side," said a defendant in the Ashburton Magistrate's Court this morning. . "They never let you pass their door without taking you in and giving you something to eat." The Magistrate (drily): "And drink!"

The gold cord, which is the highest award lor, guide work in 1 the Girl Guide movement, has been gained by Company Leader M. Carson, of the first Ashburton Company of Girl Guides. This is only about the sixth gold cord awarded! in New Zealand and the honour of winning it is a high one. The award will be presented at the Scout and Guide rally to be held in the Ashburton Domain to-morrow.

"What is a vitamin?" asked Professor Murphy of Dr. F. W. Hilgendorf at the Tariff Commission. "I tried to find out in the North Island, but nobody could, tell me. What is a vitamin exactly? Is it anything more than a mere figure of speech?," Dr. Hilgendorf explained that it was a property in foodstuffs, undetectable by analytical methods, but recognisable, through feeding trials. "It is/an actual physical thing, then?" said the Professor, and he received the assurance that it was.

When "advice from the Canterbury Mountaineering Club that provision had been made in its rules for the formation of branches of the club was received! at a meeting of; the committee of the Erewhon Mountaineering Club, at which the president (Mr I. B. Mackie) occupied the chair, it was decided to recommend -to the next annual meeting that steps be taken to affiliate with the Canterbury club. Preliminary arrangements for a trip to Mount Peel on November ' 4 and 5 and a trip .to Mount Somers on November 26 were made.

A number of cases of petty theft have been reported by residents in the eastern side of the Borough. It would appear that some person has been visiting houses under cover of darkness and removing small articles, such as garden tools and children's playthings. One householder has twice heard footsteps on the concrete path around his house, but no cne has come to the back door. The mysterious disappearance of tools, he considers, .can be explained only by the fact that some one has been trespassing during the night as the house is never left empty during the day.