LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 46, 4 December 1934, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In the Ashburton Police Court this morning, before Mr G. Kelly, J. 1., o statutory first offending inebriate who did not appear, was fined 10s, and was ordered to pay 2s cab hire.

A Press Association telegram from Invercargill states that the results ot proficiency examinations in the Southland district will not be published in the newspapers this year, according to resolutions passed at an executive meeting of the board. The board is ot opinion that publication is not in the best interests of the pupils.

An Ashburton angler displayed a 141 b trout to admiring friends at the mouth of one of the County rivers during the week-end, but it was another fish story, for the trout was left stranded on a shingle bank when the tide fell. The angler's story of how he caught the fish would have made good recounting had it not been that several people had seen the trout stranded for four or five hours before the angler waded the river and brought the fish back.

While the weather is so hot, swimming is very popular among young and old. There is the danger of. children, who are not strong swimmers, becoming too courageous when they are in and out the water so much and mishaps both at the baths and in the river are liable to occur. One or two children have received frights during the past week when they found themselves in difficulties, but in each case older ones have been able to render the necessary assistance.

Cases of. infectious diseases reported to the health authorities in Canterbury during the last week included 39 of food poisoning from Sumner. This outbreak brought the total of infectious cases notified.in the Canterbury health district to 50. The ethers were: Two of scarlet fever, two of enteric fever, two of tuberculosis, and one each of diphtheria, eclampsia, undulant fever, hydatids and septicemia. One death was reported from 'Canterbury, the cause being eclampsia, and there was one from the. West Coast, caused by tuberculosis.

To commemorate the silver jubilee of his Majesty the King's accession to the throne, a special series of postage stamps of the denominations of id, Id and 6d are ta. : be issued by the New Zealand Postal Department. These stamps will be placed on sale for about one month from Accession Day, May 6, 1935, and during that period will replace temporarily the corresponding values in the series then current. It has also been decided by the Government to issue a new series of air-mail stamps of the denominations of Id, 3d and 6d. Some little time will elapse, however, before the new stamps are placed on sale.

Twenty members of the EastAshburton and eight from the Ashburton Amateur swimming clubs will compete at the opening carnival of th e West End Club at Timaru on Thursday evening.

A Press Association telegram from Wellington states that a return has been made by the Post and Telegraph Department to sending out telegrams in envelopes. This adds some work to the Department, but the envelopes have several advantages. One drawback of the sell-enveloping forms Avas that there was liability to damage when they were being opened.

Though warnings have been -issued against the lighting of fires in open country in Ashburton from now on, and the continued hot vi eather is rapidly drying the l° n Z grass a "d undergrowth, someone was ill-advised enough this morning to start a fire in the river-bed, west of the water tower. There were dense clouds of smoke from the lire for some hours.

Lorries from Wanganui, now that back country roads have been improved, go long distances into the back country carting out white pine logs to Wanganui to be milled into butter boxes, etc. The latest area to be worked (says the "Chronicle") is in the Paparangi district, in the Waitotara County, where it is estimated that 500,000 feet of timber will be brought out this summer,

The Council of the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society on Saturday received from Mr L. B. Campbell, of the Marine Department, and the Ashburton Society correspondence on the subject of fishing for quinnat in the Rangitata River, above the traffic bridge after March 31 each year. The Ashburton Society stated that it was prepared to leave conditions as at present, making Rawle's Creek the boundary. This was>onsidered satisfactory, and' no action was taken.

A Press Association telegram states that the Christchurch City Council last night debated the question of Sunday tennis on city reserves. It was decided, by nine votes to seven, to withdraw a letter sent to clubs having leases or playing rights on reserves in which the Reserves Committee threatened action if Sunday play was continued. The letter stated that if Sunday play was continued, the council would have to consider what action would be taken when the time came to reconsider the right to occupy the land.

Good progress has been made by the Ashburton Salvation Army physical training club since it was formed earl.-? this year. Some excellent work has been carried out during the winter months, and the season was brought to a close last evening. Games and apparatus work were included in the evening's programme, . and supper was served. Captain N. E. Bicknell presented Mr A. Calder with a framed photograph of the members in appreciation of his assistance throughout the season.

Advice has been received in Ashburton that Squadron-Leader M. C. McGregor and Mr H. Walker, who finished in fifth place in the Melbourne air race, will arrive in Ashburton in their Miles Hawk 'plane at 2.30 o'clock on Friday, December 14, when they will be accorded a civic reception by the Mayor (Mr W. H: Woods). Their 'plane will be accompanied by one of the Manawatu Aero Club's Moth 'planes, and the Canterbury Aero Club will send its Fox Moth passenger 'plane and two other 'planes. Exhibitions of stunting will be given by Squlndron-Leader McGregor.

Higli praise for the milk produced in the Poverty Bay district hns been given by the officers of the Wallaceville Farm, according to a remark made by Mr <DI W. Coleman, M.P., at the 'monthly meeting of the Cook Hospital Board the other afternoon. Mr Coleman, who is a member of the Farm and Pastures Committee of the House of Representatives, stated that in that capacity he had paid a visit to the farm, and the officers of the farm had informed the committee that the samples of milk received from Poverty Bay were the best in the country. "They told us," he said/ "that the samples from this district were absolutely wonderful from the point of view of purity and quality and everything else." Gratification with this report was expressed by members of the board.

Some interesting revelations concerning some of the least-known privileges conferred on a person, who'is granted the "freedom of the city" were made by the Mayor of Blenheim, Mr M. McKenzie, at a welcoming cere mony to the Bishop of Nelson last week. Remarking; that he did not know whether the bishop expected to have the privilege* conferred upon him during his stay, in Blenheim, Mr McKenzie said he would be prepared to grant it with certain reservations. He said that one of the ancient privileges conferred by the award entitled the recipient to graze a cow on the village common. As the only common within reasonable distance was the ladies croquet court he did not wish to aiouse their indignation by having the bishop leading a cow toward the lawn, but if he undertook not to do that it would be all right. Another privilege mentioned was the right to sell fish.

A unique little venture in private and amateur newspaper production is the "Little America. Times," recording the progress of the Byrd, Ellsworth and Rymill expeditions. The enthusiast who launched the "Little America Times" to interest friends of the expedition, his personal friends, and tho relatives of the men of the expedition, is Mr August Horowitz, who lives on Long Island, New York, but has an office for his paper at 2 Park Avenue, New York. Another feature in the management of th c magazine is that the editor, his assistants in New York, and his contributors in Dunedin, on thc ice, and on the expedition ships give their services gratuitously, and there is no subscription price, the publication being self-sustaining, through the voluntary contributions of its readers.

At a meeting of the Allenton Fire Brigade and Hall Committee, the chairman (Mr E. O. Bathurst) reported that Captain Watts, of Auckland (representing the United Fire Brigades' Association), had recently inspected the brigade. He was very impressed with the efficiency displayed by members.in their turn-out. The' purchasing of a hand extinguisher was left to the chairman and Captain D. L. E. McDougall. It was decided that the question of the purchase of a reliable vehicle to provide for all contingencies as a permanent hauler and hose and gear tender was held over, pending a letter from the Ashburton County Council. The cantain's report concerning the fires which broke out under suspicious circumstances recently was received. Information will be secured for the next meeting regarding the installation of alarms in firemen's residences.

The Fairfield freezing works at Fairton opened for the .season this morning. The number of men at work is not available.

A thermometer placed in the sun for a few minutes at noon to-day reached 126 degrees, and the mercury would have gone higher had the glass provided more space.

There has been a huge consumption of water from the Ashburton Borough supply in the past week, when an unusually warm spell of weather was experienced, and while there is still an ample supply, the municipal authorities are closely watching the position.

Having indulged in too much sunbathing duning the week-end, many residents are suffering from sunburn. Instead of exposing the skin to the, sun for short periods only at first, numbers lay for a considerable time in the bright .sunshine, and are feeling the effects of it now. Chemists have done a good trade in cooling lotions and creams during the week.

Relief workers on the Ashburton register will receive the special Christmas payment of two weeks' pay without work on the afternoon of Friday, December 21. That week is a standdown week on the present arrangements. In addition, those men who have been on the register for 12 months and have worked on 13 weeks will receive one week's pay.

A meeting of helpers in connection with, an effort to raise funds for the Ashburton East School was held last evening, Mr W. S. Kerr (chairman of the school committee) presiding over a good attendance. It was decided to hold a drill display by the children and an exhibition of school work. The following stalls were suggested:— Flowers, afternoon tea, cakes, , ice creams, etc. It was decided to hold the fair on Thursday, December 13. After he had finished play at Otatara, Gene Sarazen, the celebrated American professional golfer, drove out to Oreti beach. There he went down to the water's edge, placed a ball, and hit one of his best drives in the direction of the South Pole. Having ,come so far south, he explained, he was determined to go on till'the sea stopped him, and there hit a drive, so that he could claim to have driven a ball further south than any other American professional. Having satisfied his ambition in this respect, Sarazen re-entered his car and left on the return journey to Dunedin.

Chairmen of primary And secondary school committees and boards in Ashburton have received details of school boys' excursions to Wellington and Auckland on the occasions of the visit of the Duke of Gloucester. Arranged by the Young New Zealand League, the excursions have been organised to ensure a large children's display in those cities. They will extend from December 13 to 20 in Wellington and! from 'December 22 to 29 in Auckland. It is not expected that many, if any, children from Ashburton County will attend but school authorities can give particulars to any who desire to take part.

It was reported by the Ashburton Public Hospital this 'morning that Mi Norman Scrimgeour, of Ashburton, who was severely burned by petrol which ignited in his hand on Saturday, was still in a dangerous condition. Mi' William Price, of Lowcliffe, who fractured his pelvis when he was thrown from a horse several days ago, is making fair progress. Mr J. L. Behrnes and Mr S. Orr, who were "injured"in a trotting . accident at the Ashburton racecourse on Saturday, are reported to be making satisfactory progress, as is also Acton Graham, a six years old boy who fractured his skull when he fell from a child's trolley at Methven about a week ago.

. The Star of. Ashburton Ledge, U.A.0.D., met last evening, Bro. A. I. Garriock, A.D., presiding. Visitors included Bro. C. Ives,* P.G.P,, Sisters R, J. Crum, D.P., B. Wallis, A.D., and members of the Success of Ashburton Lodge. The clearance of a member of the Timaru Llodge Was and a maternity claim passed. The application of a member for superannuation was received, and the secretary instructed to forward it to Grand Lodge. Sister, Crum, D.P., installed the follow? ing officers:—P.A., Bro. A. Garriock; A.D., Bro. R. T. Latimer; V.A.D., Bro. R. Chambers; secretary, Bro. G. V. Furby; treasurer, Bro. \V, Christmas; minute secretary, Bro. H. A. Vesty; A.D. Bards, Bros. P. O'Connor and'f. A. Miller; Inside Guardian, Bro. F. Jordan; Outside Guardian, Bro. G. Wilson; V.A. Bards, Bros. T. H. Pannell and J. Bryant. Bro. R. T. Latimer was presented with a framed P.A. diploma, and Bro. G. V. Furby with a Past Secretary's cellar in appreciation of his five years' service as secretary. The syllabus for next year, submitted by the syllabus committee, was adopted. It was announced that the annual meeting of the Royal Arch Chapter, would* be held next lodge night. Invitations to attend the installation of officers of the- Lily of Temuka Lodge en December 12 and of the Success of Ashburton Lodge on December 10 were accepted. After lodge closed, refreshments were handed round.