LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 164, 24 April 1935, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Supplies of the new Dominion pictorial and silver jubilee stamps are expected at the Ashburton Post Office any day. They will be placed on sale on' May 1, and the present issue will not be sold after April 30.

The acquisition by syndicates of areas of water for duck shooting was discussed by the council of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society at its last meeting, the opinion being expressed that the- practice was not in the best interests of the sport. It was suggested that where trafficking in shooting rights could be proved the society should do all in its power to close 'the areas concerned.

In commemoration of the twentyfifth anniversary of the accession to the Throne of his Majesty King George V., silver "jubilee" medals have been struck at the Royal Mint, London, and are on sale to: the public throughout the Empire. The medals are in two sizes—a large size which is to be sold at £1 Is, and a small size which will cost 2s 6d. Orders for the medals are now being taken at the Ashburton Post Office.

An unprecedented demand for chocolate Piaster eg»s and similar novelties was experienced in Auckland this year, not only on Thursday, but also tor some weeks previously. "I cannot remember anything like the demand this rear," said the manager of a large'city store. "It shows that money is more "plentiful, for although large numbers of the cheaper novelties have been sold, there has also been good inquiry for larger sizes." According to a manufacturing confectioner, increased quantities were made this year, some factories having to work overtime.

Thursday, on the 14th day of the month Nisan, began the Jewish Feast of the Passover. 'This "Feast of Freedom" commemorates the exodiCsJ from Egypt of the 'Children of Israel under the leadership of Moses, the habitations of the Israelites on that occasion being passed over by the Angel of the Lord when all the first-born of the Egyptians were smitten. The .Tews of the present day celebrate with a family feast in the" evening, and, in accordance with Mosaic precept, abstain from eating any leaven for the following seven days. In the early days of the Church the Jewish Passover and Easter were more or less amalgamated, but not for very long, and the Church subsequently entirely divorced the two. That the Passover this year practically coincides with the Christian Easter is purely accidental, although both feasts are always celebrated about this time of year. The Jewish calendar is quite distinct from the Gregorian one.

Six cases of infectious and other notifiable diseases were reported in the Canterbury and West Coast health district during the last week, compared with 20 in the previous week. Two cases of diphtheria, two of scarlet fever and one of"eiysipeias occurred in Canterbury and one of tuberculosis on the West Coast. One death from tuberculosis was reported. . , ; • ■• ; _■■

A form of theft that is causing much concern to iarmers ana otnei>. near Utane, tiawke's .bay, is the stealing or a number or motors irom electrical pumping, smearing and otner plants, it is apparent (says die "nawue s bay Heraitl") tnat tne thief, or thieves, are experts at cue work, una are also conversant witn the iiaoits or the uucur piers or tne properties fr.om winch tne motors are stolen, as tne tneits are timea so as to avow immediate uiscovery.

Much damage was caused by two dogs, an Alsatian and a setter, to a rlcek of sheep owned by Mr A. W. Gregory, of l'e Awamutu, the other morning. The owner noticed a disturbance among tne sheep, .and on investigation found the mangled remains of a ewe, and, within a tew minutes, no fewer than eight bodies were seen. Mr Gregory lost no time in obtaining his gun. Going to the back portion of his rami he found two dogs, still intent on destruction. They had driven the sheep in all directions. The dogs were snot, and botn were found to be wearing collars, indicating registration within the borough,' and enabling the owners to be identified.

In an address on the early days ot Hawke's bay at a meeting or the Blastings Historical Society, Mr T. E. Crosse mentioned the fact that there was a landmark of unusual interest in the vicinity of the Kennels, at Pakipaki. He'stated, that it was the custom, in the older days, for the Maoris at 'l'e Hauke to bury their dead at Pakipaki, and that there was only one place on the route to the cemetery where the pallnbearers were allowed to rest. This spot was situated a few feet off the road on the south side of the Kennels, and was indicated by a large rock that was still visible. Mr Crosse also mentioned that trouble was experienced by those engaged in constructing the road between Waipukurau and Napier because the line interfered with the track used by the Maori burial parties.

Arrangements are being made in Rotorua to hold Dominion Maori swimming championships at the blue baths at the end of January next year (states the Auckland "Star's" Rotorua correspondent). Although • special Maori organisations exist in tennis and golf, this will be tjje first Dominion-wide Maori swimming meeting to be held. The suggestion that it he organised was first advanced during the recent national championship meeting at Auckland, when a, sub-committee consisting of representatives of theOhinemutu and Rotorua Swimming Clubs and South Auckland Centre was set up, and given power to act in the matter. All interested bodies are to be circularised by the South Auckland Centre, which, will conduct the meeting. It is also proposed to hold a twomile lake race, open to all competitors taking part in the championship meeting.

Aii outstanding example of what a difference taxation causes in the cost cf imported goods was mentioned at a recent meeting of the Hastings Chamber of Commerce; when Mr F. Perrin quoted a case of'some metal which had been ordered' from England for the erection of a public building in New Zealand. ! The f.o.b.'price of this material was delivery charges amounted to £276, exchange and bank charges £743, and duty £697, which, with the sales tax levied on Customs assessment of value, plus exchange 25 per cent.j plus brought the total landed cost to £5230. It was added that had this been of foreign manufacture the cost would have been much greater. Mr Noel Wilson pointed out that the alleged 5 per cent, tax worked put at 9 to 15 per cent, on imported goods.

It was recently announced that the .Unemployment Board proposed to issue 26,000 pairs of double blankets to relief workers as part of the plan to give further assistance to the unemployed during the winter. Asked whether he could give any indication of when the distribution of these blankets would commence, the Minister of Employment (Mr S. G. Smith) said that orders had been placed for the manufacture of the blankets, but the information he had received as to the rate at which the mills could supply indicated that it would be some weeks before the full quantity would be available (reports the "Auckland Star"). He said, however, that as soon as a reasonable supply was received the most necessitous cases among the unemployed would be attended to. He mentioned that most of the mills of the Dominion had been invited to take a share of this large order, provided they could comply with the requirements as to price, and quality.

The fortnightly meeting of the Star of Ashburton Lodge, U.A.0.D., was held last evening, the A.D. (Bro. R. T. Latimer) presiding over a fair attendance. The bards reported on .visits to members on their funds, and sick pav was passed. It was left to the secretary (Bro. G. V. Furby) to arrange a card evening for next lodge night, which, owing to the holiday on May 6, was arranged 1 to be held on Thursday, May 7. An invitation was accepted from the Success of Ashburton Lodge to attend a lecture on May 29. Bro. T. A. Miller reported on the Saturday night socials, which have been a great success, the dances proving very popular. One candidate was proposed for membership. Owing to installation night falling on June 3, it was decided to hold the installation on Tuesday, June 4.

Discussing the field of research in the further development of the modern motor car, Mr W. A. Sutherland, secretary of the 'Automobile Association (Wellington), addressing members of the Wellington Rotary Club this week, said that one of the greatest aims was to obtain the greatest possible amount of energ.yi from petrol. If by . some miracle the energy contained in benzine could be completely and solely used for propulsion, a typical car could run 160 miles on one'gallon a'i 60 miles an hour, wheteas at this speed to-day it did approximately only 12 miles a gallon. In other Words, only 13 per cent of the fuel Avas used in the propulsion of a car. Putting it another way, there was enough energy in a gallon of petrol to drive a small ear 400 miles.

A Press Association telegram from Auckland states that although nominations do not close till noon to-day, there were last night 53 candidates for the 21 seats on the Auckland City Council. In 1929 the record number of 67 went to the poll. In 1933 there were 43. >

In an address to the Rotary Club in Wellington, Mr W. A. Sutherland said that if vehicles per head of population were taken as an index, New Zealand had taken, greater advantage of motor development than most individual countries. There was a vehicle to every eight persons in this country, and because of that she ranked third in the world for vehicles per head of population.

A Press Association telegram from Christchurch sjates that a report has been published recently, on the authority of the official organ of the Federal Citrus Council of Australiaj that New Zealand was about to arrange with Jamaica a trade agreement to facilitate the importation of citrus fruit. The Hon. K. Masters, M.L.C,. last night said he had heard nothing of any negotiations for such an agreement.

Residents of Seatoun, Wellington, claim a record for dual births during the last 30 months. Taking the Seatoun district to include Worser and Karaka Bays, it is stated that during the period mentioned 13 pairs of twins have been born in that limited seafront area of Wellington city. What residents are perhaps all the more proud of is the fact that in every case the twins are doing well.

An unusual specimen of trout was taken on the fly at the Island Pool on the Tongariro River a few days ago. The upper jaw from the eyes down curved in a sniui-nosed fashion, although the lower jam was normal. The fish was in excellent condition and weighed over 61b. Apparently it had been in two recent struggles with anglers, as two fly hooks were imbedded in the flesh. Last season another peculiar specimen was landed on the Tongariro by a local angler, the head resembling that of a parrot with a pronounced "beak" formation of the jaws. A fish caught in Lake Taupo a couple of seasons ago had two mouths, one above the other. This fish is mounted in Taupo and occasions much interest.