LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 177, 10 May 1935, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Bookkeepers’ and shorthand tjpist diplomas have been awarded by th Education Department to Misses In. Stringer and Austral Makinson and a bookkeeper’s diploma to Miss Cecilia Furniss, all students of the Ashburton Technical High School.

It was decided bv the Asbb " rton Technical High School Board of Managers last evening to obtain prices n Ashburton for 12 seats to be erected in the playground. The executive was given power to procure the seats at a cost not exceeding £1 15 s each.

The new Anglican church to be built at Otira will have a .name winch it is believed is shared by no other church in New Zealand. It is to be erected in the name of St. Christopher, the patron saint of travellers and those who serve travellers. The name is chosen (states the “Church News ) owing to the occupation of the people it will serve—railway servants and their families.

In the Ashbvjrton Magistrate’s Court this morning, before Mr E. F. Nicoll, J.P., and Mr R, Kerr, J.P., Kate Doherty proceeded against S. Andrew, claiming £5 ss, representing grazing toi stock for 21 weeks. After hearing brief evidence, the Bench held that there was no agreement the parties, and gave judgment for plaintiff lor £2 2s, which amount had been paid into Court by defendant before the Court sitting.

A special telegram to the “Guardian from Wellington states: Every year there is delay by some radio listeners in renewing their licenses co March 111, but the position this year discloses a marked improvement compared with that at previous periods. This is possibly an indication of better times and appreciation of the reduction of 5s in the license, foe. There are, however, some listeners who even at this date have failed to renew their licenses, a matter in respect to which the Post and Telegraph Department proposes to take early action.

The Baring Square Methodist New Church Ladies’ Guild met yesterday afternoon, when Sister Mildred (vicepresident) presided over a fair attendance. Letters of sympathy and cheer wore directed to be sent to Mrs W. Bennett and to Mrs W. H. Collins in sickness. Arrangements were made for the church anniversary tea to be held on May 29. Afternoon tea was provided by Mesdames E. N. Johnson, A. P. Warriner and S. Goslin. Dr. G. I. Miller gave a very interesting talk on “Vitamins,” and on the motion of Miss Watson and Mrs H. J. Constable was accorded a very hearty vote of thanks.

Primary and secondary schools in the Ashburton Cpunty closed for the first term vacation to-day. The second term will commence on Monday, May 27. The session which concluded today has been a somewhat broken one on account of th'e Easter holidays, Anzac Day and the King’s jubilee holiday last Monday.

Entries for the Hampstead Hall Society’s chrysanthemum and flower show to be held to-morrow are coming to Tiand satisfactorily, and the organisers anticipate that the society will benefit to a considerable extent as a result of the show. Mr J, Connolly, M.P., will open the display.

It came as a shock to the Palmerston North City Council (says the “ManawatuJTimes”) to learn that a shop had been converted into living quarters, so that there were neither windows nor direct ventilation to two bedrooms, while a lavatory opened directly on to the kitchen. The council is demanding that the partition be pulled down and the shop re-partitioned in accordance with its building by-laws.

An unusually prolific specimen of the marrow plant (reports the “Poverty Bay Herald”) is thriving on Mr T. W. Habgood’s property at 233 Childers Road (Gisborne). On the one plant Mr Habgcod has counted 40 marrows, and the average weight is estimated at 101 b. The plant is self-sown, and its main crop appeared after the break in the weather in January.

Speeches were usually made three times, said Mr W. McLay (president of the Wellington Manufacturers’ Association), speaking at a complimentary luncheon to the retired Comptroller of Customs (Dr. G- Craig). The first speech, lie said, was made before the function; that was fairly good. The second was made at the function; that was terrible. The third was made after the speaker had returned home; that yvas a magnificent oration.

A Press Association telegram from Wellington states that, expressing satisfaction with the success of the New Zealand Legion in the Hutt Valley elections, where it concentrated its efforts, Dr. Campbell Begg remarked that each election must convince the electors of Wellington and district of their hopeless disfranchisement on account of the multitude of names and papers. He thought a general conference should called at an early opportunity of members of vai’ious bodies in the Wellington area to work out a plan to simplify the whole business. He was sure Labour members and others not definitely under the Legion banner would support the movement.

A resident of Okoia, near Wanganui, who is a keen student of New Zealand native bird life, says that bell birds along the coast have lost the bell-like notes which endeared them to Captain. Cook in the sounds of the South Island. They have retained three whistling sounds by tfhich they have always been distinguished* and have developed fully their habit of mimicking this. The latter birds are multiplying rapidly and are really better songsters than the bell birds, he says. .Many grey warblers have been noticed, and their notes are particularly cheering. Bell birds, some four years ago, could be definitely distinguished by notes very like those of the bell in the Putiki church when heard across the water, and similar to a blacksmith beating an anvil away in the distance. The combined effect of several birds greeting the dawn with such notes was very pleasing. Now residents of the district will seek in vain to experience the pleasure of hearing such a chorus.

Without the slightest warning, four of the principal geysers at Whakarewarewa burst into action on Saturday (reports the Rotorua correspondent of the “New Zealand Herald”). Led by Pohutu, they gave 10 displays during the day, each display lasting about 20 to 45 minutes. Column!* of water were occasionally thrown up to a height of 80 feet. The Waikiti and Waikorohihi geysers, accompanied by the Prince of Wales Feathers, played in unison. The rare and beautiful spectacle of a series of geysers in close proximity playing together, the separate columns of water breaking into cascades of glittering spray and sending out clouds of steam, attracted a large number of visitors. Pohutu’s exhibition on Saturday is the fifth within the last six months following a period of two and a half years of almost absolute quiescence. Within the last few days there has been an abnormal rise in the level of many of the boiling pools, due, it is thought, to the recent heavy rains. .

The bursting into flames of a tiny single-seater motor-car driven by Mr C. Smith provided an unexpected thrill for spectators at the motor ear races at Muriwai Beach on Saturday afternoon. The incident occurred at the end of the second lap of the New Zealand Beach Championship, when the car, an Austin, was in the lead from the huge Mercedes-Benz of Lieutenant H. R. A. Kidston. The motor stopped and then flames burst through the bonnet. The driver hurriedly freed himself from the restricted singleseater compartment and! was not injured. A small group of spectators at the southern end of the course attempted to suppress the flames with wet sand. The fire, however, burned itself out, and the car was pushed off the track. Any recurrence of the fire was prevented when a “first-aid” extinguisher was used by the driver. It was fortunate that the petrol in the tank, which is just behind the motor, was not ignited. Solder in one of the seams of the tank was melted, but not sufficiently to allow the petrol to be ignited.

A comprehensive building plan for the Government offices in Wellington is to be undertaken immediately. The Minister of Public Works (the Hon. J. Bitchener) states that a new Government building,,eight storeys high, will be erected on a Government-owned site, fronting Stout Street, close to the existing State Office centre. Plans are being prepared by the Government architect (says a Press Association telegram), and to provide employment at an early date a separate contract is to be let for the foundations. Government departments at present are housed in 20 privately-owned buildings, and the expenditure will represent a saving on the present rentals. The surroundings of the old Government Building will be greatly improved by the demolition of a number of temporary buildings and the carrying out of a beautifying scheme. It is also intended to make a separate contract for the foundations of the new Government Building in Shortland Street, Auckland, with the object of providing employment, while the main building plans are being drawn by Mr Mair, the Government architect.

Prior to the opening of the Ashburton Boxing Association’s tournament last evening, the President (Mr W. R. Tucker) referred to the fact that it was the week of celebration of the King’s silver jubilee and at his request those present sang a verse of the National Anthem.

An assurance that the Railway .Department was doing everything possible to prevent fires being started by sparks from engines was received by letter at a meeting of the council of the New Zealand Forestry League held in Wellington. While the reply was considered satisfactory to an extent, the members agreed that the practice of discharging hot ashes from engines on the side of the railway track, especially in uly weather, should be, stopped.

The Tinwald branch of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union held its monthly meeting at the Methodist Church, Tinwald, on Wednesday. Mrs W. H. Robinson presided over a fair attendance. The meeting opened with the National Anthem, in commemoration of the silver jubilee of the King and Queen. As it was White Ribbon Day, the superintendent reported that 10 “White Ribbons” had been sold. A vote of sympathy was passed to Mrs P. Frew. The meeting closed with the Benediction.

An offer to give £5 to any charity was made by a. questioner at Mr A. J. Stallworthy’s local body election meeting at St Heliers Bay (Auckland) if the questioner could net- proye that the candidate voted for the pensions cuts while he was in the Ministry. The offer, was made on the condition that Mr Stallworthy should! pay a similar amount to charity if he did vote for them. The candidate proceeded to show hew he had voted on the measures in the finance bill, but the questioner tried to pin Mr Stallworthy down to the time he was in the Ministry in 1931. As usual the cross-ques-tioning ended with charity reaping no benefit.

A bright future for manufacturing industries in New Zealand was forecast by the former Comptroller of Customs, Dr. G. Graig, speaking at a. luncheon given in his honour at Wellington last week. “Manufacturing industries are really among the most important in New Zealand,” said Dr. Craig; “and if they are developed along the right lines I think they will become the most important public service to the whole community. In my life I have seen a great deal of manufacturing, and I say that manufacturing industries here are as efficient as in any other part of tire world in which I have been. The only drawback is that we have a. small country, a. small population, and therefore a small demand.”