LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 209, 17 June 1935, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Belief,' workers in Ashburton_ who are employed under Scheme No. 5 this number 201. Sustenance payments will be made to .128 men.

A pioneer Methodist missionary in North Auckland, Sister Eleanor Dobby, who is visiting the Ashburton district, spoke to members of the Baring Square Young Women's Bible Classes and of the Women's Missionary Auxiliary vesterday afternoon. She told an interesting story of her work among the Maoris.

"We held the brandy until the doctor came " said a witness at the Supreme Court at New Plymouth in a collision case when detailing the treatment of an injured man. "Why did you do that?" asked counsel. "We were afraid of police A and imagined they might think he had it before the accident," naively replied the witness.

The desire for the comfort of a shelter at a football match in wet weather resulted in the appearance of a novel contrivance at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth. Not content with the orthodox umbrella and rug, one party of keen football enthusiasts brought with them a large piece of canvas, which, with the aid of sharp poles, was converted into a small tent over the seats and against the side of the terrace.

"I think it is probable that we may be able to do something in a small way in regard to reductions in charges, stated the chairman of the Ashburton Electric Power Board this morning. He said that owing to interruptions caused by the snowstorm the committee which was investigating the question had not been able to meet. The committee would meet at an early date, and its findings would be sent out to members of the board before the next meeting, when the question would be gone into fully.

An illustration of how certain farming land may not prove to be a profitable investment even over a period ot years' was provided in the Supreme Court recently during the hearing of a civil claim and counter-claim. In the course of his evidence plaintilt mentioned that during the past eight to ten vears he had been acting with power of attorney for an overseas investor. "In 1911 he put into a property of 8000 acres in the Eaglan district » said plaintiff, "and he has never had a shilling of interest or principal out of it."

Manv members of the AMncha men's hockey touring party will remember Gnre, for Tuesday evening was the first time in the lives of more than half the party that they had actually seen snow. One or two of the visitors had seen snow in the mountainous country of "India, but most of them were from the olains. On inquiry being made as to how they liked the snow, one member of the party . remarked: "We will like it a lot more when wo can get out and have a .snow-, ball fight." With heavy, snow covering the town and countryside, many members of the Indian party were among the early movers in the morning, and cameras were clicking < in picturesque and unusual surroundings.

Good conditions were enjoyed by 18 members of the Erewhon Mountaineering Club who visited Mount Alford yesterday for ski-ing and toboganning. flie weather was fine, and the day was thoroughly enjoyed.

Copies of "Bronze Horse," the test selection lor the Canterbury provincial band' contest to be held at Amberley this year, have.been received by the Ash burton Silver Band, and a start with the preparation .of the piece will be made shortly. The work is considered a good one by the local bandsmen.

Hard frosts in Asbburton last week have made skating possible on the ice on the Ashburton Domain ponds for the first time for about three. winters. A considerable area on one of the large lakelets is covered with a good coating, of ice and many enthusiasts enjoyed some sport during the week-end. If one or two sharp frosts are experienced again this week i 4 it is anticipated that tne ice will safely hold a large number of residents.

Dr. Toyohiko Kagawa, the Japanese publicist, holds no brief for the Douglas Credit system of economics. Speaking to the Council of Christian Congregations at Dunedin, h? said, "Douglas Credit is all theory. It lias no practicability!, but if it could devise a system of co-operative ' credit it would be feasible."..As it was at present, however,. it was "very impossible," and he said this knowing that the system had a considerable following in both Australia and New Zealand.

When he was thrown from a gover-ness-cart in which he was driving across the Ashburton traffic bridge on Saturday, Mr Joseph Morton, aged 76, of Cambridge Street, sustained bruises and lacerations, necessitating his admission to the Ashburton Public Hospital. It is thought that the horse took fright at the rattling of cans when a milk cart passed. Both shafts of the cart was broken. The condition of Mr Morton was reported this morning to be satisfactory.

A large party of hockey enthusiasts assembled on the Domain Oval on Saturday afternoon and cleared the snow from the playing area in preparation for the visit of the Indian touring team this week. Good work was accomplished, and the ground will definitely be in satisfactory order for the Mid-Canterbury v. India match on Wednesday afternoon. Afternoon tea for the workers was provided by members of the Baring Square Women's Club.

Postponed for a week on account of the snowstorm, a soecial young-people's service was held at the Baring Square Methodist Church last evening, when there was a good congregation. The service was conducted by members of the Bibfe Classes, those- taking part being the Rev. G. B. Hinton, Sister Mildred, Misses J. Rattray and M. Dellow, Messrs W. C. Bishop, K. G. Fowke, M. Money, and E, Cretney. Miss N. Bishop sang "How Lovely are fhy Dwellings" and the choir contributed the anthem "Holy Art Thou ; " The speakers were Messrs C. E. Morriss and H. M. Denton. After a full discussion in committee this morning, the Ashburton Electric Power Board decided that the Works and Finance Committee should go into the. whole policy* of extending the use of the electric tractors invented by the Engineer-Secretary (Mr H, G. Kemp), that the committee should define the position as between Mr Kemp and the Board and submit it for approval and that the committee be authorised to proceed with the construction of not more than three new tractors and the reticulation of not more than, three farms for the use of the tractors.

On a recent morning when the wind was like a whetted knife and a shower of hail had filled the odd corners on the weather side of the houses at Lyall Bay, Wellington, a lone bather emerg-' ed from his dwelling; As he dashed across the road on to the beach three men from the city engineer's department, engaged on a survey, who were sheltering from the icy blast, caught sight of the white-haired bather. Scarcely able to believe their eyes, they watched him cross the road Then, as he ran over the sand and into tne water they gave him three cheers.

That there are few doctors seeking positions as house surgeons and still fewer qualified bacteriologists in tne Dominion is evident from the experience of the Southland Hospital Board. To secure applications for the appointment of house surgeon at Gore the Board, finding that a salary of 4,2/0 did not tempt doctors, readvertised at £32s—and then received only one application. In connection with the appointment of a bacteriological technician at the Southland Hospital a commencing salary of £3OO did not prove a .magnet, so an increase of £so< a year was made; and then only one application (from a woman) was received.

The Wairoa correspondent of the Hawke's Bay "Herald" states that a recent action of the Public Works Department at Mohaka has given rise to speculation as to whether there is some possibility of the east coast railway being recommenced. A gang of men had been engaged loading up a large quantity of plant and material which was to be shifted south. Suddenly word was received that the work was eo cease immediately and the plant put back on the job. Residents of the district who have beard of the incident are sanguine that this is the "writing on the wall" and that the valleys and hills will soon again echo the hammering of steel and the welbknown bell tents will once again dot the landscape.

The Minister of Public "Works (Mr J. Bitchener) has in the course of his official duties opened roads, bridges, and buildings, but there was no one to present him with a golden key when with members of a deputation he found himself locked inside the Stratford municipal buildings on a recent night. It was a curious experience in his Taranaki tour, and the incident was a source of much amusement. When the members of the party made theif way from the council chamber it was found that the outer door was locked, and egress was further barred by closed iron gates in the vestibule of the building. The door lock is of a patent variety, guaranteed burglar-proof, and when bolted cannot be opened from the inside without a key. However, Mr W. J. Poison, M.P., was heard to remark • that if he had a screw-driver be would "fix" it. At the outset various avenues of escape were explored, .and soon a window affording convenient access to an alleyway was found onen. Then was seen the strange sight of the Minister of the Crown leading a procession of local body members and officials into the outer darkness. A step on to a chair, a leg oyer the win-, dow sill, and the rest was easy.

"The farmer for ever hopes to cash in through a rise in land values, and at the hist sign of agricultural prosperity rushes to mortgage his land to buy more land on mortgage. And Avlien land values break, his uisappointed greed and not his social vision turns the grasping yokel into a radical—until land goes up again."—An American opinion quoted by Professor B. E. Murphy when dealing last week with the economic principle of speculative anticipation in an address on the Mortgage Corporation,

Methods used by Wellington's private detectives are seldom explained by. them in public, but in the Wellington Supreme Court one of them allowed a glimpse into his technique. He gave evidence from the witness stand in a divorce petition. "I went to the respondent's flat," he said, "and asked her if nhe was on the municipal roll. She said 'No,' so I gave her a form, which she filled in." (The form, which contained a signature, was produced.) "Then," he continued, "she showed me over the flat," upon details of which witness gave evidence.

In an address at the e Sydney Women's Club last week Mr A. E. Rainbow, barrister, said that brunettes possessed greater force and vitality than blondes. But if fragility, and tenderness were required preference should; be given the blonde. Women, declared Mr Rainbow, could not reason. They always twisted a subject .round to their own advantage when in a discussion with a man. Women did hot pull together; they did not trust one another. If they trusted one another he considered - that they would be at the head of affairs. They would rather trust a man. Thus they left the man a master, which was his proper place.

"New Zealand business men stand alone in their preference for ,starting boys in business at the age of 14 rather than taking boys who have had 7 postprimary education/' said Mr D. M. Rae (principal of the Auckland Training College), speaking at a luncheon of the Auckland Creditmen's Club the other day. "In America particularly the aim is to raise the age for continued education to 18 at least, and business men prefer to give opportunities to boys with greater training rather than to adolescents. New Zealand definitely stands apart from the rest of the world in this respect."

The principal break in the telephone and telegraph communication with Christchurch is at a point about two miles south of Rolleston, where for about a mile the poles, mostly of steel railway metals, are broken off close to the ground l and the wires are lying in confusion. The gap is now bridged by over six pairs of insulated wires. A smaller break is situated between Templeton and Hornby, and this has been rectified in- the same manner. Other poles are also still down and repair gangs were working yesterday to improve communications. Ashburton motorists who drove to Christchurch yesterday noticed considerable damage to fir and pinus insignis trees along the route.