LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 302, 4 October 1935, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A report on the methods adopted by mailmen in Ashburton 'County in reward to the carrying of bread and dogs in the mail cars has been submitted to the Medical Officer of Health at Christchurch by the County Inspector.

Collections in aid of the health camp campaign made in the streets of Ashburton to-day. Officials were at work in all the streets, and badges, exchanged for coins, appeared on the coats of many people in town.

While proceeding on the main highway between Paeroa and Te Aroha, Mr K. N. Ziman, Country Party candidate for Waikato, experienced the whirlwind which caused havoc in Te Aroha. The hod 1 was lipped off his car with the result that electioneering for the remainder of the day had 1 to he carried 1 on without shelter.

An unusual request for farm employment is contained in a letter from two English, youth to the “New Zealand Herald,” in which they ask for the names and addresses of farm owners to whom they can aupply. “We are both strong and 1 healthy and eager to obtain a position which brings w r ith it open, air and plenty of hard' work,” states the letter. “At present we are in a London office, but w r e want something better than to rot all our lives in an office. We know that information of all sorts reaches newspaper offices, and above all you will be able to tell us the exact state of the country and the best ways and means vo obtain a job.”

Sporting a jaunty yachting cap because, he said, his usual beret had been blown overboard 1 , Gav. Uff. Diulio Stobhia, an Italian knight officer commended for service to his country, arrived at Wellington by the Malcura on Monday in the course of a world tour. He stated that he was a silk merchant, proprietor and managing director of a manufacturing company at -Milan. Questioned regarding the economic state of Italy, he denied that conditions there were otherwise than good. “There is no unemployment in Italy. The workers have good living conditions,” he stated. “Many people I have met say that we are not free to come and go as we like, but that is not so. I am free to leave the country, and to go where I like. Conditions in Italy are good, and the cost of living is not high. I live in Italy and I have my home there, and I know that it is so.” The visitor stated that, while he was primarily on a pleasure trip, lie was at the same time making inquiries about the market in New Zealand and Australia for silk exported from Italy. He was also investigating the export of Italian white cement, on behalf of a large cement company in Italy. He was widely travelled’, and had visited many countries.

Of 13 Ashburton. County applicants tested last month for fitness to drive motor vehicles three failed to reach the standard required. There are 2802 licensed drivers in the County, 33- licenses having been issued during September.

Referring, in his report to the Ashburton County Council to-day, to the issue of hawkers’ licenses, the Inspector said:—“Two of the firms from Christchurch have been operating in the County without licenses. They have refused to pay on account of so many districts charging fees. lam taking action against them, and they have arranged with a solicitor to defend the action.”

A cycle ride of 200 miles in two days has been accomplished by H. Snowden, of Radnor Road, New Plymouth. The cyclist rode-26-miles' from the top of Radnor Road to compete in the 50-mile Cycle Race at New Plymouth on the Saturday, and was beaten by half a wheel. Next day he cycled round the mountain and 1 back to the top end of Radnor Road, thus completing a 200mile ride. • • .

“Having, received a complaint from the Riverside School Committee that the water at the school is not fit for use, a sample will be taken during the week and sent on for analysis,” said the Inspector in his report to the Ashburton County Council to-day. “A sample was taken during the month from a well at Hinds, and proved satisfactory, tiVo previous samples having proved unsatisfactory. The level of the water in the springs at Hinds is a factor in the purity or otherwise of the water.”

The fact that an air-gun is regarded as a dangerous weapon, and as such is required to be registered was stressed by Senior-Sergeant Packer in the Children’s Court at Dunedin in the course of the hearing of a case in which three boys were charged with being in possession of air-guns. The Senior-Sergeant added that this fact was not generally known. The Magistrate issued, a warning to parents that children should nob be permitted to use these dangerous weapons. The boys were admonished and discharged.

Many Aucklanders, especially of the older generation, will be sorry that the city is to lose the old Post Office in Shorthand Street, which must be demolished to make room for a new street and a modern eight-storey Government office block (remarks the Auckland “Herald”). The Shortland Sjtreet Post Office, which was completed about 1866 at a cost of £25,000,, served a number of purposes in its early days. It housed not only the postal and telegraphic services, but the offices of the Provincial Government, the Customs, the Central Board of Education, the Board of Works, and the Lands Department.

There are two rainy seasons in Abyssinia—the earlier and the later—Mr C. H. Barton, a missionary who resided there for five years, informed the Palmerston North Citizens’ Lunch Club t')o other day. The first was of about 10 days’ duration, starting in March. The second started in May and ended about September 12 in the country just south of Addis Ababa, but later in other, parts, according to the height of each plateau. Rain, in the season, did not fall continuously, but it did fall every day. Once it ended, an unbroken period of fine weather could be depended upon.

Since Mussolini lias been in power n» Italy said Dr. D. Arnold Lyndon, 0.8.15., who is visiting Wellington, in au interview the other day, a great improvement has been effected in the condition of the roads, while the railway service, at one time irregular, is now all that a tourist can desire, tne trains mnning regularly and the carriages being very clean. But Dr. Lyndon, who has travelled extensively on the Continent, could not say how great Mussolini’s “mana” was in Italy.. In their own country, he said, the Italians would not talk; it was not until they, left Italy that they would discus Italian conditions freely—and it was not always that they did so then.

Ten years ago the expenditure of loan-money by the Public Works Department represented about 89 per cent, of the costs of works, whereas in the year just past only 32 per cent, or the Department’s expenditure was from loan-money (says the Public Works Statement). This change is due, ot course, to a great extent to the financing of constructional work from convent revenue, though a change also m the nature of the Department’s activities accounts a good deal' for the alteration. The amount of work now earned, out by the Department has practically reached that undertaken by it before the years of depression. Moreover, it is of u more varied nature, and; the staff is having some difficulty in Keeping pace with the survey and design of new works.

A meeting of the council of the Ashburton Chamber of Commerce was held last evening, Mr A. P. Raven presiding. It was left to the president to arrange for a. delegate to attend the annual meeting of the Associated Chambers at Napier on October 30 and 31. The meeting decided to hold the annual meeting of the Chamber oil October 17. Several matters dealt with were reported by the executive of the Associated Chambers, members agreeing that the work done by the Associated Chambers was of immense importance to the federated chambers. The president reported on the public meeting held on September 24 to consider the . question of establishing a health camp, and stated he had been appointed the Chamber’s representative on the executive committee.

The St. Stephen’s Literary and Social Club met on Wednesday evening, when the president (Mr S. M. C'assidy) presided over a lavge attendance. The evening was spent in the entertainment of members of the Ashburton Catholic Club to a debate.and.ping-pong match. The subject of the debate was “Should military training be in secondary schools,” the teams being Messrs \. O’D'onrigluie (leader), C. Bradley and V. Creepier for the Ashburton Catholic Club, taking the negative, and Messrs S. M. Cassidy (leader), R. Rollinson, and L. Armstrong for the St. Stephen’s Litcrarv and .Social Club, taking the affirmative. Mr E. J. Wood acted as judge (and gave his decision in favour of the Ashburton Catholic Club by a margin of three points. In reply, the leaders thanked Air H ood for ably judging the debate and for his helpful remarks afterwards. The ping-pong was won by the Ashburton Catholic Club by seven points, the teams and scores being:—Ashburton Catholic Club, senior, Messrs C. O’Donogbue, B. Cleary and J. Taylor (four games) 173 points, and junior, R. G. Ross, F. Schluter and V, Crequer (five games) 176 points; St. Stephen’s Literary and Social Club, senior, Messrs S. M. Cassidy, M. Lees and L. Armstrong (five games) 170 points, and junior, Messrs 0. Attwood, W. IT. Collins and R. Rollinson (four games) 172 points. The remainder of the evening was taken up with general games.

In the Public Works Statement, the Minister stated : Arrangements are in hand for a new Courthouse at Ashburton, but it is expected that by exchange of the valuable site on whica the old Courthouse now stands that the credits will exceed the expenditure.

“Investigations were made, in company with the police, in connection with the shortages of wood at Jones’s corner and Stonyiea. A number of people were questioned, and the police at Geraldine, Temuka and Tiinaru were interviewed. The police at fimai u are stopping all lorries loaded with firewood, some of them at 3.30 oclcck'in the morning.”—Extract from a report submitted to the Ashburton County Council to-day by the Inspector.

“There are two kinds of acting—from the head and from the heart—and they must be judged by different standards,” said Professor W. A. Sewell, judge at the British Drama League festival at Hawera. “Voice, stature, build and temperament are determining factors in each,” he continued, “and it rests with amateui actors to determine what their type is and whicb kind of acting suits them best.”

The St. Andrew’s branch of the Presbyterian Women’s Missionary Union met in St. Andrew’s Hall yesterday afternoon, when the president (Mrs R. S. Watson) presided. It was reported that the Busy Bees had resumed activities under the supervision of Mrs Grainger. A letter was read from Miss B. J. Hardie telling of her work among the women of Jagadhri (India). The president gave an address on mission work considered in general terms. A sacred solo was contributed by Mrs A. Horne. It was agreed to hold the next meeting on Wednesday, November 6. At the close of the meeting afternoon tea was handed round.