LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 26, 12 November 1935, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A grant of £1 Is was made to the Royal Humane Society of New Zealand by the Ashburton Borough Council last evening

Thirtv-four driver’s licenses were issued to motorists by the Borough Inspector (Mr J. R. Richardson) in the last four weeks. This makes a total ot 842 licensed drivers in the Borough.

The term examinations at the Ashburton Technical High School commenced yesterday, and will continue throughout this month.

Although the strength of the Ashburton Volunteer Fire Brigade has been about 15 for a long time the rules provide for a membership of 2b. At a recent meeting the brigade amended the rule to. provide for 16 members, and this was approved by the Ashburton Borough Council last evening.

On. account of the holiday on Friday for tlie people’s day at the Canterbury Metropolitan Show, late shopping night will he held on Thursday in Ash,burton this weok. Mercantile fiinis were closed to-day and will also observe the general holiday on Friday when schools will also be in recess.

Three residents of Hampstead have objected to the financial part of the Borough Council’s drainage scheme tor that area, but in each case the objector heartily supports the proposal. The regulations provide for objections being made prior to the commencement of the work, and these three will be dealt with by the council at a special meeting.

Approval of the laying of the second tar-scaling coat in Moore Street from East Street to Chalmers Avenue was received by the Ashburton Borough Council from the Main Highways Beard last evening. The tender ot British Pavements, Ltd., at £6OO for the work was accepted,. the council s estimate of the cost being £639 12s. There were only two tenders.

“Wo carried a good deal of gold on the coaches,” said Mr Nat. Ferguson at a gathering the other night of former Thames residents, in relating incidents of the coaching days on the goldfields. “I have seen a mine manager leave £IOOO worth of gold in a portmanteau in the boot of the coach and go and have, his lunch, not a bit afraid of it being taken. On the same occasion an old Scotsman from Karangahake had a few ounces of gold in a small carpet hag. He took no risk of losing-it, for while sitting at the table during lunch he kept his feet on the carpet bag to make sure it was quite safe."

A proposal to make the distribution of cards or tickets outside polling booths at municipal elections legal provided they contain no directions as to voting mas approved by the Auckland City Council as a remit to the next Municipal Conference. In suggesting the amendment to the law. Mr P. Carr said that such an alteration would remove the difficulty electors now had in selecting the candidates they desired to vote for from the long list of names which were customary in the election of bodies such as the Auckland City Council. It was suggested bv Miss E. Melville that a better way would be to prohibit all literature on election day, thus placing all candidates on the same footing. The council, however, approved' the remit.

Members of the Ashburton Borough Council last evening accepted an invitation to .attend the annual inspection of the Ashburton Volunteer Fire Brigade to be held to-morrow evening.

Next yearjs meeting of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand will be held at Christchurch, commencing on November 17.

Permission to hold a closed day on the Domain Oval on New Year’s Day was granted by the Ashburton Borough Council last evening to a committee organising a sports meeting in aid of the relief of returned soldiers.

It has been claimed on occasion that Ashburton is the home of trotting in New Zealand, and to an observer this afternoon it must have seemed that this was no idle claim. During the running of the Trotting Cup race at Addington hundreds of people gathered about wireless sets in shops and other business premises. There were about 70 listening in the Arcade, and at one billiard saloon there were several dozens of people, with numerous others at the Clubs. •

A horse belonging to Mr 0. Hutton, of Park Street, was drowned in the Ashburton River yesterday afternoon during shingle carting operations. The .dray to which the horse was attached was loaded up, two leaders were put on and a start was made for the bank, a channel of the river having to be crossed eh route. 'ln the middle of this stream the shatter fell and the current and the floundering of the horses carried them down, the river a short distance Mr Hutton, who was driving, scrambled clear, and then returned to release the leaders. They reached the bank, but Mr Hutton was unable to release the shatter, which was held under the water.

The angling season in the Taupo and Rotorua districts opened on November 1. The Wanganui “Herald” reports that as a result of heavy rains during the 'winter months all the lakes in the district, are considerably higher than they have been at the beginning of November for some years. It is stated that there is no lack either of fish or feed*in the lakes. A number of the overseas anglers who regularly visit the district have arrived, and others are expected early in the season. Preliminary sales licenses are reported to be very satisfactory.

To enable residents to follow results of the Parliamentary and licensing polls on November 27 displayed in front of the “Guardian” office, the Ashburton Borough Council last evening decided t® close. Burnett Street from the Ashburton Club to the Somerset right-of-way to vehicular traffic from 5.30 p.m. on the night of election day until 2 a.m. on Thursday. Candidates will address electors from the balcony of the “Guardian” office, and the general procedure of the 1928 and 1931 elections will be followed.

The Minister for Employment (the Hon. S. G. Smith) announced at New Plymouth yesterday that subsidised gold prospectors working under the Unemployment Board’s gold-mining .scheme will in future not be required to pay the cost of accident insurance. The board lias decided to pay insurance premiums for the men as from November 9. Special development workers and supervisors under the gold-mining scheme will not be affected, as the cost cf insurance for them is already carried by the board.

In his report to the Borough Council last evening, the curator of the Domain (Mr H. P. Clayton) stated that the holding of wood-chopping contests on the Oval had necessitated the returfing of an area. No holes were m{»de in the erection of the blocks, but the axemen were forced to cut footholds in the grass when the rain made conditions slippery. It was decided that wood-chopping should not be allowed on the Oval without the special written permission cf . the council, it being pointed out that there were other places in the enclosure where the events could be decided.

The fortnightly meeting of the Loyal Timvald Ledge, M.U.1.0.0.F., was held last evening, P. 6. Bro. C. A. Houston presiding. Sick pay amounting to £lO 10s was passed in favour of six members, and it was reported that one had declared off the funds of the lodge. An invitation to attend the next meeting of the Loyal Rakaia Ledge, when ’ the gavel won in the ritual competition would be presented, was extended by the district. -It was agreed to allow the next meeting to lapse in favour of the- Rakaia, meeting. Nominations of officers for the ensuing term were opened. One candidate was initiated into the Order.

The exact definition of a bicycle remains iti some doubt (says the Hawke s Bay Herald”). In the opinion ot the Mayor of Napier (Mr C. O. Morse) no one in New Zealand can s{iy what a bicycle is in regard to its legal status. He said to councillors the other evening, “Is a bicycle a vehicle? If it should comply with the regulations governing vehicles.” Cr. Higgins remarked, “Riding three abreast is a real menace. Cyclists are legally entitled to ride two, three or lour abreast, but they might show more consideration for traffic. This should be a mere courtesy on their nart.” A remit regarding cyclists will be submitted to"the Municipal Conference at Napier next February.

On the mountain side,, in.the vicinity of Wairakau, in the Te Aroha district, there is a clump of about 30 kauri trees of a size denoting their great age. They are considered to be the southernmost block but one of these trees in New Zealand (states the “Waikato Times”), and an effort is being made to have a scenic reserve gazetted so that this patch of husli may be preserved. Members of the Chamber of Commerce paid a visit to the area recently. It is proposed to approach Mr 0. E. Macmillan when lie is in Te Aroha to enlist his support to a -proposition that the Wairakau kauri grove, and a similar one at Gordon, be separated from the goldfields area, so that the trees may not he destroyed.

Those provisions of the Electoral Act which are designed to ensure that every citizen may have the opportunity to vote- at general elections make it compulsory for occupiers of shops to observe the usual weekly half-holiday in the week of the election on polling day. In the ease of those shops which are not required to observe a statutory closing-day, such as fishmongers, fruiterers, confectioners, florists, dairy pi’oduee sellers and bakers, the assistants must be given their half-holiday on polling day. Occupiers of factories are required only to give their employees reasonable time, not exceeding one working hour, in which- to record their votes, without deduction from wages.

One building permit, for a dwelling and a motor-shed to cost £990, was issued by the Borough Inspector (Mr J. R. Richardson) since the last meeting of the Borough Council.

Stock slaughtered at tho Ashburton Abattoir in October was as follows: — Cattle, 154 head (one condemned); calves, 7; sheep, 866; lambs, 48; pigs, 64. "

The tender of Mr L. J. Strange, at £B' 17s 6d, for the painting of the exterior woodwork of the Municipal Chambers, was accepted by the Borough Council last evening. This was the only tender for the work.

Thefts of flowers are repeatedly committed in the Ashburton Domain. It was reported to the Borough Council last evening that 30 tulips had been removed on a recent Sunday. J The matter is in the hands of the police.

A Press Association telegram from Christchurch states that, for the first time in many years, most of the city cinema theatres will be open on Christmas night. - The City Council last evening discussed and voted on the request by the theatre proprietors that they he allowed to open for business. Labour members opposed the request. The motion was carried by eight votes to six. . .

The supplementary roll for MidCanterbury has been printed in the “Guardian” office, and was delivered to the Returning Officer- (Mr J. W. Poo ley) this morning. It contains 1701 names,. making a total of 10,913 for tlie two rolls. Since the main roll was printed 153 names have been removed, and no fewer than 175 changes of address and designation have been listed.

When another public body seeking support for a protest suggested in a letter to the Borough Council last evening that it approach its member of Parliament to press the matter if it were in accord with the protest, members of the Council! found themselves in a difficult position. “Which of the three candidates shall w r e select?” asked one councillor, amidst laughter.

While in October there was great -need for rain, more than sufficient for present purposes has now fallen, and garden work is held up. The curator of the Domain (Mr H. P. Clayton) reported to the Ashburton Borough Council last evening that the moisture was promoting a great growth of grass, and lawns were requiring constant attention. Planting-Out operations were held up, and general activities interfered with by the continued wet weather.

“Most of the discs indicating motor parking places in the Borough are merely pieces of rusty tin,” said Mr R. Ken- at the meeting cf the Ashburton Borough Council last evening. Mr J. Thompson said wooden notices would be more satisfactory, but the Deputy-Mayor (Mr E. H. Orr) contended that the tin ones would be all right if they were left alone. “The trouble is they are the target for stones,” he said. It was decided that the inspector (Mr J. R. Richardson) should make a. report on the matter.