LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 98, 6 February 1936, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Falling and fracturing a wrist, John Stace, aged 17, son of Mrs T. A. Woods, Carter.’s Road., Allenton, was admitted to the Ashburton Public Hospital on Tuesday. His condition is satisfactory.

A consignment of old silver coins collected from banks at Timaru, Teniuka, Orari. Ashburton and Rakaia was taken north on the express last evening. The coins, which have been replaced by new currency and withdrawn from circulation, were collected by the Bank of New Zealand on behalf of the Treasury Department.

A tribute to New Zealand freezing methods was paid by Mr R. S. If orsyt-h (London manager of the New Zealand Meat Board) when addressing a meetino- of farmers in Gisborne the other night. He said that he had seen slaughtering in different parts of the world, including Chicago and New Zealand had no reason to be ashamed cf its methods.

Several picnics to and from Ashburton by rail have been arranged for February. The railway staff at Ashburton will travel to Mount Somers next Sunday by special train. The Teniuka High School will hold its annual picnic in the Domain next Wednesday, and the staff of Duckworth and. Twiners, Ltd., of Christchurch, on February 15.

From time to time (says the “Manawatu Evening Standard”) there have been instances of the amazing thrust which mushrooms can develop in the course of their growth, but it is a very surprised resident of Ferguson street, Palmerston North, who, the other morning, found the latest example. He had been watching the development of a large marrow for some weeks, and during the last few days had noticed it colouring. He then made the discovery that a large mushroom had groan beneath the heavy vegetable and had thrust its frail head clean through this solid harrier, emerging undamaged from the top. Though the mushroom was healthy, ilie marrow had rotted.

Permission to use Mona Square for the annual competitions of the Ashburton Volunteer Fire Brigade on Saturday afternoon has been granted by the Ashburton Borough Council, advice of this was received at the annual meeting of the brigade last. evening. It was stated, that, as the high pressure water system had been laid on in the Square, the place would be more suitable for holding the competitions than outside the station in Burnett Street, where the competitions had been held previously. It was hoped that the new situation would attract a larger nund>er of the public, who were invited to see the competitions, than in previous years.

Blight which has been reported from other districts to be attacking trees, principally pines, has made its appearance in Central Hawke’s Bay, and already (says a northern exchange) a number of pine and macrocarpa trees are affected. Once the blight appears the tree affected dies rapidly.

The Papamii School held its annual picnic in the Ashburton Domain to-day, 394 children and adults travelling from Stvx by special train this morning. 'Despite* a period of rain, a programme of races was gone through, and the visitors spent an enjoyable time. They will return at 5.15 p.m.

Grass seed, this year, is expected to be dull and dirty (says the “Manawatu Evening Standard”.), owing to the climatic conditions during the summer, but it is considered that this will in no way effect‘its qality.’ Applications for seed certification in the Manawatu involve 1785. acres of ryegrass (of which 1513 have been classified as eligible), 97 1 acres of white clover, and 13£ acres of Montgomery red clover, ■

When the foreman of the Ashburton Volunteer Fire Brigade (Mr H. Hefford) stated in his report at the meeting last evening that the capital value of property protected by the brigade was £769,936, he said that this was based on the old valuation figures. When the new valuation was completed it was expected that the figure would he about twice ns much.

The Hakatere Lodge, 1.0.0. F., held its fortnightly meeting in the Tancred Street Hall last evening, when the N.G. (Bro. ,J. W. Wilkinson) presided over a fair attendance. Two members were reported on the sick list. One candidate was proposed for membership. A statement of Christmas tree funds and the quarterly statement of the social committee were received. An invitation from Washington Lodge, Christchurch, to a social evening early in March was accepted.

After the rather heavy seas that have been running during the last few' days, the Napier foreshore is strewn with thousands of lumps of pumice, stretching away in the distance in a continuous wavering line, as far as the eye can see, states the “Hawke’s Bay Herald.” Sizes of the pieces range from minute particles to some slightly larger than a man’s hand. The pumice probably came from the Bay of Plenty, where large deposits exist, the freezing works procuring supplies from that locality for purposes of insulation.

It is generally understood that when the well-known expression, “once in a blue moon,” is used, it refers to an occasion as rare as to be practically non-current. However, that may he (states the “Auckland Star”), the particularly rare phenomenon of a bine moon was seen in the northern skies about 7 o’clock on Friday evening from viewpoints as far apart as Grafton and New Lynn. To be more approximately correct, it was half a blue moon. The hemisphere had a distinctly azure tinge due, no doubt, to atmospheric conditions and emphasised by contrast with the roseate hues of the setting sun.

The following sales wc\re made at the Addington stock market yesterday on behalf of Ashburton County clients: Fat Lambs—On account of R. Moore (Hinds), 75 at 24s 7d to 26s 7d; A. S. Webb (Rakaia), 24 at 21s lOd to 23s lOd; li. Breading (Rakaia), 78 at 23s 7d to 25s lOd. Fat Ewes—On account of S. Cross (Newlands), 38 at 12s lOd to 15s 4d; E. W. Hoed '(Ohertsev), 78 at 11s 7d to 20s Id; A. G. Webb (Rakaia), 46 at 12s Id to 15s 7d. Fat Wethers —On account of J. Penney (Rakaia), 80 at 19s lOd to 21s 7d; G. Morrison (Rakaia), 4 at 19s lOd; E. W. Hood (Chertsey), 24 at 16s Id to 18s 7d. .

Seven bocks connected, with aviation have been donated to the library of the Napier Aero Club by Herr Oskar Ursinus, the German gliding expert. “I have taken the liberty of forwarding these books to you as a gift in recognition of your good work/’ states Herr Ursinus "in an accompanying letter to Mr T. P. Husheer, a member of the club. “Among them is a reference book not particularly dealing with aviation, but rather with general mechanics. I believe that such a reference book will be useful to your mechanical members. Further, I sent you some days ago two photographs and a poster which may decorate your club room. It does seem a. pity to me that the distance from here to Napier is so tremendous, otherwise I would assist in your work more than I can do by correspondence. I wish you for 1936 the very successful gliding year, and please pass on to all your members my heartiest greetings.”

When driving a new car which lie had just taken out of a garage for its first run, Mr William Oakley, of West Belt, Ashburton, collided with a. car driven by Mr A. E. Smith, of Christchurch, at the corner of Walker and Havelock streets, this morning. Both cars wore damaged. Mr Smith’s was turned over on its side, while Mr Oakley swerved and mounted the kerbing. The radiator of his car was torn ami the bumper bar broken, the front mud guard bent, and a wheel buckled. Th° roof of Mr Smith’s car was slightly damaged and the mudguards dented A wheel cap was knocked off, but the car was able to he driven away. Mr Oakley’s car was taken back to the garage. Neither driver was injured. Mr Oaklev was going up Havelock Street toward West Belt, and M'Smith coming along Welker Street from the direction of the Public Hospital.

A vain search for a man who was seen on the roof of one of a block of buildings in Karangahape road, Auckland was made for more than an hour on Friday night by a large party of detectives and members of the uniform branch of the police. Many of the shops in the block were searched, and the police made a thorough examina tion of the area behind the block, without finding any trace of the man. The intruder was noticed by the tenant of one of the shops,, a Chinese, who stated later that he had seen a man standing on the roof, outlined against the sky. It was not until some time later, about 10 o’clock, however, that he advised the constable on beat, who communicated with headquarters. Police cars were used to convey the party from the central station to Karangahape road, and the block was surrounded while the search was carried out. Although some of the shops were not examined, as they had been closed tor the night and, there was no means of gaining entry, the whole block lias searched as carefully as possible. of the tenants, however, said that earlier in the evening he had heard somebody moving upstairs but had not investigated.

“I think that it speaks very, well for members that out of a roll numbci of 13. the average attendance at fires was 11,” said Superintendent L. Kidd at the annual meeting of the Ashburton Volunteer Fire Brigade last evening. “I think that it shows members are all keen and interested in their work.”

The rail-car service expected to commence running between Wellington and New Plymouth in May, will not now be inaugurated until three months later, accoring to Mr A. W. Wellsted (commercial manager of hte Railway Department). Speaking at a meeting of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce, he said great difficulty was being experienced by English manufacturers in coping with orders with the result that the Leyland firm, which is building the engines, cannot supply the department as scon as was expected.

Interesting information regarding the Tourist Department and, its activities was given by Mr J. L. Schmitt (general manager) when speaking in (Palmerston North. He said it was their endeavour to train their cadets to he proficient in at least two foreign languages. so that when overseas visiters from foreign land's icame here, they could he spoken to in their own tongue. This would make them feel more at home, and help to popularise the Dominion’s scenic attractions in the places they came from. The satisfied tourist was the best agent New Zealand could have.

An unusual accident recently befell a truck load of eight pedigree Holstein cattle, on a Wairarapa train, hound for the Mar ton Show, last week. When the train reached, midway between the Clareville Station and Waingawa, it was noticed that the truck was on fire. The train was stopped immediately, but difficulty was experienced in freeing the animals, which were tied up. As a result of the fire, a very fine bull and a heifer received severe burns. It is surmised that a spark from the engine ignited the straw bedding in the truck.

The new Dominion Museum at Wellington will he out of the builders’ hands at the end of March, and then will begin the arduous and rather delicate work of the transference of exhibits from their present inadequate and antiquated quarters to a place where they can be advantageously played. Nothing can be moved to the new building until it is completed, for showcases cannot he left lying about insufficiently guarded and liable to damage. If the public expects the new Museum to he opened, in April with all the exhibits complete and arranged, it will be disappointed. Asked how long it would take to arrange the exhibits in their new quarters, the Museum director (Dr. W. R. B. Oliver) remarked that it was impossible to say. Taking the Auckland Museum’s experience as a guide, and there about the same amount of material had to be transferred from the old museum to the new, it would take at least six months, ho suggested.