LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 108, 18 February 1936, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Building permits issued by the Ash burton Borough Inspector m the last two weeks * were Dwelling £6OO, motor shed £25. A Dunedin Press Association telegram states that the Training College, after having been closed for three years, reopened this morning with 2d U students, of whom 170 come from outside the city. Bursaries payable to students this year amount to £2I, UW. Eight members of the Erewhon Club and four members of the Canterbury Mountaineering Club climbed Mount Somers on Sunday by way ot the Staveley ridge, after motoring to btaveley. The divide was obscured by clouds, but an extensive panorama of the plains was obtained. Japanese occupying two carriageson the south-bound express this morning attracted considerable attention on the Ashburton railway station. They were seamen travelling to a vessel at loi t Chalmers, and many of them were clad in their working garments, giving a picturesque appearance to the station. The Japanese were very friendly, ancl chatted with residents on the platform, giving match and, cigarette boxes to boys.

“There seems to he a pretty general opinion that the Commonwealth Government should consider relaxing its immigration laws sufficiently to allow of the influx of immigrants on a larger scale than has hitherto been considered politically advisable,” states the Kev. Solomon Katz, rabbi of Wellington, who has returned after a visit to Sydney. Thinking men, he says, seeni to be of the one* mind that there is at present insufficient population for so large and productive a country situated in such close proximity to countries with teeming populations. The opinion, on the other hand, was held by many that a large influx of people would intensify the unemployment difficulty. Mr Katz does not agree with that view, holding that a big population created its own needs, and those needs meant employment.

Twelve motor driver’s licenses were issued in Ashburton Borough in the last two weeks, bringing the total of licensed drivers to 937.

The Girls’ Auxiliary of the St. Andrew’s Prebyterian Church held, their annual picnic at the Burnside Crossing on the Ashburton River, when many members attended. After tea, Mrs R. S. Watson ga.ve a short talk on the Reporoa Mission Station.

The tenders for the painting and signwriting of the parking area indicators received by the Ashburton Borough Council two weeks ago were reviewed by the Council last evening, when it was stated that the successful tenderer’s materials did not agree with the specifications. The next tender, that of Mr S. J. Porter, at £lO 15s, was accepted.

Up till a week or so ago, the number of white butterflies to be seen in the Timaru district was nofT nearly so great as was the case at the corresponding period last year; when there was being conducted an intensive campaign of destruction. During the last few days, however, the butterflies have become particularly numerous, and it looks as though further supplies of the parasites will be required.

A Press Association telegram from Wellington states that judgment on the question of costs in the action of William Douglas Lysnar (plaintiff) and the National Bank of New Zealand, Ltd. (defendant), was delivered yesterday by Mr Justice Blair. In, the main action he -ordered the parties to pay their own costs, but ordered the plaintiff to pay witnesses’ expenses, which are to be fixed by the registrar. In the action regarding Arowhana, the plaintiff was ordered to pay costs, but no witnesses’ expenses.

“There have been great changes in conditions in' England,” declared Brigadier W. S. Cottrill, of the SalvatioiT Army, who returned to New Zealand by the Rangitiki after a holiday of several months in Great Britain. He noticed a substantial improvement in economic conditions and an upward trend in employment. While in England he attended many enthusiastic and successful army rallies, including several large meetings in the Albert Hall addressed by General Evangeline Booth.

Court Ashburton, A.0.F., met last evening, the C.R. (Bro. R>. B. Barnett) presiding over a good attendance. Six members were reported on the sick list and sick pay amounting to £6 108 was passed for payment. On behalf of the Court, Wor. Bro. T. Rattray presented Bro. R. M. McCarrigan with a P.C.R. neck ribbon. Bro. P'. Choak was installed as Senior Beadle by the installing officers (Wor. Bros. Crowther and Ward). At the conclusion of the meeting members of Court Pride of Ashburton Juvenile Lodge were entertained to a social evening.

The laying and; dedication of the foundation stone of the new church hall to be attached to the Presbyterian Church at Tinwald took place this afternoon. The Presbyterian Moderator for Ashburton (the Rev. D. D'. MacLachlan) performed the ceremony, while Mr T. ID. Burnett, M.P., and the Rev. L. V. Bibby gave addresses. Copies of the “Guardian,” with church publications and a roll of office-bearers and building committee, with relevant documents, were placed in a sealed container at the ceremony, at which the Rev. R. S. Watson presided.

Considerable commotion was caused in a New Plymouth home the other day when a Jersey bull entered the pantry, me bull was being driven with others to the freezing works and in the Avenue Road suburb it turned suddenly and broke through a hedge into Mr J A. Mills’ garden. Making its way down the path, the animal peered into the washhouse, where a young baby was playing on the floor. Backing out at the sight of the small human at its feet, the bull entered the kitchen amd squeezed himself through the door into the pantry, where lie thrust his head through the window between the curtains. A drover arrived, however, and managed to persuade the bull to force his way out through the doors again into the garden—without, as the drover said, so much as breaking a plate.

“During the recent floods, a Kawakawa garage owner is supposed to have made over £6O in two days by transporting cars through the flood on _ the main road,” stated a letter received at a meeting last week of the council of the Automobile Association (Auckland). According to a writer* motorists were charged £1 to have their cars carried through the flood on a_ flat truck, or 10s to have them towed. On the motion of Mr Grayson, who remarked that the Highways Board had to bridge rivprs elsewhere and should therefore provide facilities on flooded sections of main roads, the council decided to ask the board to make arrangements for the assistance of motorists at this point in the event of a further flooding.

The Maori outlook on the sanctity of pacts were referred, to by the Rev. W. N. Panapa at the funeral service at Mangere (Auckland) of Mrs Te Paea Paro llewha, a descendant of the royal Maori line. “In these days of scraps of paper and broken treaties and pacts it may be of interest to recall the relationship which the late Mrs Rewlia claimed with Native history,” said Mr Panapa. He said Mrs Rewlia was a descendant of the marriage which had been arranged between the high members of the northern and the Waikato tribes three generations ago to honour the peace pact and the end of tribal -wars. That peace pact had been observed and Mrs Rewlia. had used her influence in her lifetime in seeking to honour and promote that understanding among her people.

The quarterly summoned meeting of Loyal Timvald Lodge, MAL1.0.0.F., was held last evening, the N.G. (Rro. M. G. Hampton) presiding. Three brothers were reported to be still on the sick list, while one had declared off. Sick pay amounting to £4 was passed. Correspondence was received from the District Secretary asking for the lodge syllabus for the ensuing year. Information was also received that a Past Grands’ Lodge would he held on March 7 in the Tinwald lodge-room. Sister McDowell and Brother Tate were recommended to receive the purple degree. Nominations for district officers for the ensuing term were made as follow : Deputy District Grand Master, Bro. W. B. Frampton; Management Committee, P.G.’s Bros. S. Culverhouse, R. S. Harkness, and J. W. Lowery; auditor and book examiner, Bro. S. Culverhouse. The annual bal-ance-sheet, disclosing all funds in a satisfactory condition, was adopted. One candidate was initiated.

In a letter to the Ashburton Borough Council, the secretary of the Timaru Municipal Baud (Mr C. G. Baker) expresses the band’s appreciation of the support accorded the concert given by the band in Ashburton last week. The hope was expressed that the Ashburton Silver Band would return the visit.

Owing to a hot-box and an unusually large amount of luggage which had to be loaded, the south-bound express left Ashburton, about a quarter of an hour late this morning. There was a further delay as the train went cut. The guard, running to get on, dropped his ticket punch: over tne edge of the platform, and had to stop the train in order to recover it.

Live shells co be fired from artillery at the Mount Somers military camp arrived in Ashburton this morning in a heavily-armoured truck. The advance party has completed its work, and a canvas town has been erected at Cavendish, everything being ready for the arrival of the main body to-morrow. The rain, wetting the long grass, has made conditions unpleasant for the men, but this state of affairs is not expected to last long. In addition to the men who will arrive tomorrow, 75 horses will he taken into camp for artillery and transport purposes.

A native insect is the worst timber destroyer in New Zealand, according to a paper which was read by Mr R. Natuseh at the architects’ conference in Auckland last week. It is the two-toothed longhorn, and it attacks the most durable of timbers. “It rivals the white ants of tropical climates, and eats away almost completely the interior of timbers, both large and small, leaving such a thin, paperlike shell that in the ease of flooring it collapses.” The ravages of these insects may be well advanced before any sign of them is visible. Normally living In dead trees, these borers are to-day the most serious menace to buildings. They are particularly partial to the heart of rimu, matai, totara, and kauri.

To travel 2500 miles through, the western portion of the United States of America in five days, spending only one night in bed, and to pass through six of the States comprising the union, was the achievement of Messrs .A. W. Jones, Gordon Reed, and G. Tapper, who have returned to Invercargill after an absence of only seveil weeks. Two years ago they visited the United States, stayed nine days, and covered the south-western area.; this time they confined their attention' to the north and they set even a higher standard in , fast travelling “We travelled by a service known as the Greyhound buses,” said Mr Jones. “We snatched some sleep in the vehicles at night and at every stopping place we hired taxis to see the sights. Sometimes we sacrificed meals to see a place of particular interest.”