LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 206, 13 June 1936, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The statutory nylvertisements in connection with! the poll of ratepayers, to be taken by the Ashburton County Council, at Methven, on July 16, for the Drainage Loan of £6870, Drainage Advances Loan of £2OOO and \Yater Supply Loan of £2IBO, will be found on page 4 of this issue.

The south-bound express this morn-i-ng carried 120 members of the Christchurch Harmonic Society to Dunedin. The party will return to-m-o-rrow.

A case of scarlet fever in Allenton was notified to- the Ashburton County Health Inspector this week. There were no notifications of infectious disease. in the Ashburton Borough.

A woman who stowed away at Hono—lulu hound for New Zealand was transferred in the Pacific to the Monterey, proceeding to California. The passen—gers of the Mariposa at Auckland yesterday morning, said that the: stow—away was under the impression that the Mariposa was bound for America. The passengers subscribed 120 dollars for her and were compensated by being able to send a mail via the Monterey.

Delayed. ha-lf—an—hour by the late arrival of the Marama. at Lyttelton this morning. the south-hound express was held up for a. further period before entering the Ashhurton station. The signal failed. to work owing to the key jamming, and the express was stopped for a few minutes while an inspection of points was made. As these were correctly set, the train was flagged into the station.

Writing to the “Otago Daily Times” from Gimmerburn, Mr J. A. Millet says:-—“Whilst out shooting on Sunday I had the unusual experience of seeing and shooting a pure white hare. This animal was of the usual size, was in good, healthy condition, and had not a hair of another colour on it. The eyes, also, which with the ordinary hare, are brown, were of a pink-white colour. The hare was not shot in snow country or at a high altitude but on a paddock- very much below the usual snow level. It made a very pretty and outstanding sight when first seen running over the paddock.”

A new pest to the farmer has ap—peared in the l’ukeran district of Southland. This is the subterranean grass caterpillar, which burr-en's to a depth of five or six inches in the soil and comes to the surface at night time to attack the crowns of the grass plants, which speedily succumb to its ravages, Some extensive areas of well—establish—ed pasture, particularly in the Otaraia and Kaiwera districts. have been com—pletely denuded. So far no method of combating the post has been discover—ed, but one prominent landowner is hopeful of a wet season forcing it to the surfare, where it would he preyed upon by the starlings and other birds. At present, however, the position is serious, and source of anxiety to many. .

Charged in the Children’s Court at Ashburton this morning with being idle and disorderly, a‘ girl was admit—ted to the care of the State, by M 1“ R. Clark, J .I’.

At the monthly meeting of the Canterbury Land Board there were 82 cases on the agenda paper, including eight applications to transfer and three applicnticns for land. The following up .plication: to transfer was approved:— R-.S‘. 36435, 36436, block X., \Vesterfield S.D.——M.rs M. Burgess to H. T. Thompson .

In the course of a. speech at the concert of the wellington Burns Club the Rev. J. H. Mackenzie held. up, and quoted from, an old book which, from appearance, seemed to have been through great trials. He explained to those present that fify years ago it had lain for a week at the bottom of the Otago harbour. It was recovered and made much use of since then. From the quotations it could be iaken .as {L precious relic.

Because of interest taken in the soil survey of the Ashburto-n County there has been a large demand for maps of the survey published by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. The Ashbur‘bon County Coun—éil obtained 100 copies of the maps and nearly all were disposed of in a. short time. The principal purchasers of the maps have been farmers and business men, who have displayed deep interest in the result of the survey.

A phenomenal increase in the number of travellers to Ashburton by rail for the trotting meeting tic-day necessi—tated sending two fresh carriages and an extra engine from Christchurch to take- back passengers for the: north this evening. The train from Christchurch brought 640 people and a. horse train 74, while 86 came from Timaru and southern stations ‘by the morning train, a. total of 800 visitors. The train for Christchurch left at 4.40 p.m. and for Timaru at 5.5 p.m.

That the Southland climate can com—pare favourably with more vaunted districts of New Zealand was demonstrated when a box of freshly-picked raspberries was brought into the office (states the “Southland News”). The berries were exceptionally large, luscious, and brightly coloured, and were grown by Mr Thomson, Centre Bush, and were the second crop from canes which had already yielded a good crop. Another proof of the exceptional mildnesss of the season is the fact that birds have begun to build their nests. Mariposa at farer areh theh theh theh

Cows allowed to graze on roads in the Opunake Town Board district must wear a registration badge of differ-ent colour each year and, like those who have resorted to painting over their old number plat-es (and suffered prosecution), a similar offence has been detected: by an officer of the board, who reported at the monthly meeting the case of an old registration cow badge being painted the same colour as this years’ badge. It had been issued last year to a resident, and this year had been found on another resident’s cow. The owner of the cow had explained that his children had- painted the badge but he admitted: knowing that his cow was wearing the badge. The board de-cide-d to institute legal action.

An important development in the exploitation of an oyster product took place on Monday (says the: “Southland Times”) at Bluff, when operations were officially begun in the factory recently erected for the manufacture of thyrodone, the discovery of a resident of Bluff, Mr Ermest Barnes. Already thyrodone,is highly regarded for its properties in the treatment 'of goitre, anaemia and nervous complaints. The demand for the product when it was placed on the market necessitated the erection of larger premises than those used for its production during the experimental stage and: after, and a. handsome modern factory was built on a site: at the corner of Gore and Shannon streets.

The Appeal Court unanimously dismissed the appeal in the case of W'il—--liam Harold 'Walters and Robert John \Villis, of Pa‘pakura, trustees of the Walters Estate, against J. C. Malfroy, registrar of the Supreme Court at Auckland, and the Manukau County Council. The mortgagees of part of the land owned by James Paterson Sinclair appealed from, the judgment of Mr J ustice Callan, delivered: at Auckland on October 7, 1935, refusing a writ of injunction to restrain respondents from selling Sinclair’s land, near Papakura, as a whole, for unpaid rates. The area of land involved was 172 acres, on which judgment had been obtained for £165 for rates due.

The opinion that the Royal Agricultural and Pastoral Society has not the power to adopt the Canterbury sug—gestion to fix only two permanent venues for the Royal lShow, and in any case would not be: willing to do so, was expressed by speakers at a meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Agricul—tural and Pastoral Society yesterday (says a Press Association telegram). Mr J. H. MacNivan, the chairman, said the suggestion came from 3111istchurch only, and he did not thinx it would get any further. In his opinion, the Royal Agricultural and Pastoral Society itself would not agree. \uien the Royal Shows were started, they were meant to go round, and if the system were altered it would mean the end: of'the Royal Agricultural and Pastoral Society. The change must come from the Royal Agricultural and Pas.» toral Society, which, he believed, would not dare to adopt it.

An Alsatian dog mauled the hands of a young Napier man a few days ago when he tried to capture it, after which it menaced the household for over an hour, finally it was dispatched with an axe. The dog; adopted a threatening attitude to several persons in turn, after which it savagely attacked the young man who attempted to capture it, with the result that his hands suffered a severe mauling. For over half an hour the (log threatened the occupants of the house, who were at length obliged to summon assist--111109. A telephone call was put through to the Empire Hotel, which is a short distance away, and Mr D. T. Sinclair, proprietor of the establishment went to the rescue. Mr Sinclair’s arrival on the scene was the signal for a fresh demonstration on the part of the dog, which bared its fangs and charged. Mr Sinclair dived for safety .and the dog, after twice circling the house at a furious pace, collapsed on the ground in a fit. Mr Sinclair then obtained an axe and killed it. The dog, which was huge and powerful even for an Alsatian, is stated to have had a. similar fit some time ago. The young man whom the dog attacked was later treated at the Napier Hospital.

Sustenance‘ payment will be given to 260 relief markers in Ashburton next week, compared with 252 last; week. No further men are being drafted to the Winchmm‘e irrigation scheme in the meanwhile. '

An innovation to be commenced shortly by the Railway Department is the introduction of week-end tickets from Ashburton to stations between and including Timavru and Christchurch. For a, cheap fare return tickets for travellers between these stations will be available from Saturdays to Mondays.

Owing to the Ashburton County Council disposing of its plantations for sawmilling instead of firewood, a considerable shortage of firewood is being experienced throughout Canterbury this winter. The Council found that better returns were available from timber royalties than from firewood. As there are seven mills woo-king; m Council plantations considerable activity is being shown in the milling in—dustry. Many inen are employed, the circulation of _a. large sum of money brought about by the milling industry is proving of considerable benefit to the whole County

For failing to label garments made in an unregistered factory, Robinson Bros., Ltd, a city firm of clothing manufacturers, was prosecuted in the Auckland Magistrate’s Court by the Department of Labour. Mr G. F. Grieve, for the; department, said the case was unusual, being brought under the section of the Factories Act headed, “Suppression of Sweating in Factories,” which stated that if an occupier of a factory desired to give out work to be done elsewhere, certain provisions must be complied with. Some of the required sections had been complied with, but not that which required garments on which such work was done to be labelled. The defendants had no knowledge of the pro» vision, and produced books showing the work which had been put out. The required label was, “This garment was made in unregistered factory.” Mr Neumegen (for the defence) said the practice had gone on for years, but immediately'the firm had been advised a proper label had been used. A fine of 105 and costs was imposed.