LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 237, 20 July 1936, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The attempt on the 'life of King Edward was referred to in Ashburton churches yesterday. Special prayers of thanksgiving and for the King s future welfare were offered.

A telegram from Wellington states that the United Press Association is informed that a report which has been circulated that a certain newspaper m Taranaki had been purchased is incorrect.

Over 60 motorists appeared in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday charged with driving without licences, fines or 10s and costs being imposed in eacii case “Do you realise that it you knocked anyope down _ while driving without a license the insurance company would disclaim any liability? • the magistrate, Mr F. K. Hunt, asked one defendant. “There is no cover on unlicensed drivers.

The Ashburton Tramping Club held its fortnightly outing yesterday at the Scenic Reserve at Tripp Settlement, near Geraldine. The attendance was twelve, and the trio was made m ideal weather with bright sunshine. The day was spent tramping through the bush and climbing on the surrounding lulls.

Emptying a rubbish-bin an employee of the Waipukiirau Borough Council was surprised to find a cashbox in excellent order. Inquiries from the business man to whom the garbage tin belonged elicited the fact that on St urday night the day’s takings had been put in the cashbox and the latter then deposited in the rubbish tin for safety from burglars. That was the last the owner thought of the matter until his cash box and contents were returned to him.

With the ages of his five children totalling 326 years, and with over IJU descendants, Mr Thomas Took, ot Claudclands, celebrated his nine yfifth birthday recently. Has youngest child is 56, and the eldest / 4.. Mr Took was sent to'New Zealand by Sir Fergusson, father of the former Gov-ernor-General, to fill a position as stockman on the Gordon Estate at Cambridge. He is in full possession of his faculties, and one of bis.F memories is his fnendsh p Charles Haddon Spurgeon the famous preacher, tic has been a staunch Baptist for years.

“It is very interesting to comparo the climate of Canada with the magnificent climate you have here in New Zealand, ami this comparison strikes one very forcibly on arrival here, said Mr J. F. Devlin, the world champion bacminton player, in an address -u the Hastings Rotary Club. Mr Devlin said that he had lived in Winnipeg for the last five years, and the last winter was one of the worst which had ever been experienced. It went down to 59 below zero,” he said, and for several months in the year it is from 30 to 40 below. Our normal winter lasts for seven months in the year, and it is a wonderful comparison to come here, where there is great open country, beautiful green fields and so on, and then think of our snow for seven ninths of the year, with tvo months spring or fall, and only three months of actual summei.

The Cpnwa Baptist Church choir, under the leadership l of Mr E. A. Voyce, gave an enjoyable concert in the Ashburton Baptist Church on Saturday evening. The Rev. L. P. Bryan piesided over a large and appreciative audience. Items presented by the cneir included the anthems “Sing We Merrily,” “0 Gladsome Light,” “The Heavens are Telling,” “All in the April Evening,” “Good-night Song,” and the glees “Four Jolly Smiths” and “Don’t Look at Me.” Items were given by Mrs Windsor (recitation), Messrs E. ,Danholt (violin soles), and F. Jenkins i(vccal solo). Mixed quartets were given; by Misses Davies and Bernstein, and Messrs Bernstein and McCann, and male quartets by Messrs Bernstein, McCann, Winder and Voyce.

“It is impossible to get bricklayers in Auckland or locally,” said the chairman (Mr G. Arrowsmith), when reporting to the Tuakau Town Board that, owing to a shortage of bricklayers*. a firm had been obliged to arrange for the erection of a fire proof wall in another material.

A Press Association telegram from Auckland states that butchers have been advised by the wholesale suppliers that the pri/ce of mutton will be advanced Id per lb, as from to-day. It is understood that there is a short supply of stock coming forward, and that phenomenally high prices are being paid for the sheep in the country districts, the high prices ruling for wool being one cf the reasons for this.

Under the will of Mr James Leahy, of New Brighton, a substantial bequest has been made for educating priests for St. Bede’s College and other colleges conducted by the Society of Mary (says a Press Association message from Christchurch). Subject to certain personal bequests the whole of the estate has been left in trust to the rector for the tiniG being of St. Bede’s. The residue of the estate is expected to total about £sooo'-and the income from this amount will be devoted to the carrying out of the bequest.

Perched 'on the back seat of a sedan car a cock pheasant drove through Devon Street, New Plymouth, apparently unconcerned. The bird mas seen at the side of Brooklands Road by a New Plymouth resident who was driving into tortn. At the approach of the car the phqtisant was hardly alarmed, but it was surprised enough to emulate the ostrich and bury its head in a tuft of grass. The motorist stopped and when he picked up the bird and put it in the back of the car it made no protest. It stood quietly on the back seat as he drove to work and drove home again. He said the bird was evidently not able to fly readily, but showed no sign of injury, and lie hoped to domesticate it.

[During the last three years, £4500 has been allocated to children’s health camps from surplus art union funds in Newt Zealand. The Minister for Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) stated, at Auckland on Saturday that in the 'allocation of funds remaining after the main allocations for the relief ■cf distress, consideration was always given to health camps. The money was well spent, he said. “Of the many praiseworthy institutions in New Zealand the health camps play no miner part, for they render splendid service in building up the bodily health of the children, which should stand to their advantage when they are men and women,” lie concluded,.

Arrangements, which it is expected will be approved, have been made by the Auckland Transport Board for changes in staff necessitated by the shorter week (says a Press Association telegram). In all, 145 new hands will be required to take the place of conductors who are to become motormen, and to fill other vacancies. The total of the annual increased wages hill will he about £40,000. The introduction of the shorter week may mean the striking of a levy ever the board’s area, as the, only other alternative is to raise the fares. The provision under the act for the striking of a levy has not hitherto been enforced.

A brilliant ball of fire falling toward the earth and leaving in its wake a trail of light was observed by . a resident of Patetonga, Hauraki Plains, on Saturday afternoon about four o’clock. For fully two minutes after the passage of the meteor a trail of smoke hung in the sky. The phenomenon was also witnessed by a of people at Whitianga, where & foot Dali match was in progress at the time and doubtless the meteor could have been seen over a wide area of the country. “Such daylight meteors or shooting stars are comparatively rare,” said the 1 Lerald’s” astronomical correspondent last night. “Although as many as 15 shooting stars may he seen in an hour at* night, very rarely docs a meteor have the exceptional brilliance making it visible in daylight. Less than a dozen such objects have* been reported in New Zealand in the last ten years.

The agricultural class of the Ashburton Technical High School 1 visited the Seafield Irrigation Farm on Friday afternoon, where they spent a very interesting afternoon. They were shown over the area by the farm manager (Mr M. P. Cooke), who first explained the working of the bordercheck system, the amount of water used and the times of application. The buys were very interested in the pastures in this area, which had been sown down with a mixture of certified grasses and clovers. It was noticeable that the Canterbury broad red clover was holding well. The boys were then conducted through the older experimental area, and shown the effects of irrigation and non-irrigation. Some time was spent examining the lucerne stand, which provides four cuts a year. The class was particularly interested, in the ensilage stack. Certain parts of the area showed the effect of the porina pest which had attacked indiscriminately brown top clover, ryegrass and lucerne. The ravages of the porina were obviously not confined to irrigated areas. 0. Luxton, on behalf of the boys, thanked Mr Cooke for his interesting demonstration.

The new Methodist hymnbook was used for the first time at the Baring Square Methodist Church last evening, when there was a large congregation. The usual service was preceded by a short dedication service, after which the books were handed to the librarians on behalf of the choir, and to one of the stewards representing the congregation. Included among the tune books were three fine copies presented to the church by the combined Bible classes, for the use of the minister, the choirmaster and the organist respectively. The Rev. Angus Mcßean conducted the service, and from the text, “Oh sing unto the Lord a new song” (Psalms 61, 1), lie spoke of the place and influence of singing in religious worship. Speaking of the advantages of the new book, lie said that it contained many fine hymns which had been written within the past 40 years, and it also gave a place to many of the lighter and brighter type of hymn, the hymn with a popular chorus. Such hymns could fill a useful place in helping to brighten the services. Among the many valuable hymns included in the new book was a new section on brotherhood and world peace. Several new hymns were included in the service, and were greatly enjoyed by the congregation. In place of the usual anthem, the choir, under Mr H. A. Humphreys, sang from the new book the hymn “Guide Me, 0 Thou Great Jehovah,” to the tune Cym Rhondda. It is confidently 'anticipated that the introduction of the new hymnbook will be a much-appreciated addition to the value and inspiration of the services of the Church,

There was a large attendance at the fortnightly dance of the Druids’ Lodge in, the Orange Hall on Saturday evening, and an enjoyable time was spent. Novelty items, particularly the “cheerio” dance, proved highly, popular. A Monte Carlo waltz was won by Mr Patrick and Miss Collett. Cook’s Orchestra, supplied the music, and Miss Mai Willers played extras. Mr A. L Carriock was Master of Ceremonies.

The opinion that the modern boy was just as manly as his pre-war forerunners was expressed by Mr J. It. Sutcliffe, principal of Scots College (Wellington), at an old boys’ reunion. “The post-war schoolboy, said Mr Sutcliffe, “knows more about mechanics and engineering than his predesessors, but is not as widely read. There had been a distinct improvement in the growth of, boys’ self-reliance and creative ability during the last few years.”

Though wind and rain retarded the work a little, splendid progress was made yesterday with the formidable task of changing over the Wairarapa and Hu(t Valley railway line from the old Lambton platforms to two new platforms at the new railway station (says a Press Association telegram from Wellington). It was expected last night that there would be no hitch- to preclude the use of the new platforms by passengers on the first train at 6 a.m. to-day. A start was made with the change-over at 9 a.m. on Saturday. In all, 140 men were put on the job, and the station yard was a scene of feverish activity.

One item on the menu which was in demand at last Saturday night’s complimentary dinner to the visiting Fijian women’s hockey team was cauliflower (states the “Wanganui Chronicle”;. To the Fijians cauliflower represented something of a luxury, for in Suva such vegetables cannot be purchased for less than 3s 6d. Apple pie was also in demand, this being due to the fact that apples also are a high price in Fiji. A joke which was much enjoyed by the visitors on their departure from Wanganui was a presentation made to the team. It consisted of a cauliflower tied with ribbons in the form of a bouquet.

The theft from the Hawke’s Bay Art Society’s art gallery and museum in Napier of a silver necklace presented to the society by Lady McLean is revealed. The necklace is missing from a glass case in the museum building, the case having been forced. Lady McLean said that the necklace was of Norwegian origin, having been given to her by a friend residing in Norway. It had been in her possession for 20 years, and had been prized as a heirloom until it was presented; to the Art Society. The necklace, Lady McLean said, consisted of several fine silver chains at the end of which was attached a pendant bearing a number of delicately worked engravings. The necklace was a very old one.