LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 244, 28 July 1936, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

With: one dissenting voice, a conference of most Taranaki towns at Eltham last night declared in favour or a provincial Saturday half-holiday, and appointed a committee to place the matter before Parliament (says a Pi ess Association telegram). Advice that its incidental allowance had been raised from £146 to: £157 a year was received by the Ashburton East School Committee last_ evening. Members expressed satisfaction at the increase, but thought they had been led to expect an even greater grant, ‘it is early,.yet.” said a member. “This is only a beginning.” The chairman (Mr W. S. Kerr): “Well, I hope that is so.”

The Hawera Hospital Board is making strong, endeavours to locate a man who was recently left money by a. relative in Ireland. The board has spent more than £IOOO in maintaining his Wife and three children for the past 10 years, and now hopes to be able to relieve itself of some of the burden. The aid of the Police Department is to be enlisted in an endeavour to deterniine the man’s whereabouts.

Hailing from America, a witness giving evidence in the Supreme Court at Palmerston North recently, stated that he did not know what a wallet was. Mr Justice Blair explained that this was in the nature of a pocket-book in which money was kept. Witness said he understood the term “dourh” better. His knowledge of English monetary symbols (lid not appear to be too sound. Witness alleged that he had been “ratted” while drunk.

The suggestion that when a party to an industrial dispute fails to sit in conciliation, the Conciliation Commissioner should be empowered to refer the dispute direct to the Arbitration Court is made in a letter to the Minister for Labour (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) by the secretary of the Auck—land Furniture Trades' Union. (Mr A. H. Dixon). AfP‘ress Association telegram states that Mr :Dixon complains that disputes for the hearing of which he had obtained fixtures had been adjourned, and, when asked for the reason, the Commissioner (Mr M. J. Reardon) had eaid that the dates did’ not suit Mr W. E. Anders/on, the secretary of the Auckland. Employers’ Assoaiation. Mr iDixon adds that for the last five years the Labour movement has suffered from this treatment by en:— plovyers. _'

The special train conveying 460 delegates to the annual conference of Women’s Institutes in Dunedin arrived in Ashburton at 10.30 this nmrning. Most of the 22- local delegates ta the conference boarded the train here, several having gone previously.

A Press Association telegram from Wellington states that when the. pin of the spindle holding her ‘9O! her 111001“ings broke during a squall at 7 o’clock yesterday morning, the Union Company’s hulk Occident broke loose from {her buoy, and although the watchman on board immediately let down the port anchor she began to drift toward the shore near Kaiwalrra. The tug Teramhiti, however, was soon alongside and :no damage was done to the hulk.

“We are not going to allow New Zealand to become a dumping ground,” said the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr W. E. Parry) when representa—tions were being made to him by the Thames Miners’ Phthisis Association regarding a man who had been mining in Australia and .was not eligible for a pension in the. Dominion. He was going to fight, however, to arrange, if possible, a, reciprocal agreement with Australia regarding such cases.

Seven fewer cases of notifiable dis—eases were reported in Canterbury for the week ended noon yesterday than in the previous week, last week’s total being 15. TWO cases were reported on the West Coast, one ef eclanrpsia. and one of erysipelas. In Canterbury there were seven cases of scarlet fever, four of pulmonary tuberculdsie, two _of ery-sipelas, one of septic abortion, and one of hydatids.‘ There was one death, from pulmonary tuberculosis.

The largest number of women ever to go thmugh Ashburton at one time were passengers on a special express train which reached Ashburton at 10.30 o’clock this morning from the north. The passengers were delegates to the Women’s Institute Conference in Dunedin and represented every centre in the North Island and in the northern and western areas of the South Island. The train comprised 15 cars, drawn by two engines.

A group of members of the Junior Chamber of Commerce attended the last meeting of the Auckland City Council, and were provided with seats on the floor of the council chamber. They followed the debates of the council with keen interest, and at the con—clusion of the meeting the Mayor (Mr Ernest Da-vis) expressed the pleasure of the council at having representa—tives of the younger business men present. At his invitation the visitors had supper with the members of the council.

Nine years ago a thief stole a small box containing heirlooms, mainly jewellery, from sthe residence of Mr J. J. Reynolds of Gore. The thief was arrested at Riversdale and stolen jewellery was found in his possession but it did not include any of that taken from Mr Reynolds’s house. Unemployed w'orkers were recently digging behind the women’s bathing shed between the railway and traffic bridges at Gore when one of the men drove his spade through a box which proved' to be that containing the jewellery lost nine years before. It was identified by a dux medal inscribed with the words “Cecil J. Reynolds, 1921,” and it was restored to its owner in good condition.

The Ashburton Catholic *C-lub held its weekly meeting in the Canterbury Automobile Association rooms last evening, the vice-president (Mr J. Connell) presiding over a good attendance. The Rev. Dr. Harrison, who is taking Father Kelly’s place in Ashburtom, was welcomed to the club by the vice—president. It was decided to invite the High School Club to a juniO-r debate and ping-pong contest on August 17, and to invite the Eiffelton Debating Club to a debate on August 31. Al'Tangements were made to hold the club’s annual dance in the Radiant Hall on August 18. At the conclusion of the meeting senior members took part in a debate.

It is a well-known fact that the average auctioneer’s mart harbours the strangest of relics, but the majority of oddities which pass under the hammer are articles which, have some use ac—cording to the requirements of the modern generation. The presence of a four-wheeled buggy, aptly termed by the auctioneer “The pride of the ’nineties,” at 3. Hastings auction mart was the object of many curious eyes, and although when in Its prime the—vehicle was priced at £95, it was knocked down to a purchaser in the mart for the modest sum of £2. A set of harness with its embellishments dimmed by some forty years of service, and originally priced at twelve uineas, found an eager purchaser at 5155.

The Ashburton East School Committee met last evening, Mr \V. S. Kerr (chairman) presiding. A long list of corresryondence wns dealt with. For the visiting committee, Mr S. Groves reported on a. number of requirements in and about the buildings and grounds. It was left to the visiting committee to ascertain the requirements of shingle for the ground and have suitable quantities spread. The headmaster (Mr S‘. G. Macfarlaaie) reported that the five weeks since the previous meeting showed attendances of 464.5, 445, 456, 463 and 4216, the roll numbers being 489', 487, 486, 486 and. 487, respectively. Staii changes imminent were :-—-Mr Robb begins in Mr Langfeu‘d’s place on August 3; Miss Hewson begins with the third term; Miss A. I. Litton, and probably Miss N. M. Taylor, end their connection with the school on August 21. The midryear examinations had been held and report cards and honours lists issued. Messrs Kerr and Fowke were appointed a. visiting committee for the next month.

To complete the organisation of the NeW‘Zealand Historical Society, the provisional executive met at Hamilton (says a Press Association telegram). A report on the formation of the society and the constitution was adopted. It was resolved to otter the office of patron to the Governor-General (Lord G—alway). Lord Bledis'loe was elected an honorary life member. The following officers were elected :—-President, the Rev. A. B. Cliappoll (president of the Auckland Society); vice—president, the Rt. Rev. F’. A. Bennett, Bishop of Ao-tea—roa (president of the Hastings branch); honorary secretary and trea—surer, Mr A. P. King (Auckland SO‘ cicty)‘; honorary auditor, Mr M. S. Campbell. Messrs James Oliphant (president of the Te Awamutu Society) and Bernard :Sladd-en (Bay of Plenty Society) are additional members of the council, associate delegates being Messrs L. Phillips (Auckland) and H. A. Swarbrick (Te Awamutu), and Dr. J. 'C‘.Waidmore (Bay of Plenty). Although for the current year the council is in the :northern area of the Dominion, there is an understanding forl early transfer to “Tellington or Christ-l church. I

The statement of accounts to be presented at the annual meeting of the Meat Producers’ Board at‘Wellington next month shows that the excess of income over expenditure for the yem‘ ended June 30 last was £6542. The accumulated, ‘funds them stand at £53,404.

Twso Rugby teams from St. Andrew’s College (Christchurch) arrived in Ashburton on the south-bound? express this morning to play their annual matches against the first and second fifteens of the Ashburton High School. The games were played this afternoon at the Showgrounds. .

“The sight of a pakeha doitig a' Maori haka gives us a pain,” said Mr Pine Taiapa, speaking to the “70” Club at Wellington. “It might be compared with a Maori trying to perform a Highland fling.” In the first place Mr Pme Taiapa pointed out that pakehas do not seem to understand that the “haka” should he worked up to a climax. It should not be one long “bawl” from start to finish.

The new railway siding near the Ashburton saleyards was discussed last evening at at meeting of stock dealers, auctioneers, and representatives of the Railway Department. Mr W. William—son presided. The. plans, submitted .by' the Department were considered, and after minor alterations had .been agreed, to were unanimously appi‘o‘ved on the motien of Mr J'. T. Thomas, seconded by Mr M. Turton. The siding, it‘v'vas stated, would be the most up—to-date in the Dominion. Facilities for handling sheep, cattle, pigs, and racehorses will be included, together with a. loading dock and travelling mace. Water will be laid on for travelling stock, and three large lights will enable night work to be carried on.

“The secondary schools don’t have to freeze the way the primary «schools have to; that is my grievance,” said a. member of the Ashbun‘ton East School Committee last evening when the question of the heating of a certain room was under discussion. Members were agreed that the Education Board’s promise to look into the problem of heating and ventilation of the school should be carried out. They stated they were far frOm satisfied. It was decided to lay the facts before the Board once more. The Board wrote that while its members fully appreciated the desirability of favourably considering the Committee’s request for improvement in the heating of the room, owing to the present shortage of funds the Board had no choice but to hold over consideration of the question for the time being.

A concise explanation of the meaning of probation was 'given b Mr J ustico Callan in the Auclviland Supreme Court to a young man to whom he was extending that leniency. “Just before you leave the box I want to say this to you,” said his Honor. “You will discover, if it has not already been explained to you, that probation is not an entire escape from punishment. It involves a very considerable retrenchment of your liberty. I believe that you will find that in this-city you are under the control of a reasonable and sensible probation office. He understands that he has a certain sort of parental control over you. He has to approve of your associates, and you are not to associate with persons against whom he warns you. He is practically made in the position of a. parent to you, and you will have to take notice of him. That is all laid dol'n by the Act of Parliament that enables you to get probetion; and you must be of good behaviour and commit no offence against the law. If you should. then, in addition to being punished for that affence, you will find yourself back here in this court to be punished for this offence. That is all.”