LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 262, 18 August 1936, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Motor drivers’ licenses issued by the Ashburton Borough Inspector in the last fortnight totalled 32, gwmg 877 licensed drivers in the Borough.

Charged with stealing a quantity of wool, valued at £l, from George Hamilton Lamb at Valetta on August 6, Eric James Tyler,_ a. tractor driver, of Valetta, agpeared in the AShburton Magistrate’s L‘ourt this morning. He was remanded until August 25 by Mr R. Kerr, J.'l.’.

“Fain un-i suffering are always quoted In those cases, but you cannot have pain without suffering,” com—mented his Honor Mr Justice Blair in the Supreme Court at Palmerston North during tha- hearing of an action for damages as the result of a motor colllswn. “Lnu'jers like to say things tmc'e over," added his Honor.

Arrangements for paying the September old age and war pensions on Friday this week have been made by the. Ashburton Post Office staff. The pensions would have: been due, on Sunday, and would thus not have. been paid on Monday, but, it has been decided to pay them on Friday for the convenience of pensioners.

“We do not want hoardings any—where,” said Mr J. A. Sampson (chairman of the Waikato County Council) when an application to erect advertisings signs on roadsides in the county was under discussion. The engineer (Mr “'oodward) said that there fivere frequent similar requests. The application was refused.

J apan’s railway system compares more than favourably with that boasted by China, according to Mr E. Hyde, of Napier, who has just returned from a holiday tour in the East. “The Japanese railways are very up-to-date, a double set of rails stretching prac—tically from one end of the country to the other,” Mr Hyde told an interviewer. “After travelling in Japan the lack of service and efficiency on the Chinese railways becomes most apparent.” Mr Hyde said that Japan was just a not-work of hydro-electric schemes, while the roads throughout the country were of the highest quality. In China, on the other hand, one could travel for hundreds of miles by train without seeing more than a few short stretches of road upon which one would care to drive a. car.

New season’s lambs" were penned for the first time at the stock sale in the Tinwald yards to-day.

Building permits Issued by the Ashburton Borough Inspector in the last two weeks warm—Dwellings £6OO and £7OO.

Threatening dismissal or, at the very least, suspension until such time as the board considers any breaches which may occur, the Hawke’s Bay Hospital Board is taking active steps to. prevent nurses engaged at the Napier Hospital from smoking cigarettes while in their bedrooms in the Nurses’ Home. This action ,is stated to he the outcome of a minor outbreak which occurred in the nurses’ quarters recently.

“Boys seem to have a regular craze for riding bicycles with their hands in their pockets.” said Mr B. Day, New Plymouth borough chief inspector (1111" ing the hearing of a charge for such an offence made at the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court. “It is not a, new craze,” commented the Magistrate, Mr W. H. \Voodward. “I can vouch for it being at least 30 years old.” It was a particularly dangerous practice, declared Mr VVoodwm‘d.

Ski-ing on the country near Lake Heron was enjoyed by 13 members of the Erewhon Mountaineering Club in the week-end. The snow on the higher levels was about four feet thick and in excellent condition, but on the lower ground there was too“ much icy snow. On account of this a championship meeting which was to have been held was postponed, but some good skiing was nevertheless obtained.

Permission to make a charge for a concert to be given by the Timaru Municipal Band in the Ashburton Majestic Theatre next Sunday evening was sought by the Ashburton Silver Band at- the meeting of the Borough Council last evening. The concert, it was stated, would be a benefit for Mrs H. J. Chapman. The opinion was expressed that it might be opening the do-or‘ a. little too wide to grant permission as sought. It was agreed to accede to the request.

The Ashburton Catholic Club held its weekly meeting last evening, Mr J. Brown presiding. Final arrangements for the annual dance- were completed. A subject for debate with the Eifielton Club, “That the 40-hour week was jus—tified in New Zealand,” was accepted. The High School Debating Cfub was entertained to a debate and ping—pong contest, the High School taking the negative side in the subject; “That sport is carried to excess in New Zealand.” The judge (Mr 'G. B, Brown) gave his decision in favour of the School. The ping-pong contest was won by the “Catholic Club by a narrow margin.

“We will leave no more death traps on our railroads while I am here,” said the Minister for Transport (the Hon. R... Semple), at Lyttelton yesterday, in stating that in future all new roads constructed would cross the railway either by means of a subway er over~ head bridge. The Government was going to spend a very large sum in doing away ‘with these menaces to public safety, at present scattered throughout the Dominion. 'lt was now tackling 250 level: crossings which should. never have been left as such. In all there were 500 of these “death traps” in the Dominion. A total of £150,000 was being spent on the work of reconstruction this year, and next year a. much larger sum would be ex—pended.

There were 25 cases of notifiable diseases in Canterbury during the week ended noon yesterday, compared with 17 in the previous week. The most unusual were three cases of food poisoning and one of chronic lead poisoning. Three cases of notifiable diseases were reported from the West Coast, compared with two in the previous week. Details of the cases were as follow, the figures for the previous week being given in parentheses : sztiitei'l)lll'y: Scarlet fever 9 (7), diph—theria 4 (3), puerperal fever 1, erysipc~ las 2 (2), septic abortion 1, chronic lead poisoning 1, food poisoning 3. West Coast: Erysipelas 1, cerebro-spinal meningitis 1, pulmonary tuberculosis 1 (2). There were three deaths in Canterbury—from pulmonary tuberculosis, and one on the \Vest Coast—from cerebro-spinal meningitis.

“For the last four years we have been teaching men to loaf, not to work,” said the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. 'R. Semple), in addressing the workmen at the Sign of the Takahe (Christchurch) yesterday. The trouble was that, now the Government had given the men an incentive to work, a small proportion thought that they could still malinger, he said. He would not tolerate such men. He was not a “nigger-driver,” but he expected at fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay. He was aware that his recent statements on the subject had been resented. by the Communists. As a. matter of fact the Tories of the country were now co—operating with the Communists in a common effort to try to abuse him. “That is a hell of an alliance,” he added.

That hedgehogs should be treated as vermin and rewards paid for their destruction was the text of a motion which was carried unanimously by the council of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society at a meeting at Matamata recently. Moving in accordance with notice that hedgehogs should be declared verininous and a bonus should be paid for their destruction, Mr W. S. Miller (Auckland) stated the question was serious, and that the rapid increase of the pest around Auckland threatened the existence of game birds through destruction of eggs. “If we let the matter drift any longer,” said Mr H. C. Savage in seconding the motion, “it will get beyond us. I suggest we offer a bonus of 6d per snout.” After further discussion the notice of meeting considered the pests should be treated as vermin. and that a reward should be paid for their destruction.

For the past 70 years Californian quail have flourished in tH‘awke’s Bay and the undoubted success of this species of game in the area; under the control of the Hawke’s Bay Aevlimatisation Society has prompted the Fish and Game Propagation Aeolimatisation and Protection Society of Western Australia to address a request to the Hawke’s Bay Society for information regarding the introduction of the quail to New Zealand (states the Napier “Daily Telegraph”). The information requested details with the maintenanee of supplies of the game, any appreciaable lessening of native specimens due to the introduction of Californian quail, tendencies shown to change food or habits, and advantages of the species may have brought in its train. The necessary information is to he supplied by the Farm Committee. of the Hawke’s Ba, Society.

A party of about 50 children from the Mayfield School made an excursion to Christchurch tic-day, coming in to Ashburtonfiy ’bus and going on by the morning train. The children will visit the Winter Show and Industrial Exhibition, and will return by train at 7.10 this evening, going on to Mayfield by ’bus.

Motorists entering Morrinsville from the cast will in future pass through an avenue of flowering cherry trees. Although no public tree-planting ceremony was held on Arbor Day, the Morrinsville Borough Council’s workmen planted 84 flowering cherry trees on 119311 sides of Thames Street east from the borough boundary. Last year an avenue of linden trees was planted by the council.

“I do not believe in starving a jury into givingn verdict,” declared his 'fllonor Mr Justice Blair in the Supreme Court at Palmerston North, when he intimated to a jury retiring at 1 p.m. that, if necessary, a court order would be made for the payment- of their luncheon expenses while they re mained together. “I would sooner have a verdict from a well-fed jury,” said his Honor. ‘

“We often wonder where the ducks disappear to ‘ after the first couple of days of the shooting season,” wxlote a ranger (Mr T. Andrews, of Palmei‘ston North) in a letter to the councilof the Wellington Acclimatisation Society. ”An aeroplane reported seeing a large number of ducks while it' was flying down the coast between the Rangitikei and Manawatu Rivers. There were: actually thousands of dueks, and it is estimated that when they alighted on the sea they covered at least 10 acres Mallard seemed to predommate.”

One of the most amusing tries ever scored in 21, Rugby match has gone to the credit of a young Maori lad, member _of the very fine Fourth Grade team Ratana has put in the field this year. Playing against Pirates-on the Wanganui Racecourse on a recent Saturday, this boy hovered consistently looking for his opportunity. At last the great moment in his young career arrived. He had the leather in his hands and he set sail for the line. En route he was subjected to the attention of 9, Pirates’ defender, who, making a wild grab, tore the shorts off the little chap. With undimmed con-rage the Maori did not hesitate. Minus his nether garments he made for the thin chalk line of victory grounded the ball and then, seated on the ground, looked round pathetically for help, which arrived in the shape of a comfarting overcoat loaned by a spectator. “It was one of the best tries I have ever seen scored,” declared the referee (Mr E. J. Crotty) afterwards.