LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 264, 20 August 1936, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The business people of Otaki on Tuesday night decided to appeal to the Government for the institution or a universal half-holiday (says a Press Association telegram).

Over £B3 was raised for tlie funds of the Baring Square Methodist Trust at the Sunbeam Fair held in the Church Hall on Tuesday afternoon and evening.

Unanimous support for the proposal to establish intermediate schools in the province was given by the Taranaki Education Board yesterday (says a Press Association telegram). A committee was appointed to prepare data to submit to the next meeting of the Board.

The opinion that the new railcars should be equipped with a whistle similar to those in use on railway locomotives, the whistle to be operated by compressed air, was expressed by Mr L. Chisholm at last Wednesday’s meeting of the executive, of the Automobile (Wanganui). The meeting decided to send the suggestion to the annual conference of the North Island Motor Union at Carterton for discussion.

A decision to hold a citizens’ ball on October 21 was made at a meeting of the committee of the Labour Day Gala last evening, and it was decided to book a hall for the dance, and to call a meeting of people willing to act on the committee. As there will be no ball on Labour Day night, several suggestions about an evening entertainment after the Gala, including boxing and tug-of-war contests, were considered, and will receive further attention later.

Great interest has been aroused by the announcement of the discovery of a germ for the wholesale destruction of rabbits, for their infestation of vast areas of pastoral country in the north constitutes one of the greatest problems of its stocking, and of alarming denudation. Sir Charles' Martin, when chief of .the Division of Animal Nutrition at Adelaide University, became interested in the problem, and has worked earnestly on it since his return to Cambridge. The germ it is reported, attacks only the rabbit, but it will be subjected to exhaustive tests before animals are infected on a large scale.

The St. Andrew’s Ladies’ Guild, Tinwald, held a special meeting on Tuesday, when the president (Mrs Brown; presided over a small attendance. The secretary (Mrs C. Bell) reported oil a very pleasant afternoon enjoyed by members when they were entertained by the Waterton Guild at the residence of Mrs G. Blee. The balance-sheet of the recent concert given by the Guild proved satisfactory, and it was decided to donate £5 to the Vestry toward the eost of the heater installed in the church. It was decided to hold the annual flower show on October G. Hie matter of the schedule was given some attention. Afternoon I*>a was served, the hostess being Mrs M. P. Cooke,

Primary and secondary schools in Ashburton will close to-morrow for the second term vacation, primary schools will have a holiday of two weeks, reopening on September 7. The Ashburton High and Technical High Schools will be closed for three weeks, re-open-ing on September 14.

“I want to remove a misapprehension about the amount of money which is supposed to leave the country,” said Mr it. M. Stewart, when replying to the toast of “The Motion Picture Industry,” at a dinner in Wellington recently. “Ten million feet of film is imported into this country every year,” sairl Mr Stewart. “That represents a great outlay of capital. For every £1 the New Zealand public spends in picture entertainment only Is lOd leaves the Dominion. The rest is spent locally.”

A tragedy was narrowly averted a few days ago by the pluck and endurance ot a farmer living between Woodville and the Manawatu Gorge. Walking across a paddock, he was passing a usually quiet cow near the track when .she tossed her head and charged him. Knowing his danger and the best means of defence, he seized the cow by the nostrils with one hand and by the horns with the other. After an hour’s desperate struggle lie was rescued in an exhausted condition by a Power Board 1 official. The secret of the cow’s vigorous resentment appeared shortly after in the form of a frisky day-old calf at her heels.

The second meeting in connection with St. Andrew’s Spring Fair was held last evening when there was a good attendance of stall-hold.ers and others interested. The Rev. R. S. Watson was in the chair. Reports from various stall-holders appointed at last meeting were received and additional helpers for the stalls and amusements were appointed. It was decided to ask Mrs W. McDonald’s orchestra to provide music. Another meeting will lie held to complete the arrangements before the fair, which will be held on Thursday, October 22. It was stated that the function promised to be most successful.

The Minister of Customs (the Hon. W. Nash), in a statement at Wellington yesterday, said that the Government has had under consideration the question of permitting the importation of further quantities of South Australian oranges, and it has been decided to allow the importation into New Zealand of 35,000 cases during October. In view of the failure of the Cook Islands to supply the quantities anticipated during August, permission has also been granted for the importation of an additional quantity of 8500 cases of South Australian oranges during September. It is expected that regular shipments of Jamaican oranges will he arriving in New Zealand from early in November until the end of March.

The view that by reason of the increased importance now being attached to industrial disputes and the fact that greater interest was being taken in tnem, there should be a return to the pi active or holding sittings of the conciliation commissioners in the various centres so that as many as possible, of the parties could be given a chance of putting forward their evidence, was expressed by the conciliation commissioner (Mr M. J. Reardon) at the conclusion of a sitting of a Conciliation Council in Hastings. The policy of having the commissioner and assessors in a dispute visiting various centres in the district concerned to hear evidence had gone out of practice, he said, and he felt the time was now opportune for it t!& he revived. “I feel sure the Minister of Labour would give a sympathetic hearing to such a proposal,” the commissioner concluded.

Whether it is due to the campaign against the German owl or to natural increase through favourable conditions it is apparent to an ex-l>unedin resident, after an absence of eighteen months that there is a pronounced increase in the number of bellbirds and tuis, especially in the Roslyn and Maori Hill sections of the Town Belt (states the “Otago Daily Times’’). “The other day,” he said, “I listened enchanted to the beautiful notes of these songsters in private gardens in Newington Avenue and other parts of the hill suburb, and the thought occurred to me that Dunedin must be unique as a city for the richness of its native bird life. To my mind the tuis comprise one of the chief charms of this city.” The speaker added that in the part of Central Otago where he lived, about eight miles south of Alexandra, the German owl flourished in large numbers. The presence of a tui or a bellbird was always an occasion for comment, although it may be added that the absence of tracks of bush country in Central Otago was a factor that discouraged native birds from living there.

Sales made on behalf of Ashburton clients at the Addington market yesterday were :—-Fat Eivies: On account of J. W. Watson (Pendarves), 14 at 29s 7d to 32s Id ; E. Baxter (iDorie), 18 at 28s Id to 30s lOd; R. 13. MacMillan (Alford Forest), 51 at 20s 7d to 26s 4d; J. W. Rushton (Mount Hutt), 14 at 24s Id, to 24s 7d; A. F. Marr (Methven), 50 at 28s lOd to 34s Id; estate late H. J. Harrison (Rakaia), 60 at 25s 7d to 28s lOd; S. G. Holmes (Methven), 37 at 18s lOd to 20s 7d; J. Oakley (lluapuna), 31 at 21s 7d to 25s Id; G. Callaghan (Mount Hutt), 64 at 21s Id to 27s 7d; W. Drummond (Mount Hutt), 20 at 24s 7d; A. J. Wilson (Methven), 13 at 19s lOd to 21s Id; J. H. Grigg (Longbeaeh), 53 at 31s 7d to 34s lOd,; Black Bros. (Lagmhor), 60 at 24s 7d to 28s Id; H. E. Jessep (Methven), 64 at 20s 7d to 27s 4d; P. H. Read (Timvald), 30 at 25s 4d to 26s 7d; H. C. B. Withell (Ealing), 43 at 22s lOd to 25s 4d. Fat Wethers: On account of James Campbell (Methven), 59 at 29s Id to 39s 4d; A. Jones (Ealing), 16 at 33s Id to 35s lOd ; Ashburton client, 64 at 31s 4d to 32s 4d; .P. H. Redd (Timvald), 33 at 30s lOd to 31s Id; Shelloek Bros. (Rakaia), 26 at 29s Id to 30s Id; James Campbell (Methven), 33 at 32s lOd to 40s Id; A. J. Wilson (Methven), 103 at 32s 4d to 35s 7d; W. Drummond (Mount Hutt), 16 at 29s Id to 30s lOd; D. R. Chambers (Winehmore), 22 at 27s lOd to 28s lOd ; R. B. MacMillan (Alford Forest), 7 at 28s 7d, to 36s Id; J. D. King (Ruapuna), 9 at 31s Id; C. C. Holmes (Rakaia), 10 at 28s 7d; J. Oakley (Ruapuna), 5 at 3os 7d ; J. G. Lillev (Lyndhurst), 50 at 30s Id to 35s 4d ; F. R. Sides (Lauriston), 60 at 30s Id to 33s 7d; S. G. Holmes (Methven), 21 at 28s 7d to 31s lOd. Fat Hoggets: On account of J. W. Rushton (Mount Hutt), 15 at 26s 7d to 29s lOd; R. Middleton (Mount Hutt), 69 at 22s Id to 24s 4d; J. R. Dalton (Methven), 26 at 20s Id to 21s Id; S. G. Holmes (Methven), 6 at 235. Cattle: On account of Ashburton client, 7 cows at £7 7s 6d to £ll 2s 6d; J. W. M. Dart (Methven), 2 cows at £7 17s 6d to £9 2s 6d; G. Callaghan (Methven), steer at £l3 12s 6d.

There was a Targe attendance at a. meeting of the. Handicraft Circle of th e Ashburton Women’s Institute. Mrs A. Bray gave an instructive demonstration on Barbolas. Some beautiful speciments of the finishf d work were on view. Mrs F. Miles gave an instructive talk to the gardening circle on bulb culture. Mesdames Morgan and Macklin ail'd Miss Macklin were hostesses.

The funds of the Ashburton Guild of the British Sailors’ Society were assisted by a successful bridge party at the home of Mrs W. H. Amos, Short Street, on Tuesday evening, when about £9 was raised. There were 15 tables of players, the prize-winners being Mrs H. E. Parsons and Dr. J. Russell Wells. The president of the Guild (Mrs J. Russell Wells) thanked Mrs Amos for the use of her home and the committee for organising the gathering.

Further arrangements for the Labour Day Gala, to bo held on behalf of the Advance Ashburton Association, were made at a meeting of the Gala Committee last evening, the organiser (Mr W. K. Waters) presiding. Several suggestions regarding the conduct ot the Gala were received and forwarded to the different sections. Mr S. Mitch ill reported that the procession committee would *be’meeting next wee Tc. Mr It. Jennings, junior, agreed to organise the Gala packets again this year. It was decided to ask the Teachers' Institute about the possibility of the schools arranging side shows and the holding of children’s sports. it was also agreed to approach sports clubs to ask them to assist the Gaia by holding tournaments to raise funds.

Held up by a large slip in Taita Gorge yesterday afternoon, the Hon. R.. Semple (Minister for Public Works) left his car, took off his coat, seized a pick, and gave a helping hand to the gang of city and suburban Highways Board men who were clearing the road (says a Press Association telegram from Wellington). Mr Semple ■was on his way north and his was the first car to reach the slip about 1.45 p.rn. Undaunted by the slush and boulders and lack of bowyangs, he showed no hesitation in getting to work, and within a few minutes hi.s shoes were coated with mud and the bottoms of his trousers generously bespattered. It took 35 minutes for the road to be cleared enough to allow oneway traffic, and Mr Semple, who had been toiling unceasingly, complimented the men on the speed of the job.

The St. Stephen’s Literary and Social Club held its weekly meeting last evening, Mr S. M. Cassidy (president) occupying the chair. An invitation to a debate was received from the Christchurch Returned, Soldiers’ Association Debating Club, and was accepted and several dates were offered. Messrs S. M. Cassidy, L. Armstrong and C. Attwood were elected to represent the club. The Ven. Archdeacon A. J. Petrie was appointed to act as judge in the debate with the Foresters’ Lodge next week. For the debate with the High School the club decided to take the negative of the subject, “That civilisation has increased the happiness of mankind.” Mr E. J. Wood gave an exceedingly interesting and instructive talk on “Maori Customs and ThenFolk Lore.” On behalf of the club, Mr Hamilton thanked Mr Wood and expressed the members’ appreciation. Supper was served and games concluded a very happy evening.