LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 109, 18 February 1937, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Members of the Arbitration Court passed through Ashburton on the south bound express this morning. New Zealand had the largest number of golf clubs in proportion to population in the world, it was remarked at last night’s meeting of the Rangimarie club. There were at least 40,000 golfers belonging to clubs in New Zealand. To discuss the arrangement of social activities for the men in the Rangitata diversion scheme camp, at Klondvke, a meeting of campers was held on Tuesday evening. The following were appointed a social committee: Messrs It. cT Auvergne (chairman), A. H. Shrimpton (honorary secretary and treasurer), R.. C. Taipana, J. Kent, 11. Andrews, V. Goodman, and T. Shaw. The committee was requested to arrange card tournaments and to consider other forms of social activities which might be introduced at the camp.

An oil painting of Mr H. E. Holland, for many years leader of the Labour party, was unveiled by the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) at the Government caucus yesterday (says a Wellington Press 'Association telegram). The painting was presented to the Labour party by Mrs Holland, who was represented at the ceremony by her two sons, Messrs Roy Holland and Harry Holland. It is to hang in the Government whip’s room until a more suitable and more public place can be found for it.

The chimney of the Blaekbridge cheese factory, which was badly damaged when it was struck by lightning last week, has been pulled down as it was considered to be a menace to the building and to anyone who might be walking nearby. iSuch was the force of the lightning that several of the bricks were hurled on to the road about two chains away. It was considered that there was a risk of the chimney stack, which stood about 35 feet, falling through the roof of the building in a strong north-west wind. The factory which has not been in use for some years, is owned by the Ashburton Co-operative Dairy Company.

Not all the New Zealand visitors to England for the Coronation in May arc to be drawn from the ranks of those who are blessed with more than the average of worldly goods. Nor will thev belong to the more leisured classes. ‘ Shipping officers state (says the “Auckland Star”) that quite a number of domestic servants and other young workers have already booked their passages, and many of them must have curtailed their expenditure for a year or two to make the trip possible. Asked to hazard a guess at the number of New Zealanders who would be visiting England, one shipping man said that the number would i'uu into thousands, but beyond that he would not commit himself. One thing was certain, that all the ships leaving the New Zealand coast in time "for the Coronation would be carrying their full complement of passengers.

The works staff of the Borough Council has been engaged lately in the construction of storm water drains. A drain in Park Street between Wills and Cameron Streets has been replaced with a shallower type, and a new drain is being made in front of the Courthouse building in course of erection.

One farmer who brought in grain to a .West Street store this morning had a heavy load. Although only a small truck was at his disposal, he made the best use of it, and not only piled up the back of the vehicle heavily with sacks of grain, but carried the overflow forward well over the roof of the cab.

A giant pohutukawa tree has been discovered about a mile up the eastern shore of the Ohiwa Harbour and 11 miles from Opotiki. It has girth of 31 feet. It is on a terrace edge overhanging a steep slope. Judging by the new healthy growth on all the branches, the giant has not yet reached its prime.

Hearing a commotion in his fowlhouse in the early hours of this morning, an Ashburton resident investigated the position and found a hedgehog attacking a black Orpington fowl which was sitting in a nest. The hedgehog had its mouth fastened on the breast of the fowl, which seemed incapable of escaping. A blow from a. golf stick killed the hedgehog. The hen was dead when the owner went to the fowlhouse a few hours later.

The statement that very few buses used for the conveyance of school children in the country would measure up to the Transport Department’s requirements was made by Mr W. I. Bowyer at a meeting of the Auckland Education Beard yesterday (says a Press Association telegram). Some of the buses, he said, were in a very bad condition, and in the event of an accident he understood, the school committee would be held responsible. The chairman (Mr T. U. Wells) said that the new' regulations would require the inspection cf such, vehicles, and it would be the State’s responsibility to see that they were in order. It was decided to seek advice from the Crown Law Office about the liability of school committees in the matter.

The Minister for Industries and Commerce, the Hon. 1). G. Sullivan, announces tin* setting up cf a committee of Messrs J. Thorn, M.P. for Thames, E. Sheed, of the Department of Industries, and M. W. Young, of the Marine Department, as a Fisheries Investigation Committee. It will conduct its investigations at the main ports and at other centres. Evidence will, be taken from all interests having a direct bearing upon the welfare and development of the industry. When_the committee’s report is presented the Government will be in a position to take whatever steps are deemed necessary under the Industrial Efficiency Act to bring units of the industry up to a degree of efficiency and service which will go a long way towards establishing it as one of the most important in the Dominion.

To prepare fer the most spectacular ceremony in the history of the regiments, plans are complete for the annual camp of the 'Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry to be held at Addington Show Grounds, from April 3 to April 12. On Sunday, April 11, the guidon, which has been given by Colonel the Hon. Sir It. Heaton Rhodes, is to he presented to the regiment by the Cov-ernor-General (Viscount Galway), after its consecration by Archbishop Julius. The camp is to he devoted largely to preparing for the ceremony, which will be held in Haglev Park. The ceremony is of a highly spectacular character, and the regiment is expected to display to the full the high standard of efficiency that lias been reached by the training and, the camps of recent years. The guidon, which is being made in London, will arrive in New Zealand in the Opawa on March 24, according to advice received recently.

A little more freedom in the supply of railway trucks was expected at the end of tne week when the heavy demand for trucks for shipping would ease off, said the relieving stationmaster (Mr C. C. McGonagle) yesterday. He had been in touch with the Railway Department’s transport officer during the morning. Mr McGonagle said, that the shortage was seasonal. Moreover, there was a demand for the discharge of cargo from Home boats, as well as the loading cf wool from stores for shipment overseas. There uas also a heavy overland loading from the West Coast. He emphasised that no orders for trucks which were regarded as being urgent were being turned down. The department aimed to meet the position cf the shortage as well as it could with due regard to the urgency and nature of the goods to be railed, said Mr McGonagle.

The following sales were made on behalf of Ashburton County clients at the Addington stock market yesterday. —Fat ewes, on account of G. Morris ((Rakaia), 71 at 19s 4d to 22s 10(1; W. H. Wilkinson (Chertsey), 16 at 15s lOd to 19s lOd; W. J. Anderson (Flemington), 12 at 225. Ewes, on account of R. Harrison (Rakaia), 129 at 19s Id to 22s lOd; T. A. Richards (Rakaia), 67 at 17s Id to 22s lOd; F. A. Richards (Rakaia), 63 at 19s 4d to 22s 7d ; J. Henderson (Tinwald), 60 at 16s 10d. to 19s lOd ; J. IT. Dalton (Methven), 28 at 16s 4d to 18s lOd; B. Maw (Methven), 15 at 15s lOd; J. Langley (Rakaia), 3 at 23s lOd; Mitcham client, 70 at 16s 7d to 22s Id. Fat wethers, on account of W.- H. Wilkinson (Chertsey), 12 at 24s lOd. Cattle, on account of P. Tully (Rakaia), 2 cows at £3 17s 6d to £5 12s 6d ; Ashburton client, 16 cows at £4 7s 6d to CIO 1 2s 6d.

White butterflies have become more and more troublesome in Ashburton County in the past two years and green feed on farms, as well as vegetable gardens in the town, have suffered a good deal of damage as a result. A suggestion that the County would be a suitable area for the release of the butterfly parasite which has made such inroads on the pest in the North Island, was made by Mr H. E. Herring, M.P., when the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. W. Lee Martin) was at the Seafiehl irrigation farm. The number cf butterflies on the wing in the vicinity was pointed out to the Minister, who was not very greatly impressed. “Up my way (Raglan) they were so thick before the parasite was released that we could hardly see anything else but butterflies. If things had been like this,” ho said, “we would have said, ‘haven’t we slaughtered them?’” Mr R. B. Tennent (Director of the Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture) stated that the parasite was being released by scores of thousands, as they became available, in the districts where the trouble was most acute.

“One point that I must make,” said Professor W. Iliddet (Director of the Dairy Research Institute, Palmerston North, who returned to Wellington after a world tour, “is that every New Zealander travelling, whether his purpose is business or pleasure, should not fail to keep in touch with the New Zealand Government Trade Commissioners in the countries he visits. Their assistance is invaluable. I know 1 certainly found it so.”

The Walnut Avenue railway crossing has been improved considerably by the Railway Department’s maintenance staff during the last week or so. Potholes have been filled in, and the crossing has received a coat of permanent road sealing. The Railway Department has undertaken the maintenance of the Walnut Avenue, Burnett and Tancred Street • crossings. The Havelock Street and Main South road crossings at the saleyards, which are on the main highways, are under the control of the Main Highways Board.

Farm labour is reported to be very difficult to secure in the Wairoa district, for many of the young men have been attracted to public works. Causes are reported where elderly farmers who thought that they were finished milking cows have had to return to the milking shed l>ecause milkers are unavailable. The position has become so acute that some dairy farmers have threatened to turn to sheep, and the position is being closely watched by those most interested.

The farm census, which is taken every year throughout the Dominion, is at present in progress in the Ashburton district. Nine hundred schedules to; farmers having an acre of land or more will be issued. The census, which involves a large amount of work is conducted by members of the Ashburton Police‘Force, under Sergeant J. F. Cleary. Sergeant Cleary stated this afternoon that the work would lie expedited by the returns being made promptly, although Ashburton farmers were generally very obliging in the manner in which they assisted the police with the census.

A series of unusual incidents caused an exasperating delay to an Ashburton motorist on the Rukaia bridge this afternoon, First of all lie had to pause because a new plank was being placed in the decking, and then he was again held up by a mob of sheep. Released at last, he had gone only a short distance when he pulled in behind a large lorry which had to stop because its load would not pass the over-hang-ing load on an approaching lorry. Both vehicles had to be partially unloaded before they could pass and let the motorist through. Altogether he was on the bridge for an hour.