LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 36, 22 November 1937, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The truck which was involved in a collision on Saturday afternoon was owned but not driven by R. Burnett.

Ashburton judges at the Courtenay Show on Saturday were Messrs T. J. Lemon (harness horses), D. G. Wright (draught horses), Mrs G. Kelly and Miss I. Anderson (cookery), and Mr A. F. Marr (flock sheep, unregistered).

Crops of grass seed in Ashburton County this season will, it is stated, be somewhat on the thin side because of the dry conditions of the past few weeks, though the rain of last week would pick up the yield to some extent. Cocksfoot appears to be all right at the moment, but it is too early to state what the harvest is likely to be.

With the consent of the director of the Palmerston North Technical School, the Citizens’ Lunch Club has been instrumental in securing the services of a competent teacher of the Maori language. It is proposed that a large class begin in February, when the first term opens. Other than Te Aute College, it is believed that no public school in New Zealand teaches this language.

A jersey cattle breeder, a foreigner, was being cross-examined by counsel in the Hamilton Magistrate’s Court in connection with a dispute regarding the breeding of a Jersey bull, and he was asked why he used wire to train the horns of a Jersey calf. “Was it to deceive the public?’’ asked counsel. “Why do you put on your best clothes and wash your face when you come out ” asked witness. “It is just the same with breeding. We do it for show,” he added. The unexpected rejoinder caused hearty laughter in the Court.

Speaking at the annual meeting of the Ashburton Gas Company this afternoon, the chairman (Mr W. B. W. Bell) said that a resident of Ashburton who recently returned from a trip to Great Britain, had told him that the streets of Cheam, a new suburb outside London, were lit with incandescent gas lamps. It was stated that this lighting was favoured because it gave, as nearly as possible, a daylight effect. His informant also told him that mimy of the new flats in London were lit with gas, the light being turned on by pressing a button on the wall.

Ants, dust, and now fleas! Variety is one of the most noticeable traits of the troubles which have been sent to try the residents of certain localities on the Napier Hill area, and the latest type of visitor is probably the least welcome of all. Droves of fleas—at least some residents are convinced that there are droves of them—are reported to have descended on one or two localities, bringing concern to numerous householders as well as more than the usual bother to Fido, Flossie, Jock, and the rest of their tribe. The theory has been advanced that the abnormal growth of the Bluff Hill flea colony has been the direct result of the dust nuisance created by the operations on the Bluff cliff face. Special services were held over the week-end in connection with the anniversary of the Salvation Army Sunday School, Mrs Brigadier Gray, of Christchurch presiding. On Saturday a spectacular programme was presented by the children, which was a great success. The tableaux, songs and dialogue, were of a high order, revealing that a great deal of preparation had been put into the various items. There was a good attendance at all the meetings yesterday, the prizes being presented to the children in the afternoon. The Hopwood Memorial prize for dux of the school, was awarded to Fred Allan. A beautiful tableaux scene entitled, “I Bring Thee All,” was given in the evening. Two of six Chinese who are being trained as pilots by the Hawke’s Bay Aero Club will proceed to China, when they qualify, to fight in the Air Force of their country against the Japanese. The intentions of the other four are not yet known. The Chinese have not the same aptitude for some aspects of training as Westerners, but they have the faculty of exact retention of instructions and advice given them, and one has already flown solo. The two who are definitely going to China to serve their Country will, between them probably have spent approximately £IOO before they qualify. It is believed (the Dominion says) that having six Chinese training at the one time is a record for any New Zealand club. It is probably the first time nationals of another country have undergone flying instruction in New Zealand for the purpose of fighting in an overseas war. A heavier clip of well-grown fleece is in prospect for the Gisborne district this season (reports a correspondent of the “Auckland Star”). The sheep have come through the winter in good condition, with well-grown fleeces, giving every indication of a larger clip than last year, in spite of a reduction in the quality of lambs’ wool available as a result of smaller lambing percentages. Last year’s clip was a little below average in weight, and possibly a little finer than normally. This season’s is coming off bright, well-grown, and in sound condition, though possibly not so fine in quality. Shearing gangs have made fair progress during the last few weeks, although those sheds which started early suffered through intermittent rain. Gangs in early October did not make much headway, blit now wool is coming freely into the stores in Gisborne. 'Large quantities of gum are being shipped away from the Far North, and practically the whole population of Te Hapua is now earning a good living by gum digging (writes a Ivaitaia correspondent of the “Auckland Star.”) The market continues steady, and good wages can be earned. Gum-washing plants are also being installed, two being near Parengarenga, and these will greatly increase the output, as some of the swamps contain very rich deposits. What was considered a worked-out area recently produced £IOOO worth of chips gum from one acre, and there are hundreds of acres of equal value in the district. Now that the lower grades of gum are commercially marketable it would seem that there will he as much gum worked out in the future «.s has been in the past, and the next 50 years will not see the end.

The Lagmhor-Timvald and Flemington Presbyterian Bible Classes held a successful and well-attended picnic in the Domain on Saturday. A programme of sports followed, including a water polo match by the young women’s and young men’s senior classes, and an obstacle race.

More than 20 members of the South Canterbury Anglers’ Club visited Lake Heron yesterday. In spite of an unpleasant north-wester which prevailed throughout the day, a considerable number of fish t were caught, the prize for the heaviest bag being won by Mr W. Kidd, whose catch totalled 221 b. Seven Oamaru anglers were also present.

Two instances of unusual deformity in trout have been brought under the notice of officials cf the Internal Affairs Department at Rotorua, One fish was from Tarawera and the other from Okataina, and both showed a peculiar malformation of the upper jaw, which, instead of growing to its normal size, had curved downward, leaving the lower jaw projecting in each case by at least two inches. It was a coincidece that two fish with the same malformation should be taken in different lakes on the same day. An official of the department stated that in the course of a lengthy experience he had seen only one previous instance of a similar deformity.

An example of the moral value of the British Navy was given on Wednesday by Commander 0. M. Tinley when speaking at a luncheon of the Auckland Creditmen’s Club (states the “New Zealand Herald”). The commander said he was serving in a ship at Malta in 1929 when it was ordered to proceed to Palestine owing to disturbances which had broken out. The officers and crew practised assiduously so as to be prepared to quell any violence. They arrived late one night and first thing in the morning a message came from the Army on shore inviting the ship’s officers to go duck-shooting. The mere presence of the warship had been sufficient to remove the 'danger of an uprising among the native inhabitants.

Doubts of the effectiveness of broadcasting as an instrument of political and general enlightenment in India were expressed by the Rev. C. W. Haskell, formerly of Ashburton, and now a missionary at Karachi. Mr Haskell said the Government had made a beginning with the installation of h.cojving sets in villages, and wifctt educational and informative broadcasts in various native languages. However, from his own experience he doubted whether the scheme would have much effect, at any rate for some time Tl. j Indian peasant was not .a good listener and cared little for sitting in a group without talking. The voice he most liked to hear was his own. On the other hand, the number of vernacular daily newspapers was astonishing. In Karachi there were more than 20, and they were widely read.