LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 194, 30 May 1938, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The foundation stone of the new Methodist Church at Wakanui will be laid on Saturday afternoon. The- ceremony will be performed (by Airs F. Butteriek.

Advice has been received by Mr H. E. Herring, M.P., that the Minister for Lands (the Hon. F. Langstone) has been compelled by pressure of work to cancel his intended address at Ashburton on Jlime 9.

In a radio message sent' to the “Guardian” last evening, Mr J. H. Muirhead, of Lagmhor, who, accompanied by ALiss Muirhead, is on his way to Australia on toe Awatea, states that with the vessel one day out of Wellington snow was falling. Air Muirhead intends to spend six weeks in Australia.

A visit of inspection of the Ashburton Domain with a view to ascertaining requirements in the way of improvements, for which a considerable sum has been provided in the Borough Council budget this year, was made by the Domain Committee on Saturday. The committee will hold a meeting at an early date and will make a report to the Council.

Because it could not be proved that a Maori, translation of the summons had been served on the defendant, a civil action in the Ashburton Court has been held over. The defendant, it is stated, is a half-caste Maori, and under the provisions of the law a translation must accompany the original summons, the Magistrate having no jurisdiction till it is proved this has been done.

The Minister in charge of the Tourist and Publicity Department (the Hon. F. Langstone) says that the department has been in communication with Walt Disney, with a view to an animated film being made to include New Zealand native birds and animals (says a Welington Press Association telegram). Photographs have been forwarded to: Mr Disney and also a reel including actual scenes of the kiwi, weka, tuatara lizard, Maori pois, hakas, and so on.

When a. composite company oi Mounted .Rifles was in camp near Wanganui recently, sections of the men had a competition in collecting katipo spiders. The director of the Auckland War Memorial Museum '(Mr Gilbert Archey) heard of this competition at the time of receiving a. request from the British Museum authorities for a collection of katipo spiders for the use of a scientist who is studying the venom of certain classes of spiders. Mr Archey applied to the camp for the spiders secured as a result of the competition, and these are being sent to England in fulfilment of the request.

Heavy rain at the week-end caused a. wash-out in the Itunanga district. The railway line at the camp was washed out, interrupting the road and railway. Three co-operative mining parties at Dunollie hacl their bridges washed away, and two slips/on the Eiewanui railway are likely to prevent the Liverpool mine working to-morrow. In Greymouth 210' points of rain were recorded for the 24 hours to 9 a.m. yesterday. Blackball experienced an extremely heavy downpour, and a slip occurred at Ngahefe, interfering with the railway traffic.

“Pedestrian crossings offer the only protection pedestrians get in city streets, and it is my dutyto protect the public against motoring.offenders,” said Mr J. G. L. Hewitt, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court at Auckland. Two motorists were each fined £3 and costs for failing to give way at pedestrian crossings in Queen Street. “The rights of the pedestrians using the crossings must he observed,” the Magistrate added. “Motorists who disregarded the regulations and drive over the crossings, scattering pedestrians right and left, are not to be tolerated.”

There is a distinct danger in allowing small children to approach the black swans in the Ashburton Domain. One, at least, of the birds has very aggressn*e tendencies. A four-year-old child was knocked into one of the Domain ponds a day or so ago, and as the child scrambled out at the bank, the swan beat it again with its wings and the child fell into the water a second time. A girl who was in charge of the -infant came to the rescue at that stage. Another child was recently struck in the ineck by ithe beak of a black swan which was on the Oval. A baby a few months eld was pecked at as it lay in its pram. . The swan walked up to the pram unnoticed by the mother, who was sitting nearby, reading, and was driven off with some difficulty.

The bell from the transport steamer which carried many New Zealand soldiers overseas will, it is expected, be presented to the Dunedin Keturned Soldiers’ Association in the near future (states the “Otago Daily Times”). The bell formerly belonged to the Port Napier, which was originally named the Hawke’s Bay. in time it was known as “Transport No. 9,” and subsequently was known as the Martand. The vessel was owned by Messrs Thomas and John Brocklebank, Ltd., of Liverpool, until recently, when it was sold by them to foreign interests. As the result or representations made, the bell was not included in the sale and will be forwarded to Dunedin.

A visit was recently paid by Mr H. S. James, of Hamilton, and a party of friends to some little-known caves at Taumaratotara, between Te Anga and Kinohaku, 30 miles west of Waitomo, states a Hamilton correspondent. The entrance to the caves is hidden in dense bush and is exceedingly difficult to reach owing to the rough character of the surrounding country. Only about 50 people have visited the caves since they were discovered in 1914. Mi* James and his companions had to make two descents, one of 20ft. and another of 50ft. with ropes, to reach the interior of the caves. At the bottom they found hemselves in a stream of a depth varying from a few inches to several feet. The eaves extend for a distance of half a mile, the width ranging from a foot or twp to 9011.. while the roof is from 40ft. to 100 ft. high. The whole of the roof is illuminated by glow-worms and gigantic stalactites are suspended from it. Some are of blanket formation, while others represent a variety of grotesque figures. Other stalactites have joined with stalagmites in mid-air to form columns of silica. Another feature of the caves is a- crystal pool. Only two other caves in the world are known to possess such a pool. The formation in the water resembles coral and gives the pool a remarkable beauty.

Over 200 delegates are expected to attend the annual convention of the Canterbury Methodist Sunday School Teachers’ Union at Ashburton next Monday. The delegates, from all parts of the province, will be briefly welcomed by tne Mayor (Dr. G. 1. Miller). The conference will last throughout the day amd the entertainment of the delegates will be undertaken by women of the Ashburton congregation.

Observations of the sun made at the Dominion Observatory on Friday show that the surface is more quiescent than it was a few days ago. The most active zone, wliicti includes the very big group of spots, is now on the sun's western limb and will be out of sight within the next three or four days. Tiie major group of spots is more stable than it -was. No auroras have been reported, and officials at the Dominion Observatory are inclined to the view that the type of sun-spot at present active do not as a rule produce auroral phenomena.

“When I left the United States for London on my way to New Zealand, everyone told me that the cost of living would die much lower here,” said Miss Nan Reynolds, who has returned to 'Hawke’s Bay after living in America for 14 years. “So far this has yet to be proved,” she said. Miss Reynolds explained, that her shoes had cost her a great deal more than a similar pair on America, and from her observations nearly all imported goods were very much dearer. While she admitted that primary products—meat, butter, eggs, and so on, were clieapv» —motors, places of amusement, amt general amenities cost very much more.

A loss of 1200 acres of hill pasture owing to slips during the recent flood was experienced by Mr W. McKinnon, of Rock Station, Te Pohue, Hawke’s Bay. Mr McKinnon said the slips did not merely take away the pastures but also took away the soil right back to the bare rock. Mtich of his hill country will be of little use in the future. The effects of the earthquake of 1931, which was particularly severe in the Te Pohue district, were undoubtedly responsible for the serious slipping. Mr E. R. Dampney, Ealand Station, is also a heavy loser through slips, and he estimates he has lost 1000 acres of pasture. He doubted whether much of this land could be restored to pasture.

When it became known during the social tendered on Saturday evening to Constable J. E. R. Myers that he intended on arrival at Owaka, South Otago, to which station he has been promoted, to keep a ccw, some of the wits at the social hunted up a leg rope and a cow hell, which were presented to the guest with all solemnity. The question then arose as to what use these articles would, be without a cow, so a well-known County farmer suggested that a fund should he opened. He placed one guinea in a, tin which was passed round and a sum of £3 15s was collected toward the purchase of a cow.

A special invitation has been received by the Timaru Highland Pipe Band from the Southern Military District to attend the King’s Birthday parade in Christchurch on June 6. Tilt, Governor-General (Lord Galway) will be present on this, the first parade of the kind in Christchurch tor many years. The Timaru Highland Pipe Band have been specially requested to present its fjmous 1938 Drum Major s display and, in addition, has been allotted pride of place in the massecr bands’ march past. This very fine tribute is one which Timaru in general can feel justly proud, of, and one which the band has meritoriously earned for itself by its magnificent record (thrice Dominion champions), which is a Dominion record, and in some quarters is thought to be a world’s record.

A mystery trip which eventuated at the Waimakariri Gorge was enjoyed in beautifully fine weather by 22 members of the Ashburton Tramping Club yesterday. The party went by bus to Waddington and from there tramped to the Gorge Bridge, when a stop was made for luncheon. A small hill on the south side of the river was climbed, and a good view obtained of the surrounding country. The trampers continued along the south side of the river, some going down to the riverbed while the others kept to the bank. The country was new to the majority of the trampers as the club had not previously held a trip in the locality, and the formation of the river and the Gorge above the bridge, where it widened, proved most ' interesting. Some members returned to 'Waddington by the Main Gorge Road, while others passed through Sheffield. On the way back the ’bus stopped at Homebushi, where the billy -was boiled for tea.

A farewell social and dance .was held for Constable J. E. It. Myers had Mrs Myers at the Radiant Hall on Saturday evening, when more than 300 friends were present. Constable and Mrs Myers' will leave for Owaka (Otago) this week, where the former has been promoted to the sole charge station, alter almost 10 years’ service in Ashburton. The presentation of a beaten copper firescreen and kerb was made to Constable and Mrs Myers by Mr J. C. C. McLachlan, who spoke of the respect in winch the two were held I)3' such a large circle of friends. Many congratulations on. his promotion were accorded Constable Myers by those present. The gifts included presentations for his two children. Songs were sung by Miss K. Hannan, Messrs W. T. McAndrew, A. Bennison, a vocal duet by Miss Hannan and Mr Myers and a recitation by Air E. Kennedy. Music for the dance was played by Messrs C. Hansen, A. Bennison, Alesdames C. W. Wellman, F. Kennedy, and Aliss N. Bennison. Air C. Wellman was Master of Ceremonies.