LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 301, 1 October 1938, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A party of over 400 from the Christchurch Corsair Club passed through Ashburton by a special train at 1 o'clock this morning. The excursionists were on their way to [Dunedin for the week-end. They will return to-morrow.

An enormous meteor flashed across the eastern sky near Auckland about midnight on Tuesday night, its brilliance being so great that details of the landscape could be discerned! as clearly as by daylight. As the meteor burst three large red masses of light, shaped like torpedoes, fell earthward. An eerie green glow persisted behind them.

The Samoa Legislative Council Elective Membership Amendment Order, 1938, was published with the Gazette last night. This order contains provisions for the extension of tile franchise to all European adults. Previously the franchise was limited to males with certain income and property qualifications.

The area at the cornqr of Tailored, and East Streets where the new Union Bank of Australia will be erected, is almost cleared and work on the new building will commence at an early date. A temporary footway similar to that at the corner of East and Havelock .streets has been built across the side channel so that there will he a wider space for the carrying on of building operations.

The hope of getting a reduction in hospital rates, so far as lie could see, was not very great, said Air F. Castle, a member and former chairman of the Wellington Hospital Board, to the annual meeting of the Wellington Ratepayers’ Association. One big factor was that there was an increasing demand for hospital treatment. Although it might be said that the population of New Zealand, taken as a whole, was almost stationary, last year there was an increase of 3 per cent, in the demand for treatment over the whole of the Dominion.

Yesterday marked the end of the 1938 oyster season at Bluff, and the fleet will be tied up until the beginning of February next year. After this week the eight oyster companies at Bluff will close for four months, and the boats will undergo painting and. overhaul. The period from October to February is stated to be’ the season for spawning, and the beds are allowed to recover from incessant dredging. The possibility of the Government closing the Reds for a longer period than usual, because of the alleged depletion of the east bed in Foveaux Strait has been mentioned, but (says the Southland Times) no definite official statement has been made, and merchants at the present time expect to resume in February.

Enthusiasm shown by a large number of clergy and laity marked the departure from Auckland shortly before midday yesterday of the Melanesian steamer Southern Cross, winch left for the New Hebrides after spending ai month .at Auckland for survey and overhaul. The Bishop of Melanesia, Bishop Baddeley, wtf.o went with the vessel, conducted a dismissal service from the deck shortly before her departure. The ship’s staff and crew gathered round the liisnop and clergy and laity on the wharf joined in prayers and a hymn. It is expected that the Southern Cross will arrive at Vila on October 7. She will not revisit Auckland until 1940, when it is proposed that she .shall be here for the centennial.

Before any member of the Maori race can ho prosecuted for a breach of the Fisheries Act, the permission of the Native‘Minister must he obtained and filed in court. This fact was mentioned by Air R. Aleredith in the Auckland Police Court recently when he prosecuted on behalf of the Superintendent of Alnrine at Auckland, three Maori women on a charge of taking oysters at Alaraetai. Presumably the reason that the Alinister’s permission must lie filed in court is that fish is looked upon by the Maoris as thennatural food. As a matter of fact, the three defendants, when asked by the magistrate if they knew they were doing wrong in taking the oysters, replied that they were merely eating the food that their ancestors ate.

Attempting to reach England in order to serve her in time of war, a young stowaway was found in the Blue Star steamer Napier Star after she left Auckland for London early on Wednesday evening. The stowaway who stated that he was a naval reservist, was brought back to- Auckland, by the Harbour Board’s pilot launch Ferro, but it is understood that no prosecution will follow his action. After the Najpier Star had transferred the pilot to the Ferro, when off Rangitoto Beacon, she steamed three or four miles before the young man was discovered in a bathroom. A wireless message requesting the launch to return was passed on by signals, through. Mount Victoria signal station. The Ferro was immediately put about and went four or five miles out to the waiting Napier Star. W T hen the pilot launch returned to the Defence Wharf at Devonport- the stowaway went ashore.

“This old school tie is a form or snobbery —snobbery at its best, but nevertheless snobbery,” said Mr Julius Hogben, in an address delivered to members of the Auckland Creditmien’s Club. The old school tie was an artificial idea of proving superiority. In examining to "what extent that tradition had, extended in New Zealand, it was found that traditions in the Dominion could not be very old, but they could he very artificial. One tradition impressed upon hoys all the time at school was the idea to “play the game, sink your individuality,it is the school that matters.” They then went out into the world to seek to make as much money as they could in the world. “The old school tie has entered not only into the life of old boys of schools but lias affected Hitler with that false Aryan tradition;” said, the speaker. “He lias endeavoured to inculcate into his people that the one thing that matters is military prowess and strength. It is a false tradition and a wicked idea. They are worshipped like this old school tie business.”

All- R. J. Gluyas, Ashburton Service Station, has been appointed by Alotorways, Ltd., as their authorised agent for retreads. Tyres for retreading or vulcanising may he left with Air Gluyas, who will do all fitting and changeover free of charge,—(Advt.)

An unusual find in such warm weather, a frost fish measuring 5 feet 3 inches and weighing nine pounds, was picked up on the beach near the mouth of the Rakaia River yesterday.

A record total of 142,983 electors will be entitled to vote for the candidates in the nine Auckland electorates at the General Election. This compares with a total of 125,986 in 1935.

Interviews which the “Guardian” had with Mr Barton Ginger, judge of the elocution sections of the Ashburton Competitions, have been reprinted m the September issue of the magazine “Cultural Arts,” which is printed fn Wellington in the interests of the arts fostered by Competitions Societies. The subjects dealt with in the interviews were stammering and the necessity for speech training.

Practices for its special display at the Provincial Band Championship contest at Temuka on October 22, are being carried out by the Ashburton Silver Band. There is no competition for B class bands, but the Silver Band will be in attendance to give a special selection and an exhibition of the quickstep. The date of the contest was changed from October 15 on account of this being election day.

To-morrow is to be observed throughout the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand as Centennial Thanksgiving Day. The church set out at the time the last Assembly was held to raise £300,000 in cash , and promises by October, 1, 1939. The scheme has been enthusiastically taken up by a very large proportion of New Zealand’s 368,000 Presbyterians and present contributions throughout the Dominion indicate that the figure will be reached. Already from certain charges in the Ashburton Presbytern encouragement has come to the organisers.

“That the socialistic tendencies of the' present Government is in the best interests of New Zealand,” is the topical subject which will be debated at Ashburton this evening by an Ashburton County Debating -Union’s team and a team from the Christchurch Federated Debating Clubs and Public Speaking Societies. The Ashburton team, which will take the affirmative, is Messrs M. L. Crequer, A. H. Silcock and R. G. Ross. The judge will be Mr L. A. Charles, The series of inter-Union debates was inaugurated last year, Avhen Christchurch visited Ashburton. A return visit was made by Ashburton early this year. Both debates were won by Ashburton.

Lambing percentages in Southland this season are not expected to be as good as in average years, in spite of the mild weather being particularly favourable. It is feared (the “Southland News” says) that the lack of feed during the dry autumn left the ewes in such poor condition at mating time that the lamb crop will be a comparatively poor one, with fewer twins than usual. Down-country lambing is now well ahead and indications are that the percentage will be a good one, though possibly not quite as high as in an average season. Losses have been few so far, and the lambs are doing exceptionally well in the mild conditions. In odd cases lack of feed is causing ewes to leave their lambs. Feed is very poor in the inland districts, and late frosts are having a bad effect on the pastures. Below Winton and round the Western District to Fortrose the feed conditions are better. Though there is no surplus feed there, the supply is much better than in the inland districts.