LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 44, 1 December 1938, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It was. stated at the meeting of farmers at the Eiffelton School last evening that the report of the survey of the Hinds River, which was made at tlie request of the County Council, was expected to arrive in Ashburton at any time now.

Keen interest, was shown by the public in the annual field day held by the Auckland Horticultural Society at the civic rose garden's, Parnell Park one afternoon, last 'week. There was a gathering of about 2000 people. Information on the culture and the various nances of the roses in the garden was given by eight experts, members of the Society.

A short, sharp shock of earthquake was felt in 'Wellington about 11.20 a.m. yesterday. It took the form of two distinct tremors, separated by a short interval (says a Press Association telegram). They 'were sufficient to rattle china and windows, cause pictures to swing, and impart a swaying feeling to high officie blocks in the city. No damage was reported.

The erection of a permanent memorial lat Opoli Bay, Titirangi, to commemorate the landing of a member of the crew of the canoe Tai.nui in 1350, was suggested by Mr H. J. Atkinson in a letter to the Auckland City Council last week. It was proposed that this should be one of the permanent memorials to celebrate the Centennial in 1840. The letter was referred to the Memorial Committee of the centennial organisation for consideration with other proposals.

The smallest number of bobby calves for the last three seasons has been slaughtered in Southland this year, the number sent forward showing a reduction of more than 10 per cent, compared with last year, and a reduction of 6 per cent, on the 1936 season. The total number handled was 34,402 compared with 33,306 last year and 36,-550 in the 1936 season. The drop in numbers is believed to have been caused by the lowjer price offered for calves and the abandonment of dairying by a number of farmers.

The unusual case of a man who was married some years ago in an Auckland manse and then remarried the following year to the same bride in* the church associated with that manse was mentioned in the Supreme Court at Auckland. The husband was seeking a divorce, and after evidence had been heard hits counsel asked Mr Justice Fair that the first marriage should be dissolved. “I submit that the second marriage is of no effect,” counsel said. In this his Honor agreed, and granted a decree nisi to dissolve the first marriage.

Stated to be the largest truck to take the roads in New Zealand, a. 24ton whey wagon of trailer type, constructed in Wellington, was seen in the city at the week-end. It has five axles, and 18 heavy-duty tyres. The wagon was taken down to the Queen’s Wharf weighbridge to be measured, but; was too heavy and could not be weighed. It is the first vehicle that has baffled tlv scales in this manner. It conforms, however, to road requirements, because the weight is , divided between its multiple axles and wheels. It is for dairy factory use up'-country.

Tests of the first of the Boeing 74passenger flying-boats built for Pan American Airways are now well on their way to completion. Trials carried out by the builders demonstrated the ability of the machine, although weighing 85,0001 b fully loaded, to take off in 40 seconds using little more than three-quarters of the total power available. The machine will carry about 60001 b of. furniture and generally expected that the San Fran-cisco-Auckland service will be reopened as soon as a sufficient number of these giant clippers have been delivered by their makers.

“There are two really important things for the individual motorist to remembier,” said 'Mr L. Courtenay Atw.ool, an insurance adjustor, in an address to the Auckland Creditmen’s Club. “Never take your eyes off the road for a second or a fraction of a second in any circumstances, and never your car at such a speed that it cannot he brought to a standstill within half the length of clear roadway ir. front of the vehicle.” Mr Atwool added that if all motorists observed these rules lie would be out of business in a week

No less than 263 chains of plantations have been planted on the Ahuriri Lagoon, the types of trees and shrubs used being pinus insignus, macrocarp a eucalyptus, camp belli, ngaio, and cotoneastey, stated the Napier Harbour Board chairman (Mr T. M. Geddis) in his annual report to the board recently. As an experimental move, poplars and willows are also being tried, but it is not known whether when the roots of these trees reach the salt, they will continue through it or spread on the surface, or -whether the trees will die altogether.

The aid of Mr T. D. Burnett, M.P., in having -a. new residence built for the headmaster of the Tinwald School was sought last evening when a deputation representing tho School Committee waited on him and pointed out the dilapitated condition of the old building. The deputation also asked Mr Burnett to forward the Committee’s claims for a number of improvements in -and about -the school buildings, these including the alteration of the semi-open air infant school into a complete open-air building. Mr Burnett promised to bring the representations before the Education Department.

After travelling by air from Sydney to Holland and retunring chain by aeroplane from Amsterdam to Sydney, Mrs F. W. Shelton, of Tolaga Bay, returned to Gisborne on Monday morning by Union Airways aeroplane. She is the first woman to make the double journey by the Dutch line, and, on landing at Batavia on the homeward trip she was presented with a bouquet of orchids by the Dutch officials. In spite of the experience of flying in very rough weather at times, Mrs Shelton thoroughly enjoyed travelling by air. She said the could not speak too highly of th(e efficiency of the service. In addition to these two long journeys, Mrs Shelton travelled from Holland to Southampton by the new Dutch line from Amsterdam, and while spending a fortnight in Britain flew to Glasgow. Later she boarded a Dutch aeroplane at Manchester to return to Amsterdam. Since arriving in New Zealand last week she has flown to Oamaru and back again to Gisborne.

, At the Banks Peninsula. Agricultural and Pastoral Show at Little Rivier, Miss>M. Mclnnis, of Timvald, was successful in the following classes:—Pony in harness, 11.2 to 12,2 (2 entries), first; and best ladies’ turnout (6 entries), third.

Two motor cars, one driven by Mr C. Leslie, came into heavy collision at the corner of Chalmers Aven-ue and Bujrnett Street yesterday afternoon. Both cars were badly damaged and the drivers were severely shaken but suffered no injun l .

An unusual incident, with an amusing side, uias x-elated to a. reporter by a Southland motorist, recently. He was driving back from Oreti Beach when one of the car tyres “blew out’’ with a loud report. Getting out of the car to mend the puncture he was puzzled to find all the tyres intact, but a. second examination revlealed that the spare tyre at the back of the car had blown out.

A sea pike, a species only once before recorded in New Zealand waters, was caught in the Bay of Islands a few days ago. It has been given to the Auckland War Memorial Museum by Mr F. E. Dent, of Opua. It is about 18 inches long and its appearance does not belie its reputation as a ferocious type that feeds on schools of other fish in open waters.

Opening a door and jumping clear from his car just as it left the road near the Tangoio Settlement, Mr C. Barclay, of Hastings, had a fortunate escape from injury. The car somersaulted down an SOfoot hank and was completely wrecked. The car being towed by another vehicle when a wheel ran over the tow rope, causing Mr Barclay to lose control. When this occurred the strain caused the rope to break

The work of cultivating the 20-acre block on the Main South . Road, opposite the glassworks, where the Ashburton County Council proposes to plant as a Centennial Plantation, is well under way. By taking off two crops, one this year and one next year, the ground should be put in excellent order for the planting in the centennial year. This area will be a. continuation of the 15 acres or ornamental trees already planted by the Council along the main road, where the trees are .making remarkably good growth. The two blocks should make an attractive entrance to the Borough

Stingrays are plentiful on many parts of the New Zealand coast, but accidents such as that reported from Auckland on Monday aye very rare, mainly because the stingray is just as anxious to avoid trouble as ‘ ore bathers. They are not mud feeders, but are most: frequently seen on beaches and banks where cockles and shellfish have a footing, for they are shellfish eaters. The ray family is distributed all oyer the world, and all members have the same family likeness. The long tail carries abut- halfway along it a long spine (sometimes seriated, sometimes not), which represents the dorsal fin, and varies in length according; to the size of the ray, up to six and eight inches. The, spine inflicts a painful wound, and is covered by a slime which causes intense inflammation; there is no poison gland, as commonly believed.

Spoonerisms, tho-e amusing slips of the tongue which transpose the essential parts of connected words, do not often occur in the Supreme Court deliberations but in one case in Auckland last week there were two good examples of this failure df r speech mechanism properly to co-ordinate thought. Counsel was busy explaining to the jury in a motor accident case the varying responsibility of the motorist and the pedestrian. He reviewed the progress of transport from the horse age to the motor, and then compared the speed of mechanically-pro-pelled vehicles with that of horsedrawn “Consider, gentlemen” he said, “what was the duty of the pedestrian in the days of ‘bugs and giggies ’ ” Then realising his slip he said, “I mean of course, bigs and guggies.” Amid the covert smiles of the jury, counsel then proceeded on the right track of gigs and buggies, with a comparison concerning motor cars, which left no douibt that he would be careful about the use of the two words concerned in future..

Mr S. H. Mayne, F.S.M.C., F. 1.0. (London), of Messrs J. It. Procter, Ltd., Christchurch, is at present in Ashburton, and may be consulted on all defects of eyesight at the Somerset Hotel to-morrow.— (Advt.)