LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 79, 13 January 1940, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The “Ashburton Guardian ” will commence on. Monday the publication of a new serial, entitled “Three For Egypt/’ by Violet M. Methley. “Three For Egypt” is a tale of today, of films and air-liners, and ot young people who know what they want and go out, sometimes ruthlessly, to get it. But in contrast to this modernity, Miss Methley provides as a background the mystic East —Egypt, one of the cradles of the human race.

The Ashburton Silver Band will play a programme of music in Baring Square East to-morrow evening. The performance will commence at 8.15.

As a. result of the rain which commenced to fall early this morning all sporting activities in Ashburton today have been postponed.

There was a large number of recruits hound for military camps on the first express north yesterday. As usual they paraded the Ashburton station vigorously singing popular airs, on this occasion also “God Defend Ncav Zealand.”

A recruit Avas being medically examined, and the doctor informed him that a serious, defect in his speech would probably prevent him from tawing Ngav Zealand with the first echelon. A look of bitter disappointment crossed his face as ho stammered, “B-b-b----but, d-doctor, I Avant t-t-to shoot the blighters, n-not. talk to ’em.”

The committee of the Timaru Agricultural and Pastoral Association yesterday received from the- Mayfield Association a request for support of Hie following resolution: “The, Mayfield Association respectfully asked the Government to so amend the Heavy Traffic license laws to exempt fanners’ truck iivom heavy traffic license fees.” The letter Avas “received.”

No recordable rain has fallen in Whangarei since December 16. Holi-day-makers are enjoying the ideal conditions, the heat on most days being tempered by a cooling breeze. So far, there* is little anxiety among farmers, the heavy rains of late November and early December having ensured good carry through of summer feed. Gardens are bearing a Avilted appearance, and vegetable yields for the most part, are lighter than usual.

A large assortment of lost property is held at present at the Ashburton Police Station awaiting ownership. Should the articles not be claimed within a few months they will be sent to Christchurch for sale. Included in the list are six men’s bicycles _ ami three avoiucu’s bicycles, practically all of Avliich are in a good state of repair. They have been found on the streets: in the town area. One of the bicycles 'w as recovered from the rivei*bed. Other articles include: Linctn tablecloth, travelling rug. man’s hat, tin of condensed-milk found in a paper hag, attache case containing a bottle of whisky partly filled and a soda syphon, bicycle lamp, fishing rod with reel and line, rolled gold watch. Apart from those articles the police handled 106 others which were claimed last vea r.

“Tlie congregations of Lhe Clmren of Scotland are holding their regular services under war conditions,” states the “Outlook,” the official journal of the Presbyterian Church. “Ministers and office-hearers of the church realise that it is of primary importance for the spiritual function of the church to be exercised to the. utmost, hut provision has to he made for the safety of the congregations, and A.R.P. precautions are in force. One of the chief difficulties is the lighting regulations which prevail throughout the country, in. many places the evening service is now held in the afternoon. Congregational organisations’ have also as far as possible to hold -their meetings in daylight, and, as a. number of church halls have been commandeered by the authorities, ,suoh meetings will inevitably be restricted.”

Present indications are that the Wairarapa honey crop will ho excellent this year. District apiarists agree that the season promises to be the best experienced for many years.

The first summary of the replies to the Patriotic Fund seal campaign deals with 1561 envelopes, producing £323. including about £64 in the handling of which involves extra work (says a Press Association message from Wellington). It is hoped that the campaign will result in at least 100,000 -replies being received,' of which about 50,000 arc already in.

The call for recruits was literally heard all over Ashburton last evening. So efficient ’ was the loud-speaker equipment at the open-air recruiting meeting, that residents in Cox Street, Allen ton, Mona Square and Walnut Avenue, could follow the speeches without difficulty, the only interruption being the* occasional toot of a motor horn. The direction of the wind avus a factor in carrying the sound to Allenton.

It is anticipated that the millionth visitor to the Exhibition will pass through the turnstiles this evening. When this lucky millionth visitor arrives he will be presented by the Exhibition directors Avith a A r aluable cabinet radio receiving set from the British General Electric Company, Ltd. Special admission arrangements have been made, and when the million mark is reached the public will be permitted to enter the grounds through the Kingsford Smith Street turnstiles only. The presentation radio set is now on display in the National Broadcasting Service exhibit in the Government court.

A Rotorua motorist returning from Maketu recently noticed a shoei lying in the middle of the road a. short distance on the Rotorua side of Paengaroa. He stopped and picked it up, and continued on his way. Within the next seven or eight miles, lioavever, a four-gallon petrol drum, a funnel and a pipe for filling purposes, another four-gallon drum, and a bundle of ten flies wqre found on the road. it transpired that the articles 1 had been dropped from a motor car going in the opposite direction. They had slipped from the luggage carrier one by one, unnoticed by the occupants of the car.

Hastings retailers are concerned at the inqreasing difficulty they are experiencing in securing adequate supples of Avrapping paper, paper bags and rubber bands. Already several firms are advertising their willingness to purchase.old paper in clean condition, and some of them predict that it will be necessary to request customers to take their purchases unwrapped. The last stocks Avere secured about a month ago, but these have been practically exhausted by the extra business done during the Christmas period, and with NeAv Zealand manufacturers apparently unable to cope Avith the consequent demand, there seems little hope that the position will improve unless the import control regulations are ;relaxed.

The heat of the past foAv days at Rotorua has been far above the normal summer temperature, states a local correspondent. On Saturday afternoon the mercury rose to 91.2 degrees Fahrenheit, and this remarkably high temperature was eclipsed by that of the folloAving day, Avhen 95.2 degrees Avere shown on the thermometer. That these readings are far aboA r e normal is proved when a comparison is made with the highest temperature; recorded last summer, 89. S degrees. Although many people Avere of the opinion that Monday was as hot as the two previous days, the reading at the Tourist Bureau station was only slightly above 82 degrees. A resident of the town, whose thermometer is kept beneath a large tree, stated that the minimum reading for the past week, day or night, had been 68 degrees, and the maximum 86 degrees.

A giant stingray weighing 2401 b Avas caught in the Pahautanui reaches of Porirua Harbour a few days ago by tAvo Wellington residents, Messrs' T. P. Hewitt and S. A. Butler. They had set lines for snapper overnight and on going out in their small outboard boat the next morniim- found the stingray securely hooked. With the help of the outboard motor they managed to tow the huge fish to shallow Avater. It put up a spirited struggle as the men approached it Avith gaffs, and both were drenched to the skin before their prize was secured. It measured sft 6in across and 7ft 6in long. Many people viewed the monster before it Avas taken out into deep water and anchored Avith the idea of allowing its skull and backbone to he picked clean by shellfish, Avhich are said to do the work very thoroughly.

When playing on the Waikanae Beach,.in the Gisborne district, a nine-year-old hoy, whose parents are spending a holdaA' at the motor camp there, discovered a bottle hearing a message thrown from the liner Monterey off Sydney almost 11 months ago. The message contained in the bottle indicated that information of the final resting-place ivould be Avelcomcd by the United States Hydrographic Office, Washington. The message Avas written on a form supplied by the United States Naval_ Department and was sealed in the bottle by M»r E. R. Johansen, officer of the American liner, on February 19. 1936, in latitude 34dog. 23min. south and longitude 157 deg. 42min. east. Thci position indicated is about half a day’s steam from Sydney Heads.