LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 36, 22 November 1940, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It is expected that within the next few weeks Mata mat a will have the first women’s land army in New Zealand operating under the auspices of the Women’s War Service, Auxiliary.

A motor-vehicle equipped with pro-duccr-gas equipment is a. common sight but, a steam ear is something out of the usual. Such a car, drawn up in Cass Street last evening, was the centre of great interest for passersby, particularly small hoys.

The St. Kilda Municipal Band, which will visit Ashburton during the week-end, has an excellent record so far as military service is concerned. Some members are already, serving with the New Zealand forces overseas while those remaining who a;re eligible are all on the waiting list to be drafted intoi camp.

A heifer on a property on the Eastern Boundary road/ WJiakatane, has given bigthi to twin calves, and each of the offspring has the earmarks of the mother. Had there been a single calf with a single earmark, the occurrence would have been: peculiar enough, but for twin calves to he marked on both ears, although it is Understood to have been known before, is a rare freak of nature. The mark, incidentally, consists of a “XT’ out of the tip of the can's.

“Some men seem to have a little difficulty in answering the questions on the enrolment form for the Home' Guard,” said Mr R. Sinel, Dominion organiser for the Guard, when he addressed a meeting of the Invercargill District Committee of the Guard recently. “They are like the man who scratched his head for a long time over the question, ‘What is the length of your residence in„New Zealand?’ and finally put down the answer, ‘29 feet, including the verandah,’ or like the man who to the question, ‘Next of kin?,’ put down, ‘Singlet.’ ”

No Chinese in Auckland would think of starting a pakapoo game without referring first to a book of divinations. This information was given by Mr H. Ah Kew i i n an address dealing with Chinese religions at a. lunehison held by the Auckland Society of Arts, As a consequence of the influence of Taoism, a book had been evolved based on astrology and l other sciences which was freely consulted by Chinese for its predictions, significant dates, and other circumstances. There was a parallel to:, the publication in; a well-known English almanac.

An, unusually large and handsome pencil was presented to Mr F. G. Farrell, president of the Automobile As sociation (Auckland) the other evening. About 18im long and 1-Jin thick, the pencil was made by a member oi the council, Mr J. Park, who followed orthodox hexagonal design, using woods, which were highly polished to show to greatest advantage. The timbers used were kauri, birch, rimu, mottled totara, yellow kowhai, rewa rewa, matai, whau wliau and pukatea.

Portion of the old sea wall which has been: buried probably for more than 50 years was unearthed when workmen wove excavating in Napier for the installation of sewerage pipes beneath the roadway of the Marine Parade. -The wall is two feet wide and three feet doep, and was found about two feet six inches below the Surface of the road. It is recalled that the old wall extended from Emerson Street to the Albion Lane and was erected to prevent rough seas from making their way into Hastings Street.

“It would be a good plan if, under the present circumsamjes, men could be trained to take the places of experts in industries who are called up to go into camp,” said the chairman of the South Canterbury Man-Pouter Committee (Mi* C. J. Talbot) at the sitting of the committee in Ashburton this morning. “At slack times men should be allowed to train in certain branches of work so that important sections of industry would not have to rely on one man,” Mr Talbot added, “it would be in the interests of the industry itself in the case of the illness of ; the expert. This committee is trying to do its best to assist industry as far as it can.”

People interested in the Hinds drainage scheme are still awaiting the decision of the Government in'regard to the assistance it would offer toward the carrying out of the scheme, no information having yet been received by the Ashburton County Council. When the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. R„ Semple) laid the first pipe of the Survey Hills siphon several weeks ago, a deputation interviewed the Minister. Mr Semple, acknowledging the necessity of the work, said that owing -to heavy pressune of work on the officers of the Department their report on the Council’s proposals had not been completed. It was expected that within three weeks thei reports would be available, and they would then be submitted to Cabinet for its decision.

Wellington was not named after the Duke of Wellington because of the great eminence of the Duke as a general, said Mr E. P. Bunny, at the sitting of the commission at Lower Hutt to hear evidence on a petition to extend the borough boundaries. The actual reason was that the Duke was in a' Cabinet which at the time was able to grant a charter to the New Zealand Land Company, and thus assisted the colonisation of Wellington, said Mr Bunny. As for the Hutt, a Mr Hutt was a prominent member of the New Zealand Land Company— Wakefield’s company —and also a member of the House of Commons and one of its committees. The company was indebted to him and named the district the Hutt to perpetuate his name.

The Timaru club were the winners of the annual inter-Rotary Club golf match played with Ashburton and Christchurch at Ashburton yesterday afternoon;. Between 25 and SO players took part. The match is played under rather novel conditions, in that there is no limit to' the number of players who can take part, but- the club with the smallest entry may fix the number of players whose score will be counted in the match. Afternoon tea was served to the visitors by wives of members of the Ashburton Club, and prizes were presented by the president (the Rev. R. S. Watson). Thjs teams’ prize was won by Timaru, the best score by J. Stevens (Timaru) and the best effort by C. H. Shacked (Timaru). . Before leaving for home, Messrs C. H. Shacked (Timaru) and C. H. Taylor (Christchurch) thanked members of the Ashburton Club for their hospitality.

There have been no infectious diseases in the Ashburton Borough and County during the past week, stated a report by the Htealtb Inspector for the district this morning.

The shortage of farm labour in Central Taranaki is so serious .that some farmers who are unable to get men. are being faced with haring to sell part of their herds. That statement was made at a recent meeting of the Central Taranaki Primary Production Council,

As a result of the exhibition held at the Borough School yesterday afternoon 32s 7d will be added to the patriotic funds. The exhibition was suggested and carried out by pupils of Form II and a charge of one penny was made for anyi pnpil of the school who wished to attend the display, while a few parents also attended.

The St. Kilda Municipal Band which will visit Ashburton during the week-end is expected to arrive on a relief express train at about 5.35 tomorrow afternoon. The Ashburton Silver Band will parade at the station in full uniform to welcome the visitors, who during their visit will he billeted out with local bandsmen and supporters of the hand.

How violet rays to-day assist the farmer in a predetermination as to whether ryegrass se§d is of a perennal strain or not was demonstrated at the Palmerston North 'Spring Show in a sectibn of the exhibit of the Department of Agriculture, which deals oxclusively with the work of the Seed Testing Station at Palmerston North. Samples of seed are grown on damp paper bases for eight days, the roots meanwhile spreading about the bases. When these are placed under a violet ray lamp a substance produced by the root of the non-perennial seeds shows a bright fluorescent glow, whereas the true peren'nial seed root does not change. This simple operation is that by which 90 per cent, of the perennial ryegrass seed is tested in New Zealand and last year no fewer than 600 samples were examined in this manner.

“We have made inquiries in Auckland. and* there has been :no such application here,” said l Mr N. B. Spencer, (president of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce) at a meeting of the council of the chamber, when a member wrote criticising the recent announcement by the chairman of the Wellington Manpower Committee that if any A grade waterside workers appealed against being called up for military service, he would treat then Work as a reserved occupation. “As far as wo can find out, the Manpowei Committee here will take waterside workers on the same basis as everybody else,” Mr Spencer added. “1 think this is a very serious matter,” said Mr Gainor Jackson. It had been stated that the Waterside Workers’ Union was a closed union, but the answer was that it should he opened. It seemed absurd that waterside work should be a reserved occupation when production was not. Mr L. A. Eady said that apparently no directions had been given to the Manpower Committees concerning essential and nonessential workers. *'