LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 60, 20 December 1940, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Additions to the roll of the Homo Guard in Ashburton to-day brought the total to 352.

The choirs of the several churches in, Ashburton spent a busy two hours last evening with the final rehearsals of the music which they will present at special Christmas services to be held next Sunday evening.

The Ashburton Volunteer Fire Brigade has received further proof that its work is valued. Messrs. Lame, Walker, Rudkin, Ltd., have forwarded a cheque for £2 2s in appreciation of the brigade’s services at a fire in a house in Charles Street, Allenton. The building was owned by the firm.

Mention a few days ago of the fact that because of the Christmas Eve late might next week there would not be aiiv late night in Ashburton on Friday of next week has been misinterpreted by some people, who are under the impression that there will he noi late night to-night. The shows will remain open this evening as usual.

“We are proud of our judges and our magistrates, who carry out their work with utter impartiality,” said Mr L. A. Charles at the meeting of the Ashburton Chamber of Commerce last evening. “We hold that not only should justice he done in; our Courts but /also that it should appear that justice has been done. That- is to say, a person should go away feeling that he has got. justice in his case.”

A good example of a healthy young New Zealander is James Bruce Churchman, of Ravensbourne, who, during his nine years at school, has been absent for only one period of two days. His otherwise unbroken record of attendance was interrupted last year by an illness which forced him to remain at home for the last two days of a school week. For eight years he was a pupil of the Flag Swamp School, and he lias just completed his . first year at the Christian Brothers’ High School.

The songster brigade of the Ashburton Salvation Army visited the Ashburton Public Hospital aind Tuarangi Home last evening. At the hospital the singers presented a Christmas programme in the shelters, two men’s wards, and two women’s wayds. At Tuarangi they sang in the men’s ward and the dining room. Songster Leader Sawyer, of Auckland, who is visiting Ashburton, accompanied the brigade and conducted. The Ashburton Silver Band played at the Ashburton Public Hospital last evening.

Immensely happy with the success of their army against the .Italians, and pleased at being allies of Great Britain Greeks meeting New Zealanders in the Middle East are only too willing to exchange greetings. In, a letter to his parents, Hr. S. E. V. Brown and Mrs Brown, Sergeant R. S. Brown, writing on November 21, says: “The Greeks love to speak to us, as they are so proud of the way their beys are smashing the Italians, ‘Nouvelle Zealand's good Greek good,’ was common talk’.”

There are two or three, men at work in Ashburton just now who have their work spoiled within a few seconds of it being done, but they go ahead with their job, apparently taking no notice. They are repainting the pedestrian crossings and 1 th© notices to motorists on the surface of the main streets. As they move across the roadway, vehicles run across the newly-painted signs, and though the paint is of a very quick-drying kind the tyres carry some of the paint with, them, while some small hoys delight in, riding their cycles along a newly-painted line.

It is related that when Invercargill boys were collecting scrap metal last ►Saturday one resident of a suburb, whose vocation is apt to make him doubt the veracity of youths in general, .gave some saucepans which had seen their best years of service but were still sound. “You’re sure you will put them in the collection and not take them home?” he asked. [He was assured that they would reach the proper destination and the boys set off. But the worthy citizen called them back. “I’d better make sure,” he commented and proceeded to punch holes in the saucepans.

Reporting to the'Ashburton County Council to-day the chairmam (Mr 1 S'. P. Taylor) said that last Saturday he represented the Council at the civic tribute at Christchurch to members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force from Burnham Camp. “One could not help being impressed with the soldierly bearing of this splendid body of vigorous well-trained manhood who ar'e going forth as part of the gathering strength of the British Empire to play their full part in. the gigantic struggle which has been enforced upon us,” said the chairman. “The good wishes extended to the men by the various speakers are unanimously endorsed by the people of Ashburton County.”

“It has been said in Ashbnirton that the primary school syllabus is being lightened, and in some directions thaft is so,” said the headmaster of the Ashburton Borough School at the break-up ceremony yesterday afternoon'. He added that the parents would remember that in their day they were given much, time at arithmetic, 1200 hours a year as a matter of fact, and it seemed that arithmetic dominated the school life. In the present day the children were given about 650 hours of arithmetic, home work was reduced and there was practically no keeping-in after schools for “sums.” He said the primary schools would not be dominated by the matriculation examination which was taken ultimately by a. very small proportion of those, who went to the secondary schools.

The provision of plant for the manufacture of ice. . cream and cooling drinks for soldiers in Egypt is now being considered, the GovernorGeneral (Viscount Galway) told _ a meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Provincial Patriotic Council which he attended during his visit to Napier. He said the temperature in the desert was so hot that it imposed a severe strain and discomfort on those forced to campaign there. “We are trying, therefore, to get plant to make ices and cooling drinks sent across to our men in the desert,” he said. “That would also provide ice cream for hospitals. We shall need some more mobile canteens for transport purposes if out venture is successful. It is largely a health question, for ice cream made in Egyptian bazaars from unclean utensils and impure water breeds malaria and dysentery.”

The valuation notices for Ashburton, Borough are being prepared at present arid will he issued on January 16. There is a total of 2452 assessments.

To relievo the holiday congestion the general counter at the Ashburton (Post Office will be open till 5 p.m. tomorrow. The money ordey and savings bank departments will, however, close at noon.

The National Patriotic Fund Board has received advice through Lord Galway that the Supreme Council of the Masonic Order of Great Britain has provided funds for the purchase of a mobile canteen for the New Zealand forces abroad (says a Press Association telegram).

At the. meeting of the County Council to-day, Mr C. A. Campion: said the starch factory at Barrhill was working and some good starch had already been produced. The factory was not yet working fully, as some adjustments had to be made at the start. The potatoes were in surprisingly good condition.

It will be at least five or six weeks before the new bridge over the Hinds River on the Main South Hoad will be ready to take traffic. The settling of the concrete in the last of the spans will take a week or two yet and the approaches have to be built. Tenders for the approaches have not been called yet, but it is stated this work will be put in hand shortly.

Three Thames residents have prepared plans for a fightcf aeroplane of a totally new design, and it is understood that these will bo submitted to responsible officials in aeronautics at an early date. The new design is said to incorporate previsions for very high air speed, for silence and for greater safety in landing at comparatively low speed.

“New Zealanders are a great sweeteating community,” said a representative of a, large confectionery manufacturing company in evidence before the Auckland Area Manpower Committee. Witness said that the demand continued throughout the year, .although it fluctuated according to the weather. In hot weather the public preferred icebcreams, but in cold they demanded sweets.

Reporting to the County Council today on a meeting of the Canterbury Provincial Patriotic Executive, the County Clerk (Mr G. Kelly) said it had been decided that it would be of advantage to retain the present system of purchasing in bulk the contents of soldiers’ parcels and of packing them by voluntary labour in Christchurch. This method not only ensures an equal and larger distribution of gifts but helps in the prompt dispatch of well packed parcels as shipping accommodation is available. Funds now in hand amounted to £60,000. It was stated that the Million Pound All-Purposes Patriotic Appeal had been extended for a period of six months.

“It is amazing the lies the Germans have been told,” comments the writer of a letter recently received by a Napier resident from a relative in England. The writer —a woman —relates that she had seen numerous “dogfights” in the air and several -Germans had baled out. On landing and being taken prisoner the men usually asked “Where is our army stationed?” and would not believe that there was no German army in England. “They have been told that Scotland, Wales and Ireland are all in German hands and that only London, remains to be captured,” adds the letter. Further “news” given by the prisoners was to the effect that the war “would be over by Christmas.”

Considerable trouble has been, caused in Ashburton lately in numerous cases of the taking of bicycles from the places where their owners have parked them, and since the new stands were placed' in East Street there have been several reports of missing cycles. In one case recently a woman’s .bicycle was taken away, was recovered through the police shortly after and was stolen a second time the same day. In another case a young man: lost his cycle from one of the stands several days ago and recovered it yesterday from the bushes in Baring Square West. The electrical equipment had been taken from it .In many instances cycles are taken by people too lazy to walk home from town: and are abandoned against fences in all parts of the borough, where they sometimes remain for days before being found by the owners or recovered by the police.