LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 250, 4 August 1941, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Permanent positions for two labourers and temporary positions for six farm labourers wore found by the Ashburton State Placement Service last week.

Alterations are to be made to the Ashburton Salvation Army Citadel to mark the 57th anniversary of the establishment of the local corps. A now type of lighting was tried during the week-end and was found to bo most suitable for the ball. This is the first of the I alterations and it is expected that others will be made very shortly.

The buds on many of the trees in the Ashburton Domain are beginning to swell in spite of the heavy frosts than have been experienced lately. The trees along the motor drive leading in from the corner of Walnut Avenue and W est Street have been damaged a, good deal, probably by children, the buds on tne southern side having in many cases been broken off.

A row of 90 trees down one side of the track leading into the Ashburton High School farm from Albert Street is to be planted as the school’s Arbor Day effort this year, according to a decision of the Hoard this morning. The planting was suggested by the agricultural instructor (Mr It. M. McGregor), who stated that the cost would bo. 2s bet a tree. It was left to. the Headmaster (Mr JO. A. Cockroft) andJVlr McGregor to carry out the programme.

In reply to an advertisement for 30 message boys, the Auckland Post Office has received only five applications. It was stated by an official that, although there was no necessity to employ girls as messengers at. present, the possibility might have to be considered if more youths are not available in the near future. It was pointed out that the public could not expect peace-time service but, although there were several minor delays, the system was generally satisfactory.

Although A Company of the Ashburton unit of the Home Guard ligd only about '2O men on parade yesterday morning on account of the very cold and showery conditions, a short parade was hold. For about three-quarters ol an hour the guardsmen did physical training under the supervision ot Messrs E. B. ICondell and H. G. Ferricr. B Company was also to have held a parade yesterday, but it was abandoned.

Two. car parties of Ashburton people went to Mount Harper yesterday and took part in the skating there. The attendance was large and it was stated that all the proceeds from the skating goes to patriotic purposes, each skater receiving an official receipt for his payment. The ice was in good condition, but would have been better but for a light coating of snow which had. fallen on it during the week.

“I do ,not claim that sea power alone will, win the war, but it is sea power that is keeping Hitler at bay,” declared Commodore \Y. E. Parry, in an address to the annual meeting of the Wellington Branch of the Navy League. ‘'Sea power, air power, and military power are necessary to defeat him together with the power given us by a resolute civil . population. We have had a wonderful example of that in the courage and determination of the people in Britain.”

“Have you any children?” was a question asked a farmer who appealed before the No. 1 Armed Forces Appeal Board recently against the calling-up of a man employed by him, on the grounds of public interest. . “Yes, I have a son,” replied the farmer, “but, unfortunately, he is only a year old so he is not much use at the moment. Ho is an excellent map,” he added. “The manor your son?” asked a member of the Board. “Both,” said the farmer, “but I think my son has a city bias.”

A young New Zealander who went through the Greek and Cretan campaigns has described a novel incident in a letter to his mother in Hamilton. The people of Greece showered wonderful hospitality on the New Zealanders. and to the surprise of a group of soldiers a Greek woman produced some New Zealand photographs. One depicted a Maori liaka taken on a barge at Ngaruawahia. On the back of the photograph was the name of the writer’s uncle, a Hamilton photographer.

Serving with the Now Zealand Expeditionary Force in Egypt as a field ambulance driver is a, young Czech who was formerly in the army of his native country. Demobilised from an officers’ training unit when the Czechoslovak army was virtually disbanded after Munich, he arrived in New Zealand in February. 1939, and obtained employment as a driver. On the outbreak of war he sought to enlist, but as he was an alien some time passed before his persistence was rewarded; and he arrived in the Middle East with a rifle battalion.

Among men from the Pacific islands under the control of New Zealand who have come to the Dominion to offer /their services with, the defence forces are several from the Chatham Islands. The first of these to enlist Were J. Rearden, a son of Mr J. R.. Bearden, a magistrate of Chatham, and Tunic J. Roremoana a descendant, of the ancient Morioris, thus being representative of the European and native residents of the group. Private Rearden is attached to the Dental Corps at Burnham Camp and Be remoan a has a place in the Navv.

The analysis of road accidents last year prepared by the Transport Department for the Road Safety Council shows that accidents where liquor was a factor decreased by 25 per cent, as compared with 1939-40, the number falling from 254 to 101. The decrease was all round, holding for drunken drivers (77 in 1939 40 falling to 48), drivers under the influence but not intoxicated (102 to 08). drunken pedestrians (68 to 42), and drunken cyclists (7 to 0). The severity of liquor accidents, the report remarks, is indicated by the fact that one in every eighth accident resulted in a death.

Heavy snow which fell on the road from Tanjx) to Napier early last week made motoring conditions difficult, and gave one party an unenviable experience when it was forced to spend tho night on the hills. The party, which was in two ears, set out from Taupo and, after experiencing great difficulty in driving through the snowstorm, encountered a large fallen matai tree on the Turangakumu Hill. This had to be chopped away before they could proceed, and as a result They had to spend the night on the road. Fortunately, they did not have far to go to get some axes, and set about clearing the way early in the morning. There were drifts a. foot deep in parts of the high country, and the road surface was very treacherous.

Between 25 and 30 young people of the Ashburton Corps of the Salvation Army attended 'sessions of the Army Young People’s Councils in Christchurch yesterday.

There was an attendance of about 100 at the Ashburton (Girl Guides annual dance held on Friday evening, and a verv enjoyable programme of dances was provided. The music was supplied bv Mr P. Taylor and extras were played by Mr Gabites. Mr L. M. Martin was M.C.

To-day is the twenty-seventh anniversary of the opening of the Great War between Britain and Germany. Hostilities opened at midnight on August 4, 1914, after Germany had failed to reply to demands made by Blitain for the evacuation of German troops from Belgium, which had been invaded without a declaration of war.

With eight recent enrolments, the membership of the Auckland Junior Chamber of Commerce is now 233 and officials are making strenuous efforts to bring the total to 250. It was stated at a luncheon held by the Chamber, that if the privileges and, advantages enjoyed by members were brought to the notice of .young business men in the city, especially those training for executive positions, they would be only’ too willing to join.

The proposal of the Bailway Department to close two crossings in the business area of Ashburton to enable the installation of visual warning signs, asked for by the Borough Council, was inveslJigated this afternoon when me Borough Council held a special meeting to meet the District Engineer (Mr P. H. Morey). The proceedings were not open to the newspapers, but the results of the talks will he reported to the Council next Monday evening.

“The restaurants were our camping grounds, and really we did make gluttons of ourselves,” writes Private M. Panapa, of the way New Zealand soldiers spent their seven days’ leave after returning to Egypt from Crete. “It was eat, eat all the time, and still more eating.” Private Panapa formerly played half-back for North Auckland, including the match against the Springboks in 1937, and later played Rugby League for Manukau.

Ten properties in the Valetta-Tinwald area, forming a compact group for development into irrigation units, had been purchased by the end of the year, states the annual report of the Land Purchase Controller (Mr R. 'G. Macmorran), which has been presented to the House of Representatives. The total area of the farms was, 726 S acres. Water was expected to bo riimilable tor the farms in about twelve months. The size of the holdings to be provided on subdivision would he decided after a study of the effect pf irrigation water, liming, and cultivation.

“What is the position of the Sheepowners’ Federation in regard to all farmers joining together in one body?” asked Mr H..T. Ellingham at the meeting of the Southern Hawke’s Bay Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union. “So far as I know the Sheepowners’ Federation has at last agreed to the principle of one body controlling all farming interests,” replied the president (Mr J. C. Bolton). Mr Ellingham said be was pleased to hear this and it was a step in the right direction. The president said that for a long time endeavour had been made to get the Sheepowners* Federation to come in with- the Farmers’ Union.

Visits paid to Plunket rooms in Ashburton and tho County in tho last month by adults, babies and children of pre-school age totalled no fgwcr than 1192', according to the reports presented to the meeting of the Ashburton Plunket Society by the nurses on Friday, when the president (Mrs F. W. Seldon) presided over a good attendance. An analysis of the figures showed that in the town the visits included 358 adults, 319 babies and 43 pre-school children, while in the country there were 13(1 adults, 117 babies and 25 pre-school children. Tt was reported that the nurses’ car had travelled 928 miles during the month. It was. decided that the annual street appeal, Daffodil Day, should be made on September 12.

School children in the Auckland province this year will “Dig for Victory” and grow “Patriotic Cabbages” and other vegetables as children in Britain are doing. At country schools in many parts of the province gardens will be established or enlarged to provide* vegetables' for the military camps. Schools in Bay of plenty districts last season grow 24 tons of onions, carrots and other vegetables for the camps and the system will be extended this year. School agriculture instructors will visit the gardens at- intervals to supervise the work. Auckland city schools, with smaller areas available for gardens and available space urgently needed for playgrounds, are not in a position to assist in this way, but plans arc afoot in many schools for pupils to assist in tending soldiers’ gardens Some schools have small plots-in which vegetables are grown for pupils’ lunches and in these the children, have gained valuable experience in gardening.