LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 65, Issue 268, 23 August 1945, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

New Serial. A new serial, “The Kestrel House Mystery,” commences in the “Guardian” to-day. It is'the work of T. C. JT. Jacobs, and it puts him in the ranks of those authors who can relate a gripping story of adventure and romance with all the briskness of movement possessed by a thrilling film. Rotary Club. Three-minute talks on various subjects were given by members at the weekly luncheon of the Ashburton Rotary Club to-day.

British Destroyer at Auckland. A recent addition to the British Navy, H.M.S. Undaunted, a destroyer, arrived at Auckland this morning. She was completed in March, 1944, and is the same size as H.M.S. Wessex, which has been undergoing an overhaul in Auckland for some weeks. — P.A.

Hakatere Lodge. Sick pay amounting to £2O 10s was passed in favour of 14 members by the Hakatere Lodge, 1.0.0. F., last evening. A proposal for membership was received. It was decided to make the usual donation to the appeal on behalf of lepers. The N.G. (Bro. B. D. Parsons) ' presided.

Life Brigade Camp. About 30 members and officers of the Ashburton Battalion of the Girls’ Life Brigade will leave to-morrow morning for Sumner, where they will hold a. camp in the Sumner School for about a week. The girls will be accompanied by the Commandant (Miss M. Money).

Timaru Competitions. Keith Tonics, of Ashburton, was thirtl with 70 points in the song test, girls and boys, under 18. at the South Canterbury Competitions Society’s festival at Timaru yesterday. He was also highly commended in the Scottish song, own selection, for hoys and girls Under 16. Trevor Addis, of Lismore, was second equal in the piano solo, under 14.

Automobile Association Membership. In spite of restrictions on motoring, an increase of 2443 in the membership of automobile associations is recorded by the North Island Motor Union in its annual report. Reaching a peak of 73.562 in 1940, the roll number of North Island associations dropped to 66,831 in 1943, but last year recovered to 70,686.

Concern at Delay. Concern at the delay of the Land Sales Committee in making a decision regarding the property in Allenton being purchased for the building of a church in that area was expressed by some members at the congregational meeting of the Ashburton Presbyterian Charge last evening. The case had been put before the committee in June. The Rev. J. S. Murray said that everything possible was being done to speed up the transaction, which involved family agreement concerning a. deceased estate.

Madame Melba Scholarship. At the Timaru Competitions yesterday, Miss Anne Campbell (Timaru) won the district elimination contest •for the Madame Melba scholarship. There were seven entries. Miss Campbell will go to Wellington soon to compete in the New Zealand elimination contest for the scholarship, which is open to women born in New Zealand or Australia not less than 17 years of age and entitles the holder to a special diploma coarse at the eonservatorium. The value is approximately £lO9 per annum, tenable for two years.

Early Ashburton. At the meeting of the Baring Square Men’s Fellowship last evening, papers were read by Mr W. B. W. Bell on “Early Ashburton,” and the “Origin of Street Names in Ashburton,” these being greatly appreciated. Mr Bell :yas accorded a hearty vote of thanks. Some early views of the township were handed round, and Mr Bell hnswered numerous questions. Interest was centred in a bound volume of Ashburton’s early . newspaper “The Echo,” the printing and display of which were favourably > commented Upon. Mr A. P. Warriner presided.

Unique Position. , Ashburton holds a unique and privileged position in that the Presbyterian Charge is probably the only one in New Zealand to have its full ministerial staff invited to attend the Christian Order conference, “Christchurch, 1945,” which will commence in Christchurch next Tuesday. Of the 200 delegates officially selected by the eight constituent churches of the National Council of Churches of New Zealand, only 10 are women. Sister Mavis Patterson (Deaconess) has been chosen as one of. this number. The Rev. D. M. Steedman will represent the Bible Class movements. The Rev. J. S. Mui’ray will attend as a member of the National Council.

Price of Car Tyres. 11 will come as a surprise to most car owners to learn that the retail prices of motor tyres in Australia were for some considerable time lower than in America. Take, for instance, the .most widely-used tyre on passenger cars —the 6.00 x 16 4-ply. From April, 1942, to May, 1944, the ceiling price for this tyre in the United States (in Australian currency) was £5 3s. Since then, until May this year, the retail price was £5. It has now been reduced to £4 15s. The Dunlop Company states that since February, 194'3, this size of car tyre has been listed in the Commonwealth by Australian manufacturers at £4 15s —the figure at which the retail price has now been fixed by the American Government as a result of the recent redaction.

“I mind the time when I knocked \off smoking,” the bus driver confided jto the man sitting alongside. “Why did I? Well, the wife said I was fair l ch,ticking money away on baccy, so I .cut .it. out.. The craving for a smoke {was awful at first. Then it stopped. 'But. Lord, how miserable I was! The 'wife said I was that snappy ’twasn’t /safe to come anigh me. At last I went to my lodge doctor. He told mo to start smoking again right away, but [said not to smoke baccy with a lot of nicotine in it. ‘Try the New Zealand,’ he says, ‘it’s toasted.’ I’ll never '{knock off smoking again. I’d sooner knock off eating.” The lodge doctor (knew. “It’s toasted,” he said, and ,in pilose two words explained the reason why New Zealand tobacco is the best in the world. There’s practically no ;nicotine in it. The toasting eliminates it. Here are the brands of toasted manufactured: Riverhead Gold, Desert Gold, Navy Cut No. 3, Pocket Edition and Cut Plug No. 10; also Riverhead and Desert Gold tailormades. —lx.