LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 57, 17 December 1945, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Primary Schools Close The Borough, Allenton and Ashburton East. Schools will hold their end-of-year break-up ceremonies on Wednesday afternoon.

Police Deputation A deputation from the New Zealand Police Association met the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) on Saturday. The interview was amicable. The Commissioner of Police (Mr J. Cummings) was present.—P.A.

Arrival of Meteor Aircraft The Meteor jet. aircraft, which by on loan to the Dominion from the British Air Ministry, will arrive at Auckland from London on Christmas Eve on the New Zealand Shipping Company’s vessel Paparoa. Aucklanders will be the first in New Zealand to see the Meteor Mark 111 in the air when it is tested after assembly at Hobsonville. —-P.A.

Mead School Picnic An enjoyable time was spent by about. SO parents, friends and pupils of the Mead School at the annual picnic, which was held in the Ashburton Domain. It was the first visit to the Domain of many of the party, and several who had not seen it for a number of years expressed pleasure at the improvements effected.

Christmas Party Organised by Miss L. Gosnell and her helpers, a Christmas party for the kindergarten section of the Baring Square Methodist Sunday School was held in the hall on Saturday. Over 50 children and their parents attended. Games were played and there was afternoon tea. and a distribution of free ice cream, sweets and a gift for each child.

Christmas Carolling By Bands Christmas carolling in Comity districts was commenced yesterday by the Ashburton: Silver and the Salvation Army Bandsi. Divided into four parties, the Silver Band visited Chertsey, Rakaia, Wakanui, Lauriston, Lyndhurst and Hinds. Several parties of the Salvation Army Band visited the Rakaia, Greenstreet, Methven and Wakanui districts.

St. Stephen’s Sunday School End-of-year break-up functions of the senior and intermediate Sunday School at St. Stephen’s were held yesterday morning, when prizes and awards were distributed. These included prizes won by candidates in the diocesan examinations. The dux of the Sunday School was Ngaire Baker. At the service last evening the choir sang special Christmas carols. A programme of well-known Christmas music will he presented by the choir next Sunday.

Optimism Justified There was considerable comment about the alleged optimism of a man who planted a. fairly large section near the Railway Station in potatoes just after the snow iu July, It was considered that the potatoes would have such a rough time, with late frosts that they would not yield very well. Now, however, while many gardeners are still wondering if they will have their own new potatoes for Christmas, the optimistic one has harvested his crop—and it is a bumper.

New Flag for Arawas A flag given to the Arawa people in 1901 by King George Y. is being replaced on January 11 when the Gover-nor-General, Sir Cyril Newall, will present a new flag to the tribe. The presentation will take place in the Tamatekapua Meetinghouse, Ohinemutu. King George V., when Duke of York, presented the flag to the Maori people to commemorate his visit to Rotorua, and since then it has been flown for numerous Royal visits, including those of the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Gloucester, and the present King when he was Duke of York. The flag has become very worn and recently a request was made that it should be replaced.

“Missing” Money Late on Thursday night Wellington detectives were called upon to investigate a report that about. £2OOO in bank-notes had been stolen from a shop in the NOwtown area. They searched the premises and found the money, actually £1942, in a different hiding-place from the usual one. It was banked at the first opportunity next morning. This is only one of several instances in recent months where large sums of mefney have been reported missing and have been found subesquently in places which the owners had forgotten about. The risk of hoarding large amounts should be obvious, and it is most desirable in the interests of all concerned that any substantial sums should be banked promptly, particularly in cases where people are absent from their homes on holiday.