LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 249, 2 August 1946, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Scarlet Fever in County Three cases of scarlet fever Avere reported in Ashburton County during the past month. Stock On County Roads Stock found Avandering on Ashburton County Roads during the past month comprised eight head of cattle only. These Avere found at WilloAVby and Avere returned to the OAvner on payment of the usual droving fees. Judgment by Default Judgment for plaintiff by default was given by Mr G. G. Chisholm, 3.M., in the Magistrate’s Court at Ashburton this morning, in the follOAVing civil action: Ashburton Gas, Coal and Coke Coy. v. H. L. Kircher, £9 11s and costs £1 11s Gd. Local Bodies’ Conference According to advice received by the Ashburton County Council to-day, the fourth annual conference of the South Island Local Bodies’ Association Avill be held at Nelson on October 23, 24 and 25. it Avas further intimated that all remits must be received by the secretary by September 20. Homeservicemen’s Cards Three persons tied, for first prize at the Aveekly card tournament conducted by the Mid-Canterbury branch of the NeAv Zealand Homeservicemen’s Association last evening. They Avere Mr PreAv and Mesdames Hickey and Shannon. Most points in the second half Avere Avon by Mrs B. Lusk.

No Skating at Mount Harper | The ice on Mount Harper skating j rink has not recovered sufficiently from recent thaws to be thick enough for skating this week-end. Tekapo j will be open, however, and the final ! ice-hockey match for the Erewhon : Cup will be played there. The finalists | are the Mount Harper and Opawa teams. Birthday For Horses Horses throughout New Zealand, | whether gallopers or trotters, had a | birthday yesterday. No matter when | they were actually born, all members of the equine family, under the rules i of racing and trotting, are rated as one year older from yesterday. Under i the rule, a foal born the day before ' yesterday is a two-year-old to-day.

Echo Of The Earthquake I “Following the earthquake,” report- ! ed the engineer, Mr R. L. Lindsay, to this afternoon’s meeting of the Ashburton County Council, “it was necessary to remove a number of large boulders which had been loosened by ; the ’quake and deposited on Double Hill's Run Road. Many of them were j oi’ such dimensions that explosives jhad to be used to break them before i they could be shifted.” Accuracy of Newspaper Reports

! In the House of Representatives yesterday, Mr F. Hackett (Government, I Grey Lynn) gave notice to ask the Prime Minister whether, in view of the difficulty members of Parliament have in vouching for the accuracy of statements in newspapers, he would inquire into the possibility of ensuring that any item of news contained in newspapers is vouched for as accurate by the newspaper concerned. — P.A. Planning Methven And Rakaia Advice was received to-day by the Ashburton County Council that the secretary of the Town Planning Board, Mr John Cox, will visit Ash- ! burton on August 12. On that day he | will meet members of the council to I discuss town planning schemes for I Methven and Rakaia, a discussion which will be continued in more detail the following day. If required to consider a borough scheme also, he will stay in the town for a third day.

Provincial Patriotic Council Meeting in Christchurch on Wednesday, the Canterbury Provincial Patriotic Council held a fairly lengthy meeting, though most matters were dealt with in committee. Receipts for the quarter ended June 30 amounted to £4S7S and payments to £3528, stated a report to the meeting. Applications received numbered 281, and 2GO, at a cost of £915, were granted. Apart from this, a quantity of coal, firewood and blankets was authorised to be distributed. Storing County Petrol Stating that it was contrary to the Explosives and Dangerous Goods Act, the Inspector of Explosives recently advised the Ashburton County Council that the practice of storing petrol in huts where men slept must cease. Following discussion on the intimation, the council decided to urge, through local M.’s.P., that the Minister of Internal Affairs waive the regulation as far as it was concerned. At to-day’s meeting, advice was received from Mr R. G. Gerard, M.P., that he had placed the matter before the Minister who had replied that the position was being investigated and a decision would •be given as soon as possible. United Nations' Associations The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser), who was recently honoured with the appointment as patron of the World Federation of United Nations’ Associations, has sent a goodwill message to the congress of the federation, which' has opened in Luxembourg, says a Wellington Press Association message. Wishing the congress success in its deliberations, Mr Fraser said that the peace of the world would never be secured by the work of statesmen alone. The understanding and support of the peoples of the world were essential. “It is my earnest hope,” he said, “that United Nations’ Associations throughout the world will everywhere attract support from the peace-loving mass of the people, and that they will become vigorous centres of international understanding and constructive criticism in support of the United Nations’ ideal.”

Petroi Consumption One million gallons of petrol were virtually saved on the figures allocated for June through the abolition of the rationing scheme as it affected motorists at the end of May, said an official of an oil company in Wellington yesterday. This, he said, did not come as a surprise, as in the last 10 days of May people anxious about future supplies, and the effect of the abolition of rationing, used all their coupons for both May and June As a •result there was not nearly the demand in June that might otherwise have been expected, and the figures were well down. /Though the final 'figures for July were not yet available, it was fairly certain that the total for New Zealand would not be much, if at all, above that which had x been fixed as the allowance for the jnontli. This meant that petrol saved jin June should still be carried over. \ —P.A.

Loudspeaker at Statior. A start lias been made with the installation of a loudspeaker system at the Ashburton Railway Station, and the engineers expect to have it. in operation within a few days. Gorse On County Roads Provided the work is done to the council’s satisfaction) before proceedings actually come before the court, and the legal costs are borne by the person charged, the Ashburton County Council, at to-day’s meeting, decided to withdraw legal action taken against ratepayers for failure to clear gorse from roads. Table Tennis Games Teams representing the Ashburton Technical Old Students’ Association and the Foresters’ Lodge spent an enjoyable time last evening playing table tennis in the Technical School Assembly Hall. The score in tbe singles was A.O.F. 13, Technical 11, and in the doubles A.O.F. 7, Technical 2.