LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 271, 28 August 1946, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Success At the Timavu competitions yesterday Adele Ford, Ashburton, was first with 83 points in recitation, own selec; tion, under-12. There were 22 competitors.

South-bound Express Late As the steamer express was delayed in arriving at Lyttelton this morning, the south-bound express was nearly an hour and a half late in reaching Ashburton. It arrived about 11.20.

Largs Bay Delayed The Largs Bay, which is bringing to New Zealand a party of dependants of service personnel, is now due to arrive at Wellington on September 2, about a week later than originally expected. I

Recital By Ashburton Singer Mrs May Moffatt, of Ashburton, will give a studio recital from 3YA at 7.39 this evening. She will sing three songs by Mozart, ‘'Opening of Spring," “The Little Spinner” and “Contentment,’’ and two songs by Schubert, “In The Wood" and “Adieu.”

Flag 500 Tournament A flag 500 tournament was the feature of the Ashburton Catholic Club's weekly meeting last evening. Winners were the chairman (Mr IT. L. ..Hyland) and Messrs G. Turton and G. Purcell. A table tennis tournament 'was arranged for the next meeting.

Holmdale Refloated

The Holmdale, which ran aground in the Wanganui River on Monday, was refloated last night on ’ho rising tide after the vessel had been partly unloaded, says a Press Association message from Wanganui, She had aboard a quantity of general cargo from South Island ports, in-.: dieting beer.

Federation of Women’s Institutes

An interesting report on the Dominion conference was given by the president (Mrs J. McQuilkin) at the last meeting of the Mid-Canterbury Federation of Women’s Institutes. It was decided to- hold the half-yearly council meeting on Friday, October 11. Arrangements for the celebration of the silver jubilee at this meeting are well in hand. Mrs McQuilkin presided.

Sent To Prison

On a charge of using his boardinghouse in Rotorua as a common gaming house, Eric Curt Maurice Forster was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment by Mr S. L. Paterson, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, says a Press Association message. On an alternative charge of bookmaking no evidence was offered by DetectiveSergeant A. J. White, who prosecuted.

Last Year’s Earthquakes A total of 127 earthquake shocks yyere reported in New Zealand during 1945, states the annual report of the Dominion Observatory. Seventy-three of these were felt in the North Island, including rather strong shocks in Hawke’s Bay in January, 1945, and in the Wairarapa in June, slight activity Itn the Rotorua region in Jifly, and an isolated shock which originated 40 to 50 miles west of Autddand on July 31 h-nd was felt slightly in parts oi' the iity area. The most severe earth quake occurred in the Hanmer region during August, 1945.

Yesterday in the House The House of Representatives spent an unusually quiet day on the .Budget yesterday, says a Press Association message. Many South Island members were absent, some because of difficulties with train connections, and others apparently because they had meetings in their electorates. Leave of absence was not sought for any of them. There were only *;hrce questions before the House went on to the Budget debate, in which there were five speeches. The Prime Minister (the Hon. P. Fraser), who has a heavy cold, was absent from his duties again yesterday.

Not So Lucky The feelings of a court official who took a cheque for verification to a bank in the Manawatu district recently can well be imagined when the bank official attributed to him a feat attempted by thousands but- accomplished by few. A bookmaker had been fined £75 and had handed over a cheque in payment. In such cases the cheque has to be verified before a receipt can be .given. It was Monday morning and the court officer was somewhat startled when the bank official greeted him with the words, “Hullo, struck the double on Saturday.”

Sugar Shipments Three shipments of sugar in quick succession for the Colonial Sugar Refining Company’s Chelsea works will result in a marked improvement in the Dominion’s sugar stocks. Two vessels are now discharging at Auckland and a third is expected next week. The first steamer to arrive, the Ribera, from Queensland, went to Chelsea on August 13, and will not complete discharge for another week. She was followed ,on August 16 by the Ronn, from Fiji. The Rona has been unloading at a city berth, and may complete by Saturday. The third steamer, the Stan Cleve, from Queensland, is due on Sunday.—P.A.

National Savings Last week further good progress was recorded towards the attainment of the Dominion objective of £6,000,000 in national savings for the yeaV, 286 places having attained their individual quotas for the week. All postal district quotas were exceeded, and in the Blenheim, Dunedin, Greymouth, Nelson, Oamaru, Timaru, Wanganui, and Westpoi’t districts all the local areas succeeded in obtaining the stipulated amounts. More than 7000 new national savings accounts have been opened since April 1, of which number the Auckland district has contributed 1927, Wellington 1108, Christchurch 668, and Dunedin 553. Business Premises Entered

Believed by the Timaru police to have been the work of a youthful combination, several Timaru premises were entered during the week-end and small sums of money and miscellaneous articles, even including boxes of wooden matches, were taken. The activities, which are believed to have extended from Friday night till Monday morning, were mostly confined to the south end of the town. Many entrances were made by forcing back windows, but in some of the offices little progress was made after the initial entry. At one office £2O which had been left in a till was taken, but in most cases the precautions usually exercised against theft resulted in only petty cash being found. The thieves made thorough searches at some of the premises, but the ransacking was the only inconvenience the owners appear to have suffered.