LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 142, 29 March 1948, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

University Woman Coxswain The coxswain of the Auckland University boat which won the eights rowing race of the New Zealand University tournament at Dunedin ®n Saturday was Miss Norma Croot. It was the first, time a. woman had acted as a coxswain.

Illegible Writing “I think it would be a good idea if some members of the medical profession took a course in handwriting,’’ commented by Mr J. H. Luxfordl S.M., in the Auckland Magistrate’s Court, when he was unable to read a signature on a medical certificate.* “There is no reason, for signatures to tie no illegible, as this one is. I think a lot of it is pure affectation,” he added.

Acclimatisation Officers Appointed According to the latest issue of the N.Z. Gazette, the following have been appointed honorary officers of the Ashburton Acclimatisation Society:—• Messrs E. S. Baxter, D. Brook, A. M. Bruce, S. M. A. Chaffey, L. A. Colville, E. R. Easterbrook, P. C. Ensor, P. Fry, J. H. Grigg, T. S. Harrison, G. Kelly, H. G. Kemp, F. H. Mclntosh, A. J. Millichamp, J. B. Nicoll, L. R. Richards, J. T. Todhunter, and R. C. Todhunter.

No Sunday Work In future no Sunday work will be done on goods trains by members of the Westport branch of the New Zealand Engine Drivers’, Firemen’s, and Cleaners’ Association. The branch has agreed to man break-down and maintenance trains when required on Sundays, but members held that, the manning of special and extra coal trains on Sundays was detrimental to their welfare, as they had been called upon to work up to 70 hours a week for some time.

Battalion Theatre The new Second Battalion theatre at Ozuki has been completed, and was opened by the Commanding Officer of the Second N.Z.E.F. in Japan. The building was designed by Major R. H. Kerr, of Christchurch, and was built under supervision of the New Zealand Engineers. Features of the building are the heating and ventilation systems, a full-sized stage with overhead recessed lighting, and dressing rooms. Moving picture projectors have been installed.

Rare Bird Seen

What is believed to have been a North Island , crow, known to the Maoris as kokako, was seen by a resident of Brooklands, New Plymouth, in her garden. The bird was feeding on grubs on a kowhai tree, and was described as being long and slim with a'shiny neck and was turquoise blue in colour. A little larger than a bell bird, it had a brown and white speckled breast similar to that of a thrush, and a long white tail. The beak was black. The North Island crow is one of the very rare native birds of New Zealand.

U.S.A. Buys Yorkshire Mill American confidence in the future of Britain was demonstrated by the purchase, at a reported cost of 1,000,000 dollars, of a 150-year-old Yorkshire woollen mill by a Washington tailoring firm. According to information received by the New Zealand Wool Board the mill last year produced fabrics worth 400,000 dollars, operating at half capacity. The plant has 240 looms. Production is to be stepped up, and most of it will go to the United States where British woollen goods are regarded as the world’s best. Breakfast Surprise A Wakari man, who sat down to breakfast with a healthy appetite the other day, did not complete the meal. Zestfuly he cracked his boiled egg with a spoon and took off the top. But the first scoop of the contents produced a strange object strange, that is, for that environment. He telephoned the “Dunedin Star” to ask a question: “Have you ever struck a cigarette butt in an egg before?” The incident seemed to be without quotable precedent. “Half an inch of butt, just as if it had been tossed away,” the man from Wakari said. “It put me off my breakfast.”

Federal Moderator in Ashburton There was a large attendance at St. Andrew’s Church last evening when the service was conducted by the Rt. Rev. A. Campbell Grieve, Federal Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Australia. In an inspiring address, Mr Grieve spoke on the inadequacy of such things as property, pleasure and power to satisfy the needs of men. He emphasised that man was a spiritual being and that, unless his spiritual life was nourished through fellowship with God, he could never be satisfied, complete or happy. A welcome to the visitor was extended by the Rev. J. S. Murray.

Mr Savage's Memory Honoured More than 1000 persons gathered at the tomb of Mr M. J. Savage, at Bastion Point, Auckland, yesterday afternoon to pay tribute to the work of the first. Labour Prime Minister of New Zealand on the. eighth anniversary of his death. The official ceremony consisted of che laying of wreaths in the mausoleum on behalf of the Government, which was represented by the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) and by representatives of Labour and other organisations. Crowds gathered long before. 2.15 p.m., when file ceremony began, and many staved after the ceremony.—P.A.

Salary Limit Bars Doctor Because the stabilisation authorities will not allow the Otago Hospital Board to offer a salary of more than £lO a week, the Pleasant Valley Sanatorium is without a resident medical officer. This was revealed at a meeting of the board on Thursday, when members expressed grave concern for the welfare of the 35 patients in the sanatorium. “We must have a man there in case of an emergency, Dr. N. North said. “The present situation is fantastic. There are 35 sick persons there, and a doctor makes a visit once a week. Surely we cannot he forced to allow this state of affairs to continue."-I—P.A. 1 —P.A. Honours to Southland Fears that the honours being heaped upon Southland might lead to the exercising of a dominating influence by that province were expressed by the Very Rev. Dr. Herron, when nominating the Rev. J. A. Thomson, of Invercargill, as Moderator-designate of the Presbyterian Synod of Otago and Southland. “The only drawback to this nomination is that we shall have to submit to directions from Invercargill next year,”* he said, pointing out that the Moderator-designate of the General Assembly, the Rev. C. ,T. Toclcer, was also from Invercargill. “We must see to it that they do not get the Ranfurly Shield, too,” he said, amidst laughter.