LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 144, 31 March 1948, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Otago Retains Drinking Horn The annual inter-Uni versify College teams’ match for the Drinking Horn was held at Dunedin yesterday. Otago repeated its form of previous years to retain the trophy. An Otago student recorded the fastest time, 2 l-ssec, for a 14-ounce glass.—P.A. Registered Nurses’ Association The Ashburton branch of the Registered Nurses’ Association held a meeting last evening. Miss J. Poll’ (president) presided over a large attendance, and welcomed several new members. Dr. J. Connor gave a very enlightening address on the world's lood supply. Miss N. Kippenberger was hostess. Three Centenarians Apparently the meeting of three centenarians at Waikouaiti on March 28, claimed to be “probably unique in the history of the world,” is not such a rare occurrence after all. It happened just 11 years ago, at Hokitika, when Mrs Catherine Beaulill, a centenarian, met Mr George Anderson, a mere 10G, and Mr Andrew Earetich, aged 101. The event was reported in “The Weekly News” of February 2, 1937. Union Bars Communists Mepibers of the Auckland Bakers Union decided at their annual meeting to debar Communists from office. There was a large attendance at the meeting. A resolution was carried requiring candidates to pledge support to the Labour Party before accepting nomination for office. The result was that two of the union’s three delegates to the Auckland Trades Council were not nominated again.—P.A. Methven Show A total of 1967 entries has been received for the Methven Show, compared with 2093 last year. The'individual entries for this year, with those of last year in parentheses are: Sheep . 339 ’(370), cattle 40 (33), draught horses 3 (11), light horses 107 (121), ponies 93 (84), dogs and dog ti-ials 54 (56), pigs G (5), poultry 37 (93), fruit and vegetables 367 (218), flowers 174 (210), home industry 3SI (456), juvenile 339 (456), competitions 27 (nil).

Money for Tour The Hastings Junior Chamber of Commerce has hit upon a novel method of raising their share of funds to send a Dominion delegate to the world conference of Junior Chambers of Commerce at Rio de Janeiro. At week-ends members of the chamber pick fruit in orchards where labour is short. Recently five of them earned £6 10s toward the fund in eight hours. Next week-end 30 members will pick fruit. Hastings has to raise £3O of a Dominion total of £I2OO. '

Finest Fishing River “They think they know something of fishing round Lake Taupo, but I maintain that the Mataura is the finest fishing river in New-Zealand both for the number of fish and the average weight of the fish taken, not to mention those very big ones that get away,” said the Rev. C. J. Tocker in his 'speech of welcome to Sir John Falconer at Invercargill. “And if the Mataura is the finest fishing river in New Zealand that means that it is practically the finest in the world,” Mr Tocker added.

Twice in One Night Having his car stolen twice in the same evening was the unusual experience which hefell a. Hastings resident. Mr A. S. Parker left the keys in the car when he parked it, and when he returned he found it gone. He informed the police, and a search was made for the vehicle, which was found later in the evening without the keys. The owner then disconnected the ignition wires so that the car could not be removed, and set out to produce a fresh set of keys. When he returned the car had again disappeared. It was later recovered by the police.

Winchmore Tennis Club A large attendance of members and visitors from neighbouring clubs took part in a yankee tournament held on the Winchmore Tennis Club’s courts on Saturday. The occasion marked the conclusion of the club’s activities for the season. The tournament was won by Miss M. Jones and Mr C. Parry. An enjoyable afternoon tea was served by the lady members of the club, and in the evening a most successful dance was held. Mrs Cook’s orchestra supplied the music, Mr H. Hunt played the extras and Mr J. S. Bland w r as master of ceremonies. Ducks with Numbers Recently the ranger of the Manawatu Acclimatisation Society has been engaged on the task of trapping wild ducks in the Palmerston North and Feilding districts. In accordance with a. new scheme of research adopted by the society he has been marking each bird with a metal ring around one leg. The rings are numbered and the numbers catalogued. About COO birds are now flying about, with number plates on as the result of this ti eatment. When they are shot during comingshooting seasons the rings are expected to he returned to Palmerston North, where data, such as the distance and direction travelled by the birds will he correlated.

Salmon Fishing Salmon fishing over the Easter holiday period was only fair. Fishermen at the Rakaia river-mouth had a good run during the week-end, over a score of salmon being taken on the Ashburton side. The Rangitata was discoloured over the latter part of the week-end, and was not fishablc yesterday. Mr S. Andrews caught two in the Ashburton yesterday morning, and a small number was caught during the week-end. Many salmon were caught in the tail-race of the Highbank power station when the water was turned off on Thursday, the fish being clearly seen in the calm water. It was rumoured yesterday afternoon that over 300 had been caught in the tail-race.

Auckland Shipping Delays Delays which, in some cases, may extend to several weeks, will occur in landing thousands of tons of overseas and coastal cargo carried by ships waiting to discharge at Aunckland. Five of the six overseas ships at anchor in the stream have inward cargo and consignments in the holds of two smaller vessels given non-dis-charging' berths at the wharves bring the total cargo involved to between 15,000 and 20,000 tons. When waterfront work was resumed this morning after a four-day Easter _ recess, all ships were manned with the full labour required. A total of 330 non--union watersiders was engaged to bring the clay’s manning to the unusually large figure of 1810. —P.A.