LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 146, 2 April 1948, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton’s Sunshine

Sunshine registered at the Ashburton Domain during last month totalled 174.9 hours.

Money Found by Housemaid A sum of £395 sewn in a garment left on a bed was found by a housemaid in a private hotel in Hamilton when she was tidying the room after it had been occupied by a middleaged couple. She noticed the garment crinkle when she picked it up, and on pulling away some stitches found the money. It was restored to its owner.

Post Office Employment An amendment to the Post and Telegraph (Staff) Regulations gazetted tonight gives effect to section 3 oj the Post and Telegraph Amendment Act, 1947, which requires that every person in continuous employment of the department shall be or become a member of the Post and Telegraph Employees’ Association and Officers’ Guild except in cases where exemption is granted by the Minister. —P.A, Australian Anzac Visitors So many members of Australian returned servicemen’s organisations have applied to come to New Zealand for the celebration of this year’s Anzac Day services that a ballot will be necessary to decide who will be chosen to make up the party of 50. The party is due at Wellington by the Wahine from Sydney on April 20 and will return to Australia on May 7. —P.A. Work Commenced Work on the construction of a new temporary Money Order and Savings Bank office near' the Ashburton Post Office has been started. It is expected that the new building will he ready for use in about two months. The space which will be available in the main Post Office when the savings bank’s section is movpd to the new building will probably be used by the clerical branch, which is at present in the mail room. Women’s Missionary Union Mrs J. S. Murray, president, presided at the meeting, of the Presbyterian Women’s Missionary Union yesterday. Letters of sympathy were sent to Mrs Drayton, Mrs J. Bennett and Mrs F. McKenzie. A missionary letter from Mrs L. Dodds, of Dunedin, was read. Final arrangements were made for the P.A. luncheon to be held on April 14. Mrs E. Farrar then addressed the meeting on. the Egypt General Mission in Cairo. ,

County Rates A total of £65,696 had been collected at the Ashburton County Council’s office up to March 31. This figure represents 98.89 per cent, of the amount struck, which'was £66,432. A total of £736 is still outstanding, compared with £662 outstanding at March 31, 1947. The rates collected up to March 31 last year constituted a record of 98.98 per cent., and the rates collected this year up to March 31 were only 0.09 per cent, below that figure.

Anglers in Difficulty When fishing at the mouth of the Waitahanui River about 11 o’clock on Tuesday night;' Mr W. Anderson, of Auckland, stepped over the ledge at the Rip and fell into a hole where the water was Oft. deep. He was wearing waders, and was in immediate danger. Mr T. Murphy, also, of Auckland, went to his assistance, hut he in turn got out of his depth, and it was only through the prompt action of Messrs W. and A. Burns, of Auckland, that the two men were brought ashore. They suffered no illeffects.

St. Andrew’s Badminton Club Officers elected at the annual meeting of St. Andrew’s Badminton Club were as follow:—President, the Rev. D. Steedman; vice-presidents, Mrs A. Kelly, the Rev. J. S. Murray, Dr. W. R. Ryburn and Dr. W. G. Todd, Messrs W. R. Lane, E. Buchanan, R. D. Cochrane, H. Morris and E. A. Cockroft; club captain, Mr M. Jordan: vice-cap-tains, Miss M. Russell and Mr F. Moore: secretary and treasurer, Mr R. Russell; committee. Miss N. Ridley, Messrs K. Cookson and G. Campbell. It was decided that the opening night should be on Wednesday next.

S.A. Band Honoured The Ashburton t Salvation Army Band has been invited to attend the annual congress to be held in Dunedin this week-end. It will participate in a special musical festival of South Island bands to-morrow evening, as well as in a similar function in the Botanic Gardens on Sunday afternoon. The selections chosen are the tone poem •‘Where Duty Calls” (Jakeway) and the march “Montreal Citadel” (Audoire). It is also the chosen band to play a devotional selection in the broadcast service from 4YA on Sunday evening. The band travels by the midnight express train this evening and returns on Monday morning.

Art Union Winner An error was made at the drawing of “My Easter Egg” art union in Wellington yesterday in the original crediting of the first ticket to an Auckland buyer The ticket is in the possession of Mr F. G. Hood, Wellington, who says the organisers of the art union now agree that there was a mistake. Mr Hood says that when he recently bought the racehorse Terrific lie bought a ticket in Willis Street, Wellington, the same day, using the horse’s name as a pseudonym. _ The box number given is that of a private box at the Chief Post Office, which he has rented for the last 20 years, Mr Hood’s ticket also won the last of the £5 prizes.

Kindergarten Committee At the meeting of the Ashburton Free Kindergarten Committee last evening, Mrs E. C. Bathurst presided over an excellent attendance. Mrs T. Philips read the report and the Director, Miss D. Love, presented a very satisfactory report also. Bathurst thanked the outgoing local committee for all they had done last year, and also thanked Mrs Leask and the present local committee for undertaking to help this year. The present roll number at the kindergarten is 60, the limit permitted for kindergartens. There are several children at the right age on the waiting list, and they will be admitted as soon as there are Vacancies.