LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 74, 7 January 1949, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Accident Victim Improving Some improvement was reported this afternoon in the condition of Mr S. J. Winfield, of Dunedin, who was admitted to the Ashburton Public Hospital on Wednesday, following jx car accident at Chertsey.

State of Fishing Rivers According to information received by the Ashburton Acclimatisation Society at noon to-day, the Rangitata and Rakaia rivers are not fishable, but the Ashburton River is clear enough for anglers.

Visiting Picnickers in Domain Members of the Winchester Women’s institute and their families held their annual picnic in the Ashburton Domain yesterday. The afternoon’s entertainment included a cricket 'match which all thoroughly enjoyed. The Temuka Women’s Institute will hold a picnic in the Domain on J.anuary 25, and the Waihi Sunday School picnic will be held there on January 27.

Consumption of Heroin In its first post-war report, the Permanent Central Opium Board says that the alarming increase in the use of heroin constitutes a grave problem, according to the Geneva correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph.” In spite of a warning issued in 1931, 12 of the 22 countries which are the heaviest users of the drug have increased their consumption since 1936. Among the worst offenders are New Zealand and Australia. —London, January 6.

Grass Fires Yesterday

Two minor grass fires occurred in the district yesterday. One was at Ealing, where' a County Council plantation was threatened and about half an acre of grass destroyed before the blaze (which began after a train had passed) was checked by men from two Plydro Electric Department vans and passing . motorists. The second blaze was on Mr C. T. A. Ward’s property at Newlands, where a small area was destroyed by fire started by a spark from a header.

Fatality at Grey mouth Trots Struck on the head by at least one horse and run over by a sulky, Sydney Thomas Hands, aged 57, the Springston trotting trainer, sustained injuries from which he died later, on the first day of the Greymouth Trotting Club’s meeting. He was driving Pacific Boy in the seventh event, when the wheels of two sulkies ahead of him became locked, and, in the subsequent tangle, Pacific Boy crashed. Mr Hands was thrown in the path of several horses closely-bunched just behind him.

Good Harvesting Season Harvesting returns in the Ashburton district indicate that farmers should have a most successful season. Heavier heads might have resulted had more rain been experienced earlier last year, but, according, to a leading farmer this afternoon, the results should be very good indeed. There was an earlier start to harvesting than fdr many years past, lie stated, and, taking into account the dry weather, the yields were excellent. Oats, in some parte of the county, were being threshed a fortnight before Christmas.

The Barque Pamir With a largely New Zealand crew the barque Pamir is expected to leave Wellington for South Australia at the end of this month on her voyage to Finland. She -will load barley, .probably at Adelaide, for London. Her crew of 32 and three officers will be supplemented by the wife of the ship’s first officer, Mrs K. C. Liewendahl, of New Plymouth. Eight seamen were signed on aboard yesterday morning. They had practically all served in the ship previously. They increased to 17 the number of seamen at present “wbrking by” the barque during the day. Fifteen ordinary seamen stood forward when five berths were called at the Government shipping office yesterday. —P.A. \

Volunteer for Space Ship Hte was prepared to volunteer for the first space ship to take off for regions GOO miles above the earth’s surface, said Captain, Robert McGowan in Melbourne to-day. Captain McGowan is a young South Australian scientist, and is in charge of rocket trials at the Woomera guided missiles range, in Central Australia.. He added that such a flight might be made in the by no means distant future. _ A space station moving in unison with the earth’s rotation was not fantastic. Rockets would give it an initial thrust to an altitude of 600 miles. After this it would go round indefinitely without power. To bring the station down, rockets would be used to retard its motion, and as it neared the earth a giant parachute would give it a gentle landing.—Melbourne, January G.