LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 78, 12 January 1949, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Busiest Day at Library A total of 524 books were issued at the Ashburton Public Library last Friday, which is a record, according to the librarian (Mrs E. Opie).

Plunket Shield Gate Takings The gate takings at Eden Park, Auckland, for the fourth day of the Auckland-Canterbury Plunket Shield cricket match yesterday were £192. This brought the total for the match to £1023, an Auckland record. This is £3 below the record set in the match between Canterbury and Otago at Lancaster Park at Christmas time. —P.A.

Heavy Rainfall in Hastings The rainfall in Hastings already this month is the heaviest for a decade. There has been rain almost every day since New Year’s Day and the total for 10 days is now 4.21 inches, the highest since the, phenomenal rain in January, 1938, when there were 11.12 inches, the second highest on record for January in 5G years of keeping the records. —P.A.

Campers’ High Praise There were 70 caravans altogether in the Ashburton Domain camping grounds over the Christmas period. Although the majority made the grounds a port-of-call only, many made their stay longer. A couple who have been camping there for over a fortnight are Mr and Mrs J. W. Routledge, of Christchurch, who have visited every camping ground in the South Island and who are of the opinion that none can compare with Ashburton s. “The surroundings are so beautiful and restful,” they said. “YVe'shall be sorry when we have to leave.”

Chaplains on Immigrant Ships Special voyage chaplains will travel in immigrant ships from Britain to Australia this year with free passages granted by the Commonwealth Government. Advice has been received in Auckland by Canon I-I. K. Vickery, chaplain of the Plying Angel Mission to Seamen, that the Rev. R. T. Jourdain, Port Chaplain in London for the Church of England Society, which is interested in the spiritual welfare of new settlers, is travelling to Australia in the liner Esperance Bay to inquire into the arrangements. Mr Jourdain will make a tour of all ports in Australia and New Zealand and will discuss immigration matters with the Government and with church authorities. —P.A.

Vegeterian Schoolboys’ Attributes “Vegetarian schoolboys are outstanding for physical endurance and anything calling for accuracy of judgment,” said Mr W. A. Sibley, a former headmaster of Wycliffe School, England, who arrived in Melbourne in the liner Orcades. He added that vegetarian schoolboys did not shine at football or sprinting, but were remarkable for their mental alertness, and were brilliant at cricket and rifle shooting. Mr Sibley, who is president of the International Vegetarian Union, said that Springfield Hall at Wycliffe, which had 50 vegetarian boys, bad won the school cross-coun-try championship for 10 years in succession, and all kinds of boxing conteste. —Melbourne, January 11. No Issues When asked if there were any specific issues which the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) would take up with the United States Government in Washington, the New Zealand Ambassador to the United States (Sir Carl Berendsen) said: “I rang the State Department, a few days ago to arrange an appointment with Mr Lovett (the Acting-Secretary of State) and an official asked me the same question—-were there any issues between the United States and New Zealand that Mr Fraser could discuss? 1' said there were none, and this official replied, ‘Say, I wish all official visitors to Washington had nothing to take up with us.’ I think this speaks wonders for New Zealand and shows the marvellous co-operation between New Zealand and the United States. There just are not any issues between the two Governments.” —New York, January 10.