LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 160, 19 April 1949, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gruelling Test At Indianapolis recently a severe test was undertaken by motor cars, a seven days and nights reliability contest. The Austin company entered a stock car, driven by three drivers in relays. Motorists who favour “British made” will await results with interest. .

Holiday Fishing • • In spite of the unfavourable preholiday account of the state of the rivers some fishermen have had good sport over the week-end. Fishing at Rangitata mouth one sportsman secured a 141 b salmon, and another a bag* of eight trout. Some success, too, was won by anglers at the Rakaia Gorge yesterday. '

Ashburton Dancers’ Successes Dancing at the Woodbury sports on Saturday, Pattie Arnst was first in Highland Fling under eight years, and Pauline Roolre was second in Seaun Triubhais under 10 years. Also at the Mackenzie County jubilee show, held at Fairlie, Pattie Arnst was second ill Highland Fling under eight years and third in Highland Fling under 10 years.

School Journals

The Education Department’s issue of school journals continues the varied features noted last month. Family and animal stories abound for smaller children, star stories and aeroplanes those of middle-school ages, a “birds” crossword puzzle concludes 20 pages of reading in Part II T, while the everintriguing “Gulliver,” a Chinese story, and a “Sea” crossword are features of the seniors’ copy.

In Town To-day The streets in Ashburton are quieter to-day than is usual on a Tuesday. Firms in West Street, the banks, schools, and the Borough aiul County offices are still closed. Retail firms however, particularly those dealing with “daily wants,” report that they are normally busy. Heavy traffic this morning to Riccarton accounts for at least some of the diminished numbers in town.

Ducks at the Sports Students released three ducks in the Riddiford baths, Wellington, last evening, during the university swimming championships. For some time they eluded would-be capturers who floundered about the baths in vain endeavours to trap them. Two were at last seized and taken away. The other paddlfid about unperturbed while two championship events were decided. P.A.

Last N.Z. Officers in Japan “There are only two New Zealand officers left in Japan,” said Brigadier S. H. Crump, who returned to Auckland by the Monowai yesterday after serving for two years with the headquarters of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan. “I am one of the tail-end of the force. Things there are now all washed up.” Brigadier Crump twice commanded J-Force in a relieving capacity. —P.A.

Where are the Scots? It was thought , that the article m the “Otago Daily Times” which recently stated'that scores of people had called at the Christchurch Library with old copies of Burns’s poems in the hope that the copies were the rare Kilmarnock editions, might have caused a similar reaction in Dunedin, but only one woman was reported to have taken an old copy to the Dunedin Public Library. It was not the genuite article.

Forward Vision Everyone who in a rain-storm lias with lowered umbrella collided with an approaching pedestrian will appreciate the news that smallsize see-where-you’re-going umbrellas provide New York youngsters with good protection from showers. Parents will appreciate reminders printed on the transparent Vinylite plastic top : Traffic policemen and safety mottoes. Handle is moulded in the form of a red, green and yellow traffic light.

Fairlie Show Successes

Competing at the 51st annual show of the Mackenzie County Agricultural and pastoral Association at Fairlie yesterday, J. S. and R. B. Lilley (Mount Hutt) secured a number of award's. Their entries were placed first in the following’ classes: Harness horse (14.2-15 hands), best utility horse in harness, best harness horse, best turn-out, ponies 14 hands and under, ponies 14 to 14.2 hands, pony (mare or gelding) 13 hands or under.

In Praise of Tea No drinking song ever matched the eloquence of Lo Thing’s panegyric on tea. Over 1000 years ago he wrote, “The first cup moistens my lips and throat, the second breaks my loneliness, the third cup searches my bowels, the fourth raises a slight perspiration—all the wrongs of life flow away through my pores. At the fifth I am purified; the sixth cup calls me to the realms of the immortals. The seventh cup—Ah! I could drink no more!* I feel the breath of the cool wind rising in my sleeves. Where is Elysium? Let me rise on this sweet breeze and waft away thither.” Our Debt to China England’s greatest debts to China are silk and tea. But the list of plants, flowering and other, that have their origin in this ancient land is astounding, no fewer than 3000 species being >sent to England even • 100 year's ago. The flowers include the genera, lilidm, prunus, pyous, rosa, lonerica, and rhododendron —and a very short list, compared with the total, comprises anemone, I‘orsythia, denfzia, primula, wistaria, chrysanthemum and tea-roses. When one adds the edible fruits orange, lemon, citrus, peach, apricot and walnut something of what the West owes is understood.

Harvest Workers This year 2408 men and women were found by the Department of Labotir and Employment for work in Nelson raspberry and bop gardens, orchards, and tobacco fields. Of these 2317 were brought to Nelson from other centres. The workers came from all parts of New Zealand, Auckland sending 359 men and women, Wellington 253, Christchurch 217, Dunedin 121, Invercargill 84, Gisborne 73, and New Plymouth 90. A surprising number of women from other countries have worked in Nelson this harvest. They came from Canada, the Netherlands East Indies, the United States, and Australia. Most have been making a working tour of New Zealand and have stayed in the Nelson district only five or six weeks, but others have remained for the whole season.—P.A.-