LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 263, 19 August 1949, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Scarlet Fever Case in County Only one case of infectious disease, this being of scarlet fever, was reported in Ashburton County during the past month.

Chimney Fire At 7.15 this morning the Ashburton Fire Brigade was called to a chimney fire at the Commercial Flats. The blaze was extinguished without difficulty, and no damage resulted.

Dog Registrations Doga registered with the Ashburton County Council last month totalled 318. bringing the total for the year, to that date, to 2722, compared with only 2329 in 1948.

Ccunty Driving Licences During the first six weeks of the current licensing year, 3092 motor drivers renewed their licences at the Ashburton County Council office, paying fees aggregating £773, compared with the previous year’s total of 4069 (fees £lOl6 ss).

West Coast Visit

One alteration has been made to the programme of entertainment planned for the West Coast football team next week. The official welcome will be given by the Mayor at a community sing, to bo held in the Foresters’ I-lall between 12.30 and 1.30 on Tuesday next.

Indoor Bowling Match A return indoor bowling match played between the Homeservicemen’s Association and the R.S.A. Ladies’ Club resulted in a win on points for the R.S.A. ladies. The scores were: H.S.A., 3 games, 54 points; R.S.A. ladies, 2 games, 58 points.

Less Traffic, More Offences

Though there appeared to be less traffic, driving offences in Ashburton County during July were more prevalent than in previous months, reported Traffic Inspector J. A. Arthur, to today’s meeting of the County Council. This was due partly, he added, to inclement weather conditions, but mainly to the fact that more checking of vehicles was carried out than usual.

War Memorial at Rakaia Advice was received by the Ashburton County Council to-day, from the Department c£ Internal Affairs, that the erection of a community centre as a war memorial at Rakaia had been approved in principle. Provided the final plans are approved, the Department added, a £ for £ subsidy on money raised locally wound be available.

Jobs Begging

The Government’s half-yearly survey of employment indicates in detail ihe number of vacancies in an almost bewildering range of occupations. Some shortages are—in textiles, clothing am] leather trades ’5991, 1 transport and communication 208, distributing trades 1137, administration and professional callings 2336.

Rakaia Township Traffic Adopting a recommendation by Traffic Inspector J. A. Arthur, the Ashburton County Council to-day decided to place a raised dome at the corner of Macltie Street (Rakaia), and the main Rakaia-Methven-Barrhill Road. The inspector had reported that motorists turning right into Mackie Street had a tendency to cut the corner, and that several near collisions had been reported.

English Traffic In an English letter received by the last air-mail an Ashburton man who has now been some months in the Old Country writes to friends here of the places he has visited, but continues, “The human touches appeal to me. Watching the main road to London on a Sunday morning and again on Sunday night we see a solid block of traffic for five hours returning to London. The roads are one-way roads of modern construction.”

The Real Thing

Recently Mr Frank Ponton, a director of the National Film Unit, asked the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research to create some fog for him in connection with a road safety film he is making, entitled “Visibility Poor.” The following morning he cancelled the order, for the veiy good reason that there was real fog, plenty of it, almost at the doors of the studios in Miramar. Going out with a cameraman, Mr Ponton, got all the shots he wanted on the nearby hills.

Use for Implements ‘fit’s news to me I had housebreaking implements,” said Norman Charles Spinley, aged 38, when he was charged in the Magistrate’s Court at Auckland yesterday. "I had a torch to see, gloves to keep me warm, and a file to do my nails with.” ‘‘You are a public nuisance,” said Mr J. H. Luxford, S.M., sentencing Spinley to a year s imprisonment. Spinley was charged with the theft of sums of money totalling £l2 Os Sd and keys belonging to the Auckland University College Students’ Association, and with having housebreaking implements.—P.A.

History Made in Islands History was made in the New Hebrides last night, when the Presbyterian Church of the New Hebrides hold its first General Assembly. Until a year ago, the Presbyterian Church work in the islands was under the direct, control of missionaries, hut last year control was handed over to the native church, with the title of “The Presbyterian Church in the Neve Hebrides.” The missionaries continue to act as guides and counsellors, and the first Moderator of the Assembly is the Rev. Graham Miller, LL.B., formerly of Dunedin.