LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 12, 25 October 1949, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Something To Crow About A Wanganui golfer, G. Crowley, has reason to crow over his Labour weekend successes on the municipal links. On Saturday he holed one and got two birdies. Yesterday'he got a rqal birdie on number two when a hayraker shot went wide and sliced the head off a white leghorn hen. —P.A.

Ashburton Successes at Southbridge

Competing at the Southbridge sports yesterday, Patricia Arnst (Ashburton) won the Highland Fling under ’eight years (26 entries) while in the under 10 years division (39 entries) Pauline Rooke was third. ' In the baby show Peter Campbell was awarded second place. >

“Can They Milk?” Members of the Whangarei Federated Farmers’ Sub-province were asked by the chairman at a meeting to extend hospitality to the group of Australian farmers who will visit Whangarei next month. “Can they milk?” asked one member. “If they can, I’ll take four of them home.”

Wekas for Zoo Eighteen North Island wekas arrived at the Wellington Zoo recently to join 100 South Island wekas. The North Island variety, which differs slightly from the southern, are dying out as bush areas become smaller. The zoo authorities hope to save the North Island wekas from extinction.

Profit On Cricket Tour

Mr J. H. Phillipps, manager of the New Zealand cricket team, which returned from England by the Rangitata to-day, said that New Zealand’s share of the gross takings was £40,000. This was five and a half times greater than that of the 1937 team. He could not state what the final expenses would be, but the estimated net profit to New Zealand would be £15,000. — P.A.

Shipping at Auckland For about six weeks almost every ship has been able to move alongside a berth immediately on arrival at Auckland, and at times several berths have been available. At present only nine overseas ships are in port. If timetables are maintained the picture will have greatly changed by the middle of next week. About 16 overseas ships are expected to arrive by then, and ‘only a few will sail. —P.A.

Went in One Day

“We got the first of our 1949 allocation of nylons a' short time ago, and I thought they would last a fortnight. They went in one day, so I leave it to you to decide how long 50 per cent, of the 1949 imports of fully fashioned silk and nylon stockings will last,” said a representative of a large Wellington retail drapery firm. He was commenting on the basic allocation for this line in the new schedule. Originally there was no basic allocation for 1949, but subsequently licences were issued.

Surprised and Amused There is at least one patron of Trentham who will not believe you if you tell her that the totalisator does not pay the odd threepences on 10s tickets. Collecting last meeting on a £1 19s 6d (for a £1), she pushed in her 10s ticket and a silver coin and received in exchange a £1 note. The teller was too surprised—and amused—to call her back and point out that a sixpence, and not a threepenny piece, was required.

Chinese Seek Hotel

Negotiations are at present going on for the purchase of the Mayo private hotel, Marion Street, Wellington, by the Chinese Association at an approved price of £12,500. The association intends to use the building as a hostel and also to provide accommodation particularly for Chinese women and children who may pass through the city. The association libs not always found it easy to arrange suitable lodgings for such folk.

Open-cast Coal Last year 25 per cent, of the coal burned in New Zealand was from open-cast mines, says the annual report of the State Coal Mines. Openeast mining has made a . valuable contribution to the economy of the Dominion, the report adds, and the knowledge and experience gained over the last few years have facilitated long-term planning. When the plant on order has arrived and capital works are completed, the Stockton open-cast project will compare favourably with the most modern in the world.

Car Overturns Near Racecourse When a small hired car skidded on the bend approaching the railway crossing at Racecourse Road corner, overturned and three of the four occupants later had to be treated as outpatients at the Ashburtcfn Public Hospital. Only minor damage was caused to the car. The party came from Drmedin and were on their way home when the i mishap occurred. George Salisbury 'Simm, aged 29, suffered injuries to his chin and a shoulder, while Pearl Milner, 27, and Frances McGilvray, 18, suffered severe shock. Ter. ence Lyons, 18, escaped injury.

Border Coliies

Four Border collies, sold by a Scottish farmer to New ‘Zealand sheepbreeders, arrived recently. Altogether about a dozen of these dogs, costing about £IOO and £l5O, are imported each year. New Zealand farmers have always been prominent in the market for the black, or blue-grey, and white Border collie, and have for many years relied on the importation of these highly-performed trial dogs to maintain a new influx of blood for breeding purposes. More importations are expected shortly as the result of purchases made by New Zealand farmers at the recent international sheep dog championships at Ayr, in Scotland.