LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 129, 16 March 1950, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Factory to Close > The linen flax factory at Washdyke will close down on April 28. The reason, it is thought, is that the industry is no longer economical. The-factory has been in existence for 10 years and at present has about 46 employees.

Address at Rotary Luncheon The address at the weekly luncheon of the Ashburton Rotary Club to-day was given by Mr W. L. Jolly, principal of the Ashburton High School. “The Political Organisation of the U.S.A.” was the subject, concluded from last week’s meeting.

No Art Union Prizes Ashburton holders of tickets in the “Lucky Kiwi” art union failed to draw a single prize. The winner of the first prize of £2OOO was Mr Charles Reid, an elderly retired resident of Gore, who formerly worked on the Homer tunnel. He took the ticket under the nom-de-plume “Nit Wit.”

Demand for Electricity That New Zealand “shortages” of electricity are occasioned not by diminishing sources of supply but by rapidly increasing demand is to be gathered from the Abstract of Statistics for February. Taking 1938-39 as a base of TOO the demand mounted to 176 for 1946, to 180 by December, 1947, 200 in 1948, and 213 in 1949more than double in 10 years.

Judgments by Default Judgment by default has been entered by the Registrar of the Ashburton Magistrate’s Court in the following civil cases: PI. H. Freer v. L. N. Richards, claim £9 16s 6d, costs £1; John Orr and Co. v. W. McClimont, claim £3 18s Bd, costs £1 Is; National Mortgage and Agency Company of New Zealand v. Basil Graham Scoon, claim £7 16s 6d, costs £1 Bs.

They Worked Hard Speaking'at the complimentary social 'tendered the Ashburton Silver Band by the Citizens’ Committee in the band-room last evening, Cr. H. G. Ferrier said that he knew how hard the band had worked to win the quickstep. He lived in the vicinity of the Domain, and he had heard the band so piuch that he had got to the stage o||jmasticating his food 120 chews to the minute. New Settlers’ Association The new settlers in Ashburton, English speaking and others, recently formed a iNew Settlers’ Association. Mr Frank Hounsome was elected president, and Mr Ron Grimes, treasurer, with a committee of six. At a meeting of the committee and officers last evening arrangements were made for a social gathering at the end of this month.. There are 52 settlers in the county, and it is hoped that the attendance at the first social will encourage the association to map out a programme which will give the new arrivals a centre of interest and enable them to keep contact. Community centre Committee Last evening’s meeting of the general committee of the Ashburton Com-! munity Centre was concerned principally with preparation for the annual meeting, to be held at the centre in a fortnight’s time. The business of the organisation has grown to such an extent that recommendations will be made by the committee to the annual meeting for considerable reorganisation of its conduct. Members expressed satisfaction with the terms of the annual report, and gratification at the financial statement, which reveals a much improved situation.

Fine Spirit Shown In more than one instance in the course of speeches made at the complimentary .social tendered the Ashburton Silver Band by the Citizens’ Committee last night. was a fine spirit of sportsmanship displayed. The conductor (.Mr R. Milligan) while expressing pleasure at the success achieved at the recent contest, said that the band had naturally been disappointed at its placing in the second test, but at the same time they recognised that the .judge had given his verdict, and they had accepted the decision. Other speakers praised the soloists, two of whom who had not secured prizes remarking that they had been quite happy because they had done their best. It had to be remembered, they remarked, that it took good losers to make 'good winners.

Describing the Army The term “New Zealand military forces” is no longer being used to describe the Army. It has been replaced by the term "New Zealand Army,” which covers both Regulars and Territorials' This change of terms is only one of several the Army has introduced recently with the _ object of bringing the peace organisation into line with the war organisation, and more particularly to achieve the integration of the Regular Force and the Territorial Force in the one New Zealand Army. In a letter to commanders of army districts, schools, formations, and units the Chief of the General Staff, Major-General K. L. Stewart, says that in the past there have been unnecessary distinctions between Regulars and Territorials.—P.A.

Racing Peg*'on Shot A racing pigeon, Red Tip, suffered severe injuries from gunshot wounds when flying in a race from To Kuiti to Auckland on Saturday. Owned by Mr A. Alexander, the bird was riddled with pellet holes and had its right leg smashed. An endeavour will be made to heal the injuries, although the bird will not again be able to race. The president of the Victoria Racing Pigeon Club, Mr J. G. Doughty, said that birds often arrived at their destination in similar condition. “In Saturday's race everybody’s birds were split up, and it would appear that they ran into a party of the socalled sports,” he said. Other owners also suffered losses as the result of this race.”—P.A.

Freak Budgie Experts at the Australian Museum, Sydney, have preserved for posterity a'budgerigar with freak colouring. It has a sham division of colours running from head to tail. Viewed from one side, it is mainly blue with some grey and white. Turn to the other side and it appears to be a different bird—mainly green with a dash of yellow. There is only a million-to-one chance of this oddity being repeated in exactly the same way. One authority says he has heard of it happening here only once before. Budgerigars are among the most popular of Australia’s great parrot family, and fanciers have bred an amazing range of new. colours among these so-called “love birds.” The freak budgerigar was a cage bird that had been bred about five years ago. It was a male, but its owner was never able to mate it.—“Kanangra” m the “Sydney Morning Herald.”