LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 262, 23 August 1950, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Another Chimney Fire M n The Ashburton Volunteer Fire Brigade received a call to a chimney fire at Mr J. Morgan’s residence, 123 Aitken Street, shortly before 6 o’clock last evening. Only slight damage was caused. New Zealand Rotarians , “I am sure that New Zealand is a great country, because there are more Rotarians here a head of population than in any other country one Rotarian for every 560 people,” said the secretary of Rotary International, Mr Phillip Lovejoy, of Chicago, addressing the Wellington Rotary Club yesterday. Mr Lovejoy added that the Rotary Foundation Fellowship scholar to New Zealand would’be Mr Robert Tripp, of Omega, -Oregon. Mr Tripp would arrive soon. —(P.A.) Atom Bomb Protection , , The majority of buildings to be constructed by the Australian Commonwealth Government in the future will have their basements reinforced against atomic radiation, said Australia s Acting-Defence Minister (Mr P. A. Mcßride). This will apply to the administrative block now under construction Tii Canberra and to another building in Brisbane. The basements will be built of specially reinforced concrete and will be proof against blast and radiation. —Canberra, Aug. 22 Timaru Competitions' Margaret Sandrey (Mt. Somers) was highly commended in the final of the sight reading, girls or boys under 16 years, at the Timaru competitions yesterday. Pauline Rooke (Ashburton) was very highly commended in the character or semi-character dance, under 12 years. In the Highland Fling, girls or hoys under 8 years, Pamela Childs (Ashburton) was placed second with 69 pts. and Sheilagh Chapman (Ashburton) was highly commended. Ball Hut Road Blocked Fifty persons are still isolated at the Ball Plut, Mt. Cook, because of the blockage of the Hermitage-Ball Hut road by an avalanche which fell near Husky Flat during the week-end. Bulldozers were at work yesterday, but so far the road has not been cleared. The persons at the Ball Hutt are mostly University students who are visiting Mt. Cook for the New Zealand University Ski Championships. The championships, which were to have begun last Saturday, have not yet been held because of bad weather and unsuitable snow.

Study Leave for Doctors i The Auckland Hospital Board considers that periods of six months’ overseas’ study leave for doctors would be sufficient in the majority of cases and would allow a greater number of medical officers to obtain leave in any one year. It is also of the opinion that it would bo more economical if medical officers taking overseas study leave on full pay were permitted to travel by air rather than sea, as this would reduce travelling time to a minimum and allow the doctor to devote more paid time to actual study. The board has decided to advise the Director-Gen-eral of Health, Dr. J. Cairney, of these views. v . Institute Thanked ■ In a letter received at a meeting of the Wheat Research Committee in Christchurch yesterday the electoral committee" and board of directors of United Wheatgrowers thanked the Wheat Research Institute for the work it had done in the breeding of better varieties of wheat and for the assistance it had given to flourmillers and bakers in putting New Zealand wheat to better use. Mr R. T. McMillan, who wrote the letter as chairman of United Wheatgrowers, said that at a recent meeting of the electoral committee it had been reported that New Zealand wheat had superior baking qualities to Australian wheat and that tor this reason "the bakers, at their recent conference in Invercargill, had pased a resolution requesting the Government to encourage New Zealand wheatgrowing for the sake of bread quality. Male Voice Choir r The sec&nd of a series of quarterly concerts by the Toe H male voice choir to inmates of the . Tuarangi Home was given recently. The choir, under the baton of Mr C. E. I-lopwod, displayed good balance in the part songs, and promises to establish itself as yet another musical combination of which the town can feel justly proud. The songs chosen, although not difficult, were good concert numbers, and with the individual items, were well received. At the conclusion of the concert the master of the Home (Mr N. W. Corbett) expressed the gratitude of the inmates, and wished the choir every success. The programme was: Choir, “God Defend New Zealand” and “Here’s a Health Unto His Majesty”; monologues, Mrs R. J. Jordan; song, Mr I. Jackson; choir, “Long, Long Ago”; instrumental, Messrs J. Horsburgh, C. Dellow and N. Hopkins; song, Mr R. Hayward; choir, “Smilin’ Through” and “Abide With Me”; monologue, Mrs Jordan; song, Mr D. K. Norrisli; instrumental, Messrs Horsburgh, Dellow and Hopkins; choir, “Bobby Shafto and “Drink to Me Only”. Mr W. Moore, F.S.M.C., England, representing Procter’s (Opticians since 1577), Christchurch, arrives in Ashburton to-morrow on a professional visit. (Adyt.)