ASHBURTON ITEMS.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17343, 3 January 1922, Page 12

ASHBURTON ITEMS.

Personal. The Rev. J. F. AYiseman, vicar of St. Stephen's, Ashburton, left yesterday for a holiday tour through the North Island. The Rev. F. G. Brittan. will officiate during hs absence. At a gathering of the staff of the Ashburton branch of tlie .National Mortgage and Agency Co., Mr A. Anderson, v.'nu, alter about iiO years' service in the Ashburton office, has been promoted to the position of manager of the Gore branch, was made the recipient of a collection of photographs, in a handsome frame, depicting the local staff and branches ot the firm. Mr W. C. Brydon (manager), in making the presentation, spoke very highly of the faithful and able manner in which Mr Anderson had always discharged his duties, and warmly congratulated him on his well-earned promotion, Messrs T. H. Willis, H. Garney, E. Mahood, J. Smith, E. Rawnsley, J. M. Hampton, and others present, also referred to the untiring zeal, courtesy, and übility with which Mr Anderson had discharged his duties. Mr Anderson warmly thanked his associates for their tokens and expressions of appreciation. A presentation of a travelling rug was then made to Mr W. Bamford, who is leaving the firm's branch at Lyndhurst, to take up a position in Lyttelton. A lengthy toast list was duly honoured, and musical items were given bv Messrs T. Gimson, R. Frew, and li. Naylor. Plunket Society. At a meeting of the Ashburton Centre of the Plunket Society, there were present: Mesdames J. B. Christian (president), W. Birnie, F. W. Watt, E. Ruddick, J. Cow, and G. Russell. On the motion of Mrs Christian, sec- ' onded by Mrs Watt, Mrs E. F. Grigg, Mrs H. L. Barker, Miss Daviee, and Mrs C. Jennings, were made life-mem-bers, in recognition of their valuable

services to the Society. The Plunket nurse reported ns follows: Number of visits to homes 75, visits to office 409, visits to adults 203, visits to children 201. New cases: Adults 28, children 24, breast fed 12, supplemented 1, artificial 4, weaned 6, expectant mother 1. Magistrate's Court.

At the Magistrate's Court on Satur- | day, before Messrs R. Clark and J. B. i Christian, J.P.'s, Francis Joseph Quigley, a labourer, was brought up on remand on a charge of the theft of 17s Bd, the property of the Rev. J. F. "Wiseman. Jeremiah Bradley, labourer, was also brought up on remand, j charged with receiving £2l from Quiglev, knowing the same to have been i dishonestly obtained. The nccused I pleaded guilty, and were committed to I the Supreme Court, Christchurch, for | sentence. Bail was allowed each in I £IOO, and two sureties of £SO each, [ which were forthcoming. The Holiday. Perfect weather conditions prevailed at Ashburton yesterday, which was observed as a close holiday, and after the departure of the early morning trains the town wore a deserted appearance. A ferv journeyed to Timaru, but many more went on pleasure trips to favourita country places. The chief pleasure resort in'the town itself was the Domain, where small family picnic parties assembled. A team of Christian students now in conference at Ashburton played a cricket match with a local team in the afternoon, and the croquet lawn and the tennis courts were occupied with ; players. There was a big muster of ; members of the Ashburton Bowling J Club, who played a doubles tournament. | Vital Statistics. I The vital statistics for the month of I December for the Ashburton Registra--1 tion District are:—Births 34, deaths j 13, marriages 8. The figures for DeI cember, 1920, were: Births 32, deaths 8, j marriages 13. The figures for the year I 1921 are as follows, those for 1920 be- | ing given in parenthesis—Births 301 ' (396); deaths 150 (142); marriages 88 | (130).