ASHBURTON ITEMS.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17461, 23 May 1922, Page 10

ASHBURTON ITEMS.

The Shooting Season. Ashburton sportsmen are now making much smaller bags of ducks than was the case for the first fortnight of the season, as the birds are taking sanctuary in large numbers on the lakes in the Ashburton Domain and on the big sheet of well-sheltered water in the Tinwald Domain.. .. Large numbers also seek safe quarters at Mr Horsey'e homestead at Alford House, twenty miles- up from Ashburton, 'as well as at Longbeach, duck shooting being absolutely barred both-near. Alford House and at the Longbeach Home6tead. Some good_ bags have.. been made up the Ashburton Gorge above Mount Possession and Hakatere and in the direction at the Pots river and Mesopotamia. > Boxing. The news of Brian McCleary's . victory over Albert Pooley was received in Ashburton with great satisfaction, more especially as McCleary was formerly a member of the'Ashburton" Athletic Club,- which he really represented when he"-went to Australian Amateur Championship meeting last year. His victory on- Saturday night has added further interest to the big tournament .which will take place at the Ashburton Theatre Royal next Saturday, when he will_ bos an' exhibition sixround bout with C. Whitaker. Other events which are being looked forward to with interest are.the bouts in their respective classes between Griffith (Dunedin) and Ratner (Wellington), Terris (Ashburton) and Armstrong (Christchurch), Wellman (Ashburton) and Moulin (Christchurch), Pocock (Ashburton).' and Thompson (Christchurch), McDonald (Dunedin) and C. Napier (Wellington),'Stewart (Timaru) and McPhail (Ashburton), and McCormick (Ashburton)' and D. Parker (Christchurch). As the visiting boxers . will be in Ashburton over the week-end special arrangements have been- made fur their entertainment.

'•• Foresters' Ball. The. Foresters' annual ball attracted ©iter'6o couples, including members of kindred lodges and members of the Returned Soldiers'/Association. An invitation/was extended to the County Hospital staff of nurses, a number of whom were present. The hall had been beautifully decorated, under the direction of Mrs J. Main and Mrs C. Box, who also had charge of decorating th'e supper, rooms. The dance was a most enjoyable one. The music was

provided by Mr« A." Mitchell and Mr Thomas, extras being played by Messrs R. Harrison, D. Wilson, and Thompson. Sunday School Conference. The Sunday School Teachers' Conferi ence, which will take place in Ashburton on King's Birthday, is expected to be largoly attended, and special arrangements are being made for accommodating and entertaining all who are present. Miss Elliott, who has recently been giving a series of Sunday school work talks in Ashburton, will bo present, and will give' several addresses. :■ ,-■.-. Soldiers' Dance. The Ashburton Returned Soldiers hold another of their enjoyable dances on Saturday night, whon there was a good attendance, and. dancing was kept up till close on midnight. Borough Estimates. A special mertine of the Ashburton Borough Council was held last niaht. when the estimates for the ensuing year wero dealt with. I Essay Competition. Mr W F Waiters, headmaster of the Ashburton High. School, who judged the pssav competition hold ir. connexion wtth'the recent.Mayfield A. ana P Show ha'i mnflc. tho following awards:—Mndpo Corbet i, Mary Riley 2. Alexander Sewoll 3. There were 18 entries, and the competition was open to all schools. Each of tho three winners is a pupil of the Mayfield School. Help for the Blind. The Ashburton quota to,the Sir Arthur Pearson Memorial Fund for the Civilian Blind ofNew Zealand is £~oo, and the Mavor has convened a meeting of the committee which has been sot up to organise a public appeal campaign. Magistrate's Court. At the Ashburton Court yesterday, before W. H. Rundle, J.P., Joseph McCauliffe was fined £3 for being drunk in a railway carriage. Presentations. At a large and representative gathering of tho residents of Mayfield, Mr John Brown and Mrs Brown, of Burnside Farm, were entertained anu presented with tokens of appreciation of the valuable service each has rendered to the district for many years past. Mrs Brown did splendid work during the war, and Mr Brown gave valuable service in connexion with the new tost and Telegraph Office, and the telephone bureau. Mr Brown was presented with a gold pendant, in the shape of an envelope inscribed, "N.Z. Post and Telegraph, to Mr John Brown, for services rendered;'' and Mrs Brown with a Doulton-ware fruit dish on a silver stand. ,