MID-CANTERBURY

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20336, 8 September 1931, Page 5

MID-CANTERBURY

ASHBURTON. FIRST VOLUNTEER PARADE. The Ashburton unit of the Canterbury Begiment will hold its first parade, under the volunteer training system, this evoning. A total of 27 volunteers have been enrolled to date, including a number of the members of the old Territorial force and 12 Senior Cadets. The average age of the recruits is round about 20 years. The new uniforms have arrived, and most of the men have been issued with their equipment. Abattoir Returns. The following stock were slaughtered j at tho Ashburton abattoir last month: Cattle 121 (one condemned), sheep 018, lambs 4, calves 11, pigs 74. Music Examinations.' The following Ashburton candidates were successful in the theory examinations conducted by the Trinity College of Music, London, last June: — Associate—Gwenyth Woods (Mrs M. C. Cowan). Senior—Pass: Mary McLean (Miss A. M. Brunton, L.T.C.L.). Advanced Intermediate —Pass: Norman Thomas (Mrs A. H. McHardy, A.T.C.L.). Intermediate Honours: Margaret Wils u (Miss A. M. Brunton). Pass: Myra Sutherland (Miss L. Lewis, L.T.C.L.). Junior —Honours: Betty "Brown, Agnes ITydes, Dorothy Maidens (Miss A. M. Brunton), Thel'ma Shierlaw (Miss JNish, A.Mus.T.C.L.). Preparatory—Honours: Mary Chappell (Mrs A. McHardy), Gavin Common, John Welsh, Betty Furniss (Mrs Newton Jones), Winifred Cruickshank (Miss A. M. Brunton). Frost. Only four degrees of frost were recorded yesterday morning. Rifle Shooting. The Ashburton County Miniature Jiifle Shield, tho final shoot for which has just been completed, has been won by Ashburton with a total score of 1860. Lynnford were runners-up witb .1854, and Scaficld next with 3842. The County Cup was won by A. J. Shepherd (Ashburton), whose score was 236, while E. R. Truman and R. demons were runners-up with 234. Rugby Union. The Management Committee of the Ashburton Rugby Union met last evening, when the president, Mr \Y. H. Sarney, presided. Permission was granted tho llinds Club to enter two teams in tho Gcraldine seven-a-sido tournament and one team in tho Pleasant Point tournament. The Tinwald Club requested that its members be allowed to take part in a married versus single men's match, to bo played at Tinwald, next Saturday. Permission was granted. In reporting on the match with Canterbury B, Mr H. J. Chapnilin said that one member of the team, O. A. Whiting, did not consider it worth while to interview him till 12.30 p.m. on Saturday and tell him that he could not play. There had been some difficulty before with this kind of thing, and he considered that something should be done to prevent a recurrence. He had never seen such an exhibition of tackling on tho Ashburton ground. The forwards had not nearly [ the same dash that had characterised ! their play against South Canterbury. [ The trouble was that the team lacked representative match experience. Members expressed the opinion that Whiting had acted very discourteously. It wa& decided to ask Whiting why he did not 'interview tho secretary of the Union early in the week <ind tell him that he could not play. . Tho team to represent the county against North Otago at Oamaru on September 19th will be chosen from the following:—S. Tennal, J. Robinson, E. Henderson, J. Lilley, C. Davison, ». McKcndry, H. Lamb, K. McCormiek, M. Hecnan,' G. Dalton, N. Murdoch, F. Fox, B. Doig, P. H. Doig, C. Dolan, .T; Dolan, C. Pawson, J. Mulhcrn, and D. Glaffy. Players are requested to attend practice at the Show Grounds tomorrow at 7.30 p.m. Borough Council. The Ashburton Borough Council met last evening, when the Mayor'(Mr W. H. Woods) presided. There were also present Crs. F. Z. D. Kerriman, W. IX. Runcfle, F. W. Soldon, J. \Vatson, J. Thompson, W. H. Robinson, H. B. O. McElrea, E. H. Orr, i\ J. E. Smallbone, and It. Kerr. The Mayor reported that the receipts received since the previous meeting, had totalled £935 18s 3d. The ttt. Hon. J. G. Coates, Leader of the Opposition, wrote . thanking the Council for its letter setting out the views of a meeting of Ashburton ratepayers ahd residents concerning wheat duties. He assured the Council that the question would havo his careful consideration. A letter dealing with the same subject tvas received from the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. W. B. Taverner), who said lie would bear the representations in mind when tlia matter came up for consideration iu the House.

The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. U. W. Forb'os) noted tho Oouncil's support of the resolution passed by the Hastings Borough Council concerning the Building Construction Bill, and stated that the measure was at present before a Parliamentary Select Committee on Local Bills, and he was arranging for the representations made to receive the careful consideration of the Committee.

The opinion of Mr David Jones, M.P., as expressed in a letter to tho Council, was that the Bill was unduly burdensome to building construction, and he intended to oppose the greater portion of the Bill when it. came before the House. Circular letters were received from the Public Works Department, Christchurch, and the Main Highways Board, Wellington, dealing with the matter of the increase in subsidy payable on maintenance work on main highways.

The town clerk (Mr W. Patterson) said that he had sent the Council's claims on.

Correspondence relating to the proposed fire-prevention clean-up week was received from the Inspector of Fire Brigades, and it was decided to support the proposal. ~Tho sum of £1 is was votod to the Ashburton branch of the Workers' Educational. Association..

In connexion with the operations of the Special Parliamentary Committee the Prime Minister's Office. Wellington, forwarded a questionnaire. The town clerk was asked to supply the information.

The Department of Lands and Survey, Christchurch, wrote asking the Council if it should share the cost of a re-survey of the borough.

The town clerk said that the Chief Surveyor had informed him that it would cost between £6l> and £BO a mile. There was not a survey peg in Hampstead. Mayor said that the Council had not £BO set aside, and lie doubted if the present was an opportune time to embark on the scheme.

The Council decided that it could not consider the undertaking during the present financial year. With regard to thu £329- 14s subsidy on rates received by the Council, the town clerk said thut the amount of subsidy as fixed by Section 22 of the Municipal Corporations, Act. was £3C(J 6s Bd. It was decided to protest to the member rr district. M,r D. Jones. j B . *^ s ' l hurton Sports Association forwarded a cheque (or £l7 Gs, representing the balance owing by tbe Association to the Domain Board. The Association pointed out that the following clubs had defaulted in payments:—Atfffetic Club fa. Primary School £l, and United Football Club £1 ss. The sum of £3 10s had been rebHted to the Te llarae Tennis Club. While the Association could not hold itself responsible for nny of the outstanding amounts, if any .payments be ; made in the near future* the Council would be advised.

This was referred to the Domain Committee.

mittee. A letter was received from u Timaru firm which stated that it understood that t-ho late Mr W. Patching had left £SO for the supply of garden seats for the Ashburton Domain, and the company would be pleased to quote prices either for the seats complete or for tbe cast-iron ends bored "and painted, ready.for .the woodwork to be fitted. The company was at present making 72 seat castings for the. Timaru Borough Council. In view of tho fact that the Council had not r«o«iv»d uay official intimation of

information contained in the letter, kotion was held over, tho town clerk remarking that light wooden .forms which could be made locally, and which could bo easily shifted, would be more suitable for the Domain. It was reported that there was a credit of £25 19a (id in the Cemetery Account. The borough inspector (Mr J. R. Bichardson) reported that he had issued 14 motor drivers' licenses, bringing the total to 803. One permit for a dwelling (£700) had been issued. The Postmen's Social Club,- Christohurch, wrpte asking for the use of the Domain either on Boxing Day or on Now Year's Day. It was decided that the town clerk should confer with the Cricket Association before replying to the letter. The Timaru TJnited Friendly Societies' Association was granted the use of th« Domain on Saturday, January SOth, for its annual picnic. STAVELEY. * Owing to tliu suow on Saturday, the final of the junior Rugby competition, hpringburn v. Methven, was postponed. A good number of local ladies has Promised to join a local branch of the Women's Institute', which it is proposed to establish shortly. It is many years since turnip grazing lor sheep hits been let at such cheap rates. Several local farmers have their nocks out grazing at a charge.of 2d a head a week, for which one farmer is reported to be charging only 14- An abundant crop (which on many places is still lasting) has been the reason for these low charges. After a fortnight of wot and dull tliiys, Friday was again sunny and drying ; but on Saturday a wild sou'-wester came up about 9 a.m. Soon a little sleet and then thick snow was falling, so that by mid-day there were about two inches lying. The snow eased in the afternoon; but more fell at night. Sunday, however, was bright and the enow had melted by noon. The storm was very hard on stock, especially where winter feed was finished, but for- i tunatcly lambing is still some weeks away. By a peculiar coincidence this is the third year in succession on which snow has fallen on the last Saturday of these school holidays. Hard frosts, winch checked the growth in grass, followed the snow. HINDS. The basketball team and hockey team played a friendly game of basketball on Thursday afternoon, the basketball team winning by 28 goals to 1. Miss N. Davis acted as referee. Afterwards tho hockey team defeated the basketball team at hookey by 7 goals to 1. Miss N. Lowe was referee. Both games proved very amusing. The Hinds hockey team travelled to Winchester on Saturday and played a friendly match, the game being very even and excitiug. Winchester were the winners with one goal to nil. The basketball club held a dance in the hall on Saturday evening, there being a largo attendance. A presentation was made to Misses I. ana K. Moore, members of the club, who are leaving the district. Mrs Hall, president of the club, spoke of the'good work done by the Misses Moore Mr A. Elms acted as M.C. Music was supplied by tho Chapman Hartley Band. Quite a heavy fall of snow was experienced in the district on Saturday night. The rainfall for the month of August was 1 inch 45 points. Rain fell on 13 days, the heaviest rainfall for the month was on August 2oth. Rain fell on tho first three days of September, the first day 44 points, second day 1 3 points, and the third day 13 points. RUAPUNA. Owing to bad weather, the attendance at the weekly meeting of the Workers' Educational Association on Saturday evening was not as good as usual. The meeting, which was conducted by the deputy leader, Mr G. Glassey, was devoted to the opera, fAndrea Chenier," a paper being read on the subject, accompanied with gramophone selections. The play, "Eossnm's Universal Robots," was read and commented upon. At the weekly Red Cross meeting on Friday there was a good attendance. Sister Christian gave an instructive lecture on infections diseases. A written examination is to be held on September 10th, and a practical examination on the 21st v At the close of the meeting afternoon tea was handed round. Heavy, rain and snow fell on Saturday, registering 41 points. On Sunday morning there were two and a-half inches of snow on the ground. Sixteen degrees of frost,were on Sunday morning. On Monday morning fourteen degrees were registered.