MID-CANTERBURY

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21356, 26 December 1934, Page 6

MID-CANTERBURY

ASHBURTON MAGISTRATE'S COURT A sitting of the Magistrate's Court was held on Monday, when Messrs F. W. Watt and R. Kerr, Justices of the Peace, were on the bench. William James Joyce, Cambridge street, was charged with being found in a state of intoxication in charge of a car in Burnett street on December 22. Joyce, who was represented by Mr G. C. Nicoll, pleaded guilty. Sergeant W. T. Kelly said that Joyce was in a state of intoxication and drove his car into the rear of a car owned by Mr R. J. Tucker, which was standing on the side of the road in Burnett street, opposite the Fire Brigade Station, at 9 p.m. on Saturday. Mr Nicoll said Joyce was dazzled by the lights of an approaching car. There would probably be a substantial claim against him for damages to Mr Tucker's car.

Joyce was convicted and his license was cancelled for the remainder of the current licensing year. He was ordered to pay doctor's fees, £1 Is. A similar charge was preferred against Cecil Jordan Brooks, Cox street, who also pleaded guilty. Sergeant Kelly stated that accused was travelling on the wrong side of the road near the corner of Wellington and Eton streets on Saturday night and struck another car, which had stopped in an endeavour to avoid him. A fine of £2 was imposed and Brooks was ordered to pay doctors' fees £2 2s. Death From Burns Norman Scrimgeour, aged 21, son of Mr and Mrs D. Scrimgeour, Ashburton, who was badly burnt about the body and limbs on December 1, died in the Ashburton Public Hospital yesterday. He was a mechanic employed by Mr A. Hardy, cartage contractor, of Winchmore. and the accident occurred when petrol in a tin which he was using to clean the magneto of a motorlorry burst into flames, which enveloped the upper part of his body. Personal Dr. Norman Cox, of Timaru, is staying for a fortnight at "Glenthorne," Tancred street, Ashburton. Mr A. J. Ching left on Monday to spend his annual leave at the mouth of the Rangitata river. Mr G. J. Broker (assistant county clerk) and Mrs Broker are on holiday at Timaru. Christmas Day Christmas Day at Ashburton passed uneventfully. Local residents responded tp the warm weather conditions, and all picnic resorts within easy range of the town were popular. Many spent the day in the Ashburton river bed.

A week of enjoyment ended yester. day for the patients of the Ashburton Public Hospital. During last week concerts were given by the Ashburton Silver Band, Baring Square Methodist and St. Stephen's Anglican Church choirs, while a party of nurses went through the wards singing carols. Folk dances were given on the lawns outside the wards by the nurses and girl guides. The Baring Square choir distributed fruit to the patients. A variety of effective colour schemes was employed for the decoration of the wards and dining rooms, and the matron (Miss E. J. Watt) and staff were successful in creating an atmosphere of cheerfulness in the institution. Father Christmas arrived at 7 a.m. yesterday and, accompanied by a large Christmas tree on a trolly, he visited every betf and distributed' a gift to each patient. At 9.45 a.m. the Rev. R. S. Watson, assisted by the Presbyterian Church choir conducted a service in the men's ward, while the Ven. Archdeacon A. J. Petrie, assisted by Mr J. C. Thompson (organist), held a short service in the women's ward. Christmas dinner was served at noon, the chairman of the Hospital Board (Mr W. G. Gallagher) assisting with the service. Ijj addition, the patients were allowed to entertain their friends to afternoon tea, while a programme of musical items, arranged by Mrs A. T. Smith, was given. The patients were given a special supper at 7 o'clock last evening. The staff of the hosiptal was entertained to Christmas dinner last evening.

Christmas this year was a happy one for inmates of Tuarangi Old Men's Home, the matron (Mrs F. H. Knight) and staff being untiring in their efforts in attending to the comforts of the old men. An attractive decorative scheme was employed to create an air of festivity. Each inmate was given a seasonal gift by Father Christmas, the principal contributors being Mr J. Connolly, M.P., Hyman Marks Trustees, St. Augustine Freemason s Empty Stocking Fund, Ashburton Club and the Mutual School of Arts, Ashburton Trotting Club, Ashburton Hospital Board, Miss Cameron (Tinwald), New Zealand Breweries, Ltd., Dr. J. R. Wells, and local tradespeople. Several entertainments were provided during the week. Fishing

As the Rakaia and Rangitata rivers were dirty during the week end the Ashburton river attracted a good number of anglers. A fair number of small trout were caught, the heaviest being about 41b. Earlier in the week an 11pound trout was caught by a local angler at the mouth of the river. Fishing up the river two anglers caught 17 trout averaging about three-quarters of a pound.

County Rates The Ashburton County Council's rates for the year 1934-35 are coming in well. The total rate struck for the current year is £19,193 4s. of which £3109 12s 6d was collected up to the time of closing the council's office on Monday. Bible Class Camp Three members of the St. Stephen's Boys' Bible Class, Lionel Armstrong, Aubrey Osman, and Owen Moore, left last evening to attend the annual camp of the New Zealand Anglican Young Men's Bible Class Union, which is being held this year at Hastings, commencing to-day and lasting until January 4. Christmas Carols Several parties from the Ashburton Silver Band and Salvation Army Band were out yesterday morning and contributed a programme of Christmas carols. All parts of the borough, Tinwald and Allenton were visited. A number of members of the Baring Square Methodist Young Men's and Young Women's Bible classes also paid a visit to the homes of several members of the church and sang carols. Donations were received for the Easter camp fund.

Church Services Christmas services were held yesterday at Ashburton, at St. Stephen's Anglican Church, and the Salvation Army. There were Ave celebrations of Holy Communion at St. Stephen's Church, and matins at 11 a.m., when the vicar, the Ven. Archdeacon A. J. Petrie, preached an appropriate sermon. The church wag decorated for the Christmas festival. A service with special music and songs was held at the Salvation Army in the evening. A united religious church service was conducted at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church by the Rev R. S. Watson, assisted by Pastor W. 13. Vicery, of the Church of Christ. The Rev. G. B. Hinton (Methodist) gave the address. Trading Conditions Improve A definite improvement in the retail trading conditions of the last three years was apparent at Ashburton on Christmas Eve, when all local retailers, the majority of whom had augmented their staff, were kept busily engaged. In most cases the turnover of local retailers for the day showed an increase on the last two years. Despite the exceptional dry weather over the }ast five weeks, and its effect on primary produce, there was a larger representation of country residents than for some years in Ashburton on Monday evening. All parking areas and local garages were heavily taxed for parking space for cars. WINCHMORE On Saturday night the Wirichmore Hall was crowded when the Winchmore branch of the Women's Division of the Farmers' Union held a Christmas party. Dancing, with several novelty dances, interspersed with some items was enjoyed by everyone. Step dances were given by Miss Maisie Wilson and Miss Kathleen Sheehan, of Ashburton, and songs were sung by Miss Maginness. Music was supplied by Miss Jean Macdonald, with extras by Mr and Mrs J. Shearer and Mr Roi fiatman. The master of ceremonies was Mr K. McKendry (Ashburton). The winners for the first couple up in one dance some time during the evening were Mr G. Kelly and Miss N. Brooker. A Monte Carlo waltz was won by Mr D. Brooker ar\d Miss E. King and a lucky spot waltz by Mr IS. Wells and Miss P. Verrall. A lucky spot fox-trot was won by Mr W. A. Anderson and Miss P. Verrall, and another lucky spot waltz by Mr and Mrs M. Dwyer. Some of those present were Mesdames R. Jamison, W. Anderson, sen., H. M. Verrall, C. Wakelin, G. Kelly, D. McKendry, Flatman, F. Nish. Mr and Mrs F. A. Scott, Mr and Mrs J. Shearer, Mr and Mrs W. Boag, Mr and Mrs S. Thompson, Mr and Mrs M. Dwyer, Mr and Mrs E. Brooker, Mr and Mrs Withell, Mr and Mrs W. A. Anderson, Mr and Mrs L. A. Anderson. Mr and Mrs W. Hammond, Mr and Mrs L. Aitken, Mr and Mrs T. Kennedy, Mr and Mrs R. Rule, Misses M. I. Bland, E. Shearer, B. Shearer, G. Shearer, Ellen Shearer, J. Macdonald. M. Wilson, M. Nish, M. Wakelin, N. Wakelin, P. Verrall, W. Hamilton, J. Miles, T. Miles, K. Sheehan, M. McKendry, D. King, J. Sutton, P. Boag, Hilda Boag, Helen Boag, D. Jamison, D. Arthur, M. Hanrahan, J. Watson, M. O'Connor, L. E. Smith, R. Withell, E. King, J. S. Smith, Maginness, D. Drummond, N. Brooker, J. Thompson, Messrs D. Stewart, Donaldson, N. R. Milsom, H. McLauchlan, B. Daly, R. Bettell, R. A. Flatman, D. Coleman, S. Soicer. K. Nordstrum, G. Hortin, K. Verrall, J. Boag, G. Wright. Wells, Thompson. J. J, O'Grady, H. King, K. McKendry, U. Flatman, G. Kelly, J. Bland, sen., J. Bland. J. Shearer, R. Tullock, A. Leask, S. White, J. Hill, J. Kearney, D. Brooker, W. 'Patrick, P. Shearer, C. Scott. D. Withell, and Moody. »*;■

MAYFIELD Mesdames W. K. Dellow, G. N. Harrison, J. W. Riley, and Miss M. Riley were hostesses at a pleasant kitchen afternoon in honour of Miss Elsie Sewell, who is shortly to be married. Games and competitions were enjoyed out of doors, and a treasure hunt in the garden resulted in Mrs W. Whitings finding the treasure. Winners of competitions were Misses E. Sewell and J. M. Duff and Mrs Gordon Sewell. Mrs G. N. Harrison, in asking Miss Sewell to accept a number of useful kitchen articles on behalf of those present, wished her much happiness in her future life. Miss Sewell suitably responded. The fortnightly meeting of the Loyal Mayfield Lodge, M.U., 1.0.0. F., was held in the Band Hall, Bro. D. M. Dellow presiding in the absence of Sister M. Edmond, who is indisposed. It was decided to let the next meeting lapse, as the hall will be otherwise engaged. Sick pay in favour of five members, to the amount of £6 Is Bd, and other accounts of 10s, were passed for payment.