NORTH CANTERBURY

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21985, 8 January 1937, Page 4

NORTH CANTERBURY

WIDESPREAD DAMAGE BY GALE POWER POLES BLOWN DOWN Widespread, though not serious, damage was done in the Rangiora district by a north-west gale yesterday morning. The most seriously affected part appears to have been Woodend, where several power poles were blown down. Both the Oxford and Sefton electricity feeders from Rangiora were broken by branches that fell across them, and the two townships were without power for a short time. Wires were broken-in other parts of the district, but were easily repaired. In Rangiora itself a bough of a willow tree fell on the electric wires" at the corner of Victoria street and Northbrook road and a large branch was broken from an elm tree beside the fire station in Percival street, and thrown across the road. Dust was thick in the shops, most of which were shut when the wind was at its strongest. The gale began about 9.30 a.m., and was at its height by 10,30, By 1 p,m. it had blown itself out. It has had the one good effect of drying paddocks that had become water-logged as the result of rain. False Alarm A false alarm of fire was given in Rangiora at about 10.15 a.m. yesterday. The instruments at the fire station failed to indicate the part of the town from which the siren was sounded, and attempts by employees of the borough electrical department to discover the cause of the alarm have been unsuccessful. Personal The Rev. J. A. F. Watson and Mr E. D. R. Srcfitb, wbo have been Icuxmg the North Island by motor, are expected to return to Rangiora tomorrow. Sports Fixtures Cancelled Until the infantile paralysis epidemic is over, the Rangiora Amateur Athletic and Amateur Cycling Clubs have decided, at the request of the Health Department, to cancel their combined evening sports meetings. The next was to have been held on January IS. Fire Alam System For the benefit of telephone subscribers and others, the Rangiora telephone exchange has been connected with the fire alarm system. To summon the fire engine, a subscriber may give particulars of the locality of the fire to the exchange attendant, who sets the alarm siren in operation. The fireman at the fire station may obtain Information by communicating with the exchange by means of a private telephone line. Cyclist and Motorist Collide A flour miller, D. Macdonald, had his bicycle damaged when a car, driven by Kenneth Wilson, a mail contractor, collided with him in High street, Rangiora, yesterday morning. Macdonald was not injured. Regent Theatre To-morrow afternoon and evening, Shirley Temple’s greatest screen success, “Captain January,” will be presented at the Regent Theatre, Rangiora. One of the brightest, happiest, and most delightful screen plays to be seen for some time, “Captain January” is the story of a little girl and a grizzled old lighthouse keeper who fight for happiness and find it in spite of.a vixenish truant officer. The final episode of “The Vanishing Shadow” will also be shown. Seats may be reserved at Watson’s, telephone 202.

WEATHER RECORDS AT LINCOLN MORE RAIN FOR YEAR THAN IN CHRISTCHURCH Weather records have been kept at the Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln, for the last 54 years, and the statistics for 1936 show that last year holds the record for the heaviest rainfall. This was also shown by the readings taken at the Christchurch Magnetic Observatory, but these readings go back only 35 years, and they also show ■ that Christchurch had less rain than Lincoln last year. The total fall at the Christchurch station was 36.14 inches, and the fall at Lincoln was 38.806 inches. . In 1886 the fall at Lincoln was 35.429 inches, and this record stood until last year. Indeed, the record of 1885 had been broken by the end of November last year, the fall then being 36.486 inches. A table compiled from the readings at Lincoln show that February of last year was the wettest month on record, and March and November of last year were wetter than any previous March or November, The highest rainfall in 24 hours during 1938 was 3.44 inches, on February The readings taken last month, with those for December, 1935, in parenthesis, were:—Mean height of barometer. 29.945 inches (30.044 inches): mean humidity, 73.8 degrees (64.8 degrees); mean maximum temperature. 64.9 degrees (74.7 degrees); highest temperature, 77.0 degrees (92.0 degrees); mean minimum temperature, 48.1 degrees (54.7 degrees); lowest temperature, 38.5 degrees (41.0 degrees); mean grass minimum temperature, 43.5 degrees (48,9 degrees); lowest grass temperature,. 32.2 degrees (32.5 degrees); mean temperature for month, 56.5 degrees (64.7 degrees); mean range of temperature for month. 16.8 degrees (20.0 degrees); rainfall. 2.32 inches (.5 inch);' rainfall to date, 38.806 inches (23.33 inches); hours of sunshine, 186.4 (259.7); mean amount of cloud, 7.5 (5.1); miles of wind, 3645 (3641); mean force of wind, 3.8 (2.5).

DUNSANDEL BOWLING CLUB A. MACPHERSON’S RINK WINS CHAMPIONSHIP In the Dunsandel Bowling Club’s champion rinks tournament three rinks took part. In the first game A. E. Withell, H. W. Johnston, J. T. Tyler, and A. Macpherson (skip) beat R. H. Johnston, A. J. Sheat, N. J. Brown, and H. A. Brown (skip) by 21 to 16, In the final game Macpherson’s rink again won, this time from W. N. Walker, K. W. Macpherson, G. W. Kime, and F. Chamberlain (skip). the score being 23 to 17. The two rinks were even several times, but Macpherson’s rink scored four in the nineteenth head, followed by a three in the twentieth head, and put the result beyond doubt. DANCE AT ROLLESTON A successful dance was held in the Rolleston Memorial Hall under the auspices of the Hall Committee, there being a large attendance of visitors. Music was played by Fitzgibbon’s Band, with extras by Miss M. Brosnahan. Mr J. Green and Miss M, Brosnahan won the Monte Carlo and lucky spot. Mr S. Dallard was master of ceremonies. Among those present were Mr and Mrs J. Dillon (Addington), Mr and Mrs M, Fltzgibbon, Mr and Mrs Hobson (Hornby), Mr and Mrs J. McGovern, Mr and Mrs L. Chambers, Mr and Mrs F. Ellis, Mr and Mrs S. Pearce, Mr arid Mrs J. Brosnahan, Mr

and Mrs D. Newell, Mr and Mrs Buchanan, Mr and Mrs S. Dallard, Mesdames G. Cobden (Weedons), J. Duthie (Templeton), W. G. Goodall (Hastings), A. L. Bailey, S. Cross (Pendarves), H. Sail (Rangiora), Misses Pansy Anderson (Templeton), Mavis Butt (Templeton), Beryl Bennett (Templeton), D, Burgess (Riccarton), R. Wright (Auckland), Margaret Johnson, Kathleen McMullan (Papanui), Annie Hulston,. Eileen Marnell (Lincoln), Margaret Marnell (Lincoln), Preen (Oamaru), Molly O’Grady (Templeton), Marie Stephens, M. Cassidy (Weedons), Cassidy (Sandy Knolls), Lucy Somerville, Margaret Shannon, ,M. Kitto (Wellington), V. Kitto (Dunedin), M. McKay (Sprlngston), Dorothy Hulston, and Mona Cunneen (Templeton). : Miss Mollie Wells, of Kaikoura, has been appointed to a position in the Nelson Post Office and will leave Kaikoura early* next week.