MID-CANTERBURY NEWS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22592, 23 December 1938, Page 4

MID-CANTERBURY NEWS

SCOUT CAMP

ST. STEPHEN’S TROOP

TRAINING FOR JAMBOREE

Covering practically every sphere of scouting activities, the camp which will be held by the St. Stephen’s troop of boy scouts, Ashburton, will be on the largest scale yet attempted in the district. Particular interest is attached to the camp because a specialised course of training will be given to enable all members of the troop to qualify for entry in the World Scout Jamboree which will be held at Wellington next year in connexion with the celebration of the centenary of New Zealand. A certain standard of attainment is required before scouts can qualify, and while most of the theoretical work has been covered during the winter, a great deal of the practical technical education of the troop in the open air, has still to be carried out. With this in view, the leaders, all of whom are young men, have spent several months in drawing up a comprehensive programme of training and scouting activities for the 1938 camp. The troop will pitch camp on Tuesday in the Ashburton river bed several miles below the Ashburton traffic bridge, where ideal facilities are provided for the programme planned. Particular attention will be given to tuition in camp cooking, and experiments with various methods will be carried out. Although there will be definite classes for this instruction, each of the three patrols will take a day in turn in which to attend to the cooking arrangements for the camp meals. Each patrol will have separate quarters. A feature of the camp .will be the activities in bridge building. Practical training in woodcraft, ambulance, and other work will also be given. Camp duties which will be allotted to different members of the troop include the positions of camp chief, sanitary officer, quartermaster, transport officer, and first-aid officer. Those in charge will be ActingScoutmaster F. S. Nicholls, jun., and Cubmaster C. Chambers, assisted by Scouters G. Miles, A. Aitken, and E. Stayt,

DOMINION BOWLS CHAMPIONSHIPS

ASHBURTON CLUB MEMBERS TO COMPETE

E. A. Cockroft, H. R. D. Porter, W. Tulloch, and S. Madden, members of the Ashburton Bowling Club, will take part in the Dominion bowling championships at Auckland next month, and will motor up the west coast and down the east coast of the North Island. They have entered in the rinks championship, Cockroft, Porter, and Tulloch have entered in the singles, and Porter and Cockroft in the doubles.

PERSONAL NOTES

ASHBURTON

Mr -K. A. Robinson, who has been the representative of the Provident Life Insurance Company at Ashburton for the last few years, has been appointed Methodist home missionary at Kawhia, on the west coast of the North Island. He will leave Ashburton early next year. Mr A. Anderson, manager of the National Mortgage and Agency Company at Timaru, was a visitor to .Ashburton yesterday. ' Mr A. Copland, who has been residing in Wellington for the last seven months, has left to spend a fortnight at his home in Ashburton.

HOLIDAYS AND SPECIAL PAY

ASSISTANCE FOR UNEMPLOYED

Employees of local bodies working under Government scheme 13 for the relief of unemployment will cease operfetions to-day, when the scheme will be closed for the holiday recess. The men will resume work on January 9. Holiday pay will be granted by the local bodies employing the men, according to the labour award undeu which they are working. Payment of three weeks’ sustenance will be made to unemployed men drawing the payment to-day. This will cover the period to January 7. In addition, a Christmas bonus will be granted at the rate of £2 for married men and £1 for single men.

SUCCESS OF ASHBURTON LODGE

Sister Collett, A.D.. presided over a meeting of the Success of Ashburton Lodge. The bard’s report was received and sick pay was passed. One candidate was proposed. Sister Parsons was nominated and elected V.A.B. Seasonal greetings were received from various lodges.

DEMOLITION OF TENNIS PAVILION

Most of the Ashburton Lawn Tennis Club's pavilion, which was damaged by fire in October, was demolished yesterday. Part of the pavilion will be left standing until the club has decided whether the pavilion will be reconditioned or a new building will be erected.

CARNIVAL AT HAKATERE

Arrangements for the annual carnival at the mouth of the Ashburton river on New Year’s Day were completed at a meeting of the Hakatere Sports Club on Wednesday evening. A programme of sports, highland dancing, and motor-cycle events has been arranged by the Ashburton Motor-cycle Club. A feature will be the variety of novelty events. Officials for the dancing section have been appointed as follows: —Judge, Mr W. R. Ford: piper, Mr D. Wilson; supervisor. Mr J. Turnbull.

CRICKET

ASHBURTON COMPETITION

FAIRFIELD LEADS IN SENIOR GRADE

Although all matches in the competitions of the Ashburton County Cricket Association last Saturday were cancelled because of the heavy state of the ground and no competition matches will be played during the holiday season, the second round is well advanced.

Fairfield, last year’s champion team, is again in the lead in the senior competition with 20 points from Kia Ora, Technical, and Ashburton with 15 points. In the junior grade. Launston is at present in the winning position, while High School has a chance, being six points behind. . The positions of teams m the two competitions are as follows: Seniors—Fairfield 20. Technical 15. Kia Ora 15. Ashburton 15, Old Boys 12, Public Works 0. „ , . Juniors —Lauriston 34, High School 28, Technical iT Oid Boys ie. Tinwald 14 Coldstream 9. Kia Ora 8. Public Works 0.

BUSY SEASON AT ASHBURTON

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

RETAILERS REPORT GOOD BUSINESS

The busiest season for Christmas shopping that has been experienced at Ashburton for many years is repbrted by local retailers. There is a definite tendency to shop earlier this year, and a number of merchants told “The Press’ yesterday that the trade last Friday and Saturday was the heaviest for so early in the season for a long period. As many firms observe the 40-hour week and will not be open on Saturday, tendency to shop earlier will be assisted, as many employees will be anxious to have all their Christmas shopping completed in time to go away on Saturday morning. A better-quality article is being purchased by the public generally and novelties are becoming increasingly popular. Drapers have not been quite as busy as usual because adverse weather has accounted for a decrease in the demand for seasonal costumes. There is a strong demand for good books, political and travel stories being particularly popular. Jewellers have been busier than they have been for many years previously. Tobacconists and chemists are experiencing the usual brisk business in Christmas novelties for men and women respectively.

CHRISTMAS MAILS

INCREASE IN FIGURES AT ASHBURTON

The rush of Christmas mails set in at the Ashburton Post Office on Monday, and has steadily increased all this week. Up to last evening the figures of outward and inward post and parcel mails had increased slightly on those of last year. To cope with the extra work involved. an assistant has been provided for each of seven postmen, while the mailrom staff has been supplemented, and messengers are working in double shifts. A small bundle of mail carried by the Empire flying boat Calpurnia, which recently was wrecked, arrived at Ashburton yesterday.

WOMEN’S DIVISION OF FARMERS’ UNION

ALFORD FOREST BRANCH

The monthly meeting of the Alford Forest branch of the Women’s Division of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union was hfild, with 3Vlrs 3WI. Bruce presiding. Mrs E. Grieve gave a demonstration on cake decorating. .... The following were the competition results: —Bloom, Mrs A. Hart 1, Mrs A Grigg 2, Mrs M. Bruce 3; shrub. Mrs G. J. Hicks 1. Mrs A. Hart 2. spike, Mrs A. Hart 1, Wlrs R. J. Biddick 2; fruit. Mrs M. Bruce 1, Mrs A. Hart 2; shortbread. Mrs L. J. Hicks l, Mrs M. Bruce 2, Mrs A. Hart 3. The roll-call was hints for sunburn.”

WOMEN’S INSTITUTE

STAVELEY

The December meeting of the Stayeley Women’s Institute, which took the form of a Christmas party, was presided over "by Mrs Pawsey. Nosman gave a report on the achievement day. Each member brought a sixpenny parcel as a Christmas gift. There was a display of antique articles. A competition was won by Miss Dons Goldsmith. The results of the monthly competitions were:—Apron. Mrs S. Goldsmith 1 Mrs Hicks 2, Mrs Olliver 3. Christmas gift, Mrs Hicks 1, Mrs Durran 2, June Ogg 3; bloom, Mrs Durran 1, Mrs Norman 2, Mrs Goldsmith 3; spike. Mrs Norman 1. Mrs Durran 2, Mrs Goldsmith 3.

TENNIS TOURNAMENT AT WILLOWBY

Closely-contested games resulted during the playing of the mixed doubles handicap tournament for the Burnett perpetual trophy on the Willowby Tennis Club’s courts. Results were as follows: — First Round—Miss B. Frisby and J. Knox lost to Miss Hazel Lill and Ron. Chapman, 2-7; Mrs R. J. Chapman and R J. Chapman lost to Miss H. Vessey and R Vessey, 5-7; Miss Marjory Lill and C Lill lost to Miss D. Dollman and H. Turnbull, 3-7; Miss Valmai De la Mare and T. O’Grgdy lost to Miss Ngaio Chapman and K. Roberts, 4-7. Second Round —Miss Hazel Lill and Ron. Chapman lost to Miss Hazel Vessey and R. Vessey, 2-7; Miss Dollman and Turnbull beat Miss Chapman and Roberts, 7-5. Final: Miss Vessey and Vessey beat Miss Dollman and Turnbull, 7-5,

A policeman was called to St. John’s Church, Margate, London. There he found a man standing by the altar and addressing an imaginary congregation in a loud voice. The man was very drunk. The man, aged 45, an unemployed cook, staying at Buckingham road, Margate, was sent to prison for a fortnight by Margate magistrates.