LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume LVI, Issue 41, 24 May 1935, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Next Tuesday evening the Southbridge Ladies' Hockey Club will hold a social in the Town Hall anteroom. A pleasant evening is promised.

To-morrow evening the Doyleston Athletic Club will hold the last of a series of five euchre and dance socials.

For the annual ball of, the Southbridge Women's Institute to be held on Thursday, June 20, Les Kinsman's Band will supply the music There will be novelty dances and cards will be available in the supper room.

The death occurred at Christchurch Hospital last Sunday of Mr Walter William Ryde, of Cooper's Creek, Oxford, a brother of Messrs G. H. Ryde, of Leeston, and E. Ryde, of Dunsandel. The late Mr Ryde, who was .a well-known farmer, was a son of one of the earliest settlers in the Oxford district.

A consignment of 670 crated motor cars from St. John was brought to Wellington by the Canadian National steamer Cornwallis. It was probably the largest single shipment of cars brought to New Zealand. The holds were full and two tiers of crates were carried on the deck.

The Wesley Guild of the Leeston Methodist Circuit commenced its activities for the season last night, when a social was held. There was a good attendance and the time was pleasantly passed with games, competitions and musical items, not forgetting, of course, a bountiful supper.

After lengthy evidence had been heard at the Leeston Magistrate's Court on Tuesday by Mr E. C. Levvey, S.M., an affiliation order for 7/6 a week was made against J. T. Cooke, subject to review when der fendant's circumstances improved. Mr R. A. Young appeared for the complainant, and Mr A. W. Smithson for the defendant.

A recent announcement was to the effect that New Zealand would never see the complete eradication of the white butterfly, in spite of the extensive raids of the parasite imported to combat the pest. There is a hope, however, of something like full control being attained by bringing sprays and dusts to the aid of the parasite, says a North Island exchange. Investigations along these lines are .being made by officers of the Palmerston North Plant Research Station, and results so far are promising. Arsenic compounds have, been proved very effective,' but the drawback has been possibilities of the spray adhering to cabbages and other vegetables in sufficient quantity to be injurious to humans. Derris dusts, which are non-poison-ous, are also proving effective, but the difficulty with this form of control is that it is liable to be costly, as dusts are easily washed off by rain or blown off by heavy winds.

Interest in ploughing competitions is reviving in Mid-Canterbury, and a conference of representatives of ploughing match associations was held at Christchurch on Wednesday to discuss prospects for reviving the matches. Delegates were present from North Canterbury, Lincoln, Rakaia and Paparua associations. The Rakaia Association had not held its annual meeting, but it was thpught likely that a match would be arranged for this season. Lincoln could not see its way to hold a match, while Paparua was to hold another meeting and it was likely that a small match would be held. The conference suggested that the associations should, wherever possible, hold matches in order to get the competitions going again and create greater interest amongst farmers and ploughmen, with the hope that next year it might be possible to resume in a small way the series of competitions which were in operation before the slump.

The Lakeside Tennis Club will hold the last of a series of euchre and dance socials to-morrow evening.

For Sunday an alteration has been made in the times of the services at St. John's, Leeston, and at St. Mary's, Irwell.

Invitations are being issued for the Lincoln-Tai Tapu Plunket ball, to be held at Lincoln on Saturday, June 22, and for the Waihora Ladies' Hockey Club's first ball, to take place at Motukarara on Thursday, June 13.

The balance-sheet of the Springs County Council for the year ended March 31, 1934, has been printed and copies may be obtained by ratepayers from the county office, Springston, or from Crs. J. H. Williams (Ellesmere), C. H. Watson (Greenpark), J. Woods (Motukarara).

In many denominations of the Christian and in the Jewish religion Saturday is observed as the Sabbath. Why this should be so will form the subject upon which Evangelist W. J. Richards will deliver a lecture at the Gospel Marquee at Leeston on Sunday evening.

Next Tuesday evening, in the Town Hall, the Dunsandel branch of the Farmers' Union Women's Division is to hold an entertainment, when a short programme and plays will be presented. Afterwards there is to be a dance. Supper is to be provided, and admission is by collection at the door to cover expenses. All residents of the surrounding districts are invited to attend. The plays promise to be especially enjoyable.

Unemployment registrations for Ellesmere up to yesterday totalled 89, a slight increase over the number previously recorded. On May 24 last year the number on the register was 60. Advice has been received by the local certifying officer that another issue of boots will be made shortly This, however, and the issue of blankets, have been delayed by the pressure of work in other departments of the post office.

For the last few days, up to nine o'clock this morning, Mr A. J. Inwood's gauge has registered 1.29in. of rain, bringing the month's total to date up to 2.34in., as compared with 6.40in. up to the same date in May last year. The total for this year is now 7.63in., whereas for the corresponding period of last year the figures were 17.10in. There were- six degrees of frost on Monday and seven on Tuesday. Mr A. W. Hurford, Doyleston, reports that since Tuesday the fall registered on his gauge was 1.78in. The total for the five months of this year is 7.96in.

This week-end Mothers' Sunday will be observed in the Leeston Presbyterian Charge. At the Leeston morning service Eileen Ridden and Barbara Rodgers are to sing the duet "When Mothers of Salem," . and the choir will give the anthem, "O Love that wilt not let me go." At Killinchy in the afternoon the .children's choir will sing, "When Mothers of Salem," and Joyce Irvine is to give the solos, "Jesus, the Children are Calling" and "Now the Day is Over." In the evening at Brookside E. Ridr den and B. Rodgers are to sing a duet. The Rev. D. N. Pryor is to speak on "The Mother of Jesus."

No effort is being spared by the members of the Ellesmere branch of the Plunket Society to ensure the success of the annual ball, to be held at the Southbridge Town Hall next Thursday. The ticket sales already have been exceptionally good and there Is every promise of a very large attendance. Last year there was a net balance from the ball of over £20, which was used for the furtherance of the good work the society is doing. The president, Mrs F. H. Mellraith, and- other officials are anxious that a similar sum should be raised this year and the support of all residents of the district is desired. The Plunket ball is always one of the big social events of the year in the Ellesmere district.

In common with other centres, counter officials at the Leeston Post Office are experiencing an exceptionally busy time dealing with re-regis-•trations of motor vehicles and other periodic payments such as unemployment levies. So far approximately 100 sets of plates have been issued, including 86 for motor cars. This number, in round figures, is about a quarter of those usually issued at the Post Office, the total for the district being between 400 and 500, so it will be seen that if all motorists who have not yet made re-registra-tion intend to do so before June 1, there is another very busy week in prospect for the postal officials. Motorists are also required to renew drivers' licenses before May 31.