Local and General

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume LX, Issue 78, 3 October 1939, Page 1

Local and General

For the quarter ended September 30, 63 birts and 25 deaths were registered at the Post Office at Leeston, and 19 marriage licenses were issued.

The Commissioner of Taxes draws the attention of taxpayers to the notification appearing in to-day's issue that the due date of payment of land-tax for the current year is on Tuesday, October 17, and that the demands will be posted on or about October 10.

The Ellesmere Plunket Society's violet day appeal at Leeston on Friday produced a very satisfactory result, the net amount raised being £24/4/3. Competition winners were: Cake, Mrs Farrant; chocolates, Gibb McLachlan and S. Norquay; potatoes, Miss Steinmetz; biscuits, Miss R. Bowden; flour, Mr D. M. Lill; hamper, Neil Lambie (Leeston).

It gets no better, whatever we do, remarked a councillor at the meeting of the Ellesmere County Council yesterday afternoon, when the council was discussing a complaint regarding stock straying on roads and adjoining properties. The only alternative suggested was to have a determined and comprehensive round-up.

Residents of Ellesmere, Springs and districts near Christchurch are asked to note that changes in Day's Bus Service timetable will come into operation next Monday, October 9. The main alterations are that the time of leaving Southbridge in the morning will be 9 o'clock instead of 7.45 on week days and also 9 on Sunday instead of 8.45. The evening bus from Christchurch is to leave at 5 p.m. instead of 4.45. No change is made in the time of departure of the morning bus Trom Ohristchurch.

At the meeting of the Ellesmere County Council yesterday the engineer suggested that in view of the amount of capital involved in motor vehicles and graders the consequent necessary frequency of running repairs called for consideration of better iservicing. Mr Moorhouse recommended either the engagement of a driver-mechanic who could do running repairs, or arranging with an existing garage for frequent regular inspections to prevent faults going too far before detection. No decision wa& reached, further consideration being deferred, the engi* neer in the meantime to obtain further information.

Copies of the scheme for a Do-minion-wide organisation for the control of all essential services in the eases of a natural disaster or enemy action were placed before members at the meeting ,of the Ellesmere County Council yesterday. The local governing: body of each district was made primarily responsible for its operation under a controller but might co-opt on other organisations to do any particular work under branch committees with sub-con-trollers for each. The scheme for counties provided for the following committee^:—Medical and nursing: fire, law and order; transport, supply and accommodation with patrols and messengers. The chairman (Cr A. Anderson) announced that a meeting of local bodies and other organisations in the county had been called for Wednesday evening at Leeston. He added that the chances of an emergency were remote, but at the fcame time the matter should be taken seriously and the instructions of the Government carried out. He had waited until he had received a lead from the Government before calling the meeting. Cr R. T. McMillan also considered that some organisation should be set up as planned. The chairman added that there had been some feeling in the district that the council should take the lead and have the organisation set up and he had acted as soon as the necessary information 'was received.