SOUTH CANTERBURY

Otago Witness, Issue 3912, 5 March 1929, Page 32

SOUTH CANTERBURY

9 NOTES FROM THE DISTRICT.

(From Our Own Correspondent.}

TIMARU. March 3. I ariners are making good use of the spell of fine weather, and harvesting operations are nearing completion in the district. The clops in most cases have fulfilled the early promise of a good average yield. Many farmers are threshing from the stook in preference to stacking. Farmers who -carry large numbers of sheep and cattle! through the winter are looking anxiously at their winter crops, which are suffering from the lack of rain. A heavy fall was experienced on Friday evening, but it proved insufficient for the needs of the crops. CUSTOMS RETURNS. The Customs revenue collected at the port of Timaru in February amounted to £9867 16s lid, as oompared with £765!} 2s 9d in the corresponding month last year. VITAL STATISTICS. The following are the vital statistics for February, the figures for the same month last year being given in parentheses:—Births, 28 (43); deaths, 12 (17); marriages, 15 (15). FAREWELL TO CLERK OF COURT. As a mark of the esteem in which he is held by members the South Canterbury Justices’ Association at its annual social on Friday evening presented a case of Pipes to Mr A. E. Reynolds, clerk of the Magistrate’s Court, who has been transferred on promotion to a similar position in Dunedin,

Complimentary reference was made to the courtesy extended and services rendered by Mr Reynolds to the justices officiating in the Magistrate’s Court, and members expressed the opinion that he would carry with him to Dunedin the best wishes of the association for his further advancement in the service.

RAILWAY ACCIDENT. A miraculous escape from serious injury and possibly death was experienced by four surfacemen, employed by the Fallway Department, in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The men, whose names were W. O’Leary, E. Chiles, R. Johnson, and F. Davidson, were proceeding south from Timaru on two velocipedes, two men on each machine, and when in the cutting in the vicinity of the Caledonian Ground they suddenly became aware of the approach of a train. The front men jumped clear only just in time, for a moment later the train, a special goods -from Oamaru, crashed into the velocipede, smashing it to matchwood. The other two mhn were close behind their companions, and they also had very little time in which to jump clear. DREDGE 350 RETURNS. The Timaru Harbour Board’s dredge No. 350 returned to Timaru on Friday afternoon, on the termination of her charter by the Oamaru Harbour Board. H.M.S. LABURNUM IN PORT. H.M.S. Laburnum arrived at Timaru early on Saturday morning, and is expected to remain in port about nine days. She will proceed from here to Akaroa. The Deputy Mayor of Timaru. Mr A. L. Gee, paid an official call at 10 o’clock, and -was received by Commander Attwood, who subsequently returned the call at the Timaru Municipal Chambers. The vessel was thrown open to visitors to-day, and a large number availed themselves of the opportunity to make an inspection.

SPEECHLY MILE The Speechly Mile harbour race, held under the auspices of the South Canterbury Swimming Centre in the harbour on Saturday afternoon, attracted a large gathering of spectators. The winner was found in M. Rattray, on 50sec, who swam a brilliant race to win comfortably from G. Coates, the limit man, with W. Ramage 15yds away in third place. Rattray also secured fastest time, covering the distance in 31 min 12-Jsec. - JUVENILE S.P.C.A. A movement has been on foot for some tune to form a juvenile branch of the Soc’ety for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Timaru.’ This took concrete i last Week, when representative children met and formed a juvenile societv. Three 'pupils were elected from each school, and these will form the committee. Subscriptions were fixed at Is per annum. FATAL COLLISION. The death occurred in the Timaru Hospital last Sunday evening of Mr Ernest Latimer, a married man 28 years of age, following on a collision between the motor cycle he was riding and -a motor car driven *^ r P el ’cy Westaway, a farmer, of Pleasant Point. The accident occurred on the Pleasant I road, adjacent to the rear entrance of the Washdyke _ racecourse. Mr Latimer received terrible injuries, including a fractured skull, and was conveyed to timaru by the. St. John Ambulance. Deceased’s wife was in a car travelling a. short distance behind »her husband, and she assisted in doing all that was possible tor him until medical attention was available. HOSPITAL FIRE. An outbreak of fire occurred at the Tal.itoepital, Otipua road, on Wednesday night, but the fire brigade was promptly on the scene, and the outbreak was soon subdued.

The fire occurred in a building used as a fumigating room adjacent to the main building. It anpears that a kerosene lamp used in the room took fire, and one of the nurses on night duty noticed smoke issuing from beneath the door,.

The flames spread to a tent near the building, in which four patients were sleeping. The danger of a serious outbreak was quickly realised, and several of the nurses, in face of considerable danger, succeeded in again closing the door, and the patients in the tent were removed to safety.

The number of patients in the hospital at the time of the fire was 28.

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Success attended every detail of the Timaru Floral Society’s Autumn Show, held on Thursday and Friday. There was a splendid display of flowers and vegetables, and door takings were nearly double those of the corresponding .-how last year. Two special trains conveyed the Ashburton trades picnic to Timaru on Saturday, -and it is estimated that over 2000 visitors made the journey. During last month 65 cases of infectious diseases were notified to the district health inspector in South Canterbury. Of this total, 60 were scarlet fever, two diphtheria, one enteric fever, and two tuberculosis.

The Timaru Gas Company paid a dividend of 8 per cent, for the financial year just ended. An exceptionally good crop of velvet wheat was reaped this season by Messrs Cadwallader Bros, on their farm at Clandeboye. 150 acres yielding an average of 70 bushels per acre. The wheat was of excellent quality. The small steamer Alexander has made three trips to Timaru from Fort Hardy. D’Urville Island, bringing approximately 3000 sheep to the mainland. The vessel sailed from Timaru again on Saturday to pick -> a final load.

The party of English schoolboys, under the charge of Mr J. R. Darling, of Charterhouse School, London, arrived in Timaru on Thursday morning, and were tendered a welcome by the Deputy Mayor (Mr A. L. Gee). After luncheon, the boys left n a visit to the Mount Cook Hermitage. At a meeting of the Timaru Borough Council the acting town clerk reported that the'amount of outstanding rates'on February 14 was £2723, as compared with £3179 for the same period last year. By one vote the Timaru Borough Council decided at its last meeting to increase the Mavor’s honorarium from £2OO to £250.

By six votes the Timaru Borough Council decided to reduce the personnel of the council from 12 to 9 members.

When cutting up a sheep at Orari the knife Mr W. Henderson was using slipped, cutting -an artery. First aid was rendered and medical attention obtained immediately.