ASHBURTON.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 826, 3 October 1916, Page 11

ASHBURTON.

NOTES AND NEWS. From Our Oicn Corrrtpoiidtnt Dr Chosson visited tlic Hospital Board cm Monday, and explained to, the members their position with regard ; to the Public Health Act. He said the j hoard had become the local authorities iu the County of Ashburton. Mr Friedlander asked what was the! board's position with regard to the! abattoir, and Dr Chesson replied that i the abattoir was iu the county, but be-1 longed to the borough. He thought the Borough Council quite lit to control the works. The*chairman said that the abattoir had not been looked after as it should have been, and the board should be told.who actually had control of it. The board paid for the inspector, and he thought it was the inspector's duty to report to the board.' If any difficulty arose, the board would communicate with the department. Dr Chesson contended, however, that the inspector was primarily a servant of his staff, but in practice the course ! proposed by the chairman was usually I adopted. The chairman then explained that j when the practice was broken the board was left destitute of power, and the i Borough Council simply ignored any of its communications, replying that they j were dealing with the department. i The chairman then asked who had I control over the boiling-down works, and the doctor replied that they were: purely the board's affair. In reply to Mr Friedlander, the doctor said the council was quite within j its rights in forbidding any man or : animal to trespass the abattoir ground,; but the Act provided that an authorised . officer appointed by the board could in- j spect. Mr F. W. Watt said that the manager of the abattoir would welcome members? of the board. The idea of appointing a local inspector then came up for discussion, and ; the opinion was expressed that one inspector should serve both the council and the board. The inspector would then be their own, aud not one lent out; by the department-. Such a course! would result in the highest possible efli- , ciencv. It was decided that Dr Chesson should arrange a conference of local bodies. with a view to appointing a local health ' inspector. As a result of the recent cold snap, i lambs and cues are dying from exposure. This is more so near the hills, as the ranges themselves are covered in snow, ami any wind blowing from them is cold. Taking the season all round,, however, it must be considered as being very successful up to the present. There have been some exceptionally high averages, up to 150 per cent., and it is no uncommon thing to see a fully lambed flock with an average of lOSper cent. The sudden change has also cut down some of the plants in the kitchen gar - dens, but the damage has not been excessive. The -ravages of the grass grub are very apparent in some paddocks along the Mount Soniers line, and rn many patches the soil is devoid of any vegetation. Farmers state that an effective, cure is the use of a heavy roller on the infected part at frequent intervals. Private advice has been received in Ashburton to the effect that Sergt J. A. Martin, of the Rifle Brigade, has been killed in action. Prior to enlisting Sergt. Martin was emploved bv Messrs Tuckers, Ltd. All the Ashburton Convent's pupils who presented themselves for the Trinity College musical theory examinations in June last were successful.' Tlie following are the results. the marks awarded being SO for honours and (><> for pass, with a maximum of 100:—Intermediate division: Margaret McTigue 77, Elizabeth Terris r,<>. Junior division: Mary O'Grady J»!>. GladysHolding 07, Imeida Collins <tti. Lucy Holland 96, Marion Brophy !>."i. Kdith , Gregory !>vs, Kathleen Burgess si'. Irene Paly 70. Preparatory division: Avis Ward !»(i, Ngnire Kerr !>O. Nova I'iynn 88, Ivy Barber Mi, Annie Hannigan 7l». The Lady Liverpool Society of Ash burton acknowledges, with thanks, gifts j from the following:—Knitting from' iMesdames Cameron. Breeze, sen., (lib-! son. Bucktin. Baker, and Misses Pixon.' } lloskon, and Stringfellow; sewing from j Mis- Milne; 1 tin tobacco from MrJBucktin; Mrs Ton; Hood, Methven, ."./-. : | Mrs Blair begs to thank ail those who: helped her with gifts for the sale depot (in Saturday last. Christmas gifts: Mrs Ashton, Scatield, £1 it/-, surplus from [soldiers' tea; .Mrs \V. .1. .Moore, £1: and. !Anonymous, ."..-'-.