GENERAL NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 19091, 25 January 1932, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS.

Excursionists who visited Timaru from Christchurch yesterday experienced warm weather, but a strong nor’wester made conditions rather unpleasant. Both excursion trains to Timaru were well filled the first bringing 490 passengers and the second 382, making a total Of 878 visitors. The tram from Timai'U also was v.ell patronised. 427 people making the journey northwards. At about 2.30 oil Saturdaj’ afternoon, two motorists, Mr Charles Hansoii and Mr John Brown, met in collision on the main South road at Kerr's cornet. Kingsdowii. A passenger in Mr Hailson’s car. Mr Robert Gibsoil, of Babington Street, received injuries Which required medical attention, but he was afterwards able to proceed to his home. The vehicle which Mr Hanson was driving was badly damaged. Despite the fact that a boisterous Wind prevailed last evening, a failcrowd assembled on Caroline Bay to listen to an enjoyable programme dispensed by the Municipal Band. The pi’ogramme was as follows: March, “Pat in America”; selection, “Bohemian Girl”; hymn, “Bradford”; cornet polka. “Bostonian” (Bandsman T. Smith); selection. “Pirates of Penzance”; Hawaiian intermezzo, “Malinda’s Bowers”; march, “Mt. Egmont.”

The principal case at the Native Land Court sitting at New Plymouth last week was the hearing of claims for the land at the kainga at Parihaka. The position is complicated by the fact that in 1874-75 Te Whiti invited outside Maoris to settle at Parihaka and, though they have no ancestral rights to the land, the Court has to decide how much consideration they are entitled to receive, and at the same time it has to settle the claims of the oxvners by descent. The Court has asked Noho Te Whiti, the son of the “prophet,” to draw up a list of those interested in the land through settling there and present it for the Court's consideration. The probability is that when the claims have been settled the land will be placed under a committee of management.

A beginning will be made this week on the paving of over nine miles of the Main South Road, from Rakaia to Dromore. A contract has been let for

the three-coat bituminous sealing of the section. The work will be started immediately, but it will be some time before the bitumen is added, since the contractor has first to prepare and strengthen the sub-grading. A deviation will be included in the contract to avoid two sharp curves immediately south of Rakaia, The AshburtonDromore section of the road was finished at the end of last year, and with the new contract completed motorists will be able to travel to Ashburton on a paved surface all the way except for the stretch between Rolleston and Rakaia. It is probable that one mile of the Rolleston-Rakaia section will shortly be laid to a bituminous roadmix paving for experimental purposes.

Fairly extensive damage by fire was done to a wooden residence in Harper Street on Saturday afternoon, and had tt not been for the strenuous efforts of the Fire Brigade it is practically certain that the house would have been destroyed. The dwelling is situated at 9 Harper Street, and is owned by Mr James Meehan, but at the time of the fire its was occupied by Mr F. Weston. The outbreak started in the chimney boxing above the mantel in a back room and quickly mounted to the ceiling. From there the fire spread across the house and demolished a considerable portion of the roof and the ceilings of several of the rooms. It was unfortunate that at the time a strong nor'-wester was blowing for, fanned by the wind, the flames took a strong hold, and for a while the position appeared serious. Two engines were despatched promptly from the Fire Station, and by making an entrance through the roof the firemen were able to get at the seat of the fire. A good pressure of water was available, and after a trying time in the wind the brigade gained control of the flames.

In North Canterbury the harvesting of the 1932 wheat crop has begun, and it is now generally conceded that the outlook taken in the early part of December was unduly pessimistic. Yields appear to be fairly good, and the quality of the sample is excellent. Early in December the Wheat Pool sent out to two hundred representative owners a questionnaire, asking for estimates of the yields of their own and their neighbours’ crops as compared with the crops of last year. Almost without exception the answers returned painted a dismal picture. Many of the farmers circularised were not enthusiastic about the probable quality of the wheat. At the beginning of this month it was generally conceded that the first estimates of yield and condition were unduly low and unfavourable, good rains having to some extent altered the position. The Pool again sent out the original questionnaire with the request that the farmer who had answered it should amend it if he thought it necessary. The answers have now come in, with the result that the Pool estimates that a twenty-five bushel yield will probably be obtained, instead of the twenty-one bushels estimated from the first returns.