LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3563, 25 September 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It has now been decided to keep the Ashburton 'Defence Office opon for recruiting purposes from 9 a.m. to 9 p*.m., instead of till 8 p.m., as heretofore.

Several of the posters, in Ashburton relating to arm badges have been mutilated, aiul it may be well to point out that the' penalty for such wanton destruction ik rather severe.

A Hokitika Press Association telegram states that : by a fire in Revell Street early -jthis morning, Keen's fish shop was gutted: The Fire. Brigade made a good. "save" of the adjoining premises. The insurances were £375,^

Mr Erie Pryor,. who for the past 10 months lias been on the reporting staff of the " Guardian," and is now waiting to be called up to camp, was met by his fellow-employees this morning and presented with a pipe and a cigarette-holder. The presentation was made by the ;editor, Mr T, D. Taylor, who expressed the goodwill borne the recipient ,by those who have been associated with him on" the staff. ;' Mr Pryor made an appropriate reply.

On Saturday evening a motorist in a two-seater car became imbued with a desire to career round the streets ijust as fast as it, was possible for the car to go. He ■ succeeded in causing considerable consternation and amazement to drivors of other vehicles, and a number of pedestrians had a narrow escape from being run . over by him. On Sunday evening the same person drove round from Carter's Terrace on to the Ashburton traffic bridge at a pace very little short of 40 miles per hour, and caused a scatter among the peaceful citizens who were strolling along the bridge. This type of motorist is a danger to the public, and is not fit to be in charge of any vehicle.

Concerning stock and crop prospects, "Agricola" writes in the "Farmers' Union Advocate": —"In the . autumn wo put in largo areas of oats for green feed. The winter was a favourable one, and feed was more plentiful than was anticipated. ' On top of this the country is woefully understocked. I heard of one estate, recently, cut up, which is only carrying 300 sheep, instead of 3000 as formerly. Of;course, more cultivating and cropping^ is being done in this instance, but still the number of sheep should have remained nearly stationary. Turnips hare been j ploughed in wholesale along the hills, j and one farmer told me that he has ! tons of mangolds for» sale, for which I lie could not find a buyer." .

Destruction by rabbits and hares is referred to by the South Island correspondent of the " Farmers' Union Advocate." " Along the foot hills hares arc doing a lot.of this work (ho writes), in spite of the fact that systematic warfare has been waged against them all the winter. 1 know of one district which sent away 1000 hares for the wounded soldiers in England, and there are still hundreds of the pests running about. They fire more destructive than rabbits, and more difficult in some ways to get rid of. Orchards have been spoiled by them. They have a distinct-preference for the bark of apple trees, and will pass good feed to partake of it., Gardens and plantations have to be notted-in just as much as a protection against hams as against rabbits. In connection with the latter,'there has been some systematic destruction employed every-whr-e, and they have been thinned out during the winter. >J