LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3571, 4 October 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Slight earthquake shocks were felt at, Christchurch and H:inmer about half-pust 10 on Monday night.

Applications for war loan certificates are still coining in steadily to the Ashburton Post Office, ftp to September 30, £12,160 worth of certificates had been applied for.

A lady of-SO years of. ago, while-'on a journey from Chrisfcchurch to- Invercargill, collapsed in the train yesterday afternoon before reaching Ashburton. She was taken to a local private hospital,* and. had 'sufficiently recovered to-day to !m> able to ' resume her journey.

The first batch of recruits under tho Military Service Act was called up at Ashburton to-^ay, when the men took the oath and. received their os. Out of 40 meur warned, only 26 put in an appearance-. The names" of the 14 who failed to report .will now be struck off the rolls, 'they have lost their opportunity of coming i under tho voluntary clause of tho Act, and will now come under the operation of tho compulsory clause.

Some person of an imaginative turn of mind eonstructod quite, a little tragedy yesterday out of tho finding of discarded garments in tho Domain. The garment* were adjacent to one 1 of the lakes, and the inference, to the^ individual who boro the information to the police, was obvious. An unimaginative, and very practical constable visited the spot, and was convinced by an examination of the clothing that whoever had worn it last was much bettor out of it than in it. Tho hypothesis of suiHde was thus exploded, and one of hygienic considerations substituted.

Iron workers in New Zealand i\r« more or less anxious si bout tho supply or raw material. Christdiurcb foundries are .said to be very short. In* Dunedin the position is not mj ba<^. Inquiries made show that manufacturers arc able to rub along, and, thanks to shipments from India y they can see, their wny clear, for two -or' thrW'months. The consumption of pig and shoot iron in Dunedin and Port Chalmers i* about 200 ton.s a month. A manufacturer" who is. in a position to know says he. think-, that if tho war lasts lqng half the foundries in tho Dominion will have to shut, down in six months fronji now. In the mt-an-time the Mipply. from India hawsaved tho .situation, ond in the opinion of those in the trad* ihh TTuion .Company' has done its very best to land supplies from that ruarket. ,

The third. concert of- the. Ashburton Orchestral Society's.-1916 season ; was given in the Theatre/Royal last evening, the house 'being, completely, filled. A very nne prograhime was submitted, and, to judge by tho liberal applause evoked by every-item, was thoroughlyenjoyed./ A feature of tho evening, was, the Kinging of' Mrs Percy Rule and Mr G. H. Andrews, who 'Contributed solos and duets.' The following numbers, with ■•■humorous ' oycoreß, were, rendered■:— "Polonaise Mili.taire," orchestra.; song, "Farewell," Mr G. 11. Andrews; idyll. "The. Whispering of the Flowers," orchestra,; song, "Bolero." Mrs Percy Rule; piano solos, ''Pastorale" and ."Spanish Dance," Mr Alfred Bu'nz; selection, "Tannhauser,", orchestra: duet, "A Night in Venice," Mrs Rnlo and Mr Andrews; carillon, "Chnntons. Beiges, Cliantons," Mr H. .T. Chapman suid orchestra; sours, "/,n\m a Garden Green" and "The WindsVe Calling," Mrs Percy Rule; selection, "Girofle-. Girofla.," orchestra; song. "Pagany" Mr G. H. Andrews; "Anvil Cliorus,'' from "Tl Trovatorn," ' orcliestra. "The. Wniispering: of-.the. Flower^' was rendered with acihunihU?.; .tfi'ste ,and . i:«----nnerneut,v and. the- :" Anvil i'Cliorus"' made/ a splendid finale to a performance that did credit to all concerned.

.'Astonishment was expressed 1 recently by the Victorian Premier (Sir Alexander Peacock), who is also Minister for Laboui\ when ho was given another illustration of tho methods employed by Labour organisations which arc- oppo«<*d to conscription. Sir Alexander Peacock was asked to accept, tho resignation ol JVli- C. ,T." Cowan as ono of tlio representatives of the employees on the Cigar Trade Waj;os 'Board, because of a motion adopted tit a special mooting of the trade, held on September 12. Mr Cowan's,J<>tter to. tlje Minister ot Labour read as follows:--"! wish to tender my resignation as a representative of,the employees on ihe Cigar Trade Wages Board". My reason is that last night, nfc a special meeting ol" the trade, a resolution was passed any officer holding an opinion in favour of conscription should he compelled to resign, and as ] have committed that unpardonable crime, f would be very grateful (.o you to accept the same." Commenting on the letter, Sir Alexander Peacock snid lie was astonished at the alleged action of ihe uuioii. He had roolied that Incould not leeommend tho Govornor-in-Council to accept the resignation of Mr Cowan :is ;i member ol the "Wage-, Board ior the reason given.

. The .• Largest' Motor Factory in the British ivniymv.—-Reoent visitors to Canada by the« .All-Red route, coruimurt on tlic wonderful growth of Canadian industrial centres. The- largest motor car factory yin the' British -Empire; is ■situated, in the-town ol'JFnrd, Ontario., Here is t carried on the manufacture from raw "Canadian, materials of the finest quality obtainable, tho wellknown and 'reliable Ford Car. • The number-of' Ford cars shipped from this factory in one day is euormr^is. Foiinstance, on Saturday, May 20; 170 cars were shipped to overseas dealers. As the weekly half-holiday ocoiirs on Saturday in Canada, this,number of earn shipped prores the capacity of fchia enormous factory. The mine of materials .purcha-sed in U.S.A. for each Canadian Ford C:ir is only €5. Buyers of Canadian Ford Cars are assured ] that their money is circulated in the i Biiti&U Etajiiie," .. 041 |

A uusa of diphtheria at Hampstead was reported to the Hospital Board today. This makes' tho seventh case of tho kind notified in tho Hampstead disrict during the past two months. .

An Ashburton dairyman informed. ■• a "Guardian" reporter to-day that there has been a considerable improvement in the supply of milk during the past few days, duo to tho plentiful supply 6f» feed. Some of the cows had not yet reached their best form, owing to having entered a-nril coran through tho winter low in coiulition.

A united ell'on, i*- to be made in the Ashbumn (bounty 'by the Ued | Crost ladies for ih.> m/rpo-e of collecting in aid of, the "Our Day" fund. The various "brunches in the County have been written to asking them to mako arrangements for carrying oti^ the col : lections. The \-hburton branch will moot at 'Ifff. early dale, to arrange a scheme of operations.

The Hinluh (South Canterbury) Regimental Band has now 18 new members in training. The men, after a course of theory, commenced practice «rith instrument about a fortnight ago, and arc making good progress. Some, difficulty has been experienced in maintainimi. tbe band at its' full strength. .as members have left from time to 'time in order to go on active service. Another bandsman will leave with the nexl reinforcements.

During the liu-i low weeks a fair amount of shearing, has been done in the Ashburton County, and there has been a steady demand for shearors. Tho reason for the early, start is that some doubt existe> in the minds of farmers as to whether sufficient shearers will be. available when the season is in full swing, iutd they are therefore getting odd lots out of tho way so as to reduce the procure, later on. With early shearing there" is always an element of risk through the possibility of bad wea-tlior sotiing in. It is reported that n Mayfieki farmer, who had liis sheep shorn previous to the recent cold weather, has lost a considerable uumber.

In conversation with Mr Cato, Napier agent of the New Zealand Shipping Company, :» Hawke's Bay "Herald" reporter naa informed that the cargo on board the Tongariro wais valued at about £220,000, while the value of the portion salvaged ,ig estimated at £12,800. Details of the insurances were not available locally, but it was understood, said Mr Cato, that Lloyd's will be the heaviest .losers- Even if the vessel were hilly insured, and it was hardly likely, the. New Zealand Shipping Company has suffered a great Inwhile to replace the vessel it would ,pro bably coat not less- than double tho figure at which she was originally bum.

Mrs Hitrrisaij Lce'-Cowie, the. wellknown temperance lecturer, who has just returned-! from Australia rtfter- four months of organising' worlt-- in connection with the 6 o'clock "closing of hotels, informed a "Guardian" reporter to-day jhat I lie early closing law" in Sydnov had greatly reduced the number of drunken men seen abpnt the str^etn al night. 'Ilio new regulation was lik« klv in h;n c di<-a<,trous resulte to landlord*- :» h'ed houses which were, on nod by bi""W"is>. and some of them would iixpwiistiw .grout - 'difficulty in paying tho high nmt<. Mrs Cowie said she had noticeri - that the moderate drinkers, -whn had bnf-n in the habit of visiting the hot«K for an occasional glav, had nv'<;h;iuicaUy becomo reconciled to the 1 •■>;iHy-clo«ing, and had soughLofchiM nK'i'.M of diversion, which was not very difficult., as, Sydney had so many .-jv-enux-s of i-ecr-fation to ofl'er tho people.