LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 245, 28 July 1937, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Suffering from injuries received when his ankle was run over by a plough, Montague Rogers, aged 18, was admitted to the Ashburton Public Hospital yesterday. He was reported today to be in a satisfactory condition.

To obtain a Digger’s slouch hat as worn by the New Zealand soldiers in the Great War was one of the desires of Mr Arthur W. North, F.R.G.C., of New York, who, after a boat trip lasting seven days, from Taumarunui to Wanganui, was in Wanganui for a few hours the other day. A member of the “Chronicle” staff gave him the article, which he said he would take home to the collection of interesting exhibits he had obtained in various parts of the world.

How Egypt was indebted to its dry climate for the preservation of stonework and parchments over thousands of years was referred to by Mr J. I. Craig, Commissioner for Customs and economic consultant to the Egyptian Government, when addressing meriibers of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce recently. As a result of dry weather the country had an almost continuous record of what had happened in the past 501)0 years, and tlra rise and fall of the various civilisations could -be easily traced- No other country had been so fortunate in this respect. ,

Extensions are at present being made to the premises of Moore’s Ltd., East Street. The old offices have been removed to the end of the building, taking up part of the previous carpet department, which, though only opened twelve months ago, has made such progress as to necessitate its removal to the ground floor. The new offices will xiave plenty of light and air and be much more comfortable. The gain to the showroom is tremendous, not only in fioor space but also, by the addition of extra skylights, a flood 'bf natural light is released which will materially help in the choice of goods, etc.—l.

Appreciation of the signposting of roads in the province, carried out by the Automobile Association (Auckland), was expressed to the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Jrion. W. E. Parry), by a party of South African tourists he met this week in Rotorua (states the “New Zealand Herald”). “The visitors told me that they had undertaken with some misgiving a motor tour of New Zealand in their own ear,” MiParry said, “but they had found the way made easy for them by the excellent signposting of the roads. They paid a high tribute to the work of the Automobile Association in this respect.”

A question exercising the minds of medical men in New Zealand is a threatened influx of Jewish doctors, exiled from Germany because of Hitler’s anti-Semitic campaign (says a Press Association telegram). Six have begun practice at Auckland in the last two years, and it is understood that many more are likely to take up residence. A large number of exiled German doctors have been permitted to take a course of one year at Glasgow University to obtain a British degree. The Home Office is granting registration on condition that the}- undertake not to practice in. Great Britain. Auckland doctors interviewed unanimously considered that New Zealand did not require medical men from overseas. A visiting Australian physician said that the profession there was “not too happy about the position.” In Victoria recently an Australian medical practitioner who was not naturalised had contested in the Supreme Court his right to register in Victoria and had been admitted.

“The' agricultural text book written by Cato is characterised by an almost Scottish frugality,” said Professor G. G. Cooper, in the course of an address on Roman agriculture given in Hamilton the other evening. Cato, he said, paid great attention to detail, even to the extent of advising landed proprietors, when issuing new clothes to their workers, to be sure to get the old garments “for patches.”

The sun is maintaining this year’s reputation for spottiness, and a new and extensive group of spots put in an appearance during the week-end (says the “Evening Post,” Wellington). There is one very large spot, and this is attended by four others of moderate size, as well as by numerous smaller ones. These spots are showing on the eastern side of the sun, and as that body rotates they will apparently be crossing the sun’s disc during the next few days, and will be favourably placed for observation.

Confirmation was given yesterday by the Acting-Minister of Public Works (the Hon. P. C. Webb) to the report that the Government had purchased the property on the south side of Bowen Street, Wellington, extending from the Turnbull Library to The Terrace, and on which is situated the Bowdn Street Hospital (says a. Press Association telegram), it is understood that the building will be used for office accommodation purposes for which it is urgently required. The price at which the property was purchased from Mrs F. E. Herbert, widow of Dr. Herbert, was £39,500.

According to a letter received from the Canterbury Education Board at the Ashburton East School Committee’s meeting, the scheme for consolidating the Seafield and Elgin schools with Ashburton East, which has been held up owing to differences of opinion concerning the most suitable motor-bus route, is expected to be put into force soon. The board said that tenders for the conveyance of children closed on July 16. All the details had to be submitted to the Department of Education before the scheme could be completed.

“One of the greatest difficulties we have in running petrol-driven graders is keeping them supplied with fuel,” said Mr A. A. Woodward, engineer to the Waikato County Council, at a special meeting*" of the council. Mr Woodward said it was necessary to send not more than a day’s supply of petrol to the graders at a time, for if any was left in the machine for the night it would be stolen. The thieving of petrol that went on caused a great deal of inconvenience. Mr Woodward’s statement influenced the council to purchase Diesel machines, the oil fuel of which, he said, would .not be stolen.

A kahawai 2ft 6in in length was the victim of an unusual' attack by a gannet at Putiki Bay, Waiheke (says the “New Zealand Herald”). A fisherman noticed the gannet rising and diving repeatedly into the water, whicn was 'each time considerably disturbed by what appeared to' be the threshing of a fish near the surface. An investigation was made by the fisherman, who discovered the large kahawai partially stunned by the gannet’s onslaught. He had 110 difficulty in capturing the fish and throwing it into the boat. The kahawai’s head showed considerable evidence of the gannet’s attack. For the fisherman, it was a., very useful catch, as it supplied bait for 120 hooks.

The Brisbane Maru, which leaves Lyttelton to-day, carries 1000 two-tooth Oorriedale'ewes, of which 250 are registered sheep. Ten stud rams are also included in this\shipment, which was made by the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd. A further shipment of 1250 will be nfade next month. In the consignment were 19 stud sheep from Mr R. J. Martin (Seafield) and 210 two-tooth flock Corriedale ewes from Mr J. Cocks (Eiffelton). The stud sheep are going to the Japanese Government’s experimental sheep station in Korea, and the flock ewes will be distributed among farmers under a Government scheme.

The 40-hour week is in general operation in France as it is in New Zealand, and - there also the introduction of it has not been accompanied by a reduction in labour costs. The effect is being necessarily shown in’ the increased cost of all manufactured goods. A Dunedin firm last week received a letter from a firm of wine merchants in France which illustrates this. The cost price of manufactured goods has increased by at least 25 per cent.,’ and in the case of goods essential to the wine and spirit trade, such as bottles, labels, corks, capsules, and cardboard packing, there is an average increase of 59 per cent, in price.

Coronation medals awarded to prominent citizens throughout the Empire have been received by recipients in Ashburton. > These medals, which have been issued as a personal souvenir from his Majesty, were received by registered post from Wellington recently, and were accompanied by a letter notifying the recipient that they had been issued by command’ of the King. The medal is of silver with busts of their Majesties on the obverse side and the Royal cypher with the date of the Coronation, May 12, 1937, on the reverse. The medal will be worn suspended by a- ring from a. ribbon with a blue centre stripe and two white stripes and one red stripe on either side.

The oldest returned soldier in New Zealand is, it is believed, living in Invercargill (says a Press Association telegram). It was reported at a meeting of the executive of the Invercargill Returned Soldiers’ Association that a former serviceman, who had made application for a pension, had presented himself for examination, and it was learned that he was 81 years old. He enlisted at the age of 59, and sailed with the Ninth Reinforcements in 1915. He saw considerable “line service” in France, and when asked how lie managed to stand up to long marches he replied that they did not trouble him, and that he carried many a younger soldier’s pack and rifle for him.

The committee dealing with the fixation of guaranteed prices for butter and cheese during the new season met at Parliament House, Wellington, yesterday, and completed most of the data required for the preparation of its report (says a Press Association telegram). The chairman '(Sir Francis Frazer) stated that the report was being prepared, and it was expected to have it in the hands of the Government in about 10 days after another meeting of the committee to revise the report. The press representatives were unable to obtain details regarding the matters discussed by the committee, the chairman emphasising that such information must be submitted first to the Government.

“This is a new matter. The board never before has had a request for a horse trough,” stated the chairman (Mr. E. F. Hemingway) at the last meeting of the Wanganui Education Board, when a request was received from the South Makirikiri School Committee for the provision of a water trough in the horse paddock.

The Committee of Inquiry set up by the Minister of Health (the Hon. P. Fraser) to report upon all matters affecting the provision of satisfactory maternity services throughout New Zealand will commence its country sittings in the Auckland Province at Whakatane on August 16. Thirteen centres in the province will be visited, and all organisations and individuals having information or suggestions to offer are invited to place their views before the committee.

A land snail, which: was found on Mount Talma, in the Southern Alps, by Mr 0. F. Fletcher, of Onehunga, has been pronounced by Mr A. W. B. Powell conchologist at the Aucklanu War Memorial Museum, to be of an entirely new species, and it has been officially named Paryphanta Fletcherae after its finder. The new' snail, which is carniyerous, and has a large, dark, glossy shell, is a link between the lanct snails found at Nelson and Gore. It was discovered in tussock country 3000 feet above sea level.

Impressions of the highest building in the world, the Empire State Building of New York, 1200 leet in height, and with 101 storeys, were given by Professor ,C. 11. Knight, professor of architecture at the Auckland University, in a public lecture'. “Besides being the highest, it is also one of the finest buildings in the world,” he said. “It has complete unity of conception; there is nothing you would wish to add, and there is nothing you can take away. In form it is perfect.” Many times, as he flashed lantern slides of skyscrapers across the screen, he srjoke of the amazing vitality and power represented in the design of New York’s landmarks. Those lines stretching up and up almost to the clouds were a feature of modern architecture adapted from -the lofty spires of the great cathedrals of Europe. “What would I and many a New Zealand architect not give for the opportunity to design one of those remarkable buildings?” he exclaimed.