LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 106, 17 February 1950, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Rivers Clear and Fishable The Ashburton, Rakaia and Rangitata Rivers * were reported at noon today to- be clear and fishable. Teachers’ Institute Meets The Mid-Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute met in Ashburton last eveiiing. The business comprised discussion of remits for the annual conference in May. Mr G. P. Mitchell will represent the branch at the conference. Polar Bears for Auckland Zoo Two young Polar bears to fill the vacant pit at the Auckland zoo are expected to arrive in a few months from Antwerp, says a- Press Association message. It is intended to pay for them with wallaroos, keas, emus, and Paradise duck. Seasonal Workers The freezing industry is not the only enterprise which depends largely on seasonal workers; hop, tobacco and fruit harvests also have to attract in season large numbers of casual workers. This season there are some 3000 temporary workers in the Nelson district dealing with these crops. One of the induceinents has been free travel arrangements for those staying a month or more, and the whole Dominion has made contributions to the labour force.

< Lodge Meeting The quarterly summoned meeting of the Loyal Ashburton Lodge, Manchestery Unity of Oddfellows was held last evening. The N.G. (Bro. R. Brawley) presided over a good attendance. Two candidates were initiated, one elected and one proposed. Sick pay amounting to £l2 3s 4d was passed in favour of li members. Bro. W. Miller reported on the recent lodge picnic held at McLennan’s Bush. Over 100 members and children had travelled by bus to the site, find the usual attractions for children had made for a happy outing.

Waitaki Boys’ High School Twenty-two applications have been received for the position of rector of Waitaki Boys’ High School, which becomes vacant with the resignation of Mr J. T. Burrows. The applications include several from overseas. It is understood that the applicants are of a high standard. Sumniaries of the applications are being sent to the Education Department in Wellington, and when these are returned to the Board of Governors in Oamaru with the Department’s comments, the Board will meet to select the new rector.

British Team’s Visit At a meeting of the Ashburton Rugby Uniqn held recently, it was decided to hold the annual meeting of delegates on March 25, and to commence competition matches on Saturday, April 15. Hotel accommodation for the British Rugby team, and members of the combined team from North Otago is to be booked for June 5,6, and 7. The North Otago Union forwarded a cheque, being Ashburton’s share of the profits at the AustraliaCombined match held at Oamaru last season.

Horticultural Judges Advice has been received from Mr F. H. Pritchard, secretary of the Timaru Horticultural Society, that the following have been appointed judges at the forthcoming Timaru show: Cut flowers, Mr A. J. Millichamp; dahlias, Mr Alf. Clark; gladioli, Mr G. W. Coombs; decorative classes, Mrs Millichamp. Judges at the Borough School flower show to-morrow will be: Gladioli, Mr Millichamp; dahlias, Messrs Millichamp and F. Porter; decorative, Mrs A. Clark; vegetables, Mr R. Inch; cut flowers, Mrs G. Scales. The judges at both shows are members of the Ashburton Horticultural Society.

You Look, Or You Don’t , . There is plenty to choose from in television programmes in England, just as there is almost everywhere on the radio. A writer in the English “Radio Times,” however, points out one essential difference between. the two kinds of programmes. He writes, “Television is not something that, like the radio, can be left crooning to itself in the corner while you cheerfully get on with something else; you are either looking at television or you are not looking. There is no such thing as background viewing, and what;, is more important, there is no such thing as the attitude of mind that goes with background anything.”

Whooping Cough Flights Nine children suffering from whooping cough have recently been taken on high-altitude aeroplane flights in Mr E. J. Bland’s “Proctor” by Messrs S. Robertson and N. Holmes. Six of the cases have been completely cured, while the results of the other three, which were taken on a curative flight last night, will not be known for a day or two. The duration of these flights is usually about 70 minutes, as it is necessary for the planes to reach and maintain an altitude of from 10,000 to 12,000 feet for about 20 minutes. The patients noticeably breathe more deeply at this altitude, due to the decreased density of the atmosphere.

Right-Hand Rule t A closer scrutiny of the argument for the abolition of the right-hand traffic rule in favour of left-hand rule will be made by the North Island Motor Union, says a Press Association message. The council at Wellington yesterday deferred acting on a resolution by a sub-committee recommending a left-hand rule, and decided to arrange for a full committee of the South Island and North Island Motor Unions to bring down recommendations. The chairman (Mr W. H. Brown) said the right-hand rule was not working satisfactorily, and made for confusion. It would always be confusing while motor traffic drove to the left and gave way to the right.

British Industries Fair

“Coming Events” specialises in this month’s issue on the British Industries Fair to be held next May in London and Birmingham. The show will occupy a million square feet of floorspace and exhibits range from light plastics to the products of the heavy metal industries. Textile and clothing* furniture, leather, upholstery, pottery, glassware, printing, plastics, jewellery, watches and clocks, optical goods, television and radio, musical instruments, chemicals, fancy goods, and the latest in building and agricultural machinery—all these —and the list of wonders is not complete.