MID-CANTERBURY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18904, 20 January 1927, Page 5

MID-CANTERBURY.

ASHBURTON.

PERSONAL.

Mr W. S. Pratt, who has been organising teacher on the West Coast for the Education Board, and who has been appointed headmaster of the Allcnton School to succeed Mr S. H. Sullivan, will arrive in Ashburton to-day.

Telephone Statistics,

"The telephone is only catching on in the farming districts of tho Ashburton County," stated tho postmaster (Mr J. Mulvey) to a representative of TriE Peess yesterday morning. During his term in Ashburton, Mr Mulvey has devoted a great deal of time to the supplying of information and the grouping of settlers for the erection of party telephone lines for the convenience of Statistics of the number of subscribers on the Ashburton Exchange, prepared by the postal officials, show that the total increase since June 30th, 19*4. when the number was 513, is 187 up to December 31st, 1926. and the most of these are farmers. At the end of December there were 700 subscribers connected to the exchange.

Run of Kahuwai. Good sport was experienced by fishermen at Hakatere, the mouth of the Ashburton river, on Tuesday, when the nor'-west weather conditions wero responsible for the heavy run of kahuwai. The largest catch of the day was that taken by Mr M. Ewan, who landed /-, while another angler had 30 to his credit by the end of the day. New Telephone Lines. Two new party telephone lines are now iu courso of construction in Eiffelton and along the Hinds river to tho Blackbridgc. The first, a ten-party line, running down to the property ot Mr W. March, on Poplar road, a distance of about 16 miles, is ncaring completion, all the settlers having been joined up, and it is expected that tney will bo connected with tho Ashburton Exchange in about a week. Although these farmers arc nearer to tho Hinds Exchange, they desired to bo connected to Ashburton, as most of their business is done in that centre. There is at present a five-party line on the Ashburton side of the 4 Hauls river, which is connected to the ILnas Exchange; and this will be converted into a nine-party line and linked up to the Ashburton Exchange, making the total length of line about 17 miles. Five farmers on tho Isleworth settlement will also be connected with the Hinds Exchange. Tho nine-party line will be completed in about a month. There is the likelihood of tho construction of a further line at Willowby. METHVEN. Mr and Mrs Alan Baxter and family left this morning en route to tho North. Island for a motoring tour. Mr Cook, of the Oamaru branch of the Bank of New Zealand, is acting as manager at Methven during Mr Baxter's absence on holidays. Miss A. P. Duff, of Methven, accompanied by Miss Brown, of Sydney, who has been the guest of Mrs A. C. Watson, left yesterday for Dunedm to fulfil engagements at the "Burns Night concerts in that City. FAIRTON. The first progressive euchro evening held under the auspices of the Fairton Progressive Euchre Club, for the benefit of the School, Hall, Cricket, and Tennis Committees, took place on Saturday evening in the hall, when a large number took part. For the ladies' prize Mrs Baton (Wellington) and Miss A. McKay tied for first place with 118 points each, and in the cutoff Mrs Paton won, Miss McKay taking second prize. For the men's prize Mr C. Pauling was first with 128 points and Mr C. Brown, 122 points, second. Messrs J. T. Wallis and N. Donald controlled the games. For the rest of Lho evening dancing was indulged in, Mr and Mrs Chappell supplying the music.