COUNTY CENTRES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 132, 17 March 1930, Page 8

COUNTY CENTRES.

(From Our Own Correspondents). METHVEN> A meeting of the Methyen subbranch of the Plunket Society was presided over by Mrs Stanley Smith (president). Others present were ivies dames Bremer, Stone, McKee, Morgan, Reid, Bland, Mangin, Aitken, Fryer, Roddy, Dalton, Watson, Lawrence and Miss Morgan (lion, secretary). The nurse s report foi; December, January and February was presented as follows: December: Visits to hordes 8, to rooms 98; adults 45, babies 38, pre-school age 15, new cases 2, breast-fed 1, breast and complemented 1. January: Visits to homes 18, to rooms 166; adults babies 64, pre-school-age 30, new cases 7, breast-fed 6, artificially-fed 1. February: Visits to homes 11, yisits to rooms 178; adults 84, babies 72, preschool age 22, new cases (>, breast-fed 4, breast and complemented 2. Nineteen. new members were elected. It was decided to hold the annual meeting in the Anglican Hall on April 2, and the secretary was instructed to invite the members of the Ashburton branch executive to be present. It was also decided to ask M.r J. W. M. Dart, of the local advisory hoard, to pieside. ... Splendid weather was enjoyed during the week-end. Good progress has been made with harvesting during the past week, and the fact that a number of farmers have finished thise u'ork probably accounted for the better tendance on the bowling green on .Saturday afternoon, when some interesting practice games were enjoyed. A visit By three rinks from the Opawa Club for Wednesday has been arranged. It is also' intended to send a rink to Christchurch next Saturday to take part in the annual Ashburton County v. Christchurch match. Much interest is being taken in the new season of the Golf Club, which will open shortly.. Good progress is being made with the preparation of the new links, and the erection of a clubhouse will shortly be put in hand. mayfielct; The annual meeting of the Mayfield Football Club was held in the hall, there being a good attendance. The club was congratulated on winning the Junior Banner, also the Seven-a-skle Tournament, the latter being played by J Sowdeni, C. Guthrie, W. Fagan, J. Anderson, K. Ellery, and N. Murdoch. Trophies for the most consistent player during the year was won by L. Murdoch, while G. Blunden won that for the most improved forward. The balance-sheet showed a credit of £6 19s 4d. It was decided to notify the , Domain Board that the Club wished to lease the grounds for the coming season. The opening day was fixed for March 29. The election of officers resulted as follows: —Ptytrdn, Mr R. Austin; president, Mr W. Whiting; vice-presidents, Messrs G. H. Clements and A. Lorimer, added to those of fast year; secretary, Mr D. 0. Sewell; treasurer, Mr A. H. Guiney; auditor, Mr G. H. Clements; chairman, Mr E. Burgess; committee, Messrs T. Whiting, C. Guthrie, W. .Fagan, J. Cairns, H. Whiting, J. Sowden, and I. Anderson; coach, Mr J. D. Murdoch. Mr T. Heenan was thanked for his services, and was re-elected delegate to the Ashburton County Rugby Union. CHERTSEY. Threshing and carting of grain are now almost completed in the Cliertsey district. Nearly all the grain this season has been threshed out of stock, andi carting has been carried out expeditiously by motor-lorries. Some farmers already have areas of green oats well above the ground, and are still working land for future sowings. Good headway is also being made with the preparation of ground for next season’s wheat crop. The recent rain was very welcome, as all root crops were beginning to show the need of moisture. This season has been an ex•o ceptional one for turnips and rape, as the showery weather throughout the summer months prevented t£e ravages of fly and blight,; Recently some signs of the pests began to attract attention, but the heavy rain on Monday ' last allayed growers’ fears. Mr W. Waterhouse, of the station staff, is on holiday at Timarn. His place is being filled by Mr J. Hay man. The Social ;Club, which held a series • of entertaining evenings last winter, will commence its fortnightly meetings at the end cf this week. Mr Andrew Doig (chairman) and Mr S. Symister (secretary) have arrangements-well in liand, and another successful season is anticipated. PENDARVES. On Sunday - afternoon harvest Thanksgiving service was held in tliQ Pendarves Hall by the Rev. A. S. Morrison. As usual, there were many offerings of fruit, vegetables and general farm produce. After the service these were packed ready to be forwarded to the Presbyterian Omhanage, Christchurch. MOUNT SOMERS. Apart from the rain at the beginning of the week, the weather was ideal for the ingathering of harvest, with the result that only a few isolated crops remain to be gathered in, in the Bucoleuch -and Mt. Somers districts. There are still some unreaped crops in the Ashburton Gorge, where harvesting is generally later than on the plains. It is stated that some of the crops in the Gorge equal some of the best grown in those parts.