COUNTY CENTRES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 51, Issue 134, 19 March 1931, Page 6

COUNTY CENTRES.

(From Our Own Correspondents.) METHVEN. \ The monthly meeting of the committee of the' Alethven public Library was held last evening. Air J. Temple presided, and there were also present: Messrs A. G. Foreman and W. J.Owen and Dr. W. H. AlcKee, Mesdames G. Burrows, J. Kihvorth, E. AlcMeekan, G. R. Cleave, H. Reid (hop., secretary), and Aliss A. M. Stone. The chairman reported that the repairs to the fences and buildings and the cleaning of the library section would be completed shortly. Twenty-three new books were catalogued' and placed on the shelves. The secretary reported that £3 in subscriptions had been received since the last meeting, and that there would be a credit balance of £3 2s after all accounts had been paid. In view of the small credit balance it was decided to withhold the furtfter purchase of books for the ensuing month.

RAKAIA. Work under the unemploymentscheme is now in its fourth week, and a decided improvement has been made in the appearance of the township. There are 21 men employed in cleaning up footpaths leading to the schools and churches. The paths, which in the past had been overgrown with grass and gorse, have been cleaned up, and in many cases are ready for metalling and asphalting. The work is being done under the No. 5 Scheme, and is under the control of a. committee under the Rakaia, Road Board. Under the No. 4A Scheme, four married couples have been o laced on farms, and several farmers have promised employment lor single men. It has been suggested that the Advance Rakaia Association, which was granted a subsidy for relief works by the South Rakaia. Road Board, should' provide the materials required. The registrations of unemployed at Rakaia. now total 59.

On Tuesday evening, in th» Town Hall, the annual concen t of the Rakaia Convent School was held. There was a large attendance. The concert ‘ was given by the pupils of the school, assisted by old pupils and a number of performers from Lyttelton. A varied programing was presented. The opening chorus, “Here’s a Health of Erin,” was sung by the school children; song, “Mother Ala.chree,” by the singing class; orchestral itc/hs by Alisses F. Moir and F. Ramon, Alessrs J. Partridge, J. Fowlds, and W. Evans; song, “Blue-bells,” by the junior girls; vocal duct, “The Last Rose of Summer,” by Alisses Al. Loader and E. Aleado: violin duet, by Afisses F. Atoir and Air J. Partridge; fancy dance by junior girls; song, “The Days When We Were Young,” senior boys; pianoforte solo, “Irish Airs,” by Dir. Bagiev; play, “The Alad Fiddler,” by lan Anderson, Noel Carney, John O’Reilly, Michael Lawler, Eric Coffey, Jock Rule, and Gordon Hickin; orchestral selection, Lyttelton Convent orchestra: duet, “Pretty Polly Popkins,” Misses E. Aleade and M. Loader; violin duet, Missp AL Aloir and Air J. Partridge; song, “Hats of Other Days,” pupils; recitation, “The OlcLßush School,” Air J. Fowlds; class-singfvg, “Old Al other Hubbard” ; piano duct, Alisses J. Breach and Al. Baker; playefcte, “Aids Graham’s New Cook,” by Alisses B. Stewart, AL Baker, J. Brown. P. Tullv, AlcAnultv, G. Turton, Al. Tinton and Joan Baker. The accompaniments were played by Airs Donahoo and Miss Stewart. During an interval Air John Connolly, in the unavoddablo absence of the Rev. Father Price, thanked all who had assisted to make the concert such a success.

WILLOWBY. The Willowhy A tennis teafn journeyed to Hinds, where it met the local team in a friendly match, which resulted in the Willowhy team winning by 62 games to 44 games. Harvesting operations are just about completed!, and the mills have, done some threshing. Some yields have been very good, oil? lot of 30 acres having yielded 70 bushels to the acre.