COUNTY CENTRES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 51, 10 December 1934, Page 8

COUNTY CENTRES

(Prom Our Own Correspondents.) HINDS. A public meeting was held in the Hinds Hall on Friday evening to make arrangements for a send-off to Mr and Mrs Kelland, who will shortly leave the district. Mr Kelland has been on the railway staff at Hinds for eight years. Mr P. O'Connor was elected chairman.and Mr M. Middlemas secretary. It was decided to have a social and dance and presentation on Thursday evening. The Loyal Hinds Lodge, M.U.1.0.0. F., held a church service in the hall yesterday afternoon, when members from other lodges in tlie district also attended. The Rev. R. McGregor, of Willowby, conducted the service. Miss A. Frampton was pianiste. RAKAIA. , Tlie South Rakaia Rond Board met on Thursday. Mr H. Harrison presided and others present were: Messrs J. Lambie, W. W. Carruthers, A. Doig and W. Letham, The balance-sheet was received from the Audit Office. It was decided to call tenders, for the right to cut cocksfoot on the roads. Several tendered were received for the Hatfield plantation, Mr J. Butler ({Dunedin) being successful. It was decided to reform the, three-chain road/ in preparation for metalling, and to put down a concrete kerbing round the, Rakaia Post Office. The transfer of a property from the estate of J. Bishop to F. L, Cone was approved. The report stated that 525 yards of metal had been spread in the township, 60 yards on the Barrhill School Road, two two sets of pipes had been installed: on Mainwaring's Road, jvnd the tar-sealing of the corners in the township had been completed; 76 chains of Hawaiian's Road had been metalled, and the formation of McCrory's Read had been completed. STAVELEY. The December meeting of the Mothers' Union took the form of a social,afternoon, and was held at the home of the president (Mrs H. Goldsmith) on Thursday. There were visiters from Alford Forest and Mount 'Somers, and- a full attendance oil the union's members. It.was reported that over lf> dozen eggs had been collected for the Timaru Orphanage. The Rev. W. T. Williams gave a short address on -Christmas. Arrangements were made for a. church dance. Community singing, games and competitions occupied the remainder of the afternoon, the competitions being won by Mrs G. Durran and Mrs S. T. Goldsmith. At the last meeting of the Springburn School Committee arrangements were made to hold a, break-up concert in conjunction with the prize-giving in the Staveley Hall. The intention of taking the children to Ash burton on the. occasion of the visit of the Duke has been abandoned, but at the committee meeting it was decided to leave to the headmaster final arrangements for taking pupils on a. visit to the woollen and the flour mills at Ashburton. The,Staveley district did not suffer from any shortage of rain, during November,' 384 points being recorded, which brought the total for the year to that time 44.11 inches, compared with 37.56 inches for the same period of last year. During the last week of the month the weather became exceptionally hot. Shearing was pushed ahead,' sack covers for shade were thrown over tractor drivers, and there was a hurried search for bathing holes in creeks. Farmers welcomed the hot weather, and since some refreshing showers have fallen.

A local farmer has sold; his lambs forward at 15s a head, this price being on a par with that of Oast year. The adjourned quarterly meeting of the Loyal Pioneer Lodge, M.U.1.0.0.F., Avas concluded on Saturday evening, the N.G. (Bro; N. Watson) presiding. Christmas greetings were received from the G.M. of the New Zealand branch (Bro. T. J. Archbold). The district officers paid an official visit. Two candidates for membership were accepted. A syllabus of meetings for the next 12 months was drawn up and approved. The election of officers for the next six months resulted: N.G., Bro. R. Glasson; V.G., Bro. J. King; F.S., Bro. H. Graham. These officers were installed.