COUNTRY NEWS AND NOTES.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14400, 6 July 1912, Page 7

COUNTRY NEWS AND NOTES.

JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS

On the 12th of this'month several industrial cases will come on for hearing at Ashburton. All, aro in respect of breaches of the threshine-mill workers' award, and havo been laid by the Department of Labour.

About this time last year the grass grub was making serious ravages on many farms throughout Southland, but this year, no doubt thanks to the long spell "of rain experienced, one novor hears tho little "pest mentioned. An Eastern District farmer told a "Southland News" reporter that though Southland had practically lost a whole season, the cost was.cheap, if, at the samo time, the district had also lost the grub for a few years. •

Thirty farmers who aro dissatisfied with Canada as a suitable country for the industry, arrived in Auckland from Vancouver, by the Makura on Tuesday. Most of the new arrivals hail from the Old Country or are Canadians, and they havo como'to New Zealand to take iip land, but if they fail in their mission they will proceed to Australia. "Tho chief thing against Canada is its climate," said one of the ' party to a "Herald" representative. "Tho winter is very severe, and of late years many of us have had almost the whole of our crops ruined by hail, frost, and snow. Cannda is not the place it is reported to be, and hundreds are leaving the country every month."

A meeting of the General Committee of the- Ellesmero A. and P. Association was held, at Leeston on Thursday, ,Mr J. Cunningham presiding.- It was decided to. insert classes in the catalogue for granulated and liquid honey. It was decided that tho annual horse parade should he held at Leeston on September 27th, and that it should bo under the control of the, Horse Committees. It was decided that the chairmen of tho different sub-commit-tees should act as the special prize allocation committee, and that the coaimittee should meet on the 24th inst. The Ellesmcre Ploughing Match Committee was voted a donation of. £5 ss. the secretary, Mr'W. O.'-Ronnie, was congratulated on his marriage. The question of a parade of stock was discussed, but no action taken.

The American, like the English and colonial, Jew has_ hitherto been largely known as a trader. But in very recent rears the exclusion policy of Russia has been sending to the United States tens of thousands.of Jews from the agricultural regions of that Empire. The American Jews saw in advance- of their neighboms the necessity of meeting this new condition, and even before it was noon them they had organised tho Jewish Agricultural and Industrial Aid Society in New York, and endowed it with the means of carrying on a useful work. During the 12 years of the existence of this- organisation it. has made 2173 independent loans to immigrants, amounting to 255.000 dollars. Of these loans 19.")6 have- been made to Jewish farmers. The manager of the society holds that the movement of Jews toward the tarms is much stronger than the figures indicate. The desire of Jews to enter upon farming, he claims, is much greater than their ability to do so. "If," says he, "we were to advertise in a Yiddish paper that wo were ready to put on farms anyone wishing to go. we could place 3.00.000 Jewish farmers in a week or two." But it is the policy of the society to discourse© thoae who for any reason are illequipped for the task of beginning lifo on the farm. "We do not." says the quoted, "want to make poor or placeless Jews of the city poorer and oven more miserable farmers."

There was a large attendance at tho regular meeting of the Oxford Debating and Mutual Improvement Society

OXFORD.

on Wednesday evening." The subject for the evening was a debate on "Compulsory Military, Service." ; The quarterly "meeting of the Oxford Methodist Church was held on Monday. The Rev. C- H. Laws presided, and there was- a lar£e and representative attendance of officials. . Mr W. H. Wise, the home missionary, was heartily welcomed to the district*. The balance-sheet was satisfactory, the regular donations showing a large increase. A general discussion took place in regard to the Church's activities in the district.

At- the last meeting of the Oxford branch of the W.C.T.U. there was a large attendance, the Coronation Hall being nearly full. The president, Mrs Gainsford, presided, and Mrs McCombs, of Christchurch, nave an address on "Tho Defence Act," after which an animated discussion took place. In the evening Mrs McCombs addressed the"V" branch of tho Union on "The Cult of Womanhood."

RANGIORA

The Rangiora Methodist Church quarterly meeting was held at Southbrook on Thursday; the Rev. C. Abernethy presiding, and there being a good attendance of the office-bearers. The income for tho quarter was about £111, and the expenditure was about £122. Tho membership of the circuit, 230, showed an increase of nine on the former quarter. Tho Sunday school attendance) and the roll of the Christian Endeavour Society wexe very satisfactory. The Rev. J. H. Haslam gave an address upon the Conference circular, requesting members to join in a general interest in the welfare of the society throughout the Dominion. The Bud of Hope Lodge of Druids. Rangiora, celebrated tho thirty-second anniversary w.th a social in the Coronation Hall, Southbrook. There ttas a large attendance, and vocal items were given at intervals between the dancing. During tho evening occasion was taken to make a presentation to Bro. T. Taylor of a travelling rug, for the interest he had taken in tho Order, he having left the district.

TAI TAPU

A social in connection with the Tai Tapu Methodist Ladies' Guild was held in tho schoolroom. Tea was provided by the ladies of the congregation, the following ladies presiding over tho tables: —Miss M. Barnett, Mesdames J. Graham, H. E. Peryman and T. 0. Morgan. After tea an excellent concert programme was provided by the following:—Songs and Duets, Miss Bonnington, Parrot, Reed, Mrs. Gahagan and Mr L. W. Peryman; recitations, Misses Bray and Phemie, Suckling, and readings by Mr T. 0. Morgan. Miss Bonnington and E. Barnett acted as accompanists. A voteof thanks was accorded the performers. The Tai Tapu Methodist quarterly meeting was held on Monday evening. The Rev. H. Ranston presided over an attendance of seventeen officials, including three new ones, who were welcomed by the,chairman. One member was received as a local preacher on Ntrial. The financial statement showed a small deficit, which was considered very satisfactory in consequence of the very inclement state of the weather during the quarter. The chairman reported an increase of three members from the preceding quarter, and that tho Sunday-schools throughout the circuit wero in a very satisfactory condition. Tho Greennark congregation had shown a very pleasing increase in attendance during the quarter. A Young Men's Chib is to be started at Tai Tapu on Thursday next.

ELLESMERE.

The North Rakaia River Board has accepted tho tender of Mr J. S : , Campbell, of Ellesmero, for building an embankment at the Rakaia river, consisting of about 6000 cubic yards of shingle, at lid per yard.

LEESTON.

The quarterly meeting of officebearers of the Leestotf "Methodist cir- J cuit was held in tho schoolroom on Tuesday afternoon. There was a representative attendance, and satisfactory reports of the different departments of the Church work were presented. Owing to the : number of wet Sundays, the balance-sheet showed* a deficit of £3, Ways and means were suggested as to the liquidating of tho deficit. A letter was read from the president of the Conference, the Rev. W. Ready, soliciting help for tho Waihi circuit, which had suffered by the strike. It was decided to vote £1 to the Waihi circuit funds. There was a long discussion on a circular received from the Welfare of the Church Committee for the Dominion. Tho circular dealt with the very grave condition .of "the Churches, and particularly with tho Methodist Church. It was stated that as far as this district was concerned there had been a steady depletion ot the adherents of the Methodist Church through removals. It was decided to holdi the home mission services in September, when the Rev. T. J. Hammond; .who is head of the Maori: mission in Taranaki, will visit the district.

AKAROA

For tho past week billiard toonlaments have been held between teams from Little River and- Akaroa. In tho firsi match, played at Little River on Tuesday, Akaroa were victors by 50 ooints. • The return took place at Akaroa onV Thursday; when Akaroa again won by 237 points. Tho members of Lodge Good Intent of Oddfellows, Akaroa, held a -most successful social gathering oii Thursday evening, a large number of brethren and friends being present. In addition to dancing and other amusements a ladies' impromptu speech competition was held, which caused great amusoment, the first prize- being awarded to Miss V. Bailey, and the second to Mrs K. Jacobson.

HINDS.

Grain carting is not finished yet, and the station is very busy >at present. Tho shortage of trucks, thanks to tho energetic and capable station master, is not now acute! The. loading bank is now finished, and is a vast improvement on the old one, which did duty for so long. The shod will bo shifted to its now position soon, and it is a pity that the station master's house could not be removed across the line from its present disagreeable position. There was a very fair attendance at the annual meeting of tho Presbyte-rian-Church. Mr McMasters occupied the chair, and gave a very interesting report of the work of the year. This showed +he district to be very progressive, and augurs well for tho future. Mr A. Moore presented the balancesheet, which showed receipts from all sources £216, as .against £113 last year. The church was now free from debt, and there was a credit balance. Mr Gibbs moved:—"That a letter bo sent, to Mr. Fastier (lately of Hinds), sympathising with him m his late bereavement." Tho following were elected a committee:—Secretary, Mr McMasters; treasurer, Mr A. Moore; R- Moore, Paterson, McDowell, Davison. Morris, Gibbs, Holland. Songs were sung by Misses'' Roaers and Holland, Mr s Goldsmith, Mr*T. L. Gibbs; recitation. Miss M. Moore, Misses N. Gibbs and J. Rogers acted as accompanists. A nlentifiil simper was then served by the ladies.