COUNTRY NEWS AND NOTES.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14432, 13 August 1912, Page 9

COUNTRY NEWS AND NOTES.

■ ' JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS. , Tho Timaru A. and P. Association deeded at a meeting held in i Titßiirii on Saturday, to hold a winter ihow in Tiniaru next year. " j' The Timaru Ploughing Match* Com- ' . nutteo havo- decided to include a class " . for ladies at their next match. Special prize* have been offered for it by Jlossrfi Jchn Withell, J. S. Rutherford, and M. Maze. ■ ■ It is rfatod that.there will.bo <!000 r tf! i>o9o tons less of butter manufac--j, 'jftj , next season than last, and as . we is a .possibility of Vancouver taking a good deal, it is probable that ■ ■ ' faetenps fining in for the manufacture . of bntter will do "well/next season. ■ Reports that slowly filter in from Ibe'back country of the Amuri, go to stow that ibc loss of sheep in some K-alitfos will 1« great. One runholder ;' ttatos thet ie is his opinion that tho if'cont snowfa'ls are tho worst since ,j ■ ihu b:<: storms in 18CT. Men are hard ; at work, rescuing sheep oil many of the back stations, whilu in some cases •*■ icscito work has been given up as hope- ■ less, a.s it i<! judged impossible to save - 'any of rio stock. To. mark the close of tho 1912 fat itock buying season in South Canterbury, the auctioneers and buyers had a : diflnrr in Timaru on last Friday night. ' .. Tliew were about 40 present, and the j function was a highly successful and very pieauint one. In tho courso of . Ifia speeches which were mado, the past waste was described as the best on re.coTO v .anfl various speakers predicted a ' ' >tiil greater futnro for tho fat lamb jifal ttuiton export trade of New Zea- : land. . ; Our'JlanawatTi .correspondent status XH&t deer.ore responsible for ' serious ; , ftucage to settlers' properties in the troua Down* And Taikorea districts. Jf.p}-ar<> particularly partial to swedes. >. mangels, and growing grain. A settlor states that hundreds of pounds worth c o. oamngehas been done. Ho has a _• - few arres of native bush that lie counts { . _ w great asset, and ho has gono to ~ «ns!derabl& trouble and expense 'in ?lantuj!j nativo shrubs and trees. The t **** have got in and destroyed much

■of. tho-fern, and many young trees, and have aleo damaged his orchards The New Zealand- Government agent in Sydney states that as a result of representations mado to tho State Government, the Cabinet concurred in a proposed change m the system of control in tho meat.trade. It was decided that all questions regarding abattoirs, Kaleyards) and meat markets —in 'fact, the wiiolo handling of stock from . x tiie time it leaves, the train Until _ it reaches the butchers' shops or the ships' holds —shall hf under one control. It is probable that the chief secretaiy will at an early date mako the nece>- rm> ry arrangements for the placing oi thev/holo of tho Australian'meat trade under- a special commission. Mr F. C. Brown, tho Government poultry expert, during .a recent visit to Australia, secured a number of hirds, si'venty-oue in all, to provide fresh blood for the poultry plants of the Department. Special attention was paid to the heavier breeds, the development of which to a utility standard is now the chief concern of the poultry plants oiL-th© Department. The birds purchased include Jllnck Orpingtons, White Orpingtons, White Rocks, and White Wyandottes. Some White Leghorns and B!;ick Minorcas were ' jilso obtained, as "vrell as several Pekin j Ducks. The "Mack Orpingtons,' Pekin Ducks and some White Orpingtons, White Hocks, and White Leghorns came from South Australia. Ths White Wyandottes, some of the Whitt Hocks, White Orpingtons, and White Leghorns were bred in Victoria; and New South Wales provided the Black Minorcas. ■ > The annual meeting of the Peninsula Horse Show Association was held nt Duvaiichelio on Saturday. Mr i\ Williams presided over a large attendance of members. The balance-sheet showed a credit of £G 14s 10d. The following officers were elected: —Patrons, Hons. W r . Montgomery, 11. H. Rhodes, Messrs J G. Lnurenson, H. D. Buchanan, and James Hay; president, Mr T. Williams; vice-president, Mr 11. A. Pettigrow; committee, Messrs G. Armstrong, E. Latter, E. Hay, G. Muleock, J4. W.

Piper, J i>. B H b iiav> j., 3 (^ as £ m > A - KnucLsen. T. Masofiekl, J. \ I' • iiuohanan, A. AlcPhail G. Checkley, \V. Warner, O. Gebbi'e, <}. O- T. Armstrong, p. Parkinson. R. Cots •'• C. TWker, H. Chapi/an, 0. lUehfield, D iJ.-Kay, XLatter, J. Knight, D. Banvick! T. V, tC X art . G - bright, jnn., 11. Bruce, h Ceaninpsbam/T. Warner. J. Gaskia ; J. -Mchcnzie, A. Prichard A. WiSiuirns, lv. Brochine, D. Hunt, and B. Sheen: secretary, .Mr C. W. Leete. An honorarium of sis guineas wa.s voted to the secretary,, and the matior of arranging for judges was left, iv t!:o hands, of Messrs It. Latter. F. Wi!K;inis, and II Pottifirew. Tho date of holding *hn Show wai deferred to a future meetingA meotinß of the General Committee of the Oxford A. and P. Association was held on Saturday, tho president Qlr W. Weld) in the cheir. Mr K. Kipponberyer wrote in regard to tho formation of a Honl-testinp Association. It was decided to ask him t<> address the n°xt meeting on tho subject. The'balance-sheet "of the district social Bhov.'od a. deficit. It was decided tc thank Air .lames Brown for Ins valuable services in connection with the social. A sub-committee was ap- ■ pointed to malcc ail m connection with the annual dinner to bo held on 'September 4th. The .Minister of Agriculture and the Hon. T. Mackenzie (High Commissioner) arc to bo invited tn bo present. Messrs O'Hailoran and Cooper reported on the recent Provincial Conference of A. and 'P. Associations, and wo ye thanked. It was resolved to congratulate the High Commissioner on his appointment, and to heartily thank him tor his services to the Association, it was unanimously decided to express appreciation of the patriotic and liberal action of the Hon. Mr Massoy in appointing the Hon. T. Mackenzie" to the position nf High Commissioner, thus, rising above* the claims of party, and appointing the best and most" qualified man for the position. It was reported that preliminary steps were being taken toTvard.i the establishment of a District Hiph School in Oxford, at which a rural course would be provided, a:u. special facilities given for agricultural training. Tho committee adjourned to tho Show (irounds, and decided on a • tree-planting scheme, and also to effect n suitable entrance to the grounds : from Church street. KAIAPOI. The snowfall on tho 3.-d did not afford the amusement to those- who enjoy , tho license to snowball all and sundry, : which that of yesterday did. Not only ; did many of tho menfolk have a high timo, but in tho eunny foienoon soni. , of the classes of the Kaiapoi borough school took possession, of a. paddock of clears snow. Hero a ■pitched battle took place, under the supervision of the teachers, and the fun, while it lasted, was fast and furious. A brisk march back to school caused the blocd to circulate much quicker than it would Imvo done indoorp, DAttiIELD; \ public meeting, called for tho purpose of establishing a public library, was held in tho _ school on Saturday evening, Mr Robert Reid occupying the ■ chnir. Messrs Reid, Ellis., and Lezard supplied reticulars for the informa- . tion of those present, and, ns a resu t, a resolution was corned affirming the desirability of establishing al brary and a strong committee was formed to canvass the district and ascertain what support was likely to bo forthcoming, tho committee- to report at another public meeting, to bo held at an early date. Tho Malvern County CouncTs new chambers, which aro being erected at Darfield, aro getting on towards completion. The building, which is of brick,'? is being erected onpcsito tho cou'rthoiifcc, and when completed -will be : a. decided ornament to tho township. ASHBURTON. : Mr V. G. Day, S.M., held an en- ; qniry yesterday into the cause of a firo , which-*took place on July 20th at a hnuso in Peter street, and owned by Mrs A. Hunt.. Tho property was bought in July, 1910, for £230. £170 of which was still owing. Tho house was, insured for £125, and tho furniture, which was valued by tho owner at £120, for £90. After evidence had been taken at considerable length, the mng"strato remarked that he was only there to enquire into the causo of tho fire, and ns matters stood there was no evidenoo to show how tho fire originated, but rtorewiis no doubt that the action of William Hunt, a son')*had raised suspicion.