COUNTRY NEWS AND NOTES.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14525, 29 November 1912, Page 5

COUNTRY NEWS AND NOTES.

JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS.

The secretary of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Labourers' Association informed a reporter that at a recent meeting of tho Union Mr C. Timpson, of Staveley, was appointed organiser at a salary of £6 per week.

All over tho Lower "Waihao district. in North Otago, from Morven and "\V iI - lowbridge across to the Waihao Downs, the farmers have gone in largely for potatoes. This year one cropper* whe should be a bio to gauge the prospect states that with an average yield then should be over 30,000 sacks available for export next year from tho Lower Waihao district.

Our Rakaia correspondent writes:— After a week's fine warm weather, heavy rain fell early yesterday morning, and showers fell up to* noon. The surface of the ground was very dry with tho nor'-westors, and tlio rain will do good, but delay shearing a, little. It is mostly done in this district, and the wool is turning out well. The crops are looking splendid, and feed, is plentiful.

There is said to bo every indication that the price of white clover seed will be extremely 'high during tho coming sowing season. The latest issue of tho Agricultural Department's Journal advises fanners who will bo using tho seed to mako their purchases as early as possible, not only for tho sake of economy, but in order to secure tho better class of seed on tho market. It is stated that if tho season proves suitable for sowing, such a demand for tho so«d will be created that tho prico must advance considerably, while the standard of tho seed finally available will be undesirable. If samples are obtained now there will be ample time to havo them tested, as to their purity and their germination capacity.

OXFORD.

Tho annual meeting of the shareholders of tho East Oxford Town Hall Company was held on Tuesday night. Tho cfca-'rman of directors ' (Mr H. Campbell) presided, and there was a small attendance. The annual report stated that a gallery, capable of accommodating eighty persons, had bwn erected, and had proved a valuable acquisition. The balance-sheet showed a deficit of nearly £30. The following directors wore elected:—JMessrs Campbell, Cook, Parish, Hoplcin.s. P. Garlich, J. Blank, and G. "Smith.

RANGIORA

In consequence of tho hwivy rain, tho Rangiora Friendly Societies' intended excursion to Cnss yesterday, was postponed for a week. KAIAPOI. An epidemic of influenza in the town has affected the. school attendance very considerably.

Persistent requests were made, after tho fatal accident at the Styx railway crossing, when two deaths happened through a collision between a motorcar and a train, for electric warning bells at the Kaiapoi North road crossing. Now tho signal is in constant use, it has become so familiar that some of tho motor-car drivers take no notice, but rush their cars over the crossing in dofianco of tho signal, which commences to ring when a train going north is departing from tho railway station, and, whether there is a crossing-keeper, or the signal bell, or bothj on two or three recent occasions these have been ignored.

TAI TAPU

Tho monthly meeting of the Tai Tapu Band of Hope was held in the Town Hall on Sunday afternoon. There were over fifty members ■ present, and Mr J. Gilmour presided.. Vocal items were »given by Misses M. Peryman, E. Watson, K. Read, and Haines, and recitations by Misses I. Barnes and M. Wilhouin. Miss E. L. Barriett played tho accompaniments. An address was given by Mr R. A. Forbes.

RAKAIA

On "Wednesday, a meeting was held to form a branch of the Bible-in-Schools League. The Rev. H. H. ' Mathias was voted to the chair. The I Chairman and the Rev. T. W. Todd addressed the meeting, and the latter moved: —"That a Rakaia branch be , formed." Ensign O'Hara seconded the \ motion, which was carried. Twenty I joined the League, and a committee, consisting of the Revs. H. H. Mathias, T. \V. Todd, Ensign O'Hara, Mesdames Mathias, Todd, Boag, and Messrs W. Boag and Ford, was elected to work . (tho district.

GERALDINE

The memorial brass tablet and stained glass window, erected sin St. Mary's Church, Geraldine, to the memory of the late Rev. James Preston and his wife, were formally dedicated yesterday afternoon by Dean Jacobs. The service was largely attended by relatives and friends of the lato clergyman, and the 1 Dean delivered an impressive address, basing his romarks on the Resurrection of our Lord. The service closed by the congregation singing "Abide with Me." 'I he brass tablet Dears the following inscription:— "To the glory of God and in loving memory of James Preston, m-iest, 28 years vicar of this parish, died Octobor 4fch, 1898. aged 64, also Anna, his wife, died November sth, 1908, aged 73. This window is erected by their children. I am the resurrection and the life; ho that belioveth in Mc though ho were dead yet sha.ll he live—St. John xi, 25." Tlio opening of tho Geraldine Presbyterian Church Hall, which has just been completed, was celebrated by a concert and public meeting on Tuesday evening. The minister of the congregation, the Rev. A. B. Todd, presided, and addresses were given by the

Rev. J. Mackenzie (Christchurch), convener of tho Assembly's Committee- on the Youth of the Church, and tho Rev. G. B. Jupp, travelling secretary for the committee. During the evening songs were given by Mrs Shaw and Miss Oram, Messrs H. Bell, G. Knibb, D. McGregor, and C. Gimson. Tho Misses Sherratt gave a pianoforte duet, and tho Rev. 11. Sharp a cornet solo. The contract prico for the hall was £713, and it was specially designed to meet the requirements of present day Sunday school methods and social work of the' Church. It comprises a large main hall, with hinged partitions, wlr.ch can be swung back to tho walls for dividing the scholars into classes. A room on either side of tho front entrance can also bo used for class rooms, and there is a largo room at the rear of the building for Bible classes and other Church meetings, with a commodious kitchon adjoining.