THE COUNTRY.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15513, 14 February 1916, Page 10

THE COUNTRY.

NEWS AND NOTES.

ASHBtPRTON" A. AND P ASSOCIATION.

A meeting of the General Committee of the Ashburton Agricultural and Pastoral Association was held on Saturday afternoon, when the president (Mr P. G. Wright) presided.

The secretary reported that the Ladies' Ro-d Cross Society had undertaken to provide luncheon at tho Show, and that all the proceeds would be handed to the Patriotic Fund. The Waterton and Longbeach ladies also offered to provide refreshments, provided the Association supplied the tent. Offers were also received from ladies in other districts.

The rabbit pest came up for discussion, and it was decided, if ncceSsar'", to call a meeting of farmers to meet the Government inspector and arrange a poisoning campaign.

HANiMKR SPRINGS

After a spell of hot, dry weather, a very wclcorne rain started to fall on Friday. It rained steadily all night, over half an inch being registered by 9 a.m. Saturday morning, when there seemed every prospect of its continuing-

The traction engine that wa,s capsized in the, cutting on the J-lanmer rond has proved difficult to right, a.nd on Saturday it was still lying across th<* road. _ The blockiige lias interfered with traffic.

WAIAU

The contractor for the bridge across the Lottery is making good progress, and when the work is completed it will prove, a great boon to the .settlers in that part of the district.

OULVERDEiN

The Government having made a start with the. erection of the new Sanatorium 'at Tfanmcr Springs, large quantities o|' material aiv arriving at Culverden and going forward by trac-tion-engine.

Since, the. heavy rain storm of a fortnight ago, the grass, rape and turnips have made wonderful progress, and as a good steady rain 'was experienced on Friday night and Saturday morning, the prospects i'or autumn and winter Iced are. mutfi brighter. The bulk of the hardest is 'now gathered in, and a. fair amount of grain has gone, forward from Culverden, while threshing operations are still proceeding throughout the, district.

OXFORD

At the regular meeting of the J vast ■Oxford District High School Committec there were present: 31 r R. B. Dalle.v (chairman), Mesdames Hoasley and Craig, Messrs Cook, Heasley, Beere, and Nowman. The headmaster's report showed tha.t the school had reopened with a. fair attendance, the number iu the secondary department being 17, and that at the Departmental examinations one pupil had matriculated, and two had passed with credit the Civil Service entrance examination. It was decided to support the application tor dual desks for the. secondary department; to remove some, trees, and to have certain repairs attended to.

"RANGIORA

The funeral of the late Mr W. J. Taylor, who died as the result of injuries received in the niotor-cycle accident on. the Riccarton roa.d on Saturday week, took place at the Church of England Cemetery at Rar.giora. Many wreaths were gent-, and there was a large attendance of relatives and friends, including some 60 members of the Loyal Rarigiora Lodge of Oddiellows. The Rev. F. T. Fendall officiated at the graveside-

DA.RFIELD.

Several of tlio largest grain growers in tho district have completed threshing, with results that must bo taken, as satisfactory. Messrs Clinton Bros, threshed 2*50 .acres of wheat, averaging 24 bushels per acre, including 10 acres -which averaged 3i> bushels. Non o of the crop gave less than 20 bushels, while 20 acres cut for chaff earlier in the season, -would, as it proves,- probably have given a good return for threshing. Mr D. Mulholiand averaged 23 bushels of -wheat from 2".j acres on his Diarfield and Bangor properties. The best results were obtained from 20 acres of College Hunters—Hl bushels. Marshall's White yielded 2i)Jbushels, and solid straw Tuscan 28 bushels. Victor wheat suffered badly from frost, but returned 2t> bushels over 00 acres. Mr J. 0. Red fern -will probably top the averages for the larger growers of the district. One paddock of 87 aeres gave bushels, an average of 38 bushels. This is a splendid return, for such a large area, particularly as the crop was fed off with shcC]) early In the season. Mr

Red fern's return from 123 acres is 343 bushels, and he' has still 103 acres to thresh. The wheat is all solid straw Tuscan.

The vagaries of the frost can now be seen in many stubble paddocks. The patches where it took effect are showing a vigorous green second growth from the roots, plainly visible for some distance.

Returns from a mill working for the past, fortnight in the lower end of the Green dale district show an average yield of from li! to 13 bushels per acre of oats, and 11 bushel.-; of wheat. The best crop threshed yielded 2o bushels of wheat.

The following pupils of the Darfield District High School, who were successful in passing the' intermediate examination held in December, have received appointments under the Education Board: Doris Irvine, probationer.. Sydenham: Mary Atkinson. probationer. Kaiapoi District High School; Itt MeCurdy, probationer, Wharenui; Elsie MeMeekan, pupil tcachcr, HareAvood.

SHEFFIELD

On Friday, at the Sheffield sale, Mr G. H, Jucid. on behalf of the residents. presented. .Mr F. Cox. who ha.s been living at Sheffield for about. 3o years. ?nd is leaving the district, with a cheque as a mark of esteem. Mr Judd spoke of Mr and Mrs Cox's many good qualities, and wished tiiem a long and happy life.

"WEEDONS.

The many friends 'of Mrs John Campbell will regret, to hear el her death which took place on November I'Tth, at Jior le.sidencc, Bute Gardens, Cathcart., Glasgow, aflcr a live-months' illl>oas. .Mr and .Mrs Ca.ift.pbc 11 married early, and .-hortly afterwards set out for >ew Zealand, arriving in Lyttelton_ by the >liip Win. .Miles, in November, ISBI. Having been brought up to farming, Air ami Mrs Campbell were soon in harness, going to a Mr Hill, of Avon Head. After staying some time there they went 1o Temple ton to Mr Rodger's fann, and then Mr Campbell got the position of farm manager on the Sclwyn station under the late Mr MeAlpine, .Mrs Campbell takiug up the duties in the men's kitchen. They then took up a Crown land section, and started farming on their own account, and worked with varying success lor a number of years. Selling out, they bought a farm near Weedons, when- \ir and .Mrs Campbell soon identified' themselves with the "Wesleyan Church, the' latter giving "'i lot. of attention'to the Sunday scliooi. Mr Campbell was appointed a .J.P., but never appeared in public, being of a. very quiet disposition. Mr and Mrs Campbell made several trips 'to the. Old Country-. During 1007, they were in 'Glasgow, when Mr Campbell was run over by a spring cart, and died the.. following day. Mrs Campbell then bought a nroperty at Cat-heart, where she had lived since.

LKESTON

Rro. "H. (!. Hay presided over the fortnightly meeting of the Loyal Leeston Lodge of Oddfellows. Eight brethren were reported on the sick fund, and three declared off. Tin; animal balance-sheet was read, and considered very satisfactory. P.G.'s Bros. F. J. Lemon and Jas. IMjcVinnie were a.ppointed to represent the lodge at a meeting of the United Friendly Societies' Council to be held in Christchurch.

At the Lcestori stock sale on Friday. H. Matson and Co. sold twenty-five acres of land, situated near Leeston, in tho estate of the late Mr "William McColl, to Mr G. H. Barnctt, at X'-O nor acre.

A&HBLTITON

During tho shearing season at tho Chertsey saleyard shearing shod, - Mr R. 0. Gill asked all farmers and graziers using the shed to give at iqast one black fleece to tho War "Relief Fund. The idea, was -put into practice, and recently the fleeces were sold by auction by the National Mortgage and Agency Company, with the. result that the sum of £-10 los Sd was raised for the fund.