THE COUNTRY.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15605, 1 June 1916, Page 5

THE COUNTRY.

+ NEWS AND NOTES. •

SOUTHBRIDGE FARMERS' UNION

The annual meeting of the Southbridge branch of the Farmers' Union "was held in the Library on Monday evening, the president, Mr E. G. Hubbard-, presiding over a good attendance. The a credit of £8 19s 2d. Officer! for the ensuing year were elccted a« follows: President, Mr E. G. Hubbard; vice-president, IvLr "\V. Abbott; delegate to Provincial Executive, Mr E. G. Hubbard; committee, Messrs T. Greenall, W. Lochhead, E. Galpin, J. T. Parkin, M. Twiss, J£. C. Imvood, A. J. luwood, E. A. Broughton, A. Tong, A. B. McEvedy, AV. Scott, J. Storry, J. P. McEvedy, It. J. Hannah, and G. Mcliraith; auditor, Mr J. "VV. A. Walker; hon. secretary, Mr Bern. McEvedy. The president stated that no notices had been sent to him during the year of meetings of .the Provincial Executive. It was decided to draw the attention of the Provincial secretary to the matter. Mr S. J. "YVickliffe made reference to the interest taken in the meetings of the branch, land it was decided to hold tho meetings monthly in future. The secretary was instructed to write to the Director of the Canterbury Agricultural College enquiring if the College was prepared to,undertake the analysing.of soils, and on what terms. • It- was also decided to ask the Director of the College to give a lecture on a date to bo fixed. Two new members wore elected. An honorarkitn of £2 2e was voted to tho itou. secretary. *

JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS,

J In the House, in answer to Mr Mandef, who asked if the Government wouid provide for the grading of potatoes exported from South Island ports, the Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald stated that purchasers of potatoes could now have the tubers examined and graded by authorised men in order to prevent fraudulent deliveries. It was not"" considered advisable at present to extend the system or make it compulsory. At the Addington sale yesterday, Mr Leicester Matscn made a stronsr appeal to all fanners to send in any~surplus produce they could spare to the Red Cross depot in Cathedral square, so that it could be sold for the benefit of the boy 6at the front. The depot was getting short of' stuff for sale, and it was up to the farmers to assist it in every way they could. Mr J. A. Pan- | nett suggested that it would be a Rood idea if every- man when lie sent in a big line of sheep or lambs for sale, devoted one out of the mob for the benefit of the Red Cross Society. The Wellington Farmers' Union Conference opened at Levin on Tuesday, Mr T. Moss (Eketahuna) In his address. Mr Moss referred to the attempt to link up farm workers' unions and stressed th« need for the organisation of farmers lie also referred ro the new movement, to link up the Australian freezers with New Zealand freezers. Such movements only had one object—the men wcr<> opposed to compulsory service, and it seemed as if they were taking advantage of the absence of farmers' sons at the front; Farmers did not. object to commandeering and the fixing of prices in war time, but the danger was in apph-ing the principle in normal times. The principle was one thr.t could be applied to al! the industries, and if applied to farming why not to others? KAIAPOI. A sittings of the Native-Land Court, Judge M. Gillfedder presiding, opened at Kaiapoi yesterday. About one hundred cases are down for hearing, and the business will extend over two or three days. The Court sits at Temuka on Tuesday. TAI TAPU. The annual meeting of subscribers 10 the Tai Tapu Hall was held on Saturj day, when Mr R. Macartney presided over a small attendance. The report stated that during the year tiie acetylene gas. plant_ had been discarded, and eleteric light installed, the step proving a great success. The use of the ! building had been granted free for pa- | triotic gatherings and for meetings of ! the Domain Board. 'J'lie balance-sheet fchowed receipts £74 6s 4d and expenditure £57 17s Sd. leaving a credit balance of £'16 8s Sd. In moving the adoption of the report and balancesheet. the chairman remarked on the satisfactory position in face of the fact that the hall had been used very little for entertainments since the outbreak of war. The following committee was elected: —Messrs R. Macartney (chairman), John Mackenzie, sen. (treasurer), J. Heinzmann,, S. Wallace, J. Jones, Cossar. C. M. Suckling, and Jas. Doyle. Mr C. H. Graham was appointed secretary. On account of leaving the district, Mr W. Gilmour declined re-nomintaion. and it was resolved to place on record the valuable services rendered' bv him as a member of the committee.

The rccent rain should prove the most beneficial that has fallen in the district

during the la.st two years. From Saturday morning till the early hours of yesterday, it continued almost incessantly, and notwithstanding the large quantity that fell it has drained away quickly, and at present there is very little lying about the fields. The absence of severe frosts, lias so far allowed tho grass to maintain a fair growth, and. generally speaking, the district has a much better appearance than for some time past. LEESTON. To commemorate his fortieth year of Odd fellowship and his sixtieth birthday, I»ro. U. H. Jones, P.G., of the Loyal I-rceston .Lodge, entertained the brethren and their lady friends at a social in the Oddfellows' Hall, on Monday evening, at the conclusion of the fortnightly meeting. Notwithstanding tho inclement weather, there was a good attendance, and a most enjoyable evening -was spent in card-playing and dancig, tho winners of the euchre prizes being, Mesdames Ryde and Southen, and Bros. H. G. Hay and A. Baylis. After supper a pleasing duty was performed by Bro. James MeVinnie, P.G., who asked Bro. Jones to accept a gold sovereign-case as a token of goodwill from the brethren. At the big meeting of sportsmen at Leeston last Friday, at which a Lake Ellesmere Sportsmen's and Settlers' Association was formed;" Mr T. Quealy, of 'Ataahua, exhibited a swan's feather, one of threo which, had been painted by a Belgian, and returned to New Zealand, conveying tho thanks of tho Belgian people for the splendid gift of a thousand swans from Lake Ellesmere, the result of tho big drive held la»st winter. Mr Quealy said that the feather was really the property of the Swan Drivo Committee, and he wished to know what should be done with it, as it was a very unique and valuable souvenir. He suggested that perhaps the best thing to do would be to send tho feather to tho Christchurch Museum. It was unanimously decided that Mr Quealy should kcej> the feather. LINCOLN. Tho Presbyterian Church held a plea, sant social gathering in the Sunday School on Monday last, to bid farewell to Mr "Wm. Gilmour and family, who are leaving the district. Mr Gilmour has been treasurer and session clerk for about fifteen years, and his valued services to tho church were recognised in the presentation to him of a handsome gold watch, suitably inscribed. Mrs Gilmour received a pair of artistic silver flower vases. Mr Gilmour feelingly replied. An enjoyable programme <t' musical items was given by Messrs Sagar, Mackintosh, Simpson,*and Dunn, and by Mrs Hill and Miss Dunn. The Rev. S. E. Hill, Captain R. McCartney. Messrs-George Ronnie, J. Sagar, Bush, and Simpson expressed Tegret at Mr Gilmour's departure, and good wishes fer his future prosperity. ' ASHBURTON. Mr E. Parkin some months ago sent to Mr Walter Bradley, Yoiksnire. tor a trio of brown Leghorn cockerels, "from his celebrated breeding pens. Tho buds have now arrived in Ashburton, and, although in poor condition, are splendid types of the breed. At a meeting of the Auama Social Club on Friday evening, Mr J. Cripps was elected president tor the ensuing year. At a previous meeting the following officers were elected:—Vice-presi-deuts, lievs. i'. H. Pritchett and W. E. Sleep, and Mr D. O'Callaghan; secretary, Mr G. W. Bennett; treasurer, Mr G. Burgess : reporter, Mr J. T. Williams, committee—Miss Moir, M.A., Mesdames • W. Bennett, G. Abbott, and Messrs W. S. Greenslade and' J. Ablctt. A syllabus was drawn up and approved. The new traffic bridge at Twontyman's Crossing, in the Anama district. Ashburton County, is being pushed on with by the contractors. Its .completion being eagerly looked forward to by all residents. , i

Gunner Charles Dunstan. a returnee! soldier, has> been appointed recruiting officer for the Ashburton Borougli. During the past few days lie has been successful in enlisting a number of Iccruits.

The outbreak of diphtheria some time back amongst the children attending | the infant school was thought to have arisen from the children drinking water i from a tank which} on being cleaned I out. was found to contain a quantity of debris. A sample was sent to Dr. Pearson. Christclrurch. who reported that outbreaks of diphtheria were usually due to carriers and not to water. GERALDINE. On Tuesday night the local members of the Seventeenth Reinforcements (•Messrs G. O'Lcary, W. Mullally, \V. Scully. C. Macdonald. E. J. Burke, ft. Maister, J. Greenaway, and A. Pierce) were given a hearty send-off in the Drill Hall. Each received a useful gift. At the Methodist Sunday School there was a large gathering, when, on behalf of the congregation, the Rev. G. K. Hunt presented Mr Fred Masltn ami Miss Glanville with a silver cake stand and entree dish, on the occasion of their approaching marriage.