THE COUNTRY.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15608, 5 June 1916, Page 4

THE COUNTRY.

NEWS AND NOTES. •' JOTTI>*GS TOR FARMERS, The :; Hawko's Bay Herald" saje: — A largo deal in cattle -was made last woek by :i well-known Hawkc's Bay pastorali'st. who sold a mob of 531 bullocks to the Gear Company at the splendid price of £21 per head. AW understand (says the 'Haw era Star") that a scheme is in progress for the amalgamation of the various bacon factory companies in the North Island. The scheme does not contemplate interference to any extent with the various existing factories themselves, but is designed mainly to control the management and eliminate a great deal of tinnecessary duplication. Some years a<io the owners of the Bushy I'ark Estate, near Palmerston, in Otaj;o, offered their property to the Government Land Purchase Department, and the offer was declined, tie price being then about £u per acre. This same property .was sold the other day to Mr Melhuish, of Christchureh, for no less than £'2-~t per acre. The property is between 1000 and 1600 acres. At Palmei-siou Xortli. on June ±2nd. the annual meeting of the New Zealand Ivomnoy .Yiarsh Sheep Breeders' Association will be held. In the reoort to b© submitted to that meeting" it is stated_t-hat the cash at bank stands at £116 "s Bd. and tho sum of £774 is placed on lixed deposit, making a total ot £890 7s Sd: while, after making; provision lor all liabilities, the. accumulated funds of the association amount to £1119 12s—an increase of £7G 13s .3d for the past t«v.?lvo months. The number of registered flocks at the comnienceinent_ol' the year was 319: during I the year '2i now (locks were admitted: 22 flocks were dispensed during the. tweh e mouths ; leaving 32-f registered flocks at December 31st, l'Jlo. HAXMEIJ SPPJXG.-. A very pleasing gathering look place in the i,od«;c on !• ridav owning, when Mr and Mrs Duncan lluthori'nrd and Misses" Rutherford (2) wero entertained by the staff and patients. The function took the form of a dinner and social evening. Amongst the invited guests were:—Mr and Mrs Hanmer Atkinson (Woodbank Station), .Mr and Mrs Whit more, Mr and Mrs Dodds, Mr and Mrs Christensen, Mr and Mi s I'nrton, and Miss Reyfiell. Alter dinner everyone adjourned to the largo drawingroom, -where a most enjoyable entertainment was given. Colonel Loach took the chair, and in Lis opening speech explained why the gathering was being held. Tfc was the soldiers' last, night at the Lodge, for the next day they would all he in the new hospital. On behalf of the men, who had been, and of those who wero still at the Lodge, be wished to thank Mr Rutherford and the Amiiri people for all the kindness that had been shown them. Since the opening of r llie Lodge on October Ist, 191-3, as a Red Cross hospital, 21S soldiers bad stayed there. Canterbury bad .supplied l-J.'J men, Otago 4,1, 'Wellington 22, and Auckland j 8. Colonel Loach then asked Mr j Rutherford to accept a largo woollen j mat, with his initials worked into it, the gilt being the work of the soldiers. Mr Rutherford suitably replied. Captain Hendry, N.Z.A.M.C., on behalf of the volunteer "workers and soldiers, presented Airs "Rutherford with a handsome handbag in recognition of all tin; kindness sho had shown to them during their stay. During an interval in the programme, tiie Matron (.Mrs Hayv'.an), and to volunteer helpers,blisses, Howey, Lunn,.Graham, E. Rutherford, JJro'.vn, and Graham, wore made the recipients of presents from the non-com-missioned oflicers and men. Songs were given by Sapper Buckley, Gunner Mitchell, .Sergeant Orchard, Private Caddie, Corporal Ile.-:.-ell, .Sapper Logan, 31 r Dodds, and Mrs Atkinson: recitations by Captain Ilendry and Mr Vincent: humorous stories bv Cojonel Loach, and instrumental it-ems by Trooper Morse, Private .lones, and M Christensen. Mrs Atkinson. Miss Howey, and Miss Renncll played the accompaniments. BELFAST. On Friday evening the A.0.F., Belfast, hold its annual ball. It- was well attended, and proved a success. The proceeds are to be handed to the local Red Cross branch. Wells's band supplied the music. Brothers Sellers and Price acted as M.C.'s. During the evening Private Clark, "who is on final leave, was presented with a sleep-ing-bag on behalf of the residents of Belfast, and on behalf of his workmates at Panniure with a wristlet watch. Mr AVotton made the woscntations. LINCOLN. A pleasant little function took place in the Lincoln Presbyterian schoolroom on Friday afternoon. Mrs J. G. Scott, presided over a laryo gathering of Red Cross workers assembled to bid farewell to Mrs G. Ronnie, who i 3 leaving tho district. Mrs Scott addressed the gathering and called upon Mrs S. Pearson to present their guest with a hand-somely-bound "Lady Liverpool" volume. Little Mary Alexander, the daughter of the president, then presented Miss Helcu Ronnie with a gold bangle, suitably inscribed. Mrs , Rennio feelingly responded and thanked the gathering. Songs wero given by Mesdames Rodgrave and McFarlane, and a recitation was contributed by Miss Costello. Afternoon tea was served,, and the gathering closed with the singing of Anthem. LEESTON. The fortnightly meeting of the Lecston lx)dge of Oddfellows was presided over by Bro. H. G. Hay. N.G. Thero was a large attendance. Five brethren were reported on the sick fund. Nominations of officers were received as iollowx:•—N.G., Bro. S. M. Jackman; V.G., Bros. AV. McVinnic, P.G., James Sou then. J. McManus, R. Johnston, J. H. C. llalliday, J. W. Austin, and J. Purser: Js.fr>.. Bros. G. H. Jones, P.G.. J T. Paton. P.G., AV. 31cVinnie, P.G., A.. E. Brown, P.G., J. McManus, J. H. C. Halliday, G. Barker, P. C. Barker, J. Southen, R. Johnston, E. AV. Donald, and J. W. Austin. ELLKSMERE. The fact that the big classes at tho Ellcsmere Show are always poorly filled, and that in sonic cases there arc no entries at all, formed the subjectof some comment at the meeting of the General Committee of the Ellcsmere A. and P. Association on Thursday. Air G. H. Barnett said it was a very strange thing that although Ellesmere was the foremost pig-raising district in the South Island, they could seldom get anything like a good entry for the show. Mr AV. B. Cunningham expressed the same view, and it was pointed out that there had scarcely been any competition in poultry for some years. Mr H. Sclinello expressed the view that if both sections were confined more to local exhibitors, the entries would become larger. Air AV. D. Ronnie said_ he believed that the present state of affairs with regard to the poultry was due to the fact that a few years ago outside exhibitors, who made a business of exhibiting at the different shows and kept special stock for the purpose, had been allowed to oome in and "scoop the pool," with the result that local people had found it was of little use entering their birds for competition. A tost of the outsiders had sineo ceased to send in entries, and there was now scarccly any competition. Probably the paucity* of entries in the big section was due to the same

cause. The Pig Committee recommended an increase in the prize money, while the Poultry Committee recommended that their section .should bs struck out of the, catalogue altogether. It- was eventually decided that the l>oiiltrv classes should be substantially reduced in number, and that only classes for utility birds should be allowed to remain. ASHBURTON'. A particularly cold snap was experienced at- Ashburton during Friday night; and 011 .Saturday at U a.m. 1-i degrees of frosfc were registered, which is ver> uir.tsual for j.o early in tho winter. During Iho ] a tier part- oi June nnd during July of last year it froze nearly every nigtit, the readings varying irom 0, 10, 11, jind 12 degrees, and the record frost for the winter was 13* degrees. A patriotic hare drive, held at Done 011 Wcdnesdav last, v.as responsible Jor I'JJ hares. Thuv were thirty sportsmen present-, 'Mr G. Croniie, with kills, bagging the most. King's Birthday was observed as a olo>o holiday at Asliburion 011 Saturday. .I.'"!'igs were fiown from all" business places and many private residences. A largo ii'imbe!. - left ijy the early train for Christehurch to attend the Canterbury Park Trotting Mooting, whilo several joined the first express for Timaru. The Canterbury miniature rifle championship was held on the Asliburton Club's range, and two school football matches were' played on the Domain grounds. A footba-11 match was played on the Ashburton Domain 011 .Saturday between teams repiesenting the Rakaia and Ashburton Schools. Ashburton had much the best of tho game, andr won by 15 points to nil. Tho visitors were entertained at the school. Tho annual conference _ of Sunday school in connexion with the Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Church of Christ, and Salvation Anuy in Ashburton and surrounding districts, opened in the Raring square Methodist Church on Saturday morning. Tho Rev. G. Frost (Methodist) presided. After a devotional service had been held, Mies F. E. Kershaw, M.A., gave an interesting and instructive address upon the. .study of i-lie mind of tho primary scholar, for which she was accordcd a vote of thanks. A practical demonstration of primary lesson presentation was given by Miss McKee. Mr'H.E.A. Lock (Motin'en) gave au instructive address upon methods employed in conducting a country Sunday school. During the afternoon the Rev. W. T. Todd (Rakaia) gave an address on -"The Teen Ago" and Mr W. W. K. "Watson (Ashburton) spoko on "The Senior Scholar Problem and Some Suggestions. Both addresses elicited keen discussion.