THE COUNTRY..

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15931, 19 June 1917, Page 4

THE COUNTRY..

NOTES AND NEWS*

JOTTINGS FOB FABMEBS.

There were . land opened for settlement by tho Crown Lands Department during June. Most of the. sections are in the Auckland Lands District, where the areas range from 73 acres to 146S acrcs, and the rentals arc low. There are also a few eections situated in Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Canterbury, Ofago, and Southland Lands Districts. In nearly all cases the land is described as suitable lor discharged soldiers. Mr Joseph Dowthwaite, of Waimatc, has rccentiy imported and added to his Border Leicester stud flock a onc-shenr stud rani, and two one-shear stud ewes, cach ewe having a ram lamb dropped on the Quarantine island. The ram was carefully selected from the wellknown flock of .Mr I). I'. Elliott, Xisbct tiill, Scotland, and is a very high (|uality sheep, exceptionally xveil covered with the right type ot Border Leicester, wool. Bis sire, His Boyal Highness, is a great breeding ram. One of tho ewes is from the same flock, and shows grc3t. style and breeding. The other ewo is ironi the "Dock of .Mr James Howie. Hill Rouse, Kilmarnock, Scotland, and is a veiy hand'.ome sheep with a beautiful head and carriage. The trio with the two ram Jambs should prove :> greet, acquisition to Mr Dowthwaite's flock'. The importation at tho present juncture involved very high freights nncl marine and extra war insurances, and these large extra cosl«* added to the high figure for the purchase of class of sheep in Srotland, make this a very valuable consignment, and Mr T>owtiiwaite has been fortunate in 'landing these sheep in really good order.

I'ARXASSUS. Lance-Corpora] .Jim Tate, of Conway Flat, who recently returned from tho front, was mot ur. tho raihvay-st.atiou, L'arnassus, on Friday afternoon by Messrs A. A\. Rutherford. jun.. (i. G. McGrath. CI. tlourovr], and B. Felton, representing the larnassus .Soldiers' Welfare League. .Mr Rutherford, in a neat little speech, extended a hearty welcome home to the returned soldier, who was loudly cheered on arrival at, the platform. Lance-Corporal Tate left New Zealand with tno Third Reinforcement?, aJid saw active service on Gallipoli and in France, being wounded on Gallipoli and in France. Mr J. F. Macfarlanc kindly motored the returned soldier and his relatives to their home. I

OHOKA. On Thursday last the friends and supporters of Miss Effio Bailey, No. 1 candidate in the late Children's Queen Carnival, mot in the. public hall to present her with a gold chain and pendant. The evening was spent in games, dancing and songs, tho following persons contributing:—.Songs, CM>s Hea'd, Misses Merrin. Taiaroa, Nina Kihau. and Eva Murphy. Mies Haden played a. waltz of her own composition, entitled '"Tho Effie Waltz," and accompanied sorao of tho singers on an auto harp. Miss Bailey was then presented by Master Eric Knight with tho chain and pendant. A good supper was provided.

OURUHIA. Tho Ournhia Social Committee, met on Saturday evening. Present—Messrs E. A. Stead (chairman), J. A. Brown, E. H Ash by, J. Bunlop, W . Guthrie; J. Johnstone, H. J. Home (secretary), and W. P. Spencer (treasurer). It was decided.that all soldiers leaving tho district bo accorded a send-off in the Ourubia School, the Belfast, .Send-off Committer, to be invited and to make presentations on behalf of Belfast should they desiro to do so. It was resolved to send several articles not disposed of at the Queen Carnival to the Red Cross Depot. Cathedral square. Mr .Spencer stated that he had received ail invitation from the Mairehau -Hall Committee to play a progressive euchre' mateh. It was decided- to accept, the invitation, Mr Snencpr to ma.ko arrangements.

MARSHLAND. A meeting of the Marshland Patriotic Society was hj?ld_ on Saturday evening, INl.r- W. -JT Walter presiding. The treasurer's statement showed that., afle)- all accounts had been paid, there was a. credit balance- of £12 lis 3d. It was resolved tn open a trust, account in the Post.Office Savings Bank, to' be called" "The Marshland Patriotic Society Me.dal Account.'" Messrs P. Basher, T. Quaid, and J. Haiirau being appointed the trustees. It.wds decided to tedder a complimentary farewel] social to Privates T. Gorinski and S. Matt-ergon on Wednesday in the Marshland-JtTnll.

LEESTON. A well-attended public meeting was held in the Leeston Town Hall on Sunday night, at. which an address on the 6 o'clock closing movement was given by Mr "\V. Dobbs. organising secretary for the. Now Zealand Alliance. The Rev. R. H. Blair presided. The address was followed with clcse attention, and at the conclusion the usual resolution was proposed by the Rev. W. Laycock, seconded by Mr .Tas. Anderson, and carried unanimouslv.

MASON'S FLAT. A "''Welcome Home'" was tendered to Mr Wm. Burke., at Mason's Flat School, on Friday last. Thero was a very large number of people present.

Mr Wm. Anderson presented a gold medal, suitably inscribed, to Mr Burke, as_ a token, of esteem from his numerous friends in the district. Apologies for non-attendance were received from Jlr and Mrs Collen <sister of Mr Burke) of Hotitila, and also from Mr Jas. titPapanul, who was a well-known resident of Woodgrore for "many years. During the evening musical items were given by tho followingMre Traill, Miss Cox Miss Wright, and Messrs Jates and .Reynolds. A vorv enjorable evening was brought- to a "close by dancing, for which Mr Harrv Piercv supplied tho music. Mr * Richard i 1?: * B j^ e 28 Thanis are duo to tho Jadies of the district for providing the refreshments.

ASHJ3URTOX. The £>t. Andrew's rresbyteriaa Young Women s .s c nior Bible Class held a social evening in aid of the Y.M.C.A. Soldiers Fund. A splendid programme was submitted, and supper was provided by the members of the class. Subsequently n J| the cakes I c ft over were sold, and a-; a result about £20 wiJ) be handed over to the fund. On Friday evening tho residents of «estcrheld held a farewell social to I rivates McCann and Fitzgerald. who are down on leave. A short programme was submitted, and Mr Coward gave an" address, and on behalf of the VYestorfield residents presented each of the soldiers with a razor, band-glass, and money belt., and wished them God speed and a safe return. Supner was served by the ladieis.