THE COUNTRY.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16214, 17 May 1918, Page 4

THE COUNTRY.

NEWS AND NOTES.

JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS.

The pica that, it is the business of the Agricultural .Department to fma sub-tropical grasses suitable to the district M.is : I dv.jnccd by Mr It. lteed, M.l\ for the Bay of Islands, during the visit of the * Minister of Lands to Kawakawa on Mondav. He suggested that certain lands should bo taken in liana with the object of showing settlers that they could bring their lands into grass profitably. The climate and conditions in the North were so different from the rest of the Dominion that the time had arrived for the establishment of an agricultural college at the most suitable point in the district. The Minister said lie was pleased with the earnest desire prevailing in the North for, scientific instruction anct a better class of farming. Personally, he would like to see every education board with its own instructors imparting information for the benefit of primary, continuation, and technical schools, and advising farmers. The college proposed would train the necessary instructors. These, however, were his personal opinions, but he would submit representations to the Hon. W. I>. S. MaoDoiiald, the Minister concerncd.

A startling announcement in respect to the depredations of rabbits in parts of the King Country and Waikato is contained in a remit drawn up by the Maibrihi branch of the Farmers' Union for consideration at the forthcoming annual provincial conference. The remit states that in the district under review the miisanoe has reached such a stage that if special legislation be not enacted to meet the trouble the rabbits will put many faimers entirely out of business. This has been brought about by the large number of sections left vacant or neglected, owing to war difficulties, having become breeding grounds for the vermin, and exaggerated a situation al- i ready intolerable. As a means of combating the evil it is asked that Government be' approached with a view to getting legislation passed, empowering local bodies to borrow money for the purpose of supplying settlers'with the netting iicoessarv to fence their sections,- rating the sections to pay interest and sinking fund.

Another big land deal on the West Coast is reported, Mr William Blank having disposed of his farm, consisting of 1117 acres at Kopara (Ahaura Survey District), to Messrs Molan and W. Costello, of Greymouth. The area is recognised as the best grazing land on the Coast (says the Greymouth "Star"), and also ranks as the cleanest and best kept farm on that side of the Alps. Mr Blank, after 25 years' connexion with the property, first as an employee, and subsequently as owner, relinquishes possession by his doctor's orders, and will probably take up his residence in Christchurch.

HALSWELL. [ A very pleasant time was spent at the residence of Mr and Mrs W. E. Goodwin, Glen Fern, Halswell, on Saturday evening, by quite a largo gathering, which assembled to farewell to Lieutenant Marshall, of Melbourne, on tli2 eve of his departure to join his company. Music and dancing were indulged in until midnight. Lieutenant Marshall was presented with a wallet suitably inscraibed, and was wished good luck and a safe return. As his parents have lately settled iri Christchurch it is his intention after the \yar to return here to reside.

j • BROOKSIDE. A large gathering of Brook side people and 'many others from neighbouring districts assembled in tho Brooksiue School to welcome home Private W. G. Oliver and Itifleman W. Moorhead, who recently returned from tho front. The evening was soent in dancing, Mrs J. F. Donald providing the music. Songs were sung by Mrs Carter. Misses L. Chamberlain, and M. Henderson, and Mr W. Owers, and Mr A. P. Chamberlain recited. A resolution of sympathy with Mr and Mrs J. Boag. jun., and laniily, in the death of* their, son in

Palestine, was carried. Mr J. Cunningham, chairman of the Patriotic Committee, referred to tho high regard in which the two returned men were * held in Brookside, and presented Private Oliver with a gold medal and handed Miss C. Moorhead a similar token for her brother, who was unable to be present. , Addresses were given by the Rev. P. Jones, 8.A., and Mr F. Rowell, and the gifts were suitably acknowledged. The ladies provided supper. At the welcome social the opportunity was taken to show recognition of the manner in which the Brookside Post Office had been conducted for a period of twenty-five vears bv jtfrs Oliver and her daughter. Mr J. Cunningham said that Mrs and Miss Oliver had attended to their duties in such a way as to gain the respect and esteem of the residents, to whom they had always been very courteous and obliging. There had never been any friction or trouble of any kind between the postmistress and the public. .Mr Cunningham hand- ' ed to Mrs Oliver a purse of sovereigns, and presented Miss Oliver with a brooch, and at the same time expressed the hope that the" would carry on ,the postal work for many years. Mrs Oliver was presented with a handsomo bouquet. Mr W. Brooks endorsed Mr Cunningham's remarks, and Mr W. G. Oliver replied on behalf of his mother and sister. LAKESIDE. Mrs Overton presided over the annual meeting of the Lakeside Bed Cross Branch, which, was well attended. The balance-sheet gave the receipts as £340 19s 7d, and the expenditure as £55 6s 6d less. Tho payments for material to the Red Cross Depot had averaged £18 10s 9d a month. The secretary, Misi C. Garmson, presented a lengthy report upon the year's work. The Branch had raised £50 for tho "Our Day" appeal, and had been placed equal third in the class for machine-made articles in the Red Cross section at Ellestnero show. KOWAI BUSH. j A social was held in the schoolroom, 1 ;hc proceeds being in aid of Honey j

It was agreed at the annual conference of the Agricultural and Pastoral Workers' Union at Wellington yester?u y d,u tho secretary should write to the lvabbit Trappers' Association, asking for further information as to the Association s position, also as to the prospects of organising with success, and as to whether the rabbiters were prepared to abide by the Agricultural and Pastoral Union's constitution.

A t«tinior in the Ashburton County, who has been sowing poisoned wheat behind the 'lull, reports an exceptionally good kill of small birus. He carried the poisoned grain on tiie drill and distributed it at intervals.

Tn the paragraph in yesterday's issue relating to the sale of a Shorthorn bull at Penrith, in Cumberland, for 3700 guineas (£388o), the particulars giYen were not quite correct. The hull was a two-year-old, having been bom on April 13th, 1916, and was bred by Mr A. Crombie, in Aberdeenshire, and was purchased at the Aberdeen sales in 1916 for -12 guineas by his late owner. The price, 3700 guineas, was claimed as a record for a Shorthorn, Imt Lord Dunmore sold i Shorthorn bull in 1870 for 4500 guineas, and two years later two heifers were sold respectively at 4100 guineas and 4300 guineas. Shorthorn bill's h;ive sold at even higher prices in the Argentine, if not in'the United States.

Day. The mnsic for dancing tras supplied by Mrs P. H. Johnson, Miss Atkinson,* and Mr F. Atkinson. A recitation was given by Miss Ail eon Pope. The proceeds amounted to £6 13s 6d.

WAIMATE. Eiglit and a half hours' sunshine -wore recorded yesterday, and two degrees of frost.

The torchlight procession of tho Druids' Lodge was watched by a largo crowd last night. The Methodist Sunday school gave an enjoyable little concert last evening in tho schoolroom. It consisted of vocal and instrumental solos, recitations, diadogucs, dramatic sketches, and hoop drill. 1

The Presbyterian Church choir entertained the Rev. W. Wright at a social, and presented him with a volume. Mr W. L._ Hay, choirmaster, made the presentation. Mr 'Wright feelingly replied, and bespoke a cordial reception for the ■Rev. J. J. Clarke.

The Waimato Amateur Operatic Society, at a meeting on "Wednesday, Mr C. Ji. Torlesse, president, in the chair, decided that if twenty men came forward, practices should commence straight away for the production of au opera, the choice to be made between , C ;° u » tr - v (iirl " and "A liunawav l*irl. I here is no shortage of female voices.

AKAROA. • At the fortnightly meeting of tho Loyal Good Intent Lodge, a motion ot sympathy with the relatives of the late Trooper Bro. Leslie Kearney was carried in silence, members Standing. On behalf of the trustees, Bro. J. IXBruce reported that £-'00 of tjie Lodne's current accounts in tho Post Office Savings Bank and the liauk of New Zealand had been invested in War Loan bonds.

Hie fears of a coal famine as far as this end of the Peninsula is concerned", havo been removed bv the tiniely arrival of a steamer that is at present busilv engaged in dumpimr &H) tons <m to tho main wharf. Thrifty housekeepers who ha<] been zealously hoarding up a fow precious lumps* of the fuel, and who have been making the most of stray scraps and rubbish to keep '"the home fires burning," can now view with equanimity tho domestic prospects for the winter months.

A Belgian -who escaped from Belgium at the end of March asserts that' Dr. Donets, the well-known oculist of Antwerp, who was first imprisoned bv the Germans and then released, was subsequently again arrested and was shot.