THE COUNTRY.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16357, 31 October 1918, Page 3

THE COUNTRY.

NEWS AND NOTES. HURUXI'I. A pleasant function 190k place at lurunui on Friday evening) at which Mr and Mrs Smellie and family, of tlount Benger, were entertained by heir many friends in the _ district, on lohalf of whom Mr S. Prico presented Hr Smellie with an oak roll-top desk. Hr Price extended tlie best wishes or ;he* community for the future or Mr md Mrs Smellie and family, and expressed the regret those present felt in osing them. Reference was also made :o tho whole-hearted and valuable assistance that Mr and Mrs Smellie had riven to every movement of a patriotic aaturo in the district. Mr Smellie mitablv responded. Dancing and songs contributed to tho success of a very snjoyablo social gathering. WAIATT. There was a good attendance on Frilay night at the farewell social accorded Private C. Cono, who was home on inal leave. Mr H. T. Beaven, chairnan of the Patriotic Committee, preiented the guest with a soldier's writing Mitfit and a pocket Testament, ana wished him Godspeed and a speedy reaim. Private Cone briefly responded. During the evening musical and vocal tems were contributed hy Mrs Burrows, Yliss T. Mannion, and Miss E. Cone, ind dancing followed, tho music being supplied by Miss Brown and Mr McBryde. Mr H. Rogers acted as M.C. OXFORD. The fortnightly meeting o£ the Oxford Patriotic Committee was held on Monlay night, Mr D. Hawke presiding. \ Vote of svmpathy was passed to the jarents of 'Private J. F. Bxirrows wounded) and also to Mr A. H. C. )rr, a member of committee, in his llness. Matters in connexion with applications for assistance from tho Patri>tic Fund were dealt with. Permission vas given to the Picture Committee 1 to nsta? electric ligTit. It was decided that n future the charge for ladies to the iociais be Is instead of a basket, as ;iithcrto. The question of further •voj- - x>gnition of returned soldiers was held n abeyance. . ■ ; GREENDALE. Anniversary services in connexion witli'the Greendale Baptist Church were celebrated on Sunday, when tho llcv. Mr Lascelles, of Timaryi, conducted services in the Orange Sail, morning, afternoon, and evening. The visual tea, which was held on Monday evening, was not, owing to the influenza epidemic, nearly s. well attended as usual. Tho after meeting was presided over by the Itov. 35. E. Smith, and the programme consisted of an interesting lecture by Mr Lascelles, who was a Y.M.C.A. Commissioner to the war fronts, on his experiences in the camps at Home, on the Western Front, and in Egypt and Palestine, and aiso included a thrilling .account or the torpedoing of a transport in the Mediterranean, on which he happened to be at the time. At the conclusion of the lecture supper was handed round by the ladies connected with tho Church. KAIAPOI. Mr Walter Parnham, who has h ad indifferent health lately, .-was yesterday operated on rfor appendicitis, and is progressing favourably. HALSWELL. ' . The opening of the Halswell leiinis Club's season took place on Saturday afternoon last, when there was a good trntherm" ol members and mends. Several inter-games were indu g A"' and afternoon tea was dispensed by the ladies' committee. Altogether a most eniovable afternoon -was spent £ services at St. Mary's Anglican Church took the form of a festival 011 Sunday last, to celebrate the ooth anniversary of its opening. At il a.m. Matins and Holy Communion were 3dministered by the vicar, the Rev. C. L. Oldham, at which there were a number of communicants. At , ,1 p.m. a children's service , Avas held, which was also well attended. In the evening tho service was conducted by the Rev. Mr Mutter, diocesan missioner, and the church was filled m all parts. Special Psalms and by. the. choir, Mr A. HunnibeU presiding at the organ. The church -was tastefully decorated for the occasion. The annual meeting of Halswell residents to elect a Hall Committee for the ensuing year took place on Monda evening, when there was a moderate attendance. The annual report was adopted. The following . com ™ t^ e was elccted for the ensuing y • Messrs W. L. Wright (chairman) 1. Wilhelm (secretary), Wilson, Lll, i>aibev, Penny, and C. Gardiner. Last evening the annual of the Halswell Red Cross and Patriotic Society was held in the public hall. There was a very fair attendance. Before proceeding to the busines evening the chairman, Mr Jv ter 2?"' moved a vote of condolence to Mrs Morna and family on the -death of Corporal E. T. Moyna, which was carried. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. The following officer were elccted for tho year 1919S. Mr E. Pater,™; Mr M. Hodgen; secretary. Mr ,V uar diner; treasurer of Red Cr°s s , -Ir - E. Ferguson; treasurer of R«notic Send-off Committee, Mr M. general committee, Rev. C. C. • » Messrs • Brandon, Blowers, Wright, T. Wright Oubridge, _Uarfc, Mesdames Murray, Paterson, wuney, Hodgen. Park. Kelly, Misses Mitche , Guiney, Wear, and Jill. The meeting then took the formofa social, the following Mrs Guinev, Misses >ottrmghani. lidwards. Messrs Aligns. Hnnnibeli. RAKAIA. The influenza cpidsmic lias been rather bad in the Rakaia distri , , _ ing many institutions. The . liwn closed and the post- office shortstaffed. On Saturday night a patri otic picture entertainment was but tho attendance was seriously aliect

ed. On Sunday the Presbyterian j day school was abandoned, and the | church congregations were smaller th:m , usual. The secretary-of the .hakaia I Lodge of Oddfellows, M.l'.,- has been advised that "flue" was responsible tor the district officers being unable to pa> the lodge their promised visit. In the Rakaia district in the past two "weeks there have been two instance or persons receiving letters front the Pensions Doartment in "Wellington, apparently in answer to letters written by them. As these persons were not tho authors of tho letters, and as the subject in each case is nn objection to certain soldiers receiving a pension, tho matters have been placed in tho hands of the police for enquiry. Ai the last meeting of the Rakaia Domain Board the question of iurthor monetary assistjnee to the Bowling, Tennis, nntl Croquet Clubs was under discussion. Some severe strictures were passed by the chairman, the Hen.' C. A. C. Hardy, on tho neglect of tho Bowling Club" to properly house their tools. Tt was eventually decided to rote £15 to the Bowl ins "Olub and £'10 to the Tenuis and Croquet Club. On Sunday the Rov. AY. T. Todd, of St. John's Presbyterian Church, Lyttelton, preached at St. Andrew's, Rakaia, and at Rokeby and Pcndarves. ASHBURTON. The recent rains have had a most benolicial effect on all the cereals, and there M&s since been a rapid and vigorous growth in both the grain crops and tho grass pastures, and there is now an abundance of feed for stock. Most of the lambs are now doing well, and judging by the appearance of tho lambs to be seen in the paddocks and those whicli arc being sc-nt with the fcwes into the saleyards each week, the_ average percentage is close on a' hundred. Mr J. Stewart, of Dunsandel, has a percentage of 135, and Messrs Millichamp Brothers, ofTinwald, have the high percentage of 170 from a flock of about 100 ewes. Visitors from Ashburton to Lake Coleridgo on Monday were somewhat surprised and pleased to see tho good percentage of lambs in the paddocks on the northern banks of the Rakaia river, and also how well the majority of tho ewes were after the great sot-back they had during the heavy snow in the winter. The depth of the snow on the lawn at Mr G. Gerard's Snowden Homestead was 3 feet 6 inches, and there was a like depth over many of the paddocks, but by dint of good and careful shepherding comparatively few sheep were lost, while tho percentage of strong, healthylooking lambs is highly satisfactory, considering the conditions under which the owes had to weather the months of July and August. Mr G. Bland, of TVeallmus, Asnburton Gorge, had over 3 feet of snow round his homestead, and a still greater depth in many parts of his sheep run, but he managed to look jtfter his sheep so well that his total loss through deaths only numbered 200. The losses, however, higher up the Gorge have been much greater. TEMUKA. A send-off to the men of the 48th Reinforcements will be ' given at Temuka to-morrow. Mr A. C. Uuist, superintendent of the Temuka Presbyterian Sunday School, was farewelled by tho teachers and scholars prior to his leaving for camp. Miss Edgar, senior lady teacher, presented Mr Buist with a safety razor suitably inscribed, and the members of the congregation presented him with a roll of notes, as a testimony of the high esteem in which he was held.