THE COUNTRY.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16478, 22 March 1919, Page 3

THE COUNTRY.

NEWS AND NOTES

JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS.

Tlie Hon. IX "\V. S. Mac Donald, Minister of Agriculture, in conversation ■with our Ashburton representative yesterday, remarked that the display of draught horses at the Ashburton Show ■vvas the best ho had seen for several years, and, considering th'o adverse circumstances -under which breeders had been placed for a lengthened period, the draught horse sections of the show reflected the highest credit upon them.

There has been a sprinkling of rain in the last few days, writes our Blen- [ heim correspondent, but it has not re- [ lieved tho position much for the sheep i farmers. Tho continued dry weather i has had a depressing effect on the sheep market. If good rains were to fall [ prices would no doubt improve consitlerj ably, though, of course, they would- not be_ likelr- to return to the level that existed before the general slump which | lias caused such substantial loss to local | dealers. Last year at this time prices were booming, and sound-mouth ewes were bringing 27s to 28s. This year a farmer or dealer is lucky if he can get within 8s of that price for similar sheep. PARNASSUS. A very successfully and ■ largely-at-tended gathering, under the a'uspioes of the Parnassus Soldiers' "Welfare Committee, was held in the Spotswood Hall on Thursday evening, when the residents of Parnassus and the surrounding districts met to welcome home Trooper D. G. Macfarlanc, of Hawkswood. Tho chairman, Mr "YV. G. Truman, welcomed the member for the district, Mr G. AY. Forbes, M.P., who briefly addressed the gathering, and made the presentation of a gold Maltese Cross, suitably inscribed, to the guest of the oveuing. Mrs A. "\V. Rutherford, junr., pinned it upon tho recipient's tunic. I>ancing was indulged in during the evening, interspersed with vocal items, given bv Misses Wilkinson and Coakley, and Messrs Henrys and Crichton. The music was supplied by Misses Saunders, Coakley, Wilkinson, and Hollands, Mrs Kinsella, and Mr Kinsolla. AMBERLEY. A meeting of the Amberley Defence Rifle CIuI) was held on Thursday evening, Mr P. Luisetti presiding over a. good attendance. It was decided to hold a practice match on tho 29th inst. The range was reported to be in good order. RAXGIORA. A progressive croquet tournament for prizes given by Mrs T. W. Ambrose was held, yesterday afternoon, fourteen, players taking part. The winners were Mrs Chaupell and Miss Tutton. Afternoon tea was dispensed by Miss McKonzie.

The annual meeting of subscribers to the llanyiora Library and Literary Institute was hold. Jast evening. The president, Mr C. I. Jennings., was in the chair. The report and balancesheet showed the membership to be 168, which was a record in the history or the library. During the year 19-1 new books had been added to tlic shelves. The balance-sheet showed: Receipts £295 7s 9d, payments £190 7s lid, credit balance £104 17s lOd. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. Votes of thanks were passed to the Rangiora Borough Council for its annual grant of £20. and to the fire brigade for having cleaned and fumigated the hall and subscribed £3 3s to the library. The election of officers resulted; President- and treasurer, Mr CM. Jennings; secretary. Mr Ball; general committee, Messrs W. E. Bartpn. Keir, C. Cunningham. T. AV. Ambrose. AV. McGruer. AV. A. Rowse, C'obden-Cox. 10. R. Good, J. 0. Josling, AV. J. Young, H. A. Archdall, A. Hughes. AV. A. Banks, and Rev. AV. H. Howes; auditor, Mr J. B. AVilsonj book felection committee, president and secretary, and Messrs Ambrose. Barton, and Banks. It was decided to affiliate with the Canterbury Progress League. It was also decided to obtain expert opinion regarding alterations, for report at a meeting on Anril 3rd. The librarian reported • that magazines were stilt being stolen from the front reading-room. A 7 otes > of thanks were missed to the auditor, committee, and librarian. KAIAPOI. The annual meeting of subscribers to the Kaiapoi Circulating Library was held on Thursday night, Mrs T. R. Leithead presiding over a fair attondance. The annual report and balancesheet, the latter showing a credit balance of £13 0s 9d, were adopted. The following officers were elected: President, Mrs T. R. Leithead; 6ccretary and treasurer, Mr G. Miller: committee, Misses Llsie Thorne, Gladys Ellen, and Mrs H. Childs, G. Kisslingj L. Oram, E. Martin, H. Fisher, S. Itinaldi, AV. Young, T. R. Leithead; jg&ection Committee, Messrs T. R. Leithead. H. Fisher, AV. A. Young. Miss A. Moore's offer to take chargo of the library on AA'ednesday afternoons was accepted. It was decided to form a debating society, and the arranging of a meeting for tho purpose was left to the General Committee. There was a large gathering in tho drill hall last night, when a social was held to welcome home Privates J. Phillips, E. Bugg, and A. Wilson. The Mayor (Mr J. H. Blackwell) presided, and on behalf of the Patriotic Committee presented each man with a gold medal * suitably inscribed. Short speeches of welcome were made by Archdeacon Haggitt and the Rev. J. Holland. Musical items were given bv Misses E. Thorne, I. HosUm. N. Howarth, and N. Young, and Messrs A. Baker. R. Brown, P. Lee. Supper was provided by the Patriotic Committee. after which dancing was indulged in. soutSbrook. Tho scholars of the Methodist Sunday school held their annual treat in the church grounds on Thursday afternoon. There was a large attenuanco of scholars, parents, and friends. During tho afternoon a very pleasing ceremony took place. A five-year-old scholar iu the infant class (Jean Tuer) in a pretty .speech presented their teacher, Mrs A. Young, with a Doulton ware rose-bowl from the class, as a farewell gift on her leaving Southbrook. In tho evening a farewell social to Mr and Mrs A. Young, both of whom hare been teachers for many years in the school, was held. The' Rev. J. Guy presided. A programme of vocal solos, duets, and recitations was contributed by the following:—Mrs J. I T. Withers, Misses Noble, I. Doggett, I D. AVithers, P. Ayers, Iris Ben.ies, S. Ross, I. Ross, Rev. J. Guy, and Master R. Thwaites. Valedictory speeches were made by Mr J. T. AVithers (secretary of the Church Trust), Mr J. Tull (senior circuit steward), and Mr C. R. Thwaites j (Sunday schol suoperintendent. The List- j named presented Mr and Mrs Young with an armchair and travelling rug, as a gift from the church and Sunday School. Mr A. Young suitably responded AKAROA. This last week has seen tho return of quite a number of our soldier boys, prominent amou« whom are Privates Percy Wiiithain, A. Robinson, Gas Serg'iSo?iV^nc Hammond., and Harry Chalkhn, while another batch is on board the transports due next week. Somo of these men have been away nearlv four yenrs. They have strange | experiences to till of. Undoubtedly, the most interesting were related by, the first-named soldTcr. who had been j with tho Mesopotamian Force as a. wjreless operator. He reached a point j 2-50 miles beyond Bagdad, having j trekked over the oldest historic countries

of the world. He had actually taken j .a photo of what the old, Arabs ( there . regarded as part of the original Garden of iEden. Tlwy jpoin.ted out a renesalte tree that was to them most holy—an offshoot, so tliey averred, of the Tree oi Knowledge. A large and representative meeting of borough and county representatives was held in the Council Chambers, on Thursday afternoon, in discuss matters in connexion with iiie Jorthcoming peace celebrations. The Mayor, Mr Geo. Armstrong, presided. Arrangements regarding the transport and the billeting in Akaroa of-Peninsula schoolchildren were satisfactorily settled. In regard to the monster procession on Peace Day. it was agreed that Allied flnjrs should bo carried by the. various bodies of school children, as under: — British flag, Okain's Bay; French flag, Little Akaloa and Chorlton; Portuguese flag. Pigeon Bay; Serbian flag, | Le Boii'« Bay; Australian flag, Duvauchelle; Italian flag, Robinson's Bay; United States flag, Takamatrua; Belgian flag, AVainui; Roumanian flag, French Farm: Japanese flag. Barry's Bay; New Zoaland flag, Akaroa. In connexion with the sports to be j held on the Recreation Ground, on | Peace Day, the Mayor has presented a j very handsome silver cuo, as "Peace i Celebration" prize for the mile flat > race. The cup on a black ebony | pedestal, is 18 inches high, beautifully j omhossed, and will constitute a notable 1 memento of an historic occasion.

RAKAIA. ltakaia soldiers recently returned from the front are Privates Leslie Shannon, Stanley Laraman, Albert Mead, and Dan Sullivan. The March meeting of the Selwyn Licensing Committee lapsed for want of business to transact. Miss Florence Smith, a missionary with an extensive experience in India, addressed the ltakaia school children after school, and gave an interesting account of her work oversea. On Thursday night, in the Rakaia Town Hall, a public no-license meeting was held. The chair was taken by the Rev. E. X. Blakistoii. supported by the Kev. A. Morrison. Addresses were given by Chaplain Burridge, vlio recently returned from France, and the Rev."J. J. North, of Christchurch.