THE COUNTRY.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17224, 15 August 1921, Page 3

THE COUNTRY.

Jottings for Fanners. j Many farmers trict have a surplus of *» b -J^ hand, chiefly prime are freely discussing the q*«*i getting a freezing works.open.n Can terbury at an known farmers, discussing w»fc~ on Saturday, remarked that fuHy 10,UW could be easilv sent forward,- and stiu leave ample for butchery- supplies. It is stated that a guaranteed pnee.of 4d per lb, or even 3*d,. would bring the sheep 'forward in considerable!™£bers, as turnips and other winter'feed are getting scarce, and unless the sheep are killed oft they will quickly go back in condition. MAIBEHAir. A great deal of interest ******* the weekly euchro tournaments which have been held m the foaU, and the attendance this season has beTn a record one. The following.Lave been the results :-F,rst -e™*^^ Miss Brown, 52 P oint % l; f i„.O Lachlan, 48 points, 2. Gentlemen: Xr. Chisnall 50 nVinta/l; H. Thompson 49 points, 2. Second series-Ladies: Mrs 6. Bunmell, 47 points, 1; Mrs A. B. L. Smith, 46 points, 2. Gentlemen. SDunmell, 48 points, 1; J- .P' n & M « points, 2. Third series-Ladies: Mrs K Borgfeldt, 46 points, 1; . Mrs E. Lange and Mrs Mitchell, 44 points, equal 2. gentlemen: H. Thompson, oOp unts, 1; J. Meynell, 45 points, 2 .fourth series-Ladies: Mrs J. Mitchell, 47 points, 1: Miss Truman and Mrs Ihinme'll, 43 points, equal 2. Gentlemen: H. Borgfeldt, 47 points, lj H. Thompson, 45 points, 2. . . The young people or the district are holding a dancing class on Saturday nights, which is well attended. They are arranging for a waltzing competition, and to-morrow evening they purpose (holding a hard-up social, the first of its kind to held in the district; is is causing a great deal of interest. Mr Willyams will supply the music, and Mr G. Wylie and Mr S. Meynell will act as M.C.'s. TAI TAPU. As a farewell to Mr and Mrs W. French, who are leaving the district, a number of friends organised a surErise party, and visited them at their ome at Tai Tapu. Musical items and dancing were much enjoyed by the v»itors, among whom were Mr and Mrs A. E. Jones, Mr and Mrs O'Connell, Mr and Mrs C. M. Suckling, Mr and Mrs Frank Sparks, and Mr and Mm Horace Sparks, Misses O'Connell (2), Suckling, Welsh, Millier Messrs Jones (2), Suckling, Wallace, Millier D. {TConnelJ, McElroy, W. Sparks (Geraldine). DARFIELD. The Kiwi Players, of Christchurch, journeyed to IXorfield on Saturday evening and presented their revue, "Ici on, Parle Francais," before a large audience. The performance was a great success, ©very item being 'warmly applauded, and the company w.i 6 requested, to pay a return visit. The ladies of the Darfield district provided tlhe performers with supper. LEESTON. Tho annual meeting of the congregations of Leeston Presbyterian charge was presided over by the Rev. E. W. Walker, and there .was a good attendance. The various reports and financial statements indicated that the parish was well-organised, and that the year had been very successful in ©very way. The session report was presented by Mr J. B. Anderson. It congratulated the minister upon the success that had attended bis,work, and recorded an in-, crease in the membership. Two new elders had been ordained. Appreciative reference was made to the work of the organist • and Sunday: school teachers. ■ Mr R. M. Robertson • presented theVre?-,; pwfe of jtho management committed' which stated that the finances were in &. gratifying condition. The-.income had increased from' £s9B'ss lid to- £675 7s' 2d. From iheohurch funds the sum of £4O extra had been paid over to missions, and the committee was''glad to have, been ableiio make the mission contribution to the; figure asked for by the .General .Assembly, under the recently established Burser Mission scheme. The girls? auxiliary had raised £24 for the Special Home Mission Fund. There was still a debt_on the parish motor car, but this was being reduced. The report pujised-. the work of Miss R. Cunningham, late secretary of the Flower Show Committee, and Mr G. Rodgers, who was retiring from the. secretaryship of the committee. Very favourable reports were received from the superintendents of the, Sunday schools at Leeston, Killinchy, and Lakeside, the girls' auxiliary the P.W.M.U., and the Maori Mission Birthday League. Reference was made to the mission to be conducted at Leeston m September _. by Mr Bissett the Assembly's evangelist, who woul- be accompanied by his daughter, a.fino vodalist. 'The minister reported that the Sfrtithbridge congregation was desirous .of co-pperating in' connexion with the-mission. In reference to a circular letter received from an Assembiv Committee m regard to ministers' salaries, it was explained that the Leeston charge was paying the stipend stipulated, and providing a free manse. It was decided to hold an anniversary tea meeting this year. Last year's flower show committee' was re-elected, with power to,'add to its number. The usual votes of .thanks. were passed. Special reference was made to the work of the Rev. E. W. and Mrs Walker. SOUTH MALVERN DISTRICT. Tho reduced train service will affect" the district very little, as it means _only the cutting out of a train on Friday. On Mon-iays Wednesdays, and Fridays there will be one-train per day, while there will be two- trains on the alternate days. The district is more concerned n'ith the prompt receipt of its daily news than with the train curtails ment. On Monday last there was apparently no ono to go for the papers to JDarfield. and they lay there all day. Then, thiough the oversight of someone, they were not put on to the evening train, with a result that the district received Mondays papers along with Tuesdays. On Wednesday, a boy was sent to Darfield, but no papers had been sent from Christchurch, end these did not arrive till the evening tram. Now that there is to be no morning train from Christchurch on three days m the week, tho i:hances of non-receipt of the daily news are increased. Several complaints have been received of late of the muddy condition of the road ß at the store corner, Coalgate. This is due to the heavy traction traffic between Coalgate ■ and the liaise Coleridge power station displacing large quantities of water out the Waireka water race, which crosses the road at this poirt. At its last meeting;, the Malvern County Council decided to write to the Public Works Departments and ask them to share half the cost of bridging part of the race. On Tuesday evening the half-yearly meeting of the Coleridge Branch of the Oddfellows' Lodge was held. Ihe bal-ance-sheet was read, showing that the i lodge funds were in a satisfactory condition. At the conclusion of the ousiI ness-a social was held, to which members had invited their families and friends. Mr James Charles was chairman lor the evening, which was spent in dancing, etc. Songs were sung by Airs James Charles,'and Messrs J. Chaney, E. Charles, Jib. Charles and James Taxiing. The music for the dancing was provided by Miss Wflbs. Extras were played bv Mrs C. Stuart and the Misses Powell and Olga Campbell.-Dur-ing the evening. Messrs H. Johnson (■secretary of the lodge) and E. and J. Charles, gave short addresses on tne odjects of the Order. ~ On Thursday afternoon, the monthly meeting of the Plunket Society was held in the Oddfellows' Hall, Glentun-

nfl - There'twas an attendance of 27 adults and 14 babies. Nurse Wilson adiTmj the aduifcs on the subject of children's teeth, describing their formation and growth, and especially emphasising the prevention of decay and the importance of wholesome food. The address will be continued at the. next meeting of the society. Afternoon tea was provided by the Coalgate ladies. The final meeting of tue Fallen Soldiers' Memorial Committee was held on Thursday evening. Present: Messrs A. Charles (in the chair), J. R. Longstaff, J. MoKie and A. M. Wilson (honorary secretary). It was decided to close the fund and to have several copies of the balance-sheet posted "in the district. Handsome gates have been erected at the entrance to the cemetery at a cost of £240. Of the total sum promised, all had been collected with the exception of four sums, amounting to £4 13s. The expense incurred in collecting the money was £6 3s lOd. On Friday evening the ladies conducted a dance in the Glentunnel Hall in aid of the Furnishing Fund of the new hall. As a result of this and a previous dance; a sum of about £lO has been collected, which, is sufficient to complete the crockery and linen requirements. Mrs Perceval supplied excellent music, with the assisance of Mesdames J. Jewell and T. E. Pollard. It is proposed to hold dances weekly in aid of this fund. This weeks' effort will take the form of a waltzing competition. Nor'-west conditions have ruled of late. A good downpour would be welcomed. BAKAIA. The monthly meeting of Ihe Rakaia Band of Hope was held in the Methodist Church on Thursday evening, and the builumg proved inadequate to hold the largo number which assembled. The chair was taken by the Rev. J. Field. Recitations were given by Misses E. \\ luting. E. 'lrevelia, Boyce, O. Whiting, B. Whiting, Harry Craig, Norman Breach, Jas. M. Craig, and W. Allen. A trio was sung by Messrs Field, Hunt, and nopwood. An action song, "The Raindrops," was given by the children and six giri" gave a dialogue. Nellie McCoy and Eva Smith sang a duet and Mrs Field gnve a reading. "Fight for the Right" was sung by five girls. The chairman g;ive a temperance address, and after the meeting a number signed the pledge. The Rakaia branch of the W.C.T.U. is hopeful that the Provincial Conference will meet next year at Rakaia. This centre has not yet been favoured with a Convention, and it has been decided to invite the Conference for 1922. Mrs Boag presided over a well-attended meeting of the branch in St Andrew's Presbyterian Church.- A letter was received from Mrs Don asking for financial help for the mission of Mrs Armour to New (Zealand: It was agreed to vote £1 Mrs Hc-pwood and Mrs Hunt were elected to represent Rakaia at the Provincial Conference at Kaiapoi next month. A vote of sympathy with Mrs Saundeis on the death of her husband was passed in silence, members standing. The secretary was instructed to send congratulatory letters to several_ members .on their recovery from illness. Mrs -Saunders arid Mrsf Hunt were appointed visitors to visit the sick and aped. Several members brought cuttings dealing with various aspects. of the Union's work and these were read at the meeting.