THE COUNTRY.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17740, 17 April 1923, Page 3

THE COUNTRY.

JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS. The Malvern A. and P. Association has received record entries, and, a fine day, expect a record crowd. The best that the surrounding country produces will be seen at the show. Deny 3 Band will be in attendance. WAIKARI. A verv successful baby carnival in connexion with the Methodist Churc of the district was concluded last week, when the very handsome sum of ■ o was raised free of expenses. The viin ning baby was Miss Betty Inch ( Waikari baby), who was _ very closely run by Miss Janis Harrison, of Omiln. The Hawarden baby was represented by Miss Burt, and the Scargill baby by Master T. 0. A. Johnson Keen interest was taken throughout the contest, and the proceeds exceeded the most sanguine expectations. M uctl credit is due to the Rev. and Mrs King, and the many enthusiastic workers. A silver my? inscribed with the initials and the date of the contest was presented to each baby, and will be a very handsome memento of the occaSl °Threshing operations throughout the district are practically concluded and some big yields are reported. Many farmers are well advanced in preparing the land for the next season's crops. Much interest is being taken in the up-to-date lime-crushing plant that has been installed by Mr C. Trounce, of Waikari. The preparation of the lime under this process enables it to be drilled on to the land without trouble, and will be of great advantage to farmers, as lime in some North Canterbury districts is in very great demand. Up to tho present it has been unprocurable in a state to bo run throughout the drill without risk to the cogs.

ladbrooks. The weather during the last week has been all that is required for potor to digging, which is now m full swing. The yield is on the small side for tab to sorts, the average being five tons to the acre, but the quality is good. Large quantities have been sent forward during the week mostly for shipping, ine demand for chaff is at present keen, and some large sales have been effected. In some eases good bright samples brought £5. , , . , ~ Mr Roscoe has just cut his fourth crop of 27 acres of lucerne, part ol which is for seed. . There is at present a shortage ot labour for potato v digging and picking, all the local labour being absorbed. The outlook for winter feed is at present eloomy, and the land in the district is bearing a very brown appearance. Several of the dairy farmers have had to resort to their winter stacks already, owing to the shortage of grass. . „ Threshing is now practically completed, most of the mills having pulled in, and the chaff-cutters are now busy to their fullest capacity. ■ Mrs Marshall, Ashburton, is at present paying a visit to Mrs "YV. Turner (Ladbrooks). Mr E. Tucker has purchased the farm recently owned by Mr Downey, of Prebbleton.

Mr P. McDrury, who recently purchased Mr F. Payne's farm, is at present' having extensive alterations to his cottage before taking up his permanent residence there.

The Rev. Mr Laycock, Methodist Minister has decided to hold monthly services at Ladbrooks, and is making arrangements for dates, etc. This action will be greatly appreciated by the. members of the church in the district.

The annual School Committee election on the 23rd instant promises to be very keenly contested, and there' are signs that the householders intend roiling up in force. Mr \V. Porter, who has been employed for some considerable time with Mr S. Smith, has left La'dbrooks to take np his residence in . Franklin,North Island.

Mrs T. C. Foster ftnd Mrs T. Anderson and families are at present spending a holiday for p. few weeks it New Brighton. ( Mr G. Trott held a very successful clearing sale on his farm, Broadfwlds, last week. There was a large attendance of buyers, and good prices vvere realised in all cases. RAKAIA. It is expected that Mr McVilly, General Manager of the New "Zealand Railways, will visit Eakaia to-day or to-morrow. The hour is not yet definitely fixed, but it is hoped to have a_ deputation meet him and lay before him some of the needs of the district. There have been several matters on which representations have been maile at various times, but none of them has as yet been remedied. The Eakaia station was originally built by a private company that owned and worked the branch line to Methven. Adjoining it was the Government main line, Christchurch to Dunedin. The private company and the Government each had its own station yard. When the Government bought out the company the two yards came to be worked as one, but .the layout was most unsuitable as one yard, and remains so to this day. The main crossing in the heart of the township is in a most unsuitable place, and a frequent source of danger and delay. Representations have also been made regarding the danger of the narrow crossing at the trucking yards. The position of these yards has also been a source of complaint with farmers. The sale yards are at one end of the township, and the trucking yards at the other. Recently attention was drawn to this bad ruts in the area of ground used by motorists in approaching the station. The Railway Department will not mend them, nor allow the Road Board to do so. The station gardens are second to none in New Zealand, but the station building is a poor structure. The remedy for above defects \is a completely new layout of the station yard. This has been planned, and at one time was on the point of being put into effect, but the war came and with it an indefinite postponement. A competition was held on the Rakaia Bowling Green on Saturday afternoon to decide the winners of four prizes in a rink competition of sixteen heads. Holmes (skip), Wright, Cameron, Hughes ' 10, defeated Borland (skip), Stubbs, F, Magson, Judkins ]O. Newman (skip), Henderson, Steers, Black 16,.defeated Featherstone (skip), Blackley, Hardy, Palmer 12. In the final Holmes's rink defeated Newman's by a comfortable margin in an eleven-head game, and became the winners. ,• . ~ Beautiful weather prevailed for the Football Sports Meeting in the Rakaia Domain, on Saturday afternoon, and there was a fair attendance of the public, but not so great as might have been expected. In the sevon-a-sid. football tournament there was an entry of four teams. The winners proved to be A Watts, J. Butters, W. Shannon, E Mead, O. Stevens, E. Hnderson, and 9'Wrieht. The 100 yards sprint was won by E. Henderson, with W. Tatterson second. A sack race was won by A Watts, B. Timings being second. A. goal-kicking competition was won by V Boag.' A relay race was won by a team composed of J. Butters, 0. Ste vens, E. Henderson, and S. Wright. Thi thread-the-needle race was won easily by B. Timings. In the girls' race, T.

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Donaldson was first and Milly Kaan second. The boys' race was won by C. Trevella, F. Magson being second. A collection in aid of the funds was taken up on the ground, and realised a fair amount. The-trophies won were presented on the ground by Mr C. EviSOll.

On Saturday the scholars of the Tillage Settlement Sunday School held their annual picnic in the Rakaia Domain. A happy time was spent with races and games and scrambles. • During the afternoon the prizes won during the year were presented to the children.

The' telephone bureau at "Summerlea, which has been in existence for very many years, was recently closed by the Department. There are on view at Messrs Hardy and Co.'s store at Kakaia two very line specimens of sunflower, grown bv Mr Carney at the Mead. The stalks tower away up above the tops of the verandah posts, and the heads are exceptionally largo.