THE COUNTRY.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18184, 22 September 1924, Page 3

THE COUNTRY.

RURAL MAILS. I:; reply to a request i*'® lhe Zealand Farmers- I'rAon that rural mail delivery fees should be abolished, the Postmaster-General (Ron. J. G. Costes'i stares that the request cannot be favourably considered the Postal Department, The Minister points out that, with the increased revenue .from rural- delivery ices, the Department is enabled to extend the rural deliver system to more sparse^.mm wW <*•.«*• i'i if the reouest or the tmon were granted, the or deliveries vronid nave to total number of rural boxes novr i use throughout the Dominion exc^ d 11,000, and the number \v.">s unr a steadih".

OXFORD. Members and mends or u.u W.C.T.U met annilast week t) celebrate t . versary of the initiation union. Ail joined, m snie," hj, - Round the World,' ami l . ]• offered V,y Mi f sssrisrfr.n items being contributed by J 1 ; ses }' Johnson and M. Ito, - c V -iv: Iv u Johnson, Corny n?, Copper aml W and Messrs R. /Toluaso .. ■«- Rev. B. Fox rove an address on the League of -•' ' j ■nl&ining its aims and what had aire., ~ oeen accomplished through t;e . onee of the League. A vole of ■was accorded to Mr I'*■» • those who had assisted m the even ma; s entertainment,. round, including: a hanusmne. brt-niL cake Riven by the president. Mr L. Watson, on k»Wf of t-he 1-»ers present, wished the >\ .C. "many hawy returns" :••«« success in future year?.

CUST. Tlie long warm and dry ; -,p«it v which hr.s rTevailod ui "Lliis district _ror soino* weeks past, took a sudtkni turn en Saturday morning. The change:! r.mnd to a cold about a.m. and• "blew quire a S"le ior some hours. A light ruin fell, mid it is hooed this will continue tor some day* as it is urgently needed. If a good vain is neb experienced very soon it would appear that the ■ crops in this district are doomed to failure Some of tho .wheat crops, although only a few inohos liigli. i* l "® ulreiid} shoeing a brown tinge, a/id scrne farmers the-preserioo of grub in tho wheat. k"> far everything points to a p'."<-r r.'M'rcst this yE.fr. RANGIOKA. A surprise party visited the res deu..e of Mrs F. W. Merrin, Bush street, to do honour to Miss B. Comptoii. who is shortly to ha- married. The function. toi>lc the form of a gift evening, when musical items, games and competitions were indulged in. A very dainty supper was served, tho table being decorated with choice spring flowers. Ihe evening was brought to a by singing "For She's a, Jolly Good Fellow and "Auld Lane .Syne."Among those nresent were Mrs C. K. I I:t> aites. Misses I? Conipton. 13. Ritchie. G. and A. Newell, .G. Cook, J. Mckenzie, A. Ifeaton. A. Gracey. E. and I. Merrin, H. "Wiltshire and W. "WaTton.

akaroa. The new hospital continues to no, very busily employed. As f*tr as woi is concerned it lias had a very tim? run' since its opening 111 Juno last-. The up-to-tlaie operating theatre attached to the institution has proved a boon indeed to Peninsula patients, who, Tinder tho skilled attentions of J»r. Coiva.il, the medicai officer of the district assisted by a very competent staff' have reason to bless those . t<» whose encryr, enthusiasm and fores gtit the new building owes its being. l maternity wards have likewise bean fully occupied, and mention of the-.o reminds one of the remark made by a little chap who was due to enter tno institution to undergo an operation Ho came from one of the Bays, and while ste-ving in Akaroa prior to goma, into the hospital, ho was visited by a little girl friend. The talk turned on tho little fellow's troubles, and in rop.y to a question he was overheard to say that: lie was not sure, but. he tnouszJi.t. he was going, into tho " 'turnity ward." The advent of the school holidays at the end of August is usually regards as the opening of "the- season, ' a-s far as- the visitors are concerned. Tms ' year has been no exception to the rule. Indeed tho pre longed spell of warm, Ktmtiv weather- has b'-oiight more visitors than usual for September and has teniotod sundry of them to extern their stay in a. spot thni lends jtsed so readily to a quiet, restful lioiid.iy a mmi<; such Attractive surrounding. Tho golf links and the tennis courts, afford opportunities for indulging in more or less strenuous exercise to those who arc so inclined, while, it will piobablv be of interest to the bcewler t ' know that tho lowd club will open its green on tho first Thursday m Recently Akaroa. enjoyo: for the first time the experience ol ' hstening_ in with the wireless. An enterprising couth of tho town. Mr McNa.b! had installed a wireless outfit ut hf> father's house in.Church little tunc iu:o, and Jasu weck-eiul Mi A J. Dicom.be, of Christ-church, ed tho town and save thereon, wit.i a '\Radiola 3" pet, a very dvnionsbraiion that was keenly ted bv tho.se frrfcuna-t-e enough to 0, present. Pan of the conceit proGramme w*s distinctly .heard from KGO. Oakland, Oaluomn.. I.atei m the evening Dunedin was tuned in, and the results were higlny « ra^ 1 sundrv items of a musK-pl eieniry being heard with remarkab.e c-learnes,*. Then Svdney was .uned 1.1 at 1i.30" p.m., and the clock was heard stniung the horn o--10 p.m. Mr D;icombe remarked thai, ho was extremely delimited with to results, the vn.ole performance oomg uncommonly freo from, It is his intention to visit Akaroa shortly to give the townsfolk another opportunity of enjoying what must be, to most cf thorn. a udkjuo expom-we.

CHARING CROSS. \ further entertainment- was git'en on Friday night in tJ.c Charing Cross School bv the lccal School C.omnuttec, in the form of Mrtire, Idlowed bv a da:ice. The children s prx, fund will considerably beneiit as 'a resuit,. The card nrvAC- «wo uon;i ■ follows: —Mrs Sucking 1 Mrs Oidnog, •J, Mr Fyfe 1, Mr Ivayo 'J. In presentino, the prizes tho chairman- 1 31; I. Sim) congratulated the- winners and thanked ;iil present tor tb«ir attendant and assisfcaJico n. making the function a success. A daintv supper was provided by the ladies, ar.d items were Riven by Messrs Suekhn.and Burt. Donning conf nued till i:w carlv hours of t£c inoinniy..

lIORORATA. Tr.e dry we-atker continues -.yu-h - . 1 .:: any sign of a. bref-k. Marty farmerarc getting short. of iced and state tha.t they have- not for many years experienced such a long sped of dry wcatiiov at, this tune of the year. Unless a change takes place in the near future tho prospects of a good year Vvill i - e remote.

At a meeting of the combined _H ( ~chey and Football Ball Committee. Misses M. Grav. P. Oliver, Wn<rnt an - Oliver, J. Ironside, T. Right, ana > Parker vers present.. It was decide- 1 to hold tho IralJL c-n October Ist r.uc 1 secure the services rf tiie Hnrcrata. Orchestra to supr>ly the mnsie. The dressed doll and the cake a;ye~' by Mrs G. C. Derrett for the guessing competitions at the recent Plunket I*n!l were Ton bv Miss Janet Deans ana Mrs W. T' -waiter At a recent mooting of the parishioners of tho district the liniinary arrangements for the tote were made. It was decided to hold the fete in Hororata. Domain on December -6th. The Glen tunnel district intimated that it wun'd take c-harge 0 f the produce stall. The work stall was placed in the hands of the Indies' Sewing Guild, while tho Ciirls Friendly Snc'ety were to be asked to take charge of the sweet «iail. It tvas also decided to run- an afternoon tea hootli, several side-shows and a shore spirts programme. Mr S. R. WVghi was appointed .secr-.-tarv.

A very enthusiastic meeting ot >-e sdents wis held last week, when Mr' Pavne, tlie Malvern Power Hoard's resident ensrineer and works overseer, was introduced to those present. Mr Mulholland. chairman of the Power Board, in introducing Mr Payne, outlined the robcy rf the Board. anl stated th.-it 3fr Pavne wo'dd visit ihe householders in the nerar future, them the opportunity to understand their rei-rardiiv:' (•osts of supplv and inst"iiation. It '..'as the policy of f o B nrd not to rotieuhite- any area- unless it had a guarantee that sufficient power would be cr.--smned to tiie line a payable nrorosilinn. Tlie ntain lines of ret:cu.hition I'etween tlie sub-stnr.ion ft Hnn)ratii. and Grecnhde and the sulvstation and Glentunne! were to he taker' as " guide ii])."n which the Power Board would r.rt in rJnciug t.iieir for Hence the speaker cori-sidu-ed that tlie Hororat-a line was a most. ini"to''tanl one from t l-, e B.ia.rd s no'nt of v;ew. arid he hoped the re-si-dent.? would srive the Board their full .supiwt in order that tlie work might go forward with despatch. The Greendale meeting had Iveen a snoee-s----l'nl one, a-nd. already their line vif. essured. Burins the evening 35r Pavne into details with man\ individuals present, wth the icsnlt tliafc r>. fair number s:;zned up to take a supply of ] o'.ver.

METIIVEN. Miss M. O'Xoill. of the staif of tho Metnven Cottage HospiUd,__is at present on -'leave <*vnd is spending\cv few days at her home at Geraldine. Miss Hunter and Miss Smith, <>i Auckland, a.re the guests or Airs o. 11. Nicholls (Methven). The monthly meeting of tlie Metnvon Branch of tliePlunket "Society washehl in thi3 Parish Hall on Thursday afternoon. Mrs H. lleid presided, and there wore also nresent Mesdumes Tool'ey. Baxter, Elliott. Watson, McKee and Owen. Apologies; for. absolve were received from Mesyames Green, Jessep, lUiddenklau Bland, AitVen. Nicholls and Miss Bic.iards -irs Toolev acted as secretary m. tho absence of Mrs G. H. Nicholls. Before commencing the meeting a a ote • sympathy was passed to Mrs tx. tj. Nicholls in her recent bereavement, members standing for a. few momentThe nurse's .ninthly report was xeaa and was 'considered - - vote of thanks was passed to thos. ladies who had gone to Ashburton j ia assisted on Daffodil Day.. Miss Glad>. Bushell, of Asliburton. offered to a:rang« a concert, in aid of the society on October 7th, and tho c-flci u-.s accepted -with thanks.. . , I>ui:in2. the past, few months a sone. of r,ro<rvessiv(S euchre tournament"-.. ..id of the fund for building a new Sundav s"hool. has l>een held at HighbariA and has proved very successful. As a wind-up to 'those evenings a socia. and danco was held in_thc Highbank School on Friday evening and was largely attended. Music for the danco \va? supnlicd by McDonald s Jazz Hand of" Hakaia, and was much enioved. During tho-evenmp ponp were Lntributed by Mrs A. £>- lnndlay and Mr Miller, an'lrish Jig by Miss Aliller, and a. Highland Fling ], y Miss Paul. Miss Miller, Mrs Fmdb.y and Uev. 1 A. Tooley acted as accompanists and extra, dances were- played for bv IVliss Moffat and Mr Cottingham. After tusupper interval Mr Too.ey tna.ii.ked those who had assisted with the function. and also announced that :i special meeting of 'parisnioners would be held shortly" to go thoroughly into the -mention of the building of th.e Highban'c Sunday school.

RAKAIA. After shining well through the moonlight nights, the Rskain street, light.* oil Friday night refused duty. In some houses the light burned brightly; in others, the "juice" was apparently in' short supply, as the lights shone but dimly. Unfortunately this .was late shopping night in Rakaia. At the Band of Hope meeting the ohl kerosene lamps had to be hastily put. in order and hung in position once again. Under the auspices of the Rakaia branch of the W.C.T.U., the moiithly Band of Hope meeting was held in St. Mark's schoolroom. The Rev. E. N. Blnkiston occupied the chair. The following contributed to the programme: —Pianoforte solos:., Misses P. Judkins and E. Morrison; violin solo. Mr G. McLauchlan; recitations by Mildred Oliver, Mildred iCaan. and Francis Basher; reading by Miss b. Morrison. A vote of sympathy was passed with the relatives" of the late Mr P. Hunt, who had been an enthusiast!.; Band of Hope worker. A temperance address was given by tne Rev. . Blakiston. The winners of the- season's prizes for the highest aggregate of games at the progressive euchre tournaments or tho Kakaia Football Club were as follows:—Ladies' pri:se. Mrs t>. Tatterson; gentlemen's prize, Mr J. "Wilson. On Thursday night the final. gathering for the season of the Kakaia Young People's Mutual Improvement Society was* held in the Methodist Church. The lie'.'. E. Alexander presided, and read tho balance-sheet for the season, showing a small balance in ham; after the purchase of crockery. This year has been the Society's first season, and there can be no doubt the institution has been an ini'.uenoe for good in the commnnitv. It "*s hoped to contmuo the meetings next year with even more success.than in. the past After the business had been disposed ot., a short, service was held, when a review address was given. -V vote of s',mpathv was passed to the relatives ei" the late Mr F. Hunt, who had been one of the most prominent and valued members of the Society.

MEAD. As u conclusion to the wiater of card entertainment:} at the Mead School, a dance held, and was very largely attended. Mr V\ . Shelloek presented the prizes fur the* highest aggregate cii games vro.'i during- the season. These went to Mrs W. Breading and Mr J.-Hunt, of Kakaia. Mr Shelloek thanked the donors of the prizes, and stated that the season's -functions Lad been successful from both a social and m financial standpoint. The music for tho dances was played by. . Sheiloek and II: Bchrns, v/itlr extras by E. Duncan and J. Sheehan.

ASHLEY BANK. For the past week working bees Jvvre been busy prewiring the grontuHor the. new tennis courts. Mr Hoy Bailey and Mr Robert Peach have very generoudv offered nets, and Mr E. D. R. Smith has offered to settle the legal part of the business'free as a donation to the C'lllb. •