MID-CANTERBURY.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18636, 10 March 1926, Page 4

MID-CANTERBURY.

ASHBURTON. PERSONAL. Mr J. B. Richardson, Borough Inspector, left Ashburton ..yesterday for the Sockburn aerodrome, to commence a refresher course of tea days' flying. Miss Patrick, Director of Plunket Nursing in New Zealand, is expected to pay a visit to Ashburton at the end of the month. Mr T. S. Carter, of the staff of the Ashburton Post Office, has received notice of his transfer to Bunedin, and leaves for Duncdin to-day. The Rev. Geo. Miller, of the North East Valley (Duncdin) Presbyterian Church, is on a visit U Ashburton. Miss G. Matthews, part-time assistant teacher of the Ashburton High School and at the Technical School, has been appointed commercial instructress at the Masterton Technical School. St. Andrew's Ladies' Guild. At the opening mooting of the St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church Ladies' Guild, Miss A. G. Irvine presided over an attendance of 50 members. It was decided to hold tho Guild meeting every |hree weeks. An enjoyable musical programme was given, and afternoon tea partaken of. Motor Fatality. The funeral of the late Mr C. J. Pearce, who mot his death as the result of being knocked down by a passing motor-car near Dromore on Saturday afternoon, took place afc the Ashburton Cemetery yesterday afternoon. Mustorers from the Fairfield Freezing Works acted as pall-bearers, and a very long cortege boro testimony to tho high esteem in which tho late Mr Pcarco was hold, and the sympathy felt £or his parents, Mr Thomas Pearce and Mrs Pearce, of Gore, who for many years were well known residents of Ashburton. Catholic Church Bazaar. The Drill Hall was thronged on Monday night for tho Catholic bazaar, and a brisk business was dono at the numerous stalls and tho side-shows. Tho tug-of-war contests were watched with keen interest. The teams who pulled were: Cruin Bros, against the Fire Brigade, which resulted in a draw; Crura. Bros, beat the Power Board team. A pull between the Fire Brigade and the Celtic teams resulted in a draw. Lambs given iu aid of tho bazaar funds were sold and resold at auction at the Tinwald yards yesterday, -and realised a total of £9 10s, which will be forwardod to the Bazaar Committee. Croquet. Members of the Tcmuka Croquet Club visited Ashburton yesterday and played a singles and doubles match against Ashburton, on tho Ashburton lawns. Following are tho scores (Ashburton names first):—Singles: Miss Hoskin 26, Mrs Austin 17; Mrs Dunn 26, Mrs Fraser 26; Mrs Clark 21, Mrs Smart 26; Mrs Boyco 26, Mrs Lee 17; Mrs Hunter 26, Mrs MeLeod 24; Mrs Watt 26, Mrs Shiel 19; Mrs Buxton 26, Mrs Ashwcll '25; Sirs Galbraith 26, Mrs Mclnnes 9. Doubles: Miss Hoskin and Mrs .Dunn 11 Mrs Austin and Mrs Smart 20; Mrs Clark and Mrs Boyco 26, Mrs Frasor and Mrs Lee 24; Mrs Watt and Buxton 26, Mrs MeLeod and Mrs bmel 20-' Mrs Hunter and Mrs Galbraith 26, Mrs Ashwcll and Mrs Mclnnes 20. j Ashburton players will visit Gcraldine to-morrow, and play a match against Geraldine. Mail Notices. Mails close to-day for northern ports at 2.45 p.m, late fee letters 3.10 p.m., guard'a van 3.32 p.m.; and at 5 p.m.; late feo letters 5.25 p.m., guard's van s, Ma?b'for Great Britain, Ireland, Continent of Europe, Lmted States of America, Canada, also Fiji, Samoa, Pago Pago, Honolulu, Japan, Tonga, Central America, West Indies, Mexico, via Vancouver, closo Saturday, March 13th.

RAKAIA. .The bowling match betv.een Linwood and Rakaia, which had been arranged for Wednesday, has been postponed on account of the death of Mr E. Fox, of th« Rakaia Club. In spite of the unfavourable season, the number of entries received for the Rakaia Horticultural Society's Autumn Show u very large, though not constituting a record. A good- number■ of entries have been received in the now classes for farm seeds. A meeting of the committee of the Rakaia branch of the Plunket Society was held in the library There were present: Mesdames J. D. 0 Connoi (president), R. Croy, G. 8. Hardy, Whitcombo, J. Baxter, W, Boag. L. Cordner, B. A. Breach, Crossley, Morrison Harris, and Cooke. A vote or condolence was passed with Mrs O. »• Osborn ;n the death of her husband. The collectors appointed to canvass tne district for the forthcoming fair handed in their reports. The Plunket nurse's report was read by the sccre-

tary. The president and the secretary were appointed to raako arrangements for suitable amusements on the evening of the fair. The secretary was also instructed to arrange for tne use of a piano. It was decided, to meet on March 19th to make final arrangements. A vote of thanks was passed to-Mr T. Lijghtfoot for preparing posters for the fair. A cricket match between teams from the Rakaia and Chertsey Clubs was played on the Domain on Saturday. Rakaia won by 72 runs, the totals being: Rakaia. 129, Chertsey 57. The principal scores for Rakaia were E, H. Ellis 87, H. Butters 33, and for Chertsey T. Hooper 23; The monthly meeting of the South Rakaia Road Board was held on Thursday. There were present: Messrs Jas. Lambie (chairman), H. J. Crothers, HA. Harrison, and G. S. Hardy. Leave of absence wae granted to Mr W. WCarruthers. The chairman reported having interviewed tho chairman of the County Council regarding sanitary fees, and his opinion was that the charges would have to be amended so as to place the service upon a self-supporting basis. The Board resolved that, the matter stand over in the meantime. The clerk's report showed thafc receipts since last meeting amounted to £505 2s, outstanding rates £126 2s 4d, credit balance at the hank £1351 16s lOd. The cost of shingling and forming Gardiner's road to D. Bank's amounted to £231 19s 9d. Accounts amounting to £207 2s were passed for payment. The following transfers were granted:—Estate of 'J. Santy to J. Crossley, L. Edgington. to J, D. T. Cornelius, estate of J. Liddy to J. D. T. Cornelius, F. H. Saunders to H. Weaver, T. O'Malley to G. 8. Hardy. The clerk was instructed to issue notices to severel ratepayers to clear gorse and broom from their frontages. Mr Lambie reported that the petition to the Ashburton County Council asking the Council to declare certain roads'district roads had been very well supported by the ratepayers. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to Messrs Hardy and Whitcombe for their services in the matter. The Board inspected the West Town Belt and Dumford street with a view to having improvements effected. MEAD. The annual sports of the Mead iSfchool were held on Friday There was a good attendance of parents and visitors, and a long sports programme was carried out. In the evening a dance was hold in the school. Music was supplied by Messrs R. Sheehan, F, Cornelius, and" U. Duncan. Mr J. Fagan was M.C : , METHVEN. Mr and Mrs Wm. Morgan, "The Towers," Methven, are at present in Dunedin, visiting the Exhibition. Mr A. J. Beamsley, Southbridge, is spending a holiday in Methven, and is visiting Mr J. McD. Andorson, Alford Forest road. The members of the Methven Croquet Club held a very interesting competition on Saturday afternoon, which was won by Mrs G. H. Nicholls, who received a trophy presented by Mrs H. Fryer. The Citizens' Committee of th© Methven Boy Scouts Troop met in the Parish Hall on Monday evening. Present; Messrs S. Buckett (chairman), N. Mcintosh, W. A. Haden, E. J. Davis (hon. secretary), Scoutmasters F. A. Tooley and J. Temple, and Mrs Tooley. Tho subcommittee set up to inspect suitable sites for a Scouts picnic reported thereon, and it was decided to hold the picnic on March 27th, at Winchmore riverbed. Tho Ladies' Committee volunteered to take charge of tho arrangements for refreshments. The i proposal to hold a Scouts concert was | held over until a later date. The scoutmaster reported that ho had already commenced to allot marks to scouts in connexion with the Pennant Competition. HINDS. Last week, 14 pupils left for Dunedin Exhibition under the supeifr vision of the headmaster. They returned on Friday. Tho Hinds Post Office is now connected with Ashburton by two wires, so there is now no waiting. It is also connected directly with Geraldine. The evening train from Ashburton is very often late, and the evening mail from Ashburton is not delivered over the counter, as the post office closes at 5 p.m. During the vacancy caused by the resignation of the Rev. R. McCully, tho Rev. Mr Prentice will occupy the manse and administer the district. A readjustment of boundaries is contemplated, making Hinds a larger district.