NORTH CANTERBURY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18923, 11 February 1927, Page 3

NORTH CANTERBURY.

RANGIORA. i The monthly meeting ol the M-hool Committee was held oil W edtitscU.. | evening. PresentMe>sr» I • Tyler (chairman). K. !>• Ro"°- -*• : Benjtr;, .1. Tweedie. A. Cambridge, an W. A. Row.e. The headmaster, Mr li. A. McKeown. presented his first repot I, since the school resembled after the holidays, in which he stated that the school opened on luesua , February Ist, witli the following io" number; —bov» -Ul, and girls - • total pupils 38-J. Ihe average attendance tor the tirst week of the >ew Year was .mti, a-> against an at'.endance lor the eorre.-ponuing . lib.t vear ol 311.3. The Inspettor Health, Mr Cruickshanks, visited the school recently, anil reported adverse \ on the condition of the drains. Hie ieport also stated that although \ ,c grading of the school was not maintained, the stalling ot the school -was not altered; and Miss Hughes hat been appointed to the vacancy on t to staff caused bv the departuro of liowen. The report was received, JHe -erretarv, Mr R. -f. Lewis, to the Royal Visit Reception Committee. Ambcrlcy, wrote stating that the arrangements for the transit of <| ,c school children in connexion with the Royal visit had been approved. IHe Kangiora Borough Council wrote -y at " ing that a nominal Ice of £1 would he (barged for the hire of the hall on the occasion of the school concert. Ihe chairman reported that the arrangements for the school picnic on Jjohrui v 17th were satisfactory. The District iV.ilic Inspector, N.Z. Railways, wrote stilting that a special picnic train would leave Rangiora at B.'2"> a.m. an<l Southhrook at 5.33 a.m.. arriving at Lyttelton at 0.-lo a.m. It would l'^ 1 ' Lyttelton on the return trip tit. l>.m., arriving home at 7 p.m. It was decided to give the children free boat trips round the harbour. The secretary of tho Rangiora I'ire Brigade has received a contribution of C"J 2s from Messrs Wilson Bros, in recognition of the Brigade's i-erviees at the recent fire on their premises. OXFORD. Most- welcome rain fell throughout the district for three hours on AXednesday evening, tlio amount recorded being .17 inches. While _it will stop harvest operations for a little time, it will do an immense amount of good by stimulating pastures and restoring rape and turnips. SEFTON. Tlio Library Committee met on Monday evening, tho chairman (Mr. Pi JTurner) presiding. 'll'.o schedule of duties for the librarian, as drawn up by the chairman, was adopted by the committee. Miss Butcliclor was appointed librarian from March Ist. lljo honorary librarian's report showed issues of books sinco tlio lust cotninitico. Twelve renewals of subscriptions had been received together with one new member, and tlio income for the period amounted to £4 14s 9d. A Selection Committee consisting of Miss M. Wilson (convener), tho librarian, anil Mesdames A. Johnstone and A. J. U. Withers, was appointed to suggest tho ntimes of new books for purchase each month. The chairman reported chat tho apnlication for tho Government subsidy had been forwarded on duo date. Tho secretary was asked to send a letter of sympathy to, Mrs Georgo Clarke and family on tho death of her husband, who was otto of the original trustees of tho library. A memorial service for tho late Mr Georgo Clarke was held in the Church of St. Michael and All Angels, oil Sunday evening. The Rev. H. F. Ault, of Christchurch. who woa cixrato 111 charge during most of the lato 31r Clnrko's residence in Sefton, was the preacher. Ho referred to the public spirit and selMcnying service which characterised his life. Some ot Mr Clarke's favourite hymns wero sung. Miss Daphno Hales presided at tho organ and there was a good congregation. AKAROA. A meeting of tlio Akaroa Boro.ugh Council was held on Wednesday evening. Present: The Mayor (Mr G. Armstrong) and Councillors C. W. Leete, T. McCaughan. E. G. McNabh, C. Stewart, \V. W. Williams, and F. J. Wright. Tho Tourist Department wrote stating that the subsidy of £2o which was applied for, for advertising Akaroa, had been authorised for payment. A report of the recent house-to-house inspection of the borough by an officer of tho Health Department was received, stating that the sanitary arrangements within the borough were in good order, and the general state of the borough was satisfactory. An application from tho District High School Committee, asking for a general holt- ' day on their picnic day, was refused. A deputation from the Lawn Tennis Club waited on the meeting, and asked to have an expert opinion of the state of the new tennis courts. It was decided to ask Mr J. Woodill to examine tho courts periodically and if h ,s report wero favourable, they would be completed for play by Easter. The Advancement Association wrote requesting tho Council to apply for a further subsidy on money spent m advertising Akaroa. The request was granted. Owing to the scarcity of water in th'o creek, feeding the reservoir, it was decided to restrict tho watering of gardens to ono hour daily from 6 to 7 p.m. Attention was called to the fact of motorists, breaking the by-laws, by speeding and travelling with open exhausts, and also to unlighted vehicles travelling at night, and it was decided to ask the police to taka action. SPRINGBURN. Mrs Fergus, now of Dannevirke. but in the early days a pioneer of the district-, has been visiting her daughter. Mrs W. Grieve. A practically new two-seater motorcar, driven by Mr K. Geering. of Methvcn, was burnt on the road about a mile north of Springburn late on Mondav night. The car. which was insured, was completely destroyed, and all the tyres but one were burnt also. A flooding carburettor is an attributed cause of the fire. A heaw shower of rain on Sunday night broke the spell of fine weather and stopped harvesting for Monday morning. Further heavy showers fell on Wednesday afternoon, and towards night the rain set in steadily. l'°r turnip crops and pastures the rain has been most welcome. HORNBY-ISLINGTON Tlio usual weekly euchre tournament wa» held in the Change llall. There I was a good at tend an to and piiz*- 5 were awarded to the following- Me-> Mr G. Morriss 1. Mr !•' Booth - ! ladies: Mrs Cooke 1. Mr.« D.'vi- -- i General tcgret was telt at the ttire from the district ol Mty 1 • who for tho past two years has nu > the position of assistant , '' . ' I the Hornby School. \\ edn afternoon the children °'^ >I , ~ sented Miss Down with a DcmHoii va.e Miss Down and the school staff «e then entertained to tea by Mr and Mrs o'Fly mi. Mr 0 all .success in her new her to acept from the staff a b .nitn_> handbag. MUs Down ».:.tably responded.

SPRINGSTON SOUTH. ] Tlio harvest operations are well advanced in this district, the fine weather onablin;* farmers to proceed without intcrriiption. On Tuesday a violent , nor '-west wind hindered the progress ot .-took-threshing and stacking. Iho 'iiilk ot the oat crops in the district h:tvc tii'vit cut :iml stacked. The average yield is about oo bushels to tho acre, but higher yields are reported, Mr G. Mcßean threshing a fifteen acre paddock of Algerians which yielded fuusiiels to the acre. Ihe majority ot the oa.s in this district hnvo been stacked, and it is the. farmers" intention to chaff it owing to the low price boiii£ offered for oats. \ery little ulieat remains to be cut ami another week of tine weather will see very little grain standing or in the stook. as the threshing mills have started on tliis cereal. The yields' in most cases have not come up to expectations. the average being about bushels. Mr G. Dull threshed a paddock of solid ptraw Tuscan, tho yield being 47 bushels. The Hunters variety is yielding 30 bushels. Barley yields are very good, but very littlo of this grain lias been threshed out of the stook, the farmers deeming that it is advisable to stack it to bring it bark as the nor'-westrv weather lias hardened and dried tho grain too much. Owing to tho long dry spell, potato and root crops are at a standstill, and unless a good downpour of rain is experienced shortly it tvill greatly affect tho yield. Pasture land is also very parched and brown and consequently the dairying industry has been greatly affected. Largo crowds continue to patronise the local picnic resorts, but tho fishing of late has 1.-een very poor. The twenty-second annual meeting of tho Springston Gun Club was held in tho Snringston South Memorial Hall recently. In tho al«enco of tho president. Mr 10. H. Rowcll presided over a good attendance of members-. Tho annual report and balance-sheet showed a rather big loss on tho year's working, due principally to tho wet day experienced at C'hristchurch, when the club's £•SO national shoot was hold. Tlio income for tho year was £54 7s 3d and the ex [tenses wero £BB 5s Id, leaving the club with a cash balance of £37 3s Gd. The annual report showed that the club's inemlicrship was the highest since its formation, tho roll number being 73 linancial members, nino new members joining up during tho year. Hie election of officers for the ensuing year resnlto:l as follows Patrons, Sir 15. Heaton Rhodes and Mr D. Jones, M.P.; president, Dr. E. J. Cooke; vice-presidents (2o elected): joint handienppors and referees, MesSrs E. 11. Howell and J. Moore; treasurers, Messrs C. N Powell and G. Lassen: scorer, Mr D. Ryan; trapper, Mr N. Musson; puller, Mr T. Kverest: committee, Messrs E. H. Howell, H. Kimber, J. F. Hill, 0. Hutchison, J. Everest, A. Mcßean, R. Tyson, 0. Lassen. D. Rj'an, H. Hatehard, J. Moore, J. Digbv, C. Chapman, L. Everest, P. Kiniber, H. Hoskcn, M. Ryan, T. Hamilton, F. Garland, and C. X. Powell.