MID-CANTERBURY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18924, 12 February 1927, Page 7

MID-CANTERBURY.

ASHBURTON. PERSONAL. Dr. J. Eussell Wells has returned from the Medical Congress at Dunedin. A Tribute to Late Mr Christian. A tribute to the work of the late Mr J. B. Christian, who had been secretary of the Mid-Canterbury Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union since its inception, was paid at the meeting of that body yesterdav.

The president (Mr J. Carr) said he was sure they all regretted exceedingly the loss of a man of the stamp of the late Mr Christian. It was most difficult indeed to get men of his type to carry on the work of Farmers-' L'nions and A. and P. Associations in such a methodical manner as he had done. The late Mr Christian had a very pleasing disposition, was easy of approach, and had always carried out his secretarial duties with great credit. He moved that they place on fcord their great regret at his death, and extend their sympathy to his relatives. In seconding the motion, Mr G. W. Leadley said ho deeply and sincerely regretted the passing of their secretary. He had known him over a large number of years, and during the course of the speaker's public life he had never met a man who was so exact in his methods and so ready to give any information at his disposal as Mr Christian.

The motion was carried by all stand ing in silence.

Complimentary Social. A complimentary social was tendered to members of the Daphne (Rebekah) Lodge, No. 34, 1.0.0. F., by the Hakatere Lodge, No. 68, 1.0.0. F., on Thursday evening. The entertainment took the form of a dance, for which music was supplied by Miss H. Ibell, while extras -.•ere played by Mrs A. Mitchell. During the evening songs were contributed by Bros. T. Lush and Miners. Bro. G. V. Neilsen referred to the assistance that sisters of the Daphne Lodge had given the Hakatere Lodge at all the Litter's social functions. Daphne Lodge. The Daphne (Robekah) Lodge, No. 34, 1.0.0. F., held its usual fortnightly meeting on Thursday evening, when the N.G. (Sister J. Mcintosh) presided ovor a good attendance. Three new members were initiated. Two candidates were proposed and one elected. Magistrate's Court. The sitting of the Magistrate's Court yesterday was presided over by Mr 0. R. Orr Walker, S.M. Judgment for the plaintiffs by default was entered in each of the following ewes:—Ashburton Electrio Power Board v. John Johnston, claim for £lO lis 3d and costs £2 17s; Smith and Fletcher v. Joseph Matthew Nolan, claim for £ll2 6s lid and costs £6 6s. On a judgment summons order, George Robert Tllson (Mr At K. North) proceeded against Thomas Muckle, a farmer, of Hinds (Mr G. H. Buchanan), for the sum of £l9 14s 4d. Debtor said he had handled no cash since judgment was obtained against him in October, 1926. He was a single man. The proceeds from the sale of his wool would be taken by Dalgety and Co. No order was made.

Cecil Moriarty, who did not appear, was directed ito pay W. Patching (Mr W. H. Woods) the sum of £7 7s 6d and costs 15s 6d on or before March 31st, in default seven days' imprisonment. A charge of trespassing on the Mount Harding racecourse at Methven on December 4th, being an excluded person, was preferred against Hastings Ireland, of Methven. Defendant pleaded guilty. Senior-Sergeant Mathioson said defendant was willing to admit previous convictions and that ho had been disqualified for life. Ireland said it could never be proved why he was disqualified for life. Ho lived almost next door to the racecourse and just went on the outside. It was a temptation being so close to home. He was flnod £5 and costs sa, and was given one month in which to pay. George Wesley, Rangi Wesley, and John William Wesley, jun., were summoned to show causo why they should not contribute towards the support of their sister, who was in the Christchurch Receiving Home. John Wesley, sen., father of the girl, was similarly summoned. The evidence of John William Wesley, jun., was taken at a previous sitting of the Court. Mr A. K. I North appeared for the other three dei fendants. He stated that it was just a ! question of the amount his Worship ; would fix. John Wesley, sen., was ali most crippled, and he had only earned ; £2O during the last three months. An ■ order was made for the payment of 5s i per week against each defendant. i Ronald Spencer Pearson (Mr A. K. i North), a labourer, of Ashburton, fori mally pleaded not guilty to a charge of i stealing a calf, valued £l, the property ! of James Foster Mooro McGeagh, on 1 November 30th. Senior-Sergeant Marinej son said that while McGeagh was in hospital defendant was managing his ! place and sold the calf to a denier. When asked by McGeagh how the fall was doing, defendant said it had died. Mr North said defendant was managing the farm at £2 per week, and he was entitled to enter up provisions for his keep. He had disposed of the calf to a stockman who had come on to the placo to take delivery of other cattle. The Magistrate: No doubt, on his own admission, it is a theft. He will be fitted £3, in default seven days' imprisonment. An application for suppression of defendant's name was'refused. The Inspector of Noxious Weeds (Mr C. W. Brannigan) took action against J. M. Hampton, of Hinds (Mr A. K. North) for failing to clear Californinn thistles. A pita of guilty was entered. L. Maginness. and Patrick Small, who were also represented by Mr North, were similarly charged, and also pleaded guilty. J. M. Hampton and L. Maginness were each fined £lO nnd costs 16s 6d, while Small was fined £5 and costs 12«, and James Hampton was fined £2 and costs lis.

On the information of the Inspector of the Ashburton Power Board (Mr G. Welsh), who was represented by Mr G. H. Buchanan, David 8. Hennie, a labourer of Tinwald, ni charged with not being a holder of a first or second grade license issued bv the Board of Examiners of.the Christehurch City Council, he did carry out electrical additions or alterations on the premises of J. P. Morris, of Hlnds ( contrary to the provisions of Section 5 of by-law No. 1. of the Ashburton Electrical Power-Board. Defendant was ordered to pay costs £2 Ids.

Jack Morrall Pearce, of Coldstream (Mr A. K. North) proceeded against Arthur Read and his wife, Mary Jane Read, of Eiffelton (Mr R. Kennedy) for the sum of £29 9s Bd, stating that oli August 4th, 1926, he was driving his car along Blackbridge road, when it collided with a cow driven bv the plaintiff (Mary Jane Read) and alleging that the accident was due to the defendant (Mary Jane Read) not having a light attached to her gig and through driving stock on the publichighway after dark. Decision was reThe Inspector of Awards (Mr 8. Kennedy) elaiaed from W. H. Pester, a.

builder of Ashburton (Mr A. K. North> the sum of £lO as a penaltv for a breach of the Canterbury Carpenters' and Joiners' Award, by paying an employee 16s per day in lieu of the award rate of 2s 3Jd per hour. A further penalty of £lO was claimed for employing a man who was not a member of the union, and concerning whose employment he did fail to give notice in writing to the secretary of the union within three days. Defendant said he had employed the man solely as a labourer, and the only occasion on which he handled a hammer was when he was in hospital and some bricklayers asked him to do ,i small job. He'was fined 10s and pruts 10s 2d. Farmers' Union. The Mid-Canterbury Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union met yesterday afternoon, tho president (Mr J. Carr) presiding. The Canterbury Agriculture College wrote informing the Executive what pure lines of wheat and oats it had in hand for sale as seed. Last season's College Algerians were available for present sowing. The seed was double dressed and clipped went five bushels to the bag, and from -12 to 451bs to the bushel. The price was 5s Gd per bushel on trucks at Christchurch, sacks extra. Mr W. T. Lill Baid he thought that that price was almost prohibitive. He could get the same oats grown in his own district the previous year at 2s Gd per bushel. The chairman said that experiments at the eotlego were carried out for the benefit of the farming community and if the college could put out a good class of seed it must be put within easy reach of the average farmer. Mr J. Brown said that if farmers put in seed a year old, which they obtained at a eUc-ap rate in their own district and the crop proved a failure, it would be a much worse proposition than buving the seed quoted from the college. The college relied a great deal upon. its produce to pay for the upkeep. The chairman reported upon the meeting of the Dominion Executive of the N.Z.F.U., which he had attended at Wellington. The vice-president (Mr H. C. B. Withell) mentioned that he had received a notification from the Inspector of Machinery to pay 2s 6d for a small electric motor on his place. He considered that no fee should be charged on such motors. The president said he considered they should object to it. It seemed quite unnecessary for anyone to inspect those small motors each year. The fees for registration would hardly pay travelling expenses of the inspector and besides it was only holding a man in a position in which he was not roqUlt\vas decided to send a remit to tho next annual conference of the Farmers ' Union, protesting against the registration of motors on farms. The president reported upon a conference with the Ashburton Chamber of Commerce, with the ob 3 ect of obtaining a reduction of charges and freight on produce forwarded Irom the South to t F ho North Island. He .aid the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce had been aaked to take up the matter, but no reply had yet been received. Ha wm thanked for his interest in the matter.

RAKAIA. The first of the Ladies' Guild meetings or the year was held in St. Andrews' schoolroom o„ Wednesday afternoon. There was a R ood attendance. Arrangement* »ere tributed amonc the l«o»« ™, M ma od to their Tioroe Th*-ratend ie» the Rakaia branch of the »» Christian Temperance Union »«,£». in St. Andrew's «ch°olroom «& day afternoon. Mrs »WB IP™ Migs f& It was decided, to postpone served. ______■—»•-