NORTH CANTERBURY.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19201, 6 January 1928, Page 3

NORTH CANTERBURY.

BROOMFIELD.

An exceedingly hot day was experienced here on Monday accompanied by a very strong nor'-wester, but towards evening a sou'-westcr came up uid shortly before eight o'clock rain commenced to fall. Tuesday was dull and misty, making" conditions unpleasant for holiday-makers. The damp weather has had a, bad effect on hay and the crops. Reaping of oats was commenced last week. The majority of the crops are particularly good this year. They are of great height and very well headed. Caterpillars have made their appearance in great numbers again this year.

A meeting is to be held at Broomlieid shortly to discuss the matter ol a consolidated school at Amberlev. There has been a mild epidemic of influenza in this district, but the majority of the patients are now convalescent.

• The Amberlev racecourse buildings were again brokcp into last week and several small articl s wore taken. The act was more mischievous thaii otherwise This is the second time in five months the same buildings have been broken into.

KAIKOURA. The vital statistics for "the" quarter' ended December 31st, 1927, are as follows: —Marriages 3, deaths 9, births 16. For the year onded December 31st, tho ligures are: Marriages 13, deaths 20, births 00. Mr E, E. Weavers, of Moundsdale, Lyiiton Downs, forwards the following weather report for the mouth of December: —lt&in fell on thirteen dajs oi a total of 3.66iu, the maximumi fall ot 98 points being on December 12th and 14th. The rainfall for the twelve months totalled 3S.2Bin, with 6.99iu in November, which was tho wettest month, rain falling on 18 days. ■ Mi. T llarle (tiapuku) forwards the follow- ! ing reports: December was another very wet month, with, rainfall much above the average. Ham fell on hfteen dajo to a total of 6.08 m, compared with S.27in for the previous December. J.lie heaviest fall was on the 12th. w.ici--1.36in was registered. Heavy lain (1.33 in) fell on tho 14th. I 1 14th to ISth a very cold south-west storm was experienced, with si'ow oi tho hill country. farmers with hay to cut are-having an anxious tune Ihe following figures give the rainfall tor the year' 1927 with th°- figures in parentheses:—January, 3.56 February, 5.53 <8.S0); March, -6b C4.ll); April, 2.39 (1.33); Ma>. 374 .Tune 4.66 (.90): Jnly, fi -f; 3.13) August, 6438 (3.901:; Sepember 182 (1-31): October, 3.96 (3.30), vember, 10.18 (o.71): (8.27). Total rainfall. 5».o8 (46.68 . In 1927 rain fell on 134 days, con pared witli 125 in 1926 A "otr.Jlo fcntur© of the year's rainfall wsib : W rainfall for the first part of t>e .ar and increasing ranifa l foi I' " months, was 3.39111, ana - .six months o.B7iii. , , Kaikoura's telephone " have been extended, the ex • = being open from 6 plwe of 7 a.m. and 1 hekJ The recent sports nn. .« , Kaikoura resulted i«« P™* 5 * ; J C'JOO £7O of which \u' go }<> 'he Takahanga Improvement Commuter.

CHEVIOT. During the Malays, the Cheviot Amateur Dramatic fe-ociety presented the three-act comedy, Bert.e Gets Gav" for a very successul two nights < The society was accorded very liberal'patronage and the hall v.as well ailed o each occasion witn an appro- •' tive audience which demonstrated it's app™v" 1 of the work of the Society in no uncertain manner. J he comonj n-U nresented in quire professional stvle and the district is very iort.ni- & m bavin- sucl. a capable number of artists who work t» the interests nf local obiecls. The member* of the ! J Vovc Sirs E. Marshall, ilisse* ». 'lviirmu M. Dosomwortli. B. Cottrell, ' h M Tweedie. (!. H. Paries. T MnDoilaid. and. T. West. At the'looi'jii of vlie Ur3t portonnaiiuc f 0I :'- C • \ v »rc 'presented with beautiful inuetV «nd the society 'was leHlined at supper by a number of Hfi: On behalf of the War Memor•"i" rrmunittee and the Public Library, •u F D C hi Ids thanked the society its efforts, and 011 liis motion a kartv vote of thanks was carried wit,, u , 1 \t the (•oui-'lu-iou ot the U ' w!ntTper f 0 nua lice Mr G- W. Forho-, M P paid .1 tribute to the splendid entertainment given by the Society. , his remarks were heartily endorse;. • v the large ■-■.udieiice. The Society 15 to consider the question or a country it a later date, it the conclusion of the first performance of "Bertie Gets Gay,_by the Pheriot Amateur Dramatic sw-rety, r'embers r,f the Kocifty on itaf" 3 fcr the nurnose 01 maKinii u pvLenUtior. to Mr C. H. Danes, *

member of the society, who is taking up his .residence m.Cbcisfcch.UFph, The presentation, which consisted. of a cigarette case, was made by .. Mr T. West, who expressed regret that the. Society was losing such a valuable member, and wished him every prosperity in his new sphere. Mr.Davios briefly anil suitably responded. 'A further function took place at the conclusion of the second performance when a public presentation, which consisted of a cheque, was made 10 Mr Davies by Mr G. W. Forbes, M.P., who referred to the respect and esteem in which the departing guest was held in tiic district, and expressed regret at his departure. Replying, Mr -Davies expressed his thanks for the. kind things said about him and for flic gifts made to him, and stated that he.v.'oukl alwuvs look hac-U on his stay "in the Cheviot district with great pleasure and would continue to take it: lively interest in the progress of the district.

BALCAIRN. After a strong north-west wjtul on Monday a south-west wind blew up in the evening, and heavy rain set in. shortly before S o'clock, C ? V ~ tinned till an early hour on Tuesday morning. Tuesday was cold and- showery. being very unpleasant tor the large number of visitors who are in the district. The weather is detrimental to crops on the heavy- land, and in many cases fhev are down. Only warm weather will give them a chance to rise again. Many farmers in the district worked long hours on Wednesday, and as u result.. many stacks of liny are to be seen.

SOUTH MALVERN. The rainfall at Coalgale for the month of December was 2.90 inches. Rain fell on 12 days, and the heauest fall was point 71 of an inch on December lOtii. The average_ tali lo', 1 ' 1 ® same month over a period of eleven tears is 3.15 inches lie total ldiufall for 1927 was 27.13 inches, and there were 120 days on which rani fell. Tho vcarlv average is 3-1.01 inches, ami iho yearly average of wet days 11-1 A report Jroin Mr &. B. Staiky, of-Stcventon, Whitechffs shows, that Iho rainfall l'oi December was., 3.b< inches ior 14 days with ram. ■ iho vea'-lv averajre over a period -et W years is 39.38. inches, and the yearly average ot* rainv tlays is IoU. " lx# rainfall for 1927 was 34 inches, with 160 days on which rain fell. Snow fell on June iStli and 19th, September 26th, and October 24th. ' The heaviest rainfall during the year was 1.28 inches on November 30th. 'January has opened with uncertain weather btill the rule, and on the 2nd, point /■> of un inch of rain was recorded at the weather station at "Westley,'' Coalgate. Overcast skies and an abundant rainfall have delayed shearing operations far beyond the usual period, and most local farmers were busy shearing during the holidays, as advantage had to be taken of every tine day. The burning question of the tfioment is : When shall the harvest be? and it i s generally admitted that it will, be a very late one. Crops, both cereal and root, nr" loolciiir remarkably well on light- land*. Imi on heavier country there is top much growth. Mrs John Deans. Riccarton House, Riccarton. has been paying an cki.eiidcd visit to Mr and Mrs John Ihan-.. "Kirkstylp."' C'nalpcatß. Mr- Cociyer. Oreymouth. is vU'.ih'S her daughter. Mrs Ivan Barkle, at t' ie House. Coak'ate. :

Recent ;irriv:>ls from Scotland f < re . Mr? \\" MfSkiniiniii{r, the mother "> r .Mr Win. MoSkitiiniinji. ot' ■■iifJ Mr and Mrs W. MeSkimmi«S> nephew and niece of Mr McSkiiuniiuS-