NORTH CANTERBURY.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19508, 3 January 1929, Page 3

NORTH CANTERBURY.

♦ RANGIORA. The Bangiora Friendly Societies' annual picnic, which was held yesterday tit Ashburton, was fairly well patronised, and a pleasant day "was spent. The North Canterbury Cub Packs, which have been iu camp on the Rangiora Show Grounds during the holidays, struck eanap yesterday, and members left for their homes by the evening train. During their stay in camp the boys had a. very pleasant and instructive time. KAIAPOI. The Pines Beach Association continued its gala on New \ears Day, when, owing to the unfavourable weather, the attendance was only fair. In spite of the rain, however, the committee carried on with the sideshows. which received good patronage from those who attended. The receipts will help considerably in defraying the gala expenses. OMIHT. Harvesting has not yet been started in Omilii, but should be in full swing bv the end of the week, providing the "catiier clears up. Oats an; almost r-ady to reap, but the wheat will require a week or so of sunshine before it is ripe. Had the crops progressed during the last few weeks as they did in the spring, harvesting would have been early, but owing to (lie excess of rain lately the harvest, as compared with last year, will be about a fortnight late. The weather had been very fine up till Tuesday, when sou'-west showers passed over intermittently all d;jy. j | WAIPARA. The following is the total rainfall for the year:—January, ]-7 points; February, 27:" poiuts; March, 2-10 points; April, I">2 points; May, 24<> points; June, 272 points; July, 37 points; August, 331 points; September, JOl points: October, 401 points; November, 188 points; Dec-ember, 537 points. Total, 29.07 inches. OXFORD. December has been an exceptionally wet month, rain falling on 14 days, and the amount registered B.CI inches. .This is a record for the past 18 years, the only other occasion when over eight incites was registered being 1011 with 8.24 inches. Other wet months were IP J 3 with 7.44 in, 1917 with 7.83 in, and 1926 with 7.22 in. Tlic average for December during this period, in spite of these four abnormal rainfalls, was 4.32 in, so that the month just passed almost doubled the average. During the year rain fell on 102 days, with a precipitation of 44.02 in. This amount was exceeded in 1.925 with 53.95 in. Other precipitations of over 40in were in 1917, 1923, and 1926, with 41.01, 42.83, and 41.31 in respectively. The average annual rainfall for the 18 years is 38.4 in. As a result of the wet conditions, all activities of this time of year have been retarded. It has been difficult to git rape and turnips in, and the rape that should be coming to the feeding-off stage has an unhealthy appearance. The cereal crops have made good growth, but there is a fear that they will be attacked by rust. A great deal of hay has been cut, but it lias been difficult to get it stacked, and much will be damaged thereby. Shearing is backward, and in many cases not, mote than, a day a week has been available. ASHLEY BANK. The tennis match. Woodend v. Ashley, played on the Ashley courts, was very closely contested throughout, ending in a draw. It was decided to replav the match later in the season. The Ashley riverbed has bean visiteu by a number of picnic parties, taking advantage of the bathing, paddling, and shade afforded by its streams and ulumps of willows. The weather during the past ten days has been very unsettled, although no great quantity of rain fell until Mondav evening, when the wind veered from east to south-west and rain tell heavily through the night. There were scattered showers on Tuesday. A few paddocks of oats are already mistook, but some of the wheat crops will be very late. Although too early to make any accurate estimate of the yield, given favourable weather the crops should be heavier than last year by five to ten bushels per acre. Some fields of wheat on the heavy land have been laid flat by the recent rain, and parts of these will probably not rise again. Some very fine crops of hay have been stacked, but owing to the inclement weather a small area is still out. It is estimated that a quarter of the potato crop has been drowned by the rain. FERNSIDE. I The crops throughout the district are I looking exceptionally well, although there is a certain amount of rust and smut. The wet weather has rather tangled up some of the heavier crops. Very little reaping has been done up to the present, but several crops of oats and grass seed will be ready ~this week. In spite of the wet weather oats are ripening well. It will be some time before anv wheat is ready for cutting. The vields this year should be above i the average —on lighter lands the wheat | ears are very well filled. As regards haymaking, the weather has been very much against operations. In some cases it has been lying three weeks and more and some has had to be burnt. Any hay that has been lying so long is really not fit for stacking, being so musty. * There is still a certain amount to be cut. Some very fine crops of linseed are to be seen, and unless there is much more rain will yield extremely well. Pea crops also look very promising. In spite of the fact that the maioritv of farmers could not get their potatoes planted early, they are doing very "well. Those planted later appear to be better than the earlier sown crops—so much rain is bound to affect those sown earlier. The acreage in the district is much larger than usual. Clover is flowering well, and many good fields are to be seen. The weather has i prevented any being harvested so far. Should sunny Weather prevail from now on all harvesting operations will soon be in full swing. HALKETT. December was the wettest month for a number of years, 5.79 inches of rain falling. On three days more than one inch of rain fell. On the 12th 1.25 in fell, on the 13th 1.27 in, and on the 20th j 1.04 in was registered for 12 hours. The I total rainfall for 1928 was 27.06 inches, ; as compared with 25.61 inches last year j and 25.72 inches in 1926. Duriug the | year rain fell on 102 days, as compared with 113 days in 1927. Miss V. Roper, who has been seriously ill for the past ten days, is reported" to be progressing as well as can. be expected. Mrs W. H. Walker, who has been a patient in the Christchureh Hospital for nearly three weeks, is making good progress towards recovery.

HORORATA. The dunce which was held under the auspices of the Hali Committee on NewYear's Eve was largely attended, and proved very enjoyable. Music was supplied by the Glenata band, extras being contributed by Miss Bloom and Miss ! Oliver. Mr S. Parker was M.C. I The tender of Mr Lynch, of ChristI church, has been accepted for the paint-!-nig of the grandstand and other buildjings on the llororata racecourse. | The Rev. H. X. Roberts, Mrs, and Miss | Roberts are spending a holiday at Ti- | maru. . I Mr D. McHugh (Auckland) is visitI ing his parents, Mr and Mrs J. S. McHugh. Mr and Mrs Bowden, who have been visiting Mr and Mrs Yates, have returned to Christchurch. Misses Lang and Barbutt nnd Mr Bowes (Christchurch) are spending the holidays with Mr and Mrs M. Thome, "Rosebank." Miss Bloom (lleath<-ote alley; has been staying with Mrs 11. Oliver, "Springhead." Misses Wright and J. . , maru) are spending the holidays with relatives here. Lieut. C. Harris spent the holidays with his parents, Mr and Mrs 1- k. Harris, ' 4 •"■>]] vorstreom. _ _ I Mr Nettleton (Christchurch) is visiting Mr and Mrs F. Wright. Miss Matheson (Christchurch) is crurst of Mrs E. A. •'ray, "Pontine. ° Air O. Derrett, who lias been V, *V* ing Mr and Mrs «i. <'■ Oerrctl, "Mill Farm," has rcfunn.i lo l.ertlon. Mr Matlieson is n.lmg a ho'MM* with Mr and Mrs T. E. Harris, fc-il-vestream." i Mr and Mrs W. Kellawav are spending a holiday at Tiniaru. , Mr J. Kellawav (Wellington) and Mr M. Kellawav ( Hororata) are touring the Weft-Coast. Miss Leeder (Little River) is M«Mtin r her sister. Mrs E. Harris. Mr Meeking (Ashburton) is &ta>ing with Mr awl Mrs J. Meekmg. During the past week'the wea Ik been very unfavourable tor ljol making, rain having fa leu near)> dav. t)n New Year's Day the weut was vorv cold, a biting sou -«est. n and rain making conditions Fortv-three points of ram ." c e tered at !> p.m. Tlie tollowing was. tl>e r n th V ffall for 19J8- --ao S4 points: February t l . T .lv »',•>• \u--200: May 310; June *439 gust 338; September - , November 232; December 640. COALGATE. t„«, .. SS&X ££-■»»•!■• fell on 10 <UJ>. being 1.73 indies on the 1-tti. bv the wettest month ot . e^est inches, December had the g^at^ number of wct Jraintolicr had each lo wetda>b. L fall of the past mouth, las b second highest in _ . '-10-in with 1938 was 30.38 oj^ month in 1927 was November, with 4.33 inches of rain on 19 days. 1" tne past 20 years the lightest yearlyJ ai fall was 21.27 niches in 1910, and the heaviest 50.43 inches in IJAjSPRINGSTON SOUTH. Rain set in agaiu in the early hours of Mew Year's morning and continued throughout the day. The sports gala had to be postponed till next Saturday. A dance was held in the St)ldlers Memorial Hall on New \ ear u Nigot. There was a large attendance., <u though'"the weather was uutuvourable. _ Mr and Sirs Qiiuife provided tk- ffi*, Extras were played by Mr and Miss .Suckling and by -Miss I> Olivers . Miss Moody, of Croydon, England, lias been spending a short holiday with her niece, Mrs 11. Hamilton. Mr and Airs N E Durev, Ivurow, spent Christinas with Mrs Durey's Mr and Mrs J. Woods. Mr and Mrs W H. Kirk, Geraldine, were the guests of Sirs Powell over the holiday* Miss E. A. Harris. Geraldine, visited Springston South and stayed "with sister, Mrs T. J. Kimber. The crops in the Spnngston tsouth district are looking exceptionally well this vear. Some fine paddocks ot wheat' can be seen and should give good yields providing the weather is suitable. The oat crops are good in most/ cases and a few are already cut. Some farmers are having difficulty in reaping ou account of the recent heavy rains making the ground too soft to carrv the binder. Barley crops are not looking so good as usual, except ou the higher ground and at the present time thev do not look as though they will yield anything like so well as last year On the lower ground they have suffered severely by the heavy rains and some are completely destroyedOnly a few paddocks of grass-seed are to be seen and they are battered down by the rains and will cause a lot or trouble when reaping. . In recent years the growing of garden peas in this district has been very heavy, but owing to poor prices obtained last season only a small area has been sown. These are looking well on the lighter land, but not too well on the heavy ground and are badly in need of warmer weather. The potato crops have suffered from the continual heavy rains and there is likely to be a shortage of potatoes in this district. The weather has also had a bad effect on the mangel crops. Farmers are having a bad run with their hay. Those who out early were very fortunate in getting it stacked before the bad weather set in. Others who- cut later have had a bad time with it, the hay being damaged and some will be practically unsaleable. Every body is looking forward to better weather.