NORTH CANTERBURY

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23233, 21 January 1941, Page 5

NORTH CANTERBURY

RANGIORA NOTES SHORTAGE OF HOUSES IN BOROUGH There has been an acute shortage of houses in Rangiora for a considerable time, and at present there is little sign of the position being relieved to any extent. Particularly in demand are medium-sized houses. A Rangiora land agent said yesterday that he had a long waiting list of prospective tenants, the majority of the applicants being desirous of obtaining houses with about five rooms. In the last two years about 20 Government houses have been built in the borough, but the demand is still as great as ever. Last year, when seven private houses were built in the borough, the value of the permits increased by about £3OOO on that of the previous year. Welcome Home to Soldier Private D. Brocherie (Loburn), the first soldier of the Rangiora district to return invalided from overseas, will be welcomed home at a double function, which has been arranged by the Ashley County Patriotic Committee. The function, which will also be in honour of Private A. W. Thomas, will be held in the Coronation Hall, Loburn on Thursday evening. Cricket Championship Eyreton, with 71 points, comfortably won the junior competition of the North Canterbury Cricket Sub-As-sociation. The competition finished on Saturday. Amberley was the run-ner-up, 12 points behind Eyreton. The default of a number of teams because of the difficulty of fielding full sides during the harvest marred the competition to some extent in its latter stages. During the season, Eyreton had nine five-point wins, and a win by default. Pulling of Linen Flax The long period of dry weather in the latter part of the season has affected crops of linen flax in some areas in the Rangiora district, said the instructor in agriculture at Rangiora (Mr E. S. Smith) yesterday. In the Oxford area, where the weather has been more favourable, the crops are said to be in very good condition. The pulling of the crops is now well in progress, and about 12 machines are working in the North Canterbury district. Crops By Fire Some large crops in the Springbank district had a narrow escape from destruction recently, when a fire was started in a field of dry pasture in unusual circumstances. A farmer was driving a heading machine along a side of one of his fields and attached to the machine was a sled with steel runners. When he had gone a short distance, the farmer looked behind and found that the heat of the sun on the steel runners had caused the grass to smoulder. In a few moments a patch of the grass was on fire, and only prompt action saved the spread of the flames to the next field, in which there was a big crop. Some bags of grass seed tied to the fence were destroyed.

MAGISTRATE’S COURT AT AMBERLEY

Three traffic offences were dealt with in the Magistrate’s Court at Amberley on Friday. Mr H. A. Young, S.M., was on the Bench.

William George Jennings Traill was ordered to pay costs on a charge of exceeding the speed limit in a heavy motor vehicle. On a charge of exceeding 35 miles an hour in a motor-car with a trailer attached; Lang was ordered to ■pay :qosts. A fine of 10s was imposed on James Francis Neill Twose for operating an unlicensed tractor. RIFLE SHOOTING KAIAPOI DEFENCE CLUB The Kalapoi Defence Rifle Club fired its second handicap cup competition on Saturday afternoon. The conditions were 10 shots at 300 and 500 yards. The following were the leading scores;— D. Harries, 300 yards 45, 500 yards 48, handicap scr, total 93: H. Harries. 46, 45, scr-91: C. Green, 44, 45, 2-91; J. Bryden, 44, 45, scr—B9; F. Bryden, 41, 45, scr—B6; J. Johnston, 44, 40. 2—86. RANGIORA PERSONAL NOTES Second-Lieutenant C. G. Rands (Rangiora), who is on active service in Egypt, has suffered a wouijd in the foot and, according to recent advice, is in hospital. . . Mr and Mrs J. C. Hancox (Rangiora) have left to spend a holiday at Timaru and Dunedin. Mr G. J. Powley, postmaster at Lawrence, is visiting Rangiora on holiday.