COUNTRY NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 17038, 13 December 1915, Page 5

COUNTRY NEWS.

[From Oik Correspondents.]

CULVERDEN

The treat given annually to the State school children is to bo combined this year with a Red Cross fete, and the gathering will take place in the Culvcrden Domain on Anniversary Day. The whole of the profits are to be devoted to the support of the Culverden Queen. Miss Maliei Rutherford, in the Queen of the Carnival competition at the Lyndon fete iii_aid of the Hamner Red Cross Hospital. /. short but very distinct shock of earthquake was felt at Culverden at about 6.10 a.m. on Friday. It was preceded by a rumbling s tund which lasted for two or three seconds.

The weather is still- keeping very dry and crops arc beginniug to feel the effect:, of the want of moifituro. Seme crops of w-hent were badly nipped by the recent frost and in some instances farmers have had to turn their stock into the paddocks as the heads were quite destroyed.

RAKAJA. A start has been made to cm some of tho early oat props in' the Ra'kiia district for chaff. The crop will bo very light. RANGftTATA. .-*!t a public meeting held at Rangitata on Wednesday it was decided to nrr&!K!9 for another effort m aid of the Red Cross Fund to be held on the clay of the school picnic. Children's '■ports will he held in the morning, and the afternoon will be devoted to pastimes solely for Red Croat purposes. A concert will be tcld in the evening. ASHBURTON. The Ashburton County War Relief Fund fcr Wsiundeti Soldiers now totals £12,187 183 Id. On Saturday afternoon the members of the Ashburton Croquet Club met at the clnbhouso in the Domain to bid' f.vrowcii to the Rev J. R. Jjnrgin ana Mrs and Master Eric Bnrgin, who have been members of the clu'ii during their f.tay in Ashburton. I)r Petty, on behalf of the club, presented Mrs Bnrgin with a. brooch and Master Euvgin with a silver serviette ring. Tho TVinchmoro Red Cross Society set up n stall opposite trie Somerset Hotel. Ash.bin ton. on Saturday for tho purpose or selling delicacies to supplement the Wour.dfd Soldiers' Fund. I'h© stall was organised by Mesdames A. 'Ourti-; and E. B. iNcwton. and the assistants were Misses PrebbSe, Ashton, Bland' and Roonov. Amongst the articles for sale were dressed rabbits, poultry, vegetables, bread, cakes and produce. During the day »good business was clone. The Ashburton Technical School Beard of Governors met on Friday arceruoon. when Mr C. Reid presided. T.:e chairman reported a credit balance at the. bank amounting to £'7()B 3; id. The director reported that the brea*.viiig-up cereaiuny had been arranged for• December 17. and Mr C. H. Opie (chairman of the Education Board and momb.'T of the Council of Education), M- W. Brock (Senior Inspector, Nrrili Canterbury) and Mr >f. H. Howell h.'.cl br>;.-n asked to give short addresses. Mr H. h. Barker. Ashburton, forwarded £'_' _'s, being the amount saved by having his sheep

-■lorn at the school. A hearty vote of [hanks was accorded,, Mr W. H. Collins ibr nig effort in connection with the protest marl'.' regarding the. division of education boundaries. Accounts amounting to .€4O \'i, lid were passed for payment. The Loyal Ashburton Ledge. 1.0.0. K., M.U., met on Friday evening, when X.G. "Drotlier E. H. Childs presided. The quarterly accounts, £6l ISs, were passed tor payment, and dues .i-mci:;itinir to £3l Us !>.] were collected. Jho following officer;, wore elected:—N.G., Brother L, Christmas: V G., Brother G. Solwny; A. secretary, Urother V. Halliburton. P.G.'s Brothers K. Coker, R. Baker and A. M'Calinm were appointed to act with fc'ho other officers of the lodge, on its Management Committee. Tlw following motion by Brother F. W. Watt was canned:—" That District special rules be passed authorising the sprea'ding of sickness liabilities of lod'ges over the whole District, and bringing into operation a fund fulfilling that purposes at a. date and on a basis to be recommended by the Actuary."

OHOKA. A very successful garden party was held at the residence of Mr A. Portland, Ohoka, in aid of the Ohoka Methodist Church parlour. Tha func tion was opeued' by the Hon D. Buddo, M.P. Excellent business was done at the well-laden stalls, winch were \u charge of the following:—Work, Miss M. Mortland ; sweets, Miss "Waters; llowers. Miss Booker; Christmas tree, Miss Tui Mortland: refreshments, the Ladies' r 'uild. hi the evening a con-

cert was given by the girls of the Kaiapoi Methodist Bible Class, under Miss Evans. The net proceeds of the gathering amounted to £ls 15s. WAIAU. On Wednesday afternoon the pupils of the Waiau School, accompanied by the master and mistress, paid a visit to the apiary of Mr C. A. Oldman, Waiau. After showing the children it glass demonstration hive, pointing out queen, drone and worker cells and bees at work. Mr Oldman gave a practical demonstration of the. method' of taking combs from the hives, and extracting honey. He showed the children queenrearing attachments, and how to control swarming and numerous appliances used in bee keeping. Much interest was taken in. the visit and a very profitable,' afternoon was spent.

LITTLE RIVER. A bazaar and sale of work ill aid of the vicarage fund of St Andrew's Church, Little River, was held in this Town Hall on Thursday night. The various stalls did a good trade until about eleven o'clock, when practically everything was sold. The- amount aimed at was £SO. but the takings considerably exceeded that amount, being over £6O. The following is a list of the stallholders:—Doll stall (old woman who lived in a shoe), Mrs Mallow ; fancy stall, Mrs J. Humphries and Mrs E. Patten (Puaha); llowprs, Mrs Anderson (Kaituna) and Miss M. Coop (Little River); dainties. Mrs Line and Mrs T. Thompson (Little River); Christmas tree. Mrs Josiah Jones and Mrs Mules (Little River); G.F.S. Mrs Fred. Jobiin and Miss Stanhury (Little River)- refreshments. Mrs Gilbert and Mr 0. Line (Little River); weightguessing of turkey. Mrs Line and Mrs W. Thompson (Little River). Ihe turkey, which was presented by Mr Thomas Thompson, weighed 161 b 3oz, was won by Mrs Arthur, who guessed Kill. Sox. *A nail-driving competition for ladies was won by Mrs 1. K. I.aylor Little River, .Miss Mona Humphries, ot Puaha, briii'-; second.