COUNTRY NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17245, 12 August 1916, Page 10

COUNTRY NEWS.

[Fbom (Mr C6ebesponbbnxb.J RANGIOBA. The Rangiora School Committee met lastevening, Mr F: B. Lane presiding.. The head master 4 reportod : the roll-call to be 800, with; an average'daily attendance during tho past five weeks-cf 269. It was decided not to observe Arbor Day this year, there being no more spao for tree-plantiog in the school grounds or in tho public reserves. The credit balance was reported to be £39 8s Id. Accounts amounting to £5 8s 2d were passed for payment. ASHBURTON. There was a large and representative gathHfing at tho Masonio HaU, Ashburton, on -Thursday evening, when a smoke concert jvas held in honour of Sergeant Harold 'E. Curtis, a well-known and popular ABhburton resident, who will shortly leave on aotivo service The Mayor (Mr R. Gal- • bjaith) presided, and in proposing the toast of tho guest, said that Sergeant Curtis was' noted throughout Ashburton and the county us a, thorough epbrt. Ho had ■ now taken up the game of soldiering, and the speaker' felt sure from past experiences • that he would still play the game as. a.soldier and a man. Mr GaJbraith then asked the, soldier .to accept a purse of sovereigns, subscribed by his old friends, as a token of the esteem in which ho was held.'- Mr J l . Knox, president of tho Ashburton Working Men's Club, presented Sergeant Curtis with a purse of sovereigns on behalf of the members of the club, 'and in doing so said that the soldier had been a member of tho committee and had also acted as secretary. The speaker mentioned that out %>f a membership . of 450, tho club had now. over forty memhers' either on active service or preparing to go.A well-attended meeting of members and intending members of the Ashburton Amateur Operatic Society was hold on Thursday, evening, when Mr H. A. Humphreys presided. Mr.H.;J. Chapman said the meeting, had been called at tho request of several enthusiasts of. the old > socioty, who were anxious to produce anbthor opera to help sonie patriotic object. He ■ stated that those taking part would be expected 'to become members of tho socioty and to pay tho cost of their scores and find_ their own costumes. After a short discussion it was decided td produce the opera " lolanthe." Members present were of opinion 'that the society should. cohtinuo in cxistenco, and at' tho completion of "lolantho" should, take stojJa to produce Forty members'wero enrolled, and it was-decided practico should be commenced as soon as scores were obtained. Officers were elected ! as follow i-President, Mr W. Nosworthyj M.P.; vice-presidents, the Rev H.N.Wright and Messrs E. .P. Nicoll, T. Bullock, 1). Wood, H. C. Orbell, G. H. Buchanan and. T J. Hunter; treasurer, .Mr P. b. Urr; secretary, Mr. H. J. Chapman; _ committee, Messrs A. Clarke, B. Stuart, C. E.Gas* .J. - Tucker, Mesdamea C. J. Cowan, i. Crooks, E. Crisp and H. J.. Chapman. DROMOEE. The children attending the Dromoro school -.have collected. £5 3s in aidL of tho ' Belgian children. As there are only twenty children attending the school, tho amount is a very creditable performance. HAMPSTEAD. The monthly meeting of the HampsteadTown Beard was neld on Wednesday•evening last,-when tho chairman (Mr \V.H. Robinson) presided. The chairman reported a debit balance at the. bank of '£s2 Is 2d. The Ashburton Borough Council* wrote stating tnat it nad roconsidercd the terms for tne supply of. chawiel water,' and .was now prepared to grant the use of water Irom the street channels in the' bcrough as previously applied for at.il per channel per annum, on condition that the council would not be responsible for any temporary' cutting on or. the supply; and further that the right is reserved bv tho council to. terminate the agreement "by" giving the board three months notice. The terms wero accepted providing tlvi channeling schomo ' was carried out. Tho Borough Council also wrote in connec-. tion with' the high-pressure water supply to tha board, stating that the following motion had been agreed to: "That tho Hampstcad Town Board be given control of the Mgnpresftiro water pipe or mams of connection within the district except direct connectionfrom the abattoir a\id bolt main; all connections and branch mains whatever to .be mado and Installed subicct to tho supervision and approval of the council s waterworks engineer '; the' Town Board to be liable for 'tho payment of all water consumed' by those connected with branch mains under its control' and pay the council quarterly; the Town Board to be allowed 5 per cent for collecting' and remitting tUe water charges; all future connections to be; on the usual terms as-v heretofore imposed hr tho. council." It. was decided, toehold tho letter over., and to nsk the council .to meet the 'board's ropi-osentufivcs again,, and further that-, the', board was of the- opinion : that, the dn'ircr cyi+icinn'ed .bv the counpil in granting the- board, control of ,the abattoir connections was not. of. a Serious nature., The • chairman' Touorted th at Messrs., O Bnen and E. Kerr had- consented •♦<» • allow their ftoplications- for' connection..with-tho abattoir main to'be held ov"r agreement, being arrived at with, the Ashburton., Borough Council. Tho chairman -reported - that the. poll' for the chnnne'ling scheme- would-be taken on the • fame -dav as the election of- , board members, September.2o.. '"' WOODEND. '"'•.-■ -" At the monthly meeting of the Woodend School Committee the head master's report stated that the roll number was 111, and the .averago attendance 52.1. . Correspondence regarding the transfer of teachers was read. ■ and it" was decided to notify the' Education Board that the commi'toe, while reletting tho removal of Miss Baker, ..accepted Miss Marshall 'as assistant mistress, .in her stead. Several members spoke in appreciative terms, of the good work done by Miss Baker during her stay in "Woodend. The Woodend-Waiknlni • Patriotic work, meeting was held on Tuesday. There was a good attendance, "and the Rev J. R. Clark presided. It was decided to tender a sendoff to' Privates- Moody and M'Conochio .on■ August-1(5.'. "The collectors for the Red Cross Fund handed in their subscriptions,,. and it was found" that up to Juno SO the following amounts had been co-lccted:— Mr Honshaw £ZI 10«.'6d.-'Mr. M'Mf.lan £3O 9s,'Mr'Nicho!-. son £2O 16s. A. Smith £8 14s 6d/ Mr H. Little £9.185..Mr W. Morris £5-13s 6d,' Mr. Derbidgo £6 6s; a total ,of,£118 : 12s 6d. MARSHLAND. On Wednesday evening there was/e large attendance at tho Marshlaud Hall "on.the' occasion of -»-"• hard-iip "~ social- in-aid of the " Welcome. Home" Fund.. Mr Bettle. ' supplied the music. Prizes for the best " hard-up " representations were • won by Miss Sclfe and Mr J. Sharlick. The.supperi consisted of buns, bread 'and butter and not savek^-e.-The euchre tournament for the .championship of Marshland, whichhas run concurrently with 'the ■: patriotic socials, was concluded on .Wednesday evening, . tho winner bong,, Mr. E. Clark. .. The- annual meeting of tho Ladies Guild . connected wth the Marshland Methodist .'Church was'held on Thursday afternoon. The report and statement of accounts were adopt-, ed. Officers were elected as follow: dent, Mrs Thomas Wilson; vice-presidents, Mesdames Goodman and Toss; secretary, Mrs G. Chisnall; treasurer, Mrs Abbott. It was decided to' make arrangements for a guild social, part of the proceeds to be _ devoted to sending Christmas gifts to eight men on active service. Mrs J. Voss read a' paper on " The Womeu of tho New Testament," for which she received a hearty vote of thanks. OUST. The Cust Gun Club .fired a. sparrow match in the Domain on Thursday., for a, trophy presented ■ by. Mr F. Johns, who also tilled the position of referee. There were twelve competitors. The match was -won by C. Hickenbotto'm, with H, M'Kibbon second and A. Frascr third. * ' CULVERDEN. The annual social in connection with the Presbyterian Church was held in the Drill Hall at Culverden on Wednesday. evening. Tho building was tastefully decorated for the occasion by tho lady members of -the church. The atago was artistically finished off with' greenery, flowers and draping, and, being lighted with eloctrio light from Hawke's Garage adjoining, presented a very pleasing effect. Tho Rev J. 'II. Thomson presided over a large attendance... An.excellent programme of vocal and musical items was contributed by Mesdames Davison, Hunter, ' Thomson, Black and Coleman, Misses Burrows and Parker, and Messrs Dower, Burrows (2), Parker, Nicholson, Wado. Macfarlano and Campbell, a musical selection was given by tho Scott family, and Mr Parker' danced tho sailor's hornpipe. An interesting item was an exhibition of Swedish drill by a party of four" ladies (Misses. Douglas, Webster, Creed and Cone, of Waiau), trained by Miss Morgan, and given under the supervision of Miss Burrows, whoplayed the music for tho exhibition.. . KAIKOURA. A Wellington butcher is obtaining sbmo of his fat sheep requirements from Kai-^ • koura by steamer. Kaikoura mutton-is . ap-' . predated tho Empiro 'City. ' J •Mr D. Adams joins the-.staff of .'the.'.Kaikoura Dairy Factory as first assistant." He was. engaged in the. establishment some' I years ago as ono of ' tho assistants. *