COUNTRY NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17284, 27 September 1916, Page 5

COUNTRY NEWS.

[Fbom Our Coeresfondents.] GAPES VALLEY. The residents of Gapes Valley and tho surrounding district assembled in largo numbers at tho hall on Thuisday evening to bid farewell to Private E. Dass, of the Eighteenth Reinforcements. Mr W. M. Patrick presided. During an intervel Mr P. MulviItill presented tho guest with, a. luminousfuce wristlet watch on behau of the residents, and with a email gift from the Ladies' Sewing Guild, and wished him God-speed and a safe return. Songs were contributed by Misses V. Hopping and N. M'lvor, and Messrs J. Hall, W. Toomey and S. Heyder. Dancing to the mimic of the Gapes Valley orchestra was kept up till an early hour. KAIK.OTJRA. On Tuesday the staff of the " Star" presented Mr A." W. O. Rcnnex with a fountain pen as an expression of goodwill. The proprietor (Mr H. Flower) end Mr H. Bradwell regretted the severance of very happy relationship and wished their associate much success in his new sober*. Messrs A. Marshall, J. Robinson, C. H. Willis, T. Alexander, G. Shields and D. G. M'Donald testified to the personal and geiiMftl esteem, in which Mr Renner is held.

The Tennis Club opened its season on Wednesday. A very enjoyable afternoon was spent. A charge for refreshments produced ±'! 8s id on behalf of tha Lady Liverpool Fund. The Hapuku, Dairy Factory ha* started the season better than was the owe last year. Suppiy nnd tests both show improvement. Members of the Cricket Club have donated another £5 to the Red Cross Fund. The club will open tho eeason on Mondey with a match, captain r. deputy captain, in aid of the acme object. AKAROA. The Akaroa Borough Council met on Wednesday evening-; present—Tho Mayor (Mr G. Armstrong), and Councillors Noonan, Fyfe, Haylock, Munro, Honning, Williams, Cantroll and Lcete. The financial statement showed the receipts einco lost meeting to have been £213 9s lid. Accounts presented for payment totalled £4G2 93 2d. Tenders for carting firewood were received, and that of Mr J. Kcrridje was accepted. Tho tender of Blackburno, Smith and Co. for 150 bags of cement was accepted. Tho Sunday schoolroom lately erected by tho Presbyterian 'Church as «. memorial of til) jubile'o of the church in Akaroa was formally opened by Mr J. D. Bruce, elder, on Thursday evening. There was a. crowded attendance of church adherents and friends. Tho Kev J. W. Hayward presided. Speeches ,of congratulation wore made by the- Rev A. H. Julius (Außlican) and tho Mayor (Mr Gr. Armstrong). Musical items wore given by the choir, and Miss Kecgan and a recitation by Miss Pilkington. HAWARDEN - .

A surprise partv visited the residence of Mr and Mrs W. O'Brien, Hawardeu, on Saturday night, to bid them farow«ll on the occasion of their departure from tho district. Mr W. Earl, jun., on behalf of friends in tho Waikari. Hawarden. Tho Peaks and Woodgrove districts, presented an armchair to Mr and Mrs O'Briem, and useful presents to Misses W. end N. O'Brien. Mies Cos presided at the piano. PLEASANT VALLEY. The residents of Pleasant Valley and the surrounding district assembled in large numbers at tho Pleasant Valley Schoolroom on Friday evening to bid farewell to Privates W. Qnaid and W. Murphy, of the Twentyfirst Bcinforrenientsi. Mr M. Ìch. presided. During an interval the chairman made eulogistic roferencos to the guests, and on behalf of the residents -presented them •with a luminous face wristlet watch each.* Complimentary references were also mode by Messrs B. Guilford. G. T. Gale. Craig, Hill and A. Lysaght, jun., und wishes w«re expressed for a eafo return. Songs were contributed by Messrs G. T. Gale, E. White and K Quaid. son., recitations by Miss Clements and Mr R. Guilford, and a Maori haka, by Mr I*. Bright. Dancing to music supplwd by M"r A. Finn concluded » very pleasant evening.

ASHBTJRTON. A pleasing ceremony took place at the Ashhurton High School on Monday afternoon, when Mr Thomas Bullock, who, together with a number of the members of the Old Pupils' Association, became the final purchasers of tho flag which was sold at the cafo chantant held at Ashburton in aid of the Red Cross and Wounded Soldiers' Funds, formally presented the flag to the Old Pupils' Association for the use of tho High S«hool. The flag was made by tho senior pupils and tho teachers of tho High School and presented to tho Cafe Chantant Committee, and realised a total of over £l7O. Embossed in gold on the flag are the names of tho old pupils ot tho High School who have taken part in thepresent war and have been killed in action. Mr W. F Watters, head master of tho High School, briefly addressed the gathering, and in doing so explained the origin of the Do-' minion and why New Zealand's status was raised from that of e. colony to that of a Dominion. In handing over the flag Mr Bullock gave some good advico to the present pupils and counselled them to road good books, study tho lives of great men, and alwavs look after themselves morally and physically. The flag was then handed to Mr William Anderson, president of tho Old Pupils' Association. Mr Anderson explained tho origin of tho Union Jack, and then, on behalf of tho association, presented it to mo school. Mr J. Tucker, chairman of the Hi°-h School Board of Covernors, in returning thanks, stated, that the school owed an immense debt of gratitude to the Old Pupils' Association for tho great interest it had always taken in tho welfaro of the school and the valuable assistance it had rendered in many ways. Three cheers were given for the Old Pupils' Association, and tho proceedings ware brought to a close by Uie singing of the National Anthem.

TEMUKA. On Friday evoning, as Mr W. Burrows, oi Temuka, was driving a horse in one of his own paddocks, the animal lashed out, striking Mr Burrows, rendering him unconscious and inflicting a nasty wound under the eye. LINCOLN. Tho monthly meeting of the Lincoln Band of Hope was lield on Friday. There wae a largo attendance. Mrs M'Farlane, the president, delivered an addTesu, and songs were contributed by E. Battersby, Maggio ' M Intosh, Cissio M'lntoeh and L. Blakemoro and Mr Battersby; part songs by Mirs M'Farlane, Miss Henrv, Messrs Battersby and M"lutosh and by Misses Henry. Fuller and Maud and May Taylor and L. Blakemoro, a pianoforte duet by Misses Henry and L. Blakemcro, and recitations by EMo M'lntoeh, Phyllis Greaves, . Boreuico Thompson, Dorothy Withcll, Reggie Marshall and Leslie Bush. At the next meeting tho programme will be riven by members of tba Xai Tapu Band of Hoi>e. ; :

LOBURN. A concert and dance was field in tho Coronation Hall. Loburn. recently, m aid of tho local branch of tho Lady Liverpool Fund. The Great Northern Concert Party of Kalapoi supplied a programme of a most enjoyable character, and was accorded ti hearty vote of thanks for its assistance. Music tor tho dance was played by Mips A. Joyce, Messrs T. Joyce and M. Fitzgiboon. mere was a larpc attendance and the Ptocecds amounted to £■». half of which forwarded to the central committee towards the mas parcels for the soldioi-3. On Friday evening a progressive fwchro party and danco was hela in the hall w.tn the object of raising a fund f er welcome home socials for returned soldiers of the dist'ict. There- was a large attendance J. ho winners of the card games wore Misses Fahey and I. Hodges, and Private A. Booker and Mr F. Warner. On Dominion Day the school children saluted the flag and sang the National Anthem and wore appropriately addressed by the head master, Mr F. Warner. SOTJTHBROOK. A concert and dance, arranged by the voung ladies of Southbrook. was hold on Thursday evening in the Coronation Hall for tho purpose of raising funds for a t/hnstmas -parcel to be .sent to every Southbrook soldier on active service. Mr J. X. Withers presided. ■ Tho programme consisted of a pianoforte solo by Miss A. Thompson, songs bv Mesdames J. T. Withers and Chappel, Misses Skilling. Kaye, Mehrtens and M. and N. PaTkin and Messrs Cooper andDovlm and recitations by Missos M. Buckley, I. Laskey, M. Robinson and li. Kirk. Master 11. Brewery sang " Please Give Mo a Penny, and his appeal resulted in a good response. The music for tho danco nibs supplied by Misses O. Martin and A. Mehrtens. Tho function resulted in the sum of £l7 los being realised.

KAIKOUTIA. On Sunday evening a retiring offertory in St Peter's Church in aid of the Ited Cvoas Fund produced £1 16s. At the opening of tho cricket season on Monday collections in aid of the same fund amounted to SSi 7s 3d. The committee of tho Kaikoura Agricultural and Pastoral Association met on Saturday, Mr G. Garrett, resident., being in tho chair. It was decided to recommend Mr S. Andrews as a judge of Romney sheep and Mi G. Stevenson as a judge of draught horses. Mr H A R. Prideaux was elected secretary. It was ogrccd that members of tho association chould be invited to the monthly meeting of tho committee"to hoar, and, if they wiohed, take part in tho discussions. On Sunday evening a sorvico in memory oi tho late Private Thomas Cooke, V.C., was held in St Peters Church. There was a. large' congregation.. Tho Bev A. J. 8. Beaton preached a very impressive sermon, and, presiding at the organ, played the Dead Marci" as a mark of respect, at the con* elusion of the service. Mt Carter sang " Crossing tho Bar" (Tennyson) as .the anthem. The hymns chosen were espeifially apPr Ou r Monday evening a public meeting was held for Ihe purpose of considering what form a memorial to the lato Private Cooke, V. 0., should take. Mr B. T. Pope, chairman of the District High. Scbool Committee, was voted to tho chair. Ho stated that • tablet in the school and a Cooke dux prize were forms oi commemoration suggested. Tho Kev A. J. Sea ton andl Messrs James Davidson, L. Wilson, Edmond Parsons, E. Workman, A. Gooch and Renncr took part in Wio discussion. Various suggestions were mads, including placing an enlarged photograph of Private'Cooke In tho school, erection of a monument in a public place, assisting to provido for tho widow and children and the education of tha children. It was decided to canvass for subscriptions for a memorial, and also for the establishment of « fund for tho benefit of tho widow and children, liio Bev A. J. Sea-ton and Messrs Pope, Stuboerfield, A. Gooch, Davidson, E. Workman. Renner, Edmund Parson., L. Wilson and H. Flower were appointed a committee to carry out tho arrangements. Mr Davidson was elected treasurer and Mr Rentier secretary. It was resolved that tho committee should co-operate with the Mayor of Wellington in furthering the welfare of Mrs 1. Cooke, inn., and her children, and that the Mayor should be thanked for the interest lie and the Mayoress had taken in mimst-erin? to the wants of th« bereaved. The sum of £l4 was subscribed in the room.

HATFIELD. An unusually largo audience assembled in the Band Hall, Mayfield, on the occasion ol a send-off to Mr and Mrs DonaM Fergus and family, who are leaving the district to take up their residence near Whanga, near Auckland. The gathering took the term ol a dance- interspersed with songs by. Misses Paterson and Jaiao and Messrs Nichols, Heaton and M'Millan. Mr G. Murdock presided. During an interval tho chairman stated the object of the gathering and re-f»-rod to tho great lots Mayficld was sustaining through the departure of Mr Fergus. Tho speaker mentioned the many departments in which Mr Fergus had been art activo member, namely, «s a member of the School Committee, the Presbyterian Church Committeo and the Library Committee, president of the Mayrield Sports Club and water ranger to the Ashburton County Council. He had also baon a very active worker in all socials and patriotic meetings, the Kev A. •Wilson and Messrs AVithcil and Green also spoke eulogrfstically on he character . and social standing of Mr Fergus, him God-speed and every success m his new surroundings. Mr A. Harvoy gave an outline of his lonp acquaintance with Mr 1* eus dating back many years. He wished the guests of the evening success, prosperity and much happiness, in their new home. On behalf of the residents of the Mayfiold and surrounding districts he asked MtlawaJ accept a well-filled purse. Mrs H. .W. Papps in h, brief speech, presented Mrs Fergus with * travelling rug. Both recipients rospond-?nE-ini an appropriate manner. After supper dnncinr was kept up till a late hour The So was supplied by Mr Green, of Mount Somas and Mr Cormao, Carew.