COUNTRY NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17396, 6 February 1917, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[FROM OUB COMMSPOWDINTS.] DUVATJCHELLE. Now that Duvauckelle has become such a well-known market for fat etock, and consequent entry oi large cattle,, the directors of the Peninsula Saleyards Company. have erected fresh pens, in order to cope with the demand, and have appointed a. valuator to draft the fat cattle.- The/ charges tor entry have also been altered; •> .- DARFIELD. At the senior free place examination, hel3 m November, Misses Amelia Broughan and Eileen Watson, of the Darfield .District High • School, were successful. Mr E. Manger, 1 master of the secondary department, having enlisted, Miss E. Ensor, B.A. of Can-, terbury Collego, is temporarily filling, the position. Heaping and stooking are now. drawing W> a close, and stook threshing, where condi- . tions are favourable, is being pushed on. Owing to the meagre rainfall during tne months of October, November and,Deceinber, the averages, with very few exceptions,- are disappointing. Since the rainfalls of January, however grass has come away nicely,. Rape on the whole is looking well, and tur- ... nips are making a good start. ASHBURTON. • The Wakanui Road Board met on Satur- > day The chairman (Mr J. Bmce) -presided. Two land owners were granted an extension of time in which to clear gorse off. roads., • fronting their properties. The Ashburton Hospital and Charitable Aid Board forwarded a number of circulars on flies and refuse. It. was decided to distribute the circulars, anions the schools in tho district. Ihe overseer reported that, the repairs to roads,had been completed at Seaview and.fingerposts had been erected on Beach Road. Ac- • counts amounting to £42 15s were passed, Ashburton Lodge, 1.0.0. F., M.T/.> : met on holiday evening, N,(x. Brother 1). G. M'Callum presiding. A letter of condolence was ordered to ba eent to Brother H. M'Elrea on the losb of his wife;. Brothei P. Pritchard, one of the delegates to 'the; annual conference reported on the business transacted. The Upper Ashburton Road Board met on Satui-d&v. The chairman (Mt C. J. Harper) presided. "The Mount Hutt Road Board drew the attention of the board tc broom and t?orse growing at the corner of Beatty's Koad and Thompson's Bridge. It was decided to have the matte* attended to. . In connection with an application from \\. . Painter for a renewal of lease of Reserve 2270, it was decided to inspect the reserve, and power was given to the chairman to act. The Ashburton County Council was granted pormission to i>ut nipe crossings in certain roads in the 'Winchmore subdivision. The ... puttinjr of a uerpetu&l right-of-way through a property at 'Westerfield to the river was left in the hands of the chairman, with ■ power to act. Accounts amounting to. £i? 17s were passed, for payment.

AMBERLEY. The rainfall recorded at "Riverslea," Aidberley, for the month ending January 31 totalled 3.5-2 points. Rain fell on five. days, the heaviest being on January .8, wjb£n 1« points were recorded. SEFTON. A meeting of residents of Sefton and sup rounding districts was held in the Sefton Town Hall on Saturday evening,' for the purpose of considering- ways and means of raising money to enable the Sefton and Mount Grey Downs Red Cross Branch to continue its work. It was unanimously decided that the district should be canvassed for monthly subscriptions. Officers were elected as follow:—President, Mr H. F. Thomson; secretary. Mr J. J. Henrs; treasurer, Mr M'lvor; general committee, Mesdaines Bailey, Boyce, M'Cormack, M'lvor,' Petrie and Messrs J. D. Wyllia, J. Collie, A. Topp, W. Livingstone, Geoi Ferguson and Thomson; canvassing committee. Missc3 Petrie, Quick, Stringer, Thomas, Mesdarnes Boyce, T. Hanna, iun., and Parkinson, Messrs J. Ashworth, jun.. Ferguson, Livingstone, J. Rowe and J. D. Wyllie. It was decided to place the money raised in tho Bank of New Zealand, Rangiora. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mrs Bailey and Mf Fitzpatriek for the manner in which they hut assisted the branch' since it« inception.