COUNTRY NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17523, 5 July 1917, Page 7

COUNTRY NEWS.

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--;. ASHLEY COUOTT. -. *Phe r.ow bridge over the to ready for traffic sometime before the end of, the., month. The'structure is 900 ft m lowrtb.and has a 9ft'traffic .*W^J^i Messrs J. Forbes and Son, Oust, tajww oiilv the decking to be laid, .lb J. ™yn. ©f-Timarn, has made a Btnr VakirikM .truction of the .bridjre at-Loburn, and ejects,to f»™P'<S,^ tract within about two norths.. ™° will-bo 200 ft in lcnir'h with a "ft Toaaway Tor- heow tra*c; Mr John the Public Works overseer for all the con *? * meeting in connection f 4' g Z%nd MeW, Church Fund was held in the «"%«•"' B - v j, CHoreh- on Tue°dav Gnv'jravlo an address, on the Former,'Mission outlook and explained f *l»t «/ h * "^ Ejonavy operations..

CULVERDBK. to. a uarairreph appeannK »- e J£v in re£rd to- early Iwptfc it isof cent.v w_ re-nru Kaiwara Estate, Stion. and, fcayfajr « •*^S&s£3£ ■whilst up to the pre?«it the weather conm tions'bave teen very favourable.

BAKAIA. . M* E-M'Lennan. oftheßank of >ew Zealanf Ja/at Brig* has 1»-g*«JJSiS Goto.- Mr Q. Cairns, of *£ * n y erearcrm Wch. will fill the vacancy at Bakam.. Aconemrational meetwK was nelflmM Monday evenine for he purpose of considenn^£^> **« ?f T Todd Vo Moderator (Rev r W KAiIen) presided over an attendance of Wctconi-claincd that those at-a distance from ronsider the matter o a call.. After discus pion, it was .eventually decided, bv _a ma "fifty of due. to hold over to a future date ? tl Sfea^oluS^^H-^ miUeV&et in the Town Hall on Monday Sn>. Mr B.M'Namara presided over e attendance of fifteen members. Arrangettents were made for. carrying on future farewelhv. and -it .was deeded *« ho.d ra* o«o fcmction for each remforcaments.,«Pj™? : down on leave »* «Mfamrtto gcolt* the customary parcels. , The snoot; for the vear ended Juno 30. showed tW receipts tohave been £l2l JKjMgg Mr expenditure. £i7- 6srsd, leaving a credit baVancc'of £74 7s 2d. '■.-

.., >' ; , BANGIOKA. The icrtnishllv meeting; of tho Bud ot . Hopo Druids'Lod«:e was held in the Templar Hall on' Monday wemn* Brother <£ Brid«-er, Arch Druid, presided. The Arch. D uif mado reference to the death of Brother Gooreo Allinetoh, who had died fifjntini: lor Bf ",u couhtr.-. A mono, o. syuipa.tny to-the .relatives of the deceased w « passed. th«Mmenibers standing:. It was stated that Brother Allinston was the first. out of eighteen members at the front to. pay the extreme saorifioe. It was resolved that all. the names of those -who had gone to tho war ehouia be placed oh an Honours boa«i, iiio board to bo procured immediately. After tho usual routine of business had been pjono through, the members commenced a euch.ro tournament, a Vood number talcing Dart. Tho tournament will' bo' continued each lodge niftht. .§. special paradei of the Cadets ofi N*>.'V* Ccanpanjr (ftangibwi,' High School) and No. 25 Company was held at.tho Eaugiora Drill Hall last evening, ■ under tho command of, Jftyor .-Humphreys and Lieutenant Williams (adjutant), for tho purpose of presenting tho Lady Godley. Cups, awarded for marksmanb£jp during tho year.. There was on escclleut muster,'and about fifty Territorials also paraded. A few civilians were present, including, several. ladies. At tho invitation of Major Humphreys, tho Mayor (Mr C. I. Jennings) addressed the lads and presented tho trophies, that for the 13th Company being won by Sorgennt J. Scott,, and for the 25fh Company by Private" H. G. F. Edcr. Tho proceedings closed with threo hearty cheers for ihevdnners.

MAYFIELD. The Ashburton delegates from the Secondi Division League held a meeting at Mayiield on. Tuesday evening;. There was a largo gathering, and Mr H. MV Jones (prasidem) gay.oan address in esp'.anation of the league's objects. ; About sixty-two new members wero ehfolled'. Applications for enlistment in tie league are nov; being received irom tall over the county. KAIKOUEA. with ail attendance of twenty at, tho eecond meotiiig of householders there was raiich difficulty in obtaining assents'to securo the required number- for the School Committee. All seven elected had proviously declined, nomination. The new committee is a 3 follows: —Mc3damcs Morri3, Stirling and Stuhbersfield and Messrs Boughton, Fitzsinunons, Bcnner (chairman) and Whitehead (secretary). "... .'-:.' HANMER SPRINGS. "Mr William Palmor, contractor, Culverden, ha<i tho misfortune to havo his travelling; wharo burnt out on the Cmverdon Eoad on TUesday. Apparently «. spark had blown insido on the, bedding, and before the driver, who w&s; ftl'one, discoverod hat thore was shything wrong, the whole of the ■ contents

were In m blaze, destroying; everything, as well as some clothing belonging to a man nemed Fizelle.

Mr W. T. Murray, who has been, preaching for some time in Hanmer Springs, was on Tuesday .evening ordained in the Presbyterian Churoh. The Revs J. Thompson and A. Kirklaad officiated. There was a good congregation at the church. DOYLESTON. Efforts «re being made to re-start the dressmaking, cookery. and woodwork closses under the auspices of the Leeeton and Doyleaion ■Technical Classes Committee. The committee has arranged with Mrs Palmer (formerly Miss L.- M. Rennie) to resume the position of instructress to the dressmaking classes, which she oocupied with marked success for soine years. On Monday evening Corporal C. F. Pratt, formerly headmaster of the Doyleston School, was, entertained by the residents of Doyleston and the Elleamere Aquorfio Club at a farewell social in the Doyleston Town Ball, on the eve of his return to camp. Mr W. O. Rennie presided! over a large and representative gathering. The function took the form of a smoke concert. A feature of the evening was the presence of four paM headmasters of the Doyleston School, Messrs J. W. A... Walker, R. S. Pearson and !S. J. Irwin, and Corporal Pratt, in addition to the present master, Mr Rainey. On tho motion of Mr R. M. Taiaroa, a resolution of sympathy with , the relatives of tho soldiers who have recently fallen in battle was carried. On behalf of the Ellesmere Aquatic Club, of which Corporal Pratt was secretary, the president (Mr Taiaroa) presented the guest with a shaving outfit, and spoke very hisbly.of Corporal Pratt's services to the club. The chairman presented the soldier with a. money belt from the residents of Doyleston, and in doing so referred to the good work he had done as master of the local school, and to the warm place he occupied in the hearts of tho children. In the course

of his reply Corporal Pratt pave an interestiiisr description of camp life, punctuated with a great deal of humour. 1 ' WAIATJ. The quarterly meeting of tho Loyal Waiau Lodge, 1.0.0. F., was held on Saturday evening;, present—P.G.'s Brothers C. E. Sheriett, F. W. Sherrett, L. Davis, G-. M'Kie, S. Smalc, R. Lewis, P. Dunbar and C. Oldham. P.G. Brother C. Oldman nresided, and before proceeding with lodge business extended a hearty welcome to P.G. Brother Smale. P.O. Brother S. Smale was G.M. when he left with the First Expeditionary Force. _ He was wounded on Gallipoli and some time afterwards wa3 again wounded in Egypt, resulting in his being invalided back to New Zealand .and receiving his discharge. P.G. Brother Smale.rode in thirty-two miles to attend his lodge, and the nresidinp officer complimented him on netting suoh a good example to less keen brothers. After the lodge closed, supper was served by. P.G. 'Brother Sherrett and Mrs Sherrett, who were accorde a hoarty vote of thanks. A special Past Grand Lodge was then held, and the Purple Degree conferred on P.G.'s Brothers S. Smale and G. M'Kie. P.G. Brother C. Oldman presided as G.M., with P.G. Brother P. Dunbar as V.G.M., and P.G. Brother C. Sherrett as secretary. The other P.G.'s present filled the usual offices. After the lectures arid degrees, P.G. Brother Lewis invested P.G.. Brother Smalo with his PG. sash, congratulating him on his safe return and expressing his desiro to see in duo course numerous other brothel's return safely from the front. Mr W. V. Mockett. the well-known motorcar proprietor, is leaving Waiau to reside in Culverden. Mr Mobkett's enterprise has led to' the present efficient motor service from Culverden to Waiau, etc. He commenced

with, a five-seator car, and was the first to run a paßaeuger car in this district. The residents soon realised the advantages of the car service and petitioned the Postal Department for a motor mail service to replace the usual coach service, and Mr T. Derrett, mail contractor (Culverden to Waiau), put two. seven-soater fers' on the road. Mr Mockett is at present running: eight cars, and he finds all-his time is required at his headquarrera at Culverden. KAIAPOI. At a meeting of the Kaiapoi Volunteer Fire Brigade on Monday, Superintendent Mealingß g residing over a eood attendance, Fireman [. D. Cooksley received a two-years' service badge, completing seven years' service. A similar badge, earned by Fireman (Private) J. H. Williams, on active service, was ordered to bo forwarded to Mrs Williams. Foreman George M'Gregor was ■ presented with a two-years' service bar, marking the completion of twonty-fivo vears of service, entitling him to the association's gold star. The superintendent extended the hearty congratulations of himself and the brigade to Foreman M'Gregor on his fine service, which really amounted to thirty years, the time spent as messenger not counting for service honours. The recipient was heartily cheered. It was decided to-, request tho Borough Council to supply gum boots and rubber'gloves on account of the electric installation. It was reported that the credit balance of the brigades' recent social was £lO. 2s 7d, whioh will be expended in comforts for members on active Isetvioe. TEMPLETON. A social evening was held in the Templeton Hall on Saturday to . bid farewell to Private Frank James. During an interval in tho dancing the guest of the evening was presented.with « gold medal with the usual inscription.

j. LAKESIDE. | A very well attended public meeting was held in the Lakeside School-on Monday evenI jug to make arrangements for tho official

opening of the Soldiers' Memorial Hall, which is nearing completion. Mr H. SchneUe, chairman of tho Hall Committee, presided. After some discussion it was decided to ask Colonel R. H. Rhodes to perform tho ceremony on August 2, and to invite a number of loading local citizens to speak. It was decided to hold a concert and dance at nignt. ASHBURTON. Tho overhead: bridge which has done service at Cameron Street, Ashburton, for a number of years, is to bo romoved to Aitken ■ btroet, and the work will be put in hand during the next few days. On Saturday evening a concert party, consisting of tho Misses Claridge, Gates and Mr Allard visited the Ashburton County Hospital and gave a most enjoyable entertainment to the inmates. The matron, on behalf of those in the ho?pital and the staff, thanked tho party for their kindness. The question of the proposed new school for the borouuh was a-rein before the Ashburton Borough Council at its _moell nsron Monday night, when Councillor E. W. Watt moved, and Councilor F. Fcrnman eeconaed —" That, ns the adjacent local bodies are opposed to tho allocation of any portion of the Domnin for a school site, and as the council, after full consideration, has previously negatived the School Committee's request, the council now records its determination to adhere to its former decision." After considerable discussion the motion was carried by six votes to four. , The meteorological observations taken at the Ashburton weather station for the montft of June are as follows: -Highest jading of baromo'cr 80.9 on .Tune 11, lowest 29.-18. on June 13; highest reading of maximum -thermometer G 7 'degrees on Juno 10; lowest 44 dWcea on Juno. 10 end Juno 18: hiorhcat reading of minimum thermometer 53 decrees on June 15. lowest 04 degrees on June W Tl.» rainfall totalled 97 points, as against .-.39 points for Juno last year. The total sunUine recorded was 95 hours 16 minutes, there hein<r seven da.ys on which no sunshine was recorded. i

TINWALD. ' On Saturday evening the rewdwvte of Tinwald presented Mr W. W. Seal, who has recently been promoted from Tinwald to the Ashburton railway staff, with a silver watch Mr T. Williams, chairman of tJie ±own Board,' made tho presentation.