COUNTRY NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17878, 26 August 1918, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[From Our Correspondents,] OHOKA. At a plain and fanoy dress ball hold in tho Ohoka Hall in aid of the hall funds, thero was a fair attendance. Prizes for the beat dress were awarded to Miaa Greig' (Munition Worker; and Mr A. Clark (Po.ioo Trooper), and a walUing competition was won by Miss L. Capon and Mr A. Clark, The music was supplied by Miss A. Taylor ftad Mr W. Knight. TUAHIWI. A very successful fancy dress ball was hold at Tuahiwi on Thursday evening in aid oi tho louui (Soldiers' Parcels Fund. Tho hall was decorated with native flora' by tho Ladies' Coinnnueo, wtio also took charge of tho oatoring. Tho floor was crowded, about sixty couples participating in tho grand march, among whom wero numerous Maori visitors from the surrounding kaingas. Conspicuous among tho costumes wore tho fol.owing:— Misses E Rehu (.Ruination), A. Harawiro (Ail Nations), M. Kuril (Indian), Mrs Kotua (Spanish Girl), Miss Tirikatcne (Footballer), Mrs Gunning (Gipsy), Mrs Andrews (Witch), Miss T. Korako (Stars and Stripes), Miss 11. Reuben (Folly), Messrs M'u.u Tikao (Indian Chief), J. Pcgloy (Spaniard), H. Andrews (Dead-beat), J. Solomon (Naval Officer), J. Crocomo (Bushranger), Apa Crofts (Navy). Musio was supplied by Mr Humphries's Band. Tho net proceeds of tao ovomnji's entertainment excoeded £lB. CTJST. On Tuesday evening a largo number of tho Church of England congregation mot in the Sunday School to bid farewell to Mr and Mrs Frank Early, who are loaving the distriot. An enjoyau.e time was spent in songs, musical items and games, and during an iutorval the vica.r (tho Rev James Hay) prosoiued Mrs Early with a leather-bound hymn book and Mr Early with a prayer-book. The vicar referred to tho loss tho church would sustain, as Mrs Early presided at tho organ at many of the services. RANGIORA. Tho quarterly raily of the North Canterbury Christian Endeavour Union was held in tho Atotuocnst ijcltoolioom, Kangiora, on Tuesday evening. The Rev J. Guy, president ot tho union, presided for the last time. Thero was a very good attendance of representatives from the Methodist and Bap us t societies of liaiapoi. Somhbrook and Kangiora. Miss P. Ayers read a paper on " Thoughtluiness and Thankiutness," which was lollowed by a discussion. Tno speaker was accorded a voto of thanks. An address was also givon by the president. Reltcshments were provided by tho Kangiora society. SOTJTHBROOK. Tho annual meeting of the Sotithbrook lied Cross branch was heia on Thursday. The report detailed a lengthy list of articlos made sirico October. Tho balance-sheet showed thai) tho income, inducting balance brought torward, was £llO 15s 'lod, and tho expenditure £UO Us id, leaving, a credit balanco of £2fi 15s Cd. The report and baiance-sheot wero adopted. Officers were elected aa follows: President, Mrs J. T. Withers; vice-presid-ents, Mosdame3 Edlin and Seed; joint secretaries, Miss Adamson and Mrs A. loung; treasurer, Mr \oung; Purchasing Committee, Mosdames Edlin, Gifkin, Compton and H. Archer; Cutting Out Committee, Mesdames Seed, Compton and H. Archer, Misses Dickhoffs and Ross; work supervisors, Mosdames Edlin and Compton; General Committee, Mesdamos C. Archer, Pickering, Thwaites, Ross and D'Auvergne. Votes of thanks were passed to all officers and workers of tho past year, and to those who had assisted tho branch. * EYRETON. A concert hold in the Eyreton Hall on Wednesday evening resulted in the sum of £57 7s 6d being raised for the Ked Cross and Soldiers' Parcels Fund. An excellent programme was supplied by the Kaiapoi Concert Party, after which three decorated cakes wero auctioned. These were bought and resold many times, ono given by Miss Joan Lord bringing in £22 15s, another given by Mrs Bailey £lO 15s, whilo tho third, given by Mrs J. M'Mullen, brought in £9 7s 6d. A Leghorn rooster given by Mr T. Giles was sold for £1 Is. In tho guessing competitions a carniso.e top giveD by Miss I. Shepherd brought in £1 7s, and a Eoldiers' cake given by Mrs Lord £2. Sweeti and flowers were also sold. • ■ ' METHVEN". . On Thursday evening the Presbyterians of Methren held a gift sale and social in order to raise funds for the purchase of Christmas gifts to be sent to the sons of members of the congregation. Many suitable articles were rec&ived, and these will be packed and sent on. The committee in charge of th« Honours Koil submitted a report, which showed that eighty-four lads connected with tho congregation had gono on service. Fiftyfour were still away, thirteen had. returned, and seventeen had made the supreme sacrifice. Tho Rov G. K. Aitken gave an address, and musical items wero contributed. ASHBTJRTON". Thero was. a large attendance at tho inaugural lecture given by Mr D. Arnott, M.A.. of Christchurch, in tho Ashburton Technical School on Friday evening, in connection with, the "economics class. Mr O Beid presided, and tho locturo, which wa3 very instructive, was listened to with great attention. At the close Mr Arnott answered several questions, and was accorded a Loarty voto of thanks. KAIKOURA.. Miss Blackmoro, tho Canterbury Education Board's instructress in domestic science, has held cookery and home-work classes in the Technical School for the past four days. On Friday Miss Blackmoro gave a demonstration in invalid cookery in tho presence of twenty ladies and about fifty girls. Much interest was taken in tho demonstration, which was very instructive. RAKAIA. The settlers of Te Pirit. wore responsible for a very succossful entertainment in the way of a social and sale of produce held in the school in aid of Red Cross Funds. The sale of produce, which was conducted by Mr F. C. May, realised £lO, and this sum, together with amounts from the bran tub, rurprise packets, guessing competitions, door money, etc., should not fall far short of £■loo 'he amount the pooplo had set thembolvcs to raise. A waltzing competition was won by Miss Burns and Mr Dickie. Dancing; was kept up till the early hour*. SEDGEMERB. On Thursday evening ono of the most onjoyablo socials held in Sedgemere for a long: time took placo in tho local hall in aid of the fund for providing Christmas parcels for the soldiers at the front. Mesdamee Lambie and Campbell, assisted by Mibs Clephano and Mrs Shilton. played for the dancine. Songs were sung by Mrs Shilton, Mrs T. Clophano and Mossrs G. M'Baohlan, W. Marsh and G. M. Lochhead. The function was promoted by the young ladies of the district. DOYLESTON. Mr W. O. Rennie presided over » largely attended meeting held in the Doyleston Hall to make arrangements for assistins in the Red Cross and Lady Liverpool Copper Trails. It was decided to ask tho Canterbury Caledonian Society's concert party to eive a concert at Doyleston in aid of the Lady Liverpool Trench Comforts Fund, and to canvass the district in the interests of the Rod Cross Copper Trail. MessraW. M'Laohlan, G. W. R. Osborne, B. M'Laohlan, B Greonan and W. O. Rennie were appointed canvassers. It was also decided to tender a farewell to Mr and Mrs W. Brizzle, who have been enthusiastic workers in the interests of patriotic funds,_ on the eve ot tneir departure from the district. LEESTON. Tho Rev E. W. Walker presided over tho annual meeting of the congregation of tho Leeaton Presbyterian Church, there being a good attendance. Mi J. Anderson presented thesession's report, Mr G. Rodgers the roiSort of tho committee, Miss Webster the Leeston Sunday School report. Miss A. Halliday tho Tho National Efficiency Board's proposal that compensation shouid be paw tho Trade has puzzled quite a few folk. Here is a report that says that prohibition is essential for "the efficiency of the State and the individual both duriuo- the war and afterwards." Yet it proposes to pay compensation to the Trade. Why? Those who ask this question forget that if prohibition was carried to-day, under tho present ■statute, it cannot take effect lor four and a half years. Tho . National Efficiency Board carefully- weighed the evidence on both sides, and was so ' 'pressed with tho value of immediate National Prohibition that it reported that in the interests of N.Z. that it should take effect at once. Sign the Alliance Monster Petition asking PiirK""— *** to grant a poll on tho question, bo that tho peoplo may docida. : l'i '"/

Lakeeide-Doyleston Sunday Sohool report,, and Mr Rose the report of the Killinchy Sunday School, and Miss C. Lemon gave an account of the work of the Maori Mission Birthday League. Those reports were all of an encouraging nature. The balance-sheet showed that the income hod increased by £92 10s. Reference was made by the chairman to the approaching jubilee of the church, which would be celebrated within a few months. He hoped that the jubilee, would bo made the occasion for the raisins of a I thank offering of £3OO as a minimum to carry ' out works which it was estimated would cost , over and to provide a conveyance for , the minister. j On Thursday the annual musical, elocutionary and debating contests in connection | with the Wesley Guild took place in the presence of a large gathering. The president, Rev W. Laycock, presided, and ijie judges were Messrs W. Stirling and G. Beer. The awards were aa follow:—Tableau, " N&aman's Wife and the Hebrew Maid " ; vocal solo by lady. Miss Watson; vocal solo by gentleman, Mr A. Baylis; recitation by lady, I Miss Hilda Barnett: recitation by gentleman, Mr S. Maxwell: impromptu speech, Mr Alexander Webster; reading by lady, Mrs A. E. Brown; reading by gentleman, Mr Russell Barnett. ANNAT. A euchre party and dance was recently given at Annat in honour of Miss O'Brien, late postmistress, who is leaving the district. Prizes were won by Mrs Hennisch and Mr Kilty. During the evening Mr Kilty, on behalf of the residents, presented Miss O'Brien with a dressing case. ARTHUR'S PASS. On Wednesday evening a social was held in the Arthur's Pass Ball to celebrate the opening of the Otira tunuel The room was decorated for the occasion. There was a very large attendance. Dancing commenced about 8.30, and continued till the early hours. At the supper adjournment several toasts wore proposed, and votes of thanks were passed to MJossre 'Howell, Pettet and Hammond, who supplied the music for the dance, and to Messrs Bate and Shand, who gave their services all the evening- at the power-house, looking after the lights. During the evening musical and other items were givon by" Oie following':—Messrs HowelL J. Cameron, Thomas, Pettet, Hunter, Doel, Woodward and tho school children. Mr Hunter vyas the accompanist.