COUNTRY NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 18217, 3 October 1919, Page 11

COUNTRY NEWS.

[From Oub Correspondents.] KAIAPOI Tho births, doVhs and marriages register*©! at Katapoi for tho pact three months wore: —Births 15, deaths 11, marriages 2. Seven of tho deaths registered were those of persons aged sixty years and over. SPRINGSTON. At a social held in connection with the Wesley Guild, there was a fair attendance, and a very enjoyable programme was rendered. Two dialogues wore given by a party of young ladies from Templeton, ana items woro also contributed by tho Mi=sos Williams. Townloy ft). Ivy Mutton and Mary Kirae, Messrs Mackov and W. Kimo. A competition, in which a large number took part, was won by Miss Roscoe. Accompaniments wero played by Misses J. Townloy and G. Harris. j On Monday evening, in the Methodist Schoolroom, a large number of friends met for tho purpose of saying farewell to Mj and Miss Stevens on tho eve of their departure from tho district. Tho Rov J. Harris, who occupied tho ohair, epoko of the faithful way in which Mr Stevens haci acted as caretaker of the church for "a numbor of years. He added that Mr Stcvons was one of tho moßt respocted men in tile district, although of a vory quiet disposition. Ho was over roady to do what he could to help any movement for the benefit of the district. Mr S. Roast referred t( Miss Stevens's work on behalf of the Sunday School, first as a scholar and later as u teacher, and said sho was always willing to h?lp in every way. Mr Noale also oulogisea tho guests as citizens and neighbours. Mi W. Harris, on behalf of Mr Stevons's friends, presented him with an easy chair as u token of tho ostoein in which ho was held. Mrs S. Roast, on behalf of 'the Sundaj School, presented M'iss Stevens wiih a " poggy " bag. Mr Stevens suitab.y replied. A programmo was contributed by tho following:—Misses L. Chamberlain, G. Harriß, Ivv Mutton, Mary Kimo, Muriel Mounco and Ina Mounce, and Master W. Rime. Misb &. Chamberlain played the accompaniments. bux>pcr was handed round by tho iad.es, and the singing of " God be With You Till We Meet ing to a closo. CTJLVERDEN. On Wednesday night, at the Amur! Drill Hall, Culvorden, Mr E. U. Jußt, the organiser of the Canterbury branch of the Now Zealand Modorato League, addressed a very successful mooting. Hiß arguments wero now to many members of tho audience, this being especially tho case in regard to the testimony of leading scientists in the Old Country who were asked to deal with tho liquor question in all its phases. At the'conclusion of the address many questions wero asked, to which Mr Just replied. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the speaker. KIRWEE. The members of tho Courtenay Social Club recently hold their fourth monthly social, which was well attended by the members and thoir friends. A very pleasant evening was spent in dancing and card-playing. Mu°ic was kindly supplied by Mrs A. ' E. Muffatl and Missos G. Robertson, G. Thomas end J. Thompson. Mr M. Robertson carried out tho duties of M.C The usual week y progressive euchre match in connection with the Social Club was held in the Courtenay Library on Tuesday evening, when thoro was a good attendance of members. Tho prizes were won by Miss E. M'Meekwi and Mr W. L. Stewart. The winners of the "booby" prizes wore Mrs G. A. Bedford and Mr Max Robertson. Private J. W. Langley, who had recent'y returned horn the front, was a guest of the club. Mr F. M'Amilty. on behalf of the members, expressed pleasure at Private Langloy's safe return, a"d hearty cheers wero given for the guest. Suppor was supplied by tho lady members. The rainfall for the month of September whb 4.17 in, rain falling on twelve days. The i maximum fall was 1.09 in, on the lHh. Three . inches and a half of snow fe'l on the Ist . Tho rainfall for the corresponding month of 1918 was l.!)sin; for 1917 5.72 in; 1916. 1.17 in, and 1916, 0.87 in. The total rainfall for the nine months onded on September 30 was 18.92 in, and for the same period of 1918, 18.97 in; for 1917, 22.26 in; 1916, 23.43 in; and 1915, ll.Plin. There has been a number of hard frosts, ono of which, on September 2, caused a lot of d«ma<ro to tons and water-pipes, and also destroyed the earlv apricot blossoms, ouite a number of tree* heing in blossom at that time. Cold windß have hcon very prevalent nr>d are causing the spring growth to bo backward, and so fn«- there is verv little er»«s. The era»s ernb is whip'" l ' niifh dnma?e in tbo paddock* and also in the cereal crops, the bare patches boing vory noticeable at present. OMTHI. A lGctnre on lucerne-growing was given by Mr M'Pherson, Government Field Instructor, in the school on Monday evening, under tho auspices of the Omihi Farmers' Union. The weather was vory cold and showery, but nevertheless a largo number of the farmors of the district, and a goodly number from Waipara, braved tho olementß, and wore amply rowarded. During the day Mr M'Pherson was driven round by Mr Doak, and he inspected the various paMocks of lucerne growing in tho district including tho school plot, , and expressed himself satisfied with what had been done so far in this direction. In his address, Mr M'Pherson dwelt at length on the importance of growing lucerne fodder, and showed how it conld bo successfully cultivated in any part of Canterbury. Ho mentioned that Canterbury was not keeping abreast of other provinces in the South Is'nnd in tho matter of production. It would bo bettor, ho said, to grow lucerno than to continue growing turnips and rape, which had been a failure for a few years past in North Canterbury, owing to tho ravages of blight. A number of cue?-ti->ns woro asked in reference to tho method" adopted in the growine of lucerne, and all were answered satisfactorily. At the conclusion of Mr M'Phorson's address, Mr Doak moved e, hearty vote of thanks to 'ho instructor for his interesting and in<>tntctiV«> lecture, anfl tb«» motion was carried with applause. Mr M'Pherson, in renlv said he would be pleased to vi°it tho dis'rict on a future occasion and speak on other matters. OXFO3D. Tbo regular meeting of the Oxford Patriotic Committee was hold on Monday night. Mr D. Hawke presided, and there waa a Rood attendance of members. Accounts amounting to £2-1 18s 8d wore posscd for payment. A large amount of routine business was done. Arrangements wero made for the annual meeting, to be hold on October 13. It wus decided that tho next welcome social bo held on October 18, when it iB expected that there will bo a large number of soldiers present. As tho final welcome honie'Bocial will eoon be hold, it was recommonded that the series bo concluded by a district soldiers' social, when all rcturnod men will bo the guests of the committee. During September rain fell on nine days, I ho fall for tho month being 6.73 inches. This is much above tho average. Last year tho month's total was 1 inches; in 1917 it was 7.4 inchoß, but for several yours previous to that it did not oxceod 3 inches. For August and September tho total rainfall was 9.5 inchos, which 1b exactly wha: it was for tho sanio two months of 1917, while last your it was 6.6 inches. September is generally a wetter month than August as is shown by tho records of tho la3t nine years, when on only two occasions was it less than in August. There is great need of warm, so', tied weathor. Fanu work is backward, and feed is unusually scarce, with tho rosult that stock iB feeling tho pinch. Especially is this the case with '.cws that aro coming in in. very weaK condition. A feir number of farmers havo had lobecb in their dairy herds from this cau bo. A meeting of ratepayers, convened by tne Oxford County Council for tho purpose of discussing the proposed loan of £6MJO, wbb held in tho Coronation Hall on Tuesday night. Mr A. Baxter presided, and thoro was a largo attendance, 'ihe chaJrmen explained that tho loan waa allocated as follows:—To hospital, nearly completed. £1800; water-race care.aker's iot!ag«, .£700; council chambers and memorial, £2OtX); Cooper b Creek Bridge, £700; clerk and overaeor'a residence, £1000; first year's interest, £3OO. Theliability for tho careUker's cottage waa on the South Riding, and the Cooper's Creek Bridge on the North Riding. Ihe hospital was exoected to cost, when complete and furnished," £5700, of winch ihe county was to find ono-third, though it had not been understood that tho county would be liable for the furnishing. This charge would be questioned. If tho loan were thrown out, the only alternative would bo to find the money out of rates, and the council would accept thit alternative. Mr Dalley criticised the council for, as ho averred, running into debt before making arrangements for the settlement of that debt. Estimated charges had increased considerably, and he was of opinion that tho council had been lax in not making full inquiry into its liabilities. He protested against erecting tho hoapital ut groat expense nnd then asking for a loan whon tho liability must bo -net. It was equivalent to claiming tho amount ot " the point of tho pißtol." The Legislature had enacted that, before a loun ou.d be raised, a poll must be taken, and that enactment presupposed that the 'liability should not bo incurred bofore that poll. Th'j. hospital might or might not be dosirablo, but tho council s action waa establishing a precedent that might load to great trouble. Tho thairman caid that at first it had been intended to pay for Ui* hespital oat of ri***- b"* » oiW tootw* wr*

required it wa3 i bought tho beat policy was to go in for a loin. Mr R. F. Henderson referred to two public meetings that ha 1 been hold to consider tho establishment if a hospital, when resolutions had boon carried almost unanimously in favour of tho proposal. Ho contended that the saving of life and (he amelioration of sufforing merited greater consideration than the question of rates. Mr D. Hawko traced tho growth of tho proposal for the establishment of a hospital from tho time when it was first mooted in 1908. At that timo a proposal was made for a oott&gn hospital. The Road Board was asked to maintain * bod for a cottage hospital, and it asked the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board for permission to withhold £3O out of it* subsidy for that purposo. This could not be done, but the board was prepared to favourably consider the allocation of c sum of money towards tho establishment of cottage hospitals in country districts. This was done. Meetings wore held to consider tho nutter, and iho hospital or maternity homo wiu the result. Ho appealed to tho ratepnycis to support tho loan, M by so doing they would advance tho interest* of the dis.rict. Questions in regard to tho manaeemenl ~>i tho hospital wore asked, and the evidence is that the institution will bo a :jToat bo»n to the district. The charges will bo reasonable, and admission will bo eaej. There was little discussion on tho other items of tho loan, but rogTet was expressed thnt they oould not be rotod on separately. To "'urn down" tho poll would do injustice to different parts of the county that were willing to shoulder thoir particular liabilities. Tho mooting was very enthusiastic, and the discussion aroused considerable interost. On iho motion of Mr H. Campbell a hearty voto of thanks wa3 convoyed to the chairman for tho way in which ho had conducted the mooting. Tho chairman explained tbat hj had been requested to lay before tho mooting & suggestion Ilia', the council should erect a doctor's residence. Tho house in which tho doctor livad had been sold. Dr Bagloy, in explanation of tho matter, said that the position was that, there boing no residence, iho doctor must either livo at the boardinghouao or in tho hospital, and in that case only a single man could bo had. It was mandatory on the council to provide a residence, and ho thought tho ratepayers present should shoy their approval or other wise of thd proposal. It was pointed ou; that -ho mooting was not competent to give n decision on tho quctinn, and on tho motion of Mar H. Campbell, it was unanimously decided that tho ma.tor be loft to tho council to consider. ASHBTJRTON. The Rangitata Road Board met at Lismore on Monday. Mr A. M'Renzio presiding, 'ihe clerk reported that tho now Cracroft race ac ed as a catch-wator drain, and during h avy rain the water ran down tho Lismoro road, where, during tho last rain, it was running 25ft wide, and tho culverts could n t carry one-third of the water. In a heavy flo d tho damage must bo serious. Tho chiirman and clerk were authorised to endeavour to got the trees removed from Founts no's Road and Boulton's corner. It was d -cided to inform settlers that there are three shbi~lo reserves at Anderson's corner to serve tho seven mads connecting at that p int. Tho Automobile Association wrote agreeing tn pay for some pinos for wiHontn? a ni've't near Hindi township, a r d offeringto contribute towards tho cost of removing and widening a numbor of others on the Ma : n R"ad. Tho cler> was instructed to tlnnk tho a c soc ; ation and accept the pipes. Account" amounting to £95 16s lOd wero passed for payment. MOUNT SOMERS. Friends and parishionors of the Mount Somers diMrict met at tho residence of Captain and Mrs Morgan to bid farewell to Mr and Mrs John Peters. During thoir many years' residence in the district, Mr and Mrs Potcrs havo shown a keen interest in local and public affairs, and especially in church mattors. Mr John Hood, on behalf of those prese't. presonted Mr and Mrs Peters with a silver tea set, and Master John Peters with • eo'd fountain pen. In doing so, Mr Hood refrred to the valuable services tho niests had rendered the district. Congratulatory remark" were made bv Captain W. A. Morgan Mr S. R-berts nnd Mrs R. NoßWorthy, a'-d Mt Prtors fittingly responded. At the weekly nicotine of tho Mount Somer« Men's C'nb. a debate took nlnco on tho qnestion. " Should tho asre limit be relaxed on smoking, drinking and tho use of flronrm*?" Tho Rev Mr Petrie presided and Mr W. King led tho affirmative ard Mr Ft. Prvarbo t'-o "Pgntiv* both s.ponkers hen" ab'v supported bv members. On a vote being taken. *ho affirmative waa declared the winning aide