COUNTRY NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18334, 17 February 1920, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[From Otjb Oosebbpondbnti.] MARSHLAND. The Marshland small farmers, in view of what has happened in other years, are taking special precautions this season to deal with any sneak thieves who may be detected stealing onions, potatoes, ©to. The matter has received tlio attention of the executive of the mewly formed Growers' Association. Man-traps are being laid, and a system of night patrols is heing discussed. Shotguns are in demand in the district, and it is said that dogs will be provided with shelter among the standing sack's of produce to give Earning.of intruders. The chief offenders in the past have been men in working in twos and threes.

; , . AKAROA. • The ocoksfoot harvest is proceeding ■ somovfh&t slowly. Noariy all the reaping is linishfid, but the dull, cloudy weather lately experienped hoi interfered with threshing. i gome growers on the lower lands have finished. A good 1 many sales are reported,at Is 3d per lb for 121 b seed. It is generally es- ■ timated that the crop this season is equal to .'about one-third of last season's output. ♦The fortnightly meeting of the Loyal Good ■ InTent Lodge was held on Monday in the '.Oddfellows' Hall, Akaroa. The acting N.G., (Brother P. Davis, presided' over a good at- ' tendance, including visiting brothers. Corjrespondence was read from the provincial 'secretary regarding sick pay for members who v had been on .active service. Messrs , Meares and Williams, solicitors, wrote with I reference to release of mortgage. An apph- : i cation for funeral donation in respect to a 1 deceased brother was granted. The Picmo Committee reported' that arrangements wore welt m hand. Receipts for the evening totalled £5 14s 9d. , . A well attended meeting was held in tno Borough Council Chambers, Akaroa, on Friday in connection with the carnival to bo M !held at Easter to raise funds for the Penin- > ;:'J sola soldiers' memorial. The Mayor (Mr G. ■ \ Armstrong) presided. It was 'reported that, - ■ after conferring with the country commit4ees, the date was fixed for Easter Monday. The collectors reported having met with ■much success as tegards promises of cash ' and goods. . . '£ TiSrmonthly meeting df the Akaroa-Wamm Bead 1 Board was held, at Duvauchelle ou 'Saturday; present—Messrs G. Armstrong! (chairman), R. Stewiart and W. W. Williams. •■'.-''Correspondence . was read from the Akaroa ■ County Council enclosing a refund .of a portion of the levy for the peace celebrations. TT>e foreman forwarded a list of persons who •.''• had noxious weeds growing on their properties. It was decided to notify the persons in ouestion that they must eradicate weeds. Complaints having been made regarding ' \ stock at lar?* on the roads, it was resolved ■ to instruct ttle ranger to take action where 1 necessary. It was resolved that all rates unpaid by March 3 be sued for, with the addition of 10 per cent. Mr Stewart reported ' that the petition to have a flat road between Barry's Bay and French Farm was being : '. extensively, signed'. The chairman said that V the work, if taken in hand, would require a ' loan; The board decided to h»ve a good' ouahtity of metal crushed as soon as possible, as several roads required metalling. Accounts amounting to £2S 8s Id were •passed, for payment. The election of members to the Peninsula Electric Power Board, to be held on Friday, "February 20, is arousing a great deal of in- • terest in the district. The board will bo composed of seven members, representing four local bodies, in the following order:— | . Akaroa County, three members; Wairewa : County, two; Mount Herbert County and ■'Akarpa Borough, .one each. In all the 'four .districts contests; will be held.. The Akaroa nCouhfy has five candidates for the three Beats—viz., Messrs J. R. Thacker, E. Hay, ' 'J. D, Bruce, A. Goodwin and W. W. Wil- - ;]iams; Wairewa County, Messrs J. Coop, W. V , F. Parkinson and J. Chapman; Mount Her- " ;■'; bert County, three candidates; and Akaroa .-"""' Borough Council, two candidates—Messrs H. Barnham and' P. Davis. * , ' "'" KAIAPOI. "r " The annual competition 'of the Kaiapoi Volunteer Fire Brigade was concluded last .evening, the results being as follow: —One- - man manual —Fireman E. Heeve 1, Suporin- ;.. , tendeht J. A. Mealings 2, Fireman G'.'Clarke " . 3. One-man coupling—Fireman G. Clarke 1, .'. Superintendent Mealings 2, Fireman M. Mealings 3. Steamer event—Fireman W. , Joy 1, E. Reeve 2, G. Clarke 3. Gilbert ■/'■ memorial coupling event—W. Joy 1, E. Reevo ,-. 2, M. Mealings 3. The citizens' cup, for highest aggregate, was won by E. Reeve, with W. Joy and E. Clarke (equal) second. ■;' : Superintendent Mealings takes the prize for fastest unplaced competitor. The colts' .'■'■ Jiiee was won by Fireman M. Mealings. HORNBY-ISLINGTON. ' ' The final welcome home t<( .soldiers of the district was held in the Social Hall, Isling- *< ton, on Thursday evening last. There was a very large gathering, and the function was voted to be one of the most successful of the kind ever held in the township. The . first, part of the evening was taken up by musical items and addresses,, the following .'contributing to the programme:—Mrs >.."< Gooney, Misses M. Coulter, Kavanagh and Crequer, and Messrs Vagg and Tinker. Brief •addresses were given by Messrs G. Witty, ,M.P., J. Leslie, J. F. Ross, A. C. Eowbyes ■ : and ML Evans. The following soldiers were, welcomed: —T. Coulter, A. Cox, T. Brown, • S. M'Knight, G. M'Kuight, E. M'Khight, G. . " 'Miller, G. Kershaw and A. M. Wright. Apologies were received from several of the , soldiers who were unable to be present. In addition to those mentioned, there was a very ijarge number of returned soldiers present :'■:"* who had arrived home at an earlier date. . (After supper had been served, the hall was ','Z- cleared and dancing was indulged in until "the early hours of the morning. Excellent '" music was supplied by Messrs Reg. Woods (piano) and A. Hutton (piccolo), «while Miss Jjkl.' Coulter contributed an extra. Mr H. was M.C. The "welcome homo" l was organised by the local Patriotic Com- \ mittee, and the members aTe to be congratulated on the very enjoyable and successful functions they have held on various p oocasions. > , 'i ; The Horns-by-Islington Recreation ]V Grounds present a busy appearance ,: J every Saturday afternoon, with a large num- . j-ber of tennis players in one section and a ■' goodly crowd of bowlers in another. The Bowling Club (despite adverse circumstances) has forged ahead, and a good strong club /Vis . now in existence, and keen interest has '..'■'"been manifested in the game. The ladies of the district have once again come to the fore, and take turns in providing afternoon' tea every alternate Saturday, on arrange- ! jment that is greatly appreciated by the j bowlers. So far, the club has been unable * to obtain connection with the Lake Coleridge (electrical supply for the motor-pump that is ; to provide the water supply, although the . .; . pump and switches have been in rendiness ' for several months. Meanwhile the water is beinsf pumped by a small petrol engine, which.is Teally inadequate for the demand. . Fortunately for the club, showers of rain N '_' have have been frequent, otherwise the green; would hove been ruined. GERALDTNE.. Ai a special meeting of the Geraldlne County Counoil, petitions were received for . the abolition of the South Orari River Board ,; nnd the North Orari River Board, as well as the GeTaldine, Temuka and Mount Peel Read Boards, and the merging of the sev- • efal districts in the Geraldin© County Council, so that the latter may be the sole controlling body of roads and rivers .within the {OOOlll7. The petitions were formally ' approved and. will be forwarded to the Gov-4«nor-General for his sanction. Satisfaction • 'fas expressed that all is now in order for » .;,. 'Wiis reform in local government, and it was '■ agreed to hold a special meeting on March -•■•''■ jfl to confirm •the resolution^