Out and About in Rangiora

North Canterbury Gazette, Volume 8, Issue 36, 1 September 1938, Page 4

Out and About in Rangiora

PERSONAL Mr and Mrs J. Galloway, who have been staying at the Hermitage, Mount Cook, left for the North. Island by last night's steamer, express. The engagement is announced of. Robert Edward, eldest son of Mr and Mrs E. J. S. Lockhead, of Rangiora, to Rachel Alice, eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs M. A. Turner, Addington. Mr and Mrs S. Ayers, King Street, who have been staying with their daughter, Mrs W. Finlay, Puketaha, Hamilton, have returned to Rangiora. Mr R. A. Milne, Wellington, arrived today on a visit to his mother, Mrs M. Milne, Fernside. Mr A. G. Banfield, of the clerical staff of the North Canterbury Electric Power Board, has accepted an appointment with the Poverty Bay ElectricBoard as chief clerk. He leaves to take up. his new post on September 21. Mr Banfield has taken a promiuent part in the administration of the Rangiora High School Ex-Pupils' Association, latt-erly as secretary, and has also taken a keen interest in mountaineering, culminating with an ascent of Mount Cook last .summer. BIG CONTRACT FOR LOCAL FIRM The local firm of Keir and Thompson Ltd have obtained' a. large contract on the West Coast. The job is the Runanga Borough Water Supply Scheme, ,and the contract price is £IB,OOO. Very few Rangiora men will be employed on the scheme as the -workers are to be comprised mainly of local unemployed men. The reservoir is to be made of concrete and will have a capacity of 76,000 gallons. It will be 13 feet in depth. The work is expected to occupy about five months. SNOOKER CHAMPIONSHIPS In the finals of the North Canterbury Amateur Snooker Tournament held lastnight G. Pulley beat E, Doggett, winning the first three games. The semi-finals for the Junior Championship were also played l , and the results are: L. Skurr (Oxford) beat W. Muir, and C. Devlin beat W. Oldman (Oxford), '" OUTBREAK OF FIRE At about midday last Monday an outbreak of fire occurred at Fernside where tne shed and one-roomed dwelling owned by Mr J .A. Miles, of 37 Ayers Street, Rangiora, was completely destroyed. The damage amounted to about £SO as between 60 and 70 cases of apples, the balance of the season's crop, were stored in the shed. The cause of the fire is unknown, and the building, which was not insured, is a total loss. INCREASE IN DEATHS The figures for the last month show that there is a large increase in the number of deaths as compared with the corresponding month last year. In August this year there were 10 deaths, as compared with only one for August 1937. Marriages are equal with five for both August this year and last. There were six births last month and seven in August 1937. CARD TOURNAMENT This week's play in the Friendly Societies card tournament for the McPhail Cup resulted as follows: Woodend Oddfellows B 392 beat Rangiora Oddfellows 352; Woodend Oddfellows A 332 beat Rangiora Foresters 285; Rangiora Druids 113 beat Ohoka Odd--1 fellows 99. DRAMA FESTIVAL Keen interest is being manifested in the forthcoming Drama Festival that is being held next month in Rangiora by the North Canterbury Area of the British Drama League. Entries closed this week, ten plays having been entered for the festival. Clubs participating include Oxford (2), View Hill, Kaiapoi, Rangiora (2), Sefton (2), Amberley and Waipara. Mr D. E. Hall, of Christchurch, will be adjudicator at the festival, and the winning play will represent the North Canterbury Area at the B.D.L. South Island elimination festival at Dunedin in October. SHREWD ABORIGINES In the course of his lecture to the Advisory Committee on Tree-Planting in North Canterbury last week, Mr H. G. Parish remarked that he had found the aborigines of Australia as shrewd as the Maoris. In one part of the country the Government was offering 5/- per head to the natives for the dingoes they killed. However, when two rangers went back into the -"never never" land they found that the natives were breeding the animals and killing the males, thereby obtaining increased revenue for their community at the expense of the Government.

AUGUST RAINFALL ... The rainfall in the Borough for August was considerably lower than for many years past. Rain fell on only three days and the total rainfall for the month was .83 inches as compared with 1.52 inches for August last year. Both these however are below the averago rainfall for August which is 2.07 inches. The total fall for the year to d&te is ,22.98 inches. NEW COKE SCALES At the monthly meeting of the Rangiora Borough Council, Cr. Keir said that the old scales used for weighing coke at the Rangiora. Gas Works were practically condemned by the Government Inspector. It was decided by the Council to purchase new scales. BOROUGH WORK Most of the work done by the Rangiora Borough Council has been done in the gardens. This was reported by the foreman (Mr J. V. Rowland) at the monthly meeting of the Rangiora Borough Council. Trees have been replaced in Buckham, Burt, Edward, Queen and Andrew Streets. These have been staked, and are now being painted and tied. ELECTRICAL CONNEXIONS Six extensions and one alteration have been inspected, tested and connected by the electric department of the Rangiora Borough Council during the past month. These increase the total conncted load by 5.470 K.W. The total connected load by 5.470 K.W. The two heating points, two watej- heaters, and one street light. SURPRISE PARTY This .week members of the North Canterbury Football Club paid a surprise visit to the home of Mr Jack Power at Flaxton, who was married recently. On behalf of the club Mr L. I. Hawkins presented him with an electric toaster. Mr Power has been a loyal member of the club for some years. An enjoyable evening was spent with songs and dances. LIBRARY NEWS The Rangiora Free Library has now a total of 1050 readers. During the month the Wellington Public Library sent to Rangiora 102 books, which although used before, are in good condition. They are being mended and repaired by the Rangiora staff and will be placed on the shelves shortly. The interest in the books received from the Government Service has been well maintained oyer the last month, 492 having been issued. In the non-fiction section 172 books were taken out by subscribers, and 2313 fiction books have been issued. This makes a total of 2977 books issued between July 15 and August 15. A new light has been installed over the entrance.