MIDDLEMARCH NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16980, 17 April 1917, Page 7

MIDDLEMARCH NOTES

(From a Correspondent.) MIDDLKMARCH, April 16. Last -week a canvass of tho Middlemarch district to secure fluids for tho carrying forward of the war-timo schemes of tho Y.M.C.A. was undertaken by Mr Black, of the society, who was assisted and introduced to the residDidfi by Mr A. Mackinnon, chairman of the Patriotic Committee, and other prominent gentle-men. Tho result was very ■rratifyin.tr, all classes of tho community responding heartily to tho appeal. On Sunday evening tho amount subscribed was incidentally mentioned by tho Rev. J. Standring in tho course of an appeal for tho home mission fund l of tho Presbyterian Church. Ho said that in tho course of a day or two between £600 and £700 had been secured for tho Y.M.C.A. Thero was plenty of money in the district, as such a generous response to., this splendid organisation testified.

There aro many and loud complaints in tho Strath-Taieri district, which during tho past year or two has become infested with motor cars, against tho excessively glaring and blinding headlights carried, and tho hopo is expressed on all hands that the County Council may intervene in tho publio interest, and compel tho motorists to use softer and less obnoxious lights. Such brilliant lights servo no good purpose in the world, arid' at best they but gratify somo sort of perverted vanity, vvhilo at worst they aro a -very real danger to pedestrians and riders of horses; A milder light would servo tho purpose equally as well, and would not, as at present, blind all peoplo who como within its rays. The evil grows greater daily, for tho cars increase in number and tho lights become more brilliant. So far, the' County Council has not moved in the matter,..but it is hoped that action will bo taken before winter is far advanced, and tho cars running at night time become a real menace to the safety of tho non-motoving public. That there is a 'boom in the black polled Aberdeen Angus breed of cattle is evident by tho great demands that aro being made upon tho famous Giadbrook stud' herd. Very many sales of bulls and cows havo taken place of lato months to buyers from the. North Island and Austrab'a, who have since written testifying to tho satisfaction tho animals have given. A week or so ago 12 stud cows, with their calves, were despatched to tho North Island, and a large consignment of bulls is already ordered, and will shortly bo desmtched. So groat indeed is the demand that the largo stud herd is put to it to fulfil all orders. Thero is a similar heavy demand from many quarters for tho Giadbrook stud rams, Romneys, Border Loicesters, and Cbrriedales, and seldom havo ITieso stud animals, cattle and sheep, appeared in such fine condition as now, after long months of a rich and bounteous summer and autumn.

With the multiplying of motor cars in the district, motor accidents promise to become a common occurrence. About a week ago. whilo Mr Eric Hansen, with two friends, •was motoring 1 from Middlcmareh to Outram an accident, occurred on a dangerous part of tho road near Sutton. One of the wheels broke down, and the ear was scmcvrhat badly damaged, but the occupants escaped with trivial injuries. On Sunday night an accident occurred at tho Middlemarch Presbyterian Church, tho motor cars belonging to and driven by Messrs Ralph and Archibald Soorgie and Mr Bailey, tho Shannon, coming into violent collision. Again the cars suffered damage, and were put out- of action, but tho drivers fortunately escaped.