TAPANUI NEWS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20385, 17 April 1928, Page 6

TAPANUI NEWS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) TAPANUI, April 16. HAM AND EWE FAIR. Messrs Dalgety and Co. held their annual ram and ewe fair on Friday in the local yards. There was a large yarding and a good attendance. The bidding was keen, and almost a complete clearance was made at auction. The following price were realised: — Rams. —For D. Robertson: 5 one-shear Romneys, 9gns; 5 one-shear Romueys, Bign. James Edgar: 21 one-shear Romneys, up to BAgns; 2 four-shear Romneys. 4:}gns. W. A. Baxter: 10 one-shear Romneys, Bgn; 1 one-shear Southdown, sgns. On account various vendors: 100 two, three, and four-shear Romneys, up to 6Agns. , „ Ewes.—Two-tooth ewes made from 29s 6d to 35s sd; four, six, and eight-tooth pwe, 27s Od; sound-mouth ewes, 23s lOd to 25s 8d; full and failing-mouth ewes, 10s 3d to 17s 6d. The sale of the last-men-tioned was slow. Two-tooth wethers, of which there was a large number penned, made from 15s Cd to 20s lid. Mixed-sex lambs sold up to 265. RUGBY FOOTBALL. The first football match for the season was played on the local ground on Saturday, when the local team met a team from Miller's Flat. The Latter was easily the better team, and won by 11 poinst (two tries, one converted, and a penalty goal) to 6 points . (two penalty cro ft Is / The'Rev. A. L. Canter ably controlled the game. In the evening the visitors were entertained at a smoke social. WEST OTAGO SUB-UNION. The annual meeting of the West Otago Sub-union was held on Thursday evening at Kelso, when Mr J. S. Varcoe (president) was in the chair, and there were present the following delegates:—Messrs R. Wilson, W. B. Naylor, T. M'Donald, A. M'Kinnon, R. Corcoran, Dr H. N. Johnson, and J. Reid. ■ In moving the adoptiou of the annual report and balance sheet, the Chairman said that in every respect the seaon had been a successful one, and the balance sheet, with a credit balance of £ll4 5s lid; showed that there were no financial difficulties to face, and the union could give its undivided attention to furthering the interests of the game. The report and balance sheet were adopted. The following office-bearers were elected:—President. Mr T. M'Donald; vice-president, Mr R. Wilson; Emergency Committee—Messrs A. M'Kinnon, George Richards, and J. S. Varcoe; selectorsMessrs W. Corcoran, A. M'Kinnon, and T. D. Johston; secretary, Mr S. Slater; auditor, Mr T. L. Floyd; delegate to conference of country sub-unions, Mr J. o. "Varcoe. Mr J. D. Edgar, the sub-union's delegate to the annual meeting of the Otago Rugby Football Union, presented his report, which stated, inter alia, that the district had boon, fully represented at the meeting. There had been a good deal of dis; cussion on the question of insurance' o.c players, which appeared to be the bugbear of the Otago Rugby Football Union as well as of other unions. He had been unable to obtain a satisfactory reply to the question'• of insurance that he had been instructed to inquire upon. Apparently the accident insurance fund in Dunedin Ttm not under the jurisdiction of the OinRugby Football Union, but was administered by a special committee, the players themselves contributing to the fund. The opinion was expressed that all players should see that they were either insured privately or covered bv the fund. The Otago Rngbv Football Union had put forward the suggestion that, in the interests of the game, country teams should invite town teams to play matches with thorn on off dates. A conference, of country delegates had been held, and it was agreed that the eame country week programme would be again carried out. It was also decided that a further meeting be held; at: Alexandra to arrange dates for the annual sub-union fixtures and tournaments. Mr Edcrar was thanked for his report and for the services he had rendered to the sub-union. , The following transfers were granted:— R. B. Whitehead. Pioneer to Heriot; J. D. Wraight, Kaikoura to Kelso. The transfer of J. Rush. Alhambva to Heriot, was granted subject to confirmation by letter. The' opening day was fixed for Saturday, May 5. PERSONAL.

Dr F. Hilgendorf, of Lincoln College, and Mr A. S. Duff, instructor in agriculture for Central Otago, visited the district on Thursday last in connection with improvements in pasture grasses by selec-; tion. that is, in regard to permanency,, feeding value, habit of growth, early maturity, drought resistance, frost hardiness, and disease resistance, especially in regard to rust fungus disease. As far as this district is concerned an experimental plot has just been laid down on the property of Mr Stuart Sim, Crookston. This particular plot is wholly devoted to the advancement of cocksfoot. The experiment will be carried on over a period of about two to three years, when selections will be made of suitable individual plants from which stock seed will be raised. Similar experiments are being carried out on other grasses, for example, perennial ryegrass on the Galloway experimental area under the supervision of Mr Duff, and also at the Seacliff Mental Hospital farm. On Friday Dr Hilgendorf left for the north. Mr Duff returned to his home at Alexandra. Mr R. A. Rodger, who spent the Easter holidays in tho district, left for Wellington on Friday, Miss M'Crae, the newly-appoinjed assistant to the secondary department. of the local district High School, commenced her duties on Wednesday. Miss G. K. Dunne, who has been permanently appointed dental nurse to the Tuapeka district schools, will assume her duties at the Tapanui dental clinic at the end of the month. Miss Sutherland, State _ Forest Service, who has been officially visitimr the local plantations, left on Friday for Christchurch. Mr J. It. Wylie is at present on a visit to Christehurch and the West Coast. THE WEATHER.

On Friday afternoon, after threatening for some days, we experienced a good heavy rain, and again on Sunday there was another good downpour, which will dp an immense amount of good, but more rain is required to soak the ground in order to allow the fanners to plough in their stubble ground, which at present is too hard for tho plough.