COUNTRY NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22422, 17 November 1934, Page 18

COUNTRY NEWS

QUEENSTOWN i Rain is wanted very much in this district, as the country is becoming exceedingly dry. Farming operations have been hindered owing to the long period which -has elapsed since there was a steady downpour. Sowing, in some instances, is- still uncompleted. Last night heavy clouds banked up in ■ the northern sky, 'and it was hoped rain was near, but the, (only- relief came in the form of a sharp 'shower lasting but a few minutes. To*day has been very warm again. . The readings taken at the local meteorological station for the seven, days ended November 11 are:—

The Lake County Council held this month’s meeting at Pembroke, Lake Wanaka. This is the first occasion in the history of the county on which a regular meeting of this body has been held away from its headquarters at Queenstown. The departure is being made in . order that members may become better acquainted with the main features of the ridings which they do not represent and may be better able to deliberate on their requirements. The Arrow Cricket Club played a re- ' turn match with Queenstown on the local recreation ground on Saturday. The scores' on a one-innings game were in .Queenstown’s favour, Arrow 'and their opponents compiling 87 for eight wickets.' For the losers J. Jenkins put up :24 . runs, the best bats of the local eleven being J. Miller (32) and P. Lewis pie Queenstown section of the Wakatipu Rifle Club shot a cup match on the local, range on Saturday. A tricky breeze . militated against good scoring. The top seven were:—

MrD. R. Gray, as top scorer, was the 'winner of the Sirason button. Mr R. J. Cotter, whose death occurred ; at North-East Valley, Dunedin, early this month, was a native of Arrowtown. 'being the fourth son of the late Mr and .‘Mrs Richard Cotter, very old settlers. .After receiving his education at St. Patrick’s School, he served an apprenticeship to. the butchery trade with MessrsRomans and Heller. , Subsequently he ;went into partnership with his brother, ; Mr T. J. Cotter, in a etorekeeping and •butchery business, at Bullendale, .this being conducted in conjunction with a storekeeping business acquired in Arrow;town some time later. The deceased also engaged in auctioneering with his brother i until 1912, when a serious breakdown in health compelled him to ' relinquish his business interests. He then removed to Dunedin. He took a prominent part in nearly every district organisation. He was one of the founders of the Lake County A. and P. Society, and was a steward of the Arrowtown Jockey Club. He also served on the Arrowtown Borough Council. Mr Cotter was a great horseman, being considered one of the best amateur nders - on the goldfields. He was a sergeant-major in the old Wakatipu Mounted Rifles. He married a daughter of the late Mr and Mrg E. Perrelle, Arrowtown, and sister of Mr P. de la Perrelle, M.P., Winton. She died many years ago; but he is survived by his son, Mr Frank Cotter, Bank of New South Wales, Sydney, and daughter, Miss Molly Cotter, of Dunedin. Messrs T. J. Cotter and J. J. Cotter, of Christchurch, are brothers. His sisters are Mrs Owen, of North-East Valley, Dunedin; Mrs Shea, of Devonport, Auckland; Mrs Simon Mackenzie, of Timaru; Mrs J. J. M‘Bride, of Queenstown; and Mrs Alexander Hamilton, of Arrowtown. At a special meeting of the Queenstown Borough Council last night it was decided to proceed immediately with the tar-seal-ing of the streets in the main business area. Tenders are being called this week, and it is hoped to have the work earned out before the holidays.' At a special meeting of the Wakatipu branch of the Farmers’ Union, held this week, it was resolved . that the branch should endorse the opinion that the burying of strychnine-poisoned rabbits should be made compulsory. Mr Dickson Jardine has been re-elected president of the Wakatipu Collie Club, and Messrs T. D. Scott and G. Jardine secretary and assistant secretary respectively. The annual trials are to be held on March 14 and 15 next. Mr William M Gibbin, of Signal Hill, Opoho, is revisiting the district. . The Rey. Fred Robertson, of Naikoura, filled the pulpit in St. Andrews Church, Queenstown, on Sunday. Mr Thomas Mathews, agricultural instructor for the Southland Education Board, has been visiting Queenstown, He was accompanied by his wife and small Mr Joseph Metzger, of Bluff, is on holiday in the Arrowtown end of me district, paying visits to his son, Mr George Metzger, at Glencoe Station, and to his daughter, Mrs R. H. Baird, at Mount Soho Station. , . Mr« W. Davidson, who has been absent in Dunedin and Invercargill for the past three months, returned home on SaturRuth Berry, who is attending the Otago 8 University, returned to Queenstown yesterday for the vacation. Mr Alfred Miller, of Opoho, Dunedin, is on a visit to his brother, Mr Joseph Miller, Gibbston. He is accompanied by hl Mrs D Guorge Curie was a passenger tor Invercargill yesterday. _Mr and Mrs Curie are now settling in Queenstown, where they have just built a house. Mr W, D. M'Leod, of Wantwood btation, Mandeville, arrived in the district Woods, of Omarama,were the guests of Dr Ochiltree Ferguson at Arrowtown during the week. Mr R. A. Rodger, of the Land Purchase Board, Wellington and formerly of Tapanui, arrived m the district during the week on a visit to his daughter. Mrs George Metzger, at Glencoe fetation, Crown Terrace. , _ . Mr and Mrs Stanley Arthur, of Dunedin, and their two children are in private residence here on holiday. Mr Arthur’s mother, Mrs Aevill is with th Mre G. Hoffman, of Dunedin,. and Mrs J G. Petrie, of Invercargill, arrived here at the week-end with the intention of Sp £ di y tott’of fc Kailways stall, Dunedin, and Mrs Barnett were among through passengers yesterday. Ihey in tend spending a holiday in Queenstown, where they have a house. Major Mackenzie returned yesterday from Dunedin, via Lumsden and Lake L. Lindsay returned this afternoon from a short visit to Invercargill. Mrs J. J- M'Bride went to Dunedm during the week on account of the death of her brother, Mr K, J. Cotter, NorthE! Mr^nd e Mrs Mackic, of Tapanui, were visitors at Crown Terrace during the week. ALEXANDRA Weather conditions are very warm, and cherries and strawberries are fast ripening A few parcels are being sold locally and realising at least 2 a a punnet. By next week there should be considerably more available, with an easing in prices. The miners employed on the mining scheme locally have not recently located any new reefs. The party employed by reefing work is reported to be meeting with very encouraging returns. Two boring parties for the new dredging companies are busily engaged on both sides of the Molyneux River. . Challenges arc already being received for Jolly Cup bowling matches. The cup is nt present held by the Alexandra Club. A rink from Wanaka played a challenge game on Tuesday afternoon, but the local club retained the cup by 26 points to 15. The next challenge is from Clyde. The influenza, which has been prevalent in the district for some time, is showing no signs of abatement. Miss Fitzgibbon, director of Plunket Nursing, is at present on a visit to the district.

Mr J. Hannay, of the Bank of New Zealand staff at Tapanui, is at present spending his annual leave with his Pa The quarterly -meeting of the Central Otago Presbytery, was. held at Alexandra on Thursday of last week, the moderator (the Rev. W. J. Bevis) presiding. ’ Notification was received that the Rev. ’ J.. S. Murray, formerly of Queenstown, had been inducted into the charge: of Kel-, burn, Wellington, on October 4. ihe moderator presented the report or the Bible class rally held at Alexandra on Labour Day the banners Tor the various fixtures were. won by Cromwell senior and Alexandra junior. The clerk _ reminded ministers that new commissions for presbytery elders would be needed from each parish. Consideration w given to the question of publishing the book, "The History of the Presbyterian Church in Central Otago,” by the late Rev. A. Don, and the presbytery de-cided-to publish, the work. APP v ? reference , was made -to the excellent work Mr Don had done in writing the book. ■ PALMERSTON Mr A. M. Cochrane and Miss Cochrane placed their beautiful garden at the disposal of the Busy Bees of the Palmerston Presbyterian Church for their annual sale. ' The Mayor (Mr W. B. Galloway), in opening the sale, commented on the high quality of the Busy Bcgs* work* Local farmers take more than, a passing interest in the North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association’s show. Exhibiting for the first time at Oamaru, Messrs C. R. Smith and Sons, the Bushey breeders, have taken all the awards, including championship ribbons, in the Romney Marsh class, but Mr D. J, Ross, of Hillgrove, has obtained a greater list of successes than any other breeder from this district. He provided the best display of the breed for some-years in the Corriedale class, won the championship and several others honours against keen competition in the Dairy Shorthorn class, and also secured prizes for his horses. LAWRENCE At a meeting of the Lawrence Committee of the Labour Party Mr H. K. Edie was selected as the party’s candidate to contest the _ Central Otago_ seat at nexi general election. Mr Edie is the second son of Mr John Edie, who at one time held the Bruce seat.Weather conditions here are exceptionally good for the time of the year. Practically no rain hag fallen so far this month, and farmers would welcome a good shower to freshen pastures and soften the ground, which in some places is unworkable at present. ROXBURGH Excellent weather has been experienced here for some time. On occasions it has been as hot as raid-summer, and a good fall of rain would be very beneficial Early fruits are being harvested, and in a week full supplies of cherries and strawberries should be going forward to the markets. The monthly meeting of the Teriot Electric Power Board was held on Wednesday. Dr Gilmour occupied the chair, and Messrs Michelle, George Waigth and Macdonald were also present. Accounts amounting to £1468 6s 3d were passed for payment. A large portion of this consists of interest payments on debentures handed in for conversion. Revenue for the month amounted to £1054 18s. The foreman reported that the maximum load had been 700 kw. The machines and plant were in good order. Four motors from 3 h.p. to 10 h.p. had been installed during the month. Other installations included 28 lights, one G.P. point, two heating points and one freezer. The secretary reported that the conversion of the boards’ loans was proceeding very satisfactorily, and only a few remained unreturned. New debentures will be funded immediately. Arrange-, ments had been made to raise a short loan to pay the premiums. Messrs Milne, Bremnor, Ltd., of Dunedin, wrote with, reference to the supply of power to , the new hotel at Raes Junction. The foreman submitted an estimate of building a line from the present terminus to the hotel, a distance of approximately three miles, and on the basis of the board’s charges it was decided that a minimum revenue of £lO5 would be required. This would be paid by. those connecting to the line. The Central Otago Power Board wrote with reference to advance payments for power, and this was accepted. The balance sheet for the past year, ending March 31, was submitted to the meeting. It contained the usual tag in regard to that part of the depreciation fund not funded. It was decided to write to the Audit Department for details of the matters to which exception had been taken. The balance sheet, which was adopted, showed a very satisfactory position, the year’s operations resulting in a profit of £603. Accumulated profits now stand at £2044. The total receipts of the income and expenditure account amounted to £6095, and expenditure £2160, leaving a gross profit of £3935. From this was paid—interest £2574, sinking fund £555, and depreciation fund £202, leaving a net profit of £603. The capital account shows an expenditure of £56,178, of which £53,900 is loan account and £2278 expended out of revenue. The depreciation fund reserve is £2187, sinking fund reserve £6230.

a |Bar. (corrected). a ll Wet bulb Tber. fe' e i % 1 | _ . i 1 « | £ ■i M

Not. 5 30.030 61.0 47.8 61.2 30.6 30.6 — 10.5 6 30.180 63.0 48.2 66.6 .43.8 34.8 — 10.1 r 30.300 63.0 49.2 68.0 42.2 30.4 — 10.6 s 30.230 57.4 49.0 .69.2 44.4 33.6 — 9 30.024 66.0 65.0 71.0 48.2 33.4 — 12.7 10 29.898 01.8 52.2 71.8 44.8 33.2 — 11.3 u 29.712 66.0 62.2 62.2 50.6 40.6 — 2.8

300 500 600 yds. yds. yds. Tl. •n. N.'. Gray .. .. 30 33 27 — 90 L. C. Veint .. .. 31 20 28 — 88 'A; Siin.wn .. 22 25 30 — 77 H. Harris .. .. .. 20 25 31 ~ 76 ■ R. N. Grant .. ■ 29 22 24 — 75 ;o. Hansen .. 24 23 25 — 72 1e. J. Buckham .. 26 21 18 — 65