SOUTH OTAGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22505, 25 February 1935, Page 12

SOUTH OTAGO

MILTON Picnics The Tokomairiro Presbyterian Sunday School picnic was held on Saturday at the popular picnic resort of Toko Mouth. The large.party was conveyed by motor buses and private cars, and with the fine weather prevailing an enjoyable time was spent. A sports programme evoked keen competition. With its safe bathing facilities for juveniles and easy ac : cessibility, Lake Waihola is regaining much of its old-time popularity as a picnic resort. _ Milburn School held a successful picnic there ,on Saturday," which was well attended by the pupils and their parents. Lawn Tennis In continuation of the South Otago Association's interclub fixtures a match between Milton Club's No. 2 team and' Kaitangata was played •on the' local courts on Saturday afternoon, which Milton won by six. sets. The following are the scores: —Milton, 11 sets (101 games); Kaitangata, 5 sets (94 games) BALCLUTHA Farmers' Union There was a fair attendance at a .meeting of the Clutha branch of the Farmers' Union, held in the Borough Chambers on Saturday night. Mr Allen Christie was in the chair. It was agreed—" That it be a recommendation from this branch that the office of Dominion president be a rolling one, held alternately each year by a North and South Island representative, and that a vice-president refusing to take_ the office of president when offered to him be compelled to stand down." ', Mr Jensen said that in the new legislation before Parliament they had an example of the way boards were going to be piled on boards in this country, and yet there had never been a word of protest from the provincial executive of the union. He.thought the time was ripe for the dairy farmers of the province to secure representation on the executive.— Mr Alexander Renton said that the branches had themselves to blame, but the members were mostly sheep farmers, and a dairy farmer had small chance of election to the executive. Mr J. Johnston moved that in future branches with 100 or more members have power to elect one member of the provincial executive.—The motion was seconded by Mr Jensen and carried. It was decided, on the motion of Messrs Christie and Anderson, that the secretary write to the Hospital Boards' Association expressing the hope that a workable health insurance scheme would be evolved at the approaching conference at Napier and that the income clause be eliminated. > Discussing the Mortgage Corporation' Bill, the chairman said he agreed with Mr Stallworthy that it would be a great' pity to do away with the State Advances Office. —Mr Jensen spoke of the great help that the State Advances to Settlers had been, and said that the present legislation would create a number of extra civil servants at large salaries, "whose job would be to annoy the farmer," Mr Coates had apparently a passion for creating boards. He also referred to the large proportion of the State advances that had gone to the North Island.—Mr John Christie said that more money had been spent in Auckland province by the present Finance Minister in one year than in the rest of New Zealand.—Mr Alexander; Renton said it was no use in reducing interest to farmers unless the interest was protected. Low interest was all very well for those farmers who remained on their places, but it inevitably led to high land values and land speculation. At Inch Clutha when butter-fat was fetching 2s 8d a lb, some people bought land at such high values that they were paying as mudh as £SOO a year in interest on a small place. He moved that the branch communicate with Mr Coates asking him to insert a clause in the new Bill stabilising land values at the then Government valuation, plus the value of any additional improvements that might be made.—Mr Jensen seconded the motion, which was carried. On the motion of the president it was agreed to communicate with Mr Stall- - supporting him in his efforts to secure the retention of the State Advances to Settlers Department. ; It was resolved to forward to the Railways Board a resolution expressing alarm at the number of lev si crossing fatalities, and stating that in the branch's opinion all level crossings should be abolished. It was resolved to congratulate the Otago Harbour Board on reducing the dues on farm produce. Mr J. Christie said the compulsory closing of the Belfast Freezing Works by order of the Meat Board at the very, height of the season in a time of drought' was amazing.—After discussion, it was resolved—" That this meeting deplores the closing down of the Belfast works, and desires information showing justification for the, board's action." Cricket Competitions

Clutha A defeated Waiwera in the semi-final for the Senior Knock-out Cup at on Saturday. Clutha made 154, top scorers being Swinton (56, retired), Moffat (25), Milne (21), Baxter (14), Gold (11, not out). Bowling for Waiwera, Edwards took three wickets for 37, Neale three for 39, Anderson three for 71. Waiwera replied with 68 (H. Dunn 17, L. Edwards 16, M'Kenzie 15 not out). Milne was Clutha's most successful bowler with four for 12, Swinton two for three, Guest two for 20, Stephens one for 11. South Otago High School, playing against Waihola on the latter's ground, in the final of the B Grade Competition, won by 12 runs. Waihola batted first, and. compiled 109 (Dave Sinclair 24, D. Sinclair 20, A. Sinclair 18). Bowling: Murray three for 33, Green one for 24, Jolly four for 15. Grimshaw two for 13. High School made 121 (Murray 31, Green 14, Grimshaw 14 not out), Bowling: D. Sinclair five for 26, A. Sinclair two for 25, Dave Sinclair one for two, Pickard one for 29.

The B Grade Knock-out Competition was commenced on Saturday afternoon, when Kaitangata B team visited Milton and defeated the local team by 105 runs. The following are the scores:—Milton 78 (J. Hood 33). Kaitangata 183 (Grimshaw 65, Keach 35, Garvin 31, W. Hale 19). J. Hood was the most successful bowler for Milton with' three wickets for 34. For Kaitangata the most successful bowlers were Bennie (four for 15), Tracey (two for 10), and MTVIMan (two for 12).