COUNTRY NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22999, 30 September 1936, Page 16

COUNTRY NEWS

QUEENSTOWN A wintry week-end has been experienced in this district. Heavy rain on Saturday night was quite unexpected, following, as it did, on a very fine day.-’ Sunday was wet, and snow fell on the ranges, which are now carrying a fairly heavy coat of snow. Conditions have improved considerably today, but low temperatures prevail. Guides’ Concert The Queenstown Company of Girl Guides held their annual entertainment in the Garrison Hall on Friday evening, when the public accorded it fitting patronage. The programme presented was of a varied character, embracing Guide choruses, pianoforte and vocal solos, dances, and playettes. The enrolment of new members was also an interesting and encouraging feature. Miss Jean Moffat, whose services were generously given in the direction of the musical portion of the programme, also proved a very efficient accompanist. The Mayor said a few words at the interval, expressing the hope that the interest shown by the public in the Guide movement would increase as time went on, and that the membership would correspondingly improve. Football

A most entertaining and spectacular football match took place on the local recreation ground on Saturday afternoon, when local "has-beens” met a team from present senior players in a benefit for the ground improvement fund. The members of the first-named fifteen, styled the “Mystery” team, were masked and goggled and bewhiskered, and they drove in the big procession in a bullock-drawn vehicle. The bovine quartet bore the names of past and present political leaders—Forbes and Coates, and Savage and Semple. The members of the club fifteen disported themselves in feminine attire and bore fictitious names on their backs. Naturally enough, the little comedy that was staged drew a great crowd of spectators, and by the time the procession to the recreation ground was well under way—led, by the way, by the Queenstown Municipal Band—the numbers swelled to still bigger proportions. The match itself provoked much amusement, for, though the older players put up a good fight for the honours, they could not be blamed for puffing at times like the proverbial grampus. The game ended B—3 against them. Miners’ Association There was a representative attendance at the annual meeting of the Lake County Miners’ Association Held at the week-end and presided over by Mr W. H. Overton. The report disclosed satisfactory functioning of the association during the year, also the favourable operation of claims that had been assisted from the special fund. Loans totalling £2Ol had been advanced during the year. The executive expressed the hope that a larger membership would be registered during the ensuing year so that the association would be strengthened to a point when its representations regarding desirable reforms would have greater weight. The general account showed a deficiency of £4 3s lid and the special account a credit of £52 9s 2d. Office-bearers elected were:—Presl-, dent, Mr W. H. Overton; vice-presi-' dents—Messrs L. J. Lynch, P. T. Lynch, and James Shaw; secretary, Mr C. M, Inglis; hon. auditor, Mr W. D. Warren; executive—Messrs A. Boyd, J. Reed, J. Hamilton, R. M'Gregor, D. Wheeler, J. Thompson, jun., and J. H. Douglas. The secretary’s honorarium was fixed at £5 and the annual subscription at 2s 6d. “The meeting instructed the secretary to write to Mr P. Webb asking that he visit the district as soon as he can possibly find it convenient 1 to do so. Lake County Council At the recent meeting of the Lake County Council members expressed their sympathy with the chairman. Cr Leo Lee, ih the death of his brother. Mr Robert Lee, Anderson’s Bay. The Department of Lands and Survey advised that the town of Frankton (situate on Frankton Flat) had been replanped with a view to placing Crown sections on the market in the near future. Provision had been made for ample recreation areas as well as for an extensive lakeside reserve of 26 acres. At the south end of the flat there would also be a scenic reserve covering 14 acres. The sections had been increased to 32 poles each, and the streets shown on the original map, as well as the street names, had been retained.—The council decided to recommend to the department that some of the streets be renamed after worthy district settlers; also, that street corners be rounded so as to reduce the danger of accident to traffic.

A plan of the proposed aerodrome at Frankton was submitted by the Lands Department, and the council approved the closing of all streets thereon with the exception of Northumberland str66t The" Mayor of Dunedin having circularised the council in regard to organisation in certain areas in connection with the New Zealand centenary in 1940, it was considered that it would be advisable for the county and the two internal boroughs to co-operate in whatever commemorative plans were formulated. Conversations to this end were finally decided on. The clerk was instructed, to advise the Otago Expansion League that the council was not in a nosition to make it any grant towards its funds. The council approved the subdivision of sections 1-5. part section 2, block 111, Lower Wanaka, the property of the Otago Presbyterian Church Board; but it could not agree to the subdivision of section 14, block XXV, Pembroke, as'it would not accord with a future town-planning scheme. The council approved the appointment of Mr G. Grant as assistant clerk. In reply to a question asked by the member for Kingston Riding the chairman stated that the proposals affecting the erection of three bridges in the Garston district as well as the straightening of the road near William Gordon and Sons’ property were held up pending action by the Main Highways Board. Lakes Acclimatisation Society A largely-attended meeting of members of the Lake District Acclimatisation Society was held here dn Thursday evening to receive the report of the delegates who attended the conference of acclimatisation societies convened by the Otago Society for the purpose of discussing the matter of the amalgamation of societies or absorption of some of the smaller organisations by the larger city societies. The report was taken in committee, following which motions were passed in open meeting, these being in effect that a letter be sent to the Otago Society stating that the Lakes Society is not prepared to do anything in the matter of amalgamation, and that a comprehensive report be drawn up setting out what the activities of the society are and giving reasons why it should not be absorbed. Personal Mr and Mrs Ron Mac Lean, of Nokomai, are paying a short visit to the latter’s mother, Mrs P. M'Corrmck, Closeburn-Station. Mrs Smith, of Arrowtown, was a passenger to Invercargill on Saturday. She has gone down for the marriage of her daughter, Marjorie, to Mr D. Baird, which takes place shortly. Mr A. Simson returned on Friday from a short visit to Dunedin. Mr and Mrs W. Collins, of Kurow, are making a short stay with the former's parents, Mr and Mrs J. S. Collins. Mrs James Burnett, of Halfway Bay Station, went during the week to Christchurch, where Mr Burnett is ill in a private hospital. Mrs J. M'Carthy returned.on SaturMrs A. H. Cook and Miss Margery Cook are spending a week in Dunedin. Mr B. V. Wright spent Dominion Day week-end in Dunedin.