COUNTRY NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23055, 4 December 1936, Page 16

COUNTRY NEWS

BALCLUTHA Personal Mr Denis M'Lure, who has been assistant in the chemist's shop of Mr A. J. Henderson for the past four years and a-half, will leave on Monday for Timaru, where he will take up a position with the United Friendly Societies' Dispensary. Local Rainfall '- That November was a wet month locally is shown by the figures from the rain gauge at the Post Office, which recorded a fall of 3.65 in, as compared with 2.79 in for November last year. Cricket

The following players have been chosen to represent South Otago in the country week matches to be played in Dunedin on December 9, 10, and ll:-*-W. Hawke, J. Kane (Milton). W. Hampton, W; Parker, H. Stewart, Espie (Kaitangata), J. Nimmo, L. Guest, A. K. Baxter, A. Stewart, A. Plew (Clutha), L. Dunn (Waiwera).

River Falling The Molyneux continues to fall slowly but steadily, and much of the low-lying flooded land is now clear.

Australian Lamb-raising Mr James Crutchley, who has been in New South. Wales and Victoria fat lamb buying for the export firm of Sims, Cooper, and Co., has returned to Balclutha. He stated yesterday that the Australian season opened badly owing to heavy rains, but finished remarkably well. He was impressed with the quality of the lambs produced in the Riverina, and is of the opinion that Australia is destined before long to be a serious rival to New Zealand in the British market. MILTON Cricket The following have been selected to represent Milton Club's A team in the shield match against Owaka on the local Domain Ground to-morrow afternoon:—W. Hawke, W. Heads, H. Heads, J. Kane, H. Collings, F. Bowie, F. Marryatt, A. Taylor, R. Hood, S. Herbert, and T. Roberts. Milton B will default to Clinton on the latter's ground owing to inability to raise a team. Personal A number of alterations in the personnel of the teaching staff at the Toko High School will become effective at the Christmas break-up. Mr R. A. M'Gregor, first'assistant in the Secondary Department, has been appointed to a similar position in the Cromwell District High. School. In the Primary Department staff Mr A. R. Webster will leave to take up an appointment as sole teacher at Livingstone, and will be succeeded locally by Miss Marshall, at present acting as relieving teacher. Miss Pennington resigns from the board's service owing to her approaching marriage, and will be succeeded by Miss M'Queen, at present teaching at Lovell's Flat. The Rainfall The official rain gauge recordings in Milton show a total rainfall during November of 4.37 inches. There were 20 rain days, and the heaviest rainfall (1.36 inches) fell on November 25. For the corresponding month last year the total rainfall was 3.38 inches, on 18 days.

Vital Statistics The registrations at the Milton Post Office for the Tokomairiro district during November, with figures for the corresponding month last year in parentheses, were:—Births 3 (2), Marriages 2 (1), deaths 3 (4). Milton Summer Show Excellent entries have been received for the Tokomairiro Farmers' Club's seventy-first summer show to-morrow, and the number of entries in all stock classes and competitions (433) are in excess of last year's show. The entries in the cattle classes are particularly strong, whilst some first-class draught horses by Clarksville breeders have been entered, and should provide fine fields. The entries in the sheep classes disclose a slight decrease, but in the jumping and other competitive events the entries are more numerous than during recent years, and include well-known exhibitors from Dunedin. also Taieri, Bruce, and Clutha counties.

With a continuance of the present welcome spell of fine weather, a large attendance of the public is anticipated.

Toko High School The monthly report presented by the headmaster (Mr J. MTntyre) at the meeting of the Toko High School Committee showed that the average attendance of pupils in the Secondary Department during the past month totalled 23.4 from the roll number of 25 pupils. The average attendance in the Primary Department was 250 from a roll number of 263. Swimming classes had been conducted by Mr D. C. Bannatyne (Dunedin), also demonstrations and instruction given by the Australian champion swimmers. Messrs Fleming and O'Connor. The pupils had been examined by the school nurse, and Dr Stevenson had paid a visit to select pupils to attend the South Otago Health Camp at Pounawea. PUKETERAKI Farewell Social A farewell social and dance was held in the Puketeraki Hall on Friday lasi to bid farewell to Mr Reginald Tubman, who is leaving the district to take up a position with the Railways Department. The greater part of the evening was spent in dancing, and songs by Mrs W. Caldwell (Karitane) and Mr Penno (Merton) were enthusiastically applauded. On behalf of the residents of the district and of the many friends of the guest of the evening from Merton, Mr Roughan spoke of the popularity enjoyed by Mr Tubman, and expressed regret in losing him from the district, and in making a presentation of a travelling rug hoped it would always remind him of the many happy days spent in Puketeraki. On behalf of the Puketane Men's Club, Mr P. M'Beath spoke of the very prominent part Mr Tubman took in the social activities of the district, and, in asking him to accept an expanding suitcase, hoped it would always remind him of the many friends he made as a member of the club. Mr Jack Vickers, of Karitane, and Mr Boles, of Merton, also spoke of many happy experiences and associations with the guest. Mr Tubman thanked the various speakers, and gave an assurance that he would always carry many happy recollections of the days spent in Puketeraki.

KUROW

Waitak! Collie Dog Club The fifty-first annual meeting of the Waitaki Collie Dog Club was held on November 21 in the Hakataramea Hall. Mr R. W. Trotter (president) presided. Included in the correspondence was a letter from the Health Camp Campaign soliciting assistance. It was decided to give £2 15s, sufficient to support one child at the camp. Mr Menzies was elected president. Mr B. H. Wilkinson was re-elected secretary, with Mr R. W. A. M'Auley assistant secretary. Mr A. H. Chapman, jun., was appointed to take charge of the social matters in connection with the trials. Messrs R. G. Smith and J. Grant were added to the committee. Mr R. W. Trotter was elected an honorary life member of the club. It was decided that the 1937 trials would commence on Monday, April 12, and that the first two days should be devoted to local classes; the local maiden competitors' day was instituted two years ago, and to such an extent had the local competitors patronised the classes that last year many competitions had to be cut out. With two days for the local men at the next trials all competitors should be catered for. The programme for the main events is the same as last year. The club's delegate, Mr A. H. Chapman, reported the doings of the association during the year. He was thanked for his report and re-elected delegate. Mr R. W. A. M'Auley was elected as second delegate, when required. The membership is now 164. MIDDLEMARCH Bowl ins The first round of the triangle competitions between Naseby, Ranfurly, and Middlemarch Bowling Clubs took place on the Middlemarch green on Saturday afternoon between Ranfurly and Middlemarch. two rinks each, and resulted in a win for the Middlemarch players. The scores were as follows: Ranfurly: Bell, Mullins, Chisholm, and M'Namara 22. Middlemarch: Kean, Slater, Mitchell, and Murray 16. Ranfurly: Jones, Kearney, Coppees, Beatty 8. Middlemarch: Tisdale, M'Lennan, Gunion, and Hall 25. Totals: Middlemarch. 41; Ranfurly, 30. Weather The weather during the month of November was most satisfactory from the farmers' point of view, and the rainfall of 290 points for the month constitutes a record for the corresponding months for the last six years. Shearing has been kept back considerably during the end of the month, but the weather has now improved, and attention is again concentrated on shearing. The district is certainly looking at its best, and the prospects for the turnip crops at present, which are now being hand-thinned where labour is procurable, were never better. The area under grain, especially wheat, is considerably less than in former years, and it is also apparent that lucerne crops, which previously used to be cut and harvested, is now being grazed with stock. Feed for dairy stock is abundant, but whether the flush of feed is being reflected in che quality of the cream, the fact is that cream grading is perplexing and hard to follow at the present time. The daily rainfall for the month was as follows:—lst, 10 points; 7nd, 5 points; 3rd, 15 points; 6th, 6 points; 7th, 5 points; 11th, 7 points; 16th, 5 points; 25th. 113 points; 26th. 36 points; 27th, 28 points—a total of 290 points on 10 days, bringing the total for the 11 months up to 21.02 inches, which is a record for the same period during the last six years.

Louisa Roberts Hospital At the monthly meeting of the Louisa Roberts Hospital Committee, which was held at the hospital on Wednesday evening, the chairman (Mr F. Howell), on behalf of the committee, accepted from Mr'Downs Roberts, of Gladbrook, an enlarged photograph of the late Sir John Roberts. The chairman expressed the pleasure of the committee in receiving the gift, and referred in appreciative terms to the kind consideration of the late Sir John Roberts, through whose foresight and generosity the hospital was acquired for the use of the district. The photograph now hangs in the main entrance, beside one of Lady Roberts, a previous gift to the committee.