COUNTRY NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23365, 3 December 1937, Page 12

COUNTRY NEWS

TEMUKA Freezing Works Opened The Smithfield and Pareora freezing works commenced operations yesterday morning. The decision to open earlier than usual was made on account of the dry weather. It has been the custom not to commence operations until later in the year. The decision of the freezing companies is welcomed by the farmers, in view of the fact that lambs are likely to deteriorate in condition unless the drought breaks early. WAIMATE Morven Drainage The terms of the £3300 loan involve an increase in the rates payable by those benefiting under the scheme, and as the following day was the last on which the loan was open, the County Council at its meeting decided to conduct an emergency canvass of the ratepayers. The council has telegraphed acceptance of the loan and forwarded a letter to the Minister of Public Works (Mr R. Semple) urging that the drain be constructed in time to cope with the summer floods. It was pointed out that the work could be done expeditiously and economically with the up-to-date plant at present engaged at the airport at Timaru. The member for the district (Mr D. Barnes) was also written to asking his co-operation in having the work pushed ahead.

Savage Club The retiring great chief, Mr N. L. Knell, presided at the annual meeting of the Waimate Savage Club. The annual report and balance sheet, showing a satisfactory credit, were adopted. The election of officers resulted: Great chief, Dr R. G. Shackleton; braves, Messrs D. M. Webster and A. Sawell; scalphunter, Mr A. J. Larnder; scribe, Mr B. S. Runciman; warriors—Messrs George Aitken, Tom Hayman, H. C. Foster, J. Shallcrass, Dr T. W. Wylie; auditor, Mr T. E. Parry; conductor of orchestra, Mr C. E. Manchester. Notice of motion was given to revert to the practice of holding the annual meeting in April. Lawn Tennis

In order to keep a clear Saturday for a representative lawn tennis match with North Otago on December 18, the sixth and seventh rounds of the B and C Grade Competitions have been put forward one week. The sixth round will be resumed on Saturday next instead of on December 11, and th® seventh round will be played o© D»-

cember 11 Instead of December 18. The draw for Saturday is as follows: E Grade: Waimate I v. St. Patrick’s, at St. Patrick’s; High School v. Hunter, at Hunter; St. Paul’s, a bye; Morven v. Makikihi, at Morven; Willowbridge v. Glenavy, at Willowbridge; Waimate II v. Ikawai, at Waimate. C Grade: Morven v. Ikawai, at Ikawai: Studholme v. Waihao Downs,' at Waihao Downs; Makikihi v. Hunter; at Makikihi; St. Patrick’s v. Hook, at Hook. Vita! Statistics The vital statistics for the 11 months ended November 30, 1937, are as follows, the figures for the corresponding period of 1936 being given in.parentheses: Births 116 (131), marriages 49 (50), deaths 63 (64). WAIKOUAITI Bazaar A bazaar, organised by the Women’s Guild of the Presbyterian Church, was held on Wednesday, when an almost complete clearance of the goods for sale was made. Both afternoon and evening sessions had been arranged, but stall-holders had done such a great business during - the afternoon that there was little to attract buyers in the evening, which was devoted : to the carrying out of a number of competitions in which Mrs Jenkins was particularly successful. Stall-holders were: Workstall—Mrs Potts, Mrs Lang and Miss Kenyon; cakes—Mrs Fell, Miss Dunbar; soft drinks and sweets, Misses Ferguson; produce—Mrs McClynmnt and Misses E. and F. McDougail; miscellaneous, Misses E. McDougail and F. Johnson; kitchen stall, Mrs Nichol; tea room stall—Mesdames Bell, Steedman, Sandford, McGill and Misses McKilwrick. Maxwell and Harkness. MIDDLEMARCH School Baths A meeting of the Middlemarch School Baths’ Committee was held in the school on Monday evening, and was presided over by the chairman (Mr J. Howell). Mr V, r . J. Keast (chairman of the Dental Clynic) was present, and submitted proposals on behalf of the clinic whereby a united effort could be made to secure the necessary funds for both schemes. —It was agreed to cooperate with the dental clinic on the lines suggested. A report was received from Mr F. Howell, district representative on the Taieri County Council, regarding the possibility of closing certain roads in the county in order to organise motor races to raise funds, to the effect that under the Act the council had no power to close roads for such purposes. A reply was received from the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr W. E. Parry) in which it was pointed out that the proceeds from art unions were not available for school bath purposes, as they were purely for the relief of distress. It was suggested, however, that a local raffle would be permissible under certain conditions. Further communications were received from the Employment Department regarding the number of men to be placed on the job. Owing to the difficulty of securing accommodation, it was agreed that 16 men would be sufficient to finish the work before the frost set in. The question of water supply was discussed at length, and it was finally agreed that a request be made to the Otago Education Board to make an application to the Warden’s Court for the right of a 3-inch pipe water supply from March Creek. The estimate of the Otago Education Board’s engineer of £368 15s for the material necessary to complete the baths was received. Rainfall The rainfall for the month of November was 116 points, which is 174 points less than for the same month last year. The total for the 11 months was 18.90 inches, which is 2.12 inches less than for the same period last year. It is most unfortunate that, although the beginning of the year was so wet, during the growing months—-September, October, and November —only 254 points of rain were recorded. Rain is badly needed at the present time, as everything is at a standstill except shearing, which is in full swing. The daily rainfall for November was as follows: —November 1, 14 points; November 9, 18 points; November 16, 23 points: November T 7, 13 points; November 18, 5 points; November 19, 36 points: November 25, 7 points. EASTERN SOUTHLAND Vital Statistics The following are the vital statistics for Gore for the month of November, with the figures for the same period last year in parentheses:—Births 19 (15), deaths 9 (11), marriages 5 (3). The figures for the 11 months of the year are as follows: —Births 173 (159). deaths 92 (94). marriages 65 (85). Building Permits Nine building permits were issued by the Gore Borough Council during the month of November, valued at £3045, compared with six permits to the value of £2460 for last November. The total, for the eight months of the borough financial year is now £33,459, compared with £42,000 for the same period last year, £32,055 in 1935, and £16,334 in 1934. Old Building Demolished A reminder of the days when East Gore, now a residential suburb, was a thriving commercial township is provided by the demolition of an old dwelling in Nelson street, which was originally part of a building known as McKay’s Hall, the first hall to be erected in the district. Although the actual date of the erection of McKay’s Hall is not available, it is thought that it was built about the year 1867. when the first building took place in the township. The hall was originally owned by a Mr McKay, from whom it derived its name. With the decline of East Gore as a commercial centre and its growth as a residential suburb, the popularity of McKay’s Hall began to wane, and in 1889 the then owner, Mr N. Hayes, deemed it advisable to turn the building to more useful purposes. The hall was halved and re-erected as two separate units to serve as residences. No new timber was used in the reconstruction, and the main supports in the house now being demolished are as sound as the day they were erected 70 years ago.