COUNTRY NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23442, 5 March 1938, Page 20

COUNTRY NEWS

TEMUKA The National Party Taking the first opportunity to. fulfil a long-standing promise to deliver addresses to the women's branches of the National Party in the Temuka electorate. Mr T. D. Burnett, M.P., addressed the women's branch of the party on Wednesday afternoon. Mrs J. Acland presided. Mr Burnett said that the issue at the election was clear cut — State Socialism v. private enterprise. L return of the present Government to power would mean an ever-increasing proportion of the nationalisation of land, transport, and public credit. As a result of individual enterprise and energy, derived from the instinct of home-making among the early settlers. New Zealand had become the envy of travellers and others as one of the most prosperous democratic countries in the world, and the country in its present state was a memorial to the efforts of the early pioneers. Was New Zealand likely to discard that social system, which had given such magnificent results, for one of a purely Socialist system and partaking of the character of Continental Socialism? Mr .Burnett asked. He was positive that the averaga man and woman of to-day would give a decided negative answer. Mr Burnett duew attention to the grave issues at stake and the extraordinary interest evinced by the people from one end of the Dominion to the other, and particularly the interest the women folk were taking already in the forthcoming contest, although it was still some distance off. "In my opinion," he said, " there are five factors which are making the average woman voter ,sprint to her feet to join in the campaign—(l) the ever-increasing cost of living, and of all materials required for farming and manufacturing purposes: (2) the dragooning of business and industry by an army of inspectors to regiment them into .what would, if they were not particularly careful, ultimately develop into State control; (3> > compulsory unionism and compulsory contribution to political funds; (4) the number of ' passengers' carried by the people in these days of loudly-pro-claimed times of prosperity and the which the people were taxed to the extent of £5,000,000 per annum; (5) the abuse of 'Saturday off,' with the diversion of relief pay to things never contemplated by the At the close of his address Mr Burnett wai accorded a hearty vote of thanks. WAIKOUAITI School Plcnfo An enjoyable picnic was held on Thursday, when a large number of adults and children travelled to Oamaru by special train. The Gardeni were a source of interest and pleasure, and the action of the Borough Coun- * cil in granting permission to use them and also in providing hot water was much appreciated by the committee responsible for the outing. During: the afternoon the chairman (Mr Andrew Fell) was asked by the Mayor of Oamaru to present bouquets to., the oldest woman visitor present (Mrs W. Ward) and to the mother of the largest family present (Mrs D. Shahd. The following we're the results of''the sports events:— Girls (under five years).—Margariet Toomey 1, Ruth Maxwell 2. >i Boys (under five years).—Charlei Scurr 1, John Ward 2. Girls (under seven years).—Winnie McFie 1, Rona Pitt 2. Boys (under seven years).—Reg. Lockart 1, Ernest Phillips 2. Boys .(under eight years) .—George Shand 1, Hector Coutts 2. Girls (under 10 years). Edna Willcqcks 1, Betty Roberts 2. Girls (under 11 years).—Muriel > Tennet 1, Dorothy Pitt 2. Girls (under 12 years).—Jessie McFie 1, Anclrey Welsh 2. Boys (under 12 years).—Allan Ferguson 1, Gordon Coutts 2. ~ Boys (under 10 years).—Jack Heads • I.Pat Toomey 2. Boys (under 13 years).—Alex. McFie 1. Allan Ferguson 2. Girls (under 13 years).—Joan Headi 1. Tui McMurray 2. Boys (under 14 years).—L. Holland 1, George Palmer 2. Boys' Wheelbarrow Race.—Hector Coutts and Allan Palmer 1. Gordon Coutts and lan Leckie 2. Girls' Wheelbarrow Race. Tui McMurray and Betty Shand 1. Jessie McFie and Corrie Shand 2. , Girls' Three-legged Race.—Betty Shand and Jessie McFie 1, Jean Leckie a»id Edna Willocks 2. Boys* Three-legged Race.—Allan Fer : guson and George Palmer 1. Alex McFie and Allan Palmer 2. Boys' Creeping Race (under 10 years).—Laurie Snook 1. Keith Gilchrist 2. , '■'■* Boys' Creeping Race (over. 10 vears).—Alex McFie 1. George Palmer 2. Girls' Creeping Race.—Muriel Tennet 1. Dorothy Pitt 2. Young Women's Race.—Joan Heads 1, Kitty Foley 2. Married Women's Race.—Mrs Mulligan 1, Mrs Austin 2. Committeemen's Race.—A. Fell 1, D. Shand 2.