COUNTRY NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23491, 4 May 1938, Page 16

COUNTRY NEWS

PALMERSTON Farmers’ Union v The annual meeting of the Palmerston branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union was held on Friday night, Mr J. Purvis presiding over a fair attendance of members. The balance sheet and chairman s annua! report were adopted. The election of officers for the ensuing year resulted as follows; —President, Mr J. Purvis; vice-presidents, Captain Berkeley and Mr D. McKnight; secretary, Mr D, Clearwater; auditor, Mr W. B. Galloway: member for the Provincial Council, Mr C. Hallunn. The president and vice-presidents were delegated to attend the- Provincial Conference. It was also decided to draw up a syllabus for the current year, and that letters of thanks be sent to the Women’s Division and to the Waihemo County Council. The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the chair. Borough Council A meeting of the Borough Council was held on Monday evening, the Mayor (Mr W. B. Galloway) presiding. Councillors Earley, McGregor Fastier, Thomas, Hopkins, Riddle, and Ross were in attendance. Building permits submitted to the Census and Statistics Department and building operations to the Labour Department were approved. The Ladies’ Hockey Club wrote applying for use of the Recreation Grounds on Tuesdays and Saturdays. ■—Granted upon the same conditions as last year. The foreman’s report, which detailed the work done to streets and water channels, etc., during the month was adopted. Four men are now • engaged under scheme No. 13, and 12 under scheme No. 5. The chairman of the Works Committee submitted a report upon the state of works, the report being adopted. It was suggested that the Otago Electric Power Board be approached with a view to obtaining a reduction in street lighting charges and the consequent installation of further lights, and that the Public Works Department be asked to reduce the power of blasting charges while removing the embankment in Tiverton street. The report of the Water Committee was adopted. Recommendations regarding repairs to the reservoir fence were made to the incoming committee. The report of the. Hall Committee upon lighting charges, was received. The committee' was empowered to draw up conditions and enter .- agreement for the lease of' picture screening rights, and’ also to havo alterations made to the picture sctefen. The Health report';was adopted, and ‘lt waahdecided removal of ashes be carried'out .’bimonthly during the -winter; Uhj The chairman of the Finance. Committee submitted a rspogrt-: uport the achievements of,The-council’ its term, of office, and the. fiJhgace, .report for the month. Accounts amounting to £421 12s 7d (borough) and £96 9s 3d (athenaeum) were passed for payment. The Mayor thanked the retiring council for its co-operation during his term of office. Crs Earley, Fastier, Thomas,,, and Hopkins reciprocated. THE ATHENAEUM The following is the annual report submitted, by the- Athenseum, Committee:—The athenaeum has now a membership of 205—an increase over last year. Subscriptions have reached the record level of £BB Is, this being an increase of approximately’ £lB over last year. The sum of £9O 12s 5d has been expended in the purchase of books and magazines during the year. Subscribers will see that all subscriptions have been expended in new books, etc. Four hundred and thirtyseven new books were purchased during the year, 370 having now been put into circulation. This is an increase of 85 books compared with last year’s figures. ' MIDDLEMARCH g: School Baths The Strath-Taieri School Baths Bazaar Committee met in the .school on Saturday evening to make .final arrangements for the grand bazaar, which is to be held in the A. and P. Hall on Friday and Saturday. The meeting was presided over by Mr James Howell (chairman of the committee), and it was agreed to leave the matter of erecting stalls in the hands of the Ladies’ Committee, under Mrs McDonald. The secretary reported that a permit had been granted from the Minister of Internal Affairs to'hold the usual number of. raffles, etc., and Messrs G. Gillespie and M. A. Matheson were appointed to carry out the drawings under the supervision of Constable Hall. It was decided that, the bazaar be opened at 2 ’p.m. on Friday and continue throughout the evening, that it be reopened again on Saturday afternoon, and that a dance be held in the evening. The Peat Orchestra has been engaged for the , dance and Mr ,F. Beattie as M.C. The committee hopes to have the school baths opened free of debt, - : ■: y y * Personal ” ” '

Mr and Mrs Farrant are leaving the district towards the end of the week to take residence in Mosgiel, Mr Farrant having been promoted as secondary assistant at the Mosgiel District High School. Mr Farrant has been assistant at the Middlemarch School for the past three years, during which he took an active part in the promotion of the school baths scheme as secretary of the Bazaar Committee. •; Mr and Mrs W. Robson are'- leaving by car at the end of tHe .week .for. a month’s tour of the North) | The Weather ' AS 1 . f ,j I

From the farmers’ point view, the weather during. April has been excellent. Rain fell on 13 days, and there has been an almost complete absence of the usual high winds and frosts. Feed has never been more plentiful at the end of April. The cold snap which was experienced on Friday and Saturday brought the first covering of snow on the top of the Rock and Pillar, and this was followed by a hard frost. The weather is now settled. The daily rainfall for the month was as follows:) April 3,2 points; •5,27 ‘ points; 7,7 points; 13, 3 points; 14, "31,points; 15. 95 points; 17, 1 point; .'2l,' 45 points; 22, 16 points; 25, 7 points; 26, 6 points; 25, 7 points; 26, 6 . points; 29, 50 points; 30, 35 points. A total of 3.25 in fell, compared with l.Slin in 1937 and 1.28 in in 1936. The total rainfall to April 30 was 8.45 in, against 11.44 in in ,1937 and 9.39 in in 1936. WANAKA , Bowling i l > The Wanaka Bowling Club has.held its wind-up for the season, a Mixed Pairs tournament being played. The winners were R. Walker and Mrs McKegg. In the evening a dance, was held, and the trophies won during the season were presented by the vicepresident of the club, Mr T. A. Tait. Rugby Football t * The Wanaka Rugby. fdbtball team played against Tarras on Saturday, and was defeated by 18 points to 0. Both teams showed lack of combination, but this is only to be expected early in the season. It was. however, compensated for by the willingness of the forwards. A. Scaife kicked a penalty goal and T. Templeton and J. Clark scored tries, both being unconverted. Points for Tarras were gained by D. Hamilton (three tries) and W. Hamilton (two). Two tries were converted by Spain. Mr A, Forrester was the referee. ; >