MERTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2675, 21 June 1905, Page 39

MERTON.

June 16 — Once again winter is with us, with < its nipping frosts and chilly winds. How cheerless and bare everything looks — i-he leafless trees like skeletons of the dead summer, the grey clouds hang low in the sky, and over ] all the land broods a silence, while Nature ■ rests and sleeps. Agricultural.— Ploughing and threshing is < the order of the day here at present. Veiy ■ littie^is doing in the way of rabbit trapping. Be the trap scrapes ever so inviting, bunny thinks a nice newly-ploughed field is a much better place for his scratching ground. Social.— The Mcrton C.E. Society held its annual social here on Tuesday evening, 13th inst. The night was all that could be desired, < and a large number of people turned out. The - schoolroom was prettily decorated with flowers 1 and evergreens, the work of some persons whe ' possess artistic taste. The Eev. T. Coats- I worth was chairman, and opened the proceeding* by prayer. The Eev. A. Finlayson gave i a stirring and appropriate address, and the officers of the Salvation Army from Palmerston contributed not a little to the evening's enjoyment. A lengthy programme was gone : through, every item being creditably rendered, i Solos, recitations, and duets, with the Chair- ' '. man's remarks, made a pleasing and varying : entertainment. During the evening abundant : refreshments were handed round, accompanied by the ever-welcomed cup of tea — and it was , : real good tea— so I felt pleased when the i Chairman did not omit a vote of thanks to ■ those who boiled the billy. There were votes i of thanks to the ladies who had nrovided the ! ■ refreshments and to all who had taken part ] in the affair, and after singing the doxology the Eev. T. Coatsworth pronounced the benediction, thus bringing the meeting to a close.