NORTH OTAGO.

Otago Witness, Issue 4039, 11 August 1931, Page 33

NORTH OTAGO.

NEWS FROM THE DISTRICT. the reform party. Mr J. C. Kirkness has informed our tepi esentative that, in response to the request of an influential deputation, he will allow his name to go forward to the Selection Committee of the Reform Party, which will meet on Monday, August 17. This announcement is sure to meet with very popular favour irmn the supporters of the party, as Mr Kirkness has been a loyal and keen supporter of Reform ever since his arrival in New Zealand 22 years ago. He has been an active member of Mr Lee’s committee for uine years, and deputy chairman for the last three years. Mr Kirkness is well and favourably known in public life in Oamaru. He has had a wide experience of farming activities, and for a number of years was a member of the executive of the Oamaru Returned Soldiers Association, as well as a director or the North Otago Farmers’ Co-operative Association. He is a member of the Oamaru Borough Council, and chairman of t[ ie Waterworks Committee; a member of the Vi aitaki Hospital Board, and sccrcri 11 -',., the Men’s Advisory Committee to the \\ omen s Relief Committee. • Mr Robert Milligan has announced that ne will allow his name to go forward for selection to the Reform Party Executive in Oamaru, as the candidate to contest the Oamaru seat in the interests of the Reform Party. Mr Milligan’s public activities are well known to the electors of Oamaru, and in the course of an interview with our representative he recounted that he had served on the Borough Council for 30 years, which, however, had not been continuous as he had on three occasions travelled abroad. He held the position of Mayor of Oamaru for eight years, and was chairman of the Oamaru Harbour Board for 15 years, and during his chairmanship successfully negotiated the consolidation of the board’s loans, which at that time was a rather difficult problem. He was first chairman of the Waitaki Electric Power Board, and as Mayor was one of the prime movers to inaugurate the movement to secure power for the town and country in a combined scheme. He was a member of the Waitaki Schools’ Board of Governors for eight years. At the present time he holds the positions of member of the Oamaru Harbour Board, borough councillor. and member of the Waitaki Electric Power Board, being returned to the last-named position at the top of the poll at the recent elections. Mr Milligan is well acquainted with the problems of the farmers, and is a director of the Waitaki I* ariners’ Freezing Company. The nomination of M r J. C. Kirkness, to be submitted to a meeting to select the Reform Party’s candidate for the Oamaru seat, has been received by the executive. Mr Milligan’s nomination will be handed in to-day.

OAMARU TROTTING CLUB. A meeting of the committee of the Oamaru Trotting Club was held on Tuesday evening. Mr M. J. Hannon presided. The following sub-committees were appointed:—Judicial—Messrs P. C. Hjoining, M. J. Hannon, W. Wright, J. L. O'Connor, T. A. Munro: Programme— Messrs M. J. Hannon, R. A. M'Dowell, G. Bruce, C. L. Ayson; Grounds—Messrs M. J. Hannon. G. Bruce, W. Wright, C. M'Carthy, R. A. M'Dowell. The application of T. H. Clare for a license to train, ride, and drive was recommended. It was decided to grant £5 5s to the North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association for distribution as prizes for pony trots at the show. SHAGS AND TROUT. Evidence of the extent of the destruction of trout by shags was furnished to the Waitaki Acclimatisation Society last night by a report from Mr J. E. Metcalfe, of Waitaki, who stated that 27 shags shot by him on the south bank of the Waitaki River between May 28. 1931, and July 29. 1931, contained no fewer than 80 small trout. In the list furnished by Mr Metcalfe the highest number of trout contained in a shag was nine, while two had seven, two had six, and four had five, and five contained no fish at all. One shag had devoured a cod about 10 inches in length. MOTOR COLLISION. On Friday morning a mishap occurred near the South African War Memorial in Thames, street, when two lorries came into collision, resulting in one of the front wheels collapsing. Neither of the drivers were injured in the collision. OAMARU JOCKEY CLUB. A meeting of the committee of the Oamaru Jockey Club was held in the secretary’s office on Friday afternoon. Mr J. R. Mitchell occupied the chair. Owing to the date fixed for the annual meeting clashing with a local bodies’ conference, it was amended to August 25. The action of Mr J. O’Brien in authorising, in conjunction. with the Trotting Club, urgent repairs at the grand stand necessitated b.v the recent strong winds, was approved. The secretary submitted the draft annual report and balance sheet, which disclosed that the year had yielded very satisfactory results to the club. The annual report was approved for submission to members at the annual meeting. CONDITIONS IN THE COUNTRY. The dry conditions in the country districts of North Otago continue to have a very adverse effect on farming operations, and a good downfall of rain is urgently required throughout the whole district The early sown wheat crops are practically. at a standstill, and no business-' is being transacted in store stock, ‘the only demand being for fats to meet butchers’ requirements. A good rainfall would be exceedingly welcome to farmers. OAMARU HARRIERS. A very enjoyable outing was experienced by the members of the Oamaru Harrier Club on Saturday afternoon, when

the three-mile course set for the championship to be run next Saturday was fol*owed- lhe course commences at the bouth African Monument, up Thames street to Kibble street, Reed street, Derwent street extension, returning via Sumpter’s Gully to Eden street, Reed street, to 1 amilton s. Ihe run on Saturday last was . the same except for a deviation past the Id mill and down Chelmers street through the gardens, and in the run home the placings were as follow:—Familton 1, • Lavender 2, Cameron 3, Evans 4, Ross 5. GOLF. The first qualifying round of the Ladies’ rnl‘?.l , f PIOI r Shll L' V ; as p ! ayed 0,1 Friday, the results of which will be reported with the second qualifying round next week. Mnn’! ni eC ° nd - u , allfyin S roun d of the n s Championship wa 6 played on Saturup- and resulted as follows:—A. Fowler v- i e- S l! mpter 85, M'Beath 86, Kilpatr‘ck 8/ Scott 88 Rivers 88, Marshall 89, 80 M i F ° W nn ??’ Mathieson 89, Kinder 89, Holmes 90 Ewart 91, Cuthbertson 92, K. Sumpter 93, L U right 93, M'Donald 94, Donaldson 9o K. Familton 95, Nichols lowing This leaves the following 16 players to qualify for the final: Sumpter !6 g M'Beath 169, Marshall Mnfr A ’ 173 > Kilpatrick 174, C 176 ’ H ° lmes 177 ‘ M nJ 7 i'i Cut wS rt^ n 179 > R - K- Fowler MT Id T son „l 8 . 2 -,K- Familton 184, Mulasfe fnlM 5 ’ L ’ fright 186. The draw is as follows:— L. Sumpter y. Mulligan. R l'? r S ’c. A ’ Fowler v. Donaldson, Kilpatrick v K. Sumpter, Marshall v. K. Hamilton, Mathieson v. R. K. Fowler, Wright'"' ut lbertson - M'Beath v. L. suiter! in an i d c , Grade B °Rey Match reRnile / ' raw be f u y, een Widdowson and down’ 4 d °" n ’ follcwed b J’ Smith, 6 MEN’S HOCKEY. The Oamaru v. Colts match played at King George s Park on Saturday provided same good hockey, short passing being a ™ re n° f the Rumo. The final were : Oamaru 2 goals, Colts 2 goals. BASKET BALL. . J l,e an A‘ Ua L ba . sk ? t . ball matches played w- t '} e £ n . th ® Waitaki and Waimate Girls’ nigh Schools were played in unfavourable weather conditions, which made passing am! goal throwing very difficult. Both the Waitaki A and B teams secured wins being superior to the visitors in all departments of the game. RUGBY FOOTBALL. The results of Saturday’s games have placed Hydro in an unassailable position as winners of the Citizens’ Shield, but (uubing a draw between Old Boys and Mahen 0 the position of runner-up to play for the Mollison Cup remains as before between these two teams. With only one win to its credit throughout the season, Excelsior nevertheless succeeded in holding Hydro down to a five points’ lead, the score being five points to nil. When the first spell had passed without score the game on No. 2 ground attracted as much attention as the Oval game, but the standard of play was very disappointing, the winners of the competition failmg to produce the bright scoring movements that have previously characterised their play. The Maheno-Old Boys match produced the only draw of the season in the senior grade, and, though Maheno had the better of the exchanges, Old Boys showed better defensive work than usual. Each side scored 6 points. JUNIORS. Athletic 6 drew with Old Boys 6. Maheno 29 beat Excelsior 6. THIRD GRADE. St. Kevin’s 9 beat Athletic nil. INTER-SCHOOL FOOTBALL. The Waitaki and Timaru Boys’ High Schools played their annual fixtures at Frasep Park, Timaru, on Saturday, under ideal weather conditions. There was an absence of sun and wind, but the ground was very hard, Waitaki winning the first fifteens’ game by 14—3, while the seconds played a draw, 11 all. Both games were fast and productive of clean spirited Rugby. The first fifteens taking the field were as follow: — Timaru (White). —Taylor (10.0), Ryan (12.9) Hall (10.11), Thomson (10.8), Vucetich (10.12), Manning (10.7), Rollinson (10.5), Wade (11.11), Blue (11.10), Aiken (12.12), Green (13.0), Copland (11.10) Rasmussen (13.3), Milne (11.7), Sievwright (11.2). Waitaki (Black).—Burt (10.0), Milner (12.0). Dick (11.0), Hislop (10.12), Collins (9.7), Gillies (11.0), Howden (9.8), Borrie (11.0), Rendle (10.7), Francis (12.2), Smith (12.3), Walker (10.8), Reid (11.0), Laney (11.0), Holt (10.10). The game between the second fifteens was always interesting, good attacking movements taking place in rapid succession. The Timaru boys were heavier and faster, and were a trifl e unlucky not to win. For Timaru, Sheehan and Fleming scored tries, M'Dougall converting one and kicking a penalty goal. For Waitaki, APKendry, Perkins, and Reilly scored tries, Wood converting one. The final score was—Waitaki 11 points, Timaru 11 points.