District News

Southland Times, Issue 19553, 6 May 1905, Page 4 (Supplement)

District News

mPTON. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Farmers have had little cause to complain of late about tho weather. It has 'suited them capitally anti the threshing mills are working every available minute. The yield ia quite up to expectation and the sample Al. The price of wheat, however, is rather disappointing considering tho condition it ia in. Tho priuiest quality is not up to what fowls wheat was bringing a month «,r two ago. Naturally flour will come nvwn. for a month or so till tho bulk of the grain is in the millers’ 1 ands. Great preparations are being made for the Church of England bazaar which comes off on the sth inst. This one promises to bo quite ae successful as its predecessors. Our music teacher, Miss Perry, will be missed on‘this occasion. Sho left here at tho end of April for Nightcaps. Sho was presented with a purse of sovereigns by the general public, a fur muff by the Sunday school teachers, and a travelling rug by the school children before leaving. She was a universal favourite and will be missed in many ways. She has the good wishes of the whole district with her in her new

sphere of labour. The 1.0.G.T.’s arc getting a strong force here. They have a membership of something like 50 now, and are weekly increasing. They intend giving an entertainment on the 18th inst., which will no doubt bo most liberally patronised. Our dairy factory has had but a poor season with respect to the supply. Although they have hail the milk from more cows than usual they have had less milk owing to the unfavourable weather for stock during the early part of the season. They shipped the cheese t o the Homo market this year—the first timo they have done so —and so far the returns are very promising. It is expected that the factory will close down in about a fortnight. 2nd May.

WAIKAWA. A large and representative gathering of settlers met in the Niagara school on Friday night to bid farewell to our esteemed missionary, Mr Lopdell and his wife. After a residence of more than two years hero Mr Lopdell has been called to take charge of .Colac Bay district Presbyterian Church, and if his ministry is as successful there his new parishioners will be fortunate indeed, and not less fortunate will he and Mrs Lopdell be if they make as rjuny friends in their new sphere as they have done in the one they are now leaving amid the regrets of all Mr Robertson, the chairman, and Messrs Robson, Brookes and Crosbie conveyed to the guests the feelings entertained by the whole district. The speeches were interspersed with songfl and recitations from the Misses Gutsell, Mi- Trumble, of Haldane, and others. After tho ’ refreshment interlude a richly mounted waiting desk was presented to Mr Lopdell, and a silver cream jug and sugar basin to Mrs Lopdell. A successor has already been appointed, l.ut as he will not be entering upon J.is duties for three or four months M. Bannerman will act as locum tenons.

On the same evening while Mr Robson and his family were at the .social gathering some evilly-disposed person broke into his store aud carried off the cash box. Fortunately there was only about £3 in it at the time, but it is to be hoped in. the interests of society the police may succeed in bringing the culprit to justice. Seven people attended the ar.nnal meeting of householders to elect the school committee, and they were accordingly all elected. Amongst the number happened to be a lady, Mrs Baxter, who, somewhat against her own will, was persuaded io join for the purpose of completing the regulation number. The following arc now the committee :—Messrs Brookes (chairman), McColgan, Hayes, Robson, Haldane and Shirley ’secretary) and Mrs Baxter.