MOKOTUA NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 21982, 4 April 1933, Page 6

MOKOTUA NOTES

OTERAMIKA HOCKEY CLUB. (From Our Correspondent.) Tire annual general meeting of the Oteramika Ladies’ Hockey Club drew a very fair attendance of members, Miss E. Perriam presiding. The report and balance-sheet, which showed a credit balance of £9 15/2, were very favourably commented upon and unanimously adopted. Quite a considerable amount of money had been raised by this young club during its initial year of existence, the income being shown as £36 13/4, reflecting credit upon those responsible. The expenditure £27 0/2, is largely accounted for by the purchase of equipment, etc. On the motion of the secretary a hearty vote of thanks to Mr James Milne for the use of grounds during the past season was carried. It was decided to affiliate with the Southern District SubAssociation and play in its 1933 competition. The election of office-bearers resulted as follows:—President, Miss E. Perriam; vice-president, Miss B. Swale; honorary secretary, Miss J. Meredith; auditor, Mr W. J. Wilson; committee, Misses O. McMillan, B. Swale, M. Enright, L. Hanson, B. Perriam, A. King, M. Nicol and Messrs A. Meredith, J. Birss, R. Perriam and C. Nicol; delegates to Southern Sub-Association, Messrs A. Meredith and T. Morton; captain, Mrs T. Morton; vice-captain, Miss B. Swale. On Saturday afternoon the Oteramika Football Club held its initial try-out when two friendly matches were played with Rimu A and B teams on Mr James Milne’s ground. The result in each case was a win for the Rimu boys, the senior score being 9 to 3, while the juniors registered 17 to nil. There was a disappointing muster of local juniors, of whom there was an abundance last year, only nine being available to take the field. However, it is early in the season as yet and it is to be hoped that with sympathetic and up-to-date coaching methods the game may be made more interesting and enthusiasm created among the ranks of both seniors and juniors. It is pleasing to note that though generally in a somewhat parlous condition, the flax industry is not entirely dead, as at least two separate parties are operating in the Mokotua district cutting flax for despatch to the mill. One party working in close proximity to the Waituna unemployed gang are finding a certain amount of difficulty in getting their heavily laden lorry from the swamp edges out to the road, and on a recent evening the vehicle had to be unloaded three times in order to get out after having encountered soft ground. With the price of flax in keeping with most other rural products, the royalty paid to farmers is less than half that paid a few years ago, as is also the price received at the mill, and one cannot but admire the independent spirit of those who are performing the task of cutting and carting, which is extremely heavy and arduous work, during hours frequently extending to long after sundown, rather than join the ranks of the unemployed. A steady rain commenced falling about 4 o’clock on Sunday afternoon and continued without cessation till 6 on Monday morning, increasing in severity during the night. Monday was ushered in with a stiff, cold breeze and intermittent showers during the day. Those with late harvests still in the paddock will be held up for some days yet unless good drying winds set in.