PUKERAU NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 22010, 9 May 1933, Page 12

PUKERAU NOTES

(From Our Correspondent.) A period of cold, piercing winds with a very low barometer culminated in a deluge of rain and intermittent showers of snow and sleet on Sunday afternoon with the result that on Monday morning all district streams were in heavy flood. This makes the second flood during the past fortnight, and the land is now in a very wet state. Stock of all kinds have felt the wintry blasts severely and the dairying season will be curtailed by several weeks in consequence. The flocks and herds will require extra winter rations much earlier this year, both on account of the early winter and owing to the fact that the paddocks are barer than usual due to the prolonged mid-summer drought, from which the pastures never fully recovered. The local Card Club held its annual meeting on Monday evening of last week. Mr Styles occupied the chair. The balance-sheet showed a credit of £5 10/- and it was decided to donate £4 to the pavilion funds. A committee of twelve, with Messrs H. McDonald and F. Mcßride filling the offices of chairman and secretary respectively, was appointed to conduct the euchre tournaments during the winter, any profits accruing to go to the building of dressing sheds at the local swimming pool. At the first annual meeting of the Pukerau Chess Club there was an attendance of 10 members. Mr Gordon occupied the chair. The report commented on the enthusiasm shown during the past season and the progress made in the standard of play. Fifteen members had joined the club and the balance-sheet showed a credit of £l, which was considered very satisfactory. The following office-bearers were elected for the ensuing year: President, Mr G. Valentine; secretary, Mr L. Potter; committee, president and secretary and Messrs E. Knox, A. Millar and F. Mcßride, jun; handicapper, Mr Gordon. After discussion it was decided to include draught players as members, the club to be called the Pukerau Chess and Draughts Club. A chess tournament for scratch players is being played during the present month to be followed by an open handicap tournament for a trophy donated by a member of the club. The yearly subscription was fixed at 2/6 with schoolboys half-price. The local hockey team played their first competition game on Wednesday last against Waikaka and were decisively beaten by 8 goals to 1. Miss A. McDonald scored for the losers. Last Friday evening a very successful social under the auspices of the Pukerau Women’s Institute was held in the hall there being a large attendance. The president, Mrs E. Hoare, occupied the chair. Miss M. Mclntyre opened the proceedings with a pianoforte solo, and vocal items were contributed by Miss Maslin, Mrs Millar and Mr L. McKenzie. A play entitled “Smoke Screens,” in which the characters were portrayed by the Misses Carter and Nixon, Mesdames Haggart and Millar, was staged. The concluding item was a play, “Poor Old Sam,” given by the following five school children: Jean Gordon, Norman Sharp, Albert Murdoch, Phyllis Scott and Gordon Haggart. At the conclusion of the programme Mr E. Hoare presented swimming certificates forwarded by the Southland Swimming Association to the following pupils of the local school: Jean Gordon, Jean McDonald, Phyllis Scott and Gordon Haggart. The speaker pointed out that the certificates were awarded to learners who had swum 50 yards and stated that their success was due to the efficient coaching of Miss Carter, who had achieved wonderful results among the pupils since the opening of the new swimming pool. He was sure that next season many more certificates would be gained. A programme of dances followed, music being supplied by Messrs G. Valentine and C. Brown.

The monthly meeting of the Ladies’ Guild was held in the church on Thursday afternoon last, Mrs Nixon presiding over an attendance of approximately 16 members. An interesting letter from Miss McNeur, a missionary in China, and articles of interest from the Outlook were read. Arrangements for the holding of the annual P.W.M.U. social to be hel.. on June 16 were discussed. Numerous articles of clothing were handed in for the Maori mission.

The annual meeting of the Pukerau branch of the Farmers’ Union was held last Saturday evening, there being an attendance of thirteen members. Mr J. Clement occupied the chair. The report stated that eight ordinary meetings had been held during the year with an average attendance of 14. An organizing campaign by Mr Niederer and the branch president took place during July with the result that the membership of the branch had been increased from 27 to 42. Two members resigned during the year. The report and balance-sheet, showing a credit of £22 19/5, were adopted. The election of office-bearers for the ensuing year resulted as follows: President, Mr J. Clement; vice-presidents, Messrs S. Herron and R. M. Pullar; secretary, Mr G. Gordon; delegate to provincial conference, Mr J. J. Wylie; delegate to Gore Sub-Executive, Mr F. Trapski. It was agreed that meetings be held on the first Saturday in each month. At last month’s meeting of householders the following school committee was elected: Messrs Dripps (chairman), McDowell (secretary), Burke, Burrows and Mcßride.

Members of the local Rifie Club held a practice shoot on the McNab range last Thursday afternoon. Ten shots were fired at 300, 500 and 600 yards, range prizes being won by J. Cunningham, J. Wylie and F. Norton. Following are the scores with handicaps:—

300 500 600 Total Yds Yds Yds F. Norton 43 44 48 135 J. Cunningham 44 47 42 133 E. Knox 42 45 45 132 T. Speden 43 44 42 129 J. Wylie 35 48 46 129 J. McDonald 41 43 44 128 R. Haggart 36 45 40 121 J.' Clement 38 42 40 120 G. Scott 40 42 37 119