COUNTRY NEWS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 28, 10 March 1914, Page 11

COUNTRY NEWS.

(Prom Our Special Correspondents.) AMBERLEY. A committee meeting of the Amberley Horticultural and Produce Society was held in the library rooms on Saturday, There was a good attendance of ' members present, the president (Mr F. ' GV.Xewton) being in the chair. The date of the show was fixed for May 9. Judges were nominated and class stewards appointed.

KAIKOURA. The ninth annual Show of the Kaikoura A. and P. Association, which is to be held on Friday next, promises to equal those of past years. Although the entries received (819) are not equal in numbers to those of the previous year, it is generally affirmed that the exhibits, especially light horses, will be a far better, lot, and that the judge's task in that department will' be no easy one. The following judges have con- ;, sented to. act:—Merinos, longwools, end .. haJfbreds, Mr D, Archibald (Cheviot); fat sheep, Mr J. Murphy (Blenheim); ... draught horses, Mr... W. Crampton (Rotherham); light horses, Mr W. Parkinson (Kaituna); ponies, Mr W. Scoon (Rangiora); fat cattle, Mr J. Murphy 1 (Blenheim); dairy cattle and pigs, Mr H. Cheeseman (Grovetown); poultry, Mr A. Clarke; cookery, Mrs F. J. Evans and Miss B. M'Lauchlan; home products, Mr J. Graham and Government dairy expert; jams and pickles, Mesdames T. Adair and A. Boyd; farm produce, Mr A. Rhind (Christchureh); fruit .and flowers, Messrs W. J. Courtier and R. Nairn (Christchureh); sewing, ' etc., Mesdames Jas. Davidson, C. M. Bruce, and T. G. Vangioni; laundry ..', work, Mr. C. M. Bruce; writing -and 'drawing (school,classes), Mr D. Web- ■ t V,Bter... ... .'.'.. At last a Minister of the C«rwn is to visit the district, the Hon, R. H.. Rhodes, Postmaster-General, having signified his intention.of representing the Ministry / at the Show. He intends to arrive here by motor on Thursday night and spend the following day at the Show and looking round the district. Advantage is to be taken of his visit by the local bodies, and it is quite on the cards that the Minister will have a( strenuous time meeting deputations. . On Saturday afternoon the Kaikoura : . Domain Board meet Mr A. W. Buxton, ' .Christchureh, who submitted plans, etc., ' ''-for' 1 : beautifying Takahanga, Domain. The scheme proposed was heartily approved of by the board, but involving, as it did, the expenditure of, roundly, £950, it was considered tod big a proposition to undertake in its entirety. It was finally agreed to cut out, for the time ;1 being, the proposal to lay down a bowl„|t ing, green (involving the- expenditure ,-. of nearly £200), and> if sufficient public , ,? u PP or t is forthcoming, to carry out the scheme. Public subscription lists are to.be circulated at once, and the County Council has agreed, to give £ for £ on , all money sO raised. In addition, a deputation is to wait on the Hon. Mr . Rhodes and. ask for a Government grant in aid of the work. A garden party, in aid of the Church of, England debt extinction fund, was held at the vicarage grounds on Wednesday afternoon, and* was largely at- ' tended. The ladies of the parish, who were responsible for the function, are to be congratulated on the excellent results obtained, the receipts amounting to over £6O. Keas are either becoming more numerous or more venturesome in this district. On several occasions lately birds have been seen attaching sheep on farms well away from the "wilds," andoosn s Wednesday last Mr George Willa shot a pair that were sporting on his roof at Mangamaunu.