COUNTRY NEWS.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12420, 9 December 1908, Page 4

COUNTRY NEWS.

cp. TAKAKA. (From Our Own Correspondent.) We are exiiorieiicing ratlier a long spell of dry weather- again just now, and a good steady rain would do a ■world of good. One good feature of the fine weather is that farmers are getting on well with their haj'making and shearing. ; Several fine lots of wool have already been shipped, and all available space is needed by each of the local steamers, in fact they can hardly cope with the trade. - Most of the wool-growers are consigning to England this year, hoping the, present rise in wool will continue. ■ Now that .butter has dropped:. so suddenly in price, the directors of the local factory have" great : reason to congratulate themselves on having disposed of the season's output at such a high figure; ;. The suppliers are thus assured a far better price for their butter fat than the present outlook would give them. I, hear from a reliable source that Mr John Campbell, who had charge of this factory for -. many years, is doing very well indeed in the North [sland. lie is manager of the Taibapo Dairy Factory, and is giving great satisfaction to his employers. The Golden Bay Bacon Factory is in. full swing again, and the new refrigerating plant' is working 'welt; Mi 1 (5. Fantham is still in charge. ' The Pioneers' Memorial subscribers met last week, and came to a ; definite decision as to the form the memorial should take. It was stated that the fund now amounted to some jG4I % and a further £29 is promised. The' monument, which was designed by- Mi* Miller, of Nelson, is to be erected at the junction corner opposite Haase's Hotel, and is to Cost £60. The Golden Bay cement works people have just given further evidence of their serious intentions by pur?H»«djig 220 acres of freehold land from Mr. George Winter, junr., at Pohara, "it D'e^mg the only - fdiacerit land to the site of the .works with enough flat on .it for building workmen's cottages, etc:, on. The price was £30 an acre, I believe, which is fairly solid for the property as it stands. , :. .; 'A few changes occurred at our last election of County Councillors. Mr Tt. Uartlett, who had been chairman for many years, lost his seat to Mr Alfred H. Barnett, an ex-councillor, arid subsequently. Mr W. J. JReiily was elected to the chair, after tieing with Mr T. G. Page for that honour. The t Athletic and Cycling Club have just closed their nominations for the Boxing Day meeting, and all events have filled . well. Among the cycle riders are Bradley and Franklin, of Motueka, and Green, of BriVhtwater, besides numerous local tnen. "''The Bowling Club have started their competitions, and the. green is crowded every evening, as well as all Wednesday and Saturday afternoons. Matches are now proceeding for the Brown and Kerr buckles and Club pairs. 'Some 32 members have 'enter-. a d for the various competitions, and the pastime is 'very popular. On Wednesday last the Church of England's annual bazaar was held, and it proved a great success, The hall was well filled- during both afternoon and evening, and the stalls and side-shows all did good business, while the 'high tea-tables, presided over by Mrs Chas. Page and assistants, were -fairly" rushed. Something over £40 was taken all told, which was very good for Takaka, seeing the scarcity of money that prevails in the district at present. A meeting is called for next week /with a view to seeing what support can be obtained towards starting i farmers co-operative store in Takaka, but so far it does not seem to be a very popular idea with the public. Great sympathy was expressed last week with Mr and Mrs J. L. Harris, of Ligar Bay. who lost their youngest boy, aged four years, through pneumonia." The little fellow was brought up to Takaka to be nearer the doctor, but in spite of every attention „ the dread disease carried him off, t_:_i. _i*i-i i. i. -^