COUNTRY NEWS.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12681, 28 October 1909, Page 1

COUNTRY NEWS.

TAKAKA. Last week the climate here took backward turn, and a lot of snow fc on the hills, and on three mornuif a sharp frost was experienced. Th has played havoc with the early veg tables, tomatoes, beiwis, and potato* being nipped severely. It will ha' a very effect on the grass also, whit was getting a fin© start. The- percentage of lambs this seas< has been very good, and both lami ami snoop are looking well. AH U sheep men are. got ting ready for shea ing.^ A number intend having a sh< at tiie first Wellington sales, believir good prices will prevail but tl majority still prefer the Home ma kets. Mr Baigent has started h shearing machine, and so far is vei pleased with his venture. I hear number of the_ surrounding farmei are going to hand their shearing ov< to him this season. The Dairy Company paid out tl first month's cheques on the 20th, tl: total sum being slightly over £300. The Tnkaka Cycling and Athlet. Club has i- .-.-•ued its sports programm for Boxing Day, and it is perliaps tli most attractive sports programme ye issued in Takaka. Thanks to a gene: ous lot of business men and otiier sui porters, the donations of trophies thi year were very numerous, and thu the club is enabled to give a far biggc lot. of prizes than forinerlv, some £7 odd (joins offered in aIL The prr grammes are bo-ing circulated even where, and the prize money shoul attract large fields. Air J. J. Langridge, who retire .' from ihe local firm of J. J. Langridg and Co. nearly two years ago, now an noime.es that he has purchased similar business in Kaikora North where he goes into partnership wit! a Mr J. W. Barrio at the start of th. Xew Year. His many friends wen not ai all surprised to hear he wa going back into tho old groove, 10 which ho showed such aptitude durin< his many years in Takaka. Messrs J-Jarkness and Crawford, th< Education Board examiners, have jus } concluded a hard week's work exumiii I! ing all the schools in this district | I'Yihh all accounts so far to hand, mow i of the local schools have done exceed ! ingly well this time, which re flee Li f well on masters and pupils alike. j Last week the Takaka Mounted Rifles held their annual camp at Pohara, but the weather proved very unkind tc them this time. On Wednesday il was very showery, and torrents of rail fell in the night. On the Friday 'wJiich was to be a gala day in camp vojmitecr sports, hors-c racing, and r.( on, it turned out a showery, bittcrlj cold day, and the whole affair had tr be declared off, and Saturday, the breaking up day, was also a coklj cheerless day. Altogether the camp of ]!)(.)!) was not of the best, although a lot of useful work was done uiulei ihe guidance of Sergt. -Major Redmond, and the presence of the Maxim nun and the instructions thereon proved very interesting to the men. During the camp the annual meeting i>f tho corps was held, at which tho balance sheet was read and adopted, showing a credit balance of £2-15, last year showing £30 of a profit. Corporal ./allies Haa.-;« was elected lieutenant by a large majority over the other nominees for the position, and should prove a smart and capable officer us ■•;c!)li as lie gets into the running. Mr Semi, tho Chief Postmaster,, paid an official visit to our district a week ago, and although only here a few days contrived to put through a tremendous lot of business. He has arranged for a telephone sen-ice and also a beter mail service for Puramnhoi, these doubtless being one of the first results of Mr Falconer erecting a cheese factoid in that locality. Mr Seim also attended a meeting of settlors at Motupipi, and persuaded Mr Robert Manson to continue oh ns postmaster there, he having sent in his resignation recently. In addition Mr Senn mot a deputation of councillors and business men at Takaka, where various matters pertaining to the Post and Telegraph Department were discussed. The local deputation urged the retention of tho overland mail service, Mr Senn pointing out that this did not at present pay the department, but suggested that tho Tourist Department might be persuaded to run a bi-weekly service during the summer months, and mentioned tho possibility- of a bi-weekly mail between Takaka and Upper Takaka. The question, of a telephone bureau connecting with the outlying •stations through. >"t tho district wss also urged, and Mr Senn promised to see to this. .Several other minor itoms were broached, and Mr Sonn assured the deputation !:■.» would go thoroughly i':to the feasibility of them. While hero Mr Senn managed to find tinio to visit the Bubu Springs. Manson's caves, and other places of interest, and was much improved with all he saw, and slated that if the many natural beauties of the place were more widely known the tourist traffic would bo> very considerable. Mr C. R. Willis, a recent arrival h .".'■!■. who lately took over the farm at tho Bubu known ns Vant's, had the misfortune last week to have his barn niul cowsheds burnt down. Mi- Willis saw tho fire before it got much hold, but had the ill luck to i'all from a IndrW just as ho started to battle u-ith tlip flames, antl besides getting sovoroly knocked about it incapacitated him from further work in putting out the fire. As Mr Willis has only just been married and was making a good .start with his first season as a dairy farmer hero, the loss of his barn an-d cowshed will bo' a severe blow. Ho has the general sympathy of all in his misfortune. A very ok! settler was laid to her hst rest on Tuesday last in the person of Mrs Patrick Byrne, of East Takaka. Tho deceased l:idy with her husband came to Takaka some fifty years ago, ;md hnd been In tho district over since She was a very kindly hearted good naturcd lady anil in the earlier days many a neighbour had cause to romemI her her readily offered and capable assistance in time of sickness or trouble. Besides her husband the deceased loaves behind her a family of five sons and six daughters, all grown up and comfort-abb- settled. The famous professional All Black forward, Con Byrne omo of tho finest forwards in the Dominions is one of the sons of dcoonsod. The funeral service, which was conducted by Father Finnerty, was very largely attended, and the funeral procession comprised ovor 50 vehicles bosides numerous horsemen. Mr Byrne and his family have the deepest sympathy of all in their groat loss.