COUNTRY NEWS.

Colonist, Volume LVI, Issue 13594, 8 October 1914, Page 2

COUNTRY NEWS.

TAKAKA

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

Fine weather still sticks to us. We have had a most marvellous run of clear sunny ■ days," and - frosty nights. rj v.9 farmers now would -all welcome a g* od solid warm rain, as so far all growth is very backward. Tho war is of course tho one absorbing topic, before which all . others dwarf into insignificance. A fine for raising funds to assist the 1 olgians in their dire distress has been devised by Mr. J. L. Harris, of Ligar Bay. -lie is appealing to the large sheepowners and dairymen to give of the fullness—liixi/ig the donation ivvi each at 10 sheep for sheepowners and two heifers 'from the dairymen, m&anii'S £10.in each case. In response to Mr. Harris, Mr,. John Haldane, Mr. James Manson, and Mr. Thomas Manson have generously come forward, and it is confidently expected that a sum of at least £200 will be raised in this manner, independent of lesser sums given in other ways. . - The Dairy Company here are donating one-half per cent, of their output to the Empire Defence Fund. The ladies' committees arc still at work providing for the various funds. On Friday last the Golden Bay Cement Company at Tarakohe ceased operations for a time, having to close do%yn owing to the accumulations of cement- on hand and the paucity of orders caused by the war conditions. This is a very serious thing for Takaka, and it is fervently hoped the stoppage is only temporary. All the summer sports bodies are getting a move on novy^; tennis club's in all parts of the district are having their opening days, several new courts having been laid down this season, notably among them a very fine asphalt court at Poharo by the employees of the cement works. The Athletic and Cycling Club is getting ready for its Boxing Day meeting, and the Racing Club j are preparing for.-.their day out —2nd February. The A. and P. Association is likewise a very active body at present, their great day being February Ist. The township is looking very up-to-date now. The new ferro-concrete building erected for the Bank of New Zealand is nearly completed as far as outdoor work is concerned, and, a very massive imposing structure it is. Almost next to it a two storey building in wood.is being built to the order of Mr. A. G. Salisbury, to be used" by him as denti.it's rooms on the top floor, the ground ~floor, I hear, being for a chemist's shop. We have recently, been entertaining in our midst a notorious confidence man, so it seems. Two local citizens have cause to be sory for his visit to Takaka. The gentleman in question, giving the name of Lindsay Templeton Bell, but with lots of aliases, was sentenced to three months on one charge, and remanded to Lyttelton on a second charge. He was a seafaring man, and recently acted-as mate on a schooner. Two well known residents of Motupipi had send-offs from that district last week, and have left for distant fields. Miss Malloy, who has taught m the Motupipi school for some three or four years, has gone to the Hawke s Bay district to take up school duties there. During her stay here Miss Malloy has been indespensable at all our gatherings, and a very useful member at gettitfg up concerts, dances, anything in the way of entertainments, m fact, for any deserving purpose. She will be missed by a large circle of friends. Mr. R. Y. Langford and his good lady left Motupipi last week also, after a forty year sojourn there. They have sold their farm, and are going to reside for a time at least in Upper Moutere. Mr. Langford has been a very useful man, both for Motupipi and the whole takaka-. district;ttr-. well, as the Farmers' Union, Fruitgrowers, Oddfellows, School .Committee, Dairy Company, and various other public bodies have to thank Mr. Langford for active support. Both he and Mrs.; Langford have been consistent church workers all their lives: Send-offs were tendereo them by their Motupipi friends, and the Oddfellows likewise honoured Mr. Langford. Mr. E. Drogemuller, of Upper Moutero, takes ovw Mr. Langford's farm here, he aria Mr. Langford having made an exchange of properties. ' ' *r