FAIRLIE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 2 June 1926, Page 5

FAIRLIE.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)!

A HEAVY BAIN". Another break in the weather occurred on Wednesday, following a few days of very fine mii<l weather. Bain commenced to fall about midday, and was soon coming down in real earnest. Jt continued well into the early hours of Thursday morning, and caused floods at the creeks and rivers. Some '65 points were, recorded, an amount that was not wanted, as tho previous showers had made the land quite wet enough lor the time of the year. Some fresh snow fell on the tops, but there is not now as much as there was a fortnight ago. ' The weather cleared beautifully on Thursday morning, and it is to be hoped that now the aneroid will register “set fair” ‘for a good while, and that the elements willbehave accordingly. • '

AOBANGI HALL. For some time past the residents have watched with interest the conversion of the big brick livery stables into a social hall for public use. The premises are owned by Mr Wm. Wrelbrd of Fairlio, and are leased b,v Air W. L. Bourn. The whole of the interior of tho building, comprising stalls, loft, and other stables fittings, has been pulled out, and tho place fitted up with a commodious stage, a set of dressing, and cloak rooms, a gallery; a large supper room, kitchen and scullery, and other accommodation suitable for an up-to-date amusement luill. A well laid dancing floor has been put down in tho main hall, and suitable provision made for entrance and exit. Throughout, tho hall and its offices has been well supplied with electric lights, the current being supplied from the local hydroelectric scheme.

The new hall was opened on Wednesday evening on the occasion of the annual Hunt Club Ball. At about haltpast eight just before the dance commenced Mr T. Fodcn, on behalf of Mr W ref old, presented the chairman of the Mackenzie County Council, Mr C. J. Talbot, with a. suitably inscribed silver key, and asked him to declare tho hall open for public use. Mr Talbot suitably thanked the donors for the. handsome present which he would prize very much, and then complimented Mr AV re ford upon his enterprise in providing Fail-lie with such a. commodious and convenient hall. Owing to the advent of the motor car the building had outgrown its usefulness as a stable, and he felt that its transformation would be. welcomed. -Mr Talbot traced the development in road traffic since tfio stables were originally erected by Messrs Ivcrr arid Frayne some thirty years ago, when mail and passengers were regularly conveyed into the Mackenzie and Hermitage by horse coaches. The plant was then well equipped and up-to-date in every way, but the motor bus bad taken the place of the less comfortable and slower vehicles. Moreover most fanners owned motor cars, and the stables were no longer needed for traps and horses, though some provision was still being retained, for their accommodation on a comparatively small scale. Mr \Y. L. Bourn, the present lessee, had willingly and readily fallen in with tho idea of adapting the building for its new mirpose. In conclusion Mr Talbot wished Mr Wreford and Mr Bourn the best of luck with I their enterprise. Cheers were given for ■’ tiie proprietor and lessee. Mi; Wreford > briefly expressed his gratification at the evident appreciation of bis 'effort t-6 1 cater for Fail-lie, and considered it was ' now the duty of the people to back op the enterprise to the utmost. 'lbis would encourage those interested to

make further improvements. Mr Bourn also briefly thanked those present for the encouragement displayed and for tho appreciation of the arrangements made for social purposes in the new hall. Aorangi Hall would be specially placed at the disposal of the sports bodies in Fairlie, and everything, possible done by him and his family to meet, their requirements. THE HUNT CLUB BALL One of the biggest social functions of the year in Fairlio is the'local Hunt Club Ball, and this season, in spite of tho pouring rain it more than uplie'd j its imputation as a well managed and enjoyable function. For days; previous to the dance the ladies’ committee'wore at work carrying out 'details of all sorts, decorations, supper arrangements, and what not', and when the eventful night arrived'the public arrived to find that everything possible had been done for their comfort and enjoyment.- it only rested with tho patrons themselves to make the. ball, a. success and this they did-with a will: The 1 fact that ,the commodious .Aorangi -Hall was being used for the-first tunc gave a fillip to the proceedings, and ,if the night had been a line one it is almost certain that even its ample floor space would have been severely taxed. As it was the rain was teeming .down outside - and yet the floor, .was ■ crowded at times.' The decoration were on. a, lavish scale, and the large supper room was set out for a, most inviting sit,down supper, backed by an extensive menu. A very large number of lady attendants '■ saw that no one in the supper room was neglected, while the M.C’s Messrs F. Geanc.v and 0. Boulter, kept the ballroom busy. Messrs J. Caskey, Surridge, H. Welsh and A. Hammond, acted in various capacities, in their usual thorough manner, while Airs Bourn, tho head of the ladies-committee, and Mr J. Guinness, the Acting-Master of tho -Hunt in the -Fairlie district, exercised general supervision. The ladies committee carried out tho catering, in itself a big task, and they carried out their self ' imposed duties admirably. ■The ball was kept going till a. late hour, and dancers had the satisfaction of finding tho rain stopped and the stars .shining when they set out for homo, tired, hut, well plcasc-d with their evening’s amusement.

PLUNKET SOCIETY. The Fairlie Branch of the Society for the Health of Women and Children is now making a determined effort to pay tho final instalments on the cost of tho Plunket and Best Boom erected in Fail-lie nearly fifteen months ago. Tho contractor has generously stood out of the unpaid balance of his money for that time, and the Committee are now very anxious that tho debt should be liquidated. The handsome bequest of the late Mr James Wilson to the Timaru and Fairlio branches will not be available for some time, and. in any ease it was apparently the intention of the testator that the legacy should be for maintenance purposes only. On Friday night in the Aorangi Hall a fancy and plain dress ball will be held in'aid of the building fund, and overy effort is beiim made to gain the fullest support of the public. 'The cost of hiring the hall for evening has been provided, by two or three well wishers and the ladies will provide tho refreshments.