TEMUKA.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18112, 12 November 1928, Page 4

TEMUKA.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) SUDDEN DEATH. Quite a gloom was cast over the Temuka district last evening when the news that Mr Samuel McCully, a well-known farmer, had passed away with tragic suddenness. It appears that at about 4.30 p.m.,. Mr McCully was driving his car toward Clandeboye factory -when it was seen to swerve across the road and run into a ditch. Two young men named J. Jones (Milford), aud P. Wallace (Clandeboye), who were cycling behind the car, went over and found Mr McCully in almost a sitting posture, in the front seat, with his head thrown back. He was breathing very lightly, but he could not speak. Mr W. Timblick, whose farm is close by, was summoned, and Mr McCully was conveyed to Mr Timblick’s house, but he died almost Immediately. Dr. Scannell was ; quickly on the scene, but. could only pronounce life to be extinct. The late Mr McCully, who has been in the district for nearly forty years, was one of the most indefatigable workers for all movements for the good of the community. He was a life-long member of the Presbyterian Church, and attended to his usual duties at the church yesterday morning. In the afternoon, as superintendent, lie attended the Milford Sunday School. The late Mr McCully will be greatly missed in "very part of the district.

ARMISTICE DAY. The tenth anniversary of the declaration of peace was fittingly observed in Temuka yesterday. The Returned Soldiers’ Association, under Major White, with the Mayor and Councillors, held a church parade at St. Peter’s Ohureli, being headed to- the church by tho Temuka Municipal Band. The congregation was a very largo one, every available seat being occupied. Those present included : —The Mayor (Mr T. E. Gunnion), Councillors W. E. Evans, J. B. Sinclair, A. W. Buzan, L. F. Robins, G. H. Clements, E. B. Cooper and R. H. Taylor, the Town Clerk (Mr B. Jeuue), and Mr T. D. Burnett. The service, which was conducted by the Vicar, the Rev. G. N. Watson, was opened with the singing of “0 God Our Help in Ages Past.” Punctually at 11 o’clock the congregation paid homage to the honoured dead by standing in reverent silence for two minutes, after which the “Te Deuni” was

sung. •Tne Rev. G. N. Watson took for liis texa, Ecclesiastes, Bth. chapter, Bth. verse, “There is no discharge in that War,” and in the course of an eloquent 6ermon, said that the thrill of intense relief at'the-‘ceasing of the hostilities of the Great War on November 11, 1918, was still to many of them a very vivid memory. On this day they could recall tho thrill with a joy that was all the deeper, because, in spite of all the fears and the threatenings, the general peace of the world, had continued, and the League of Nations had kept,-before the people the great ideal Of a peace. He was sure that most of-the people had feelings of thankfuhiess to Almighty God. Though ' religioai-fwas apt to be hidden ih many people,/, at normal times, by worldly t habit^ Jhfjhqughts and views, yet, let •' some'deep emotion stir them and their faith in God Almighty leapt up. That day was a day of thankfulness and re- . joicing,;Tor we,-in.-New Zealand, had our solemn day, our national holy day, on -Anzac Day. The wonderful work-of the Red Cross and kindred organisations sprang directly from the inliu<4:.'c of Christian teaching. The line ideal of the League of Nations, and the decision to respect the rights of smaller and weaker peoples of the earth, were surely the outcome of the Gospel of God. And so ten years ago, there started a new era of the world’s history, and great were the hopes of many for the years to come. But alas, even as the great strife ended, there seemed to arise other forces that threatened amongst the nations a yet mightier conflict The ideals of the peace terms were but glimpses of an enduring concord which could not be attained without a tremendous struggle between tho forces of good and evil, and the love of God, as revealed in Jesus Christ, had its place in every heart. That was the war in which there was no discharge, the war against sin. Christ was to be Captain of this warfare. Though the weapons of his warfare arc not carried,'they are weapons all tho same, = the armour of God, the armour of Light, the armour of Righteousness. Righteousness was to be His breastplate, Faith His shield, Salvation His helmet, and His sword was the sword of the spirit, which was tho word of God. The speaker called upon all to tho conflict under the banner against all that is evil in tho good world, and to remember that in this warfare there is no discharge. “If we were all making the fight, what a land of hope and glory ours would be,” declared the preacher, in conclusion. Amongst the hymns sung during tho i service were : “Through all the Chang- 1 ing Scenes of Life,” and “Fight the i Good Fight.” The choir, under the leadership of Mr B. Hughes, sang “Abide With Me.” Miss ‘Corner pres- i ided at the organ. The service concluded with the Benediction, pronounced by the Vicar. PRESBYTERTAN CHURCH. A special service in commemoration - of Armistice Day was held in the Pres- I byterian Church yesterday morning, a ! big congregation being present. A rev- ■ erent two minutes’ silence was observed i at 11 o'clock, and tho Rev. H. R. Fell I preached a sermon appropriate to tho occasion. The hvmns sung were: —“0 God of Love, 0 King of Peace,” “God the All Terrible King,” “Praise the Lif/d, Ye Heavens Adore Him,” “1 Waited for the Lord, My God,” “0 Jlappv Band of Pilgrims,” “At Even ere tho Sun was Set.” The anthem, “What are These-'” was rendered by the choir.. Commemoration services were held in other churches and halls, and appropriate reference to the significance of the anniversary was made by the various preachers.

SOUTHERN MAORI SEAT. Mr Tuiti Makiterana, United Party candidate lor tho Southern Maori scat, on Friday oveiiing, addressed tho Maori electors m the Arnwhenua Hall. After a spirited denunciation of the Government, tho speaker took his hearers back to tho death of the Liberal Party in 1912. Mr Massey, he. said, had two slogans when ho went into power. They were “freehold” and “taihoa,” tho former, being for the white mail, and tile' latter for the Maori. Sinco the .Reform Government put its “tailioa” policy into practice, 1 lio Maoris had been slowly robbed of all their land, even though Sir Janies Carroll, “the Prime Minister of theMaori People,” had done his best to see that the total confiscation of native land was not brought about. Under tho Ward Government in 1909, the Maoris were given the right to challenge the valuation of their land, and appeal against it, Imt the Reform Government had deprived them of this privilege, and made the Crown the sob' judge of the value of nativo land. It was virtual confiscation. If a Maori’s land was valued at LOs an acre, and he

went to a European and asked for 10s tid an acre, he was liable to three months in gaol. What that justice Y And -were .they going to stand H any longer!' ..lie d.d not, think so. ‘me pick of the Maun land had been confiscated, the pmeuaso. money being not a fraction ot its value. The hum was not sold by public auction, butprivately, to Reform supporters, and that was wliy the North island was the stronghold of Reform. As a result, poverty had stricken the Maoris in the North Island, and was making itsell felt in the South also. “I cannot Understand why you people allow Reform to stay,” declared the candidate. VI am all rigid. My roads

and railways and everything else are quite, good, because I livo in the North Island. But you have to put up with everything.” The speaker then weiit on Jo say that there was only one Liberal Maori in the House, and he was the only one worth his salt. All the rest went to sleep, and it took the c.ivisioii bell to wake diem up. They had to find out which way Mr Coates was jumping before they voted. Tho speaker then referred to the question of the Maori Purpose Fund Board and its administration of the money entrusted to it. The Board, he said, consisted of the four Maori members in t-lio House, the Prime Minister and Judge Jones, of the Native Land Court. This Board got about £IOO,OOO per year for iho social, physical and educational welfare of the Maori race.hut not one penny of that money had ever found its way to the South Island. The picture of tho Maori race at present was not too rosy, but if they put (heir faith in Sir Joseph. Ward, they would have a good chance of getting back to the good old days wlieu l.ibcralism was at its best. Mr Makiterana was accorded a eotc of thanks and confidence.

OBITUARY. Much regret was felt throughout the district on Thursday afternoon, whim it became known that Mrs Ward, wife of Mr George Ward, late of the Rhys Farm. Milford, had passed away after a long illness, at tho age of 59 years. The lalo Mrs Ward was tho daughter of Mrs and I he late Mr . George Bird, of Wuimate, and was horn j in Northamptonshire, England, in 1868 j Witli her parents, she came to New | Zealand in the ship “Balaclava,” in 11874, landing at Lyttelton. 'Mm Inmi llv proceeded to Wniinato. where they made their homo in the hush, and tiny were there when the great fire occurred in the early eighties, but (hey managed to save their home by the use ol wet- b’ankols. In May, 1894, she was •narried, at Wuimate, to Mr George i Ward, of Temuka. The newly wedded

couple madu their home on Rhys Farm. Mdiurd. Here they lived until tourteen mouths ago, when they retired irom farming and came to livo at llornbrook Street, Temuka. The late Mrs Ward was widely known and highly esteemed throughout the district. As a member of tho Presbyterian Oniiiv,., she was a tireless worker. For many years, she was a very .successful exhibitor in the cooking section at the local snows. She- is survived by her husband, daughter (Mrs T. Winter, Temuka), and three sons, Messrs Norman, Donald Richard, and William Charles, all of whom are carrying on farms ax Millord.