COUNTRY NEWS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5769, 13 January 1897, Page 4

COUNTRY NEWS.

"Waimate Rifles. — The "Waimate Rifles brjke up camp on Monday night. After striking tents and general packing up, a smoke concert was held in the drillshed, to wliich several friends were invited, and a very pleasant evening was spent. Proposed Co-operative Dairying Company. — A meeting was held at the Corn Exchange, Rangiora, yesterday, with the object of discussing a proposal to form a Co-operative Dairying Company. There was not a large attendance, and after a short discussion the meeting was adjourned. Property Sale at Rangiora. — Yesterday Mr W. Buss, at Rangiora, offered by auction the farm of Mr R. Pentecost, comprising 43' i acres, situated at the southwest corner cf the borough. There was spirited bidding up to .£4O per acre, at which price it was withdrawn. Mr Buss also offered 20 acres connected with the same farm, which were withdrawn at -234 per acre. Timaru "Waterworks. —At Monday evening's meeting of the Timaru Borough Council, the "Waterworks Inspector stated that the river Pareora was lower than he had ever seen it since the waterworks were made. There was but the merest trickle going over the dam, the race taking nearly the whole of the water flowing. There was, however, some margin, as the intake received more water than was wanted and some was let away at two by-washes. If, however, the dry weather .continued, the borough might be face to face with a serious difficulty. He had warned a great many consumers to avoid waste, and had cut off some of the street sluicing supplies to save water. The reservoir had been run rather low during Christmas week, and he had since been unable to re-fill it. Councillor Macintosh, who had been up to the dam at the headworks, said he saw with some consternation how small a margin they had in the river supply. As Timaru is entirely dependent upon the supply from the Pareora River, and all the rivers are falling fast, the position threatens to become serious unless rain falls soon.