COUNTRY NEWS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5805, 24 February 1897, Page 4

COUNTRY NEWS.

Hanmer Plains Sanatorium. — Tho tender of Mr W. Wadey, builder, Rangiora, has been accepted by the Government for the erection of the sanatorium buildings at Hanmer Plains, the amount being .£1966 13s 7d. Lecture. — At the Kaiapoi "Wesleyan School on Monday evening, the Key J. Orchard delivered a very interesting lecture on "Peter M'Konzie," to a fair audience. The Rev P. W. Fairclough occupied the chiir. After the lecture, which was very much appreciated, a vote of thanks was passed to the lecturer. ■ School Committees. — At a special meeting of the South Malvern School Committee on Monday evening it was resolved to vote for Messrs Cresswell, Buddo and Eennie for the vacancies on the Board of Education. — At a meeting of the Stoke School Committee on Monday evening it was decided to support the candidature of Messrs Buddo, Munnings and Rennie. Angling. — Sport continues good at Teinuka, and capital baskets have been taken with the minnow in the Opihi. Mr James Duncan, who has fished successfully throughout the season, caught, on Feb. ;16, 12 fish, scaling from 41b to 5-ilb, and on Feb. 18 4 fish, 841 b. On Feb. 19 he took 19 fish, weighing 33-ilb. Mr A. Nicholas, on Feb. 13, took 3 fish, weighing 201 b; on Feb. 15, 6 fish, 27 Alb, and, on Feb. 18, 5 fish, 211 b, the largest turning the scale at 141 b. Mr James Elder in a few hours took 14 fish, 241 b, and Mr B. Chapman 4 fish, 141 b, the largest weighing 101 b. The Weather and the Harvest. — The harvesting and threshing in North Canterbury were again brought to a standstill, yesterday by rain which fell pretty heavily during the night. Yesterday the sky was. overcast, with an occasional light drizzle from the east. • Our Peel Forest correspondent writes : — The weather here has been fine for. the past week, which was suitable for harvesting. Very little, grain is unstacked at present. Threshing has been in full swing whenever the weather allowed, but there have been many stoppages owing to showers. .Turnips are looking well, especially where late sown. Scene in Court. — A slight commotion was caused in the Temuka Magistrate's Court, yesterday. During the hearing of some poaching cases against some lads, the father of two of them .was asked if he desired to ask any questions, and after a struggle, said, he would like to do so, but a strange feeling had come over him. The Stipendiary Magistrate directed a constable to accommodate him with a chair, but before the . officer reached him the man fainted. He.was promptly carried outside. Hia wife and several children, other than those charged, were in court, and were, naturally, much upset. Business was suspended for some quarter of an hour pending the man's recovery. He was unable, however, to reappear, and the case proceeded without him. Rangiora Domain Board. — The annual meeting of the Rangiora Domain Board was held at- the Corn Exchange yesterday afternoon. There were present—Captain Parsons (chairman), Messrs H. Blackett, J. Lilly and A. Ivory. Captain Parsons was unanimously re-elected chairman. The balance-sheet showed — Receipts from rent, ,£ls ; . from recreation ground, ,£lO 6s ; total, .£25 6s. The expenditure was stated to be — Material, gates, fences, &c, .£2O 9s 6d; deeds and interest, £1 5s 6d; and secretary's salary, insurance, and sundries, <£15 10s. Balance due to bank, .£97 18s 9d. The assets were .valued at .£278 10s, and the liabilities were ,£ll6 9s 8d ; leaving a balance to credit of .£l6l lls. The balancesheet.was adopted. The Secretary received instructions not to allow drays to go on the domain grounds in future. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to the Chairman for his past services. Timaru Bokough Council. — The Timaru Borough Council on Monday evening had three large questions tinder discussion. A discussion about the terms of. the street-lighting contract resulted in a resolution .being carried setting up a committee to open negotiations with the Timaru Gas Company for the purchase of their works hy the borough. The Mayor reported that his application for a loan of .£4OOO for the improvement of the drainage of the borough had been provisionally granted, and the Mayor and Town Clerk were authorised to prepare a statement of facts and proposals to lay before the ratepayers. At the close of the meeting Councillor Hawkey moved that the Council should go into committee to consider the advisableness of reorganising the staff in the inteiests of economy. The motion was eventually postponed till the annual estimates come under consideration in April. Licensing Committee Elections. — The adjourned meeting of the . representatives of temperance organisations in the Kaiapoi electorate, to consider the adviaableness or otherwise of nominating a temperance licensing committee for the electorate, was held at the Templar Hall, Rangiora, yesterday afternoon. There was a large attendance, and Mr A. D. Hassall presided. Reports were received from various centres, . including Kaiapoi and Cust, in favour of nominating a committee. A long and animated discussion took place, in the course of which Mr Isaac Wilson stated that he had been \irging the Premier to consider, an alteration of the Licensing Act in the direction of abolishing committees, their duties to be carried out by the Stipendiary Magistrate. On the motion of the Rev J. Dellow, seconded by Mr J. Waiting, it was resolved to nominate a temperance committee, and do everything possible to secure its return. The Eev J. Dellow and Messrs H. L. Rogers, A. D. Hassali and R. Evans (Kaiapoi) were appointed a committee to select candidates. The meeting then terminated. Northern A. and P. Association. — A meeting of the Northern Agricultural and Pastoral Association was held yesterday afternoon, at the Corn Exchange, Rangiora. There were }}resent — Messrs M. Macfarlane (President), H. F. Gray, W. Pearson, W. Gray, J. M'Dowell, J. Stalker, G. Milne, J. Carmichael and J. L. Wilson. The By-law Sub-Committee was granted an extension of time to bring up it 3 report. Mr T. White applied to pay at the rate of Is per foot frontage for the Massey-Harris Company's exhibit at the show, he being a member. Ifc was decided that tho company .must pay the same rate as other implement exhibitors, the membership of their agent, Mr White, not entitling them to a reduction in the cost of space. Mr Pearson reported that he had conferred with the auctir.neers relative to arrangements for the annual ram and ewe fair. It was resolved that the fair should be held on March 16, on the section adjoining Mr Buss's wool store, to commence at 1 p.m., and . that the entrance fees should |;be : Single sheep 2s, and 2s 6d for each pen of five shcop. Messrs G. Cone, J. Foster, W. Scobn, E. d'Auvergne, J. Stevenson and W. Pearson were appointed a committee, with Mr A. S. Clarkson, as secretary to manage the fair. A letter was read from the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association respecting the sale of stud rams having priority in the order of sale. No action was taken in tho matter. The meeting then terminated.