BALCOHBE NOTES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 19056, 8 July 1924, Page 3

BALCOHBE NOTES

(From Our Own Correspondent) The Turakina-Tokorangi football match at Bulls on Saturday attracted a number of residents from Halcombe, which is the headquarters of the latter club. We went over hoping to see our side keep its position at the head of the list, but were for Turakina won by two penalty goals to a goal from a try. I understand there is to be an appeal to the fiub-union, as the second of the scores which Turakina got was obtained after the timekeepers had blown their whistles for “no-side,” when the ball was carried out by a Tokorangi player. The referee ruled-, however, that the ball had to be “kicked” out before it was “dead,” and that until it was kicked out play had to continue. The game was well worth seeing, and there was not much to choose between the teams. Tokorangi players got their try in the first spell, pretty football enabling W. Kane to score, Paranihi kicking the goal. The winners got their first score within a quarter of an hour of the end, and the second ecore after time had expired. Mr. E. C. Gaisford refereed.

The Horticultural Society had a general meeting on Friday night, when the Fchcdule for the spring show was adopted. The evtn will be held on September 17. There are to be nearly 150 classes, embracing all sorts of flowers, from daisies to daffodils. Those enterprising young men who broke into Mr. Francis’ shop recently came up before the Court at Feilding n Saturday, and having confessed to heir misdemeanour will expiate their ffence after the Supreme Court has had a say in the matter. The two men ad got as far as Woodville when the hng arm of the law reached out, and Mr. Francis was ’phoned for to take a trip over and try and recognise his property, which he had no difficulty in doing. The number of articles got away with was surprising, and clearly ndicated that the thieves had worked On the principle that they may as well be “hung for a sheep as a lamb.” The local men who took part in the ploughing match at Marton are loud in their praise of the way the ladies cf Marton did the catering. Mr. W. Keith, the champion, who lives close ti this village, said the dinner in the evening was the best event of its kind that he had ever attended. Though three men went from Halcombe, only Mr. Keith won a prize. There are cores, if not hundreds, of good ploughmen in this and adjacent districts, and it is somewhat surprising that more do not compete at the matches. The fact is that farmers as a class or a body do not take the interest in these matches that one vould expect them to. Many of them say that the conditions under which the competitions are held need revising. It is contended that the straight and narrow furrow which associations deem so essential was all right in the old days when the seed was broad-casted on the ploughed land, but nowadays the disc makes narrow ploughing unnecessary. It is further stated that the methods obtaining at matches would not be tolerated on a farm. No farmer would care to see his ploughman wasting time straightening furrows with his hands. What farmers require is to have the work done as quickly as possible. Time saving is what an agricultural farmer desires above all things in his arming operations, and it is asserted by many that until ploughing associations offer prizes for the best work ii the shortest time, they will continue to languish. To take between ive and six hours ploughing threequarters of an acre, and have it chopped down with a disc, when two acres can be treated in the same manner does seem absurd. Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Peffers, two residents who interest themselves in the life, social and otherwise, of this little community, have gone for a mdtor tour to Wanganui. Hawera, Stratford, and New Plymouth, they aving relatives in each town. Mr. Peffers explained to the writer that his was the only season of the year he could leave the farm, part of which is given over to the production of butter-fat. He expects to be away ten days or a fortnight. Though the weather for this month is brighter than last, the earth is cold and sodden, and much of it looks like a mournful burying-ground, with its fallen leaves, dead plants, and flowerless brown stalks. Nature is bound beneath her covering of decay, and it is hard to believe that tender leaves will ever again spring out of the bare, brown trees, and green) shoots thrust their way through the ullen earth.

perly, and from a loose rush Sandon were almost over a few minutes later, the referee giving a five yard scrum. This had the desired effect on the Awahuri team, and from then on they showed they were by no means a beaten team. Half way through the spell Sandon were awarded a free kick, Staitc being successful with the attempt.— Sandon 6, Awahuri nil. “We can win yet,” an Awahuri supporter was heard to say. Give and take play followed, and from a loose scramble near the line T. Reweti (Awahuri) got over, and the kick at goal failed. The spell ended soon often. The second spell opened with rather dull play, and from a pot shot J. Pomare (Awahuri) just missed. Sandon had a couple of scoring chances but faulty passing spoiled them. Awahuri then took a turn and were attacking hard. From a scrum near the line, the ball shot out and Wi Neeri passed out quickly to T. Rewiti, and this player scored cleverly. W. Smith goaled, and the scores read: Awahuri 8, Sandon 6. Awahuri maintained the pressure and T. Rewiti very nearly repeated his effort, being brought down only feet from the line. A few minutes before time Sandon were awarded a penalty about the half-way line, and L. Staite, with a splendid kick, landed a goal, giving Sandon a lead of one point. The game ended soon after, with Awahuri attacking. A pleasing feature of the game was the friendly spirit in which the two teams played. Afterwards, at the invitation of the Sandon team, the Awahuri players were entertained at tea. Mr Mason Durie, on behalf of the Awahuri players, returned thanks for the compliment paid them. OTHER GAMES. Other games in the competitions resulted as follows: United seniors defeated Rongotea by 9 points to nil. Ohakea juniors defeated Rongotea by 9 points to 3. Awahuri juniors defeated Kaimatarau by 9 points to nil. TRIAL GAME. In view of the representative game against Rangitikei, a trial game is to be played at Sandon on Wednesday next.