Country News.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 138, 7 December 1901, Page 3

Country News.

— o (FROM OUR OWN CORKI-.SI'ONOiiNX ) HUNTER. There has been little of moment to report from this locality of late. Evuii the convenient subject of the weuiner has not been worth writing of o-i account of its sameness; hence my modest budgets have been few and far between. However, this week there has been a change, and we have had several showery days. The rain was very much needed about here, though it came rather late to be of great benefit to many of the cereal crops, and harvest prospects are not very bright. Root crops, on the other hand, will now get a good start. Shearing is general all round tne district, though interfered with a lot this week owing to wet. The Hunter school children are to have their midsummer holidays of five weeks commencing from Friday, the 6th instant. They are also to have a picnic early in the new year. On Tuesday, the 3rd instant, the last social of the season in connection with the library was held in the schoolroom, and proved a pronuunced success, the room being taxed to its utmost capacity and every item of the entertainment being got off without a hitch. Proceedings commenced with the Grand March at 830 p.m. to the music of Mr Englebrecht (violin), and over thirty couples participated in it. Later more visitors arrived and swelled the company. Mr 3. Gibson performed the duties of M.C. in bis usual able manner. The programme included songs, interspcrsing-every two dances, which were rendered by the following singers ; —Duet, Misses JB. Cartwright aud M. Gibson, “ List to the Convent Lells ” ; duet, Misses Jackson, “ There’s no one like Mother to Me"; Miss M. Mcllwrick, “A Soldier Boy’s Motto”; Mr Shaw, “Roving”; Mr Hean (comic), “I never enjoyed myself so much before”; Mr Ooate.s, '‘•The Hazel Doll"; Mr Madson, “Queen of she Earth.” During the evening refreshments were passed round, and the lady members of the library proved their worth by providing these in great variety and profusion. Everything went as merry as the proverbial bells, and au enjoyable evening was brought to a close at 2 a.m. The library social evenings are brought lo a close for this year, but members can still exchange books if so minded.

WAIHAO

More or less rain has fallen here since Wednesday week, but on Tuesday last it came down heavily, lasting till Wednesday morning, and giving the ground the only soaking it has had for months. It was heartily welcomed, but it did no good to the school committee’s concert, which took place on Tuesday night. The attendance, as might have been expected in such weather, was not large enough to command a financial success, bat too large to allow of a postponement, while the enthusiasm of the children who, from the position assigned to them in the programme, regarded the entertainment as mainly an affair of their own, was sufficient to bring them all there, despite the violence of the storm, from the utmost bounds of the wide district. Their part came first, and consisted of numerous songs, some recitations, and an amusing play. These all, as weir as the gay and elaborate costumes worn by many of the performers (demanding no little labour on the, part of the managers), were received with much applause. The second part included a duet on the piano by the Misses Faulkner,

songs by Mia M’Taggart, Mbs E. Faulkner, and Messrs Nelson, Sheppard and Smith, and a recitation by Mr Sides. The cheers which folio wad each effort showed how thoroughly the performers were appreciated. The concert ended with “ Baraum's Bal|,” played by Messrs Nelson, Gardner. M’Taggart, Seaman, and Young, From start to finish the fun was continuous, and the amusement ended in roars of laughter. The accompanists were the Misses Gaitt, Scott, and C. Faulkner. Refreshments were sup plied by Mr Symon (Waimate), and attended to by Mesdames Scott and Seaman and assistants, and were excellent and superabundant. The dance did not end till sunrise—a ieavy task on the pianiste (Miss Gaitt) \lr James Hanley attended to the luties of the M.O.