THE COUNTRY.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16164, 19 March 1918, Page 3

THE COUNTRY.

NEWS AND NOTES. JOTTINGS FOll FAUMERS. A Ihinedin telegram states that the drought has broken in Central <Jt< 0 > and welcome rain is falling. Mr H. E. B. "Watson, of Tai Tapu, has sold one- of his Squire Ronald p e trfry llonald, winner of resen'e champion at Ellesmere, and champion prizes at Christchurcli and Dunodm. 1 buver is Mr AY. J. Doak, of Ashburton, and the urice probably constitutes. record for* tlie Dominion for a coloniaibred mare. OMlil. . . . In the Teviotdalc and A\aipara Kminiis, opposition is beinjj shown to tno "\\iiipara- County Council s scneme. to build a hospital at Wiukan. A meot ng of ratepayers was hoWut, Omih. last week, v.'lien the following resolution •was carried: "We, the Omihi, do hereby formally protest against the erection of the proposed hospital at Vvaikan, as we consider tiio time inopportune, the place unsuitable, the difficulty of procuring u re.sicieiu doctor and staff almost insuperable, considering that the Christchurcli Jrlospital is at present understaffed .and it is found to be impossible to have a resident doctor at Amberley ; and pledge ourselves, in the event of the proposal being gone on with, and ou> roads neglected, to do all in our power to accomplish the severance of the district in order to protect our own interests."' RANGIORA. On Friday afternoon, at the Lady Liverpool .Depot, tho president, Jlrs H C i). van Ascli, made a presentation to -Mrs "W. Darling, on the occasion of her 1 earing for Australia, m appreciation of the services she lias rendered to the fund. _ "Mr l>uncan Gilchrist, chairman ot the Southland Board of Education, and of tho Gore High School Board, and Messrs John McGibbon, and 1. A. Blackio, members of the Board of uo--1 vernors of the Gore High School, and i il r T. A. Hunter, principal, who are visiting Canterbury, seeking information on agricultural education, as taught in tho different institutions arrived m Rangiora on Saturday, and yesterday paid a visit of inspection to the llangi- | era High School, where they were shown over the agricultural plots by Mr T E. Strachau, the principal, and Mr F. H. Callaghan, agricultural instructor. The chairman and several li.enibers of tho High. School Board were also present. After carefully inspecting tho plots the visitors expressed surpriso at the extent of experimental work being carried on, as evidenced by the splendid crops now growiug on the bchool experimental lar&ij and" stated that it was a great object lessou. Tho lady teachers entertained the visitors in the science room, where thev were weloomed by the chairman and" Mr James Stevenson, member of tho Agricultural Committee. Tho principal outlined the schemo of work, and Mr Callaghan also gave a short address on science as applied to agriculture. I The visitors returned thanks for the information given. The girls' and boys hostels were also visited. The party, ■whicli left "by tho midday tram for Christchurch," will visit Ashburton and other centres.

AKAIIOA. ■Two minor' accidents happened in Akaroa on Sunday afternoon. Neville Bell, the ten-year-old son of Mr AV. F. Bell, while attempting tho Blondin act on the fence o£-the> recreation ground, fell, and broke,-an. arm. Joan Penlington fell on a preserving jar, and gashed her cheek, tho -wound having to be stitched.

OKAIN'S BAT. On Thursday last, while Mr Pilkington, of Akaroa, was driving his car down the hill leading to the hay, he ran into a bullock- sledge in charge of S. Grant. A serious accident was narrowly averted. The car was considerably knocked about. Sergeant Jack Ware, of Okain's Bay, who was seriously wounded in October last, has written to his parents to say that he hopes to be back soon. At the time of writing he had been for fourteen weeks a cot case, and had undergone no fewer than eignt operations. Private McGuire, of Akaroa, was in the next cot, seriously ill. On Friday night a welcome social to Private R. Flutey, who has been invalided home, was held. There was a crowded attendance,, and a hearty welcome was extended to him. The bay is looking green and fresh. Old residents say that they do not remember it looking so green before. As allowing the value of grading and testing cows, it <is understood that one farmer -with 12 cows was only 9d short of another with 30 cows on last month's cheque. The former tests and grades his herd periodically. W ADDDfGTOX. A verv pleasant function took place at the 'Waddington school on Friday afternoon, when the teachers and scholars gathered together to bid farewell to jSliss. Bruce, assistant mistress, who is leaving to be married. Miss Gwen Townshend Master Geoffrey /dams, on behalf of those present, presented Miss Bruce with a handsome silver teapot. Mr McAlpine responded for Miss Bruoe. WAIMATE. The "Waimate Acclimatisation Council is urging the Minister of Internal

Affairs to extend the season for quinnat salmon to tlie end of May, owing to the lato run of the fish this year. Eight .borough councillors have resigned, because they cannot work with Mr George Dash, the Mayor, who is securing a ticket to run with him. Tho nominations close on March 28th. The Mayor refuses to resign, as he was elected as the nominee of a minority against three-fifths of the old council. KAIKOURA. ' The St. Patrick's Day sports, held on Saturday, did not seem to suffer in attendance from the effects of the Agricultural Show held the day before, Mr J W. Harris's beautiful grounds bomg thronged with holiday-makers. Races and games wore th© order of tho day, and refreshments were provided vx a capacious booth. In the evening there was a grand Irish concert in tho Drill Hall, which was .crowded. Ihe proceeds go to the Convent School. CHEVIOT. The crops threshed are yielding much below the average, and most farmers anticipate clearing expenses only. Attention is now being turned to sheep, And it is very probable tha-t no ccrcals will be grown in the future. Dull weather, with occasional showers, has ruled for weeks, and while there is abnormal growth, there is no body in it, and stock are not doing too well. ■ Those Cheviot farmers who resisted the temptation to buy sheep at Culyorden were quite pleased with themselves after they had bought at the Mina yards the" following day, as prices were anything from 4s to 8s below Culverden values. The sudden death of Mr Thomas Taylor removes one of the most highly respected • settlers of the district. In his youth Mr Taylor was one of the best-known scullers of the Kaiapoi Rowing Club. There is a movement on foot to restart the fortnightly live and dead stock

sales in the township, with the Mina yards for large quarterly sales, and ewo fairs in season. DORIE. The first of the year's socials at the Ardamine Hall, Dorie, was held on Friday night. The proceeds were in aid.of the Lady Liverpool Fund, and the price of admission, a gift for a soldier, resulted in a miscellaneous collection of milk, jam, chocolates, tobacco, etc._ There were about sixty present. It is the intention to hold a social every four weeks throughout the winter. Songs were given by Mrs Kingsbury, Miss Hankin, and Mr J. Halliday, and a recitation by Harold Currey.,