THE COUNTRY.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16423, 17 January 1919, Page 3

THE COUNTRY.

NEWS AND NOTES.

JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS.

There are some s P len^, on and linseed in tlio I'laxton, > Loburn district;.

Word has been received ton that shearing »» e i o wly offstations is proceeding very sJ* l * ing to. difficulty m so ™ai Snow is still very thu v chance parts, and there is very little cn«ui e of a thaw this season. CHEVIOT. , At a mcrfms of » Committee, .it was medals welcomo social and present war to the following returned solars. Lieutenant C J. l A. R. Wells, I!. Tweedie, b. C.osteiio, M. Hyde. It was also decided the Cheviot, Council to call • .f rf meeting for the purpose of consioer x the suitability of a cottage Cheviot a peaco memorial for tne County. OXFORDAt tho quarterly meeting of tho usfoid Methodist Church, the Ilotn - i;innarv Mr F. E. *'oot, on behau or tne chairman of tho district, there v,a S a good attendance otmom hers. The members roll slight increase. The ] ina » c ' a \f u t £ G iJ to showed the income for tho <*uarterjo have btjen £51 Is lid, and turo £<31 8s 2d, leaving a debit ot t-J lGs 3d. The will however, liquidate this denut. in regard to the aJheme for the appointment of a connexions! Sunclav ganiser, tho meeting opnoseel the proposal but considered bunday school work' of such P^ moU JVXrTbo that the best energies of the church bo devoted to it. Mr J ' " .-Pi pointed sustentation collector, and AJessrs J. Wells and R. E. Judson circuit stewards. . . , I A verv interesting picnic was held at Ashley (Jorge on Wednesday, under tho auspices of tho Oxford Council, when i tho voluntary nurses, assistants, helpers, and others associated with them in fi!ghtin<r the influenza epidemic m the district foregathered, to have a Pleasant day together. The day was and an enjoyable time was spent. Atte r the nurses and helpers had been photographed in Mr J. Brown's car, which had been in evidence in every part or the district during the. epidemic, Mr Alex. Baxter, chairman of the County Council, addressed tho gathering, and apologised for tho absence of the late chairman, Mr IX liawko, who had bad so much to do with tho instituting of the hospital but who had returned to Oxford during the afternoon. Ho asked Mr L. Watson to express the sentiments of the Council. Mr Watson, in felicitous terms, referred to the benevolent activities of those concerned, their untiring efforts, and their devotion to duty in tho most trying circumstances. Whatever faults thero might have been in management at any time, they could be assured that their woTk had been well done, lives had been saved, and the district was deeply grateful. Cheers were given for Mr Brown, who had mado such grand use of his car; for Nurse Ayres, whose organising ability and good management had beeiu most effective, for the "life and soul of the hosoital"; and for tho lady who "entered at tne beginning and carried through to the end." RANGIORA. Varied weather conditions are still being experienced in the Xorth. Canterbury district, and shearing, grassseeding, and hay-making are being delayed. Yesterday rain began to fall at noon, and continued for the jest of the day. MARSHLAND. Usually the annual troat in connexion with tho Marshland school is held at breaking-up time for the long vacation, but the recent epidemic caused tho School Committee to postpone tho function to a later date, which has now boen fixed for Thursday, February Gth, tho location being the Papanui Domain. Tho district is to bo canvassed for subscriptions to meet the expenses lor refreshments, sports, prizes for sewing, etc. Mesdamea C. G. Dalgety and G. Chisnall and Miss Dunlop have been appointed to act as judges for the sewing awards in the standard classes. The school is to reopen on January 27th. In addition to the five men mentioned in last week's notes, the following have been invited to attend tho welcome homo to returned soldiers _ next Wednesday evening, namely, Privates Burgess and James, Gunner Roper, and Corporal It. J. Voss. LADBROOKS. Farmers are busy just now grass-seed threshing; and getting in oat crops. I he oat crops this season are in excellent! condition, although not heavy. The wheat, pea, and clover crops are coming on splendidly, and farmers are looking forward to good returns irom th fhe potato crops, although looking well on top, are not satisfactory at the roots, and farmere predict a great shortage in this district. . The ■,harvest this season is fully a month later than last year's, but with, better results in every way. The creamery is now ill full swing, Mr Larcombe being kep.t # busy attending to tho numerous suppliers. Privates Pickering, Millier, and Greaves returned home on Tuesday, looking in the pink of health. It is the intention of the Reception Committee to await the arrival of all the local men, and then to make the weloome home one large public function. Mr J. Partridge is having an up-to-date milking plant erected on his farm at Ladbrooks. It will be run I>y oil power. , , Sir T. C. Foster, sen., left tins week for a holiday to Hanmer Springs. A pure-bred yearling Shorthorn bull was landed at Ladbrooks yesterday to the order of Mr J. L. Tumuli, of Halswell. The bull was bred by the Hon. John Fisher, of Pukerimu, near Cambridge. LINCOLN. In the Pioneer Hall, in impromptu evening was tendered to Miss Doherty, on the eve of her marriage. Mrs Stoddart presented the guest with a leather hand-bag, on behalf of her Lincoln friends. "Musical items were given and supper handed round. * Private H. Jarmau returneain the last transport. Trooper Julian is expected shortly. SOUTH MALVERN DISTRICT. Tho Amusement Club started in been revived. Besides running tennis and croquet competitions during the summer months, its niiipft is to nrovide amusement throughout the winter months. Recently.a number of people met, with the object of reviving the club, but it. was decidedi +W nothin" could be done till tho members of the°old club, dissolved in 1914, had met The old club members were then called together, and agreed t ? revive tho club and elected a committee from among'their number, consisting of Messrs J. H. Pearson (chairman), R.. Grav (secretary), C. Stuart, axid A. Charles, and Mwdames J H. Pearson, C. Stuart, G. GriSiths, and W. Watson. In ttcc-'ordiinc© with, tho rules of tuft club a number of names of intending members were handed in, and these were proposed and seconded en bloc at a subsequent meeting- On Wednesday ni<rht a meeting ot the c ub was called for the' purpose ot enrol ing members. There was a large attendance. Beforo proceeding with V l6 business the chairman read out the rules of the old; club. iroui tha outset thai

thero iras considerable dissatisfaction with a number of the old mles. Messrs V. P. Nolan and A. E. Pollard endeavoured to poin.t ont that tho rules were too conservative in that though the dub had the use of part of a iitrblic domain, tho public "was allowed no voice in the matter, the annual meeting being laid down as a meeting ofl members only. They further pointed) out that, however dissatisfied members might be with any rule, it could not bo altered cxcent at an annual meeting. However, all went smoothlv in the enu, and it was decided to hofd a working bee on Saturday afternoon, and to open the season a week later. On account of the la to dato of opening, it was decide_d to hold no public functton. The> chairman reported that thero was a balance of £17 from 1914. .. S° u .th Malvern Red Cross Society held its usual quarterly afternoon in aid of the Red Cross kitchen on "Wednesday. Tho result was disappointing, as alio was tho Red Cross work collected on tho same day. The day was an unpleasant one. thero being a strong nor'-wester blowing, and this circumetanco no doubt prevented people from attending from a distance. ASHBURTOX. On Wednesday evening a motor-car belorging to Mr L. M. Xowman, taxi proprietor, Ashbtjrton, was considerably damaged by fire, due to tho engine back-firirg. The local Firo Brigade, who were at practice, were quickly on tho scene, and extinguished the fire before the car was totally destroyed. Tho vehiclo was insured.

Mr AV. ZS'oswortliy, M.P., who was unable to attend the meeting held at Mayfield in connexion with the postal scryice, states that tho present mail delivery is totally inadequate for the needs of the district. Mr Nosworthv has sent a telegram to the authorities at "Wellington, reviewing tho position.