THE COUNTRY.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16426, 21 January 1919, Page 3

THE COUNTRY.

NEWS AND NOTES.

JOTTINGS FOR FAR3IERS,

It is good to meet the cheerful farmer (says the "Wvndham Herald ). There have been gloomy prognostications of a shortage of winter feed. One of our cheerful friends whom it is a pleasure to meet thus summed up: "Stock never yet starved in winter in Southland. Seed time and harvest never fail. Harvest will bo a month later than last year, it is true —will begin at the time it finished last year ; but, with reasonably good weather, it will be all right. Never find fault with the season till the season is out. Wt* shall probably have a good 'back-end, for which Southland is famous."

Several good returns from oat crops already threshed in the Ashburton County arr* reported. In the Lauriston district a crop of Algerian oats yielded 55 bushels per aero, while at Lyndhurst a crop threshed 50 bushels. Grass peed is also giving good returns, an<l at Barr Hill 52 bushels to the acre Jiave been threshed. The cocksfoot harvest promises to be quite above the average. KAIKOURA. A meeting of the 31arlborougli and East Coast Settlers' Association _ was held at Kaikoura on Saturday night, Mr E. S. Rutherford (president) being in the chair. It Tvas agreed that the Postmaster-General be asked to redeem the promise made, by him twelve months ago to link up the metallic circuit between Ivekerangu and Clarence Bridge; further that.it be pointed out that- since the midday train ceased running to Ward, mails had been considerably delayed. It -was decided that the Minister of Public "Works be written to regarding his promise to have the Kekerangu stream bridged, and that application be made to the Postmaster-General for a switchboard at tho Kekerangu post office. A most successful social "was held in the Brill Hall on Friday night, and notwithstanding tho inclement weather, tho Navy League Fund will benefit to the extent, of £>11 15s. A number of 1 ladies and gentlemen attended in fancy dress. The following prizes were awarded:—Best patriotic dross, Miss H. Prince (Belgian); most original dress, Miss Hockey (Food Controller); best poster dress. Miss Clara Marshall (Fashion Plate); most original dress, Miss Colleen O'Malley (New Club Hotel Chef) CULVERI>EN. The crops in the Amuri district this season are coming in very patchy, some boing already in stook, while others are still perfectly green. It is estimated that the harvest will run well into February. The majority of the crops are on the light side, but are expected to thresh out fairly well in proportion to the amount of straw. There are several very nice paddocks of wheat in the district which should yield well. The weather has not been altogether favourable for the crops, heavy rainstorms being followed by nor'-westers, with a very small proportion of summer weather in between. The arpa is rather smaller than previous years, but the yield is expected to be well up to the average of recent years, and to exceed', it in many eases. OXFORD. The funeral of the late Mr James McCahon, eldest son of Mr and Mrs J. IX McCah'ori, took place at Oxford on Saturday afternoon, the llev. Mr Foote, Methodist minister, conducting the graveside ceremony. Numerous wreaths were sent, and a large gathering of friends and relatives attended to pay j the last respects., The pall-bearers were "the three brothers-in-law of tho do- ' ceased, Messrs J. J. Sutton, E. Morris, and W. G. Black, and Mr B. Maddison. The deceased was 31 years of age. and' a native of Oxford. He was a member of the local OTange Lodge, and the ablest shearer in the district, intimately connected with the life and people of Oxford, and highly esteemed by all who knew him. He had been ailing for twelve months. He leaves a widow and two young children. NORTH~LOBURN. Mr Alfred Siefert, of the well-known flaxmilling firm of Siefert Bros., Palmerston North, has given £20 towards the North Loburn Fallen Soldiers' Memorial Fund for the erection of the monument in the school grounds. The donation was piven in recognition of the fact of Mr Siefert and his brothers having received their education in the school 1 . On a former occasion Mr Siefert presented the school with a valuable museum case containing a number of interesting articles collected from different parts of the world. MASON'S FLAT. On Thursday evening Corporal O. P. Burke and Private T. Pilicher were entertained at a welcome home in tho schoolroom, and a very enjoyable, evening was spent, dancinir being kept up to a late hour. During the evening Mr W. White presented tne guests with a medal suitably inscribed, and assured; them of the pleasure it gave their friends to have them back again. A public meeting was held in the schoolroom on Thursday. A motion of sympathy, moved by the chairman of tne School Committee (Mr W. Anderson), all present, standing, was passedl to Mr Asnby, Mrs Washer. Mrs Trail, Mrs Shields, Mrs Shaw, Mrs Christian, and their respective families, and also to Mr and Mrs Leary. A motion of sympathy was also passed to the relatives of Private J. McFarlane, who died while serving his country. A vote of thanks was accorded the ladies who assisted during the epidemic special mention being made of the valuable assistance rendered by Miss McKenzie, Miss Ellridge, and Miss Clark. SPRINGSTON. A welcome home social to returned , I soldiers wjlTbe given in the Sprineston. | Hall on Thursday at 8 p.m. All returned soldiers residing in the district are invited to be preset. LINCOLN. Private W. Greaves returned on ono of the last transports, and Private W. E. Bartram is expected shortly. WOODEND. The Rev. C. B. Jordan, of Woodend, lias been invited by the No-lioenso League to act as organiser for the "West Coast district, with headquarters atl Buller. ASHBURTON. From September to the end of last week the Ashburton County Council paid out £404 8s 9d for birds' heads and eggs, as compared with £648 for the same period last year. A five-rink match was played on the Ashburton bowling green on Saturday between the local clnb and _ Methven, Ashburton winning by 161 points to 76. The Methven Club invited the Ashburton plavers to Methven on Saturday next, when the club's new green will be formally opened.