THE COUNTRY.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16430, 25 January 1919, Page 3

THE COUNTRY.

NEWS AND NOTES. THE RABBIT NUISANCE. (PRESS ASSOCIATION" TELEGRAM.) DUNEDIN, January 23. At the monthly meeting of the Clutha branch of the Farmers' Association, Jield to-day, the following resolutions were carried: —"That this meeting has no sympathy with the farming of rabbits, or with-those who take no steps to.destroy the pest"; "that this meeting is unanimously- of opinion that the 1918 amendment of the liabbffc Nuisance. Act should be rescinded." : It was also decided to recommend that tho erection <rf houndary fences in netting wire bo made compulsory in rabbit infested districts, and that farmers bo assisted to . purchase netting. . . , JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS. In tho Alford Forest district some very fine crops of oats are to be seen, ' although in some instances they. are thin" and light. Cutting will probably be general in about a week. Tho turnips are not doing so well, the fly having beon busy. A few crops of' grass-seed have been harrested. HANMEITsPRINGS. The Rev. J. Paterson, of Christchurch, gave an elocutionary recital in the Queen Mary Hospital this week. He .•was assisted by . Miss Stella Murray and Private Reynolds, who contributed songs. The hall was,packed, apd.the various items were much appreciated. On Thursday evening a card party ■was .hold in the hospital, the inmates playing _the visitors and residents. Euchre, SCO, and bridge was played, and tho hospital players proved the winners. The ladies provided an excellent supper. MARSHLAND. . Over three, hundred persons assom- , bled at the Marshland Hall, on. Wed-, riesday evening last, to welcome home ten .returned 6oldiei's connected wrth tho district, namely,.' ; Rifl£man. William Hannan, Rifleman Johp Sharlick, Private. Edjvsvrd .HaHyken, Private Josepfh Crozier, private Jamra'Liitton, Gunner Charles Roper, 'Private Cejcil James',' Private Burgess^'Private Edward Rickerby, and Corporal Ronald Voss. The chairman • (Mr AV. 'J. \ Walter) and Messrs T; Quaid and J.' Voss gavo > short addresses. Gold medals were presented, on . behalf of the Patriotic Society,' by Mesdames, W.'Lange,: J : . Schimaiski, Matiersbn, ; senr., and Mitton, to Rifleman Hannan, Private Hawken, Rifleman Sharlick, and Privates. Lutton and Crozier respectively. Dancing was indulged in till one* o'clock, the music being supplied by Miss McDonald, and Mr Arthur McFadden acting as M.C. A congregational social was held in the Marshland Methodist Church on Thursday evening, to . welcome home' Corporal-R. Voss and Private D.- J. Lutton. The Rev. W. C. Oliver occupied the chair. An. excellent programme of vocal and elocutionary items . was ErOvided by Misses- Goodman, L.AB-, law, and Hazel Wilkinson.-and Messrs P. Bashor and W. S: Angas; Ad-: dresses were given by the chairman and Mr J. Goodman. Presentations "were! made of a silver pencil-holder ±o Regi-mental-Sergeant-Major Con. A. Voss, of a bound pocket wallet to Corporal Ronald Voss, and of a fountain pen to Private Lutton. SPRINGSTOX At a meeting of the • Springston South Gala Committee, Mr Do la C-our presided ■ over , a . fair afc: tendance. ' Thri balance-sheet, in connexion with the gala', , showed receipts £61 4s 4d; and expenditure £11 4s 4d, leaving a credit balance of £50, .which has been forwarded, through the Springs County Council, to the Navy League Fund. A vote of thanks was passed'to all. who helped to make the gala a success. On Thursday evening a welcome home social was held for the purpose of .welcoming a number of men who have recently returned from the front. The hall was packed. Mr J1 W. Kime presided. A . motion, of sympathy was Eassed to the. relatives of. those who ad been killed. A concert was given' by a party from Christchurch, under the management of Mr C. Mcintosh and Mr Bracey Wilson. Items were given by Misses Priestley and Sansom, Messrs Bracey Wibon, Simpson, and Parlett. Mr Ntithan acted as pianist. I Several Scottish dances were given by Misses Mcintosh, Giles, Cunningham, and Philpott, the music being supplied by Piper Erskine. During the interval the chairman welcomed the following men: Trooper E. Le Comte, Privates S: -Bray,'W.-Memory, J. Longson, W. flirk, I>. Eddy. P. Greaves, E. Pago, rooper E. Le Comte, Privates S. Bray and D. Eddy were presented with the district's gold medal, they having left before the giving of medals commenced. Mrs J. W. Kime pinned the medals on the soldiers. Mr I. Andrew, on behalf of- the Springs County, gave a short address of welcome. The chairman said that 88 men from the district had gone on active service.. Twenty had made the supreme sacrifice, 27 had returned. and three had gained the Military MedaL The following were thank-, ed for providing cars: Mes-srs Pyne and Co M Dexter and Crozier, and Mr Bracey Wilson. Supper was provided by the local Red Cross ladies, after which a dance was held. Mr T. Gillatf has. been advised that his son. Charles, will arrive home at the beginning of next week. He left with the 24th Reinforcements. P..AKA L\. • Although still under-staffed, the Rakaia pcsi = ofiice has- reverter to. the old arrangements tor two deliveries per letter-carrier each- day. and open for one hour iu the evening. It is noteworthy that despite difficulties of canying the stM'VK-'Po 1 the public were curtailed less at 'he Rakaia oisce. than at many others. Great trouble is experienced in- getting _»o>s -to remain lone at the work, sis-tnc icmuneratioix olfuriiu? ciitsidr i- *'-> much greater.

During the holidays the Rakaia Boy Scouts held a camp in the Rakaia riverbed , some distance below the bridge. Tho week s outing was much appreciated by the boys, as they had not hn>d camp since the departure of their old scoutmaster, the Rev. X. Wright. An old Rakaia Scout. Mr H. A. Saunders, kindly took charge, and an enjoyable time was spent with swimming, games, and other Scout activities. The boys who usually look to < small birds' heads to provide them with a little pocket money at this season of the year have turned their attention to the more profitable occupation of grassseeding. The season has been a good one for cocksfoot, and tho high prices ruling give very gcod returns. Although the Road Board has let the cutting rights 011 tho roads, there arc many strips and corners left for tho hands of small gleaners to harvest. Tho gathering must soon bo finished, as the north-west winds of lat© have dried, the grass off considerably. So far. at any rate as the Rakaia Red Cross is concerned, a record in knitting has been made by Mrs E. Duncan, who made twenty-five pairs of socks in a month. In common with other parts of Canterbury, Rakaia has great deal of white clover this summer, and son 10 of .the roadsides have made quite a picture. Contrary to what might l>c expected, however, the honey crop does not seem to have benefited" much i'roin the growth. Soldiers recently returned to Rakaia, are Lieutenant AV. A. Breach and Privates I\ Cobdenj G. L. Richards, ]>. Cornelius, E. H. St.evens, and Private J. Brick, of B-arr Hill. Lieutenant Breach camo home on furlough. Ho ■went away with the -ith ments, and was wounded at Gallipoii Mid on the Somme. In the Somerton district Mr F. Langley has a crop of oats which -will k© hard to beat anywhere. Mr 8. Buckett, of the Rakaia postal staff, is still absent at Hanmer Springs on sick leave. Mr George Cairns, of the staff of tho Bank of New Zealand at Rakaia, has been transferred to Cliristchurch, his place bein<r taken by Mr N. Simpson, from the Timaru branch. Mr L. Oxley, clerk to the South Rakaia Road Board, is at present at Sumner. His sight has been much benefited by the operation on his eyos which Jin recently underwent, but it* will be some time before he 'will' be ablo to resume his duties. The various, schools in the Rakaia district reopen on Monday. The Rakaia school is entitled "to a junior teacher, and the Rokeby school to an assistant mistre.ss, both due to increased attendances. Tho Rakaia Bowling Club's Singles Competition was won by C. Ross, with T ; Blacklev. as • runner-up. Anoth?.r Singles Competition, played under th-s sectional system, is now in progress. Tho Doubles • Competition has not yet been completed. ; ASHBURTON. Mrs X.; Fitzgerald, Ashburton, has received word that her son, Corporal D. J,-Fitzgerald, is returning to New Zealand with dftft No. 211. Corporal Fitzgerald left with the 23rd Reinforcements. A meeting of the committee appointed to arrange for the picnic to Longbeach to entertain those who took an active'part during the recent epidemic, was held on Thursday evening, when Mr T. J. . Hunter presided. It was decided to' hold the picnic on January 30th, and if all the workers availed themselves of the outing, it was stated 65 cars would be required. In addition to; the workers, the nurses of the Public and Tuarangi Hospitals are to ho asked "to join in the picnic. A strong committee of Red Cross ladies has been added to the General Committee to carry out the arrangements. . WAIM ATE. Tho' Wuimat© branch of the^Navy

League is appealing for funds for naval dependants. It intends holding a sale of badges and a street collection, also a picture benefit. A "NVaimate branch of the South Canterburv Development League was formed on 'Thursday, with 27 members, lho Mavor (Mr G. Dash) and .} Geddes, R. J. Logan, H. Max \Yhatman were appointed an executive. The Phoenix Club (Oarnaru) brought eight rinks to Waimate on Thursday, and defeated the homo bowlers by lbO points to 121.