THE COUNTRY.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16722, 3 January 1920, Page 3

THE COUNTRY.

NEWS AND NOTES

Jottings for Farmers

Han - . ins lias commenced .n iho Ashbnrton district. and in a lew daw «-ill :>e- general. T!*> crop- .ire lighter than lias b«vn tho exponent of iht< pn.-i vo:ir or two. The area under crop i:ilx» !ot=s. Mangels are looking very well. and a more plenteous supply than usual is assured of this valuable winter I eed. Speaking; at a famu-is' gathering .it Welungtrin last, week, Sir Janiu- Wilson. i>r>minion president of tho Farmers' Tnion. remarkt<d that just now the average farmor could not make a profit from wheat-growing. They expected .the South Island people ;n grotr vbe:r wlient for them. Ho considered thatpeople had been living on cheap u-hecii at the growers' expense. The consumers must n\pp"t that thin* would have to ]xxv a profitable price to the grower if they wanted whr.it. BELFAST. A farewell social was tendered to the Rev. T. M. ;md Mrs Curnow and tamily by the parishioner* of St. David's Church. Helfast, and surroundint: districts on Tuesday. Mr Curnou. \i lio has wen appointed to the Malvern parish, wr.s priv-onUvi with u ruj; with silver plate .suitiihiy enf^raved: Mrs Ournow. who has as orjiaiiisT. Sunday w.hool superintendent, and ('resident of the Girls' Friendly Society, was presented by the parishioners with a Kolrfr wristlet watch, and by the O.F.S. with morocco-bdtind antofrraph and j>hoU)ffraph albums; blasters John and Allan Ournow were banded a vuliinii' of Shnke_-jpeare's v.orks and *I>ro«nine's poeti<-aI works respectively : and Mrs a hot-water !w>ttle and "wTiunK-doK- The palherinn was held in the pehoolroom, wliieh wa.s packed to its utmo.-rt capacity. Mr ilarris (churchwarden), i' l inakiiif; the presentations, tvqjrcsswl rejrrnt at. fiueh kind and valtied friends, and wished them every success and hnppin<vss in their new home. Miss Hillier made the presentation on bohalf of the O.F.S. 'liie ch.oirman (Mr A. Lawn), in a short tqxnxrh, ontlinod some of the £<xhi work done l»y tho guests in the parish, and Mr Poison spoke in e.ulopistic terms of the pood work done by Mr and Mrs Curnow apart froni parish duties, durinji the infltumza epidemic, and on behalf of patriotic functions. . Mr and Mrs Ournow suitably responded, and expressed repret at leaving so many kind friends, but hoped the parisliioners would carry on tho good work in the district, (imls were indulged in until 0.30 o'clock, when musical and other items wero given by the. Misses Phyllis Brown Merrin nnd Joyr-e Staff, Mosdames Johns and Ournow, Master .Jack Brown, tho Rev. Mr Ourpow. and Messrs Hrmvn and • >upt er fras provided by the ladies of the parish. KAIAPOL Afr and Mrs T. Douds, -who are shortly leaving K.ilapoi to reside in Christ-f-hureh, were entertained at a social evening bv members of the St. Paul's Presbyterfan Chureli. 'I'he A. T/nishfey, on behalf of the congregation, presented Mr Douds with a gold albert, and Mrs IXouds with a silver •cake-stand. LITTLE EIVEB. 'Die usual quietness of Little River was rudely disturbed late on Saturday evening by tho spectacle of a Maori who. whilst under the influence of liquor, assaulted his wiie, made a Ixin!ire and Ininit the wearing apparel of lii* and family and a quantity household furniture. The locxxl constable arriving on the scene ovxsrpowereil the Maori, removing him to the lock-up. As a sequel James Roberts, a Maori, appeared before Messrs Parkinson and Jodce, J.P.'s. charged with disorderly conduct whilst drunk, and using obscene language. Ar-euse<l wao oonvicU-d and discharged for boing dntnk and disorderly, and sentenced to three months' imprisonment in Lyttelton gaol for using obscene language.

DUNSANDEL. Visitors to Thtnsandi'l on New Year's D:iy wcrr very favourably impressed by t-lie school flowor pirden, which occupies .a triangk' at tlio junction of tli<* Hrtioksidc and Lcoston roads. Tliis .section up to a lew years ago iras a pit-cc of waste ground. It was taken over by tho .st:lkx>l, was fenced, and is now a beauty spot. There is a magnificent display of blooms, and tho plot reflects great credit upon tho whoolmasUir. ?.Ir F. Smith, and his pupils. Some shrubs have boon planted, and when those grow a little, tho garden ■will l>e still further improved. If. is •remarkable how such good results have been achiovcd in faco of the fact that tho piece of ground is not sheltered from the winds and is fairly dry in summer. Mr »9mitli deserves to be oommendefl for ennouraging the <hildren to take an interest in things o?sthetir. GERALDINE. Th<» annual meeting of the Christian Union is being held in Oer:ildine. Tho delegates. numlwring about 100. ■were■welcomed by the Mayor, tho welcome being acknowledged by t.lrv Rev, J. MacKenzie CpresJdont. of the Unions and Mr Ifiizlett. The programme of the gathering includes the assembling of members in groups for study in tho forenoons, a (rhnrvli service, and a lecture in the evening, while a considerable portion of each day is available for sports or excursions. Th« rrioket, tennis, croquet, and bowling green-, :i.- well «s the batlts, aro at- tlie- disposal of /nenibers, who are looking forward to a pleasant .is well as profitable sojourn fn (Jeraldinc. ASHBUETON. Tho riverbed in the vicinity of the rifle range has been extensively usril Irv n-'idents during xhe Christmas and N'ew Year holidays. Thcn> is a jilentiful supply of water for bathers, while the paodlPTS liave shallow pools -with -andy l>ottoms ;it their disposal. T7hvital statUtics for the Ashburton regL--trntion district for the past year wen': Births 310, deaths MO, marriages SS. Tho figures for were: Births 310, deaths 1"8. marriages ofJ. The. members of the A-hhurton Baud paid a vLvit U> Strive lev, v.hero the residents, in appreciation of tjieir visit, contributed £"2o t/rwards the funils of the band. With the object of procuring uniforms for several young pla\-ers, it has been arranged for tlx* b;ind to other centres in the countv.

The member? of the 1/oyul Orange lodge, Ashburton, with th«-ir friends. h<-ld :i picnic at the \V:ik:vnui Iteach yesterday, wlii'n an enjoyable dav uas l)n Ntiv Year - J>ay the Sunday M-hool children and tiw-ir jiarents and friends also sjn*nt an enjoyable picnic 7n the sa;ne lnc^ility. St. Michael's, St. .Tam»ySt. John's, and tho fetidalton Bi.>v >i-outp, under Seoul masters Froggatt. llett-. an<i Aldridge, are at present in eamt> at xilgm. On New Year's Day the Scouts nsit<fd tbe Ashburton l>omain s-.virr.-laing haths, where they U>ok part in several s^nraining events. Tho Ashhurton had anotlier good day on their green yesterdav. when a sa»nd progn-ssivo fc'urnaraeht was Played- The mauihep again.-t the four Hard ley brothers, of Auckland, for gold medals, will be pbv.-d *oday.

Tho ohildrrn fmm th* Whr-hnmro .school, toprthor with tln-ir purr-ms and fneiid>. \i.-uto,| A>hl>iirton vo>t<-n];iv and had an enjoyable picnic in th (i ]>!,-' A r""osir.-umTK* <>t -pon = v ;i » run off airing the afternoon.