THE COUNTRY.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17116, 11 April 1921, Page 3

THE COUNTRY.

TABIM HANTS' \frAOES. (PEES* . . . GISBORNE, April 9. ■A largely attended ; meeting. i)i the Sheepowners' Union and the Banners Union discussed. the -wages of farm narids on -the basis o£ shepherds .and station hands, 30s;.head shephei-d,.£2: married men,- £3; drovora.los per day: crutchers, 5s per 100 ;• shed'Umnds and cooks, 30s; station .cooks,, 30s j. cowboys, 20s to 25s;'married couples, £BO to £IOO. oer year..;.lt'.'was'.stated tiiat rn<y=t employees were prepared to accept a reasonable basis. Some v. ere now- accepting less than tho rates mentioned It was°deeided to affirm: the principle of reducing wages,, the reduction, to be left to individualemployers, with the exception that erutcbers should : receive -Ls per 100. and day labourers' 10s per day. Jottings for Farmers. An ingenious yet' simple device for expediting machine-shearing has.been invented by a Napier wool-classer. Hitherto the shearer,, when he has finished a sheep, has had to reach up and pull his maclnne out of gear, before he can take another, sheep irom the pen. The new invention does away- with tho loss of time so incurred, as it provides the means of allowing the. shearing arm and clippers to rest in gear. The patentee estimates tiiat the use of the device will result in an increase : of'from 30 to 50 sheep shorn per day. c . KAIKOTTRA. The inett;' receipts' -frour the St.. Patrick's sports meeting amounted to'; £236, which is easily a record. It is intended to carry forward a sum for increasing the prizes nest year. Football commenced at Kaikoura on Saturday, when a match, between teams chosen by, captain and sub-cajitain was played, a" good gamp'resulting." The indications are that the 'teams this year will be very fleet ones, many of the oldtimers having decided "to relinquish the game. ■;..'.' . , ' ' .'■Whilst driving along. Hawthorne road on Saturday,' Mrs R. : Kennedy : was thrown out. of her trap owing to one of the reins breaking;''-The 'horse careered on with four children in it>, when a young son, about'eight years of age,' climbed" along on to the horse's back and pulled it up. Otherwiso there would have been difficulty in negotiating the bridge near Mr JJyford's residence. Beyond bruises' Mrs Kennedy was not hurt. ' • • ; ' '■KANOIORA. ; ' r ',... . . Harvest thanksgiving , sei voices were held in the Presbyterian Church. ye&teixlay, and were well attended. Tho church was nicely decorated T>y; the Girls' Auxiliary.-Ijeague. The services w*ere conducted by the Rev. W. H. Howes. At. the evening service BarnAby's' anthem, "O,' Lord, How.' Manifold are Thy Works," was sung;By the choir. »■' . .'■. :'.■■.'' Yesterday afternoon the Fire Brigade, was ; called out to suppress a fire wUiich had started iu.' a stack;of oat-sheaf on a. section off High street;' belonging to Mr.-'lt:.Mcintosh, 'fhe,stack" was.practically burned'to tho / ground; It is supposed that the firo' was caused r by; a spark. v ..,' .■■■" It was stated .in:Saturday's.'issub of-. "The Press" that'Mr; j. G; Thompson; whO)has 'been' appointed 1 organist 'at .St. John's: Chtirch; isf^a', Licentiate _of .the Royal CpUege of' Music. '•- Su'ch.a. 'degree; however,'. son is a- Feljow arid • a Licentiate of the National College of iMusic J and a. late student; oif tho . Royal' Academy of .Music, Xdndon. '..•■ *'■ ''.,',.(" .?. .- :.:;.''. rALiJP^toaw-'..'^'^ " Very.' welcome '?aiii : fell, during the week. Local skimploughing .-and 'pbtajtp-diggirig.:. Large quantities..ofirpotatdes sent forward for j shipping, the, yield for the week for'table sorts; :aver'aging.,B. : tqns tp.the acre. The chaff,mia"f;keo is":vie'ry quiet; with ; ,lip' Wsinessf doing-at^-.the low' prtee'oh afferi"';'.' ;':. ~,'', ' i .'. 'The; local. is kept;busy, the recent rain having /had the. ■, desired efEectas far as the gras's'isi .cohcierned. The Town Hall;iiCommittee: held .the firsy /of ■'■; their winter, series ..of., euchre tdurnanierits'' 'in hall on Tuesday evening last,' there'being' a good 'attendance.-*' prizes. for euchre were ■ won. by Miss N.- "Witte arid Mr R. W'ilson. .Musiovfbr-the dance was supplied ,by Mrs : Schultz..-,and;;Mr A. Gab'ittas officiated as, M.C. ; ;' :.- . Mt J; Small, one of t}ie oldest residents of the district, who has..been suffering with a had hand for;some jnonths, entered, the.- Public Hospital .on .Friday to have the hand'ampijtalie3.; r