NORTH CANTERBURY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19155, 11 November 1927, Page 3

NORTH CANTERBURY.

RANGIORA. Missionary work in South China was tlio subject of an address given iu John Knox Church on Wednesday evening by the Rev. A. L. Miller, of the Presbyterian Canton Village Mission. The lecturer, who has just returned from China, described iu an interesting manner the land, its people, their customs and mission work among them. The address was illustrated by an excellent series of lantern slides screened by Mr Ralph Smith.

The monthly meeting of the school committee was held on Wednesdav. Present, Messrs C. W. Tyler (chairman), J. Tweedic, A. H. Benjes, A. Cambridge, T. S. Hanna, T. May, W. A. Rowse, and the Rev. J. F. Feron Correspondence was received from the Minister for Education stating that the Department had already approved of plans for an infant school, and the Cabinet had placed a grant on the Estimates for the purpose'. The chairman, the Rev. J. F. Feron, and Mr J. Tweedie were appointed to wait on the Education Board with a request for an open-air school of tho bungalow type. The headmaster's report stated that the roll number was 414. Influenza and mumps had considerablv aflected the attendance. In one class recently 34. pupils were a.bsent. The school sports would be held on December 10th. It was decided that prizes he given on- the same lines as last year, and that the Mayoress be asked to present them on December 16th.

WAIKUKU.

Mr and Mrs E. P. Maddison are spending a holiday in the North Island. Mrs Morgan, who represented the Raugiora branch of the Methodist Women's Missionary Union at the conference in Wellington, has returned home. ( Recently, the .St. Barnabas Sunday School children held their annual prize-g-.'ing and concert. The programme was given by the children with a little outside assistance, and was as follows: —Solo and chorus, "Pack Up Your Troubles," Miss M. Cross and company; recitation, "Putting Up a Picture,"" Miss Orchard; solos, "My Old Gal," "Rose Marie," Mr Puddle;' .action song, "Old Ladies," girls; step dances, Miss Lukis; recitation, "Going Out to Dinner," Miss Maggie Petrie; action song, "Washing Day," juniors; recitation, "The Modern Woman," Miss-D. McQuillan; solos, "Too Late To Be Sorry," "Babbittc," Mr Puddle; dialogue, "Little Nurses," Rina Mac Donald (Nurse), Jean Judson (Nurse), Herbert Tomlinson (Doctor), Rae Macdonald and Molly. Tomlinson (Patients); recitation, "White Rose," Miss Petrie; action song, "Helping Mother," scholars; recitation, "The Boy's Room," Master Frank King. The prizes were presented by Mr J. Hcnshaw as follows:—Seniors (marks), Mavis Cross 1, Cathie McMillan 2. Intermediate: Frank King 1, Jean Judson and Rina Macdonald (equal) 2. Junior: Roddy Macdonald 1, Rae Macdonald and Molly Tomlinson 2. Infants: Jucne Stokes, Noeline Masters 1, Harry Sincock 2, Nancy Petrie, Olive Cross, Joyce Sincock, and Bobbie Sincock. Attendance: Frank King, May Lovegrove, Roddy Macdonald, Linley Morris, George Lovegrove, Donald McMillan, Angus King, Jean Judson. Homc.vork: Cathie McMillan, Rina Macdonald, Rhoda Morris, Herbert Tomlinson, Matt Russell, Linley Morris. Stamp books: Molly Tomlinson, Juene Stokes. A special prize was awarded to Mavis Cross for regular attendance for five years. Mr Henshaw- then presented the teachers (Miss Archer, Mrs King, Miss Florrie Dymock, Mr Ted King) with a gift each from their respective scholars. After supper had been handed round the floor was cleared for dancing-

LEESTON. The steady growth of the Leeston Telephone Exchange has necessitated the replacement of the switchboard, lightning guards, and other i gear with apparatus of larger capacity. At tho monthly meeting of the Leeston Town Board Commissioner R. J. McConnell presided. The clerk reported that he had been requested by the Ellesmere branch of the Farmers' Union to urge the Board to reconsider its decision not to undertake the responsibility of keeping the Post Office clock in running order. The clock could be overhauled at a cost of £5, and the cost of keeping it in order and wound regularly thereafter would be £1 10s a year. It was stated that; the present position of the clock was unsatisfactory on account of its not being, sufficiently prominent for the public, but too much exposed to dust and weather. The Board decided to place the whole of the facts before Mr D. Jones, M.P., and to request him to interview the Postmaster-General asking that the clock be handed over to the Board, with permission to have it installed in front of the Board's premises. A deputation from the Leeston W.E.A. class requested a contribution, and a sum of £1 Is was voted. • At the request of the County Excursion Committee, it was decided to ask business people to observe a full holiday on November 26th. The chairman announced that seats had been placed in Memorial square, and it was now open to the public.

AKAROA. A meeting of residents was held in the Borough Council Chambers to consider the question of raising sufficient funds to enable the War Memorial Society to complete the fencing around the memorial grounds. The Mayor (Mr G. Armstrong), who occupied the chair, explained how the plot had been purchased, and the money collected to erect the memorial, and said the amount of £6O granted annually by the Peninsula local bodies was just sufficient to cover the cost of the upkeep of the grounds. He did not think that the different-County Councils and the Bor0' gh Council would contribute any more annually than they had been doing, and it would be unwise to appeal to the public for support just now. He suggested holding a monster carnival at Easter time. * Mr T. E. Taylor gave a detailed statement of the financial position, showing that close on £SOOO had been expended from the inception of the society, and although £143 had been set aside from entertainments since 1924, the committee still required a further £3OO for the completion of the fences. It was decided to work on a guaranteed overdraft from the bank to complete the work in hand, and hold a carnival at Easter.

The crayfish canning factory at Wainui run by Messrs Irvine and Stevenson, of Dunedin, is closing down for the season this week. Although it has been a profitable industry to the local fishermen, the weather has not allowed them to keep the factory fully occupied during the last few months.

WEEDONS. At the final enchre party in connexion with the "Weedons School, the winners of the prizes were: Ladies, Mrs €. Ward 1, Mrs Bailey 2; men, Mr McCrea 1, Mr Cross 2. .The aggre-

gate prizes for the year were won by Mrs Watson and Mr Allison.

SOUTHBROOK. The success of the various euchre tournaments held in the Coronation Hall in aid of the local sports bodies was in a great measure due to Mr Tulley and to Mrs B. E. Stanton. On the final "night presentations vers made to Mrs Stanton, of a crystal sugar basin and vase, and to Mr Tulley of a large box of cigarettes.