NORTH CANTERBURY.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20183, 11 March 1931, Page 3

NORTH CANTERBURY.

RANGIORA. The monthly meeting of the committee of the Northern A. and P. -Association was held yesterday morning* "the -president, Mr R.. Macdonald, in the chair; twenty-five members were present. , The North Canterbury Public Schools Athletic Association were granted the us'j of the show grounds for their annual sports meeting on March 28th.

_ The Methodist Bible Class Association wrote accepting the Association s terms for their annual camp at Easter, to be held on the Show Grounds.^ 'l'lie secretary of the Kaiapoi Technical School wrote asking for their annual donation. It was agreed that the annual grant of £1 Is be made. The secretary of the Junior Agricultural Clubs wrote applying for a grant of £1 Is foi two special prizes in connexion with the schools' crop competition. The request was granted. The secretary of the Canterbury .Cob and Pony Society wrote suggesting; more uniformity in the classes for ponies, and enclosed a list of points for The matter was referred to the pony class stewards for favourable consideration. The action of the president in giving £lO to the earthquake relief fund was confirmed. The statement of receipts and expenditure since the last meeting showed receipts to have been _ £4O l" s 6d; balance brought forward since previous meeting, £302 18s 8d; making « total of £343 18s 2d. Payments were £303 lis Bd, £2OQ of which was paid off the hall mortgage account, leaving a credit of £4O 6s 6d. Accounts amounting to £4 17s 5d were passed for payment. The annual meeting, of the Ashley branch of the New; Zealand Educational Institute was held in tho Borough .School, Eangiora, Mr A. Brhigaiis (president) presiding over a fair attendance of members. After the adoption of the balance-sheet as read, the president gave a short resumo of the year's activities. The membership had shown an increase 'during , the year, hut at the same time tho branch had been unfortunate in losing some of its enthusiastic "members. An appeal by circular was made to members of the branch for subscriptions to the Earthquake Belief Fund, which has resulted in £lB 10s being handed ■in. ..■'■■■ • The following officers were elected:— President, Mr A. Bringans; vice-presi-'dents, Mr Eoseveare and Mr Garland; secretary and treasurer, Mies G. Ambrose; committee,' Misses Walker, McDonald, Lynskey, Messrs Southgate, Roberts, Mayer, Bradley; auditor, Mr Garland; delegate to conference, Mr A. : Bringans. ;

CHEVIOT. The Cheviot Cricket Club held its first annual ball in the Cheviot Public Hall on Friday night. An energetic, committee had worked strenuously to make this, the first ball, a success, and the result was a very enjoyable evening. . Visitors from all parts of the district were present, and several supporters and friends from as far as Chriitchurch were present, ulbo representatives from the other teams, iu the competition. The hall was gaily decorated with greenery and balloons and the llutherford Memorial Shield, won "by the Cheviot XI. this season, occupied the centre of the stage. The music for the dancing was supplied, by Fred Smith's Orchestra from , Christchurch,' and extras were played by Mrs Vf F, Owen and Mr M. Dunnage.

CULVERDEN. The threshing-mills continue to b© busily engaged in the district, but there to be no uniformity as to cereal averages. In a number ot instances, returns have been well above normalj) while in s others,. averages hay® been disappointing. / The restocking of Molesworth and St. James stations is proceeding, and yesterday - in tho early hours of the morning, 4000 twovtooth ewes and wethers arrived in Culverden, travelling from the' Mackenzie country by special train.: These were taken/over by drovers, who expect to reach their destination in a little over a week. > The. consignment will be divided at i Hanmcr-j 2000 going to St. James, and the other 200G* proceeding to Molesworth. 1 . 1 * An unoccupiw hut was destroyed by fire. • Damage to the building, and mainly to the contents, amounted to £2O. Fortunately tho fire was noticed by 'neighbours; who formed a bucket brigade, and prevented total destruction. > r . .

OXFORD. T]ie Oxford "Y" branch -held, its monthly meeting in. the Coronation Hair on Monday evening. ' Mr K. Jud-' soli presided • over a fair attendance. The president appealed to members to make every possible effort to send a delegate to the Convention. Tho superintendent gave .a short address ,on .the Ideals of Membership.

LEITHFIELD. I The Library Committee held a meet- i ing. Those present were.Messra J. S. I Russell (chairma/i), J. D. McKillar, H. ; May, C. Kirkby, G.' Page, .and Miss i Eaton. The balance-sheet showed a 1 to paint the library. The'chairman and I secretary were to make enquiries about an electric radiator. An amount of i £2 was allotted to be spent new books. A children's swimming carnival is to be held on March 19th. 1 I The oiling of the interior and paint- I ing of Sfc; Paul's Anglican Church has now been completed. Harvest thanks- | giving service was held on Sunday, j r lhe fnjit and vegetables are-to .be sent, to St. 'Saviour's Orphanage. HORORATA. , Playing tennis on 'the local' courts on Saturday in the final .round for the Laindon Cup, Miss Marjorie MoKen zio beat Miss- 15. Thome. The final round for tho Snowdon Cup will bo played during the week. J. Cronin plays K. Kellaway. The semi-finals in the junior competition, for the Ashby, Bergh Cup will be played during the week, those playing being: Iris: Hore. Mary Wells, and Wesley Butt. , At a meeting of the Library Com-'l mittee, Mr W; R. Oliver presided. The librarian (Mrs E. Fleming) was au- j thorised to purchase £5 worth of new ! books.

Mi* A. Smith is Starting on' March 19ih to opeD up a new coal mine at' Clenroy. • , Mrs Millar (Kaikoura), Mrs Hunt (lliccarton), and Mrs Kettle (Papanui) 1 have been visiting their sister, Mrs T. j E. Harris. Mr and Miss E. Ford (Lincoln) have be«»n visiting friends here. ' i ' The monthly, meeting of the Horornta School Committee was held oh •Monday nia;ht, Mr A. J. Harris pre-1 siding. The headmaster. Mr Cartwright, reported the roll number to l be 33 boys and 30 girls, with an average attendance of 95 per cent. The , .application of Mis>s Quarteriqain to be i infant mistress was apcepted. Tho | sum of £3 4s ,6d has been subscribed i by .the school children for' the Earth- I quake Fund. | Accounts amounting to> £8 "were passed for payment, 1

LINCOLN. After considerable delay, those persons recommended to.the Minister for I nternal Affairs have - beeri' : constituted a Domain Board. They have lost :no time in Rotting to work. The fiiist meeting was held on Monday evening ,;l e Coronation Library, at ,which j H.°pl e y was appointed chairman and Mr 11. Hamilton secretary. Ifc wag decided to write to the Government Forestry Inspector, asking him to examine tho trees, and decide which should be culled. It was decided also to advertise tor tenders for the felling and removing of these trees. The secretary was instructed to write to the Springs County Council, asking for a grant. It was also decided to apply ror a grant under the Unemployment Board'b No. 5 Schema to tidy up the Domain.

Mr J. Doherty's friends will regret to hear that he is a patient in the Christchureh Hospital. Mrs. 11. J. Button has gone for a fortnight's holiday to Timaru and Geraldine. ,

Harvesting operations are almost completed in the district, and farmers are beginning to plough up their land again. On the whole, the yields have been fairly good, although not as heavy as last year; but considering the dryness of the season they are better than might have been expected.

LEESTON. A much respected' early settler, Mr O. Thorsen, passed away on Sunday at- the residence of,, his daughter, Mrs B. S. Brown, of Leeston, at the ago of 86. Arriving in New Zealand in 18?2 by the ship Fredinburg, the late Mi - Thorsen entered the service of the late Mr John Coe, at Irwell, with whom be remained for a number of years. Later he was with Mr Henry Overton at "Meadpwbank," Ellesmere, and at Kirwee and Lakeside. He was also with Mr D. W. Westenra, at Dunsandel. and the late Mr Charles Withell. For about throe years he vvorked in the North Island. For the last eighteen years he had made his home with his daughter, Mrs Brown. Other members of the family are Mr A. Thorsen (To Kawa), Mrs Eichler (Halcombe), Mrs Petersen (Feilding), and Mrs T. Millar (Irwell). The interment took place yesterdaj afternoon in the Methodist portion of the Ellesmere cemetery, the Rev. G. P.. Hunt conducting the service. Oakley Osborne, the five-year-old son of Mr G. W. R, Osborne, of Doyleston, had his left leg broken on Saturday through, slipping off a horse. He was taken to Lewisham Hospital, where the bone was sot. Up to the present there has been little activity in re.-' gard to grain transport at either the Southbridge or Leeston , railway stations for this time of the year, and little difficulty has been experienced in securing enough railway waggons. In addition to thei fact, that the harvest is exceptionally late, e«me of the merchants and millers are not taking delivery as quickly as usual. At punsandel, where part of the harvest is earlier than in most of the Ellesmere grain-growing areas, large quantities, of grain have been railed. The following players will represent the Ellesmere Lawn Tennis Association in a match against the North Canterbury Sub-Association' at Rangiora next Saturday Miss H. Gwatkin, Miss J. Wright, Miss McLaughlin, Mrs Templeton, Miss 'Moriarty, Mrs Vaughan, Miss Dyce, : and Miss Macpherson; T. Free, K. W. Macpherson. J. Wraight, Duff, Owers, A. Miller, C. Miller, and Loomes. ;

SOUTHBRIDGE. ' The monthly meeting of the South.Jbiidge Town Board was held on Monday ' evening. Present: Cmrs, J. H. ! Hampton (chairman),' A. D. Harrison,1 T. H. Bennett, W. G. Hill, and A. J. Beamsley. The Power Board notified ,'that it had decided to allow»local bodies .half the charge of the 1 street.' lighting 'for the period during which the lights were disconnected. The amount would be deducted from the Board's next account* 1 The-Main Highways Board advised that subsidy amounting to £49 16s 4d had been paid to the credit of the Board's bank account. Cmr. T. H^Bennett reported that the; money left by the late Mr C. I). Thompson for the building of a-public library-was now available. He was authorised to have . plans 'of the building drawn, and to i procure an estimate.of the cost.

SPRINGBANK. On Saturday evening the members of i the . combined Bible Classes of ' the I Methodist' Church, r ßangiora, werfe the guests of Mr and Mrs' C. Bands, "Bandlea," Springbank, at a social, evening. Vocal and instrmnental, music,, 1 /with competitions, parlour games, passed a pleasant evening. ', After', supper > had j>een served, Mr ,C. B. Thwaites, leader of the Boys' Bible Class, thanked Mr and Mrs Bands for their hospitality, and -f°r the very, enjoyable time Bpent by | all. ® |