COUNTRY NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17288, 2 October 1916, Page 11

COUNTRY NEWS.

[From Ovn Corrksi'omjents.]

CAFJ3W. The, pupils attending lho Carew Public School [/live a musical iifternoon in tho school on Tuesday last in aid of the funds for providing Christmas gifts for tho men wfc thu front. There was a very largo attendance including residents from all parts of tho district. Tuo chairman. (Mt X. Barton) presided, and in addition to tho many items given by tho children ac!drp.BK«s were delivered by tho Rev Petor AVilson and the Rev Gerald Nr-n----son. Besides » largo quantity of gifts, a substantial amount was raised by •the salo of flowers and sweets. A pot plant presented by Mrn Robert Sim was sold by gift auction, and after being re-sold many times was finally bought, by Mrs Andrew Eeul. The following gif.s were roccived from the pupils:—Seven tins of cocoa, five tins condensed' milk, five tins cigarettos, five cakes of soap, ouo box bootlaces, ihreo tins luncheon cheeso, two writing outfits, ten khaki handkerchiefs, oigfot boxes of chocolates, one tin coffoo, two pairs

of socks. In addition substantial parcels were received from residents. A voto of thanks was passed to Mis? A. Pollock Smith who had trained the children, to tho speakers, and to the ladiins, who wore untiring 1 in making l tho gathering a success.

RAKAIA. Tho monthly mooting of the Bakaia Bod Cross branch ' ivas h'.'ld on Thursday, when '.hero was a fair attendance. Tho president (Mrs Boa*) occunied tho chair. The treasurer's rewt stated that £l7 :6s 6d had boen forwarded to Christchurch as a donation to " Our Dav" Fund, and £5 for (he reequipment cf tho hospital ship Marama. There was a balance ill hand of £l9. Mrs Hardy, Mrs Penny and Miss Hardy reported an improvement in '.he amount of work done in each department. The. sum of £lO was voted for material for garments, £lO. for bandage material, and £5 for wool. Mrs Blakiston state;! that, the members of the Savage Club could not givo a concert in Bakaia beioro Decotnber, so Mrs Penny undertook to arrange a concert, to he given by a company from Ashburlon, in October. A sale of produce, cakes, etc., would also bo held. Miss Goodwin agreed to sell badges to augment the proceeds. A motion of sympathy was passed to Mrs W. Magson on tue death of her brother. Tho quarterly nicotine of tho Court Star of Bakaia, So. 7760, A.0.F., was held on Wednesday. Brother F. M'Clure presiding over E good aUeudanee. In responso to a call from the Red Cross Society a collection was taken from the brethren present, and the treasurer was instructed to forward the amount to the rccrstarv of the R'ed Cross branch, Christchurch. The receipts for tho ovoning amounted to £26 2s Cd. Sick pay £!, and accounts totalling £lO los 3d were passed for payment.

JIN WALT). The monthly meeting of the Tinwald ThUfJl Board was field on Friday evening, when Mr T. Williams was unanimously re-elected chairman. The board decided to donate £3 3s to " Our Buy " Bed Cross appeal in Asbburton. Messrs Williams, Bell and Wilson were appointed to inspect and report on a suitable place for a dumping-ground for rubbish, Ihe matter of inspecting footpath crossings at eornexs of strets, and having repairs carried out when necessary, was left in tho hands ot tho Works Committee. It was decidedl to employ an inspector, together with an assistant to en force tho by-law regulating tho pneo of motor traffic, and also to prevent ovcling tin the footpaths. It was decided to place on record '-ho valuablo services rendered tho board by the retiring members, Messrs Hampton and Tenpett. Accounts amounting to £34 'l9s 3d were passed i^jjayuiont.

TEMUK.% A meeting ot the Board oi'jOTT --«« ( *-£ l *' Te.mtika Technical School wT*? -d on tilday evening; present—Messrs \t. B. Cartwright (ckturmiu), K. Booth, G Thomson, J. Saunders. G. B. Cooper, J. M'lnncs and J. Uambnclge. Tho chairman stated that ho had attended =. meeting of the lomuka branch o< tho Farmers' Union, at which the secretary announced that the hheepovyners Union was no', assisting tho Temuka- ieelinical Association with a grant for Bheepshcaring classes. As it was thought that Temuka was equally entitled to a grant with Waimate and Ashburton, a deputation was appointed to interview the Shoopowners Union That was dono. and resulted in a grant, of £l2 being obtained. Arrangements wore made to continence tho class as soon as sufficient pupils wcro enrolled. Mr b. M Cully's shed was ready, and 1200 sheep wcro promised. Tho wool classing had been most successfully carried out; tho ierrii would close on Tuesday next. The ambulance examination had been held during tho month, and thirteen students had successfully qualified for first aid certificates. The Temuka liosd Board wrote notifying that lho £lll granted to the Technical Association from !he Hobson's trust had been approved by tho public trustee, and tho sum was now available. Accounts amounting- to £o7 13s wore passed for payment-. Messrs Barnbndge and Thomson wcro appointed a visiting committee for tho month. CHEVIOT.

The rain which fell on Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning amounted to a. little over two inches. It was urgently required, and a goocl spring is now a-rsured. Several lambs wcro lost, but the loss iB very light iu comparison with tho benefit derived. SKFTON. Or. Friday evening o- farewell social to Trooper N. Ritchie and Private W. Fldtr was held in the Sefton Town Hall. In spite of tho wet weather there was a fairly large attendance of residents. During tho evening Mr I. D. Wyllie, who presided, presented the soldiers with «, wristlet watch and a money belt each. Songs and recitations were contributed by Messrs Myers and Taylor, the accompaniments being played by Mrs Hnnnibe'l, who also supplied tho music for the dance.

ASHBURTON. During the past week the Government Fields Inspector at Ashburte'n has been engaged distributing poisoned pollard in the Ashburton riverbed "in tbo Grcenstreet district. On investigation bo found a largo number of dead rabbits, including several young ones, which is claimed to prove that although feed is plentiful, poisoning can be carried out with good results. It is reported that most of the grain crops in the district between Kakaia find Methvcn have now bran sown, and in nearly every instance good results have been obtained. Wheat has not been so extensively sown this Reason, farmers having paid more attention to growing oats. Teams are. now being kept buav preparing the ground for rapo and turnip crops. Mam' of the early at crops are being fed off prior to being finally closed up for the main crop. In the Rakaia district the early cat crops have mado phenomenal growth. There is a. groat demand lor vegetables at Ashburton at present, and on Saturday a local auction mart sold seventeen bags of cauliflowers which came from Willowbridge at from 2d to 9d each.

WILLOW BY. The final session of the. Willowby Debating Sucioly was held on Wednesday evening, when the Rev W. J. Oxbrow presided over a uu-go iUie.uo.auco of members unci friends. The. programme consisted of competitions. Mr John Watson, of Ashburion, judged the essays and elocution and the staging was judged by Mesdaines Lili and Clothier and Mr Watson. Tho following is lite result of the various competitions:—Essay on "Sympathy"—Miss Winnie Watson 1, Mr Cr. Ciark ■2 ; recitation, " The Ocean" —Mr O. If. B. Liil l, Mt S. Lill 2; recitation (comic)-—Mr Stoplwm Lill 1, Mr G. 11. B. Lill '2; solo— Miss Clarke 1, Miss Daveniug 2; preparea reading—ALis3 Winnie Watson 1, Mr U. 11. B. Lill 2i duet—Miss Chapman and Mr K. Chapman i; impromptu leading—Mies Edith Watson 1, Miss Lill 2; impromptu speaking' —Rev W. 0- Ozbrow. A vote of thanks waa accorded the judges. The quarterly meeting of the Willowby Methodist Circuit Church officials was held at Lowciiffe on Thursday evening, when tlvg superintendent of the circuit (Rev W. J. Oxbrow) presided. The chairman reported a membership of 13G seniors and 3U juniors. Tho circuit stewards presented the balancesheet, which showed that the receipts did not meet the expenditure, and tbo sum of £8 was transferred Irom the reserve fund to the current account. Special collections during the incoming quarter werj voted to the Willowby and Ealing Sunday schools and tho Hindu Trust. It was reported that, the sum of £33 0? 2d had been raised and forwarded to the Foreign Mission Board. A motion was passed that a circular letter from Uio meeting, signed by tho minister, should be forwarded to all members on active service, conveying to them tho circuit's greetings aJid a<"uiring°them of sympauiy and constant remembrance in public and private prayer. T!i<! Pev W J. Oxbrow wnj unanimously invited'to remain in tho circuit for a fourth year, and tho invitation was accented. Messrs W T Lill and W. Jewell were elected representatives of the District Synod, sitting in November, with Messrs H. Harding and A. M'Kenr.ie as substitutes. Messrs W. T. .bill and II Wills were appointed auditors. it was decided to he'd the next meeting in January at Willowby. Mr Lill cordially inviting 'the board to meet at bis residence. The members were entertained by the ladies of Lowciiffe.

HINDS. Under tho auspices of the Hinds Ladies' Hockey Club a very successful gift jAhL was held in the hall on Thursday -,'jgfl A very enjoyable time was spent in |(jj the music being supplied V>y MessriflH and M'Connell and Miss Hampku. <H

innd assorted variety of gifts was received and also 18s in cash.

I/EESTOK The Rev J. W. Baylisa, Who left by Thursday nk'lit'B Btonmor for Wellington, en route t<> Grey town, where he has been transferred, was. on the eve of his departure from Leeston, where he has been superintendent of the' Methodist Circuit since the departure of the. Rev W. Grig£ for !e front,

entertained at a social evening by the Weslev Guild and congregation. Mr W. N. Parkin presided. Durins tho evening ratxwcal items were given by Alisses Oppenheim, Barnott and W. Green and Messrs J. Oliver, G. W. R. Osborne. J. W. Bayliss and S.

Mtaxvwll. Mb J. BanieU, senior circuit steward, referred in high terms ot praise to (he manner in which Mr Bayliss had carried out his duties. It had been ho easy matter

to follow Buoh. a popular pastsr us Mr Grigg-, but Mr Baylisa had kept his appointments in all weathers and hid won the confidence and esteem of tho people throughout tho circuit. Messrs J. Oliver, W. Parkin, A. W. Green and L. W. Hewitt also spoke, and the lastnamed, on behalf cf tho Wesley Guild, pre-

sented Mr Bayliss with a srold medal beating a BuiUble inscription. Reference was made to the deep interest the g" es t had taken m the g-tiild and the welfare of tho young people. Mr Green said he had known Mr Baylisa in Australia, and had always found that he possessed the characteristics of an English gentleman, namely, singleness ot purpose, thoroughness and courtesy. In the course of his reply. Mv Bayli.se said that although he had been farewelled in three continents and four different countnr?, ho loiind it more diffi'cult each timo u> Bf.y It was a groat oncourageinent to him to find that, hie work had given satisfaction. He urged those present to bo loyal to his successor and to tho church.