HALCOMBE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8756, 5 March 1907, Page 2

HALCOMBE.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) The excellent programme arranged for our Presbyterian anniversary social held on Monday last, contained the names of several popular visiting contributors and was altogether worthy of a larger, if not more, enthusiastic audience. The Rev. Me Clean presided and introduced tha following attractive items: Piano forte solo, Miss Pike; duet, Misse Bray and James; song, Miss Johnson ; recitation, Mr Watson; address, “Religionin the Home,” Rev. Budd; song, Miss Bowater ; selection, “Rock of Ages,” Fcildiug Presbyterian Choir; vocal duet, Misses A’Court and Miss Anderson; song, Miss Pike ; song, Miss A’Conrt; address, “Silent Foes, ’ ’ Mr McGregor; song, Miss O. Morrison; song, Miss Bray; instrumental selection, Misses A’Oonrt and Anderson; recitation, Leonard Pleasants; selection, Feikling Choir. After refreshments were handed round cordial votes of thanks to the visitors and local contributors were carried with acclamation.

On Saturday a young man named Death, after successfully riding a buck jumper, double-banked the animal which succeeded in throwing one of, his backers, Death being the victim and as it was feared that he had sustained internal injuries it was considered advisable to rake him to Peildiug for medical examination and treatment, from whence he was removed to Palmerston Hospital. I have to congratulate Miss Florence, Staito upon her appointment to the charge of the Castleclifl; School and voice the wish of her many friends that it may ho the step to further advancement. Her sister, Miss Eva Staite, left us last week to join the nursing staff of the Wellington Hospital. The sisters will thus bo,engaged in two of the most noble and humanitarian professions that are open to feminine hearts and hands. Miss Eva Staito will ho much missed from our social circles and as a. member of our dramatic club, as a constant contributor to our concert programmes and as au active member of our tennis club Miss Eva lias done good service. The lady members of the latter institution, recognising this fact, presented Miss Eva "with a racquet and in doing so expressed tho hope that it would assist her to perfect her “service,” to eschew “faults” and* further develop the “love all” game.

Pennyroyal is having a royal time and judging from my experience of its tenacity it will cost our settlers a pretty penny to root it out. I note, however, that this, like some other noxious things, has a redeeming quality and it is this. It provides a bountiful supply of daily broad for tho hoes and those honey harvesters literally swarm over the ever-extend-ing patches of this mint of misery. While on my back the other day enjoying a smoke, watching tho dark and fleecy clouds and trying in vain to realise what light years, space and stellar distances moan I noticed a rainbow-coloured segment of a circle form and lie flat against tho clouds directly overhead where for two minutes it remained visible and distinct in its beautiful colours. As there was no bow to bo seen in any portion of tho horizon and as tho phenomenon teas now to mo I made a note of it.

Au announcement that recently appeared in the personal column of the Wellington Times to the effect that Mr and Mrs Docker, of Maugaratta, Now South Wales, were visitors to Wellington, not only recalled old times when going in a docker expressed much, but the paragraph'also: reminded me that ,wo are prone to poke fun at German geography and that it will he nows to pur visitors to loam that the magnificent Bookers’ Plains have also moved out of Victoria,