Country News.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 208, 27 May 1902, Page 3

Country News.

(from our own correspondents.)

RED LIFE PUBLIC LIBRARY,

The annual meeting of the subscribers was held on May 21st, about a dozen members being present. Mr W. Cuthbert was voted to the chair and called upon Mr Goodeve (secretary) to read the annual report, wh cb wm as follows : “Gentlemen, —Your Committee has pleasure in reporting that the Redcliff Public Library has had another successful year. The accounts and vouchers have been du’y audited by Mr J. 0 Burns, whom the committee appointed as auditor. The Balancesheet showed that filb 6s had hien received and £ls 17s 3 1 paid away, leaving a ere ht balance of Si 9d. Of th s sum £lO 6s had been paid upon new book-*. The library has now nearly 300 volumes, and its popularity is shown by subicribers j lining from Waitaki and Glenavy. Twenty-five subscribers have paid sub criptions this year, and the net receipts as shown by tbs Government Statistics, compare very favourably with th it received in districts much larg r than Ridel iff. William Cotiibkrt, Chairman. Tlknrt H Go ideve, Secretary. May 21st, 1902.

Tin report was u laniimusly adopted. M ■ David Ross then rose an I said lie had to mike against the conduct of the libra.i n. Mr Goudov.*, in giving out b >oks to n . iahscribara. Mr Goolsaid, ; t’:il is news to me,” and denied the a. .ation an 1 asked Mr Ross to substantii'.* -■ ’’is a Moment. Mr Ross 3!ated that > m u-'emin had informed him that .v had hal several books without pay't.o a subscription. Mr Goodeve tivn looked up the library receipt b 10- ■> iff shows! Mr Boss tint the gentl- man merit ioied was a subscriber and held a receipt for money paid. Mr David Ross was not satistie *, and objected because the receipt signe i by the secretary was not in the subscriber’s hand writing (laughter). Tne secretary said Mr Pvoss wai continually defaming his character and hope 1 now that he must be convinc d of his error he would withdraw his accusation. Mr Ross continued obdurate and said he would test the accuracy of the receipt before apologising. On the motion of Mr J. Fleming, seconded by Mr McDonald, a very heartv vote of thanks was unanimously passed to Mr Goodeve for the satisfactory way in which he had performed his duties during the yeir, and also for his donation of £2 (being refund of salary) to the funds of the library. Mr Cuthbert, w ho is leaving fie district, then tendered his resignation. This was received with regret, members testifying to his many excellent qualities, and to the valuable assistance given by him to church, library and school during his residence at Redcliff.

The fallowing gentlemen were appointed a commit'ee, no ballot being taken Messrs J. H. Fleming, J. Wall, David Ross, W. Morrow, H. Geddes, A. McDonald and Henry Goodeve. As nine members are required, the secretary was requested to ask two other subscribers to fill the vacancy. It was decided to hold the annual meeting in May instead of October, as being more convenient. A selection committee, consisting of Messrs Fleming, Geddes, Goodeve, and Morrow, were authorised to expend £3 in books.

MAKIKIHI. A meeting of about sixty farmers in the Makiklhi district was held in the school on last Friday night, to consider the advisability of forming a Saleyarde’ Company to re establish the stock sales recently d.oppcl. Mr James Meehan was voted to the chair. In his opening remarks he reminded the meeting that Makikihi had always been a first class place for store sheep ;that the population of the dist ict had increased considerably; and that without a local sale farmers, if they did not happan to soil, last two di*ys in driving stock to the neighbouring yards. He strongly advocated the formation of a company, as every sharemid naturally help hh own yards, adid he w.mid like to see the yards built-on a freehold of not less than five ac.es if pb, slide. Resolutions were asked for, and Mr Carter proposed, and Mr Wright seconded, that a stock sale bo re-established at Makikihi. This was carried unanimously. It was unanimously agreed that Messrs Wright, Mercer, Simmons, Ma tin, Macllw ick, Kelcher, Carter, Meehan and W. Quinn be appointed a provisional committee to obtain a'l information regirding silcs, cost of yards, etc. A list was pissed round the room, and so many shares were taken up that the project is sure of success. A vole of thanks was accorded by acclamation to Mr Mercer for the trouble which he had been to in working up the meeting. The meeting then adjourned to the 6th June, when it will receive the committee’s report. At a subsequent meeting of the directors Mr Meehan was appointed chairman, and districts were allotted to canvassers to place the facts before fanners who were unable to be present.

STUDHOLMB JUNCTION. Grain carting, potato lifting and generally preparing for winter is the order of the day in the district. Some farmers, I notice, are now busy preparing their land for the winter crop of wheat, and I notice more than one farmer who has some wheat now sown, and judging by appearances there should be a fair area of wheat sown. Some of the low land is, of course, 100 wet to allow of the work being pushed on as one would wish, but the fine drying winds of the last week are proving very beneficial, and the hope is that it will continue. To show the difference that the high prices ruling have made to the farmers I may mention that a certain farmer I know, who threshed 50 bushels to the acre last year and received 2s Id per bushel, threshed the same amount per acre this year and received 4s 4d per bushel, making the tidy sum of £5 12s Gd per acre over the returns of last year—may it continue. Considerable improvements are to be made to the local railway station in the way of providing more shunting accommodation and by the erection of a signalling station, I hear that the Hannaton School Committee intend holding a concert in aid of the school funds, and .judging by. the way they are working it up I should say they intend providing something out of the common in the way of entertainment. The creamery continues to flourish. Mr Black informs me he is receiving more milk now than ever. Springers and new calved cows are very much in demand, and prices are very high, some really good beasts fetching as much as £9 10s. Considerable yardinga of stock continue to come forward at the sales and meet with a good demand; horses also, sell well, and taking things all round the prospect is a fairly bright one.