Provincial News.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 7, 3 October 1907, Page 2

Provincial News.

MARTON.

The walking race from Martoa to Bulls and buck, a distance of eighteen miles, took place yesterday. Great excitement prevailed, and more than 500 people assembled at the pcst-offico to witness the finish. A large crowd also followed tho race at Bulls. A start was ltiaSe at 2 o'clock with nine competitors, thoroughly reprcocntativc of tho Rangitikei district. AYakeman (Taihape), Wilson (Utiku), and Housen (Bulls) were among the starters. The distance was covered 111 3hrs. lGmins., an average of lOmins. 53secs. a mile. The performance was a good one,.as the competitors had to lace a strong gale on the homeward journey. The race in itself was full of interest. Wilson (Utiku) led for more than half way, and after turning at Bulls had 500 yards lead. He was caught five miles from home by \v. Brock, of Marton Post-office, and J. T. Scrimgeour, but the latter fell out just alter passing Crofton. The race between Brock and Wilson caused intense excitement. Both competitors sprinted in fine style at different stages, and Brock seemed to bold nn advantage, but in a final effort Wilson sucecded in breasting the tape by a few inches, after a great finish. The winner is a well-known walker, and Brock had never previously competed in a walking race, rlonson finished third ten minutes later, and Wakeman fourth, being twenty, minutes behind. Scrimgeour walked placidly until lio collapsed. FEILDING. The opening of the tenuis season bad to be postponed on account of irore wot weather and heavy winds. The' latest monthly competition of She Feilding Golf Club has been won by Mr. Ray Bailey. This is the scn»nd competition won by- liiui during, the pse-sent season. Tho "Star's" special reporter has Jwc.n out in the Rongotea district. He ".n; 1 ?. 110 doubts whether there is a district in the Dominion' so fertile as ;fthet in tho immediate vicinity of ROll- - or so well adapted for dairying. The soil is magnificent, the r«mfall copious, and the roads as a role excellent.

The tmvn. district of Rongotoa is. ■vo'l supplied with business houses of every kind, yet there is unmistakably something wanting, and the 'town has not made the material progre'sii warranted by the prosperity of small settlors, or proportionate to •thai, made by other centres in the .North Island. One business man boldly averred that the fault was the want of a hotel, which would induce visitors to frequent the .town instead of going elsewliero for their creature .poml'ort3. While another thought £hat : a tramway to Foikling would be more conducive to progress. Rongotea is lighted by electricity generated by a 17 horse power, oil engine driving a tiny dynamo.

The dairying classes at the Rongotea School 'promise we'll, s and there is a good attendance at the evening classes. The day clasnas for school .children are proving very successful, tho youngsters being vary enthusiastic in their - pursuit of knowledge of the lino points s of tho staple industry of tiro district.

So far wet weather has prevented a start being made with the school garden at Rongotea. '

Tfea regular meeting of the Ron-' gotaa Town Board was held oil Tuesday evening, when, there were present: —Messrs.,, Penny ,(Chairman), Hickford, and T. Sutton. Amongst the correspondence was a letter from Kr. H, .'Wcchsimg,, stating that after several weeks' experience in lightir.;; up the town, lie found that £20 n year was too small a remuneration, and said that the work was;, worth''at least £1 a lyeek. The Chairman explained ' that the difference would mean £32 a year,, and 011 his motion it was decided that applications be invited for the position of caretaker of the power-house. MASTERTON. ■ Mr. J. G. lloss, of the Department of Agriculture, Wellington, is at present in charge of the Masterton branch oflice, temporarily relieving Mr. F. G. Wayne, stock inspector, who is recuperating for a month at Rotorua. , The Masterton Borough Council last night decided to reduce the prico'of its gas from 10s. lOd. to'los. per thousand feet. Tho Council makes a reduction of nearly 33 per cent, on accounts which are paid, within a week after the end'of'the month, and this brings tho cash price down to about 7s. 7d. per thousand feet. Last year tho Council made a profit of about £2000 on the gas business, which is exceedingly well-managed _in all its branches. There is ail opinion, however, that the Council might make a further reduction in its gas rates, and that municipal enterprise, which is for the benefit of the ratepayers and tenants, should not show such abnormal profits.

Mastorton is at present, suffering in many quarters from a. bad bread epidemic, caused mainly from_ mouldy flour. The indigestible leaf is one or the distressful "features of domestic life in the Wairarapa just now.

The Minister for Public Works has received an offer of £500 from Mr. Henry Burling, sen.,of Brooldands, Tiraumea, towards metalling tho Alfrecl-ton-Weber Road, conditionally that the Government and County Council also contribute .£SOO each. The offer :s open till October 30.

The quarterly returns of the business doae at Mastorton Magistrates' Court (states the Press Association) show that the total number of sittings held during tho quarter was sixty. . Tho number of tho sittings presided over by the Senior Magistrate was twenty-live, and by Justices of'tho Peaco thirty-live. The S.M. heard sixty-one en-ses, and Justices of tho Peace four. Tho number of applications hoard in court or chambers was six, and the number of orders made (other than on judgment summons) was five: Tho number of plaints entered was 204. Other figures are as follow Distress warrants issued, 1G judgment summonses issued, 19; orders made on judgment summonses, S; warrants of committal issued, 1; summonses served by bailiff, 203; distress warrants executed by bailiff, 17 j warrants of committal executed by bailiff, 3. The . aggregate, amount sued for was £1973 17s. Bd., and the aggregate amount recovered was £1251 16s. lid. The. number of persons taken into custody, summoned, or apprehended during the . quarter was 183. Of theso 24 males were discharged for want of prosecution or want of evidence. Ono case was dismissed on tho merits. Four males woro committed for trial, 1'35 (133 males and two females) were summarily convicted, and 18 (16 males and two females) were otherwise dealt with. A Press Association message says that the gale in tho bush district was the roughest experienced for years. Heavy rain fell during the morning, and the rivers are in flood. The passengers by train North and South had unpleasant experiences, the carriages, rocking in an alarming manner. ■ PALMERSTON. It is stated that a syndicate has been formed here to explore the Ruahino Ranges for a copper lode. A rise in tbu price of carrying is contemplntod br the local express.nxaa. v

It is rumoured that a wcll-knowi journalist will contest the Manawatu seat at the nest election. Several candidates are also 011 the cards for i almerston.

• , ' a prominent res ■ dent of Ashurst, passed away yei terday at the age of 34. He wag well-known and highly esteemed. J-'liG death is announced of Mr. Ernest .Clayton, a young and popular clerk, m the railway parcels office. . Mr. Morten, stationmaster at Fcildmg, ■returned last night after a trip to Rotorua for the benefit of hig health.

Mi'- R- Price, of the local telegraph office, left yesterday afternoon to accept a well-merited promotion. 111 \\ ellingten. He carries with him the good wishes of a largo section of this community, amongst' whom h# has made himself extremely popular Mr. J. C. Lane, secretary of Marl watu A. and _P. Association, and hit energetic staif are now in tho thick of the fray receiving entries , and attending to the many details in connection with the approaching spring show. OTAKI. ' The outside gate' privileges in connection with the Otaki Racing Club were sold on Tuesday, Mr. Wyeth, ol Foxton, being the purchaser at £31. Ihe trout-fishing season opened liere on Tuesday,, but practically 110 catches are reported. Trout, in tlw majority of streams, are very scarce. The Otaki river is still playing havoc with-the land in tile vicinity or Rangiuru, and is likely to do so unless some action is taken to prevent it. Several months ago an endeavour was made to form a river board, but after a successful meeting the' ■project died. It is to be hoped another attempt will be made to form a board, and thus save the settler* from dangers that wiH shortly threaten thorn.

T' lo usual monthly sitting of tho S.iVl .Court takes place is-day, and it is expcctcd business rill bo continued till a late hour, as tho list 19' a fairly heavy one.

, . miMARINO. . • It lis noted that the tendency of Ohakune township is to spread in tho direction of the Ranget-awa road aa far as the Raetihi turn »ff. .It is 'thought that tho reason h? this fact may be-that the road to" tile Oh'akusa •Railway Station may eventually ba opened from this point. ' Building .operations are going on afoce, a larg« •boardiughouse being the isost noticeable addition. /•

All the occupants of shops along tho river frontage, which is part of th« reserve, have been given final nofcko to quit the sites, which wtre occupied temporarily. The result is that most of the buildings have beep placed oa skids, and Jiauled bodily aY>ay.

The Government carpenters hav« started operations on the footbridge over the Mangawhero stTeam. A bridge here has been mush needed.

Land values are showing no decline, and a couple of sections: w~re recently disposed of at an advance of twenty per cent. 011 tho origin?.! purchase price. • , . The timber is 011 the gnriiid fortkc erection of a sta'tionmaster's house vat Ohakuiie Station, and it is stated on good authority that the tfntion will bo opened early in Novcmkw. j The large mill buikfegs being ■'Greeted, by Messrs. Ganurv.i' and Co. ciese to'the Ohaknne Raik-ay Station a v e about half completed. I Piaus have been dravr.i up for _ a social hail, to be erected by tits Church of England, the main room of whioli v.'iil bp 25ft. by 45ft. At Kaotihi ceveral changes in businesses are rsported, and new shops are being' erected 'on more pretentious linos than marked the,<4>o:":iig of this town. Tiio Irailding cpi'f>tions are so, extensive that ci'.rpcnro" will' be fully. occupied for ciaaj months, to come. At the end'of this tine Raetihi should wear a very altei-od appearance. Taken all round, the outlook 11 a dccidediy healthy one. The Presbyterian Church authority have secured a section in Ward Street with a view to building. The Government is laying mown a good metal road from the niain road into the land known as Smich s Susn. Raurimu, celebrated for the Mam Trunk Line "spiral," is reported to be almost a town, of the past, as the works are now far from the vicinity, and everything is practically pushed as far out as Makatote. ihc plates on the line are laid to the tunnel,■ and ballasting began on Tuesday. Alter this pay-day there will be none but the men engaged in ballasting left. Settlers are now able to get a tew good bushmtn, although the price® paid are very high. . After October i the Government is issuing through tickets,. train and coach, which will result m,a number of people using this- route during the SU The°settlers-on tho Kaitieke Block, part of which was recently put, up at ballot, are looking forward to a very prosperous season. The lainoing is exceptionally good, 135 per cent, bema common. Tho bmon is being pushed ahead in this directum, with good results.