PROVINCIAL NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 100, 21 January 1908, Page 8

PROVINCIAL NEWS.

(FltOU OUR SrECIAT, CORRESPONDENTS.) ■ —" ■ "" " : PALMERvSTON. /. j Tho confercnco between the stockowners and the shearers will probably tako place abqut January 31. "... •-. i Tho Iter. J. J. Baker left yesterday. for Australia to tako up his residence, thero permanently. Ho received an * enthusiastic from members of the congregation and, friends. \ , Ifrom..investigations, made, .it. is apparent that the rabbit pest continues to increase in tho back country. Xho trqublo originates through cettlors. failing to take uriitod action, s A ''farmer/ interviewed, states that settlers,have no idea of-the -'imnoHance.Vjiml seriousness of tbs situation.-'.Otherwise,\tboy would stand together to a man- to maico a crusade. -iThe : Kiwitea County.-'Council is making wiso .provision for providing poison free. v.-.':. . :;■■■ : I-EILPING:. ■ Mr.- J.-.8. Pickering,-for .seven, year.s head JohnCobbe, of Foildiiig, was;'on Saturday-; the rqcipient 'of- a riumbbr of presents from tho staff-oii iehvihg-'tho firm tp" start business in -Feilding - as an accountant.. -.-V-.:' ■■ For sometime- past statements.-havo been current -that- Mr.:«B.'J H; Crabbe,' ;chi»irman of the iKimliolton branch ~of- .tho 'Farmers! Unionj wo.uld 'be. a candidate.; for- ; tho Oiroua se'at::at;. tho next; general election.-' Air' inquiry from" Mr. Crabbe,;elicited'.the> fact, that lie had been approached iu several quarters to become a candidate iri'the'Liberal-interest, but unless, ho was assured of individual. support ho would not ' seriously consider ' tho matter. • Th 6• only "manner- in "which that condition could "be fulfilled would bo for .the candidates to'consent to abide by;, the decision of- a representative, cpminitteo in the electorate "as to which'one should'stand. 1 On the question of-policy, Mr. Crabbe ; said ho' was a' firm freeholder and a { Liberal ;in politics. . -.- - • ... . *■' ■ ; A considerable amount of time was taken up vat tho Kiwitea "County Council -meeting on- Saturday: in considering the question of the dog tax. Great difficulty' wasfound in coming to'a decision as to" the identification of the.:different' classes,; especially of, rabbit dogs. Eventually- it was dccided to place rabbit,', cattle,-and sheep-dogs in the. same category at 2s. Gd. each, and' to chargo '10s.. for sporting dogs. • . Annivorsar'y' services in: connection with tho Halcombe Presbyterian, Church and .Sun-, dav' School wcro held yesterday: ■ , ' touring last s'essionof " Parliament';/ an amendment of tho Counties Act, introduced at-, the request: of ;tbe Counties Association; w'as. nnido law,, with the object of enabling county councils to- strike differential ; rates in tlie several ridings. At the 'meeting of the Kiwitea' County Council on Saturday tlio Chairman said : it was both his opinion and tlie oninjori of tlic county solicitor that the amenament' did.riot : give the authority., It was decided to get thp opiniph of'Mriv Watt?! : Wednesday jyas fixed as tlio'half-boliday iii tho Kiivitea district by tjio County Council on .Saturday. -. « The Kiwitea' cbiinty's'•■'• public ' debt totals .£75;Q00,.'.a fairly, heavy, load to .carry.' . ' i-. Mr..Charjes ;. Enderby, ~ of, Aramoho, has", consented to .act as judge of /Jerseys, Ayrshires, and dairy 'cattlfc 'it tho Feilding show. !' I. ' — : —-r— —— , r ; levin. . ! • Messrs. A.. and.,L. ..Seif.ert, ,of the .Maranui Flax-mill at'Mikenia, -arc' sending Homo, to tho .Franco-English' Exhibition a quantity Of flax. The first , shipment is expected to leavp pn'January "30. They aro also, sending a number of photographs showing the process through-which the'rough flax goes before it is turned Jout into .first-class h'emp, • ,T)ie consignment ..will lie exhibited as coming, from the New Zealand. Flaxiiiilling 'Association.', !. :■■■.' :.. , • OTAKI. ■ 1 Tho tennis match,,for.;tho Country Shields Tournament between -tho ' local' 'team - and Levin took place' hprq afternoon, whe.it Otaki won'by 8 .sifts to 5. Spmo of the gamos wero evenly, contostcdj; and'in'onb or two instances tlie play was of a liigli, order. Next. Saturday Otaki will. meet Palmerstbn North .-at Otaki'. ■ : Tho.piiio -,ba ; nd from AVpllington yesterday visited Waitauiac, and • cntortaincd, a largo number of people. The music of tho pipers, as played in the carriage en route from Wellington, was not over-appreciated by a number who were, not of Scotch descent. , t , The train on' Sunday brought , quite a number of people-; from Wellington, many .'taking advantage to. visit.' frionds. and patients at the hospital and sanatorium.

A tennis matcli, Lovin and Otaki second teams, is boing arranged fof Saturday next, the gumo to bo played at Lovin. The oil-launch Kapiti,,yesterday made, a trip across to tho island of that name, and carried a!larg?-mimKer of passengers. Good fishing, etc., was' indulged in by the party; Tho' sea was'smooth, and tho trip proved thoroughly'enjoyable: . The llev. Herbert Williams, of Gisborne, last night conducted the services at the Anglican Church,, when the ■ building" was picked l . ~ r • • The dry .weather, is having.a bad effect ,011 the roads in the district, and the. main'roads especially ard yory. much cut up,.and in'places dust ifi inches thick. - 'Rain would do a deal of good., ■■■■•.•.. ■■ .'. • • SHANNON. ; Oii Sunday ..mornine the ; death occurred of Mr. P. 'Martin, a woll-kiiown resident- of this district.' Mr, Martin was one of Shannon's old ..identities,. and ,was highly'respected and a universal favourite in the district. Much ' sympathy is felt for his widow and family. Mr. Rogers has sold his proporty to Mr. Tremewan, of Makerua: , •• . .- Sinoo the rain of last Thursday night. thq nights.have beeii. remarkably cold, arid tlic days corfcsspo'ndinglv hot;. . Mr. Kear, of the Post Offico, has been appointed to Greyinouth ..Post Offico. successor comes from Christcliurcli. Tho Shannon Crickot Club defeated Maranui on' Saturday by.five wickets and,7B runs. T. Harvey made 54 not out for Shannon.,.- : Tho Wellington hemp : graders, • Mossrs. Foriss ennd Hawkins, are expected to visit Shannon oil Thursday .in . order, to obtain fibre and flax-roots for the Paris Exhibition-. ' FEATHERSTON. ■' ; ' The first of the 'four-nicn-aside'competi-tions for trophies valued at 10s. .per man, ill connection. jt'ith 'the Ftatherston Bowlnig Club, .will be, played 011 Thursday week. . , At Masterton on Saturday, the Carlton cricket team .defeated the Featbprston teani by one run, the scores being: Carlton B 147, Featherstou 146., A new crushing machine .is being installed at Fernsidc at, a cost of £2000. It is.,iupst likely that a Leap Year dance will bo held in Featherston next, month in aid of tho Town Hall Carpet Fund, Tho Fernsidc property, in the estate of the lato Mr. R. J. IJarton, was submitted at auction here yesterday, when it was purchased at £25. 10s. an aero by. Mr. D. Algie, the present lessee. There are 100 acres in the property, with a dwelling and the necessary farm outbuildings. NIREAHA AND BUSH .DISTRICT. Mrs. Gunderson, of I'utara, who mot with a painful buggy- accident on tho road to Eketahuna, and who was conveyed to Mastcrtoii Hospital, is reported to be progressing favourably. The Mangahoa , and Mangatainoka rivers aro very low just now, and many crcoks are dry. . On Friday night a severe frost visited this locality, and its offccts aro left 011 potato crops. .

The entries Tor the events in the swimming and running portions of the programme of Ilm Jlirnin.-.r seaside carnival, to be held .it Worser Hay on Anniversary j)ay,'have almost exceeded the buoyant hopes of the Committee. I One of the principal features of tho carnival | will be a huge explosion, which should prove a ureal attraction.'. Xo stono has been left unturned by the Committee in .catering for the convenience of.the public and competitors,, and, should fine weather obtain on Wednesday. one of the nlosl successful ai|iiulin carnivals ever held here will result. In order Io cope, with thedu'uvy (caltie on the day. Special trams and bmilj will be put on to coiivcy the iPublic to the upot,