PALMERSTON NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 403, 12 January 1909, Page 6

PALMERSTON NEWS.

The 'Hibernian- and '-'Catholic -Benefit'. Sc ciety have held their'communion breakfast. - Mr. E. Butler, the new' president, was in the chair, while; the . other. new. officers • present were: —Messrs. C. M'Grath, W. Conjpland, W. Ellisj 'T. Norris, JrHanley, andK Henaghan. . There were' a number of short speeches by the Rev. Fathers Costello, o'Beirne, ,'and- others, and and. visitors' were, toasted in strictly temperance/fashion.; Mr. M'lican, in his address, gave some' ihrv terestmg statistics. of. the growth of the-sor . ciety, - and';: showed that ? its' benefits were; among .the';' most /liberal .of- those conferred-, by. • ..Visitors^'to Foston. Beach last week : ex--perie'need a.ir'ying time. ... Nearly every- day . a gale" was : blowing- from the sea,-, accom- • panied by showers of„;rain. - The first glimpse ■; of-'the sun was obtained during the boisterous period on Friday. Dwellers'' in: tentewere forced to strike camp after waiting. in < vain .for-the leather to hold-up. : ■; : Bishop Wallis,. of Wellington, arrived at Palmerston !by the hiail train ..yesterday; morning, and will spend, a few, days-here.' • ■ At the SiM. Court yesterday Clias. Cookery, charged. with assaulting ;'a boy by strik-. ing him "with a whip, and also with settingi. a . dog: on him,-was fined 10s.' and costs. ' About 3 .o'clock: yesterday morning a fiveroomed house in Hereford Street, owned and occupied by Mr. C. J. R. Price, of the locaj; railway staff, was found to be on fire. The brigade turned out smartly, but were unable to save the'building, , as the- fire had too big -a hold when the alarm, was given. Mr. Price states'.that he has no idea-how the fire originated.-He and his family got safely: out, but, with the exception- of a perambulator, no effects -were saved.- The insurance on the house was £270, in -the Alliance office, and £50 ill the Royal, whilo the furniture was insured; for £150 in' ■' the\ Commercial -Union: Subsequently, at about 7,30' aim., the fire,' which-had evidently not been ; quite extinguished; broke out' again, and the intense' heat caused windows to break in an' adjoining house belonging': to Mr. v Newson. Had 1 the' wind been a little stronger .it is probable that MryNewson's house would also have caught fire. 'The brigade was called .out': again, andt. speedily ' subdued r the ilaimes.;- . .V ;

.. The - - Bodge, and; incidents in connection therewith-hare been long-provid-ing:-- matter: for .reflectioiv'-fpf * monikers- of the • Pohangina County Council, and on Saturday that body -received a' further., shock/iu the shape of. a" bill for £820 17s! Gd. Soma timoago'a' spah.of \theVbridge was broken down by ,a large slip. ■■■■'• Eventually it 'was decided to replace' the broken span, and. a contract was let to Mr. J. O'Dpnnell for £984 Is. Bd.; Before, he' was' quite ready to commence operations; however, another slip came down, and practically 'filled up tho space over which , the span>was; "to ;'bo rejected, -rendering the''work-' unnecessary. In consequence, Mr. ltounthwaito,' C.E., who hid charge of; the plans; was ; : instructed"to inform:: the contractor that ho. would ' riot be required to proceed, with; tho work. Mr. O'Donnell now claims £S2O 17s. 6d. for timber purchased for the bridge' and '' other expenses incurred. ' 1'ho: chairman stated that he understood from Mr. Roun'thwaite that' Mr. O'Donnell was rather pleased than otherwise to-get clear of- the contract, and that a matter 'of about .£IOO would settlo any expense' incurred._ Nothing had beo'i heard of the matter since, and the present, claim for' £820 (nearly the whole' of. tho contract price) -was rather'surprising', it was finally resolved, on the motion- of Comi-: cillor Bailey, seconded by Councillor £k(idton, that. Mr. Bounthwaite be. requostWi. (o attend at ..the. next meot-ing. ofvtho .cjajidl. in,, conncction with tho/account, iu; or Jec that the matter may bo kojk ictc. .. -Ttw council" also decided to apply to Iho'Cmijny : ment for portion of tho subsidy granted conncction wuth-Repairs , effccteu ; . ;o tie structure. ' . ■«? • >■--r;;.-v