PROVINCIAL NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 417, 28 January 1909, Page 6

PROVINCIAL NEWS.

C»K01I ODB SVECIAt, COIMESfONDENTB.) .7*7 .:-■"'■ .' 0 . "■. .." ...■: FOLDING. ;.. The Minister for Railways (the Hon. J. A. Millar) passed through Feilding by the mail train. for the north yesterday. He was waited on by Mr. Fred.Pirani in connection with the ■' site of the Feilding Technical School,,which is at present a railway reserve.. It is asked that, greater security of tenure: at a nominal rent should be given to the: Education Board. Mr. Millar went over to the site and viewed the surroundings with an idea of considering the request on his return to Wellington; . / Mr. G.. J. I).. Skinner, dog registrar, reports to/ the Borough' Council that' in 1908 there • were registered 163 dogs, the feestotalling £58 15s:, an increase of £43 15s. on the previous year. Some people (the report, stated) had destroyed their does sooner than pay the fees. He himself had destroyed several blind.and maimed dogs. • A v Tuesday evening's meeting of the /Borough Council, important reports were submitted by the Finance Committee and the borough treasurer. The reports showed the general account to bo in debit to the amount of £3469 19s. 6d., and the footpath formation loan.account £37 Bs. The following accounts are in credit'- Library £42 ss. 4d., cemetery £25 lis. ?d., abattoir £348 18s., water supply £561 145., Contractors' Deposit £90, water, loan £12 is. 6d., sewerage loan £92 18s; 5d., ; drainage loan £5605 13s. lid., water .loan interest £419 14s; 1d.,; sewerage loan interest £264 6s. lid., drainage loan -interest £97 ss. 2d., forro-ccncreto bridge loan £789 13s. 4d., general improvement loan £1830 13s. lOd. The net overdraft to date was shown to;be £2491 lis. Amounts to be transferred to the district fund account were;'. From water loan account £3GOj from general account £300. /The treasurer.' reminded , the> council, in /view; of the satisfactory ■: state of-. the.. district fund account, that the; balance of the' purchase money.of the South Street reserve, £1000, would . fall due on February 1, .arid he recommended that it be paid.- He also recommended; that the .sum of' £380 17s. sd. for interest on, bridge, loans,' etc.,. due to. the Treasury on February l,bo passed for payment. ,:'.': ■■';'.' "-■:',.■■"■, ':;;':' -■-

;, A; comprehensive report on the. maintenance ■' arid; .water question .was submitted' by/the" town clork (Mr.' John :Rankin)r The, Mayor,read a letter from Mr> j. Lpmas,". of, the' Labour ..Department, asking the,council to fix/the.statutory half-holiday for 1909. He produced iwo-petitioris,•■ one praying,for Saturday, the. other for Wedhes-: day as the'day for'the .holiday; and.stated ■ that .there were :a. dozen .people who had signed both; petitions. : It. was decided' to retain Wednesday; .

O;.v ; GAIVrEB^

In.'the'Magistrato's Court, ..Cartertonj- on Tuesday, the case/Police v. Joseph Chew, a charge, of; alleged" arson,, was heard before Messrs. James Brown and J. ,T. M v Horrispy, Justices, of the' Peace.; . Detective /Williams ■ conducted the case for .the prosecution, and Mr. _M./. Layers 'appeared for accused:. The hearing -of. evidence; lasted- from:'l2 noon until: 11 p.m.,- .when the verdict was given that the. evidence Tvas not sufficiently strong enough, to' send : the':';case.'.to- the Supreme Court,; and-it was'accordingly dismissed. ..;.

/;./.■■; :;/•■;'//''' : OTAE:i.; : -;,/->/P;/;/:

.'The adjourned meeting of -'the Druids' ■Athletic Club 'was held in- the Druids' Hall on-Tuesday night, Bro. W. Keegaii .presiding. There was a fair attendance of brethren; The fifth; annual,.,financial-statement showed a' balance'in hand of £27 7s. lOd. This was: considered highly.satisfactory. Easter- Monday was. unanimously agreed upon as tho date for holding the sports, ;and.,the following were elected.officers in connection with,the same: .—Patron, Bro. J.. R. Grant; • president,. Bro. W. Tompsitt;' vice-presidents, Bros. Genge, Noble, James-Woods, W. "M'Kegg, Eli Allen, Alex; .M'Gleland, George Watson;- and A. Howell; .secretary,Bro. A.»Knox; assistant w Bro ' ; '^' Ke 6an; treasurer; Bro. \i[... M Kegg; handicapper,. Mr. Mark Ayre; starter; Bro; Geo. .Noble; .timekeepers,- Bros, llowen, \V. M'Kegg,' and Herbert Bright; eeneral committee,. Bros. '.Rennett/'Morgan i'i 2j >T.rti? , ? We ' ■?*?■'A- '-Howell,; T. M'Fall, ;,Ji.; Wfebbv,-, and, J.., Liyesey;. protest committee, Bros.. J. Noble, sen., .T.: M'Fall, and T; Morgan;, programme committee,. Bros.' G. Noble, Webby, Keegan, Hartill, and Rehnett. It. was:decided, to hold the sports oh'-Messrs:' i/ee and M'Beath's paddock, providing it could-be acquired, and also to hold a social in the .evening, Bro. J. Morgan montioned the fact.th>t. great inconvenience was caused in the vicinity of the winning post by people crowding.round, and suggested that the nuisI ance be abated by,the,erection of a few posts !.and: battens.' He .offered to supply the latter' if sonie,-of tho-:members would erect the fence; - and ■■ Bro. G.. Noble offered to lend ■ a number ai .posts -for the purpose. Bro. T. ..Morgan -Hook: exception 'to a professional runner winning 'each year the race set apartf for Druids, considering.it unfair to members who■: wished to participate. He contended that the race was only meant for novices, and therefore should be run for such. ; The chairman.agreed, and pointed out that such good.runners should bo very heavily handicapped' if allowed to. compete. Bro. Noble, sen -.- said .that -the- professional' runner alluded to.had.not'.won each year, and pointed out that invariably it, had been won .by others;; Other members suggested' placing: i-first-class. runners well'behind scratch. The ; matter, was eventually left to .the 'programme fcominittee.- ~ Bro.: T. Morgan suggested' a team'. race . for ', schoolboys.—ieft to Programme Committee.. ■ ■ The.-annual general meeting of the Ot'aki .Temperance Society' was. held on Monday night,, when the election of officers resulted, as follows:—President; . Revi ■■ Mr. 'Smith-; vice-presidents, Revs. Messrs. Roberts anpV ;Tarauera, -and Messrs. Penn, Brown, and Andrew; '.committee, ,Mrs.- Rollo,. Misses Rollo, Judd,■'•-,•■ Blakestbn, ; and Marshall, Messrs;-.Gockrell, Sims, Eyres, and Cook• auditor, Mr. H. Cockrell; secretary, ''Mr'., w! Taylor: ■'.■■-.. ■ , ■'.. • .-. ' •'.,-.. ; ;■. •Mr.. Geo;. Gordon; of, this- district, who has, ; .been incapacitated: for some weeks, left this inoming • for .Palmerston to interview Dr Martin.-.- --:nr'..:'■',;-;.; '"''"'■'■ ' '■"-•'- ;, A sharp earthquake was 'experienced here .on Monday shortly-after midnight. - -