PROVINCIAL NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 434, 17 February 1909, Page 3

PROVINCIAL NEWS.

' < , (FROM OUtt BrECIAb i J oUI , »EBrONDENTS.) PALMEItSTON. Messrs. J. M. Johnston and Gibbons have been appointed to represent the Palmerston North Chamber of; Commerce on the deputation to the Government touching' several matters affecting the flax industry. Mrs, Fowler and Mrs. and Miss Chittenden, ivlio were injured in the recent accident at Tirika, are still confined to the hospital, but aro making progress towards, recovery. - Mr. .Win. Klein, of Ashhurst, received a nasty kick in the face from a horse yesterday, which resulted in 0110 of'the facial bones, being broken. He was at once conveyed to the Palmerston Hospital, and is now recovering. The inauguration of the Main Trunk service has led to increased work.at the-Pal-merston North Post OiTicc, .and also to. tho work .performed, by tho postal officials at thp railway station. Several: mails which hitherto havo been , made up .at .Wellington for. small offices on the Aslihurst-Napier line, and which used to come forward by the slow train leaving. -Wellington .at. 10.10 a.m., aro now sent on with the mails for Palmerston North, which arrived at 3.10 p.m.-by the Trunk express, and are dealt with at the local office. Mails.for Wellington and the Hawke's Bay lino.;which-previously closed at. 11 a.m. now 'close-at. 12.30 p.m. .As the. Trunk, express is •timed te arrive from Auckland at 12.41 p.m., and. tho Woodvillo train departs at 12.50 •p.m., it only gives nine minutes to tranship a consignment' of mail matter from the express at the end of tho platform to the train, at the eastern-end, and it can b© ; seen that the postal officials on duty at the railway .stat.ion: require; to "hustle" to •prevent'.tho -:Hawke's Day mails missing -this train. • The outgoing express to Auckland and the,incoming train/from New. Plymouth cross' at tho station here, and coiisequently ; double the quantity of mails required to he dealt' with at that timo. , Hampers containing parcels 'are .not- now dealt with by the. agents on■ the express' trains. The major portion of theso are sent to Palmerston North by the Wellington train reaching hort at 4.10 p.m.; and are distributed to their various destinations by/the trains leaving at G o'clock or. thereabouts. - The two additional trains to be arranged'for have necessarily led to. the postal staff being kept hard at it throughout the day, the closing of mails at 12.30 and tho arrival of tho Auckland express at 12,41 cutting into .tho time .hitherto regarded as i'lunch - hour." Arrangements ; have, howover,;'been. made, by the executive of tho offico to, meet all these contingencies, and no hitch has o'ecurred.'"

PAHIATDA.

•At a. specjal 1 meeting of V the JPahiatua Borough Council a, special resolution to' rodlice. tho number of councillors from' nine "to 'six' was moved:.by- Councillor Wilson, and seconded , by. Councillor. Westlake. It was lost on,-a vote being takori by five to two. Tlio'.flags'were.flown/at half-mast yester-day-out of respect for tlio victims who ,per'ished in.tho Penguin. Many! of them were well-known here. , On Monday the Ballance Dairy: Factory paid out £6800 to. suppliers. •

WAIKANAE.

. On Sunday, at 3. p.m., tlio Bishop of . .Wellington,consecrated- tho . Anglican portion' of the now Waikanae Cemetery, v' The . Bishop was attended by the vicar of-.the parish, the Rev. J. lidwin Jones, and Mr: ,T. A- Austin, churchwarden, and was' conducted over the ground by the county councillor for tho .district, Mr. Geo. Watson. , It has becn : mainly through the: effort's of MrV Watson tiat this beautilul: cemetery has been obtained. - In the evening his Lordship preached;in St. 1 Luke's Church, Waikanae, tho vicar and Messrs; H. R. Elder and J. A. Austin assisting in tho service. The Bishop touchingly mentioned'the late sad disaster which 'overtook tho s.s. Penguin,' and special-prayers wore offered for tho suttercrs. The Bishop"-was the guest of Mr. H.-It. Elder, of Waimahoo, Waikanao, duriii" his stay. , ' , ' "

CAIIAPARAUMU

■; -The Bishop of Wellington,held a confirmation service,in: the Anglican -Church, l'araparaumu on Sunday last at 11 a.tn: .