PROVINCIAL NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 449, 6 March 1909, Page 3

PROVINCIAL NEWS.

tmOM OUR SPECIAL COBIIESPOSDKNTS.)

PALMERSTON.

Tho Horseshoo and Sluggish River Drainage Boards have received a letter from tho olh'co of the Minister for Internal Affairs with regard to the proposed amalgamation of tlio two boards, which practically sets aside the recent commission; and throws them back on the original position. Tho letter is as follows:—"Referring to the proposal to unite the Horseshoe and Sluggish River Drainago districts, and the commissioner's report thereon, I have the honour, by direction of the Minister, to point out that, beforo an order-in-council is made under section 15 of the Land and Drainage Act 1908, it would bo desirablo that the boards of tho two districts should jointly petition the Governor, praying that the said districts be united, and further, that a joint agreement, made by the boards, should also be submitted, setting out specifically the conditions precedent to such union. With regard to the proposed inclusion of an additional area it would seem that this can only be done on the petition of the ratepayers concerned, as provided by section 3 of the Act, and, under tho circumstances, it might be desirable to postpone any action in the matter until the existing districts have been united." At a meeting of the bluggisii Itivcr Drainage Board, hold yesterday, Mr. Newman, M.l'., wrote asking the boards to meet him and discuss the matter, it was resolved that he be asked to nx a convenient date.

Mr. Sirnni, Government Pomologist, has received instructions from the Department to collect as many varieties of fruit as possible in the district, for sending to the London Agricultural Show, it may be interesting to mention that the fruit is sent Home with the grower's name attached, also the district in which it was grown. It is, of course, put into cold storage. Last year the Government took silver medals at this show for their exhibit. The Chrysanthemum Show, to be held in April by the Afanawatu Horticultural Society, is already arousing great interest among horticulturists, aud promises to be a great success. Inquiries are being received lrom many local amateurs as well as from outsiders foT schedules, and it is anticipated that.entries will be greatly in excess of the recent show. The decorative and home industries classes are to be much more widely patronised at the Chrysanthemum Show and the ladies are already preparing for exhibits in theso departments. It is very probable that, in next year's programme the society will includo a carnation show An exhibition of this class of flower would draw big entries from outside districts, as well as from Palmerston, and would assist greatly in encouraging gardeners to cultivate these beautiful blooms. Owing to the requests that have been made to the council in regard to license tees on friendly Societies' hails and buildings, it is the intention of the Mayor to call tho council together next week to generally consider these matters. , An exceptionally largo number of orchardjsts, who have failed to comply with the Orchard and Garden Diseases Act 190S, are to appear in tho Magistrate's Court at an early date. While riding on his bicycle between Pahiatua and Woodville on Tuesday, Mr A 3 Birt, builder, of Main Street, was run into by a motor-car, and thrown to the ground, the shock rendering him unconscious for about an Hour. Mr. Birt is, however, little th<> worse for his mishap. The Sluggish River Drainage Board met on lnursrlay afternoon, and acoepted Mr. J. Hopping's tender for, tho work in connection with Lane's drain, at Glenoroua.

FEILDING.

This afternoon tho new Feilding Municipal Swimming Baths are to bo officially- opened by. the Mayor. Mr: and Mrs. A. J. Kingsboer have been appointed caretakers. Tho Feilding railway station has recently been advanced from the eighth to the seventh grade showing the growing importance of tho town and district as a railway centre. The traffic, both inwards and outwards, continues to increase month by month. So many sheep are awaytat the present time that the Department is finding difficulty in providing the necessary rolling stock. ■ In tho month of February there were slaughtered at the Feilding abattoirs 80 cows 41 heifers, 10 bullocks, 273 ewes, 152 wethers, S6 lambs, 30 pigs, 7 calves, and 5 cows One ewe and three pigs were condemned, iho tees for the month amounted to £80 Is. uCI. Kotwithstanding the fact that Feilding ,«™V e , shee P fa,r on Friday week, when 4<J,000 sheep were penned, there was again an excellent yarding of sheep at the weekly salo yesterday. This entry was suppled mented by a big yarding of cattle. Prices offered were fair but buyers are inclined to hold back till rain falls. Tho iron has entered into the souls of farmsrs on the Sandon side. It will bo rei membered that the Cabinet recently accepted tho tender of the Canterbury Farmers' Cooperativo Association (Christchurch) for about £4000 worth of grass seed on tho Taranaki improved farm settlements. The Sandon farmers could have supplied this, but they did not even get a chance to tendor. Iho whole thing is peculiar, and it leaves two very peculiar questions which Sir Joseph Ward ought to answer, namely, why incur extra freight and railage by going so far afield as Canterbury? And why risk the possibilities of noxious weed germs which Canterbury seed usually contains? It is claimed for the Sandon product that it is about the cleanest seed procurable. Says a Bunnythorpe writer:—The determination of the Railway Department not to put a pascenger carriage on tho afternoon train from Feilding is only in keeping with the treatment Bunnythorpo has had from the "Authorities" for years past. If people here would only agitate a little more, wo might get what we deserve, namely, (1) to get to your town and return in reasonable time; (2) tho erection of a goods shed for the protection of perishable produce sent from here in largo quantities; and (3) better facilities for approaching the railway station from tho township side without having to straddle over a wire fonce, which is certainly not comfortable. Just a few items to show what business the Railway Department is doing here: Cheese, about 200 tons; dried milk, about the same; butter, about 28 tons —all within the last few days. And yet, if one refers to the Department, they seerii to have little or no knowledge of the large export of produce from Bunnythorpe. Meanwhile Bunnythorpe people suffer.

OTA.KI.

A hot day and a cloudless sky favoured the tourists (including Mr. Field, M.P., and Mr. J. Cowan, of tho Tourist Department), in their ascent of Mount Hector, previously mentioned in this column. Tho main purpose of the expedition is to ascertain what the touring possibilities of the mountain are. Laden with the necessary baggage, the party started yesterday for "The Forks," where the night will be spent. Their intention was to be "up with the lark" this morning, and thus roach the summit of Mount Hector early today, and return to Otaki to-morrow. The Levin branch of the Boxing Association is endeavouring to mako arrangements to hold a tourney hero during the raco meeting in Juno. In view of tho sports to be held here aijd at Waikanao during Easter week, many pedestrians may nightly be seen resolutely engaged in training operations. Hockey practico has already commenced hero, and, with tho formation of a second club, keen rivalry will exist. Tho teams, however, will compriso many novices. Tho roads throughout the district continue to show signs of wear on account of tho prolonged spell of dry weather. Unless rain falls soon the outlook will not bo quito pleasant. A firo at Pukehoe, which started on tho adjacent property, did considerable harm on Thursday, acres of feed being destroyed in a short time. A willing band of workers had tho blaze well in band towards evening. Mrs, Tamuorii, wife of the Row Mr. Tamnera, arrived hero on Thursday, and was

welcomed in the customary way by a large number of Maoris, whoso peculiar iiluJations continued for some time.. Bowls havo certainly taken on hero, and keen interest draws numbers of players to the green almost every evening. Among the regular spectators aro a number of ladies, who seriously contemplate joining in tho fun, very much as the Kelburne ladies do in Wellington.

MARTON. » '

A respected Hunterville resident was placed in an awkward position at Martini Court yesterday. Philip John Langley, livery stable keeper, Huntervillo, was charged with having stolen a pair of field glasses, tho r>roperty of Thomas Martin, labourer, Palmersfeon, from a railway carriage at Marton station, on Thursday evening. Langley and Martin had travelled in the same carriage from Wanganui to Marton, where Langley left the train with a pair of field glasses, and was promptly given in charge by Martin, who alleged that Langley had stolen them. Langley oxplaincd that some ladies had left the carriage, taking some articles from the rack, and as the field glasses wero close to the spot where their luggage had been, he picked them up with the intention of restoring them to the rightful owner. As ho was looking for tbe ladies, he was charged by Martin with theft, and arrested. He was put in the lock-up, but afterwards bailed out by Signall Bros. Mr. Meldrum, who appeared for defendant, maintained that tho charge was laid under an entire misapprehension, as defendant was well-known in Hunterville as a perfectly honest man. In support of this claim ho put forward as witnesses Mr. M'Manaway, owner of the Argylo Hotel, and Mr. Mowat, of the Bank of Now Zealand, Hunterville, who testified to tho high character of defendant. The Justices dismissed the charge, remarking that tho constable had only done his duty in the matter.

CARTEIITON.

One hears a lot about the dilatoriness of the Native Land Court, and the inefficiency of our Nativo land laws. Recoutly a Maori named Wi Whatakorari died at Te Wharau, and within three weeks of his death Mr. M. Lavery, a local solicitor, had tho whole of tho deceased's property (which included several blocks of land held under various conditions) gazetted and passed through the Laud Court. At a sitting of the Court at Greytown on Friday. Mr. Lavery was appointed administrator of tho estate. The ballot for £300 in connection with the Wairarapa Terminating Building Society, held here on Thursday evening, fell to Mr. C. J. Smith, a local resident.

SHANNON.

Shannon weather lately has been frosty and cold at night, with warm, sunny days. There is still no sign of rain, and many householders are depending on the creeks for their water supply. Captain G. N. Stephenson, of the local riile club, has left to take part in tho. competitions at X'rentham. Mrs. Esson and Mr. Barclay won the mixed doubles competition at the tennis tournament on 'Wednesday afternoon, defeating Miss Wicklitt'e.and Mr. R. W. Taylor by one point. The holders of the Kinniburgh Feathers defeated a Levin rink on the bowling green on Wednesday afternoon. The holders aro: Messrs. Oleson, .Esson, Rouch, and Knowles (s), and the challengers wero Messrs. Marriott, Palmer, Jamieson, and Craig. A friendly game between a Levin rink and a Shannon rink resulted in a win for the latter.

A movement is on foot to havo a branch bank opened in tho town instead of the one-day-a-week arrangement existing. A banker has, however, expressed tho opinion that such an arrangement is not practicable. Better opportunities are being offered in tho way of opening branches owing to the completion of the Main Trunk lino, and 7 it is not likely that any bank would find it profitable to open daily in Shannon. It is likely that the deputation of flaxmillers ami representatives of the Wellington and Palmerston North Chambers of Commerce will meet the Cabinet about the beginning of next week, to bring before their notice the present disabilities under which tho flax industry is working.

FEATHERSTON,

Mr. and Mrs. Hans Madsen, of Nelson, were in Fcatherston on Thursday, meeting old friends. Mr. Madsen is visiting the Wairarapa for a short holiday. I Tho Fire Brigade team left hero for Auckland by tho 8.30 train yesterday morning. Mr. Archie Holmes, who was well-known in Featherston and is now in Vancouver, intends leaving America at an early date and going across Scotland "to visit his relations there. After spending some time in London he will come on out to Now Zealand and take up his residence hero again. Some good games of,bowls wore played on the bowling green on Thursday. Only two matches were played off in tho pairs, these ending: W. Yule and Higgison, 19; Knowlos and Ross, 12. Benton and Tutbury, 18; Bungay and M'Kenzie, 16. In the latter match on tho fifteenth head there was a tie, but on the last head and Benton and Tutbury won by two points. There wore some very inteiestinggames of tennis on the tennis courts on Thursday afternoon. The three courts were kept going continuously, -and one more match of the tournament was played. The game was between Forster and Miss Hodder, and KentJohnston and Miss Benton, both with tho same handicap. The gamo was to 35, and Kent-Johnston and co. wero 34 to their adversaries' 26. Forster put in some fine services and gradually worked up to 34 all. This made the game a deuco game, and some very interesting play ended in Forster and Miss HoJder winning. To-day is the last day on which games in this competition can be played.

WAIKANAE

Tho statement of Norman Campbell, sawmiller, Waikanae, who has been deolarcd bankrupt, on the petition of his creditors, shows liabilities amounting to £978 4s. Following is a list of tho creditors, all unsecured : —Wellington—Palmer and Co. ' £18 ; Hutcheson and Compbell, £8 10s.; E. W. Mills and Co., £8 10s.; A. Ross and Co., £16 10s.; Robertson and Co., £30 155.; M'Leod, Weir and Co., £25 155.; National Bank, £175; Gaudin and Son, £9 10s.; U.F.C.A., £14 10s.; Bell, Gully, Bell and Myers, £9 95.; W. Nees, £7 155.: Campbell Land and Timber Co., £125; Jones and Ashdown, £5 55.; Andrews and Manthel, £20 55.; "Evening Post," £7 10s.; Dominion, £7 55.; H. Savage, £4 10s.; W. Wiggins, £9 10s.; W. Crabtree and Sons, £30; Yrancis, £30; S Brown and Sons, £14 10s. PaJmerston—Abraham and Williams, £130. Manakau —Swainson and Bevan, £1 ■ 10s. Feilding—Barry and Co., £28. Waikanae— Co-operative Storo, £80. Paraparaumu—W. J; Howoll, £65. Dannovirke— J. W. Davidson, £8. Otaki—George W. Beth, £13 10s. Pctono—T. Price and Co., £128. Woodville —John Grant, £20 ss.