PROVINCIAL NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 472, 2 April 1909, Page 7

PROVINCIAL NEWS.

1 (FROM OUlt SrECIAL COHRESPO.W.NT3.) e PA.LMERSTON. The bankruptcy returns for the Falmorston district for tlio quarter ending JJarch 31, 1909, aro as follow:—Numbor of bankruptcies not closed to tho end of tlio preceding quarter, 34; number of bankruptcies closed during tho quarter, nil; bankruptcies left on hand, 34; number of fresh bankruptcies during the quarter, 10; total bankruptcies on baud, 44; cash in hand, on January 1, £543 13s. 10d.; assets realised during tho quarter, £180; paid in dividends, including preferential claims, £113 9s. 2d. ; Government commission received, nil; wages and rent paid by tlio District Official Assignee whilo in cliargo of the business, ,C 9 Gs.; general charges of administration, £31 los. 2d.; debtors' solicitors and filling fees, £10 55.; petitioning creditors' costs, £16 17s. 10d.; District Official As signee's solicitors and filing fees, £10 55.; petitioning creditors' costs, £10 17s. lOd.; District Official Assignee's solicitor, £31 Bs.; total amount paid, £185 10s. 2d.; cash ill band on March 31, £53c5 2s. fid. Of the ten bankruptcies that liaye been filed during the quarter, two are from Palmerston North, two from Feilding, one from Manakau, one from Foxton, ono from Makino, one from Yi'a-ikanae, ono from Bulls, and ono from Kongotea. Under tho' head of criminal cases in tho quarterly returns for tho Magistrate's Court for tho quarter ending March 31, 1909, tho largest item is persons taken into custody, summoned or apprehended, the numbers being 194 males and 31 females. Their offences were mostly against good order, and 159 woro convicted and 49 discharged for want of prosecution or evidence. Eighty were fined, and 33 imprisoned. The civil business showed that 527 cases had been heard, whilo G2B plaints had been issued. The aggregate amount recovered was £3003 17s. sd. Fifty distress warrants were ' issued, and 54 orders made on judgment summonses, while four warrants of committal were issued. The bailiff served 532 summonses, and executed 46 distress warrants. Foes totalled £237 9s. The ordinary meeting of the Manawatu Land Drainage Board wa3 hold yesterday. Correspondence was received from Messrs. R. S. Wall, P. C. Ronberg, P. J. Small, J. Kearins, J. Hughes, and W. H. Teague agreeing (in consideration of tho board draining out tho creek running through their properties) not to make any claim for compensation. the board to make and erect tho necessary flood gates. It was resolved that tho engineer bo authorised to call tenders for tho work in connection with Hughes Creek when he is satisfied that sufficient progress has been made with the Bunny-thorpe-Kairanga Road drain. A deputation, consisting of Messrs. Balsillie and Burmester, waited on tho board with regard to tho Bunnythorpe-Kairanga Road drain. Mr. Balsillie stated that it was understood that the board contemplated opening up the drain to Hughes Line. Every winter they had trouble with tho water from' this drain, and they protested against further facilities being granted to bring more water down until provision was made for carrying it away. The Bunnythorpe-Kairanga Road drain, in its present state, could not carry away the water. They did not wish to go to law about the matter, but, if tho board persisted in opening up now drains ■ and sending down more and more water, without making provision for carrying it away, they would have to .take the matter to Court. The chairman stated, that the board was dissatisfied with the manner in which work in connection with this drain was being done, and, in consequence, it had been decided to put on fresh men. Tho drains made by tho board were for- tho benefit of the whole district. The •deputation expressed their satisfaction that this work was to be done, and withdrew. The necretary (Mr. W. Rutherford), reporting, o?.i the financial year ended on Wednesday,-! stated that, with tho exception of 6s. 4d., ho\ had been successful in collecting the wh'.ilo of tho rates, amounting to . £2905. Members expressed their appreciation of the very satisfactory stato of affairs. A.'; notable fact is revealed in the vital statistics for the local registration district for ihe quarter just closed. Out- of 114 birth*', no fewer than 80 were females, as against 34 males. These figures aro the moro .noteworthy when it is borne in mind that, for the whole of last year, tho males had a ' majority of 40. Tho deaths totalled 32 for the quarter, and marriages 42. A meeting of those interested was to have been held, on Wednesday night to consider the quoiV.ion of engaging a cricket coach for the n.axt season. About twelve cricketers were present, and it was decided to adjourn tho meeting till Wednesday evening next, it being considered that a more representative meeting was necessary before any definite action aould bo taken. ! The Department of Agriculture is sending Homo a fino collection of grass soeds and grain from various districts in New Zealand to tho Fi'.inco-British Exhibition, and, in this connection, Messrs. Barraud and Abraham, Ltd., have got together for tho Department a vnty fine collection of seeds, including two spk-ndid samples of Sandongrown fye-grass wnd Sandon-grown crested dog's-tail. Both these exhibits' must considerably assist the industry. The firm also sent two grand samples of prairio grass and Italian ryegrass, grown hear Ashhurst. Other seeds sent wero meadow, foxtail, and crested dogstail, save*s on bush laud in IV liangina, tail fescue .from Kairanga, and a [ine sample of cocksfoot grown by Mr. Carl Anderson, near Rongotcvi. It is certain that no finer lot of seeds will bo on view. The ryegrass, especially, must attract a groat. Jeal of notice, as it is exceptionally good nid pure. MAST-ERTCVJT. Tho annual meeting of ,tho Masterton Mounted liilles was attended by all tho jfficers-and about twenty-five* N.C.O.'s and uen. f Captain M'Killop presided. Tho lalance-sheet, which showed a credit balanco >f £20 135., exclusivo of the jcarjs capitation, was adopted. The following committees yero appointed Finance, Wiliams, Trooper Iggulden, and 'officers ex ifficio; shooting, Sergeants B:\rnes and bannister, and Troopers Bannister and .gguldeii; auditors, Troopers 2lcssi\nger and ialley. In recognition of tho eapablo nannor in which ho had carried -;ut his lutios, tho secretary, Mr. A. C. 'W'jlliams, vas voted ti bonus of £10 10s. An important table of figures was 1: tid beoro the meeting of tho Wairarapa D istrict iospital Board by the secretary, Mr. A'. G. tfooro, showing tho amount of money eonributcd from the Wairarapa district in sharitablo aid. during tho past ten yen's, ind the amount that has been returned to ho district from tho board. The latter f is rased on estimates of expenditure from yeiir o year, and approximately represent tho .mount spent. Contributions from local ►odies in tho district amounted, during the >eriod mentioned, to £17,764 lis. 6d., which,' rifch Government subsidy, brought the total o £35,529 3s. The estimated requirements or the district, and, approximately,. the mount spent in tho district out of the for- i nor total, reached only £15,688 12s, 3d. ' It i rould therefore appear that tho Charitablo 1 lid Board has gained £19,890 10s. 9d.' at tho ixpenso of the country in ten years. Tho ] nocting considered this return liighly interr i isting, and another argument in favour of < orming a separate charitablo aid district in i ho Wairarapa. It was reported that steps ; rero being taken to hold a conference of ( ocal bodies to consider the question of i eparation, and it was resolved to circulate ho tablo quoted abovo among tho various radios prior to tho conference. Tho chairnan, Mr. E. G. Etton, was appointed tho loard's delegate to tho confcrcnce. < For some years past tlio outfall works con- ( looted with tho sewage system of tho Mas- i erton Borough have boon a considerable < ausc of worry to councillors, and a cause i if expense to ratepayers. Also, owing to i he sewage boing run into the Ruamahanga ; liver in an improper condition, tho scwago arm has been a constant menace to tlio i lealth and comfort of the residents in the f ■icinity, especially to those living below the 1 rorks on tho Ruamahanga River. Various i eports on the whole matter have been re- } eived by tlio council, and various methods f if treatment have been tried. Somo months ( .go tho ratepayers rejected a proposal to l aise a loan of £27,000 for drainage. In- i luded in the project wore new outfall works f it a different point on tho river, Matters t

now, however, appear to be in a moro satisfactory condition, thanks to tho improvements recently effected by tho Borough Engineer, Mr. W. T. Mansfield r who has completely altered tho former system, whilo the cost of 'the improvements has not exceeded £270. Tho. effluent will not pass into tho Ruamahanga Kiver now until after it has gone through certain processos which Mr. Mansfield has installed, and tho degree of purification will probably be of a standard equal to that set by tho Homo Health Authorities. At tho meeting of tho Borough Council on Tuesday evening, Mr. Mansfield submitted an exhaustive report, which was unanimously adopted. Complimentary reference to the plan was made by tho Mayor and councillors, alul it is now believed that a serious municipal troublo has been safely overcome for tho present and tho imincdiato future. Tho work of tar macadamising Queen Street is expected to bo completed by about tho middle of next month. Kuripuni Street, where extensive improvements liavo been under way for some timo past, is expected to bo finished about the same time. A start lias been made with tho Makora Road extension work. The committee set up in connection with Dr. Hosking's memorial bath scheme liavo visited tho park, and selected alternative sites. They liavo given instructions to have plans and specifications prepared, subject to Dr. Hosking's approval of a site. Tho local bowling men are making arrangements to hold a bowling tournament here during tho Easter holidays. A petition is being circulated among all tho Mastorton shopkeepers, asking them to close their premises on Easter Saturday, thereby extending the Easter holidays from Thursday till Tuesday. Tho petition has been signed by practically every retail firm in town. The retail prico of butter is being reduced one penny per pound in Masterton from April 1. There were three bankruptcies in the Wairarapa district during tie month of March, making ton since tho beginning of tho current year. In March, 1908, there was only ono sohedule filed, and only two for the first threo months of tho year. Potato blight has developed to somo extent in the Masterton district, as the result of recont rains.