PALMERSTON.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 484, 17 April 1909, Page 6

PALMERSTON.

: Thd eieotion of' borough councillors this year does not promise to be particularly, exciting.. So far it is almost certain that most of the present councillors will seek re-elec-

tion. ', Councillor Clausen has'asserted his intention of again standing; so has Councillor Haydon. Councillors Bennett, Palmer, and Holben have- not yot definitely decided. It is probable, however, that all three will allow themselves to be nominated. Councillors Stubbs and Matheson have definitely decided not to seek re-election, .the latter owing to the fact tha.t he is about to engage in farming, pursuits, again. Messrs. Tasker, S. Russell, and R. Edwards are mentioned as being likely to stand. Councillor Armstrong'is not prepared to make any definite statement at present, but will probably allow himself to be nominated.

The statistics for tho Palmcrston Hospital for the year ended Match 31 disclosi some interesting facts. There were 563 persons under treatment during the year, of which number 42 died, and 51 were still in the hospital at tho year's end. 334 wore males and 219 females. Nationalities were varied. New Zealand leading with 305, while England supplied 115, Scotland 25, Ireland 41, Australia 31, the others coming; from Norway, Tasmania, Germany, Donmark, '; France, China;, Egypt, Rumania, Spain, Poland, Syria, and America. Tha Palmorston Hospital district supplied the great proportion of the patients, 604 being admitted from it. Wanganui sent 21 cases, Wellington 15, New Plymouth 5, Napier and Mastorton 4 each, Pahiatua 3, Dannevirke '2,: and Dunedin, Waipukurau, Auckland, Stratford, and Christchurch 1 each. Tho average daily cost per head was 6s. ljjd., and tho average daily payment per head was Is. 33d., while the cost of administration, on i maintenance* and expenditure was 8 per cent. , ';■ ,' On the , initiative of Dr. Poach' and other officers of the Manawatu Mounted Rifles it has been decided to hold an officers' staff ride

in Palmerston some time next month. .All the mounted officers in the Wellington district of the N0..3 Regiment will be invited to attend, and will be the guests of the local officers, probably from Saturday till the following Monday, At present there is nothing much in common between the officers of the various corps, although they belong to the same regiment,'and it is considered that the proposed movement will afford them an,excellent opportunity of becoming thoroughly acquainted with one another and discussing the welfare of their corp6. At a^meeting of the, 1 chairmen bf;the : Bix drainage boards in the Manawatu' district, held to consider important amendments , to the Land Drainage Act, 1908 (to be brought beforo the notice of the Minister for Internal. Affairs), it wa.s resolved that a Bub-com-mittee, consisting of Messrs. Greig' and Sanson, with Mr. E. J. Armstrong, be appointed to consider what amendments ■to the Act should.be recommended and to bring,up their report: to an adjourned meeting of the chairmen to be held at an early, date, At the conclusion a vote.of thftnks was passed to Mr. Greig for the active part vhich he had taken in bringing this important subject before his fellow chairmen. ' , . ' Colonel Gorton, for some years president of the Manawatu Golf Club, but who has resigned, owing to continued ill-health). has been elooted a life member of the club. To do this, a now rule had to be adopted' shice the old rules only provided for the election of a life member on payment of £100. ;.; t . The Manawatu County, Council, so far as its general fund is concerned, is ia the pleasing position \of being out of debt., At the meeting, on Wednesday the. chairman stated that the overdraft had been gradually,, creased, and, if the contribution, towards,the: Whirokino bridge, due from the Foxton Borough .Council, and the rates were in, the overdraft would be-wiped out. ... : ; , The Officers' Club, Wellington, have beenj devoting considerable attention iito I thoi question of ; military. training; : and it is understood that ithey'hayei.now.rrunderi) consideration a : modified scheme of : .universal. training: 'The scheme provides for the establish-: '~mont of a battery ■ at Palmerston North. Palmerstou; it is stated,- is from.its geographical, position a sufcable placofor the' maintenance of a field battery. 'There is, in the first placOj a better supply of horses to be obtained, and better facilities' for keeping ■them,, while, secondly, it'ocoupies such a central position that, were an invader ; to land on either coast, the battery... could be dispatched at. once wherever most needed. . Tlie electors' list for the ; borough, wliich closed on Wednesday evening, oontains'3Bs3 names.' The roll compiled for 1907 contained 3587 names, and the supplementary.roll-pre-pared for the last mayoral eieotion brought the list up to 4648 names. The new. roll has been purged of the names'of those who. did ' not vote during the currency. of •. the • last; roll. .'■'. ■; •-.' .■-.;.;' ; ■■■■:■'.. '.v ;/■.;.x ■

Mr. S. Jensen,, of Waihakako, who wm the only representative from the local gun club present at the New Zealand Gun Club championship meeting :at Amborley, at ; Kastor,. returned homo on Friday morning. Mr. Jenßen, with two others, divided the Amberloy match, and ho almost won tho championship, also.