PROVINCIAL NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 509, 17 May 1909, Page 6

PROVINCIAL NEWS.

toOM-OUa BFECUUi COHnESP3NDENTB.) « PALMERSTON. Mr. R, M'Nab has replied to tho Mayor consenting to tho latter'e request that ho should epoak in Palmorston on tho question of compulsory military sorvico. Mr. M'Nab has left it to the Mayor to fix a dato oithor just before or aftor Juno 4. Ho has also agreed to speak at Feilding, Marton, and Wanganui. A deputation, consisting of Mr. D. Buick, M.P., Mr. 0. Voss (chairman of the Kairanga County Canncil), and Mr. Walter Ruthorford, will wait on tho Hon. A. W. Hogg, Minister in charge of Roads and Bridges, in Wellington in connection with tho request that tho Government should havo something dono to bring ho Gorge" Road into a decent state of repair and fit for traffic.

committee of tho Manawatu and ; W,-est Coast .Caledonian Society met on. Saturday night,j.Mr. J. R.-Gratam.presiding. The secretary submitted'.a '. statement- in connection'with,, tho Easter Monday sports gatherconcert,: showing expenditure £238 6s. 3d., and.receipts £225 165., leaving a debit balance of £12 9s. 3d. Against this sum a number: of: outstanding subscriptions may bo setdown,' and they Trill more than make up the deficiency; '•'. Several accounts -were passed for payment, and votes of thanks were accorded all; those who assisted. at tho. sports and concert. '.■;.'.■■■/:'', ; ■'..- :,. . : .'._

Tho interesting contest between Tracy and Griflin at • Auckland recently, and tho fact that/Griffin had expressed a dosiro, for another match, led tho Manawatu Boxing Association to mako inquiries whether tho two men would be willing to meet in this town. Roplios in the affirmative havrnß boon received, the association mot on Saturday evening to considor the matter. The secretary reported that, in their letters expressing 'their willingness to box in Palmorstoc, the two men stated that they would bo ready to meet in six wcoks' time. It was decided that tho contest be hold on Juno 17. Tho match will, bo for the residential light-weight championship of New Zealand, and it should be ono of tho, best witnessed in tho At Auckland recently the result was in doubt up to tho end of tho eighth round, and it was riot .until the! thirteenth round ;that Tracy gained the verdict. The moeting also decided to arrange throd preliminary matches. Shields will bo matched with Troweek for six twewninuto ronntls for a £3 3s. trophy. Their previous contort resulted in a draw. An endeavour 'will be made to match Cole, with Dawson, tho Hawke's Bay heavy-woißht chmnpion, for six two-mimito rounds, while the 'arrangements for the third preliminary niateh have been left with tho secretary.

FOXTON. At tho first meeting of the new municipal council and installation of Mayor tho re tiling Mayor (Mr. B. G. Gowor) made a short congratulatory speech, and wished tho new Mayor (Mr. Q. H. Stiks) and the now councQ a successful term of: office. Hβ statod that tho finances,w'oro in a healtliy state, and there was no reason why the' now council should riot carry oat several progressive ures. ' He, passed some encomiums on the spjondid service rendered to the borough by the Town Clerk (Mr. A. Frazer) who had for a number of years collected overy penny of rates, and carried ont his duties generally in an exemplary manner. The now council then settled down to.work. The proposed water and drainage schemes wore advanced a stage, and a resolution carried to engage the Borvices of a compotont ongineer to prepare a report on these important matters. It was further, decided that 'the engineer to bo engaged to also required to prepare a new plan of tho borough, aB tho present one is obsolete. Tho trial bore being put down' in tho main stroot to tost the strata for an artesian supply of water was fully discussed. Tho sppfc on which tho boro is being put down was suggested by the Rov. Mr. Mason, tho artesian water expert. Tho "boro is at. present down to a depth of 360 feet without striking a flow of water. . Some of tho councillors regarded tho wholo thing,as waste of money, :.but a motion to discontinue :tho boro was defeated, and it wae determined to continue sinking for another 100 feet if possiblo in the hopo that a flow might bo_ struck. The following committees wero appointed:— Works: Councillors Coloy, Spoirs, Ross, Rimmer, and Gibbs. Eeservoa: Councillors Jacks, Levitt, and Rao-Howard. Library: Councillors Adams, Levitt, Rao-Howard, and Ross. Rates were struck as follow:—A.goneral rato of 3d. in tho £ on tho unimproved valuo: a library rato of one-eighth of a penny, and a sanitary rate of 15s.

I /At the last meeting of tie Foxton Harbour •Board. there ,;wero; present :'/ Messrs. Gower (chairman); Wilson ■'■ (chairman /Manawatu County: Council), ;Nash (Mayor, Pajmerstch jNbrth^-.GarHener-(Mayor, , I«v!n\' aid Wood (Government representative);: Alengthy discussion took place on the rumoured intention of the Government to divert the coal trade with this port (as far aa railway requireiments were .concerned) to' Wellington, and to 'carry./.the coal over, the Government's newly-, iacquired Manawatu -line. ■'■'■. It was pointed out .'.that;'this- would;,be ' a serious 'blow, to the trade,ofi.the.port;' and completely.cripple the financial : proposals. /It, was "decided ■to ; :communicate : with' - the ''Railwayvf Depart;ment,;and ascertain; if 'there'was any;, truth •in the report. ;The- reply/to'''tnifr'cbmmnnication;.will be watbhed ;wjth/considerable interest. The men : .at:the wharves :f6r.;their and'its; loss means an in-, crease jtol the numbers that are 'now.-;fo/,be.,seen'at\'the'.street.corners. The 'question ': of leases rto'/residents V at*' Manawatu :HeadsJiwa3 : discussed,{ and : Mr;.- Nashygavo 'notice)that,he '•;would;move\at next'meeting: f —-'JThat"lessees of,sections:on the foreshore at-Te : ;Wharangi'jf having buildings erected thereon; lease for a term of !,sevenjyears. at a .of £1-per/quarter acre jSer annum/ and that lessees of vacant sections -be notified.-ithat the rent.,of .such ■ sections'will £1 per an,num;.;also.'that unless, buildings' 1 are erected by the various'owners. within twelve months from;,date such'.'leases shall cease to exist and will be submitted to public tender." The harbourmaster: reported 10 feet at liigh water springtides,-and 7ft.- 6in. at high water.neap tides on the bar. r It-was decided to meet in future on tho e'vening of the fourth Moriday of each month- air7;4s o'clock.'. . r ■ . :• the. Chamber of Commerce was held on Thursday evening in the-'-Council Chambers! . Mr. G. H. . Stiles, vice-presidont, was in the chair, in the absence of the president' (Mr. P. Honnessy) at present on a trip round tho world. The report' dealt with tho various questions that had. boon 'before! .tho chamber during the year, v The most important of those had been the 'establishment of a harbour board for the district, and while Foxton residents had' hot secured; all thoy_ asked for ii connection with this they were in hopes that the Government would- yet deal;,faMy with; them in /rotation to harbour duos. An extension of the hours of the: telephone service had bean secured, which-was found.to bo a great. convenience to business people. The proposed; LovinMarton railway, and; the new .freezing works were also _ mentioned.-' The' balanoe-sheet showed an income of somo £56 odd, and tho .expenditure; amounted to within 75.'.6 d. of tho income. This remains as a balance with which to begin the year. Tho office-bearers for the year were; President: Dr. Mandl, vice-presi-Mr. Ilimmor, and a oonncil of six, coneistingof Messrs. Speirs, Lovitt, Aitken, Bullard, rWalkor,-and'Phillips.-. dealing with the chamber's • relationship- with other chambers, the rumoured intention of tho Qovornment to divert tho coal trade of tBo port, and the.proposed freezing works wero dealt ■yithand carried; A vote of thanks to the retiring officers conclnded tho proceedings., Hockey players aro : holding meetings throughout the district, and thoro is good hope of ah association boing.formed. ' Tho continued.dopressed state of' the.homp inariiot is causing a' good deal of anxio§among flax-millors and thoir employees. .The low prifcee ruling moan tho closing down of most of tho mills on tho Manawatu unless relief comes in somo form or otber very soon. Employers contend that they cannot continuo to iiay the award rates for labour, and employees, hold that- tlioy cannot accept less, and sock to shift the blame of high cost of production on to tho shquldorsof receivers of ■ royalties, 'while, theyj in their turn, claim' that they havo done all that can be reasonably; oxpectod from them in reducing charges. Taking all tho statements into consideration,

it is apparent that something in. the way of compromise must bo effected m the very near future, or the whole industry will pasa oat. It is suggested that representatives from millers, growers, and employees should meet with a genuine, desire to solve the present problem and come to some unanimous agreement, which will bo equally binding on all parties. Something of this kind will havo to be dono, or the ranks of the unemployed will bo considerably increased by the" wholesale closing of the mills.' . /LEVIN. Levin. Wanderers junior football team played a match against tho newly-formed Kereru »Club on tho Levin Recreation Ground on Saturday,' when the home men ran out winners by six points'to nil; H. George and Hooper scored the tries. . The Levin School Committee was to have met on Saturday 'to consider the laying-out of the grounds with trees, shrubs, etc., but onty the chairman and the secretary, with tho 'headmaster, and Messrs. Tomlinson and Newport, local nurserymen, turned up.. A plan, which had been previously drawn up, was submitted, but was considered too expensive to go on with. Another meeting is to bo held to consider the matter.. The Kobbell Shield, which was won this year by the Levin High School Cadets, is now on view in the window of Mr. F. J. Glackin, jeweller. 'The Glackin Challenge Cup, 1 which' is to be competed for by the hockey clubs in the Horowhemra Association, is. also on view. ' Both trophies have attracted a considerable amount of attention. , : .'■ ; : .■,■.'". '■ ■ .-'■'■•. Special evangelistic services are to be conducted in the Gospel Hall, Levin, daring the week, by Mr. Logg late of Scotland. There are a large number of unemployel at present in Levin. The building trade is very slaljk, and during conversation with a local builder, the writer was infemed that tho outlook for the winter is anything but bright. : Shopkeepers,' especially. : aro feeling the pinch, as money seems ; to be scarce. ; .■' ■•■"■■ ' . . ■ V ' V FEATHERSTON. ; \/ . The monthly, meeting of the Featherston County Council was held in Mortinhorongh on D'riday. There were present; Councillors A. 1): M'Leod (chairman), J. Martin (treasurer), A. Matthews, A. M. Wilkinson, F. '15: Perry, ,J. r M'Leod, T.- Bentoo, and O. Donald. An apology w&s ■ . received from Councillor J. M'Master, who was absent on account of ill-health. ; A settler from Ward's Line wrote complaining . of> the council patting water'on to his property from the road. A long discussion took place with: reference to. the' cleaning out of the drains on this road, and it was decided. 1 to leave the. matter to Councillor Wilkinson and the overseer. The ■ matter of giving the Kahutara River Board, leave to .put their proposed stop bank across the.county's roads was discussed at length. Tie council's contention, was that if the flood water were held back from the Kahntara, it would endanger the roads and bridges in the neighbourhood. This was borne out by the Government ICngineer's report. Mr. : Laingjvleason reported that-the /scheme would ; m no way be detrimental to the county, but, on the contrary, would protect the roads and. bridges: in tho areas; under control by the board. ..: This area jindnded ( the Oporua Bridge and baoTc-wate'r that. was always a rource of danger and expense to the council.■.' This bridgeTiad cost £700 in repairs' for one year,, and, if the banking was earned out, this expense would be done away wth. 'After a .lengthy discussion the chairman's amendment—"That this council cannot see its way clear to grant the required consent, unless the Kahntara;' River Board protect them against any extraordinary expense in maintaining the roads and bridges m that locality"—was carried by the chairman s casting vote. ■■•■■■• : .-\. ./-.-■.