PROVINCIAL NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 512, 20 May 1909, Page 6

PROVINCIAL NEWS.

(FitOM OUR SPECIAL COIIIIESP )NDBNTB.j

PALMERSTON. Tho ratepayers will shortly bo called upol to voto a sum of £10,000 for improving tha water-supply. Tho Borough Council, onTucsday night,' agreed to ri proposition that tho' poll on the loan-bo taken, Dut this decision was not readied unanimously. The recommendation of tho Waterworks Committe« was that a loan of £10,000 be askod for, but a majority of the council excised tho pro. posed raising of the dam at tho intake, thus reducing the financial requirement to £10,000. No timo will bo lost in placing tho loan ho. foro tho ratepayers. After ajlong, halt between two opinions, tho council has at last ; <lccided on the bit* for its now library, and .all that not? remains is for tho ratepayers to sanction tho vory small loan required for tho purpoeo. It is intended to erect tho building on.the present site of tho library and reading rooms, and it is also proposed that tlio now library cover a space of nearly 60 square feet. The ground: ,floor will be entirely occupied by tie reading room, and tho upper story will bo divided into three rooms, naif the space being taken up by the museum, a small portion by a ladies room, and the remainder by the library, Itatepaycrs' need have no feat of a marked rise m rates on this accotmt, Tho present library rato is infinitosmsl, and tho addition of tho interest on £2000, spread ov<*r the whole of toe borough, will not bo notaood even by tho largest.ratepayers. In i the loan proposal will bo placod before ratepayers at tho same timo as tho waterworks appoal is made. A sailor, named Matthetf Mooro. was admitted to tho'hospital yesterday, from Fos* ton. suffering from a fractured kneo-cap. Tho Health Department has not yctmltxj tho vacancy in Palmerston causod by tiw retirement of Mr. J. Perry, but, forfcmateh ; there have been only one or two cases which fumigation of premises has been neoessary. The Town Clerk is now in receipt of a letter from Dr. Frengley, stating thai pending, alterations in the administrations* tho Health Department, all infections ease* arising hero should be referred to inspector 0 Brien, of Feilding, and Ibis has boon don 4 in the cases : alluded to. ' The committee of the Manawatn Coarainff Clnb met on Tuesday evening, when Mr. 1Bright was elected assistant secretary, to act in Mr. H.. J. place, during tho latter'a absence in Gisborne. Mr. J. Wight was elected patron of tho club, vioo tho lata Mr. R. Mulroonoy, and Messrs. T. Richards and Payne were appointed to the oommittoo. Messrs. G. M'Donald, Merrylcos, W. Siddclls, A. Havill; H. Gattscho, and S. Paul, were elected members. An excellent programme has been prepared for tho meeting to bo held en June 25 and 26, the Maider Stakes being worth 100 sovs;

MASTERTON,

The conference of representatives of the Masterton. County Council and South Wat, rarapa County Council, met at Woingawa Bridgo yesterday afternoon to discuss the best means of constructing protective works , As a result of the conference, it war decided (x> build two groynes between the road and Railway Bridge, with a view to confining it to the . centre of the bed. Tho ford at the South Road was also,visited, and arrangements m&de for directing a groyaw near it, ' , v

• LEVIN.

The new Straker wagon, just purchased t>y the Horowhenua County Council; was brought up to Levin oil Tuesday, and at* tracted quite, a crowd on Wodncsaay to wit>> noss its capabilities. ' It : was loaded with a heavy lot of piles, and, when steam was up, the wheels failed to grip the wet grass. . After in hour's hard-work, occupied in raising tho wheels and putting planks undor them, the monster at last got under way. Tho Levin Chamber of Commoroo met' on Tuesday night, when thoro was a ' representative attendance. The Mayor (Mr. B. R. Gardener) presided. It was resolved to support' the protest of the Hawora Chamber' against doing away with District Courts. It also, was decided to ask tile , Wellington dalegate to represent Levin at the conference of Chambers of: Commerce, to bo beld-at-Syd--noy. l Dr. Mackenzie moved that the cbam. bors on the Main Trunk and Now Plymouth lines bo asked to approach the Gorornmem with regard to the construction of'the nul« way between. Levin' and Greatford, and bring their influence to boar on their rcepectm members of Parliament to push tho maitel forward. This; lino will have an important bearing en the progress of Levin, tmd tho motion was carried unanimously. Mr. Nonv man, M.P., is to bo asked to arrange for a mooting of delegates from the Levin, Toxton, and Marton Charnbers, and from the Ifanawatu and Horowhonua County Councils, with a view to forming a deputation to wait upon, tho Government in support of tho LevinGreatford railway scheme.. Several ( ne» members were balloted for and eksctod. Levin senior football team play Hni Mai (Manatau) ■in the Horowhenua champinaship scries at Monakan on Saturday.

GIIEITOWN.

Besidenta of Greytown experienced' a groat storm on Tuesday night, violent wind, and heavy rain being tho features. The weather, however, cleared, up as daylight appeared. Tho funtral.of the lato Sirs. Fisher took plaoo yesterday, tho cortege being a very largo one. Tbe Retv. G. K./ Sto well officiated. " ' ' ' ' s

SHANNON,

Tho body of Mrs. Frost, who died, early on Monday morning at tjie Club Hotel, after a protracted-illness, was convoyed to Wellington for burial on Tuesday. Doceased was tho daughter of Mrs. Moynihan, of Island Bay, and tho sister of Mr. M. Moyiiilian, of the Club Hotel, Shannon. . " At a recont meeting of tho bowling clnh, members decided to sover the club's oonnco tion with the Shannon Bowling and Lawn Tennis Company. 'Steps are beinc taken to top-dre6s tlie green, which will bo in firstclass oondition for noxt season v Among the remits to be brought forward for discussion by tho local branch of tho Farmers' Union at tho Eketahunn' Conference aro the following(1) That adjoining property owners should bo compelled to contribute to a boundary drain as in the case of a fence, and, whoro the outlet is through other property, tho owner should also contributed (2) That tho Department should make a further attempt to collect agricultural statistics through the post. (3) That tliis branch protests in tiho strongest possiblo manner against a portfolio being given to a member who ia not responsible to a European constituency.

OTAKI,

Mr. Arthur Duncau, the well-known gotf player, rind Mrs. Duncan, intend to bo present at tho Otaki tournament, to bo neld shortly. Mr. Minton, manager for Mr. J, Phillips's Otalci cycle establishment, has left .on a fort, night's holiday to Koto.rua and Auckland, During his absence,. Mr. S. Bmvßtor will ho in charge. * ,

A correspondent writes as follows: —1 notice that, in your provincial news from Otaki, in yesterday morning's issue, your correspondent states that, at. a recent mooting of tho County Council, it was stated that tho Strakor wagon was a "white elephant, 1 * and of no uso whatever under present oon« ditions. Thcso remarks aro somewhat liable to croate a wrong impression, and I would therefore bog to oohit out what tho present conditions arc. Tllo wagon .was' Working sat- 1 isfactorily until. tho pit from wJiioh tho shinglo was being carted was washed away by floods, a'lid then, having no 'appliances to load tho machine, it was decided to remove same from Otaki to tho Levin district, whore proper facilities for loading aro to bo obtained. I would thank you to publish this letter, as tho fault is not with tno machine, but with the unavoidable disturbance of tho loading facilities at the river bed from which' tho shingle was beiug obtaiiiqd.