PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 683, 7 December 1909, Page 8

PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

(From Our' Special Correspondent!.! FEILDING. Hot weather is now making itself ' feltthroughout the district. • Travellers along the Main Trunk line yesterday noted a large number of wayside grass fires. ' Tho cricket match Feilding v.' United, which has; already occupied three Saturdays on tho Palmerston wicket, is to bo played out one evening in Palmerston this week. In this contest tho Feilding team, which has held tho Manawatu championship for two years, has scored 127 and 260 (Trevena, 70 hot ont, Dick Cobbe 50). Unitod's scoro is 171 and 57 for five wickets.

PAHIATUA,

_ Mr. Fowler, organiser for the New Zealand Farmers' Union, passed through here on Saturday. He addressed a number of meetings in the South Wairarapa districts, and met with a good deal of success. Mr. Fowler continued his tour along the coast line till he reached Aohanga. While' there he paid a visit to that splendid stretch of country formerly known as the Marainanga estate, which was sold and subdivided some two years ago. A number of substantial dwelling houses have now been erected on this land, and settlers appear to be doing well. The farewell social ■ and dance tendored to Mr. and Mrs. F. Morris, of Hukanui, on Friday evening last was a great success. The following contributed to the musical progjamme:—Mrs. A. V. Udy, Miss G. Foes, Messrs. Mowbray, Mirams, A. V. Udy, Manson, Gordon Smith, M'Kinnon, and J. Orr. Mr. L. Ogden, assisted by the Misses Foss, supplied excellent dance music. Mr. W. Anderson, who presided, presented the guests with a handsome oak clock. Mr. and Mrs. Morris intend settling in the New Plymouth district, where they have purchased a farm. . . Harry Gray, erstwhile champion billiard player • of Australia, who paid a visit here on Friday last, has arranged for an exhibition match between the two brilliant young cueists, to •be played at .Haines's billiard, saloon on Thursday evening next. The game will be 700 up, Lindrum conceding his more youthful opponent a start of ,50. While here tho veteran, Mr. Gray, played a-friendly match,. 300 up, with Mr. J. A. Walsh, at the Tararua Club, conceding the'latter, 150 points. On his first visit'to the table; Mr. Gray, who was in capital form, put together, in attractive style, the' fine break ol 152, thus putting the result of tho game beyond reasonable doubt. . The .bowling rinks will probably represent Pahia't'ua at 'the opening of the Terrace End (Palnierstdn North) Bowling Club's green on Wednesday niext. . Members of the local -green are practising assiduously, and should render a good account of themselves. Haridi6aps have been declared for the trophy presented by the president (Mr. G. A. Burgess), and ■ a number of games have'already been played. On Saturday J. W. Mills (5, points) oeat W. H. Hawkins (scr.); T. Hewat (scr.) -• beat G. -Moore (16 points); W. Eanson (scr.) beat E."H. Petherick (3 points); and J. A. Walsh (6 points) beat Father : M'Kenna (16 points). ■ - A large number of entries are being received: for the. Nangatainoka Athletic Society's annual sports, and the secretary (Mr. J. A. Walsh) states that the gathering to be held on December 27 promises, to bo to a record one. ■■ ' ' \ The keenest interest is being evinced in the dairy-cow competition • held under the auspices of the Pahiatua-Akitio Agricultural and Pastoral Association. There were no fewer than 34 entries for the event, and the samples of milk, together with the weight of milking were obtained from the various cows. competing yesterday (Sunday) morning and' evening by the different stewards appointed for that purpose:/. The.. testing: will be .done on Thursday/.neit 1 by. .Mr. Kelly, , manager of . the Konini branch of the Ballance Dairy Company. .As the.bottles containing'the samples arrive ' at the secretary's; office they are .handed. over:sealed .to;the manager of 'the local branch of the Bank of New Zealand, (Mr. G. A. Burgess) for safe custody. There is,.a .good-deal of speculation over the result 'of fhis. coinpe-, tition, one prominent dairy farmer who omitted to nominate, has offered to back one of his cows, against the winner of the contest for ,£25. ' '

• OTAKI.

At .the S.M. Court yesterday, an ex-constable named Samuel Hood was ihpd 'costs' for assault and obscene'language" T. Parata was fined. >62. for catching more than the legal number of front in one day, and another man named Whrrilow was fined ,'i62 for catching undersized. trout. The case Burgess aiid Mitchell v. Vickers, a claim for wages, was decided in .favour of defendant.. Dr.' and Mrs. Huthwaite leave on Wednesday for a six weeks' tour of the .thermal regionis at Rotorua. ' . At the', meeting .of-the local-Eoad Board on Saturday afternoon it was' decided to take tho ranger off district roads, throw the toad connecting Jubilee and Mill Road's open to the public, improve the Otaki extension and N. Manakau reads, and repair a defective feuivert at the public pound. ' , , ■ Mr. A. H. Rollo, a local breeder of Southdowns, has received the satisfactory price of lljd. for his wool, including pieces, etc. The local cricketers' concert on Saturday day night was not the: success expected, although there was a packed audience. Several items on the programme were only mediocre. Tho management, however, were in no way .to blame, and. deserve kudos for the energetio way: in' which they worked. Some: JE9 lis. 6d. ■was token' at. the doors, however, and the sale of tickets, were also large: .' Cherries , and'tomatoes are, being sold'here at Is. 6d.'per lb. Even at that price. there is a great scarcity.- \- ■' " -. At the Road Board meeting on Satnrday exception was taken to the way' in which the' coaches'to and from the train failed to pull out to the. side to allow cyclists to pass. It is stated that if the trouble,is not abated action will be taken. : Keen'disappointment is expressed by some of our local residents Over the County Bill being thrown out by Parliament. '

LEVIN

Mr. J. W; Devine, who met with a serious accident'on the Upper Ohau last. Friday week, is now making progress towards recovery. This will be reassuring news to his many friends in Wellington and elsewhere, who have been making inquiries as to his' condition. ' Mr. Jas. Drysdale, manager of the Wereroa Experiment Farm, notifies'that the total rainfall at the' farm for November was 2.88 in.; maximum fall (on tho 10th), ~73in.j number of days on which rain fell, 15. ' : . ' .Kimberley (Levin) , cricket team met Kalrai at Otaki on Saturday, when .tho home team scored "100 runs for five wickets, to Kimberlev's 94. Everett, for: the latter team, scored 58. ■' " : ' . . On Saturday evening about, half-past eight the firebell rang out, causing all tho shops to be emptied in. a fow seconds. It was discovered that some long grass by. the side of the railway near Queen Street; crossing, had . been ignited, and the fire brigade " promptly turned out and subdued the outbreak. ■ A man named Jackson was run over by the fire engine, and was rather badly hurt, but is now progressing favourably. : . A congregational meeting will be held in the Presbyterian Church next .Sunday, after the evening service for the ■ purpose of electing elders and managers to fill the vacancies caused by Tecent removals from the district. Residents are not at all pleased with the new train, service from Wellington in the morning. The. first mail train reaches Levin nt" 11.50,: which means that it is half-past twolvo before tho letter-carrier 6ets out. Residents were promised an earlier train service when tho Government took over the Manawatu line, but instead of. that the morning tram service from Wellington has been later. It seems ridiculous that while Levin is within 60 miles of the capital:the first mail to arrive from there is that at midday.' The Government is supposed to be progressive, b,:t the "progress" resembles that of a man who, walking on ice, slips two steps back for every step forward.

CARTERTON

A meeting of the Wairarapa Horticultural Society was held on Saturday, afternoon, Mr. A. Booth, president, being in the chair. The secretary submitted a statement' in connection with- the spring show just'held. The. total receipts amounted to. about £31, and the prizemoney to £33. The subscriptions in hand will cover the balance of the prizes and incidental, expenses, leaving a credit balance of about £10. • •' ■ The distribution of prizes in connection with the.- Parkvale Sunday School will take place on Friday evening. ; , A] meoting ;of the . local United .' Friendly Societies 1 Council will be held on Tuesday evening, • to. deal .'with. matters in connection with the Boxing Day picnic at .Pigeon Bush. • • The Belvedere School Committee has decided to recommend Mr. Stout-for the' position of headmaster. Jlifes Bodell' has been appointed assistant.mistress. ■/' ..., ... . The supplies at the dairy factories are. keep-' ing. well above the. average, and /regular-' ship-ments.-of. oheeje are being -dispatched' to .tno ;L(adoa;.miktl& •. >