PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 702, 30 December 1909, Page 3

PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

(Prom Our Special Correspondents.) : "■-■;;. -'.".♦, ■.',' -. , ':, /, MASTERTON.--The first: mooting of creditors in tUo bankrupt, estulo of. John Alfred • Leahy, cabman, of Masterton, was-held'at the courthouse. yesterday . before Mr. W. & Chcnnells,' District Official Assignee. , Bankrupt's written statement was to the leficot ■;that-.- ho hiul been adjudicated: a bankrupt on the petition of one of Ms l creditors. , He had had no desire to- go bankrupt, aud considered -that 'his estato would more than meet his liabilities. He lidded that he had.not had the ready cash available at tho time that, pressure ivas brought to bear on him. His financial statement is' as follows •—'Unsecured creditors, i2C3 195.; secured:. creditors, ■£1000; estimated value, of securities, £2250; 'surplus from securities, JE1250; total debts, ;.£I2G3 ■■ 195.:; estimated surplus,,£9B6 Is. The secured creditors are: Public .Trustees,. Wellington: amount of debt, .£700; estimated value of security, .£1500. : James Elliott, Masterton: amount of__debt, ,£300; estimated value of security, iioO. The meeting decided to realise on tho plant, cabs, brake and harness, and to- ascertain what could bo done with bankrupt's interest in his mother's estate.: .; ' WOODYILLE. : .;'•■'Business, for. Christmas' week proved very satisfactory here. The weather was fine up :till Saturday, which, however, turned out very wet. Services were held in both the Anglican and > . Methodist Churches. Boxing:day was favoured with sunshine, and the Manawatu Gorge was extensively patronised by local picnic parties. ';.- : '>" ■■ Mr.; Scorgie, senr;,has purchased tho property of Mr. Cook, on the Palmerston lioad, and intends residing there. ■-• It. seems likely that there will be "a dearth of potatoes;in : . tnis: district this year. The blight is. already'visible'on. a number of the crops. It is, of course/ almost sure to spread as the season progresses; ■-;.'"'. ~:■.'• FEILDINg'"/ ''.'Business people report that thingsliavo been very brisk ■ and bright with ■ them during the past fortnight. .Prospects for the coming year' are. promising. ■ » The Beaconsfield Sunday School's'annual picnic was held in Mr. Nortkcote's paddock, end, the day being' fine, a largo number assembled 'for -the occasion, ipurmg- tho day-a collection was taken for the school fund, and: this was supplemented,, by. 15s. prize-money won in a chain-stopping competition, and donated to the funds by the winners. A collection for the South-east London (St. Ueorges Hall) Mission' was taken up, .and. nearly £1 2s. is to hand for trau=mission. Another mission doing similar slum work' among 1 tho poorest" tmd .'lowest; is; the' Whifech'apel- Mission, and it :is intended to do something in the other parts of ; the circuit 'for the latter be,tore" Jong. • , ■'■•;..'■ ..- j'i I';v \ ;■ shannon! ' : ■ ■Tie weather experienced at Shannon on_ Christmas Day wasreminiscent of an Old Country- Christmas, ; being cold and wet.,, Services were . held .in the local churches .on Christmas Eve, and the Christmas Day : services.- were well attended.. -MissDunckley. an;! Miss' Silvester ii* tend spending a fortnight's holiday at Eotprua. " '>'■■ :-.-: ' ~-' •'. • A' feature at the. service at the-local Catholic Church, on .Sunday anight was Mr. P. W. Donton's singing of "O "Salutaris." ■'■-. Mr. M. Moynihan has oollected £1 13a. 9d. in aid ; of, Mother Mary"Auber-t's Home of .Compassion;- :' i "'; '' (AKITIO. •'■''■■■■ ■ The ordinary meeting of. the Akitio Council was held at Pongaroa on'De<wm:ber'S!2.' Present;-Councillor J. W. Murray (in the : chair),, Councillors- Annstrong, Burling, Herbert, M'lntyre, aud Eobertson.' ', - ;■ ■' ;'.'/.', : . Various. tende'rs,/in ail amounting to were accepted, for cutting grass seed on country roads. The tender of Mr. H; Peck (JBI7 -125.. 6d.) was accepted" for, delivering ,90. yards rock metal on the WaihiEodd.: tender'of Mr.J. H.P. Allen for dog collars, and badges,' was' accepted. .', ', ! :-V,..- -;, ■ \,.'.v';'-;, ■ Sevoii\ applications' were received • for. the:;position of ranger, and' that of Mr ' J.-H. Berry : was'accepted.' .. :'; '.) -•'',.' 'The'dog. tax 'Was fixed for the ensuing year at Is. for each rabbit dog, and 2s. Gd. i for all other dogs., . It was reported that'.'.meUlling tracts' are' being: let for: : '(1) AlfredtonWeber .(Pongaroa,'.to Weber) 'Road. (2) Mount Cadtnus Eoad, reforming.; (3) .AK frcdton-Weber.-;Eoad- (end ■'■;'.of; .present metal, to Maugatiti. Bridge). l , (4) .MakuriPongaroa Eoad: : ':Manga'titi Bridge . 'to Eemu Eoad, 400 cubic yards; from present contract .'■ to Cross., Eoad, 40. cubic yards. (5) Waihoki <Eoad:.Top end'•'.,. of this road to : bo attended to. (6) Liverton's end, metalling; and Savage's end, metalling. (7).' Waipatukaka, Waihi-Aki-' tib, and I{orora' : Epad^'metalling;- :It is I likely,also '.that j a},contract will be let for metalling.'bn the.Kawakaw'a Road. Tenders have -been; let-:for' metalling, Waihi and Porarigahauta Roads.. : T.hfl Treasury, intimated, that -theioan of £12,000 for Akitio cannot be. enter-' tnincd at present, 1 as Jihe maximum! amount of ..funds has been- expended. ;.-. It is anticipated that both'the, Weber. ' dnd Masterton County Councils will require; the Akitio Council to pay la: con- ' trib'ution ,„ towards the. maintenance of tho.JDannevi.rke-Weber Eoad (within tho Weber, county), and the Waihoki Eoad (within thai Masterton ,county).. respectively. .The.; Akitio Council already- pay abput '£600 ,per year for. the upkeep of ■ the Makuri-Pahiatua Eoad, within the : Pahiatua county. .•;:-.• .-'■•■.-', -.'• A deputation , from; the Masterton County : Council waited on- the council' regarding tli'6 upkeep pi Waihoki Eoad. The deputation, (Councillors Kebbell and A, Murray) jvas: introduced by Councillor Armstrong. !:.The following motion was lost on the oastiug vote'of the;chairman; "That the ratepayers adjoining the Waihoki Road, bo allowed, to annex their properties to tho! Masterton .'County Council."' It was. resolved, after lengthy dis- : cussion, that' an offer be' made- as follows:—"That'after deducting the proportion "of official expenses, etc., half the : amount, collected by way of rates from the various "adjoining, the . Waihoki * Road . bo'.handed-over to the Masterton county for' the benefit of the Waihoki Roild within' the Masterton county boundary." ,|i ■There is, allstrong feeling, in the caun-.'. cil against'the present-State Guaranteed '■. Advances Bill.; A to" the Prime Minister, and ,the following reply was.received:, "Your; telegram to hand,, and" council's representations, noted. It would not, bo , possible, however,' for' proposed and present systems to. bo in operation together.'AH requirements'of local public bodies can be met under the State Guaranteed Advances - Bill in :a more extensive way than has been possiblo, under existing law." The -' reply was received, .'. Mr. Thomas Moss, chairman. of the Eketahuna County. Council, ;: , has' been elected as this council's representative on " the Wellington and Wnirarapa'Chnritable Aid. Board.' ~--.', '-'<} ; ;,- ...'.- It was proposed "by Councillor" Burling,' and seconded by ; Councillor . Armstrong, and carried, "that steps be taken to raise a loan over a special rating district to bridge all fords over,the Aohanga Eivor, excepting the WaterlooTord."