PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 732, 3 February 1910, Page 3

PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

(From Our Special Correspondents.)

LEVIN. A large house in, Bath Street narrowly escaped destruction by fire this week.. It appears that the building-in of. the cooking stove was not protected overhead by brickwork, and while-Mrs. Mudgway, the tenant, was cooking, her attention was arrested by a sudden roar. On investigation sho found that the inside woodwork was ablaze.; : Seizing an axe, she demolished the woodwork above 'the range, and- then, with help, subdued the lire. Another-few minutes and the building, would have been in flames.

' On account of the rise in grade of the Levin District High School, an estra teacher, began duty there on Monday. ' A two-days' bazaar, organised by the vestry of, St. Mary's Anglican Church, Levin, was opened in the Century Hail on Wednesday afternoon by Mr. John" Kebbell;' of Ohau, a member of the Wellington Education Board. In his remarks, Mr. Kebbell stated that he was only acting as,a substitute, for , the Bishop of. Wellington, who' was engaged at ,the synod,;., The ' bazaar, was' promoted for the purpose of .raising funds to pay , off the mortgage on'the school, and to instal gas-lighting in -the church. He wished the bazaar every success, and formally deolared' it open. The hall presents an attractive appearance, there being plain work, fancy .work, produce, cake, bran tub, etc. The arrangements reflect much credit on. the ladies. The: stall-holders are:—Produce stall, Mesdames Kingdon and' Travers, Misses Taylor and Trevethick; fancy stall; Mesdames . Banks, Wallace, Lodge, and Eemington; plain stall,. Mesdames J. P. .Kennedy, W. M.; Clark and Craig j, lolly stall, Mrs. Gardener 1 (Mayoress),- Misses Stuckey and Craig; fancy stall .(No. 2),-Mrs. Burns, Misses Strawbridge and Malcolm; cake stall,' Mrs. Howell;' bran tub, Misses. Remington;.- . . refreshments, . Mesdames Winchester, ... M'arrio'tt, '. Gapper, and Holdavay; assisted by Misses - JVlTVilliam and L- .Wilson/ .A number of little girls, trained by '• Miss;. Eemington, gavedisplays at. themaypole during the-after-noon'and evening. There was; a. good attendance during the afternoon, and in the 'evening: a : large crowd turned out, liberally-patronising the various 'stalls.'"'' ' -'~.. SHANNON. "'

Mr.'T.. A.'.Sowman has .disposed. of- his business , (the Albion,; Hotel) to , Mr. Gallagher," :of ' Poringah'au; Hawke's" Bay, who takes over-tlie hotel 1 to-day.-. Mr. Sowmari is. contemplating' a holiday trip on- leaving. Shannon;;' ''-v.'-v : it, is | likely that .branches of the labour park's.'- political- propaganda will be .'formed at ' Levin; and: '.Otaki, withi.the.':objedt''.of' supporting 'a-..-candi-date; in-jthe. .Labour; interests ■ for the Otaki electorate. ' Mr. 'D.-M'Laren, : MLP., has :accepted '.an invitation .to ■ address . a meeting''at' Shannon!'arid Mr. A. W. Hogg is-also likely to.appear' on'the local•plat-

PAHIATUA. - •■: A meeting of. the -general committee of -the Pah'iatua": A. : and.p. Association was held' in: the'secretary's office' on -Tuesday,, Mr.' J'i C.-.Cppper -presiding. - The (Secre-! tary was. instructed to communicate with Mr. George iHunter, asking him to: assist ilr.-Pilmer in' judgiiig 'the horses. The total-.in. this . class,- with'. late entries, amounts,to 325., .The:'tender :of :Mr;, A. Hast for the'fruit, sweets, and refreshment was accepted.'- . Messrs, 8.. |Vr. •>Vnyte, H. B. Wilton, arid G. F. fiariby were elected members; of, the society. '. It. is understood that' a'promincnt aairvfarmer of \this district ■'-has; ottered Mr. :\\ T agstaff, itl^e, handsome. sum ■. of >£35.'-' for the dairy cow,y which'.took ; fifst-prize at the -recent., dairy ..cow , competitions held !in corihec'tion vfitn the 'AJjand-P-'Show. 1 ;The,oTvn'er;.howovor,,would not' part with an animal,; which';.put up, a-. Dominion recordj '.viz.,/691b., milk,.-,5.4..'te5t,, 3.72G1b. butter-fat, .{or. the..."'24.. hours' milking. Many ppople in. 'this, and; other' .districts, at .the' time'.' that the'.'above, figures'Ver'e ■aimounce'd; were r sceptical.i as to tho. reBiarkable -.yield of. milk: apd. butter-fat,' but one- dajry-farmer: of long experience is evidently test. •- ■Mr. J. B. AVestlake/ p,"prominent member of ; the. Borough Council, whp has of late been; suffering from. eye' tr6uble,' : has .sufficiently recovered'te. be able to attend to'his daily duties."' :: ■■■• '■'" ■ ■. i The • cantata. "Rolling.: Season" ,is * being practised ..by , members of the Methodist choir and friends; and ; Vill be rendered at the 'latter end of'this mcnth.

EKETAHUNA. ,-. At 'the.'annual meeting' of -subscribers :of the. Eketahuna Public Library, it was finally resolved.'to hand the' institution over to,the,Borough' Council, and a draft agreement, to'■ this effect : was adopted. During the past, year"23s'books- were placed,on,the shelves, and the catalogued' number to " date is 1282. 'Messrs. Demt)sey'„ and ;i.Hickman-,.. were ■'■ elected v subscribers' '. representatives', on: the Library Committee.', ~■> 1 Tho../Eketahuna ,; Tennis'.-- Club, which lias been languishing, for some • time, has now begun.to throw out fresh shoots, and .tournament, games are on-.-the , tapis. A' match is - to: be: played against Masterton:.at, Eketahuna '.on 'Thursday,. February 10. ..' .• :y-A new school erected at Putara—a settlement about seven miles from' Eketahuna—by ■ '-.the Wellington 'Education Board was, in . the, unavoidable absence of Mr. B. Lee, chairman of the board; officially opened ,on Monday, by Mr. E. . Page,' Mayor,, of,' .Eketahuna,. in the .'presence'., .of, .a large-, gathering. The class-room is 24ft. x. 20ft.\ .Miss Stace; the recently-appointed teacher, iwill have about twenty children under her control at present. . The.-Eketahuna Chamber of Commerce, which/ did excellent service' for , the district while : the business was conducted by , an Executive Council, hasMapsed' into nothingness 'since 1 -the', abolition ' of • the .council .system, and,- unless it is again reverted , to, \ .'there seems . a : probability that the claims; of this important district will,be' sadly neglected. . ■' ' The three stock auctioneering firms operating in Eketahuna hare agreed to sell in the same yards, and extensive additions are to be made to the new yards recently erected by Messrs. Abraham: and Williams to cope.with'the stocK.. When completed, Eketahuna will have saleyards equal- in holding capacity : to 'almost any in the province.