PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 767, 16 March 1910, Page 5

PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

(From Oar Special Correspondent!.! . ' 4OTAKI. Messrs'. B. S. Gardener and F. W. Venn addressed the Otaki' ratepayers on Monday evening on hospital matters. The attendance .was not large. Mr. Gardener, in the course of his address, spoko strongly against the manner in which hospital affairs were administered, and expressed the view : that the present system, was obsolescent. He also criticised the administration of the sanatorium. Mr. Venn'wa.s also • of opinion .that affairs should be worked on a different basis, and criticised the. working of hospital and charitable aid matters m general, objecting strongly to contributing to the proposed 1 fever hospital in Wellington, as ratepayers. in this county would' be unable to -'send, a single patient to it who had an infectious disease. ' Mr; Toinpsitt then spoko. and promised to give every attend lion to the requirements of the' office if elected, lie tvid m-idc f 1 -f hospital administration as other candidates had* done," bufc .wouiu in - quiries and do his best should he succeed ingaining a position. Mr. Italia, 1 auot'mi' candidate, also addressed- a meeting- at the northern end of the county. The entries for to-day's and Thursday's horticultural show closed yesterday, and are very satisfactory, ■ several: classes filling up boyond expectations. Cut blooms, however, will not be so strong as in previous years owing 'to, the recent rough weather, but nevertheless there will be an attractive display. - It is expected that the attendance of the public at the 6how will be a large one.

FEILDING. - Officers for the season for the Kimbolton lootball Club were elected as follow . —Patron, Mr. E. M'Beth;,president, Mr. 8.-U. Harden; twenty-seven vice-'pre- , sidents; secretaries, Messrs. R: Richardson and H., Simmonds; club captain; Mr. A. R. Bartlett; field captain, Mr.. -T. Fitzgerald; vice-captain, Mr. W. Vincent; . Selection Committee, Messrs. T. Fitzgerald, W., Vincent, A. . H.' Bartlett,' C. Stewart, ; and A. Stackhouse. ' ' 'Owim* to-the state-of his health, Mr. ■John Rankin, town clerk, has tendered his resignation to the Borough .Council. For some .time, past, Mr. Rankin has been confined to his home through illness, and during the past two. years he has several times been granted leave of absence by. the council in the hope that he might recuperate. His medical adviser, however, has now ordered' him to leave the Feilding district,' ajid 'he has tlierefofe decided to sever his connection' with the corporation. Mr. Rankin'took up duty here'in July, 1903. • / :

, - \ LEVIN. ' , : Harvest thanksgiving services were held in Levin Methodist Church'-on Sunday, when tho Eev.-T. T. Thomas, 8.A., of Palmerston Norths preached morning and evening• -«to.; large. -• congregations. . The building was tastefully decorated witn fruit and other .tokens of harvest. On, Monday'evening the offerings were auctioned by Mr. T. A. B. Hudson, who-gave his services, gratuitously, aiid> good sum will be available for the general church funds. ' :■' * ' •

The Maori Church at Moutoa, which has been closed for some: years, .was ■ reopened' on Sunday by the Eev. W. O. Williams, of Wanganui.' . This afternoon' a' number of Shannon bowlers, will visit Levin, and one rink, skipped by Mr. W. -H.' Gunning, will endeavour to capture the Einniburgh Feathers, at present-held by a Levin .rink;, On Monday evening about 9JO an alarm of fire was-sounded, and ,as the firemen at the time were engaged on their , weekly practice- they were; on the way to the; supEosed fire in a few seconds. The'alarm, owover,' proved a false 0ne....

CARTERTON. The Wairarapa No-License League have secured the,-Fire ;Brigade Hall for their meetings,:, and - purpose holding a . 'series of "socials" in the building. With these "socials". the league's business will also be incorporated. A Te Wharaii,settler on Monday.stated in conversation that settlers in that locality were putting on gangs of men to lay poison for the destruction of the rabbit. In some instances the rodents are not,staking, the bait very - readily, this being attributed to the, abundant quantity .pf,' greenf»feod;; available;,- It follows, of course,'.as-^an 1 uunleasant but,., natural consequence,. that tho' poison may. have to be .relaid. ' ,-.r ,: , - . A heavy; gale,, acoompinied by rain, fell here on Monday, but beyond, a broken window or. two and some, blown-down fencing, nothing. ferious. occurred. , A quantity of . wheat has been grown in this 'district this season. PONGAROA.

The Pongaroa Football Club held their atinnal meeting last Saturday. The following officers were elected [—President, Mr. J. Murray;.captain, .Eev. G. B. Stephenson; secretary, Mr. H. Eobinson; delegates to the' union, Messrs. G. Fulcher' anid Cattanach. The season opens ■with a practice match', against Rakatmui on March 28. 1 -

The Eakaunni Football Club,held their annual meeting last Saturday. The following Officers were elected: —Selection committee, Messrs. Newcombe, Hitch, .and the captain; management committee, Messrs. Newcombe, C. M'lCenzie, captain and .'secretary;-secretary, Mr. S. Soper. The election of captain .was held over until the first cup match. The club plays a match with Makuri on March .17.