PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 843, 15 June 1910, Page 8

PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

t?rom Oar Special GorrcppondeatflJ $ — FEILDING. At a meeting of farmers in Feilding on May 19 it was decided to urge the Government to furnish ' the technical schools with progress aud- permanent records of agricultural experiments carried out in this district. The Hon. Thos. Mackenzie now informs the director of tho technical .school (Mr. L. Watkin) that the Agricultural Department "hopes shortly to publish a periodical agricultural journal, and the results of the experiments will be set forth in this." As Mr. «T. S. Milson, of Aorangi, was repairing some outbuildings, he slipped on a piece nf wet board, breaking his leg and putting his ankle out. Hockey is gaining in popular favour in this district. PI su com be is the latest centre in which it has begun to flourish. A meeting of creditors in tho bankrupt estate of T. Poss, wheelwright, was called to-day. Tho District Official Assignee (Mr. G. J. Scott) presided, and threo creditors were present. The statement showed that unsecured creditors' accounts totalled .£123 2s. 3d., the book debts amounting to «£B' 4s. (estimated to produce .£5), and the furniture <£15. Bankrupt made a sworn statement to tho effect that he had bought a partnership in a business in Feilding as a wheelwright. In December last his partner left him. The average cash takings of tho firm did not exceed 20s. a week. In November he cut his arm badly, and was laid up for some months. In answer to questions bankrupt stated that he attended several race meetings to do plating. He never made bets on horses. He would pay his debts when he was able to do so." The creditors decided to take no action. v j

OTAKI

At a meeting of the Otaki Road Board yesterday afternoon some important busi-' ness was transacted. Letters were read from Kaikoura County Council, Levin Borough Council, and Mr. Judd on the matter of street lamps. Previously the board had been paying C. H. Williams, a contractor, up to .£5 for street lamps, erection, etc., and a warden had pointed out' that he considered lamps and fnll appliances could to secured at half the price. To bear out this statement the chairman read figures from Mr. Judd, who was unavoidably absent from the meeting to show that the cost of similar lamps erected in Otaki was only 255., iron frame 10s., cost of post, footing, and painting 10s., labour for erection 10s., or a total of .£2 15s. only. It was unanimously decided to purchase ten lamps for acetylene lighting, with posts and all appliances, at -E2 each, now the property of .the Levin Borough Council. It was also resolved to have the same placed in position in various parts of the town as early as possible. The question of money alleged to be owing by the board to Mr. Power was discussed, but it was decided to take no .action, as no certificate had been received ifrom the engineer relative to. the 6ame. The matter of grants-in-aid was left to the chairman. Warden Jones explained' that in connection with . the proposal >to go into . the question of, asphalting ". tho footpaths lie • and' Warden Judd had been appointed, but difficulties had arisen which had prevented them. If the board was still willing, they would now attend to the'matter. ,He had made some inquiries and found it would cost .£ll per chain, to do kerbing, channelling, and footpaths, thus for 25 chains needed from tho post office to Mr. Vann's, tho total cost would b0;£275. ■ A ,EGOO loan would bo required to do both I sides of the street. It the toard so desired thoy would go into the rateable value within the proposed area- The chairman and Warden Meads were of opinion very few would agree to-tho work being done. Warden Jones pointed • out it would be cheaper, to put in concrete kerbing and channelling. A .£GOO loan would be very light, and they should give the ratepayers an opportunity of accepting or rejecting it. They could petition the board, and if they did not want the work done it would not be the fault of the board. It was decided to leave the matter in the hands of tho ratepayers, and if thoy wished they could petition tho board. Warden Jones, in referring to tho motalling now being dono on the roads in the town, declared that the specifications were not fair to the spreaders, and should lie more definite. The board should havo stated the amount of metal to have boon put on. There was>no doubt but that tho present contractor was doing his work j with dispatch. The board, used to state 1 that metal put on the roads should be able to pass through a 2-inch ' ring. Speaking of Jubilee Eoad, the warden said out of every CO yards of metal put on one-third remained uncracked. This was due to' only two men doing tho cracking. It took a good man a day to crack 2- yards of metal, thus for 5 yards of such they got'. 15 yards of boulders, which was waste metal. The board thought by securing larger metal they' would get rid of the sand trouble, but this had not proved so. A lot of tho rough metal. was a perfect waste, and the board should settle what metal was in future to be put on. Last year largo metal was put on, and in consequence the road was worse than ever. Tho chairman said the metal would have to be screened to get over tho difficulty, but it would cost extra, .and Warden Meads suggested combining with the County Council and procure a stone-crusher. Warden Howell said the board would never possess good roads as long as the nig stones were buried.' The chairman said there w r as a probability of a local resident going in for a stone-crusher, and ho might be secured to crack metal. The Levin Borough Council and Wirikino riding were going in for a crusher. No action was taken. It is probable that settlers who. have land adjacent to the railway line will hold meetings along the coast, to protest against the Government making them maintain them. When the . Manawatu Company owned the line they kept the fences, and, it is stated, guaranteed to do so for all time.

PONGAROA. Last Wednesday only six members attended the fortnightly shoot, and Mr. W. J. Warner, of the Akaroa Rifle Club. The weather was favourable. The Rev. Mr. Rattray secured a "leg-in." The following are the scores:— 200 500 600 yds. yds. yds. H'p. T'l. Rev. Rath-ay ... 30 26 Si 13 103 H. K. Robinson 31 31 26 5 93 R. Reed : 31 30 29 0 90 A. C. Herbert ... 29 27 29 2 87 T. Boardman ... 32 25 2-4 0 81 W. J. Warner ... 27 26 22 0 .75 F. Herbert 23 18 20 7 68 The next shoot will take place on Juno 22. The' Akitio County Council, at a special meeting on Saturday, decided to at once complote -Messrs. Peterson and Ncilsen's contract No. 15G. It is expected that the metalling on the Alfred ton Weber Road will be completed in about four weeks' time. The Land Board are at present on a visit from Wellington.