MASTERTON NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 876, 23 July 1910, Page 13

MASTERTON NOTES.

(From Our Special Correspondent.) Masterton, July 22. Mr. W. J. Hope was the lucky ballotor for the £300 free of interest offered by the Mastorton Workers' Mutual Benefit Society last evening. The £300 offered by sale was purchased by Mr: P. M. Compton for £40. _ It is ox : peeted that another appropriation will be made within a month's timo. In a hockey-match played yesterday the Ramblers defeated High School by four goals to two. Councillor J. Colquhouu having iesigned from the Masterton County Council, an election to fill the vacancy will be held on Saturday, August 13. A movement is on foot to separate the Alfredfon Riding from tho Masterton County, and to tack it on to Eketahuna, which, it is alleged, would result in a great saving in supervision and other expenses. It is proposed to revive the Masterton Poultry Association, which has been sleeping for some years now. Time was when Masterton held a very creditable poultry show; but that state of affairs languished. Now, however, a determined effort is to-be made by local enthusiasts to infuse fresh life into the poultrj'-raisinE! industry, and a meeting of thoso interested in re-forming the Poultry Association will probably be held at an early date. The Masterton Amateur Operatic Sticiety gave its second performance of the "Pirates of Penza uce" in the Town Hall last . ovening before another crowded audience. During an interval in the performance Mr. W. H. Bnetham, president of the society, addressed the company, and congratulated them upon the splendid success which had attended their efforts. At the conclusion of tho opera tho. performers and friends eat down to supper at Finnis's tea rooms, when various toasts were proposed, and a special vote of thanks was passed to Mr. George Grey, the conductor. The prognostications of the Rev. D. 0. Hates, kv tar as the weather Is concerned, have been' more than fulfilled in this district. During the last two or three days continuous cold, southerly rain has fallen, and, at | the timo of writjng, thero IB no indication of , its ceasing for a while. Judgment by default was given tor plaintiffs in tho following civil actions heard in the Magistrate's Court yesterday:—W. G. Taylor v. B. Wadliam, £1 and Cs. costs; H. Hadley v, William Heggi«, lfls.-tid. and fis. costs; J. Dawson v. N. Miller, £1 and os. costs; H. Hadley v. Almao, £2 10s. 10d., and ss. costs; same v. Harry Hurndoll, £1 7s. 6d., and os. costs. In a defended action, James Cress v.. Albert Smith, u claim for £39 55., for board and lodging and training, fees in connection with tho racehorse Rongokoko, judgment was givnii for plaintiff for £16 ss...and £3 15s. costs. It has been a longstanding grievance against the Natives of this and other districts, that they have kept (logs by the score without registering them. Tho difficulty appears to have boon to find the owners of dogs roaming about kiangas. Of recent years Native Land Councils have taken the matter up, and have appointed inspectors to visit the pahs and insist upon registration. In thi> Magistrate's Court this morning, before Mr. C. C. Graham, S.M., a halfcaste drover named Arthur Brightwell (for whom Mr. Pownall appeared) was charged by a Nativo inspector (Mr. Graham) with failing to register his dog. Counsel for defendant stated that ho could not ascertain under what Act tho information was laid. Tho informant stated that he had-been instructed by the Native Council to bring the c:ns« before tho Stipendiary Magistrate. The magistrate adjourned tho case till next Court day, and advised the 'informant to obtain the services of a solicitor. The practice of travellers transferring railway tickets is not uncommon, though detention seldom follows. In the Magistrate's Court this morning, a young man named Mead was charged with Ira veiling on tho railway with an expired railway ticket, . and a woman named — M'Ciillougii 'was charged with transferring the ticket to Mead. Both admitted the' offence, but stated that they did not know that they were doing wrong. Tho transfer was discovered bj' the guard owing to the ticket having expired. Mead admitted having paid — M'Cullougli. 2s. 6d. for the ticket, which was a return excursion ticket to Wellington. His Worship.said that the offence of transferring railway tickets was regarded by the Legislature as serious. Each defendant would be fined 205., with "s. costs. An officer of the GeologicaJ Departs ment, together with a gentleman interested in an oil syndicate, is at present paying another visit to properties on the East Coast, where oil has been discovered.-