PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1013, 31 December 1910, Page 3

PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

IFrom Our SuecJal Correspondent.)

masterton

months fftecnVSrce 1 ) 0 tnenty-sevca in 1900, 'and twenty-fi™ birth*'" 5 * thc sixteen births, seven marriages,' and nine deaths have been registered at ■ jia«crIrish blight has made its appearanco » the potato crops at MaurfceX ilie chief attraction at Masterton on Monday next will be the Caledonian faocietys sports, ;which:are to be held 011 the i/ark Oval. One hundred men are at present in the employ of the Wellington Fanners' Meat Company. Yesterday was the nrst pay day of. the new firm. Six thousand sheep have so far been slaughtered. During the past twelve months thirty?i ne Persons have been arrested in Masterton on charges of drunkenness, as compared with 155 for the previous year under partial No-License, and 302 tor 1908, when licenses obtained. Other forms ..of misdemeanour have shown a marked diminution.

PA.HIA7UA,

The following tehm will represent i ahiatua m the bowls. tournament which is to bo played at Terrace. End on New Ws Day for the Toms feathers:—J. A. Walsh, C. E. Clifton, F. Sayers, and J. W. Mills (skip). Mr. \\. a. Hawkins has donated a pair of silver-mounted bowls for . a champion singles- tournament, the conditions being one game of twenty-one heads, to bo played m sections, the winner , of . each section to pky 6fF for the final. ■ tr,W V VC I I^no ?' n T, setUers of th e' district, Captain J. R. ,\Vhyte and • Mr. Peter Balhday, have recently purdistrict. p ' operties in tbe Waikato"

RONCOTGA,

Cjristmas at Rongotea whs. marked BS E ect > of gayuess, and enjojment, many people, being in. from the outlying districts. On Sunday, specialUiristmas sermons were delivered, and on Monday the town was! almost emptied of its inhabitants. Many -picnic parties' journeyed 1 to ; tho beach, and others spent the day at the Oroua River. In the evening a speftial Christmasservice was held in tjio. Primitive Methodist Church. The service of soiig, under the leadership of Mr. C. Stanley Hunt, was the feature of tho evening. It is expected - that tho contractors for the new dairy factory. will commence operations' immediately after the holidays. Seme of the machinery has already arrived. An accident, which ■ might have had serious. results,- happened to Mr. J. Broadbelt last Friday. Mr. Broadbelt was at Bulls on .business,, and, having; tied his horse,up, returned,to find another horse standing by. ■ ■ On attempting to drive the,animal iwayj_ it turned quickly and kicked out, striking Mr. Broadbelt over the eye. Dr. Watson attended to tho injuries,, which, fortunately, were; not sorious. • The Presbyterian Church has commenced services in Rongotea-in. tho Temperanco Hall, and these are t-o 1m held once a fortnight. Mr.'. M'Kenzio is occupying tho pulpit. Tho local Primitive Methodist Church lias invited the Rev. Fowles, of Cambridge, to ■■ occupy, their, pulpit, .vice the Rev. W. B. Fordo Carlisle, who is leaving Rongotea in March nest. •

CREYTOWN,

After a period,, of splendid weather: a southerly sot in' with rain 'oil- Thursday morning, and has continued, more or.less; since. ' Yesterday very heavy rain, fell,-and the' thermometer, .went down 'to 44 Fall. Tho heavy wind brought a good deal of fruit off: tho trees, and . the' rain has also effected other damage.' Residents are, of' course, looking forward to ..the weather 'clearing for-tho New Year holidays.

OTAKI

: The matron , and staif of the Otaki Hospital and Sanatorium have received, on behalf of the jwtients, gifts' of Christmas and New. Year cheer from several local residents. . The Hospital Board forwarded a zonophone. Mr. NormanCampbell. is erecting a sawmill 'at Reikorangi,, and- portionof tho. plant is now on. tho'ground. A bottle has been found on the beach at Te Horo containing- the following.:— "Lat'." 146 south, long> 64 "west, s.s. .Aotea, Thursday,: November 2, ,1910. All well.—James Hamilton." ' As ' Requested, 'the message has been 1 , forwarded to Mr.' .Offingtine, Cave Rock, Sumner.