PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1107, 21 April 1911, Page 6

PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

(From Our Special Correspondents,)

WOODVILLE. Mr. Percy Davie, who recently passed tho Civil Service examination, has been appointed to the Coonor School as teacher in charge. , Thirteen nominations have been received for scats oil tho Borough Council. Those include eight previous members. Polling day is fixed for April 20. Private Lovedav, who is one of the Bisley team, is .shooting splendidly just now. At the recent Rangitikei competition he won the belt and other medals, besides a good sum in cash. Private Govenlock also did well at Hastings, winning .£l3. ' Both marksmen aro doing credit to the Woodville company. An indignation meeting was held at the Woodlands Road Sclioolhousc on Wednesday evening over a resolution recently carried by the Main School Committee regarding the closiiiE of the Woodlands Road- School. Members of tho Main School Committee were asked to attend, and the majority did so. Comment on the point in question waxed warm. After considerable discussion tho meeting broke up with little satisfaction to either party. Tno Woodlands Road Committee aro determined to assert ■whr.t they consider their rights, and the whole matter is to be pl.aced before tho Minister. The pecu-, liar position is that Government voted a sum of money for tho erection of a new school at this locality, but the Education Department hold that it is not needed. GREYTOWN. A very old and respected resident, Mr. Thomas Ingley, sen., died at Greytown on Wednesday. Deceased was 91 years of. age. \ During tho holidays visitors liavo been en tour in Greytown in largo numbers. They included numbers of former residents. • The Greytown ' Operatic Society are working hard at their new underrating, "Sherwood's Queen." The lccal orchestra are co-operating. ' HASTINGS. The municipal' elections aru creating a good deal of quiet interest, but thero is no burning topic to produce excitement. The borough is committed to tho conduct of sewerage and water schemes, and the issue at the present elections chiefly concerns administration. Candidates for tho Mayoralty are:—Messrs. T. J. Thompson, J. Garnetl, and W. Lane. There is a groat deal of interest locally over the election of'a Hastings member of the liawke's Bay Harbour Board. • Mr. George Nelson and the Harbour League ore chiefly responsible for the state of things. Lantern-slide lectures in all parts of the district have been arranged for, and, if ratepayers throughout Hawke's Bay aro not thoroughly conversant with tho pros and colis of an inner harbour as against the breakwater idea, tho fault can scarcely be laid at tho door of Mr. Nelson. In Hastings there are three candidates:— Messrs. Eustace Lane, David Whyto, and J. A. Miller. Mr. David Whyto has the official recognition of the Harbour League, whilst Mr. Lane, supporting tho samo platform, is fighting tho contest independently. An attempt by league supporters to get one or other of these two to stand down has, so far, been unsuccessful, and it is thought that tho division of votes may let a "breakwater man" (Mr. Miller) get in. However, although popularly regarded as a "breakwater man," Mr. Miller has pledged' liimslf to support a thorough investigation of the harbour question, and this, after all, is what Mr. Nelson and his followers are demanding. Tho probabilities are that the next Hawke's Bay Harbour Board will engage n first-class engineer to make a full investigation, and report upon tho advisableners or otherwise of abandoning the present breakwater in favour of a new harbour at the Spit. Scarlatina and scarlet fever are reported in Hastings.

PONGAROA. Settlers in the Korora district, Pongaroa, have formed a rabbit trust association, having for its object the combating of the rabbit nuisance. The membership totals seventy-three, and it has been decided that tho members interested rate themselves one penny per acre to nay expenses. A rabliiter is to .be employed to carry on lulling operations continuously for the association.