PROVINCIAL CENTRES. (From Our Special Correspondents.)

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1134, 23 May 1911, Page 2

PROVINCIAL CENTRES. (From Our Special Correspondents.)

OTAKI. The first of (ho junior championship football matches took place.on Saturday, when the newly-formed Otaki College (Natives) met mill defeated Taimii by 9 points to 0. Prizes in a benefit art union were drawn 011 Saturday, when Sir. Alex. Robertson, of Waikana'e, was declared winner of the oil-painting "Silver.shell"—Mr. Straw- 1 bridge's lino hurdler. About 175 ten-shil-ling tickets were disposed of. The privileges in connection with the Otaki Maori liacing Club were sold on Saturday, when the "gates" realised ,£!GO (ill-. Wyatt); outside and inside publican s booth, .£2O and ,ts() respectively (Sirs. Higgins); refreshmen.t stall (Sir. i\yatt), .£!); horse paddock (Sir. Watsou), £i. Gas explosion oil a small scale threatened fire at tho local railway station on Friday evening. of a fire-extin-guisher, however, met the situation. Frank Cootes, on a charge of robbing ail old * man, was brought before the Court yesterday, and again remanded till .Time 2. Bail was allowed, as previously. Sir. A. S. Dunn intends to open a chemist shop in the Otaki district. A "meet" with the Slanawnt.u hounds took place here yesterday afternoon, and was largely attended. Tho I!-ev. 11. T. Stealey and Sirs. Stealey, who are well-known in this district. started on their return voyago from England by the Oreova on Slay 12.

FEILDING. There are 335 square miles of territory in the ICiwitea County, and only 1751b. of poison for rabbits lias been taken from tho County Council office. "This" says the chairman (Sir. Hockly) "indicates that, either the rabbits were, very scarce, or that the land-owners were very lazy."

It rather seems as if early-morning hockey is to becomo an institution in Feilding. St. Paul's Club met the Feilding Wednesday players at G. 30 o'clock yesterday morning, the former going down by 3 goals to nil. The teams meet again next Friday morning.