MASTERTON NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1330, 6 January 1912, Page 9

MASTERTON NOTES.

(From Our Special Correspondent.) At the Magistrate's Court this morning, before Justices, Arthur .Reginald Jioyd was ohargod, on Tcrnand, with having forged and uttered a chcquo for «CiO. Tho evidence given for tlio prosecution was to the effect that accused had been employed by the firm of Welsh and Hope, builders. He was given a cheque-book b.v one of the partners iu.tlie firm, to secure ■the counter-signature of the other partner. It was alleged that he had filled in a cheque for ofclO, mado it payable to himself, attached the signature ot "Hurt" Welsh, and cashed the instrument with a local bicycle linn. Boyd reserved his defence, and was committed to take his trial at. the Supremo Court. The Masterton and East Coast Private Telephone Company have recently installed (between the Mastcrton exchango and the Carswell's private exchange) a new system of telephone communication, which is new so far as rural telephones aro concerned in this country. Tho system is known as "superimposing," or

"phantom circuit working," aud is extensively used in America for country telephone communication.

The annual meeting of tho Workmen's Friend Biiilding Society was held last evening, Mr. J. A. M'Ewen presiding over an attendance of between twenty , and thirty members. In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, which were taken as read, the chairman stated that tho number of shares, taken up dur- 1 ing the year spoke well for the future of the society. The directors had obtained an expert- report upon tho mortgages and the securities of the society, which had proved very satisfactory. The reserve fund was of n substantial 'character, and the payments of members were kept up well. The three retiring directors (Messrs. W. H. Jackson, 11. J. O'Lcary, and B. Chapman) were re-elected. At a subsequent meeting of directors, Mr. W. H. Jackson was re-elected chairman. _ It was decided that suggestions be received for the revision of tho rules.

A GGyds. swimming race, in connection with the Mastcrton Amateur Swimming Club, was hold on the Park' Lake last evening, and was won by F. Jones, with' R; Person sccond, and A. Miller third. A. Miller, with 5 points, is now leading for the points prize. - The Mastcrton branch of the Labour party is making an elrort to consolidate the Labour forces in this district, with ft view to conceded political action. Mr. W. A. Veitcli, M.P., has been invited to deliver an address here this month. Mr. T. Ct. 'Mason, a former resident of this town, who has been residing in England for the last year or two, returned to Masterton last evening. He will remain hero for a month or two before leaving again for England. Several rinks from the Mastcrton Bowling Club will proceed to Wellington tomorrow to participate in the bowling tournament, which opens next week.

A leather pavement has 6tood a successful trial of a year near Birmingham. The material is leather waste, shedded almost to pulp, and treated with bitumen and tar. The road is not affected by heavy wheels, gives off little dust, resists wear, and is not influenced by weather. Its noiselcssncss. and springiness give a novel kind of comfort to horses and drivers. Colonol Hughes, the Minister of Militia, returned to Ottawa on November 13 from a trip to tho Pacific Coast, and announces that ho proposes to take steps to organise an infantry regiment of the Hindus now resident in British Columbia. Another proposal is to. form, under Canadian officers, a regiment of Galicians, thousands of whom live in the prairie provinces. British imports from Japan have increased eightfold in thirty years.