PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1709, 28 March 1913, Page 8

PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

(From Our Special Correspondents.) f. • FEATHERSTON. At the annual meeting: of the Liberal Football Club the following officers were elected Patron, Mr, AV. Barton; president, Mr. J. A. M'Carty J secretary nnd treasurer, Mr. A. H. Hayes (re-elected); assistant secretary, Mr. J. AV. Henderson; committee, Messrs. V. Mason, K. Donald, H. Gwilliams, L. Benton, T. liuane, A. Tait, P. Tait, A. C. Holms, H. Tutbury, J. Freeman, J. W. Henderson; delegates to union and Management of Union, Messrs. J. \V. Henderson, A. C. Holms and A. Tait. It was decided to open the season on April 12, with a practice match. Two teams (senior and third) be entered for tlie championship fixtures. Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Waters, who are leaving I'eatherston. after a residenco of several years, were tendered a "social" at the Town Hall 011 Tuesday night.

MOHAKA. The general cry is for rain, and, if there is not rain soon it will spell trouble to many of the settlers, as feed is getting very short, and should frosts comc before the* lately-sown' grass seed gets a good hold, it will.cut it off. Great number's of sheep have ten oil the roads lately, en route for the various freezing works. Mr. A. Uockett, buyer for the North British Freezing Company, lias been very busy throughout the district buying "fats" for his company., lie sent down I lis finest drove of sheep—some 3000—last week that has ever left this district. They were from the Kuka Tua run. At the same time Mr. Bockett visited Mr. Ryder's station, Ivakariki, and secured a grand line of wethers at , 17s. 6d. in the paddock. This is a record price here, and. had it not been for the drought, the same line would have easily brought ill. Cropping will be late as, owing to the dry weather, the ground is too hard to plough. The dog trials will come off on April 1, and judging by the large list of entries some close finishes may be expected. The Easter holidays have seen large numbers of visitors to Waikarimona and district, and the road between Napier and that favourite resort has presented quite a lively appearance with motor-cars and other vehicles, CARTERTON.

A nephew of Mr. James Moncrieff, of Carterton, writing from Japan, after a three weeks' holiday in China, gives a very interesting account of what he observed 011 his journeyings. Wherever lie wont the conversation was of the new Chinese Government, and he found . that Yuan-Shih-Kai, the President of the new republic, is regarded as the man of the hour, and a high opinion is held of his ability and sincerity of purpose. Mr. Monc'rielY learned that Yuan-Shih-Kai appreciates very fully the good work missionaries have done for China, and at the Y.M.C.A. Convention in Peking made a wonderfully appreciative address in connection with missionary work anil aims. A man named Charles King, with several previous convictions against him, was sentenced to a lnonthVimprisonmciit in the Carterton Police Court on Thursday for vagrancy and soliciting alms in Carterton. HASTINGS. Tim Napier musical and elocutionniy conipetitions are now in full swing. The Hastings entries .ire not so numerous .is they were last year, and (lie Hastings community is not concerning itself lo any marked extent in the contents. The action of tho Napier commiUeo in holding tho competitions earlier in (ho year than usual has probably been a disturbing factor, as the season is net so suilable for competitors making their preparations. Tho entries at first to hand were disappointing, but an extension <if closing time and excessive energy on (lie part of'tho secretary resulted in a marked increase. Most of the sections are well filled, and, in many cases, the standard displayed by the compel' itnrs is higher (hall it has been in previous years. The attendance so far lias been ijuite satisfactory.