PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1736, 29 April 1913, Page 4

PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

(From Our Succial Correspondents,)

OTAKI Mr. T. O'Rourke, clerk of tho Otaki Court, leaves by tho l'otorun on Thursday for a trip to the Old Country. Tho liev. Mr. Houston, a recent arrival from England, assisted at the services held at the Anglican Chinch on Sunday At tho morning servico ho delivered an impressive sermon on tho theme of Ascension Day. ■ ■ SHANNON, Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Venn intend visiting the Old Country shortly. The local Druids' Lodge' entertained a number of brethren from Foxton last week. During tho evening D.G. Bro. Woods presented Bro. H. W. Murray with a P.D.P. diploma and collar, and Bro. 'J'. Lind with a diploma. On Saturday all tho local flaxmills closed down, tho occasion being the picnic holiday declared by tho Mamiwatn Flaxlinlls Employees' Union. The outing was held at Longburn, whero some hundreds of workers and friends assembled. Sports were indulged in, and addresses wero given by Messrs. Semple, Webb, Holland, Hickey, Parry, and others. Ihe annual parishioners' meeting of Vcu. Bedo's Church was held on Wednesday night in Stephenson's Hall. Tiro mi Cal ' ' ® cv ' G- Palmer, presided. Ihe balance-sheet, which reflected a prosperous year, was read and approved, and tho following wero elected office-bearers: —Vicar's warden, Mr. W. H. Gunning; people's warden, Mr. J. H: E. Tilling; Vestrymen, Messrs.' C. Dunckley, C. H. Gardiner, C. 1?. Exall, E. B. Stephenson, J. Lament, E. W. Taylor, F.Linsell, and H. Knowles. At the close of tile meeting a welcome was accorded tho Venerable Mr. Comins and Mrs. Comins, who have taken up their residence in tho district. Mr. C. F. Exall, who is widely respected in the district, and lias dono notable service for. tho church, was presented with a pnrso of sovereigns from tho congregation. Tho past sea/son has been a prosperous ono for this district. There has never been any lack of employment, and at times thero'has actually been a shortage of labour. Tho flaxmiliing industry lias, of conrst, had a more than usually prosperous season, and farmers have enjoyed tho full measure of prosperity. TTiis activity has naturally been reflected in tho town itself, and, especially since Christmas, tradespeople have been busy.' Tho building trado has been very brisk, and is likely to be so for some tune. In tho Moutoa district (with the.erection of two largo flaxmills witJiin recent years) settlement is going ahead at quite a -notable rate, .and the Makerua district shows similar progress. Shannon has a largo .working-class population, and it seems inevitable that before long a local ■ body will have to be formed to manage tho affairs of tho town, which js nearly sturdy enough to dispense with tho "lending strings" of tho Horowhenua County Council. In such a community it is surprising that there is no such institution as a "cottage hospital," which is a feature of so many small towns at Home. There is no medical practitioner resident within ton miles of tho town, and although the Foxton and Levin doctors visit the town regularly, and do excellent service, there is, it is felt, room and to spare for a" maternity homo, and work and enough for a Vlunket nurse in the district. '