DISTRICT NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1858, 18 September 1913, Page 10

DISTRICT NEWS.

JOTTINGS FROM PROVINCIAL CENTRES. (From Our Special Correspondents.) PALMERSTON. At tho Magistrate's Court yesterday F. Wilson, with four aliases, pleaded nofc guilty to forging a cheque of £6 7s. 011 the Bank of New Zealand at Woodvillo in the name of S. Boliou and uttering it to Henry Baker, licensee of the Olnrendon Hotel, and also at Bulls with forging a cheque 011 the Bank of New Zealand, Marton, in the iiamo of J. Harris and uttering same to Charles Edwin Hosking. Accused was committed to tho Supremo Court for trial 011 the first charge, and remanded to Marton on tho second. Mr. Gerald Diedrich, of Hokitika, who had been spending his honeymoon at' Palmerston en route to Australia, was taken ill at Foxton and died, after an operation, at tho Palmerston Hospital, of appendicitis. The Borough Council has abandoned its fish market scheme for tho present. Messrs. F. J. Nathan and C. F. Johnston will represent Palmerston at tho annual conforenco of the Employers' Federation at Wellington. Tho Palmorston Fire Board has declared the railway gas plant, which was .recently tho centre of a sensational fire, to be in a dangerous position, and suggests that steps be taken to secure a different site. ■ A little.son of Mr. Ingley, of Kelvin Grove, had an eye pierced by children playing at "bows and arrows," and will probably lose the sight of the eye. At tho Manawatu A. and P. meeting a. singular assertion was made that if sheep wero penned at the show in pens previously used for pigs the sheep ivould bo liable to contract blood poisoning. Several members endorsed this opinion, and the meeting decided to avoid tho practice. At tho Magistrate's Court yesterday G. Quarrio' claimed £22 from P. Inge for alleged breach of contract for cutting rushes at Shannon, and recovered £2 and costs £3 17s. NAPIER. This afternoon a man named William Holburn Watts was found by his wife lying dead. The ovidenco indicates that ho committed suicide by taking rough-on-rats. Mr. G. Sterndale Bates has been appointed organist at the Napier Cathedra). Mr. Bates was at one time assist-ant-organist, at St. Margaret's Westminster, and for the last eight years has been choinnastor at St. Thomas's Church, Stormbridge. Mr. Charles I'oole, manager of Messrs. Niven and Co.'s Wairoa branch, collided with a cyclist whilst motorcycling 011 the Marine Parade 011 Tuesday, and was thrown under a dray, tho .wheel of which passed over his right leg, causing a compound fracture. , Two young ladies, Nurse Kirk and Miss Retcmeycr, have started to walk to Taupo. The lady golf players woro enter : tained at a danco 111 the Municipal, Theatre last night. About 200 couples and 100 spectators attended a danco given to-night in aid of tho City Band instrument fund. At . a meeting of tlio executive of tho Northern League last night, Cu'oitt, a New South Wales player, who was ordered off during tho New South WalesHawke's Bay match for disputing the refereo's decision, was cautioned, and it was decided to forward tho evidence to tlio New Zealand Council. WANCANUI. It was reported at a meeting of the Wanganui Hospital Board yesterdaytliat an agitatjon is on foot in Rangitikei to have tliat county separated from tho Wanganui Hospital district, and constituted as a new hospital area. Complaints regarding the quality of tho local milk supply have led to tests being taken by tho Health Inspector, as a consequenco of which several milkmen Vill shortly appear in Court. They are to bo charged with selling milk containing moro than the regulation percentago of water. ' Considerably more, energy is being sliown by the Waimarino County Council since the Government handed over to it the completion of the Parapara Road. At tho last meeting of tho council it was resolved'to take the necessary steps to raise a loan of £3755 for metalling about twelve miles of this important arterial highway. Only 0110 settler lodged objection at the local Assessment Court yesterday, but lie failed to aippear—a fact which caused Mr. Kerr, S.M., to pass some strictures on his want of consideration in causing tho Court to assemble for nothing. Several of tho local Labour unions hit on a good idea a few months ago for the passing of winter evenings in social intercourse by forming a Euchre AssoA tournament was arranged for which the local'licensed victuallers presented a Bliield, which was competed for by teams from the following unions: —Gonoral Labourers', Butchers', Drivers', Waterside Workers', Hotel Workers', and Amalgamated Railway Servants', besidos working men's teams from tho Cosmopolitan Club and Castlecliff. As eacli team consisted of twenty players, and some unions entered two teams, the amount of interest taken was considerable, and the games being followed by musical programmes of good order, tho men have passed (socially, at all events) a pleasant and profitable winter. Tho last game in the tournament was played off on Tuesday evening between the Watersiders and the Railway men, tho former winning, and thus becoming possessors of the shield for the next twelve months.

MASTERTON. The Masterton Amateur Theatrical Society produced "Tho Geisha" in tho Town Hall on Tuesday night before a crowded house. The . piece ran smoothly throughout. The chorus was strong, aiid was supported by an excellent orchestra under tho conductorship of Mr. It. J. Young. The part of Mimosa (the chief Geisha) was admirably taken by Mrs. H. J. Francis, while Miss Roberts gave an excellent interpretation of the character of Molly Seamore. The mounting of tho pieco was most effective, and the whole performance was declared by those who witnessed it to bo a triumph in amateur work. Mr. Harry Hall was stago manager. "The Geisha" is to be produced for three nights, and will afterwards bo put 011 in one or two townships in the Lower Valley. The members of the Masterton Borough Council paid a visit to the head works of tho local water supply 011 Tuesday to malco themselves conversant with the proposals contained in the Borough Engineer's scheme. A special meeting of the council is to be held next weolc, to further discuss the proposals. The new fish hatchery of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society is to bo publicly opened on Saturday next by his Worship tlio Mayor. j A meeting of tho council of tlio Wairarapa Cricket Association was held 011 Tuesday, when tho annual report and balance-sheet were approved. Tho annual meeting of tho association is to be held in a few days' time. Hawks have been responsible for the deaths of a considerable number of lambs' in this district. Mr. Ivnowles, of the Timaru staff of Messrs. Dalgetv and Co., has been transferred to Masterton.

TAIHAPE. Mr. Donald Poad had a somewhat unpleasant' experience while motor-cycling on the W'niiiui Road on Tuesday afternoon. A leaky pipo was responsible for an ©scape ' of beuzino, whioli

ignited, and tho cyclist bad his attention drawn to tlio fact that lie was leaving a trial of fire in his wake. So long as tho cycle was kept going there was not much danger, hut Mr. Poad stopped tho engine, and tho blaze immediately centred round tho machine, with tho result that one tire and the saddlo woro burned ofF, and other damage to the extent of about £8 was dono to the machine. Tho Borough Council has notified its intention of prosecuting persons committing a breach of the by-laws by riding bicycles on the footpaths. The cold weather of last week has been followed by exceptionally mild conditions, and no mortality among ewes and lambs has been reported in connection, with tho heavy fall of snow in some parts of tho district last Thursday. Quito a number of Main Trunk towns have progressed to tho electric light and power stage. Taihapo and To Kuiti wero the first to instal the system, and Mangaweka followed suit shortly afterwards. Tho Ohakuno Town Board has now accepted Messrs. ' Turnbull and Jones's tender of £8354 10s. for the installation of an electric plant, and the Eangataua Town Board is also considering an electric lighting scheme. OTAKI. The cricket season is to be shortly opened in this district, but judging by lack of enthusiasm will not be oversuccessful. Tennis also opens next month, while golf is in its final stages. Mr. J. H. D'Ath has withdrawn his nomination for tho vacant seat on tho Horowhenua Council, and consequently Mr. Arthur Drako has a "walk-over." Mrs. Davis, sister to Mrs. St. George, left hero on Tuesday for Wanganui, after a stay extending over several months. Mr. Timothy O'Rourko, after a trip extending over several months, the greater portion of > which was spent in the Old Country, returned to his home yesterday. NEW PLYMOUTH. Mr. A. L. Humphries, a late private in the old' Taranaki Guards, was pre-1 sented on Tuesday evening with the Worthing Cup, which he won at the recent Rifle Associationi meeting. A test of Taranaki benzine as motor fuel was made by several of the cars engaged 111 an Auckland Automobile Club run last Saturday. In all etises very satisfactory results wero reported. Tho Supremo Court sittings began and ended on Tuesday, constituting quite a record for the district. JLis Honour Mr. Justice Edwards congratu-. lated tho Grand Jury upon tho lightness of tho criminal calendar, which, ho remarked, was invariably the case at New Plymouth. At the monthly meeting of the General Committee of the Egmont A. and I'. Association on Satmirday the secretary (Mr. P. 6. Trcweek) stated that the president and himself had been approached' with reference to tho association 'purchasing the South Taranaki Winter Show property. He laid before the meeting figiires and other particulars relating to the financial position of tho company. After discussion Mr. Hawken's motion; —"That the A. and P. Association at tho present tinie is unable to consider the proposal of acquiring the winter show," —was carried. CARTERTON. The following prices were realised at the Taratahi stock sale on Monday, when there was a fair number of sheep and a good yarding of cattloWoolly hoggets, lis. Cd.; ewes in lamb, 13s. (jd.; yearling steers, £3 Is.; yearling heifers, £1 los.; springing heifers, £3 12s. 6d., £1 2s. 6d., £5, £s_2s. Gd., £6 155.; hoifers just calved, £0 10s.; £6; empty heifers, £2 Is., £3 13s. At a meeting of tho Totara Lodge on Monday evening," Bro. J. H. Barlow, A.D., presiding, the declarations on tho. sick fund were received. A sum of one guinea was voted in response to appeals for distressed brethren from the Paeroa Lodge, Auckland, and Lily of Richmond Lodge, Canterbury. It was reported that tho annual seven-a-side friendly societies' football tourney would bo held on October 4 in .Masterton. Tho proposal to enter a cricket team for the Thursday competition was discussed;- It was resolved to hold the matter over for a future meeting. PAHIATUA. The estate of the late David Aanohson, of Pahiatua, has been placed ■under the charge of the Public Trustee. Another meeting of shareholders of tho Farmers' Bacon Company will bo hold in, Pahiatua 011 Saturday. In tho meantime a canvass is beiim made of tiho .Mauricevillo and Eketalrana districts for shares'. A meeting of the progressive committee of the Pahiatua-Akitio Agricultural and Pastoral Association was held on Saturday, when it was unanimously decided to hold tho fifth annual show on' Wednesday , January 14, 1914. Tlia composite bottles and other material for tho Pahiatua Cow-testing Association are now_ being delivered to the various creameries of the Ballanco Dairy Company. _ A difficulty has arisen, however, in obtaining the services of an independent tester. Tho Agricultural Department cannot spare a man for the purpose till the middle of next month, and in the e.vent of no other competent -person being available the testing for tlhe first month will liavo to be carried out by the company's crcamory and factory managers, but they will not be able to act in the busiest part of the dairying soason. It is possible that applications will be invited for tho position. Clerical assistance will also be While in Wellington yesterday, Mr. M'Farlane, chairman of the Ballanco Dairy Company, again interviewed the ciliief officers of tho Dairying Department in the matter. - An accident occurred just on tho call of half-time at the football match between the Pahiatua and Manfjatainolta senior teams on tho Mangatainoka Domain on Saturday, whereby Harold Mcxted, a weill-known Pahiatua player, sustained a fracture of Ms left collarbono as tho result of a fall. The injured player was conveyed by . Mr. G. H. Smith in his motor-car to Pahiatua, whero he received medical attention._

The headmaster of tho Pahiatua District High School reported to the committee on Monday evening that the Wellington City Council had entertained the idea of an excursion to the city by tho Bush schools, and it was now asking for suggestions as to a suitable date. It was decided that the headmaster should circularise the schools in the Bush district on tho matter.'