DISTRICT NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1870, 2 October 1913, Page 10

DISTRICT NEWS.

JOTTINGS FROM PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

(From Our Special Correspondents.) PALMERSTON NORTH. A house in Queen Street, owned by Mrs. Friend, of Auckland, and occupied by Mr. A. Thompson- and family, was partly destroyed by lire on Tuesday night. The inmates were awakened by the sound of a' falling picture, and escaped in their' night clothes. Tho furniture was nearly all destroyed. It was valued at £300, and insured in tho London and Lancashire Office for £200. At tho Magistrate's Court yesterday a youth named Howard Webby was iemtindcd on a charge of theft of n horse valued at £20, the property of Thomas Laurie, of Fitzherbert Jiast.

Mr. H. R. Cooper, barrister for many vears managing partner of the Palmerston office of Bell, Gully, and Cooper, who recently dissolved partnership, has entered into partnership with- Mr. J. W. Rutherfurd as Cooper and Rntliorfurd, with mutual agency arrangements with Messrs. Bell, Gullv and Myers, of Wellington. - Messrs. Frank H. Cooke and 3. Bruce Beale, well-known local barristers, have also effected a partnership. As Mr. Cooko is borough solicitor, Mr. Bealo will resign from the eouncillorship. Tho Manawatu Professional Musicians' Society entertained Mr. G. De V. English, 'official examiner, at supper this week. The Friendly Society Council has definitely arranged for their annual picnic at Foxton on New Year's Day. NAPIER. Since the Napier Municipal Theatre was opened in iNovember last iilloU 19s. Bd. has been received in rents. A house ill Hastings was entered by burglars yesterday afternoon whilst tho occupants woru at the races, and jewellery valued at £38 stolen. At last night's meeting of the Napier Borougti Council the engineer reported that tiio sewerage system had suiiiciont capacity to copii with llni Napiei South Town Board district and any ordinarygrowth of population for many years' to come. iitt'orts are being made to induco. Napier South to merge into the borough. . Mr. E. 'J. Corbott, of the Napier Post Office staff, who is retiring after 30 years' service, has been presented with a set of pipes, a tobacco pouch, onu match-box b_> his fellow-officers as a mark of their esteem.

Tile following officers were elected at tlio annual meeting of the ■ Hastings Bowling Green Ladies Croquet Club, president, Mr. I°. King; captain, Mrs. Halso; secretary and treasurer, Mrs. L. F. Pegler; committee, the captain, secretary, ana Mesdamcs J. I£. Hall, T. Clarkson, J. H.Gillespie, F. Watson, F. M'Leod, and Mis Ball; handicappers, Mrs. Lawlor and Mrs. Gillespie. The Napier subscription-list for the Fresh Air Fund now 6tands at £200 Gs. 6d.

Tlio Hastings branch of the Hawke's Bay Employers' Association have elected the following committee for the ensuing year:—Messrs. Jas. Brown, John Holt, £. Basil ones, J. A. Pothan, Joseph Phillips, A. A. Stanley, F. J. Tonkin, W. J.'. Thomson, and liobt. Warren. . ' , During September 33 births, 9 marriages, and 6 deaths wero registered at Hastings.

WANGANUI. Customs duties collected at the port of Wanganui for September totalled £7218 3s. lid., as compared " with £6817 Us. 3d., for tho si\me month last year'. , Of this amount preferential tariff yielded only £122 lis. Vital statistics for Wanganui fot September were as follow: —Births, 57 (previous September 46); deaths, 21 (19); marriages, 10 (16): At a meeting held at Wanganui East on Tuesday evening it was decided to form a fire brigade in that suburb. A committee was set up to put matters in train, and eighteen names were handed in.

The AYangauui Cricket Association held its annual meeting on Tuesday evening, when' the report showed that a fairly good year had been experienced and 1 tho balance-sheet disclosed a credit balance of £5 10s. Officers elected were as follow President, Mr. Jas. P. Watt; vice-presidents, Messrs. P. B. Williams, Win. Lux ford, N. G. Armstrong, G. W. Currie, A. A. Gower, W. A. Darcy, D. Meldrum, W. A. Armour, tho Revs. J. L. Dove and J. D. M'Kenzie, and Major Lomax; secretary and treasurer, Mr." J. Tracy; delegate to the New Zealand Cricket Council, Mr. G. F. Francis.

A generous prize-list is being provided for tho next two days of the New Year Carnival of tlio 'Wangamii Axemen's Association, at a meeting of which last evening tlie programme was adopted with prize money totalling £325. Of this £100 is allocated for cycling, in which the principal event is tforth £50. Arrangements are being made for an Australian team of axemen ,to be present at the gathering.

MASTERTON. V\ The ordinary meeting of the'Wairarapa Hospital and Charitablo Aid Board was held ill the board's offices yesterday, Mr. E. C. Eton presiding. The treasurer's report showed a credit of £2009 9s. 2d. A letter was read from the matron of tin* Masterton Hospital (Miss Maud Hayward) resigning her position owing to sickness in her family. The resignation was accepted with regret, and it was decided to grant Miss Hayward a month's leave 011 full pay. The medical officer reported that Sister Wilkinson had been appointed acting-matron until a successor to Miss Hayward was appointed. It was decided that tlio board could not agree to a suggestion of Dr. Chesson that the services of a district nurse be made availablo for a Native school in tho back-blocks, the board considering the matter one for tlio Native Department to deal with. The Chief Health Inspector reported that the district was comparatively free from infectious disease.

A successful entertainment was held in the Town Hall 011 Tuesday evening in. aid of tlio funds of the Honorary Territorial Association. During the evening Mr. W. H. Jackson, on behalf of the association, presented Sergeant Brunton, who went with the cadets to Canada, with a service rifle. The trout-fishing season opened yesterday morning, and a number of anglers tested the local waters with varying degrees of fortune. Tile streams iu the district are in good fishing order.

The building trade in Mastevton is dull just now. During last month practically no building permits were issued. TAIHAPE. A young man named Albert Mannagh was leading a restive liorse 011 the Mataroa Road on Sunday afternoon, when a motor-car drivqjl by Mr. W. Kincaid approached. The car was stopped and the horse led past, _ and Mannagh then mounted the animal. One of the occupants of the car handed a bundle of tools up to him, and the horse backed for about twenty yards along the road. Mannagh was thrown oil', and kicked on tho head. He was badly cut about tlio faco and head, but is making good progress at tlio Taihapo Hospital. It is stated that Mr. G. Brownleo, of the Railway Department's Head Office, is to lie tho new traffic manager for'lhe Main Trunk line, and is to bo stationed at Ohakune.

At a meeting of the Borough Council Councillor Healey protested against the borough workmen being kept waiting over a week for their wages, and contended that, however short the funds might be, tho workmen's wages should be'tlio first consideration. ArraiiKemeatß for the .childreji's plaiu

and fancy dress ball on I' nday night are -complete. Dancing practices have been held three times a week, and tlic children <<iv> now proficient in the ait.

OTAKI. While Mr. Walters., of Palmerston, was motoring through Paraparaiimu on Tuesday afternoon, Jiib car overturned at a sharp bend, anil tho occupant was considerably injured. He lay on the road for sonic time before assistance arrived, but was subsequently couveved to Mrs. Hadficld's residence. After'attention ho wa<» able to proceed l to his home hv train.