UTIKU.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1875, 8 October 1913, Page 5

UTIKU.

A successful meeting was held here on a recent Saturday evening for the purpose of forming a ■ Cricket Club. Quite a number of enthusiasts were prosent. Tho following officers were elected: _ —Patron, Mr. E. Newman, M.P.; 'presi'dent, Mr. T. A. Randolph; vice-presi-dents, Messrs. Bntlor, Gilchrist, Gibbs, Hawkes, Hague, M'Carten, Allen. Anderson, Isdale, Hibberd, and Matthews ; secretary and treasurer, Mr. A. J. M'Grail; auditor, Mr. B. C. Housley; committco, Messrs. Beecliey, Goldsbury, Robinson, Sandieson, and Couzens. The pitch is to be on tho local Rccreation Ground, and will be of cement, the funds being found by a committee who have held a series of dances through tho winter for that purpose. The prospects for a pleasant season appear to be bright.

To wind up tho series of dances mentioned' above, a monster plain and fancydress ball was held in Doole's Hall, Utiku, on Friday, September 26, anu proved a success. The fancy dresses worn by several of the dancers blended with the decorations of tho room, and made a very pretty sight. The duties of M.C.'s were carried out by Messrs. Davis and M'Grail.. Mr. J. Phillips, of Taihapo, was the caterer, and supper arrangements were presided over by Mesdames Hawkes, Hibberd, and M'Grail. The winner of the prizes for fancy dresses were: Mrs. Randolph, "Favourite of the Sultan"; Mrs. Randlo, "Venetian Girl"; Mr. Collard, "Footman" ; Mr. Wilier, "Darkie." The committee, with Mr. A. J. M'Grail as lion, secretary, worked efficiently to make the function a success. Tho music was supplied by Miss and Messrs Gortner Bros.

The local school concert is to be held on October 10, and present indications point to it being a success. The headmaster (Mr. Anderson) and his assistants are sparing 110 efforts in training the children for the/various choruses, comediettas, and dialogues. Mr. and Mrs. G. Itilmister have just returned from a fortnight's holiday spent in- Auckland. A largo blaze in the direction of Mangaweka attracted the attention of residents on Monday night, and was received with some alarm, until it became known that there was no cause. A now road is being formed across the Hautapu, opposite Toa Toi, to open up a large tract of land, the only means of access at present being a bridle-track. As a heap of slabs left by the Slanawatu Timber Company at their old mill happened to be in the road, it was found necessary to clear them away by burning. The passengers on the WellingtonAuckland express on this evening had a splendid view of tho "burn," which lit up tho country for miles round.