DISTRICT NEWS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1918, 28 November 1913, Page 10

DISTRICT NEWS

JOTTINGS FROM PROVINCIAL CENTRES. (from Di.r Special Correspondents.! WANCANU!. Kxccllciit, progress lias been, made with the formation of a lire brigade iu Watiganui East, and the first instalment of plant has alrcadv been vercivcd. Work on the .new Dublin Street bridge is being pushed steadily on. Six spans arc now in position, ami it is expected that both sides of the river will bo linked up before. Christmas, (hough the finishing work will not tc completed before Jiarch. At the annual meeting of the Waitotara County Council, Mr. W. .Kitt-hie was re-elected cbairuinn, ami .Mr. C. G. Russell council's repre(.ontativo on the Wangamii Hospital Board. Tho balance-sheet of tho recent finrrison Band bazaar was submitted to a winding-up meeting of the committee on Tuesday evening, and it- showed a net profit of kSil. A large portion of litis amount is ear-marked for tho expenses of the band at tho Auckland Exhibition band contest. Tho rcocnt Labour Day sports resulted in a- profit of £10, which has been donated to tho funds of tho band of the Queen Alexandra Kegiment. Though there are two or three eases held over from tho last sessions, there is no fresh criminal business for the sitting of the Supreme Court- hero next week. There are seven civil cases, three, bankruptcy case, and one divorce caso. Wangamii was visited with a very severe thunderstorm on Wednesday night, vivid Hashes of lightning being accompanied by torrents .of rain;, and a strong nor'-west gale. Tho wind and rain confinued with few intermissions all Thursday. A rumour, so far uneonlsrmed, is going tho round ttiat Mr. Geo. Hutchison will contest the Pa tea scat as ;fn Opposition candidate at the next general election.-

CARTERTON, At a meeting of the Carterton Baths .Committee on Monday evening, it was decided to. extend the hours of swimming on Sunday from 10 a.m. till Vs. noon. This will apply to ticket-holders only. Mr. I<\ Edge, of Carteron, has acquired a farm in the. Nireaha district, and will leave shortly to lake up bis residence there. Mr. E. Strawbridge, of the Waikalo and for many years a resident of W:;ihakeke, is at present on a holiday visit to Carterton.

The half-yearly meeting of Totara Lodge, U.A.0.U., was lield on Monday evening, liro. .1. H. Barlow, A.D., presiding. It was resolved to .(fay a fraternal visit tu Stouehengfi . Lodge, U.A.0.D., Mastcrton, on Wednesday, December 3. One new member .was initiated. The prize offered for the introduction of most new members during the past year was won by liro. JO. M'Kcnzie, liro. C. OWIoU-boiim.; second. The nomination of officers for" the ensuing term resulted.—A.])., Bro. R, Smith; V.A.,Bros. H. Hutchinson and W. Karl; secretarv, liro. K. M'Kenzie;' treasurer, liro. YV. Baillie; 1.0,. Bros! N. Armstrong and W. Wilson ; A.D.11 \, Bros. H. Hell, N. Armstrong. W. Wit.'.an; V.A.D.'s, |!,os. 1?. Irons, W. Daysh, and 11. ISell; musician, Brn. I-'. Koydliousc; auditor, Bro. W. W. Mansfield.

MASTERTON. A six-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. A. •I. Percy' injured his thumb a week or two ago. Tetanus has Miperveiiod. and the little boy is in a critical condition. The new premises of the Hank of Xew Zealand will be out of the hands of the contractors before tho end of the year. - The congregation of the Lansdowno Presbyterian Church has addressed n call to the llcv. Morgan Kichards, who recently arrived in New Zealand from 'Wales. A champion rink match was played on the local bowling green un Monday (•veiling between teams representing the Masterton and Carterton clubs. The former won by 2-i points to I-i. Tho supply of coal at the Masterton gasworks is only sufficient- to maintain the lighting uf the town for two or thrcs weeks. Arrangements have been made for replenishing tho supply from Wellington. At the statutory meeting of the Masterton- County Council, Councillor Patehett mentioned the fact that two amounts (£701) at £1 for £1, and £700 at £2 for £1)' appeared on the Estimates for tlio Alfredton-Wober Uo.ul. It did not appear clear from the Estimates how much was intended for the Masterton County and how much for the Eketahuna. Councillor Patehett mentioned that the Minister, when he visited the district, had promised a

sum of £320U, to be spread over two years. Unless the road was metalled, the company that had been formed to carry out the mail service'between Eketaliuua "and Pongarqa would fall through. On the motion of Councillor Patchett it was decided that the clerk write the .Minister for particulars of the vote appearing on the Estimates, and ask that an additional sum be placed on the Supplementary Estimates. Mr. James AVriglcy has written the Masterton County Council asking for particulars concerning the number of authorised gates on the Upper. Tn.ueru lioad. Some discussion took place at the meeting of the Council yesterday on thp subject of gates generally, and it was eventually decided that Mr. Wrigley's letter be referred to the engineer. __ A committee of the Masterton County Council, consisting of Councillors Welch, Percy, Cameron, Bectham, and Toogood, has been set up, with power to act, to arrange for a metal depot at the Uuainahunga River. It is proposed te experiment this year with the conveyance of metal to outlying districts by means of ttaction.

'Councillor W. J. Welch has been unanimously re-elected chairman of the Masccrion County Council, Councillors -Miller, .I'e.tchett, ami Hetilham referred in eulogistic tonus io the niiiiinor in which Councillor Welch had ncrformed the duties of chairman. Air. J. M'Kondi-icU, .Scottish cv;»u;o----list, is conducting a scries ol mission liciviccs in connection with Knox Church. The secretary of the Mastcrum Lawn Tenuis Club has been advised that the Dannevirko Club will be unable to got a tealu together to |)lay ;i match hero or. Monday next, as had been arranged.

NAPIER. The Itev. Dr. Sidey, who has been secretary and treasurer of the Napier .High School ..Board of Governors since the early eighties, has resigned that position. He has, however, .been appointed treasurer. Mushrooms are plentiful hero this season. One line specimen was brought into Hastings yesterday, and measured lil'lcen inches in diameter. Plans' are being prepared lor a new theatre at .Hastings, In he erected on i site at the corner of Jloreiaiinga anil King Streets, Imtj as similar preparations have been made on many other occasions, there is no guarantee that I he scheme, will bo proceeded with. There is a desire on the part of sumo residents to erect a theatre."at Hastings that will eclipse the Napier .MunieiiiTil Theatre, but other ratepayers think that such an undertaking would bu very costly and hardly worth while. It "is anticipated that over M.lllld bales will he offered at Hie Napier wool sales on Mumlay. Mr. I'. L. Jurdaii wus .veslarjay ap-

pointed comity rluiiriiian for (lie. ensuing year, vico Mr. T. Jlason Chiiinh'jrs. who ■ Icclined to again stand lor ru-elei-tioii. lloth Air. Jordan and Mr. .Mason f'liiiuibers wr-i-i. circled (u Iho C'oimlv Cimiicil in IS!W. and hav,- rcnih-rrd very valuable to Hawke's Kay. Mr. C. Cliambers has frequently been asked by his friends to I:liter the* political arena, but lias always declined lo stand, and will probably lake a similar attitude at tin? next genera.! elect ion, though his namo liar, already been monlioncrl as one of those who are to hi asked to contest (ho flawko's Bay i-est. As (he result of a recent benefit performance, given by the blastings Operatic Society, i'!l.| has been added lo the i'uiids of the Hastings Hospital Association. Tho Union Hank or Australasia is rou(o!i!|>l.",ii])g the erection of premises at Hastings.

TAtHAPE. Messrs. X. Stringer and A. Elms, of the local railway stall', have been transferred to Taitimiriiniii. ' Mrs. M'Oullneh, of Martoroa, while travelling by train to Tniliape, endeavoured to close one of tlio carriage windows, which dropped suddenly and severely crushed the- fingers of her right hand, necessitating medical attention 011 arrival here. Local anglers are experiencing; it good season, and some good catches of both brown and rainbow trout have been made. Mr. S. Cartier. took live trout at 'iitraiigarero on Saturday, the smallest of which was 3Mb., and the largest 4Mb. " ' Marton, Mangaweka, Taihape, Huntcrvilie, and Utikti Chambers of Commerce aro co-operating in an effort to secure a better train service between Marten and Taihape. There is accommodation for 340 scholars at the. Taihape School, am! during the last quarter the average daiiv attendance for 314. For the week* ended on Saturday last, the daily average was 330. Tiie, question of .overcrowding in the infants' classes is occupying the attention of tho board. ■ ■ Mr. A. L. Arrowsniith, of Taihane, has been.appointed one of the vice-pre-sidents of tho Law Society recently formed at Wanganui. .Spurious coins aro in circulation in 'laibape, and two counterfeit halfcrowns cmne into the possession of a tradc-iman during the week. Eivo members of the Taihape conling«'J! l ," f special nolit-o have returned from Wellington.

OTAKI. A thunderstorm broke'lioio on 'luesflay, ram for a time falling in tarreiiis. Occasional peals of thunder were heard, while tho lightning flashes were vivid.' The storm was followed bv wind, which lias 'had a bad offoi on'orchards ami (lower gardens. It is rumoured that a number of sheen were killed at Manakau. -Mr. Val. liitclmigs, of the firm of Hiichings. Hanking, and Co., is at present lying seriously ill .'at l.oviu.