DISTRICT NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2119, 9 April 1914, Page 9

DISTRICT NEWS.

JOTTINGS FROM PROVINCIAL .'•■••. CENTRES. ...■•• (From Onr Special Correspondents) WANCANUI. A presage of the days when the Dominion's diminishing timber supply will force builders to turn to other materials,; oven in the back-blocks, is found iu a decision by the Wanganui County Council to put air end to the era of wooden bridges, culverts, and tho like. For some time tho council has been experimenting with reinforced concrete, and one or two bridges built of that matorial have given so much satisfaction in wearing, first cost, and maintenance that, it has now been decided that all future bridges and culverts shall bo built of it. The Wanganui Rugby Referees' Association elected tho following officers at their annual meeting:—Rev. W. B. Scott, president, and Mr. H. _ Hague Smith, secretary. The question or sending a delegate to. the conference at Wellington in May was held over, pending advice as to the nature of .the business to bo brought forward for discussion. During March tho building permits issued in Wnneanui Borough were of a. total value of £10,852. Notwithstanding tho excellent work which is .being done by the Wanganui. Technical. College its administration is said to bo causing dissatisfaction to some of the contributing bodies. The college is controlled practically directly by the Wanganui Education Board, the local committee of management having, powers virtually only of recommendation. _ Complains are made that the board is loth to spend .money on some tilings that are urgently needed. . Remarks to this effect were made at this week's meeting of the Wanganui County Council, whose representative on tho College Committee declined reappointment, and objected strongly to money being voted' to the college, when the •representative of those voting it had little say iu its disposal. The.council decided on making a practical protest by withholding its.annual subsidy, nnd declining to appoint a delegate to tho College Committee till some other administration system is inaugurated. TAIHAPE.

The resignation of the Rev. P. W. Clarkson, of St. Margaret's, Anglican Church, Taihape, has been received and accepted by the Bishop of Wellington. The Rov. Mr. Clarkson was the first clergyman of any denomination te take up residence at Taihape. He was .recently appointed organiser to the New Zealand Rible-in-State Schools' League, and found it impossible to devote'the necessary timo and attention to the Taihape Parish. ■ ■ . At'the annual'meeting of the, Pakch'a Hockey Club on Monday evening, the following offico-bearcrs were elected:— Patron, Mr. A. D. Knight; president, Mr. It.-- \V. Smith; vice-presidents. Messrs. A. James, J. Ryan, JtV 'Wakeman, W. M'Lennan, E. Robinson, 'and D. Neagle; secretary 'and treasurer, Mr. C. H. Cribb; club captain, Mr. G. Fredericks; vico-'captain, Mr. D. ,Tids'well j committee, Messrs.' -S. Fredericks, A. Begg, D. Tidswell, P. M'Laughlan, A. Palmer, C. Cribb, and R. Eaton: :• The rainfall for the moiith of March was 2.22 in. Rain fell on ten days', the maximum fall being 0.7in.0n March 17. During the past eight years the average rainfall for iMarch wasv3.l6in. At the monthly -meeting of ;<tho' Taihapo Chamber of Commerce on Monday, Mr. J. G. Oldham was appointed .delegate to represent the Chamber at a. conferenco.'iofi locali'bodies in 'connection with tho proposed ,Taihape-Napicr Road. Councillor W. Doole.'has been appointed delegate to the same, conference by'tho' Rangitikei County' Council. The Rev. J. E. Parsons, who was appointed' to Otahuhu Station at the' recent Methodist Conference, was presented with a purse of sovereigns at a social gathering at Taihape on Monday evening.-

. The scores in tho final shoot for the Hiwora Challengo Cup by members of the Taihape Defence Club wero as follow :-C. Cribb (10), 94; P. Somcrville (2), 94; J. Turnbull (scr.), 89; Hi Marsh (scr.), 89; S. Bason (5).' 87.' The cup was won by S. Bason, with an aggregate score of 460, j. Turnbull being runner-up witli 456. The club's championship (best aggregate in all competitions) was won by J. Turnbull, with a score of 743, C. Batt being, next with 736.

Over' twenty members of the Railway Engineers' Corps went into camp at Karioi on Saturday. Special attention was paid to the musketry and drill courses. The camp broke uo on Monday, but another will bo held shortly. MASTERTON. The Mayor (Mr. J. M. Coradine) and Councillor Sellars visited Wellington on Tuesday and interviewed various financial institutions regarding the loan of £26,000 for water'extension and municipal buildings. It is expected that definite arrangements .will bo made for .proouring tire money in the course of a. few days. The Masterton Boxing Association has opened its season. It has secured the services of'"Donny" Murphy as instructor. The annual dog trials in connection with the Masterton Collie Club are to bo held at Te Oro Oro on May 20, 21, and 22. _■• ■•_■■' The Bishop of Wellington; is to deliver an address here this evening on the "Marsdeu Centenary." In connection with the exhibition to bo hold in Wellington in. February next in. celebration of the centenary, the Wairarapa has been allotted tbo Canadian court. Canon Garland, organiser for the Bible-in-Schools League, visited Masterton on Tuesday. Messrs. R. 0. Jarrett and H. M. Boddington will'represent tho Wairarapa Egg Circle at a poultry conference to be held in Wellington next week. The first bus of the recently-formed Masterton Motos Bus Company will ar-rivo'to-day. , The town promises to bo almost deserted for Easter. As tho .business places will bo closed from Thursday night until Tuesday morning, hundreds -will take advantage of the opportunity of securing a holiday. OTAKI.

The propeller, all that is left of Mr. Scotland's Caudron biplane, is now on viow.ii Mr. Irvine's .window here. The .annual meeting of Ihe Otaki Hockey Club was spoilt on Tuesday night by heavy rain. Officers, however, wore elected, and it was decided to open the season on Friday. Mr. R. F. Mann, who has been accompanying Mr. Scotland, tho aviator, returned to Otaki on Tuesday. It is expected- that considerable interest will betaken in the State school election, to be held here next month, and that an attempt will be made to put now blood, in. • A bowling rink from Foilding will play Otaki (holders) for tho Dixon Cup on Friday. • In view of this and tho fact that Karori are sending several players hero at Easter, Otaki will be unable to send a rink to Wellington for tho Easter tournament.-. .

Without the air-brako the. fjist passenger and freight trains of to-day would bo out of the Question, owing to lack of Control. It takes a powerful locomotive <lT«niiig- a train of ten passenger cars a distance of five miles to reach a •speed of sixty miles an. hour on a straight ;and lovel track. The brakes will stop the train from a. speed of sixty miles an hour in 700 ft.