HUTT & PETONE NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2260, 21 September 1914, Page 3

HUTT & PETONE NEWS.

. o (From Our Own Correspondent*.) A novelty in the form of a pafriotio social and dance was held at the Lower .Hutt Town Hall on Thursday, and was attended by considerably over two hundred persons. A ladies' committee, consisting of Mesdames Black, Harris, Skittrup; Cotton, Bernstein, and Gilbert, arid Miss Coppendale, organised and managed the entire function. Mrs. Black and Miss Coppendale officiated as M.C.'s, assisted by Messrs. Harris, France, and Murphy, and during the evening a Maori haka, which created much enthusiasm, was.performed by H. A. Ross (conductor), Mrs. Welch, Meri Takanga, H. Preston, and H. Pani'. The music was supplied by Mr. F. Pilcher, and a- feature of the gathering was the decorated supper tables. As the hall was lent free and the supper was provided by the ladies present, »it is anticipated that a substantial sum of money will be handed over to the War ":id as a result of the social. Mr. H. Parkinson presided over a large attendance at the twenty-first annual meeting of the Petone Tennis Club. The balance-sheet showed the finances of the club to be sound, the year 'closins with a credit balance of £36 os. 9d., the sum of £27 raised by debentures having been repaid. Tho report stated that the club had 66 playing members, and placed on record tho action of Messrs. Jowett, Collins, De Ridder, and Johnston, who volunteered for service with .the Expeditionary Force. During the.season over 40 new members'wore elected, and it was advised that the membership be limited to 80 playing members. Tho report thanked all donors for trophies. The following officers were elected:—President, Mr. R. C. Kirk (re-elected); vice-presi-dents, Messrs. W. Fester, W. Lodder, A. Rushton, B.C.' WarneSj and Dr. Ross; secretary, Mr. F. 0. Austin; treasurer, Mr. G. Duncan; auditor, Mr. V. Baker; management committee,, Messrs. • Parkinson, Baker, Hooper, Fox, and Wilkinson; selection.committee, Messrs. Austin, Parkinson; and Wilkinson; delegates to Wellington ".Provincial Lawn Tennis Association,. Messrs. Baker and Parkinson; ladies' committee, Misses Bennett, Cochrancj 'Walters, Naughton, and Andrews. On Saturday afternoon several volunteers assisted in tho 'work of,planting potatoes at Lower Hutt, about an acre ■ and a half at Dr. being convpl'dted. Tlirotigh the week the 'remaining portions of the ploughed land at tho ■ Recreation Grounds, and Wesley Church) wero finished off, aml.it, is anticipated that next week will complete the work. Some consternation was caused on Saturday evening, between 7 and 8 o'clock, in Pcforio, at the sight of two horses attached to a ' brake careering madly through Jackson Street. It ap.pears that T. Smith, coal dealer, had just delivered some goods in Victoria Street, and was about to stop into the vehicle, when the' near-side horse (a young one) bounded forward, startling his mate, with the'result that both animals bolted. By pluckily climbing along the "pole," Mr. Smith secured ■ the reins, which were dragging on the road, and, applying the brak«,'soon had tho restive animals.under command. Great inconvenience has arisen at Lower Hutt to the discontinuance of the motor-bus service. Several residents hove expressed the opinion that if another loan poll for a motor service was taken shortly, the proposal would be carried easily. A Hutt Valley resident suggests that in order that land might be rapidly prepared, for potato planting or wheat sowing for distressed cases in the Valley* a treasure hunt. might be organised on lines similar to the recent Lyall Bay search,, adding that for a few pounds expended in prize-money, the district ."ould jiave a large area of soil turned over by spades which he states wouldbe. infinitely better than ploughing the land. At the Petone Salvation Army Barracks yesterday, the services wero conducted all day by Brigadier Cormichael, a Now Zealand delegate to the International Congress at London. In the morning the, subject was, "Tho Purity of the Gift,"in'the afternoon "Incidents of Travel- to and from London," ond in the evening "Come." There were largo attendances, -and the speaker gave a graphic description of the work accomplished at the Cbntrress, and in referring to his return home, BnVadier Carmichael stated that he had travelled from London on board a German liner, and at the Island of Java had been put off, and had returned thence by a British boat. The speaker also gave some impressions of the wonderful life in London. , As a result of a social and dance held at Lower Hutt, about £14 will be handed over to the Patriotic Fund.