DISTRICT NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2406, 11 March 1915, Page 7

DISTRICT NEWS.

JOTTINGS FROM PROVINCIAL CENTRES. (From Our Special Correspondents.) WANCANUI. It' is estimated that the Aramoho tramway extensions will be completed in about three weeks' time, when tho new time-table will bo available. It was decided at ihe meeting of tho .Borough Council last night to call a combined meeting of the Finance and Reserves Committees to consider the town clerk's scheme of municipal dwellings, which was laid before the council some time ago. The Borough Council offered to place a. gas lamp on the footway of the Aramoho Bridge, to supply the gas, and to maintain the lamp all free of charge, butthe -Railway Department refuau unless the couucil enter into an agreement for mi c c y wa . t'ha council to pay 30s. The footway is used more by Government employees than by the public. The Mayor declares that such officialism is absurd. 'Other councillors endorsed this view, and it was decided to write to the General Manager protesting against tho decision of the District Engineer. . -The Sargeant Art Gallery Committee intend l to go 011 with tho proposal to provide the f building required to accommodate tho pictures, and the Borough Council last night adopted a report of the committee ■to call for plans and specifications for the building. It was pointed out t&at the sum of £5000 was available for the purpose. If the council went 011 with the building scheme to house the Art Gallery and Museum and Library under one roof, the ratepayers would have to sanction the loan. Under the bequest the money was available at once._ Tho idea was to build a suitable hall in Queen's Park, behind the lion monument, near the 6ite where it was proposed to build the new Library and Museum, and to have the threo buildings in a suitable and convenient group. Very welcome rain set in this evening, and is continuing steadily, with no sign of a break. If it keeps raining all night it will do an immense amount of good to the district.

Some time ago tho Railway Department intimated that it intended to proceed with the.erection ol a new station at Wanganui East, but so far nothing further has been done in tho matter beyond placing some material on the ground. At last night's-meeting of the Borough Council it was decided l to write to the General Manager urging the completion of the station. NAPIER. The children of the Rissington School have voluntarily abandoned their annual picnic and have handed the money (£5) that would have been used for that purpose to the Belgian Relief Fund. An anonymous donor has given £200 to the Belgian Relief Fund. Sir Robert Stoutj the Chief Justice, is evidently very dissatisfied with Napier juries. During the hearing of a case to-day, when a man was charged with breaking and entering and receiving stolen goods, his Honour said Napier juries did not appear to realise that they were there to protect the community. If they ignored the evidence and believed men who were telling lies they wore ntft protecting the community. The Hastings Belgian Fund now amounts to £8329.

Patrick Lynch, Leslie Short, Oliver Burke, and Victor Fuller,who were yes<terday acquitted on a charge of conspiring to defraud a Native by playing cards in a train, were last night served with a summons to appear at the Napier Magistrate's Court on Monday on a charge of gambling in a train. CARTERTON. A' large contingent of Maoris left Carterton on Tuesday morning to take part in a tangi being held at Takapau. So heavy was the passenger traffic on the train that it was found necessary to put on an extra carriage at ton: At the Council Chambers on Monday Mr. M. D, Hornsby, Mayor, was presented with a silver-mounted oak tray with salad bowl and ladles, from the borough councillors, and a clock with | Westminster chimes, from the bur- ! Resses, to celebrate the., event of his approaching marriage. Councillor Hughan made the presentation on behalr of the councillors, and Mr. G. A. Fairbrother on behalf of the burgesses. Mr. and Mrs D; T. King, who have been on a holiday visit to the South Island, returned home on Monday evenTm't $ r i? Kingreprosented the local lent of Rechabites at the recent conference at Invercargill. masterton. I wHt;L M rt ter m n i C ? u:aty Council intends the Eketahuna County Council ivl* amalgamation of the ff ol \ Wlth the 'atter body ™ ct aa from April 1. ' ,J w tUraip cr I°Ps1°P s inthe Masterton I ra " pa i districts are reported to £ affected with blight. Ino Department of Agriculture, Industries, and Commerce has issued cirng .details of the proper methods for handling home-separator cream These circulars, vhich contain valuable hints, have been distributed among Masterton suppliers. ■A, E l arfc «», made immediately with the erection of the new municipal bui dings m Masterton. The cost of the Koo. 8 ' comi>leted ' 1)6 about

Further grass fires were raging in the