"MANAWATU"

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 149, 19 March 1919, Page 10

"MANAWATU"

At the Magistrate's Court yesterday, a lad named Alfred Patrick Broome was committed for trial on a clnvrge of theft of a gelding, saddle, and bridle, of a total value of .£ls 7s. Gd., tho property of Airs. Annie Aston, of Boundary Road. Tho accused, while being escorted by a constable to AVeraroa Training Farm recently, made a somewhat, sensational escape from custody - outside the Palmerston Polio.b Station. After running along Church Street he obtained a bicycle, which he rode to Boundary Road. He then saw a pony standing outside a house, and ho mounted this and rode to Greatford, where ho obtained work on the AVestoe Estate. , The pony died within a few days, and-accused was subsequently arrested by Constable AVilson, of Bulls, and brought back to Palmerston. The Manawatu Bowling Club were challenged for the Mansoii-Barr Cup last week by a Palmerston team, and for tho Dixon Cup by the Terrace End' Club. The respective gamas-'were played on the Manawatu green, and resulted' in the_ loss of tho two coveted trophies, Maua-' ivatu having held them for one week onlv. The play was ve.vy interestiiuf, apd in the match for the Mansou-Bnrr Cup the Palmerston Club was successful by only ono point. H. Scifert skipped for Paiuierslon and Rankin for TeTracn End, the Manawatu skips being Roy Lee and'Radford, respectively. The two rinks which visited Foxton from tho Palmerston green won in the aggregate by eight points. The skips' wero Drew and Law. A party of bowlers from AVaverlev, who are on tour to Napier, will break the journey at Palmerston on Thursday and play friendly games on the Palmerston greeu against two rinks from that club.

Mr. Alex. Dixon, of Longburn, has purchnse'd Air. AV. 11. Reynolds's farm property at Rangiuru (Otaki). A meeting of all those interested in the Mount Hector track will bo held at Otaki at an early date. The track from Greytown to the top of the ranges is in first-class order, and three huts havo been erected. On the Otaki side the track is- very rough, while there are no huts. Air. AV. H. Field, M.P., hopes to be able to securo .£SO towards the work of improving the track and erecting a hut, by way of a. Government arant. The supplementary Toll -for the Otaki electoral district, contains 1600 names.

A meeting of the Citizens' Committee in connection with the recent epidemic was held at Otaki last week. The only business before tho meeting was a ciroular letter from Dr. A r alintine, the Chief Ifeilth Officer, stating that the Minister of Public Health had decided that a special form of certificate of thanks should be presented to those persons who had rendered voluntary servico during the epidemic. A motion that tho meeting looked upon the propositi with disfavour, and considered it a useless and extravagant waste of public money was almost unanimously favoured, but after a discussion it was decided to send to the Department the names of those who had nursed nt the temporary hospital, it being agreed that onca anyone outside of that institution was named no end of trouble would' ensue. The names of thoso recommended for certificates are Mesdamos Clark, Fisher, Baker; and Blair, Misses Kirk, Miller, Simcox, Earned, Joan Pearless, and Atkinson.

Mr. 11. Freeman, of Otaki, has received word that his son Gordon is seriously ill in a hospital in England. Sergeant Roy Satherly, of Otaki, has cabled that ho expects to bo leaving England for home at an early date.

Residents of lhakara (Levin) have decided to hold a patriotic fair next month, the proceeds .to bo given to the patriotic fund. At a meeting comment was made on the indifferent way the Government had treated the appeals of re'turned soldiers. Miss 1. Redwood has beon appointed probationer at the AA'oodvillo School. Privates M'Kinlcy and O'Neill, who have returned to Papatawa, off active service, were accorded a welcome home social last week. Corporal C. Scott,' of AVoodville, is back from the front. Mr-;. E. Tattershall, wife of Mr. D. D. Taltorshall, died a few days ago at Kumeroa. Sho is survived by four married (laughters. A sawmill is being erected by Messrs. Gardner and Yoemnn, of Pongaroa, on tho AValton Block, in the AVoodville district. It will take some years to cut out all tho timber on the soldiers' settlement. Another old Woodvillo resident in the person of Airs. Martin, widow of the late Mr. W. 'Martin, died last week at tho ago of 71 years. _ ,i A proposal is on foot in AVoodville to plant drees in Fountain Squ.aro as a memorial to fallen soldiers. AVorkmou's cottages aro being erected

in AVoodville. The AA'angnnui Borough Council has supplied the borough with dome details as to its experiment in concreto dwellings, and further information on the subject is to be obtained. Mr. AV. A. AVoodgcr is relieving the stationroastor nt Pahiatua.

Mir. Tom lliggar, the well-known mail contractor, has been burned out at Makuri.

Mr. A. Moore, a returned soldier, is the new homo nibsioner at Pongaroa. The General Manager of Railways has written to the .Mayor of Palmerston, Mr. J. A. Nash, ALP., relative to the application for the reinstatement of tho train which formerly ran' from Woodville to Palmerston, connecting with the 7.1-5 p.m. train from Palmerston to Danneviirke. The manager pointed out that up to the present time practically no fit men had returned from the. front; to their employment: with the Department, and very few were discharged from camp. Tho Department was. therefore, not yet in a position to reinstate the train. Tho Feilding Borough Council has decided to support tho suggestion of tho Palmerston North Council that in order to encourage owners of pigs to: have the animals slaughtered at Iho abattoirs the Government be asked to increase the rate paid for condemned pigs from 2d. pea' lb. to 50 per cent, of the value of the pigs. Mr. John Smith, of Longbuirn, who is retiring shortly front the Railway. Service oil superannuation, after 30 years of service, is tho head of a "fighting family." Five of his sons have seen* active service. Ono was killed on Gallipoli, and three have returned home. The fifth son is still abroad.

Base Records has notified the Palmerston North High School Board that the newly-appointed rector, Lieutenant Murray, who has been absent from the Dominion on active service, was due, according to latest advice received, to embark on February 28 last, and should therefore now bo on route.

Tho Rov. Dr. Gihb, of Wellington,. delivered au address advocating Church union at a social celebration 6f the annual reunion of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Palmerston North. The Rev. A. Doull, - pastor of St. Andrew's, who presided, sxprased tho belief that tho vote of the Palmerston North Presbyterians would bo unanimously in favour of union. Touching on other matters, Mr. Doull said that during his eight years' ministry among them tho Church had made great progress. This progress'had originated in the Sunday School, the attendances at which' had so greatly increased that tho accommodation for tho children had bccomo quite insufficient. The time had. come, when the board of management musf) deal with the question of providing adequate and permanent accommodation for the Sunday School children.

At the last meeting of the Palmerston North High School Board Mr. T. R. Hodder was re-elected chairman for the ensuing year, and in returning thanks he said that, lie was confident that during his term of office the Government would bo prevailed upon to erect tho muchnecdwl girls' high school. Tho report of the acting-rector, Mr. Colquhouii, stated that tho school had done hotter than over indhe recent examinations. Charles Barroivclough had obtained a university scholarship, ono pupil pnssed witji credit, and three obtained matriculation on tho scholarship examination. In tho matriculation examination fifteen pupils passed and three had obtained'partial passes. Seven pupils passed the Public Service entrance examination.

Speaking nt tho annual inspection of the Palmerston North waterworks, the Mayor (Air. ,T. A. Nash, M.P.) said ho was proud of tho fact that Palmerston had a water supply sufficient for a population of 20.000. to 25,000, and tho • work reflected great credit on tho borough engineer; Mr. S. Jickcl. Palmerston was also fortunate in having means of obtaining supplies from other sources, and a Rood catchment could bo got from the Pohangina, River. In fact, they could get an unlimited supply. The old dam could, if required, bo brought into use any time as a temporary measure. Palmerston North is one of the best en--dowed boroughs in the Dominion'. Speaking at a municipal function on Monday afternoon, tho ohnirman nf tho Reserves Committee, Councillor E. H. Crabb, stated that altogether the borough possessed about 500 acres from which ,£IOOO was yielded yearly in rental. Next year, owing to the increased rentals, this amount would bo. increased by .£250 to. 4:300. He claimed that no dt.her town on tho coast had its reserves in such fine order as Palmerston. In the new drive beimr formed through the Esplanade they would shortly have, an asset unequalled in New 1 Zealand. Councillor Crabb ivent o.i to state that the matter of having a reserve at Terrace End was well forward, while the plans of the North Street Parkwould bo laid on the council table at its next meeting. This latter work would entail tho expenditure of .£IOOO. The Tiutea water supply reserve, near Palmerston North, is a sanctuary for nativo game, mid it is pleasing to bo able to report that mallard ducks are now gathering there in fair numbers. Quite \ number of native pigeons have been seen thero lately, while parrakeets have also made their appearance. Large numbers of opossums are to be found amongst tho foliage, while the big reservoir simply teems with trout.

Tho latest batch of Dannevirke men to return from overseas are: Sgt. J. Burridge, Cpl. M. Neilsen. Ptes. F. S. Whaler, C. J. Bagley, William Burlnce, A. Anderson, and Cpl. A r . Fergus.

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Gardner, of DaiK nevirke, celebrated their diamond wedding on Sunday. They came to New Zealand 45 years ago, and.they have 22 children, 28 grandchildren, and five greatgrandchildren. Mr. Codzow.'of AVestport, has-succeed-ed Mr. F. Fowler as manager of Fillers' Pictures at Danuovirke.

Tlie Rev. H. Cotton will leave Pahiatua the middle of April in order to take up his new appointment at Morrinsville. Pte. J. Dempsey has been accorded a "welcome home-social" by the settlers in the Koniul district.

Pte. Charles Fletcher, sou of Air. F. Fletcher, of Pahiatua district, is back from the front.

Sergeant Arthur Ellerm, of Feilding, who returned by the Hororatn, has been awav four Christmases.