MANAWATU ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 152, 22 March 1919, Page 10

MANAWATU ITEMS

Tho annual mc-cting of the Palmei'ston North Technical School Hockey Club was held on Thursday night. It wus decided to outer both senior and junior teams this season, and to communicate with tho clubs of Levin, Marton, Feilding, Wauganui, and Woodville in an endeavour to promote matches. Officers for tho ensuing year were elected as follow; President, Mr. F. D. Opie; vice-presidents, Messrs. Paton, Campbell, Aitchison, N. Stephenson, and 11. Knowles; delegate to association, L. Martin; secretary and treasurer, 11. Voyce; assistant secretary, E. Watson; captain, C. Aitchison; club captain, E. Anstis; vice-captain, N. Harrison; executive committee, R. Mayo, C. Aitchison, anil E'. Watson.

According to cable advico Mi'. Duncan lv. Burgess, a Palmerstou North boy, who is a first mechanic in tho Royal Navy, is returning to New Zealand. Mr. Burgess is tho second sou of tho late Mr. Adam Burgess, of Palmerston. He joined up with the Navy soon after the outbreak of war, and gaiiied his first rating shortly afterwards.

Temporary repairs are to Ijd mado to the Ashhurst School. At the last meeting of tlio Education Board the opinion was expressed that a new building would have to bo erected in tlio near future. Now outbuildings aro to bo erected lit the College Street School, Paluierslon North, at a- cost of J!2lio. The owner of land near the school which is required for tlio erection of the projected infants' scliool has refused to sell less than six acres for the purpose, and tho board nu» referred the matter to the committee for consideration. ' Practically the whole of the milk supplied to the Hahui (Shannon) co-opera-tive factory is now being sent to Wellii.gton'to meet the demand for fresh milk for the municipal milk supply. The yield is now rapidly diminishing, the recent dry spell causing a big drop in the supply available. Owing to a number of tho schools being required for voting purposes, all the .schools in and around Palmerston North will be closed on tho day of the fortlicoming licensing poll. The Education Department lias granted for additions to tho Kimbolton School, and the work will bo put iu hand as scon as possible. The Education Board has refused the renuest of tho.Foxton School Coiumitteo to A lay a foundation stone in the new school at the llaxmill centre, bearing the names of tlio Minister of Education, tho board chairman, and the chairman of tho school committee. . Privates E. Wade, 11. Avery, and M. Brooks, who have returned to Konini, are to be accorded a "welcome home social. Recently a resident of Fitzhcrbert (Pol" murston North) wrote to tlio Minister or Immigration with reference to the scarcity of domestic scrvjints in tho Dominion, and in viow of the improbability of obtaining from Great Britain a supply ■commensurate with our requirements urged the Minister to avail himself of tho services of a well-known Danish gentleman long resident in the Piuiriov* slou district, enjoying the respect of the whole community, and well quiuined to explain in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden all our domestic, social, and economic conditions, and who had expressed his willingness to proceed to those countries on an emigration mission should tho Government so desire. In reply a letter has been received from the Chief lmmigiation Ollicei' slating Unit it was not desired lliat any action should he taken as regards sending an immigration agent to oilier countries, and further pointing out that tlio Government anticipate that an ample supply of domestics will bfl forthcoining from tlio United Kingdom. Tho following appointments ot teachers in tlicMaiiuwiitu district have been announced Hangiotu: Assistant, Miss 11. T. Bain; Bunnythorpe: iu'st assistant, Miss if: Prentice; Fitzherbert liiist: Assislanl, Miss T,. L. Criibb; Apiti: Acting-second iissisl-anfc: lyiiss M. Oald* wll; Moutoa: Assistant, Miss K I'onio; Glen Uura: Head teacher, Mr. A. D. Train; Mn-kino Uondt Head teacher, Mr. D Taylor. The reliving teachers appointed are.—Mrs. Itobson, octing-tirst iWistant, Ashhnrst; Miss Best, actiugsccond assistant, I.ongbiini; Miss h. lila.ii'; acling-second assistant, nest End; Mr. l'\ W. Muir; pupil teacher, has been appointed lo Asliliurst Miss M. Little, first, assislanl, Rongotea, and Miss H. IVri-etl, assistant, Glen Oura, Imve resigned. Tlio I'almersloii Square, which proves suck a suurce of pleasure to visitors, is just now providing a rich fund ot argument in Manawatu's capital. When I ho curator of the Christcliurch reserves paid a visit to the town the first thing that he admired most was the, enclosure of the (lower-beds and grass plots by live hedges. Now, these hedges, which have talcen ,10 years to grow, are in danger of demolition, if tho Borough Council continues its policy of removal which has been adopted with tho hedges in tho , Square opposite the Post Office, In

their endeavuui' to follow the open garden policy in vogue in America tho lieserves Committee appear to have lost sight of .some of the main reasons why the hedges were planted. The principal reasons were to provide shelter to the flower-beds and also to afford places where women and children could go and rest under tho trees. The removal of the hedges and fences does not meet with the approval of numbers of citizens, some of whom declare that it. is nothing short of vandalism. The principal objeclioli taken to the innovation is that as a rcstiiig-place tho usefulness of tho Square, which has been denuded of its shelter, has been done away with. Privacy is thus destroyed, and this particular part of the Square bids fair to develop into a happy hunting-ground for derelict dogs and a repository for invading clouds of dust. Meanwhile tho council lias paused in its experiment, in the face of growing opposition.

A tender at. ,-£3(117 has been accepted for the brick and concrete work for a new school at Foxton. A tender of ~CISO Kis. for joinery at this school has also been accepted. School holiday:" for North and surrounding districts have been fixed as follow: —Goc.'l Friday and the week following; winter holidays commencing June 30; spring holidays commencing September 1.

The following soldisrs liave returned with the Main Body men:—Sergeant R. fi. Piercy (Ashhu'rst), Gunner J. 0. I-lobbs (Kowatu), Private G. C. .Knowles (Longburnl, and Private J. A. Grant, Sergeant Cole,'M .31.. and Private Oliver, of Palnierston North.

The following repatriation committee has been appointed for Levin:—Messrs. Robert T. Smith (Labour), 0. S. Keedwoll, chemist, P. W. Goldsmith, counlry clerk (patriotic and business interests), T. G. Vincent, farmer, W. Ryder, farmer, V. Higgius (returned soldier), school teacher, and the Mayor of Shannon.

For some considerable time residents of the Manawatu County and surrounding districts have been interested in the formation of a township at the Rangitikei Heads as a seaside resort. At tho last meeting of the ■ council a largely signed petition to the Minister of Lands, asking that a survey of the township bo proceeded with at once, wa6 received. The council forwarded the petition to the Minister through Mr. E. Newman, M.P., and in Teply Mr. Newman has received a telegram from the Minister stating that the Chief Surveyor had instructed' Mr. Stevenson to make the survey. At present lie was engaged on other important work, but if possible ho would take the matter in hand at the end of the present, month.

At a tennis tournament at Palnierston this week a team of High School old girls played the present girls. Results (Old girls being given first).:—Singles: Miss Lorna Hodder 'beat Miss M. Pickering, -10—27; Miss 0. Rett beat Miss J'. Hoilier, 40—23; Miss E. Cook beat "Misß E. Laurenson, '10—29; Miss 11. Bett beat Miss J. Claris, -10-21; Miss M. Voss beat Miss E. Patterson, JO —35; Miss I. Fowler lost to Missel. Davey, 37—JO; Miss S. Bett beat Miss D. Robinson, '10 —27; Miss Fairbrotljer beat Miss V. Noedl, 10—31. Doubles: Misses 0. Bett and L. Dodder beat Misses M. Pickering and J. Hoilier, 50—2G; Misses E. Cook and 11. Rett beat Misses J. Claris and B. Laurenson, 50—20; Misses M. Voss and' S. Bett beat Misses D. Robinson and E. Patterson, 50—38; Misses Fairbrotlier and Fowler beat Missis I. Davey and N. Noedl, 50-18.

Councillor E. H. Crabb, senior member of the Palmerston North Borough Council, and who last yeiir stood for the Mayoralty, and was placed third in the last 'by-election, has decided to retire from municipal politics and will not seek re-election. With the exception of Councillor Bryant, all tho other borough councillors will again offer their services to tho electors.

Mr. P. Lirnlop, who has for the past six years been on the staff of the Bank of New Zealand at Palmerston North, was made tho recipient of an entree disli on Thursday prior to his departure, for T'imaru, where he has been appointed first teller,

About a fortnight ago the totalisator house iat tile Marton racecourse was broken into by means cf a window being smashed. A) 1 the drawers in the building were ransacked, but as tho goods in the building aro valueless the. thieves got very little for their trouble*. On Tuesday evening tho Marton District High School was burglarised and Xa taken from the headmaster's desk.

It was stated in a civil action in the Feilding Court that during tho summer months, when handling fat sheep, a local drover received in pavment from .£3O to -£'32 per month. Examined regarding the values o.f dogs, an expert witness declared that a really good lending d"g was worth ,£2O and a good forcer ("a quiet worker behind (he sheen") from X\i to ,£ls. Counsel retorted 'that nl. a sale of sheen dogs in Feilding last Friday the animals brought from XI 1(k to .£3. "Then they were not much good," was the instant reply. A South Tslniul visitor had offered' ,£2O for a Feilding leading dog, wnj another statem""t bv a witness.

Mr. A. Tomliiison, tf Tirn Tiro Pond, Levin, lias boon most sucwsful with his tomato crop tbU season in spitp of unseasonable -weather ami the blight pest. TTp has a quarter of ail. aero under cultivation, and Ihe plants arc in :hea.vy b»;:V-ing. dlflimißir about n month late owing to the backward reason. The ]i!'n)(- are almost free, from blisht, Mr. Tomlinson taking Ihc prpcantinn lo sprav liberally before Hip nest nppeaml, ami thus prevented it gel ting n hold. Pickim? operations have lieen in progress about three weeks, and there is still an abundance of fruit. Mr. Tomlinson expects that tho plants will yield over two to»s of fruit. Most amateur growers in Levin lost all their plants through an attack of blirrht this season.