COUNTRY NEWS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 169, 11 April 1919, Page 10

COUNTRY NEWS

NOTES FROM VARIOUS CENTRES MANAWATU At a meeting of the Patriotic Association at Levin this week Air. J. M'Lcavey, in deprecating tho Government's action in putting soldiers on extremely poor land.'said that he had heard of a soldier who spent Jits in travelling to visit a backblock section, with a view to acquiring it as a farm, and when he got there oil that was to bo seen were wild pigs and blackberries. At a public meeting at Otaki this week a sub-committee 1 was set up to devise whys and means of raising J25000 towards memorial municipal buildings as u memorial to fallen soldiers.

The Mowing is the result of the Otaki Golf Club's opening competitions: —Ladi<»' approaching and putting (two balls): Mm. Hodgson (seven strokes), 1; ladies' long driving: Mrs. Arthur Winterburn, 1; men's approaching and putting (three tails): E. Hopkins (nine strokes), 1: men's long driving: E. P. Simcox, 1; mixed foursomes: Miss Pearless and 11. C. Kirk.

Mr. Byron Brown, of Otaki, has agreed to give 1E250, on condition that thrco other persons do likewise, towards a peace memorial in the shape of municipal buildings. The prico of jnilk has been raised to 5Jd ft quart in Otaki. .

An effort is being made to revive footli.ill in the Horowhemia district,' and a meeting of the parent body will be held shortlv to discuss matters. Pte. Eric M'Lcavey, son of Mr. ana Mrs. M'Leavey, of Levin, is returning by the Willochra, due in the Dominion ou April 15. ---

Mr; E. Hopkins, who has been secretary of the Otaki Golf Club, has been presented by members' with a valuable piece of plate, as a token of . the work accomplished by him. At tho last meeting of the Otaki-Edu-cational .Institute, Mr. Steele, of Wlslington. was elected to represent the insttute at the forthcoming town-planning conference to be held at Wellington. Tho branch also passed a resolution that the language of the school journal was unsuitable, and tho matter generally uninteresting; also, that an experienced teacher should supervise the production of tho iournal.

A • lawn tennis match played between Shannon and Mannkau resulted in an easy win.for the latter club by H sets to 5. The following passes are noted to the credit of the Levin District High School: -Partial teacher's certificate: Alien Hooper; Public Service cntranco: May M'Alister.,Thomas Hagan; senior scholarshin: Alex. Stewart; pass in senior scholarship examination: Beth Kirk; senior free place: Mo. Best, Sid Draper, A. Stuart: Beth Kirk, May M'Alister, Thomas Hagan; junior free place: Harry Diaper, Max Eiske, Harvey P. Thomson. Mr A. H. Hill, of Otaki district, has sold his farm property on Tasman Road to Mr. J. Buick, of Palmerston North, vvho takes possession 'on June l ;i Mr. Hill has purchased a farm in Levin from Mr. S. Rolston, of Levin. There have been fair ontries at most of the sales held in tho Manawntu district during tho last week, but business on the whole has (been slack. Store stock have ben negl'eeted, owing to the uncertainty of feed ,prospccts, tho only thing meeting with any inquiry being lambs. Freezing buyers aro operating but sparingly, and no immediate improvement is expected in this lino until there is some certainty of a further supply of insulated .tonnage to get tho finished product to the Old Country. The annual meeting of the - i riendly Societies' Council, which was held at Palmerston North this week, was presided over by the. president, Bro. I l '. Buick, The position of funds on March 31 show-, ed a crpdit balance of i's IGs. 7d. in tho management fund, and .£lB IGs. lOd. in the hospital comforts fund. The matter of holding a combined welcome home to all friendly' society men returning from tho front was discussed, and arrangements made for the function, which will be held later in the year Tho following officers were elected:—President,_Bro. H. Sharman; vice-president, Bro. D. P. Jones: secretary, Bro. R. S. Watson; trensuver. Bio. R. Jordni; trustees, Bros. W. Mawkes and H. .Buick; auditor Bro. D. P. .Tones. During the evening Ilia retiring president was presented with a president's jewel by the incoming president, oil behalf of Hie council. The Presbytery of Wanganin, which includes Palmerston and district, met at Mnrton on Tuesday, the Moderator, the Kcv T. Millar, presiding. A letter was read from the Right Ke.v. V. Gray Dixon Moderator of the Gencrnl Assembly, arranging to visit the Presbytery during Ma'v. Matters relating to the Gonville appeal lease were discussed. Dr. Gibb winto regarding the home mission collection tor the year, ond tho cleik "\\ft3 authorised to communicate with congre* cations regarding the same. At a meeting of the Terrace End School Committee at Palmerston North this week a letter was read from the Education Board, stating' that Miss Grace Warner had been' appointed lentil assistant at the school. It was decided to approach tho board with a view to its pro* viding half the cost of asphalting the school grounds. The School Committees Association wrote, suggesting that iu future the schools in the district, should combine in holding their* annual picnics and sports gathering. The matter was referred to ill© annual meeting of householders. The report of tlie headmaster slated that there were MS pupils on the roll. The attendance in the lower, classes had been anything but satisfactory. ' , Sergeant Fred Sollitt, of Palmerston NbrtliT is expected back in New Zealand about April 22. Corporal Eric Beauchamp, son of Mrs. M. E. Beaucliamp, of Awahuri. is also due buck (-liortlj.

In his report to tlio ' Terrace End School Committee this week the .headmaster referred to the cramped nafiire of the school playground, and pointed out that it was unsafe to plaj 'football in such a restricted area. lis suggested that some steps should be taken to secure more ground The matter was referred In the incoming committee.

Tho following soldiers l'rom the Palmerslon district aro on board; a transport which is due to arrive in Auckland on April 21Corporal W. N. Fisher, Privates T: Harris, J. Drummond, B. D. O'Keefe (Palnierston North), Corporal G. E. Hall, Privates B. D. liirrell, W. Whitlaker. 11. E. Hayden (Eeililing), Pte. G. Clark (Woodvillo). ; A. boy named Alfred O'lteill/, son of Mr. and Mrs JL O'Heilly, of I'oxton, was riding on a horse with another boy a. few days ago when the animal slipped and fell. Young O'lieilly's leg was caught under the horse, and fractured, The vexed .question of noxious weeds and goats rue in particular, was brought 'no at a meeting of the Kairanga County Council at Palnierston North this week. It was pointed out that. tho council's metal carts .were spreading it throughout tlio country. There appeared to bo somo doubt as to whether it was the duty of tho engineer to give notice to clear properties. It was pointed out that there was a noxious weeds inspector for the district, but several members said that they had never seen him. The engineer said he had sent out notices to about forty people to clear noxious weeds from properties from which they were spreading on to the ~'oads' anjl drains. It was eventually decided thitjt the council should take the responsibility I of removing from the roads Californian thistlo, goats rue, ragwort, fennel, and broom. The chairman and engineer v.'ere appointed to interview the local authorities of the Agricultural Department. and lind out what steps were being taken in tho matter of dealing with noxious weeds generally.

Tlio position of hockey generally in Palnierston North was discussed at a meeting of the Campbell Street Old I3oys Club on Wednesday night. Mr. Jackson was in tlio chair. The object of the meeting was to consider the prospects of hockey in the dMriet, with tho obiect of assuring stronger and more widespread competition. In the course of a general discussion it was pointed out that the Old Boys comprised easily the strongest team, and there was no encouragement for other clubs to compete against them. In order to give a new lease of life to the game, and so as to provide a better distribution of players amongst the various clubs tho Old Boys were willing to split up their membershiu. To this end m resolution was adopted recording that the Old Boys'recognised that a moro equal distribution

of players was necessary for the welfare o|' hockey, and requesting the secretary of the Manawalu Hockey Association to call a meeting at nil early date of all hockey players and intending players to consider ttie question from t.lio standpoint of all clubs, both senior and iunior. The hope was expressed at. the meeting that there would be at least four club's competing this season, say, High School, Technical School, Old Hoys, and 1 lie Returned Soldiers' Association. At an inquest held touching the death of Charles .'oh" Cridland, aged 6t years, who was found <lc.nl in his bed at lluunythorpe on Monday morning, medi--c-al evidence showed that deceased died through heart failuvo . r.nd chrnijic Bright's disease. A verdict was returned accordingly. Mr. H. G. Smith, clerk of the court at Daiiuevirko. 'has received notice of his transfer to Hastings, and he will leave for thero in the course of a few weeks. ' Miss Scrimgeour has been transferred from the Pahiatua postal stuff to.JVshhurst. . . The Palmerston North Friendly Societies' Council has decided to nominate Bro. A. Shoebridfle, a returned soldier, for a scat on the Hospital Board. ' The following team has been selected to represent Manawatu against AVangnnui in a representative cricket ntatch at the sports ground, Palmerston North, on Good Friday and tlio following day:— Greer. M'A r icnr, Ongley, Pegden, Mullins M'Lachlan. M. ,Flodder, R. Hodder, ■Leet. Sollitt, Eglinton. Emergencies; Batting; Millar, Cullen, Picard; bowling; Allingham, Lauvenson, and Moniad were not available for selection.