COUNTRY NEWS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 170, 12 April 1919, Page 10

COUNTRY NEWS

NOTES FROM VARIOUS

CENTRES

MANAWATU

I'almeistoii residents did not -give way to much excitement on account of the licensing poll, and there was no material increase in the liu-mbcr of votes polled. In all 7-180 votes were cast, as against 7073 in 191-1. The continuance vote fell from tlio 3551 of 1914 to 3356, while tlio prohibition vote rose from t-ho 3519 of 191*1 to 4095 at Thursday's poll. To tiho total recorded, however, must be added 428 absent voters' permits, which wer issued in Palinorston, and which will not bo recorded until tho recount takes place. Thursdav's'vote was: Continuance, 3386; Prohibition -1095. .Majority 708. There were 39 informal votes. Mr. AV. W. AVilsher, of Kelvin Grove, lias received news that his eldest sin, Private AY. AA 7 . AVilsher, jun., is expect--0(1 to arrive back in Wellington on April ZB jjady Chaytor was entertained at Palmorston this week 'by the committee and the sowing guild of tho Womens national Reserve, who are disbanding. During tho afternoon Mrs. Whitehead made a presentation of four handsomely-bound volumes, on behalf of the guild and committee. Eulogistic reference was made to the .good work of I/ady Chaytor since she had become president of the Palmerston branch of the reserve. A pleasing function took place at ralfflorstou this week at. the _ grounds of s?re. Harry AA T nldegr;ivo's residence, Park Road, the occasion being the olenitis of tho Bamnrdo Homo collection boxes, which have been held for a few months bv 6omo of the pupils ot the Collide Sireet School. The boxes were opened by Wrs AVal'Jegrave. president of the local division. Over .C 8 was realised. . Two big Levin properties, the .Uavies and M'Donald Estates, are being cut up for closer settlement. AVliat this means to tho district is shown in the lairheld and the AVeraroa settlements, both adjacent to Levin, and splendid examples of intensified farming. Messrs. Patterson- and Sane?, who were injured in the Ihakara motor sniash-up.. are progressing favourably in the Otakl 'births, ten deaths, and -three marriages we>re recorded in -Levin last to pressure of private business Mr.' Blenkhorn is retiring from the Mayoralty of Levin. Messrs. L. G. Lester and H. C. Shear"old, two well-known residents of Olmu, : intend leaving for Canada next mouth with their families, having decided to : take up land in Nova Scotia. ;| A party of twenty members of tlio 11 Lovin branch of the farmers' Union paid ■ I their annual visit to the Central Develop. • i ment Farm this week, and spent a very i , profitable time. The manager (Sir. 6ra- • ' Imm) and his staff went into details rei carding several interesting experiment'; - i that are being carried out at the farnij > | and supplied a lot of valuable inforoia-

'jliss Clara Smith , has been appointed assistant at the Una lloa feehcol, .Dannevii'ko district. ' , Mr. Algur H. Ihle, a Teturned soldier, and ftn old Palmerston boy, has been appointed to the staff of tho Public trust Uffice at Wellington. Several farms have, lately changed hands in tho Apiti district. Lieutenant G. Stanley, lately returned from the front, has taken over Mrs. White's farm on Main Hoad, Apiti, and Mr. &. b. Strachan is reported to have purchased Mr. H. L. Osborne's property. Mr. Younger has acquired Mr. A. torahame farm. Mr. D. 0. Eeattie, of Main South Eoad, has sold to a Wellington man. _ Troopers W. Osborne and J. M'Murtrie, of Apiti, who have been on active servico in Palestine and Egypt, are due to arrive home April 17. Both lads con- ' tracted malarial fever while abroad. Trooper Lou Gould, Apiti boy who has returned from the front, is at present in tho Pftlino.vston North Hospital suffering from a recurrence of malaria. , , r , r Corporal T. A.' Strahan, M.M., who was severely wounded in l'rance, and has been 011 tho seriously ill list for several months, is sufficiently recovered to ro-turn'-home. He is expected in Auckland 011 April 20. , At the annual meeting of the Apiti Public Hall Committee, over which Mr. Hugh Osborne presided, the secretary, Mr. L. P. Vail, made several suggestions for minor improvements to the hall, and it was decided to carry them out. Tho ] la ll, for the first timo since its erection, is now clear of debt, and there is a credit balance at the bank. Mr. D. .M'Kay wa3 elected chairman, vice Mr. Osborne, resigned. Apiti settlers Jiavo a project in hand to erect a monument to local fallen soldiers. At a meeting callcd to consider tho mat- , ier a committee was set up, of which Mr. W; M'Kay was elected chairman and Mr. W. M'Kenziu secretary. A. strong coinmitteo was deputed to canvass tho district for subscriptions, and nearly £100 was sulscribed in tho 100111. Some settlers advocated tho purchase of a monumerft, whilo others favoured the erection of a public library containing a roll of honour board. A furthor meeting is to bo held shortly to discuss what form the memorial will take, and to report progress as to the success of canvassinfj operations. _ Peace celcbratiQiis in the Apiti district will be conducted along the following : lines:—Sunday, service to bo held in tho 11 churches; Monday, monster proccssion ' and rally at the public hall; Tuesday, ■ sports, etc., on the Domain grounds. The • Athletic Club is holding a sports mect- ' ing, and the Ladies' lied Cross Society intends holding a ball on the Tuesday night. Soveral Apiti settlers have been out amongst tho ranges deer-stalking lately, but so far 110 heads are reported to liavo come in. Although a few lino deer liavo been seen in the locality, none have yet been secured. A good many licenses have been issued in the district this year.