COUNTRY NEWS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 185, 1 May 1919, Page 8

COUNTRY NEWS

NOTES FROM VARIOUS CENTRES MAMAWATJJ Mr. W. Fitzhcrbert .presided over the annual meeting of the Manawatu Gulf Club, which was hold at Palmerston on '•Tuesday night. The annual report mentioned that the season's operations showed a slight deficit. - Air. J. Martin, the professional, was now hard at work, and as there was a large number of players coining on it whs hoped that tho club would be able to make arrangements to retain his services permanently. Officers wore elected as follow r—President, Mr. A. itarraud; vice-president, Mr. T. A. Moodie; captain, Mr. W. L. Fitzherbert; trustee, Mr. 11. K. Cooper; lion, secretary, Mr. L. A. Abraham; auditor, Mr. E. G. Sim; committee, Messrs. C Louisson, P. L. Sim,-(H. L. Young, H. G. Moore, W. Strang, and A. Strang. The Manawatu Homing Pigeon Association opened the season's flying this week with a young birds' race from Shannon to J'ulmerston. Law's b.c.e. M.P. won the Mayonal Stakes; Griluths'a New Era iron the Councillor Stake.-;, with Attwood's r.c.c. Philosopher a good second. ;The first annual meeting of the Manawatu Rugby J'eferees' Association was held at Palmerston on Tuesday, when tho following ofiieers were elected:—President, Mr. H. E. Bennett; vice-president, Mr. J. Itardie; secretary niid treasurer, Mr. J. Proiulo; delegate to the Rugby Union, Mr. ,1. Pronde; appointment committee, Messrs. C. W. White, B. Jacobs, and Thompson. Seventeen rules were adopted on the lines of the Auckland rules, and a number of referee.') to the association nominated. •

Forty-five new members were elected at a meeting of the Palmerston North Returned Soldiers' Association on Tuesday. It was.decided to eend a letter to the Club-house Committee, asking that the club be not .let for any purpose outside returned soldiers' functions. At the shrgestiou of Mr. Hiiycoek it was decided to form a literary and debating society for the winter months, and that a meeting (o put the project on a definite footing be held at an early dale. It was decided to forward a remit for submission to the conference, suggesting that the Government should declare. April 23 (Anzae Day) a public holiday, and not on any other dav.

In the course of his evidence before the Parliamentary Industries' Committee at Falmeiston, on Tuesday, Mr. J, M. Johnston touched upon the advisability of making a geological survey of the hills in the Manawatu with a view to definitely ascertaining .whether they contained minerals in sufficient quantities to warrant their exploitation. He referred particularly to the possibility of platinum being found in payable quantities, and in this connection he recalled that about eight years ago a mining engineer —a German , by the way—was sent over here .from Melbourne, because it had been said that platinum had been found in these hills. This engineer took a lot of ore back tp Melbourne with him. There it was assayed aod traces of platinum found in it. The company interested sent this.engineer back here, and he, put in about «ix months prospecting in the hills, and finally he reported that platinum could not be found in payable quantities. He ( (Mr. Johuslon) said that tho Chamber of Commerce would like the mutter taken up again, and l:o therefore would like to recommend the committee that tho Government undertake a geological survey not only of this district but of the whole of the Dominion.

The denth took place at Palmerston North this week of Mrs. Margaret Ann Williams, a resident of tlio district for some years. The late Mrs. Williams, who was. 62 years of age, was the widow of the late Mr. James Williams, and sho leaves a grown-up family of seven..

At a special meeting of the Kavranga County Council this week it was decided to raise the salary of the ongiiieer to £ila per annum.

Messrs. F. J. Oakley and J. A. Nash were re-elected directors* and Messrs. R. A. Fuller and J. Mitchell re-elected auditors at tho forty-third annual meeting of tho Manawatu Permanent Equit<ible Building Society, which was held at Pulmoreton North on Tuesday. The annual report disclosed a credit balance of .£144, which had been transferred to the reserve, which now stood at .£lOl4. During tho year ,£11,61)2.was advanced on mortgage. Tho profit earned for the past year amounted to ,£1365, uut of which had been paid the sum o» .£451 as interim dividend, leaving a balance of X 913 to the credit of the, profit and loss' account. Mr. Nash, in referring to the proposal to increase the capital of.the company, said that they had had to rely on a bank overdraft. There ought to bo more money invested in capital shares. Tho reserve fund should also bo increased up to .£BOOO. He gavo notice that the capital bo increased up to ,£IO,OOO in £10 shares. . '' '

Advice has been received of the death of Gunner Ernest Olliver, a son of old Woodvillo residents, who was accidentally killed in Egypt.

Much interesting ovidenco relative to. tho' resources and industries of the Palmorstou North district was given before tho Parliamentary Industries Committee, which sat at Palmerston North on Tuesday evening. Mr. J. A. Nflsh, M;P.,' dealt with tho industry which is being. established at Palmerston North for jthe extraction of by-products from wood. This was, ho said, the first fitiie the maf ter had been taken in hand in New Zealand. A small company had been lloated in Palmerston North, add lie produced samples of petrol, oil, .potash, and ascetic acid that had been produced locally from wood. From one cord of rata wood i!SO worth of acid, 16s. .worth of oil, 15s. worth of tar, and £ld worth of charcoal could be produced. There was an abundance of rata in the district adjacent to Palmerston North, although other.woods could also bo used in the process —even sawdust. The industry had been taken .up on a largo scale in America with success. ■ A start would be made on a small scale with the manufacture of tho by-products iu question in a lew months' time at Palmereton North, but later it -was hoped to operate on a 'much larger scale. .Ho suggested that the plant which was being got from America should be admitted free. • Tho company had no proprietary rights over tho process. Capfeiin Preece, in giving evidence on the question of native dyes, said that several native timbers produced lasting dyes, Rata produced i. red or brown dye which was used by the Jlaoris for dyeing flax mats. Tanekaha' pine, which grew extensively in the, north, produced yellow or khaki dyes. It had occurred to him that if tho project were worked on scientific linos a valuable industry could bo established. From, the Hin«u a blue''dye was produced, and finx roots yielded a yellow dye. Ho thought that the. Government should investigate the process.

At a public meeting of Apiti settlers to discuss what form the pe-aco memorial eboiilu take, it was decided, coiiBidorablo discussion to erect a monument iu a conspicuous place in ApHi, There was much difference of opinion as to whether a library with a memorial board erected inside should be substituted for the open stone monument, but the 'latter proposal was, adopted by a narrow margin.

Tho following ore tho results of school committee elections held this week in the Palmerston and surrounding districts: —Tiritea: Messrs. C. Pitt, D. 11. Smith, R. Milner, S. Franklyn, and P. C. Toms (chairman). Rongotea: Messrs. J. Taylor (chairman), R. O. Callender, J. C! Glover, Rev. Solomon, L. Yarral, T. W. Mitchell, H. J. Hanson. , Taikorea: Messrs. A. Print (chairman), S. E. Algnr (secretary), J. J. Gray, K. Gray, M. Noble. Carnarvon: Messrs. W. J3urne (chairman), • E. J. .Rose (secretary and treasurer), ,T. Hanson, C. Pedorson, W. Roberts. Glen Oroun: Messrs. J. Boyce (chairman), C. Jlnssey (socretnry and treasurer)," 3. Gloyn, !N. Thompson, W. )!oswell. Longburn: Messrs. D.Prouso (chairman), Palmer, Kilpatrick, Mitchell, and Fell (secretary). JJaincsse: A. 11. Metcalf (chairman), J. Davis, T. Gramincr, R. Jlercor, and ,T. Wheeler. Ash--hurst: Messrs. A. Arlidge (chairman), W, N. Brewer (secretary), A. W. Trass, W. Übniley, If. Monro, V. Archer, D. Davi.s Te Arakura: Messrs, IK Lewis (chairman), P. Hansen, C. Bennett, 11. Hnxchrnod, P, Pedorsen. Valley Road: Messrs. Alex. Lawson, E. H. Knox, 11. L. Hart, N. C. Jensen (treasurer), and W; T. London (chairman and secretary). Apiti: Messrs G. Cowan (chairman), G. H. Purnell (secretary), W. J. Viles (treasurer), W.