COUNTRY NEWS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 221, 12 June 1919, Page 8

COUNTRY NEWS

NOTES FROM VARIOUS CENTRES MANAWATU It is now nearly a year since the five chains of concrete road was laid down on Bangitikei Line just out of Palmersh>n, as an experiment, by Councillor Craw, and he requested at the Kniranga County Council meeting this week that a report on the- experiment bo submitted to the council at its next meeting. Ho asked the council to inspect it, and report whether it was satisfactory. He would like to get the opinion of two outsfdo engineers, as the matter was important, in view of the proposals of the council for permanent rond construction. Councillor. Craw then moved in that direction. Councillor Lancaster said Mint no proper report as to the carrying out of the experiment had ever been placed on the table, nor had the account? ever been tabled. Councillor Craw denied this, -ami said that it had alj/fl.vs been his endeavour to have tlie whole question of concrete roads thoroughly thrashed out. and he was now even more will/iiST to go minutely into the question. All he wanted was* a fair hearing. It was eventually decided to engage Messrs. Toogood nnd Hair to draw up a comprehensive report on the experiment flnd cost of same, and also to report on the tnrrerl macadam experiment on Foxton Line. There was a considerable diversity of opinion as to IRe relative merits of concrete and tarred macadam, the majority of tho council being inclined to favour the latter process as being cheaper, nnd at the same- time effective. The whole mutter will bo discussed when the expert's report is tabled.

At a meeting of the Palmerston Xorth branch of the Upturned Soldiers' Association on Tuesday night the president. Mr. B. ,T. Jacobs, said that the comparatively small number of returned men who had joinpel the association showed a lack of organisation, which had been commented on very freely at the recent conferenco at Christ.church. An organisation committee had been set up, which hnd brought down a programme. This had included the division of New Zealand into four districts. . fho Wellington district was a very large one, including Marlborough nnd Nelson, and the lipndnunrtprs were to be at Palmerston North. Each district was to have a paid organiser nnd representatives on the central executive. The association in Palmerston was entitled io one delegate to the district conference which was In take nlnci! at Pnlmorston nn Saturday, Tt would bo tho duty of the confnrenco to formulate a policy, to appoint officers and an organiser. It wns honed that the association would become very strong here in tho future.

The monthly meeting of (he Palmerston Xovth District Nursing Guild was hold this week. There werp present: Wesdnnips Hewitt, Jlannay, Cnle, Gill, Abraham, ll'Jfurray, Spooner, and Aitchpson. and Jlr. J. A. M'Lp.avey. Sister Jt'Lean reported having inade 10. r ] visits lo twenty-six patients. Donations of clothing were gratefully received from iifedames Ciawith, .Barrnud, llorii, Hunwood. Sfnrkliind, A voluntary flewiii!; circle has been formed to supply garments and comforts to bedridden uatienk Tlie Plunket nnrsp rpnorted having paid seventy-one visits to homes, ami sixty-seven babies had receivpd ntleiilio!) at tho office. Ij'inal arrangements were made for the ntiiiual fiollaction' to be held on .Tune 10, (Show Dnv).

Plov took place this week on die Mana.watu Golf Club's links in connection wit'h (ho ladies' conipplition. "Reeults:—A Rrade: , Miss S. Watson, 104— 20-81: Mrs. IT. Mlinson. 101-19-85. B grade: Miss Collin=on, 112-26-86; Miss Seanlon. 122-3G-86; Miss Cook 121-31-l)0.> Juniors: M.iss I. Fowler, 106-17-80; Miss H. Bett. SG-scr.-96.

There was an interesting discussion at a meeting nf tlio luiiranga County Council when a proposal 'designed .to facilitate the construction of permanent roads waa embodied in the following motion .moved bv Councillor G. Craw: "This •council asks (he Government-to put-a Bill through the House .empowering lonal bndies to borrow money in the open market' at a. rate not exceeding 5 per cent.,' and peruiit. the iutpreet on money eo borrowed to lie exempt from. income tax. The motion, which was snoondod pro forma,- did not find favour with tho rest of thn councillors. It was pointed out that the proposal would be in competition with the Government War Loan. The time was not ripe for such a proposal, which' whs bound to be turned down by the 'majority of local bodies. Councillor Craw, replying, pointed out that there was uo chance of the Government taking over the control of the main arterial roads. A loan of .£IO,OOO, such as the council proposed, would not so far enough. The reconstruction of tho ronds should not. be undertaken "piece-meal." One big loan should be raised. The. motion was rejected.

Xt a meeting of the■ Mauiawatu Rugby TTnion this week the president, Mr. J. Manning, reported that the Wellington and AVanganui" Unions were agreeable to playing home matches with the Mnnnwatu representative fifteen. Wanganni would like Manawatu to visit them on tho. Saturday after the Show, a return match to bo played in July. Consideration of both invitations was deferred. TJie following fixtures were arranged for Saturday:—Senior: Western United v. Awahuri, at Awahuri; Huia v. Feilding, at High School gi-ounds, at 3 p.m.; Pirates A v. High School, at High School grounds, at 1.30 p.m; All the other matches were postponed owing to the Showgrounds not being available. One of the most important departures in connection with educational matters in I'alnicrston North was decided upon this week, when a conference of representatives of .the four Slate schools in the'town, as the result of a lengthy discussion, «et up a- representative eoniniiltee with the object of taking comprehensive and united action to remedy the deplorable state of affairs 'that exists in connection with 6chool acfonrmodation. The meeting was convened at the instance of the Wαnganiii Education Board. It was explained by the local representatives on ■ the board that the,/ were hampered in Droseciiling (lie eliiims of the district in tho matter of new accommodation at the various schools in Palmerston on accoimt of the lack of co-operation among Ihe school committees. The action of the" Education Department in refusing to accede to. the request of several of the local school committees, backed up by the board, fjr the inclusion of,a central hall in any new schools erected in the town was condemned by several speakers, find a resolution was adopted urging on the Minister that the central hall principle should be retained. Tho advisability of establishing an urban school area was also discussed, along with several educational requirements. Ultimately a committee, comprising. Tepre'-sentative-Tof all .four school committees, the headmasters of the same, and the two local members of the Education Board was set up to go thoroughly into tho question of school boundaries and accommodation, and to bring down a report for presentation to the board. A motion was also passed urging the Minister to at once instruct his officers to proceed with the erection of the now infanf; school at Campbell Street.