COUNTRY NEWS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 237, 1 July 1919, Page 10

COUNTRY NEWS

NOTES FROM VARIOUS

CENTRES

MANAWATU

Somo little time ago the Palmerston North Borough Council decided to put a row of iron tops along the grass plots in the Square where tho fences have been removed, in order to protect the sward from pedestrians. A number of tho hoop* have now arrived and will be put in position early next week. The erection of a 'low concrete wr.ll to replaco the live hedges which have been taken away will also bo commenced at once. The question of making use, for basketmaking, of the plantation of willows planted as part oi the protective works along tho banks of the Alanawatu River was brought up at the last meeting of tho Palmerston North-Kairanga River Board. Messrs. Hextall and Kiiminster wroto stating that in order to make tho willows of any practical value for tho industry it was necessary that tliey should be cut down and cleared every year. They applied for the right of putting them for a term of five years. '1 ho board, however, decided to cail tenders for the cutting rfehis. Mr. P. Roy Robertshawe, who has for many years past been accountant for the Dannevirko branch of Messrs. Barraud and Abraham, Ltd(, has been promoted to the,charge of tho firm's land department at. Palmorston, Mr. Donald Eraser, of Fcilding, will take over Hie management of the firm's Dannevirke branch, and Mr. J. Stalker, of Palmerston, will succeed Mr. Eraser, at Feilding. An enthusiastic meeting was held a,t Otaki last week for the purpose of considering the formation of a branch of the Y.M.C.A. It was stated that a ,£10(10 building would be necessary, and this money would have to bo found in the district, tho parent body having no funds to give. Mr. Pole favoured a building in connection with the Peace memorial. The shortest way out of the difficulty would be. to) form a committee lo coufer with the Peace Committee, and he moved in this direction. The motion was carried and the following committee set up: Mrs, J. R. Bills, Messrs. J. S. Pole, J. Mackay, Byron Brown, A. R. Rudkin, A. E. Anderson, If. Cockrcll, l l '. l'enn, W. B. Smith,. ll.' Nieolson, Revs. Slade, Petrie, and Blatkwayt. 1

The Shannon Borough Council haa adopted a recommendation of a sub-com-mittee to raise a loan to put the roads in order and make improvements. The details have yet to be worked out. liio council, has derided to donate lo- • wards some permanent," useful Peace memorial.

Mr. W. X M'lndoe, who has been head shunter at. Palmorston North railway yards for the past four yeaw, has been transferred to New Plymouth as storeman.

The Hoiwhcnun ' Ruisby Union has agreed to play liouie-and-homc matches vritli tho Jlanawatu representatives, tho first match to be played at Levin on Saturday. Tho Manaivatu fifteen will comprise: Full-back, Hughes; three-quar-lers, Andrews, Lnrkin, and Fairbrother; fira-eighths, Eglinton and Stockwe'l; half. Seeker; forwards, Carroll, Brown, Malcolm,' Dustin (captain), Anstis, Hedsliaw, Edwards, (wing); emergencies, Dillon, Stewart, and Hodder (backs), Baigent, Sollitt, and Lawrence (forwards). Tho first of the liomc-and-liomo matches between Wanganui and Mtuiaivatu will be played at U'anstnui on July 26. . Tne waywardness of some of the country' delegates in their attendance at the recent couterence of the Fanners' Union ul Wellington through succumbing to the fascinating distractions of tho capital city came in for severe censure at the monthly meeting of the .Manawatu Sub-Union of the Now Zealand 'Farmers' 1 Union. The matter was broached in the report of the organiser (Mr. Tancred Cooper), who said ;i number of delegates appeared to look upon-the conference os n good holiday, to the neglect of the business. The report added that with a few exceptions the Manawatu delegates were absolutely the worst. Several menibors endorsed tho organiser's remarks. The trouble was that the junketing should have been held only after the 'business of tho conference had been put tbroiuh in a businesslike way. The way in ivhich the conference was run was largely to blame for the ridiculous position tlwt. arose. It was also pointed out that the bright lights of the city did not lead all the delegates nwuy from the conference, a large number, including the Wairarapa delegates, sitting it right through. In hoping that the next conference would bo more successful, because it was to bo held in the country, at Feildiuj. the president,' Mr. 11. Vile, remarked: "I feel that Wellington is not the place for us to .meet, as there are too many attraction?. I. don't wish to say anything discreditable towards our delegates, but some of them were at least not in touch with their, work."

The fact that the question of efficiently protecting the whole portion of the district affected from the inroads of the Mamwntu River is exercising the miiids ot settlers throughout the district was made apparent at the meeting of the sub-provincial executive of the Fanners' Union. The subject cropped up when n remit on the subject was tabled by the Tiakitiihuna branch. The remit, which w.'M referred to the rnriiyis branches for consideration, ran as follows:—"In view of tho fact that a bis scheme for 'banking the southern side of the Mnnawntu Kiver from Linton to Shannon is under consideration, this branch considers that a scheme should bo formulated to either straighten tho river or cut <a channel from near I/onfjlitirn to Koxtoii. This would eliminate the necessity and expense of banking both sides of the river, as settlers cn the northern sine would certainly erect a bank to eounterast the effect of fbe scheme now in progress. It,is the opinion of this branch that banking the river will necessarily raise the bed, or so force upon settlers the continuous expense of enlarging 'both banks year after year." The remit, which will come up before the meeting for discussion next month, was traversed by one or two delegates, who stressed tho necessity of having one comprehensive scheme, embracing the whole of the areas liable to erosion. At present there • were different protective schemes, each working independent of the other, and sometimes to each other's detriment. The protection «of ono man's property often meant the encroachment of the river on his neighbour's land Across tho river. A report, it was stilted, should he obtained on the whole matter. It was really a matter for the local bodies, but the union was willing to eet the ball rolling.

DANNEVIRKE AND WOODYILLE Through Councillor Dobson, the Dannevirke JJorougiL Council ha; imulc application that a portion of the iKIS workers' homfs to lie erected by tho Labour Department. 'be allocated to Damievirke. The Baihyay'DeparlniMit is to bo asked bv tho Daiinevirko Dorough Council to have warning bells placed at the level crossings in the, town, an<l in the meantime to station a man there. The Mayoress's Patriotic Conmiitteo h<if> held its iimi 1 meeting at Dannevirko. The credit balance of A'ill lis. !)d. is to be handed to the Crippled Soldiers' Hostel I'or expenditure in furnishing a bedro'.'ii) to be named after the .society. ilr. and Mrs. A. JS. Green, of liannevirke, have lot I: on a visit to England. Dannovirko in now included in the new JVniatua electorate, and notices liavo been sent out to many electors by fhti Registrar of Electors for tho Wa'ipawa electoral!!, advising tlieiu that they have been transferred to the Pahiatna electoral roll. The Tamalu Dairy Company (Tc Be. Imngii. cheese.! are prov, ling |>>r payment of a bonus of JJd. pev lb. on butter-fat supplied, making a total of Is. 10} d. for the season. Over JilUDt) lias been ullwvnd for depreciation, and 5 per'cent, interest on capital, to be paiil io shareholders. .11l reply to a letter from the .fustierthe Dnnnevirrre Chamber of 'Coinmerre lias decidfld to iTcommeml that Palmersfon North be the Dannevirko centre, in tho event of Ilawke's .Un.y being constituted a separate Supremo Court district. Only ono nomination, that of Mr. J. Elder, was received for flic vacancy ui tho Woodvillo County Council, caused by (he retirement of Mr. ,T. Harris. Mr. Eidor luifi accordingly 'been elected. Over .£0(10 lioi; been either collected or promised towards the proposed Soldiers' Club at Woodvillo. Negotiations are in progress with Mr. Burnett, of Wanganni, for the acquisition of his sample looms at Woodville for the purpose.