COUNTRY NEWS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 5, 1 October 1919, Page 10

COUNTRY NEWS

NOTES FROM VARIOUS CENTRES

iFrom Our Spccial Correspondents.) WAIRARAPA At'a meeting held in Featherston for the purpose of completing arrangements incidental!; to according a. lilting welcome home lo all returned soldiers, Mr. 3k 11, Kendall was elected as honorary sccreIjiry.

Air. Arthur Brighlwell has resigned his seat on the Castlepoint County Council. 'Die i'of.owing have been elected oilicers of tho Masterton Cricket Club for tho ensuing season;— President, Sir. F. O. Moore; vice-presidents-, Messrs. A. I'. Whatman, F. G, Maunsell, A. Matthew.s, 1). Coliins, and C. W. Perry; club captain, Mr. U., K. Logan; lion, eecretary and treasurer, Mr. G. I). Wilson; lion, auditor, Mr. G. W. Sella r; committee, Messrs. Jordan, Befts, Fhinnery, Barton, and • llolnnvood; delegates to Cricket Association, Messrs. Belts, Jordan, and Wilson. Messrs. Smith, Considine, Arkle, Column, and Mason have been appointed a deputation with power to add to their number lo interview the Minister of Railways on behnl.f of the Martinboiougli Chamber of Commerce in connection with the construction of a railway lo that town. motor-cars, seven motorcycles, ami four motor-lorries were registered by the Masterton Borough Council (luring the month of September. The Wairarapa. Working Men's Cooperative Society, whose grocery business in Masterton recently went into liquidation, are paying their creditors a dividend of is. Gd. in tho .£ on the total claims, which amounted to <6851155. Gd. The vital statistics tor. .ua.itmon ior the nionth of September were;— Beat lis, G; births, 23; marriages,. 15. Mr. S. ,L. Free, S.M., reserved judgment in the ..ease heard in the Masterton Magistrate's Court yesterday in which. Robert Harris, farmer, of Onaki, claimed from Dalgety' and Co., Masterton, the sum of .£94 2s. damages in connection with a motor-car accident which occurred on May 11. The statement of claim set out. that D. B. Carrick, manager for Dalgety and Co., had driven his car along tlm Mauriceville-Mastorton road so negligently as to cause a collision with plaintiff's car. which was overturned and damaged, the occupants, plaintiff and his ■wife, being injured. The amount of the claim was made tip as follows Cost of recall's to car, ,£M 25.; depreciation in value of ear as result of collision, .£10; wages nnd keep for man on farm while plaintiff was incapacitated,..£2o; damages for injuries and cost of treatment, I'M. M'r. R. M'Kenzie appeared for the plaintiff. nnd Mr. D. X. Logan for the defendant. The plaintiff, in evidence, alleged that •while travelling along the rond defendant attempted to pass him, and in doing so the hub of the wheel of defendant's car struck the rim of plaintiff's car. The wheels of plaintiff's car were knocked into the water-table, and the car overturned. The defendant, in evidence, stated that ho did not feel his car strike Harris's car. If it had struck he thought he should liave felt the contact. He examined his cur next morning, in company with Mr. T. Wagg, but could Jiot .find any mark on' it. lie passed Harris in the ordinary way, after having followed in the'dust of his car for some distance. ' BANAWATB A. rift in the lute .occurred at the meeting of the Manawatu branch of the Farmers' Union held at Levin on Saturday, when Mr. A. Monk, of Reikiorangi, made sumo drastic comments on the manner in which the business of line union -was conducted. He said that it appeared to liini that Dominion headquarters was composed of too many old members, who though excellent; settlers, had 'had their day as representatives of the Fnrmers r Union. They had outlived their usefulness and should give way to men with ideas more in keeping with the times. A little applause greeted this remark. This brought Mr. .Trihn Bnlsillie, one of the oldest' members of the Provincial Executive to his feet, and lie vigorously defended the executive. He pointed out that they lmd done all the pioneer work of the union, and had worked it up against, great oilils. They ivero not backed up then by the smaller men as they should have been, but they had shouldered the responsibility, ami now an attempt was being made to ridicule them for tihe work they had done. Ho' thought that a most improper thing. If they considered there were better men for the positions let them come forward and take up the work.

A miraculous escape from a serious, if not fatal, accident. took plnco at tho railway crossing opposite the Commercial Hotel. Palmerston North, shortly after 11 o'clock yesterday morning:. A light motor lorry was being driven along the south-western portion of the Square towards the crossins; iiear the Commercial Hotel, and reached that point at tho same time as the slow goods nnd passenger train from IJawko's Bay. It is stated that the engine whistled threitimes and the alarm bells were ringing, hut these warnings tho driver of tho lorry did not hear,.perhaps owing to tho fact that the neat ! wiis hooded, and tlie noise of the motor-engine drowned the rumble of the approaching train and the bells. A shout from a pedestrian was the first indication that the driver had of the train bearing fast down on him. At this stage he had almost, reached the rails, and with commendable presence of mind swung the lorry round less than .four feet from the line. The ; engine at ruck the body of tho lorry a glancing blow, turning it completely round, and bringing it up against a concrete lamp whicli lights the crossing. The lorry was badly damaged, as it suffered two collisions—with the train and the concrete post. The driver was L. W. England. of Palmerston North. Mr. England. who is a returned soldier, fortunately. escnped .without injury.

Miss D. Gupwcll, of Kairanga, met with a painful accident on Saturday evening, about half-past seven o'clock,' necessitating her removal to the hospital. Miss Gunwell and liev two sisters were walking into Palmerston North, and just an thev turned into Featherston Street thev were overtaken by a motor cyclist, a young man named Innes, who apparently dill not see' them in time, for the evelo struck Miss D. Gupwcll, nnd knocked lier over, breaking a leg. The cyclist stopped, und rendered all possible assistance.

Owing to tho' railway restrictions, one of the largest flax mills in the district wnfi unable to commence milling this season at the usual time. This mill, the Temaknuui, will probably be in full swing iu about a month, tho necess-iry machinery being to hand now.