COUNTRY NEWS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 76, 23 December 1919, Page 10

COUNTRY NEWS

NOTES FROM VARIOUS CENTRES (From Our Special Correspondents,). HANAWATU On Friday evening the residents of Pohangiiui district forgathered to bid farewell to Mrs. M. Pggers, who l#.s been headmistress of the township school for tlio past tw. - . years. 'During the evening Mr. S. Roberts, on beiialf of the community, presented tho guest with a substantial cheque. Mr. Roberts referred in very eulogistic terms of tho sterling qualities of the recipient and made special reference to her great services in connection with patriotic and epidemic work. Mrs. Jiggers was also the recipient of « present from tho schohus. Mrs. Jiggers has been transferred to Waitnna West and will take up her new duties at the beginning of the year.

James M'Colley, a resident of Polianftiiin for the past IK years, met with a fatal accident on Wednesday morning. The deceased was mustering, sheep on his property in company with a Mr. Maddison. By some means bo missed his footing and fell over a sharp precipice, rolling.to the bottom of a steep ravino and sustaining very scvero injuries. Mr. Maddison secured help and brought' the injured settler to the Palnierston North Hospital, where he died yesterday morning without regaining consciousness. The deceased was highly respected by the Pohangina residents. Ho .has no .relatives in New 1 Zealand, but it is understood that he has two asters residing in Australia. The Pahiatua Tennis Civil) sent representatives to PaVmerston North on Saturday for a contest with Hid , Linton Street Club. After an interesting afternoon's play Palmerstoii won by 21 sets to S.

A team of four ladies and four men from the Terrace End Tennis Club played a match against tho Longburn Club on Saturday. Terraco End won by 94 games to 41). In All Saints' Church on Sunday morning a memorial tablet, to tho late Captain Harry Palmer, (ith Mounted Rifles, N.Z.E.F., was unveiled. The impressive ceremony, which was performed by Colonel Melville, 0.C.D., was witnessed bv a largo congregation which included n'ianv returned soldiers, veterans, members of the old Mannwatu Mounleds. tho Cth Mounted Rifles, and members of tho permanent staff. A valuable .Tersev cow, the property of Mr. R, D. Hnrkness, of Otaki, died on Thursday. Tho beast was valued at ■MO. Tho last. Palmerston North cricket competition games for the year were played on Saturday in boisterous weather. Twp centuries, the first this vcar in the local cup matches, wero put 'up by Greer (12S) and M'Lachlan, the latter retiring at 108. Only the first innings were played, and the results were: Old Boys 251, v. R.S.A., 99; Railway, 310, v. Midland, G3. Dnriii"- the month ended December 20 the Mastcrton branch of the Repatriation Department approved the following loaiis: -Six for business purposes aggregating ,£S3O, eight for furniture totalling &151, and one for tools amounting to «CIG. Twenty-three trainees received subsidies on their wages amounting to „SIOG for th? month. Six men were placed in positions which clears tho book? of men waiting for employment. Am unusual sight for Mastorlon was the appearance in the streets yesterday of a party of Hindus, a number of'whom wore the time-honoured turban of the East. It is understood that these men aro engaged on a scrub-cutting contract in the country. . . The poll taken at Featherston on Friday to raise .£2OOO for the purpose of extending the drainage system was carried by 53.votes to 7. A thunderstorm -vis'ted the Mastcrton district on Sunday afternoon, munifestin"- itself in a torrential shower nf linil ami rain. As a. result the hills in the vicinity were li-jhtly' covered with a : mantile of hail for a time, and the air was considerably cooled. I Despite the penalties provided by law. several cases of dual vot'ng have been discovered in the Mastcrton electorate in connection with the rec.mt. election, Seme of them aro probably due to clerical errors, but one case, in which an elector is °aid to have reg'stered votes lx>th at ihurana and Ekelahuna, is likely to be the cause of further proceedings. Miss Fellinghain, who has had charge of the Bideford School for some time, and is now leaving the d'stnet, was presented bv the pupils of Ihe school with a gold pendant set with pearls and a neck chain as a mark of the esteem in which she Is held by them . The following are tho metporologi:al conditions for Mastcrton on .Sunday,as recorded 'by Mr.. W. Hood:—Briglit sunshine, 9 hours 40 minutes: tempera hire, maximum 03 degrees, minimum 3S.fi degrees, terrestrial, 32 degrees; rainfall, 2» points. ~ ~ , Mr. IT. M. Bcddington reports that four points of ra-'n were registered, at Solway on Sunday morning, and 21 points of rain were registered for -he 24 hours up till 9 o'clock yesterday morning Mr Hugh Morrissn presided over the weeklv meeting of tho Claims Hoard of Ihe Wu : .rarnm Patriotic Association held yesterday. The account of a soldier v<j" guaranteed at ashank in order to enable him to set un "in business. Two loans aggregating .£4OO were granted for the purchase of slock by soldiers who had taken up land. One application for. a Ipnn was held over pending further innirries. Five claims for temporary relief were dealt with Owing to .the Christmas vacation the next meeting of the Iward will bo held on Jnnuary 19.

1 MANAWATU An inquest was held on Monday afternoon beforo Mr. A. J. Graham. AelnigCoronor, Palmerston North, and .a jury of four, on James M'Cooley, aged between 08 and 70, who died as the result of falling over a precipice at Pnhaneina. The medical evidence showed that there was considerable laceration of the bain from the fall, and a verdict of accidental death was returned. A heavy thunderstorm wns experienced in the Manawatu district on Sunday afternoon, with heavy showers of hail, slret and rain. This, followed by a warm day on Monday, did a great deal of good to'H>" pastures, which arc all looking Tordssti Aiwubcrs nf the ralmcrston" North Chamber of Commerce forgathered yesterday to bid farewell to Mr. C. P. Day, who has been stationmaster hern for a number of years, and now has been transferred to Wanrjanui. The president of the chamber (Mr. E. H. Crabb) presided, and at the outset introduced and extended a hearty welcome, to Mr. J. L. Morgan, who takes Mr. Day's position. In makiii" reference to (lie splendid manner in which Mr. Dav had controlled tlie local station, Mr. Crabb said it was generally recognised that the railways were the arteries of the nation, arid that a bad slationmastcr must naturally lie a clot in the arteries.' However. Mr. Day had with much credit upheld, the confidence which hnd been placed in him. He had .gained tho esteem and respect of all with whom he came in touch, and while doing his duty faithfully to tlie Department had given fair play right through. In wishing Mr. Day God speed. Mr. Crabb said he had much pleasure in presenting him, on behalf of tlie community, with a fountain pen. suitably engraved. In adding his fe!:fitations. Mr. J. A. Nash, M.P.. staled without fear of contiadiclion that Ihe

-■-.ilioii ei s!\itiorm»stcr at I'aliuerston North was one of the hardest in New Zealand. In this connection ho referred to the difficulties under which the work was being done and tho need for improvemonts in the facilities here. In Mr. Day they had had a man of exceptional ability, and one who had done cvo'ytliing' possible to assist the community. Mr. J. iM. Johnston said he. considered it would bo very hard to get a more courteous and considerate officer. Messrs. \\. P. Durward and L. A. Abraham al?o spoke. In replying, .Mr. Dav thanked the L'tisiness men of the town for the manner in which they had mot him. Ho had never mot a bettor set of business men before, and il was in their assistance, that the secret of his success lay. Since coining to Paliiiorston North he had experienced strenuous times. Firstly, there was the record show, followed l>y strikes, the war period with its camps, and the epidemic. These had not made his position a "bod of roses." In payim: a tribute to the stall'. M.r. Day pointed out that 270,000 mou were carried to

mid fro between Rnngiolu Camp and Palmerston North, and durinjr the tinio Uia camp was in existence there, had not been a. single accident. Mr. Morgan re turned thanks for the welcome extended to' him. Ho said that as long as anything wa9 not against 'the interests of the Railway Department, they could d<>pend upon his holp. JTo hoped lie would lie able to fill the position satisfactorily. He agreed that Palirorston North was recognised as tlio hardest slatiou in Nov Zealand, and that the facilities were in no way in keeping with Hie work to ho done. Ifis aim would be to give civility and courtesy to the people, and to treat them justly and rightly as far as was iu his power.