COUNTRY NEWS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 115, 9 February 1920, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS

, NOTES FROM VARIOUS CENTRES (From Our Own Correspondents.) WAIRARAPA' In connection with the motor races at Tauhorenikau this week an interesting 'lav's snort seems a&nifeU by tne met that nearly all the riders an: the cream of the motor-cyclo racing fraternity, in- i eludine tho cracks . li. Crawley, Ij. I Mnngham, E. S. Gnisford, 11. P. Osgood, ; F. Morrison, P. Coleman, aud R. Jones, ; I'. Coleman is the holder of the world's | record for a urass track. Coleman has latelv returned from America, where he did a ereat deal of racing, and was never ; beaten bv a machine of a similar capacity to liia own. An outstanding feature of the day's programme will be a special match between J. Dawher, driving a motor-car and P. Coleman riding a special racing motor-cyclc, over five laps. The entries are particularly good, and fivon a fine day the association looks forWard to a very successful meeting. The following men have been selected to rcDresent tlie Wairarapa Amateur Athletic Club at the forthcoming provincial championships at Wellington:—Kilmin<itcr. Candv, Selby, Taucher, M'Cracken, Kennedy. Ammundsen, M'Eweii, Wyeth, Davey, Ciirrington, Mexted (2), Butcher, Msston. Ford, Perry '.2), Caigou, Cumrjings. Morjjai), Grantham, Harvey, Vcstv. Lozeil, Neilsen, Carson, Kerr, and Bradbury The niovin? picture of Mssterton and district that has been taken in tho course of tho na«t few weoks will bo released shortly. The picturo comprises 6000 ft. o f film. The Castlepoint County Council has decided to pay £2 ss. a day for iirst-class horse tennis and drivers. In reference to the proposal to erect a soldiers' memorial on Mr. T. B. Maunsell's Taipua property, the Castlepoint County Council has notified its willingness to assist, provided the promoters of tie project (the National Service League) make the first move in the matter. Mr. F. E. Tyler, of Carterton, had the

misfortune to receive a severe kick from a young horse while he was shooing it. The animal kicked out sideways, striking Mr. Tvler on the jaw,- and knocking out five teeth. . At a meeting of stewards of the \Vairarapa Kacing Club the programme as submitted by the commitee for tho Easter meeting was approved, the stakes covering a sum of .£3150 for a two days meeting. of eight races each day. An appli-cation-for a gentleman's rulers certifacnte /from J. 0. Coe was approved.' It was resolved to negotiate with Mr. U. Shannon re acting as judgo should Mr. .1 W. Card be unable to attend the Easter meeting. An application was received for a donation towards tlio iiitie Association in Wellington. It was decided that the local, society should be supported, and accordingly a grant ot .tiu 10s. was made for the Papawai meeting. Mr. August John Ashlon, a well-ituow n settler of the Carterton district died on Thursday morning at the age ot -64 years. Deceased had been ailing for some weeks He was born in the Hutt Valley, and came to the Wairarapa twenty-seven years ago. He was twice married, and leaves a widow and grown-up family ot two sons and three daughters. Deceased wjis a member of the Loyal Rose of tho v- n «v r ri'e" (HuH'l. The procedure adopted in the election of tho Board of Agriculture was the subject of a letter read at Saturday s meeting of the Masterton A. and P. Aeso-. eiation. The writer, Mr. Hugh Akers (president of tho Manawatu Society), a--ked for the endorsement of resolutions that had been passed recommending the . Minister of Agriculture to.amend m ' certain directions tho Act dealing with the election of the board. Among the alterations desired wore (1) < the insertion of clauses making it essential for a candidate to have an ab-olute majority be-

fore being returned; and (2) the legalisation of voting by post tn obviate the necessity for distant associations to send delegates. Mr. William Perrv (nresulent of the local association) snid that the present procedure was not satisfactory. The Alanawatu Society was empowered to call a meeting for the purposes of an election, and, of course, out up a candidate. A number of smaller' associations on the West Coast :had appointed tho Manawatu Society to represent them at the last ballot, with the result that enough proxies were available to secure fhe return of thn Manawatu candidate. That state of affair' ought to be remedied and tho insertion of a, clause permitting voting by post would be a .jood ttlin" ' The lntter was held over for dismission until the next, meeting, when the association's delegates to tlio recent election will be present. i At tho same meeting of the -fastenon ■\ and P. Association, Mr. W. Dayis (headmaster of the Greytown District HHi School) took the opportunity of bidding farewell to members of the nsso--1 eiation prior to liis leaving for kelson ' to tnko lip the position of curator to the i Cawthron Institute. Air. Davis said that for many years past he had collaborated i willi the association in arranging school 1 exhibit', etc., at shows, when foe had • l>cen agricultural instructor for the Wellington province. The association's general committee had always bee" of great assistanco in having the work carried I through. Since then many changes had taken" place in the personnel of tho committee, but he felt it incumbent unon i him to thank them .for the interest they had displayed in the oast. Tn regard to the Cawthron Institute. Afr. Davis said that as curator lie would have the very, pleasant duties of arranging the museum and thn library, end "'s exper'umce of peiontifie photography when in the Agricultural Department would undoubtedly stand him in gnod stead in this connection. One of the first duties

of the institute would be +o make; n. soil «urvey of Mm Nelson district and to discover method? of combating iho Mights awl pests o? that. locality. But tho institute roust essentially be of a national character, nnd as time went on it would lm of great benefit to the whole Dominion. Mr. William Perrv (nresident of the association} referred enloeisticallv to Mr. Paris, who. though lm had not been heard of much in the Waivarana, had don» irrpnt pro-vice to -the distrct. He had been for the initiation of the school garden plots' competition, which was now under Governnient supervision and was universal in the schools of the Dominion. Tho speaker had visited the Greytnwn school, nnd had been agreeably surprised to note the excellent development of the garden plots there. Tn Mr. Davis the district was losing n valuable asset, but he was going to an institution that would V in time of paramount importance to tlio wbnlc Dominion. The general committee of tho Masterton A. and P. Association met on Saturday. Mr. W. Perry presiding. Tt was rc*>lvod to send a loiter of condolence to tho relatives of the late Mr. H.. Bennett. The motion was carried in silence-, members standing. A letter was received from M'ss M'Gregor (secretary nf the Bible Class, Association) nskiw? > for the use of the association's grounds at Easter time. Some discussion took nlacc as to whether tlio buildings. bedding, cooking utensils, etc.., should bo open for use without am' chargo lxsing made. Mention was made of tlio fact that in the past articles.used had not been returned in good repair The chairman said he was very strongly against any utensils being used br anyone excent the association. They had }« treat all alike. He was, however, in favour of the buildings, bunks and mattresses being open for hire. The matter was loft in the hands of Mr. Perry and Mr. Spain to arrange on the lines ' suggested by the fornior, question of charge to bo decided between the parties. Mrs. 0. C. Cooper wrote apolo gising for being unable to present the shield she had promised, owing to _a suitable trophy being" unobtainable Wellington, but suggesting that the win- | ncr's name should be placed on a shield that she was obtaining from England. It was resolved to write thanking Mr*. I Cooper for her offer. A let lor was receivrd from tho llailway Department notifying the train arrangements for tlw show. It was geneiallr agreed that the railway facilities were the licst thai had been offered so far. On the motion of Mr. ,T. C. M'Killop. it w_ns_ decided to make 110 charge for admission for children under 12 v«irs of age. Tho resignations were .accepted of Messrs. A Henderson, -T. B. Cameron. ,T. V. Gordon and ,T. G. C. Wales. Fifty-ono new .niombers were elected Miss B. Nurse (of Urn Tving George,V. Military Hospital, Rotorua) has been

appointed matron of the Master ton Ho pital, and will tnko up her duties on February 18. Tlio 100 yards swimming race, hcjd under tlie auspices of tilie Carterton Amateur Swimming Club on Thursday,"was won by M. Kin? (lsec.), L. Fairbrother (scr.) being second, and 11. Kiddie (lOsec.) third. Tlie Masterton Progressive League lias decided to approach the Chamber of Commerce for its support in obtaining better telephone communication between Masterton and Wellington. The league is also endeavourinc to have a maternity •hospital established under the supervision of the Hospital nmd Charitable Aid Board. The Mayor, Mr. W. IT. Jackson, is to bo asked to call a public meeting' for the purpose of deciding whether the fnllen soldiers' memorial sports grounds siin.ll be adopted as Jfnstertoii's official memorial. Severil substantial prizes have already been promised for p. monster art union in aid of the memorial, but I tho whole question of cost will be discussed at the meeting.

Since its inception the Wairarnna Patriotic Association lias advanced the sum of .£31,562 13s. 2d. to soldier applicants, and of this amount £5727 17s. sd.' has been repaid. . Rabbit-poisoning operations aro m full swing in the WairaTana. Under the supervision of the Agricultural Department a special effort is being made to materially reduce tho pest 6 in this district. Since the announcement by the authorities that they'had definitely decided on a site for the new Masterton High School, nothing farther has been heard of the matter—probably due to the election intervening. However, the Wairarapa School Committees' Association will shortly hold a meeting to urge that prompt 6teps bo taken to lay tho foundations of the building. A proposal to raise a loan of <£5000 for rnrrjing out two miles of tnr sealing load work and accompanying concrete channelling is to be considered at tho monthly meating of the Featherstou j Borough Council on Wednesday night.

MANAWATU Many prominent rocks in tlie Manae watu Gorge have been disfigured by unsiehtlv advertisements. Tliq V\'oodnlle Chamber of Commerce has raised objection lo this disfigurement of fine seenerv. and the new board which controls tho Gorce is to bo asked to endeavour to \t a meeting of the Woodville County Council. Mr. H. V. Toogood (engineer) reported that pile-driving was proceeding satisfactorily at Atmataranga JSridgo. but the piles would requireto set foi wo months, by'which time it was hoped tho necessarr cement would be available to comolete the work. , At. an auction sale at Poluatua a bag of 1401b. of sufcar was submitted. -U was keenly comneted for, and realised A* 4s. equal to "3d. per lb. . ~ A lot of fruit is going to waste m the district on account of_ tho scarcity of sugar to turn it into jam. Last. month was the wettest January experienced in the Pahiatna district 6inc« 1910. Altogether, 5.19 inches of rain fell, I there being sixteen wet days.