COUNTRY NEWS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 48, 20 November 1920, Page 12

COUNTRY NEWS

« . NOTES FROM VARIOUS • CENTRES wairarapT NOTES The following aro the results of tho various loans at Greytown this week-.— Drainage, JiIO.OOO loan; For, 55; against, 32. Wator loan, ,£1500: For, 51; against, 35] Gas loan, : For, 54 j against, 35. A "cienn-up week" is to take place in Mastorton shortly, the date to be fixed by "tho sanitary inspector and tho engineer. . , The consulting engineer from Ilawera will arrive in Masterton on Monday to commence his investigations previous to reporting to the Borough Council on the local drainago scheme. llnder the auspices of the Caledonian Society, a progressive euchre party and dance were held in the Masterton Municipal Buildings on Thursday evening. Mrs. Rossi tcr won tho ladies prize, and Mr. G. Barr the gentlemen's. Consolation prizes were awarded to 'Mrs. Poterscn and Mr. A. J. Billington. Tho monthly meeting oi the Mastorton Chamber of Commerce was held yesterday, Mr. A. C. Major presiding. Jho Wellington Co-operative Waterside Labour Employment Association forwarded a copy of a resolution limiting the weight of sacks of potatoes to 20fi)b., this being i the heaviest bag the watersiders wero prepared lo handle. The resolution wns supported by the chamber, which expressod its sympathy with tha .endeavour to lighten the bags. Tho appointment of delegates to tho annual conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce was left in the hands of the president. Itwas resolved to notify the Welfare League of tho names of the delegates who would ba selected to. attend an informal meeting of that body next week. It wns reI solved to write to tlio General Manager of Kail ways regarding a suggestion for tho parking of airs at .the Mastorton station. Messrs. A. C. Major, R. 11. Hill, and 1? Brown were appointed delegates to confer with the Progress League regarding a proposal to prevent overlapping in the work of ttert body and the ! chamber. Mr. Len. Clark, manager of tho National Bank of New Zealand, was elected a member of the chamber. Under the patronage 0 the Mayor (Mr. W. H. .Tackson), the students of the Mastorton Technical School held a dance in the Exchange Hall on Thursday evening. Alout 100 couples attended, and dancing was continued until after lnidnignl. A successful concert was given b> the I Mastorton Savage Club at the p Opoia House 011 Thursdav flight m aid o» three returned soldier fishermen, who lost. tl eir launch at Castlepoint during a stoim. Prizes were awarded to local school children for the best essays describing the adventures of the fishermen. Tho musical items rendered by individual Savn ™ and the Caledonian Orchestra, were all well received, but the stai turn ot the evening was a skit entitled ihe Tnuwu Borough Council, in which local councillors were impersonated. The visit of T.ord and Lad> Jellicoo to Mastcrton in December is to beJ} lo ™™' '"competitions 6 for^tluf'Booth Cup ndndr On the Mastcrton Park green the Carterton A team were ky Pj.j.l- team by 87 points to ;: av terton B team were defeated by the Masterton team on the tatter's Breen by* points to '49. Featherston met tho Gioyteam on the o°n tho score ended even, being bl all. Un Saturday the Featherston team will play Carterton in the shield competition. At a meeting of the Waiohmc Biver Board the overdraft was reported at £153 Accounts amounting to «u.> > lowers'passed for payment. Ihe question of certain lands being exempted from the river tax was considered, and certain adjustments made. J-.lie secrernrj was instructed to make inquiries re other lands with! a view of the owners 'being rated for the necessary river protection W Mr. S 'A. D. M'Leod, M.P., has donated a challenge shield for competition amongst rifle clubs in the Wturarapa eUctorate.

MANAWATU Farmers aro still having a very trying time in this' district, as for some weeks past the weather bus been cold and showery, and there is very littlo growth in tho grass, while there is but little substance in any greeu feed. It is not surprising under the circumstances that stock are not looking at their best, and tho factories generally are not getting their usual supplies of milk, while the quality on t.lie wholo is not up to standard. Store stock have declined in value at all the markets, young cattle more especially, Vliilci sheep for topping off are not sought after. Tho only class of cattle that are in demand are good springing hoifr-rs of suitable types, others being- neglected. The low-lying country around the Moutoa and Makerua swamps, which was under water a few weeks ago, although the waters have now gone off, will be unfit for pasturing for some weeks yet, and owners of stock arc finding difficulty in getting paddoeking for a quantity of their stock. While a considerable amount of damage and inconvenience has been caused in the meantime, this should -bo morn than compensated for later on by the rich alluvial soil deposited by tho floods, that is providing that it is not impregnated with that curse of weeds in this district, the goatsrue. The smaller farmers hero who cannot afford to hold their wool, which is all of the coarser grades, .are in a dilemma as to what to do with their clips. With the possibility of the markets not recovering lor some considerable time, many of them ennnot hold on for such a contingency, and some of them who have acauirecl land ot very high prices will have ratter an anxious time.

A serious accident has occurred at Mr. JV. l'etrie's flaxmill at Foxton. The main crank shaft of an 85 h.p. suction gas engine broke, carrying away the whole of the front part of tho engine bed. The G-ton flywheel, spinning at the rate of 185 revolutions per minuto, crashed into the expansion box, completely ' wrocking the generator and sortibber. This impeded its flight, otherwise it probably would have been hurled through tho air to an adjoining mill with disastrous results. Fortunately no one was injured. Tho crash was heard some distance away. Mr. Petrio had lately effected repairs to tho engine at a cost of .£l5O. The engino is a complete wreck and the damage is eotimaloil at about .£2OOll.

A petition for the dissolution of ltis mni'rin|;e with Elsio Eliza Ann Cnllingliam was brought by Charles Thomas Callinjjham, before Mr. Justice Chapman, in tho Supreme Court this week, but in the course of a reserved decision delivered yesterday ltis Honour declined to make a decree. "The petition purports to be a petition for the dissolution of nmrriiißc," slid His Honour. "It allege-.*, however, that the parties went through a form or ceromony of roairiajie only. The allegation appears to be the wrongful refusal of marital rights over since tho marriago in 1907, in consequence whereof the marriage lias never boon consummated, and tho petitioner claims that the marriage be declared void" 11 is Honour stated that certain real formalities in connection with respondent's con.*;nt had not wen complied with, and he ordered that tho ease be set down for next sittinß. . Till' Oroua and Slussish River Drain-Me-Hoards held n conference yesterday to consider tho best steps to take in connection with ivillows which hid been planted for protection purposes along the Oroua liiver banks. The general opinion was that these trees now constituted n menace to the waterway owing to {he, crowtli of their roots, nnd the question a we as to what body would be responsible for their removal. Suggestions were made that tho trees should bo back, but it was pointed out that this would only further encourage tho growth I 0 f which would interfere with the nJ of water. Another suggestion was that the trees should be pulled cut now Ivhilo the soil was soft, but it was pointTout that if this wero done erosion the tanks would increase, and ltaf iitv might fall on the boards. It was r 11 v decided that tho boards should S y to rte JlinWer of Public Works and ask for his advice on tile matter, " the meeting was adjourned until a "eply had been received-