PROVINCIAL NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 24 April 1907, Page 4

PROVINCIAL NEWS.

(From Our Own Correspondents.) BULL BIOCK. A gymnastic club has been instituted m the Block, having a membership of about .'lO. The hall has been taken, gymnastic material procured, and a' ■"tart made. Club swinging is under the direction of .Air Cniueron, who is a very capable instructor. The club lids a ■most important blank in the winter life of the Block. It is to be hoped (hut tlie enthusiasm will not die out too soon, and that capable instruction will !■■• procured: then, no doubt the club will be a great boon to young men of the district. The annual meeting of the parishioners of St. Luke's Church was held on Wednesday evening. April 17th, j n t ] le liell Block Hall. 'l'll,. Rev. y. | jilt |er occupied the chair. Music, instrumental and vocal, served very plensnntlv 1,1 pass away the iirsl half hour of the evening. Miss Irene Saiwny played a color.ion of Irish melodies vcrv Well. .Mr Latter sang "The HoK CHv" and Master Gordon Bundle the' "XewspaporBoy." Then followed the Sunday School snpevint'iideiit's report.'' The ' Sunday School prizes wer,. distributed bv ,\l'r Latter as follows; Senior division ls< prize. Irene Sal way and Russell ll'nbv' '2nd. Margaret. Bakewell; middle division Ist lionald Andrews, 2nd. Gordon Rundle; infant division, Ist. Mary Bakewell. 2nd. Eva Andrews. :i'r,l. Kathleen Holmes. 4th/ Myrtle Holmes. Prizes were also awarded to Milliccnt Hakewell, Nitn Street and Edith Richards of the infant division. These prizes were given for attendance principally Following 'this a recitation was given by Hilda aird'a' song. rr Ora Pro Xilbis," by Miss Hilda Rice." The busi. ness of the church vestry came next. Mr Rice (secretary to the vestry) read the annual report. Mr Pote, Clergyliuiin's Churchwarden, read the balance-sheet', which disclosed a healthy state of affairs. The election of oilicer's resulted as follows:—Mr H. Pote, Clergyman's Churchwarden; Mr H. Rice, People's Churchwarden; Mc-srs G. llislop, C. Ifoskin, Harold Street, W. ]loskin, H. Hohy, and 11. Sampson members of 'the Vestry. Mr Pote was also appointed warden in charge of the cemetery. Refreshments provided liy the ladies of the congregation were then handed round, and after singing "God Save the King," tire meeting, terminated. URENL'I. Cricket for the season died on Thursday, when the long talked-of game, Seniors v. Juniors, took place, the result proving that, the juniors (winners of tne district shield for this season) are not too bad at the good old game. The seniors, who were strongly represented, could make no stand against the bowling of W. Lash and Geo. Richards (each 4 for 11), and were all out for 44. The juniors made 52, and thus won and interesting and exciting match by 8 runs. For the juniors, W. Sampson 18, Wal. Fuller 11. and the seniors, W. Fuller 11, and C. Wilson fl, were the highest scorers. The juniors are to be congratulated on tlie success of their first season's cricket, and much praise is due to the veteran Sangster, who piloted them through. In the, evening a large gathering was present at the social in the Town Hall. Music was supplied by Miss McKenzic and Mr Geo. Pascoe. During the dance intervals, Miss Dumbleton played a pianoforte jsolo, and songs were sung by Misses Wilson and Ilonan, and Messrs C. Wilson. S. Farquahar and S. Hughes. A special feature of the evening's entertainment was the address and recitation by Dr. Pomnro, who fairly took the audience oy storm. Almongst the 'beautiful decorations of the hall, the shield held a conspicuous place, and.during the evening Mr R. I'igott, on behalf of the Cricket Association, handed it over to the team's skipper, W. Sangster, who pleasingly responded. Harry Scholelield received the bat for the highest average presented to the club by the late Jas. Paul, Est]. Another presentation was that of the ball which won the deciding match for the juniors against Inglewood, suitably inscribed with the names of the members of the winning team. It was banded to Mr Archie Thompson, who had acted as manager for the team. His speech in reply was quite a feature of the evening. JDancing was kept up until half-past throe, nearly everyone staying for the final flutter. Much of the success of the social is due to the energy of Mr Percy Spurr, who acted as M.C.

The Rifle Club got oil' two-.events on Thursday afternoon. Mr P. llinty was top score at. the 500 yds and (iOOyds range, and gets a "leg in" for tlie beautiful 'trophy presented by Messrs Mills and Co. Wellington, the back-mark-ers did not come up to expectations. In the 200 yds match (7 shots, service conditions, disappearing target), Mr & Julian made the good score of 31, and won the trophy. Mr ('. Agate was second. About a dozen competed in this very interesting contest. Major Dodd is expected to visit the corps on May 24th. FRANKLEY ROAD. The peaceful residents of the above, locality were roused by the pealing of numerous bells, kerosene tins, can lids, cow bells, etc., etc., on Friday night last, the l!)th inst., the occasion being the returning home 'of .Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Wallace, who were married lust. Thursday, the 18th, at Stratford. At about V.liO p.m. quite a large crowd congregated outside the resilience of Mr. Wallace. After a short concert outside, the doors were opened by the bridegroom, wliOjin very suitable words, invited those participating to come inside and partake of refreshments. The party at once made themselves at home, and rendered quite an enjoyable concert programme. WAREA. An accident, that might have been attended with serious consequences, happened to Mr. Thomas Barr the other day. While he was working in a gravel pit a fall of gravel came down and caught him, but he got oil', however, with a lew bruises, a big stone about two or three hundred weights just missing him. Mr. and .Mrs. IClwin are on a visit to this district. The farm I reported as having been sold last. week, has not vet been disposed of. The possibiliy is that the sale will not come oil. I have to regret the death of Mr. and Mrs. William Julian's youngest granddaughter who died on Saturday night, at the age of ten months. She was .1 sull'erer from bronchitis and pneumonia. About ten o'clock on Saturday night Mr. .lames Duggan wired to a N'ew Plymouth doctor to come out, as his youngest child had been taken seriously ill. The doctor was soon in attendance. The child bad been eating green biilli-lmlli berries, lint now, I am glad to say, she is out of danger. .A euchre parly and dance took place at the hall on Thursday evening in aid of the English Church' building fund. There was a large attendance, and there was a good night's amusement. .Mr. .Morris, of Oakura, was in charge of the euchre playing. Mr. (Have Julian won first prize. At ten o'clock the room was cleared for dancing. Miss Francis and Mrs. Sefton played the music, and Mr. Charles Corbett.'acted as M.C. At midnight supper was handed round, and was much appreciated. Dancing was kept going until the small hours of Fridav morning. The euchre parlies and. dance's will be continued fortnightly throughout 1 lie wilder months. A daughter of Kmnera. a native, was burnt to death on Friday.' A thunderstorm, with heavy wind and rain, was experienced on Sunday evening between four and six o'clock.