PAHIATUA NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3082, 2 January 1909, Page 6

PAHIATUA NEWS.

1 (From Our Resident Reporter)

Friday. THE BOWLING GREEN.

The local bowling green still keeps in excellent condition, and is being constantly used by the members, some of them taking a stroll around ■there every suitable evening. Mr Wakeman, a great enthusiast on the game, and also an authority on grass and grass seed, took special note of .'the grass put down on the greens in the Old Country when he had a trip home recently. The bowlers at Home considered the grass on their greens would not grow from seed, and always have it brought from special places in the turf. Mr Wakeman, however, thought he would try to germinate some in New Zealand, and secured about two lbs of the seed. Last winter a small patch was sown on a corner of the local green, and also a portion of ground at Mr Wakeman's private house. The j experiment has been more than satisfactory, and both plots are growing well, and Mr Wakeman is highly pleased with the result. He Is sending Home for the botanical name of the grass, whij.i is a species of fescue, ancl the sample which may be inspected at the local green is of a dark silky green colour. That Mr Wakeman has the game of bowls at heart is fully seen bv 'the great care and interest he has taken in germinating this particular grass, which was thought not to be able to be grown in New Zealand owing to varoius climatic conditions. TENNIS. ■' A tennis tournament will be commenced on the local cburts this morning. There will be four championships—ladies' singles and combined doubles, and men's singles and doubles, and five handicap events. Visiting representatives will be present from Palmerston North, Wellington, Hutt, Auckland, Dannevirke and Woodville. The Pahiatua players . have been practising every suitable &£y lately, and hope to give a good account of themselves. The tournament will continue to-morrow and - finish in the evening.

PAHIATUA RACING CLUB. AN ENTERPRISING COMMITTEE. The Pahiatua racecourse is in excellent condition, the late rains having improved the grass and, also, helping to bring along the rape crop, which was sown recently. The Committee have already made arrangements for a mob of lambs which they intend to fatten on,the rape. Special attention is being paid to the ploughed track, and general improvements have been effected throughout.

"What a morning," said people yesterday, when rain came down in torrents and the wind howled round the corners, and everyone going to work seemed fated to get a good soaking for the last day of the year.

.However abcut 10 a.m. the sun shone out, and the rest of the day and even- , ing was gloriously fine and a large , number of country residents made their way into town. At midnight the Old Year was rung out and the New Year was rung in on the fire bell. A watchnight service was held in the Presbyterian Church last evening. Mr Allan Campbell has donated a parcel of books to the Fire Brigade Library. Mrs Duffty, who has been in charge of the'Makuri Post Office for the last two yean, has been transferred to North East Valley, Dunedin. In Thursday's, issue, the future home of Mr and Mrs Vowell should have read Mirama, not Miramar. Professor Bert Hepburn, the reputed champion horse-trainer of the Southern Hemisphere, has bought out Mr Jim Quirk's breaking-in plant, and will commence business shortly in this district.