LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10552, 7 February 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A Wellington drapery, firm is about to open business in Masterton. Mr W. Halley, formerly of Ckrtei'ton, takes over tie' Clarendon Hotel in PaLmerston North this week.

The number of men applying for casual assistance from the' benevolent, authorities in Master ton of 'late ha.? been exceedingly small. Mr A. R. Wallis, the contractor for the removial of a twostorey building from Church Street to Kuripxini, has made a start on tbe work. | The Martinborough Hotel liad a nar- ! row escape from destruction by fire on j Sunday night, owing to the explosion ! of a kerosene lamp. I It is reported that Mr W. B. Ingram lias disposed of his interest in the Lower Taueru'Hotel to a southern purchaser. The North Island Sheep Dog Trial Association has . fixed the Martinborough trials this year for April 17th . 18th, and ISth, and the Masterton trials for May 22nd, 23rd, and 24tJ l i.

The New Zealand clay bird championship • thfoygqg, has been 'allotted to the Masterton Gun Club. The match will be fired on July 18th. ,

At the Wellington Supreme Court yesterday, Granville'Hunt was sentenmi to 18 and 12 months imprisonment on two charges of forgery and uttering, the sentences to be concurrent., Mr J. D. Henry, British oil expert, has completed his second series of investigations in the Tar an aki dist riot. He hopes that oil will be struck in No. 5 bore very shortly. 1

The barometer • fell with a rtui*'in Masterton yesterday afternoon, and a distinct change in the atmospheric conditions occurred. ' Light rain "Ml' early in the evening, and the air was much cooler.

The Masterton branch of tlie Women's Christian Temperance Ujiio.-i has decided that, owing to the expense a. delegate to the Dunediu Convention next month, it be represented by proxy. 1 The season for the inoculation of calves against blackleg is in hill 6wjng, and, the departmental officers in Taranaki are having a busy time. Up to date 11,590 animals have been treated in tihe Hawera area., as against 10,000 for the same period last year. The servant girl problem in somes districts is reaching an acute stage. During the past few months a far.Mor ou the Fairlio line engaged servants on three occasions, drove to the station to receive them, and found neither setvant nor excuse.

It transpires that all tlie Prime Minister had to do with the settlement of the trannvay strike in Wellington was .to.convey a. resolution 6f the Citv Council to the Strike Committee, ami bring it back after it liad been, accepted: . ■

The tender of Mr J. Martin, at £490, has been accepted by the Akitio County Council for 800 yards of metalling on the Waione road. The tender, of Mr H. Dillon, at £555 9s, lias been accepted for 966 yards of metalling oo the Maluiri-Pongaroa road, near Mangatiti.

Discussing the question of scholar-, ships, which was introduced by Mr Vile at the last meeting of the Wellington Education Board, the Martinborough Star says:—"The country schools have a. very real grievance in the matter of scholarships; scores of cluldrea are being deprived of the benefits of secondary education, bemuse, through, no fault of their own, tfhey are.fourteen years of age before they arrive* at the scholarship standard. It would lie well' if the school committees of this district were to give consideration to this matter, and make joint representation to the Board on the matter of country scholarships. The local School Committee meets this evening, and we hope that the subject matter of tihis appeal will be brought up for consideration."