PROVINCIAL NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 14, 11 October 1907, Page 2

PROVINCIAL NEWS.

(From Our Own Corrcspondeiits.) ' WAIMARINO; Last month was a bad one for bushfelling, and land has not been cleared with as much despatch as could bo wished owing to incessant rains. Business premises in Raetihi-are still being built, and all being stocked in readiness for a brisk trado this umimor. .News has been received in Raetihi of the death of the young man Dempsey, who had such a trying experience in the wet bush, when lid met with an accident whilo felling, soiiio little time ago. The unfortunate sufferer did not survive a necessary operation, performed in the Wanganui Hospital, whither he had been sent. The meeting called for the purpose of forming a racing club hero lapsed through weather conditions interfering t with the attendance. Other meetings' throughout the district in connection with cricket and other matters' have beeii postponed until the weather- improves. WOODVILLE. Dr. Do Lisle, Health Officer for Hawke's Bay, is on a visit to the district, and went out to Kumeroa on Wednesday. He condemned Shaw's bakery building, over which there has been some agitation, so that a newbuilding must go up. The Maharabara Copper -Syndicate, which has' its headquarters at Auckland, has practically closed the mine' for sovoral months. A contract, which will keep several men going for that period, has been let in cbniiection with the mine, so that it is evidently the company's intention to rcsume'wprk later on.' Miss Rosenberg's health has become so precarious that it was thought wiso to,send her to'the Waipukjirau Hospital on Wednesday last. The natives are having the reserve adjoining Messrs. Nelson Bros.' property surveyed and divided in proportion to their individual rights. News came to hand on Wednesday that the operation upon tho Rev. Maslin's mother had been but the case was hopoless. Mr.- Maslin is likely to be detained ini the south f6f some time. ' UPPER RANGITIKEI. • With the ' excoption of two. brief spells of fine weather rain continues to drench the already soaking roads ■ and bush in the district, and can omy havo the* effect of seriously militating against a successful season. ' Slips are general, and in places the roads aro completely torn away. In .many other sections blocks havo occurred which will take a considorablo time to clear, and, this work is seriously hampered by the incessant and Heavy rains. Apart from this the roads aro not in a fit state for wheeled traffic, being little.better than bogs, and packing out will, have-to, bo resorted;,to if the wet spell continues much'longer.. Already many settlers are completely isolated'.' . '. . ' A slip on the road midway between Raotihi and ' Pipiriki blocked the coach, and the Ohakune servico is being maintained with difficulty. The heavy rains. during the' latter part or last woek and. tho early part" of ■• this greatly increased the wretchedness of the Waimarino roads. The once famed Qhakunc-Ractihi Road has been ■ "deplorably knocked about. . ■ . Very heavy slips havo also occurred on tho Pukomapu Road, ■ Te' Kapua, which will take sevoral days to clear. : Tho County -Engineer.'.(Mr. S. ; Nair). ,'and'a largo gang'of men : h«ve already; started to'make a now,road, and the work will be pushed oh as expeditiously as possible under tho adverse climatic conditions.; Tho settlers in the Pohunui block are in an awkward position, as the slide has blocked .their only outlet.' Two very large--slips also block vehicular traffic on the road between Utiku and Mangaweka. Borough works in Taihapo aro still being conducted spasmodically on account' of the wot weather, and, should a short' summer bo experienced here, it is not thought the scheduled improvements will be completed before l ' the winter again sots in..' / Utiku has also suffered through, the rains'. Tho roads and footpaths are quagmires. "The Pukobkahu-Tadroa main rba'd is ' at "• its worst, and"will not be much longer open for vehicular traffic if the wet does not abate' It took a waggon with 1000 ft. of timber and ten horses over three days'to get from Ta'oroa to Utiku. , The question of a wator supply for Taihapo is being considered, and will bo discussed at a special council mooting. ■ It is contended that tho extonI sions and improvements in buildings of the town merit some precautions boing- taken for fire-saving purposes. Considerable regret has. been expressed locally at tho resignation of Mr. Jamos Goorgctti from tho R-angi-tikei County Council for tho Awarua riding. This step has been rendered necessary by a critical illness of his wife. The Bank of Now Zealand has docidod to establish a weekly agency iii Ohakune under jtho management of tho Raetihi Office. This will bo a great convenience, to tho residents of Ohakune, and although tho bankiag hours at present will bo limited to two hours on Saturdays, only, it is acknowledged to bo a step in the right direction. ... Tho petition from Utiku to tho Government asking-that special legislation be introduced to enabip the town of Potaka to bo converted from. native land into freehold, has been forwarded to its destination, and much interest is beinc; centred in its reception. The Taihape Athletic. Club held its annual general meeting on Monday. Tho balance-sheet showed a credit of funds exceeding £100. It was decided that £150 should bo offered in prizes for the meeting on New Year's Day. ' : The electors of the Waimarino have forwarded a handsome gold watch and address to tho Promier for presentation to Mr. A. B. Remington, M.H.R., for Rangitikei. This has been done as a token of their appreciation of his services in' the past, as at next olection the Waimarimo will bo cut apart from the Rangitikei electorate.: FEATHERSTON. Mr. Thomas Skipage, of Featherston, was married on Thursday to Miss Alice Stockbridge, late of Kaiwarra (Wellington). The Rev. T. J. Smith performed the ceremony, and the young couple left by the express for Wanganui on their honeymoon tour. Tho members of tho Featherston Girls' White Cross Club havo presented their president, Mrs. Deamcr, with a silver-hacked hairbrush' and silvermounted smelling salts bottlo, and Miss Deamer with a silver-mounted hairpin bottle. A meeting of the Featherston branch of tho Greytown and Lower Valley ilo'rticultural and Industrial Society was held on Wednesday afternoon, when- Mr. A. J. Toogood was elected chairman. It was decided that a show' bo held on November 14, and tho following judges wore appointed :—Pot plants ; and cut flowers, Mr. F. Cooper. .(Wellington); floral designs, Mesdames N. lieotham, W. P. James, and D. Donald (Masterton); carving, Rev. J. A. Brown (Greytown); fruit and vegetables, Mr. S. Denby (Fcitherston); butter, Misses Donald and Davidson (Featherston); home produce, Mesdames W. Martin and C. Leo (Martinborongli); homo work, Mesdames Boy and R. W. Tate (Greytown); photography, Mr. G. W. Cobb (Martin-

borbligh); sohool work, Mossrs. F. C. Everton (Featherston) and E.' King (Kaiwaiwai). Mr. E. A. Laery was reelected secretary, sub-committeos wore appointed, and a number of special prizes received. A meeting of the Featherston Town Board was hold on Wednesday night, Mr. J. W. Card in the chair. It was decided to give notice that all outstanding rates will bo sued for in a month's time. An application is to be made to the Railway Department for a lease of section 152. A notice of motion that hedges bo cut down from gate to gate around the Town Hall was withdrawn, and the hedge is to be tirmmed. The lessee of the crickot resorve is to he asked to place sheep oii it to cat tho grass down. The Board went into committee on tho lighting question, ■ and considered an estimate from the Now Zealand Acetylene Gas Company. It was decided to refer the matter to tho lighting committee for a report. ' .' PALMERSTON. ' Tho relieving officer at the Hospital states that the epidemic of influenza has caused an extra amount of work, and has claimed soveral victims amongst the older people receiving chafitablo aid. until Monday. At tho Court yesterday, George Thomas Hutton was charged with having • committed an offence against a married woman. Ho was remanded . A Press Association message states that a football match has boon arranged between a team from the warship Challenger and a local team.. It'takes place next Wednesday. A Press Association message states that Mr. J. 6. Wilson, President of the Farmers'- Union, left yesterday for Christchurch, to represent that body on the Agricultural Implements Board, which is to inquire into the allegations of unfair competition against the Harvester Trust., ' SILVERSTREAM. The first annual plain and fancy dress ball in connection with the Silverstream Liberal Club took place at the Town Hall, Upper Hutt', on Wednesday evening. Fully sixty couples, many in fancy costumes, attended, and but for tho inclemency of tho weather many more would have been present. The gathering was a success, and tho music of Messrs. Ward, Ingham,' and others enlivened the proceedings generally. Several visitors were present from Wellington. ~ ' MASTERTON. The death is announced of Mrs. 11. Falloon at Christchurch on Tuesday, at tho age of eighty years. Mrs. Falloon was the widow of the late Robert Falloon} who camo to Canterbury in 1867. Amongst the children of the deceased are Messrs. Robert and John Falloon, land Mrs. R. J. Dagg, all of whom are residents of Masterton. Mr. J. Cress, racehorso owner and proprietor, of the Empire Hotel, Masterton, had a narrow escape from a serious accident through a horse he was driving bolting. Mr. Cress .(says, a Press. Association message) was thrown from his gig on to the road with, consider-, iiblo violence, but escaped-setious in'jury.-' T At a meeting of directors of the Masterton Co-opor.,„ive Dairy Company on Wednesday, Mr. J. C. Ewington was appointed to attend a meeting of delegates from the dairy companios in tho Wairnrapa at Carterton on Saturday, 'for the purpose : of considering- the claims of the Wellington Butter, Creamery, and Cheese Factories' Employees Industrial Union.