PROVINCIAL NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 80, 28 December 1907, Page 11

PROVINCIAL NEWS.

. , (FROM ogr-special, correspondents.) . ♦ — !' • •• - PALMERSTOtf. . . It is anticipated that. £500 will be handed to the hospital as n result of the Christmas Eve collection. . . ' iIASTEETON. \- ' The. heat, during the tiro days preceding Christmas was humid, and almost overpowering. The tropical , showers seemed to make.' •no difference.' On Christmas-Eye,-however, a ' drenching rain swept- up, and -in.. a -few hours the atmospheric change-was such that in many, placesfires, had to be lighted on Christmas Day. . . The Mnsterton Borough Council is at present ' engaged in effecting 'much-needed repairs, to ■ a portion of the road'arid footpath in 'Queen Street. The work has not been •commenced'any too early. In fact,-in many portions of the principal street of-the town the'road is quite worn out, while the - condition : of the footpaths in- some places is deplorable. In Chapel Street the Council has tried : its hand at' macadamising, and, in the circumstances, seems to have done'very well. -: Queen-Street, however, requires much attention, and unless something is done in' .the'next few.months'the town will be landed •in" a sea of mud,-as it was last winter. It' is understood that the Council has a very elaborate road construction scheme in view, but residents think it is a long time materialising, : • . > . A party of. eighteen persons yesterday ascended Mount Holdsworth, and intends to camp on the mountain till Sunday.

FEILDING,

The' chairman of the. Wanganui Education Board (Mr. Fred Pirani, of Feilding) has received % a cablegram .from Mr. Leonard Watkin'stating that, as he was going to put in ; another's year's study in the Old Country, ho would not be an applicant- for the position of Director of the Feilding Technical School. ■ The map Somerville, who was killed on the railway near Halcombe ori Wednesday, was some years-ago in the.employ of Mr. F. Y. Lethbridge, M.P. It is not known - whether he^ has : any relations .in the Dominion., but ifc'is' : said.-that lie used to.send money away t-o'his wife arid family. ■ Business people in Feilding report' a record turnover for the-Christmas.season. There is .110 .doubt,' said one. of our- largest, storekeepers', to our. representative, that the district is in a .state-of great prosperity. . -Mr. Norman Beetham has purchased for bis -sons Mr. C. ■E. Beetham s well-known purebred-Komney.stud flock. • The-so .sheep, a recijrd of which will be found in the-.".Now Zealand Flock Book for 1835," were .originally purchased, from Mr. Alfred Ludlaro, of the . Hiitt,- and ' obtained by Mr. ■C. B: Beetham. :.from-Mr. Eglinton, of. Pahiatua. Their '.future : Home will be .at Mr. Trevor Beetlianl's farm, Colytou. PAHIATUA.

On . account of . its being Christmas week no-'stock sales'- were ' held, last • Tuesday.' Ftf infers. 1 and ';their. families, however, flocked into- toirri -to' do tlieir Christmas shopping, and- during • the afternoon' and evening ■ the township- had the' appearance' of'a,-big city, so full, was it-of-life; ■ " /■; Boxing. Day opened' dull,- but proved .pri idea] 'day, and the town 'was emptied, holi-day-makers taking-advantage'of tne weather to''picnic in the country or attend the racing ana meetings which were held in the district, v ' The-holidays did !not pass without an, accident,; and ; -on Thursday night a, young man named'S. Millair was brought 1 into the hospital .vrith. a 'compound fracture of th'e-richt leg.- He-' was riding out to Mangatainoka, and > collided with a gig, both he and his horse being thrown.. At an -early hour yesterday morning a six-roomed house at Marima, the property of Mr.' 0. Lund; was-burnt to,the ground. The house .'was unoccupied at the time, and the origin of the fire is at- present ,unknown. There is 1 £250 insurance in the' State-, Fire office-im the building. ,': , r' a,, - ,7 *'SHANNON. .

Christmas Day here was • wet' all .morning., In: the afternoon the rain stopped, b.ut it. was! cold; arid. windy. Boxing • DaySwas a warm,- breezy day. ; , ■ Owing to the bad weather, the sports, and race . meeting at Moutoa have • been postponed till Saturday. Quite a number of bookmakers arrived here for the .race ingOn - Boxing Day. a great many residents went ,to the Palme'rston Races.. . Owing to hitch,, the employees at a Jasmill in this district were not paid their wages on' Xtrias. Eve. There was considerable dissatisfaction among the men. ' . , -The weather is: still'fine and verv warm here.''-"" '".'" '- ■ - .Hay-makiiig. has stairted in this'district.! The crop is, very fino this summer. Some farmers have been shearing all the holidays*.- ~ .. • : ■ . >.. •■ ■ • ihb Foxton Cricket Club beat. Moutoa on Boxing Day. Several - Shannon players .appeared' for tfao: latter. club'. . V

. , , ..WOODVILLE. . ; Christmas -Eve was marred by the uncertainty: of the weather, which threatened to rain heavily; but passed off in showers. It had the effect of' keeping a. number of settlers home, and business throughout the • town was-not,so brisk as it might havo boen. Christmas' Day. .was .treated ; •by the elements', and' a number of camping parties had to defer their annual camp in the Gorge. , . . . • A-match between teams of the Wellington Navals and the local-Rifles was, fired'off in the ' afternoon, and won.. by. Woodvillei' the scares P .being—Woodvilie 812.'"Navals' 627; ranges 200,!500, and 600 yards; , . In the' evening, the chpir of St, -.Peter's Church rendered a programme of Christmas carols, to an appreciative audicnce.

/- ' '• OTAKI,. '• ; ■ Christmas.- festivities .at ■ the local ..Hospita 1 and ; Sanatorium .this year -were.much above, the'ordinary. ,A : ,number of choristers' rendered carols, etc., and . the presents- were, numerous. ■ The T mterior of the. hospital was tastefully and patients and other's; spent-a mpst- ; enjoyable,time. ■ Some ■ thirty members of. the Wellington branch of-tbVY.M.C.A. are'at present encamping. near the! Otaki beach, and- appear, to be, having an enjoyable time. On'Thure'-' ;daythoy. played cricket with a scratch Otaki team;]'and, were-defeated by' ,92 to -8" on the first'innings:. =A'.;qTiiet.. wedding, was solemnised ...here .on : Christmas. Dajr, when Mr. Selwyn ..Siracox,son- of Mr. AY. 11. Sinicox, of' Otaki, was* married'.'.to. Miss Helen-Vyhitehorn. .Mr. W.| M. : Sinicox was; best riiah,. and, Mr! rWalter. "Whifehorn groomsman.. •, \ ; While, the train, was . proceeding between Manibdu -and, Oban on Thursday night., a stone- was . .thrown, arid smashed t.nrough the" carriage. window, inflicting a nasty gash , oil the face'of It'-is'not' yet,.known whether., the-eye' is seriously..injured or otherwise,. 'The police are inquiring -into 'the matter. • , FEATHERSTON. ■ ■

On. Boxing Day Featherston and Pahiatua Bowling Clubs played a match here, the home team winning one game out of three. A fourth game remained unfinished, in favour of Featherston. ' ■ ,