PROVINCIAL NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 180, 25 April 1908, Page 8

PROVINCIAL NEWS.

MASTERTUN. CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE MEETING. At the monthly' mooting of the Council of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. T. G. Mason presiding, the' treasurer's report showed a credit'balance of £2 6s. 2d. The Hon. R. M'Nab, Minister for Lands, in reply to a communication from the Chamber supporting the proposal to open the road to the Whareama River, said the Departmental officers had been instructed to ascertain from the Maori owners whether they aro willing to sell tho fee simplo of the land to tho Crown as it stands at present. If tho Government required a reserve, it would be possible to confer with the lessees as to the area to. be surrendered by them, • and also in regard to the road tb be laid off on the East Coast to the mouth of the Whareama River. Mr. J. T. M. Hornsby, M.P., also wrote stating that application must bo made to the governing body, tho Masterton County Council, to open a road to the. shipping reserve. He had no doubt the County-Council would take the necessary 'steps to restore to the public what had unquestionably been taken away in years past. In the_ event of tho local body failing-to comply with the. wishes of the people, then the Roads Department would proceed if the authority of the Government could be obtained., Mr. T. S. Hester,-postmaster at-Master-ton, wrote in reply to the Chamber's request for an extension of the hours of attendance iat the local, telephone exchange during tho -week, and for special attendance on Sundays, and-stated, that he was instructed to reply that the request'for opening at-6 a.m. and on .Sundays during telegraph hours could not be entertained. The Secretary to .this. Department stated, however, he would be prepared to recoinmend the Postmaster-General to open the,exchange continuously if tho 342 subscribers paid £6 instead of £s,'the minimum subscription.' v The • Invercargill Chamber of Commerce forwarded a resolution passed 'by that Cham-ber-recommending the general adoption of a unifdrm grain, sack of 46 inches by 25.inches in dimensions. It was decided unanimously to .endorse this ,motion. '. CEMETERY- TRUSTEES. The quarterly meeting of the .Cemetery Trustees' was . held yesterday, Mr, Edwin: Feist was re-elected chairman, and cordially, welcomed back from his trip to the Old Country.- - ' The treasurer's'statement showed receipts, £40.; disbursements, £32; balance foi 1 January 24, £92 ;• and at-date,'£loo. Accounts amounting to £37 12s. wore passed .for payment'. s. The' sexton directed attention to the burials that had taken' place •6n Sundays, aiid-sug-gested that Sunday funerals should'bo discouraged, arid that when they did take place doulilo sexton's-fees should he.charged. Tho Trustees considered this only reasonable, andauthorised double fees. being charged for burials on Sundays. ■ , - . The sexton also: reported that since "ho ihad been appointed in 1881-1500 interments had taken placc, the total to date being 1619. \ .>; ' . Mr. J. Hunter, who is contesting a seat on the/Borough Council with. Sir; E. 'M'Ewen, addressed a meeting at: tho Town:.Hall;:lact 'night.- There, was ' a good attendance; and Mr. -Hunter-was well received. He.declared himself -in favour of-"improving the drainage system wi the .lines recommended by Messrs. Laing Meason, C.E., arid Dobson, late Borough Engineer. : . • -

. CAIITERTON. - The "Duffers I '' concert held last overling at i the Hall, in aid of ,'fuuds to the Fire Brigade Bazaar, was a great success. Tho conoort was preceded by a torchlight procession of the members of the Brigade in , fancy cos'tumes, with firework effects, and headed by rthe brass band. The concert programme included items by an, orchestra,-,under vtho oonductorship of Mr. R. dances by Miss Maguiro and pupils, of, Greytown; songs by Mrs. Ashton, Miss Graham, Messrs. Iggulden, . Annesley, ' AVarrier,, Hutchinson; balancing feats by]Herr. Juddo; 'and amusing mimicry of , music- and sounds .by Mr. Huncsby. Mr. It. Crawley supplied anjin-/ s'trunienta] item, and Messrs. - Fox , (of Napier) and Tinney played, tho accompaniments: Tho proceeds were over £30. : . The ; annual/ meeting of the teachers of - St. Mark's-'Sunday School was held;' 1 off-Thursday: •'evening in ' the Vicarage,, the RSv. 3t!'-''Youn'g; in the,;cha.ir.': The Parkvale' bririi'ch was"-also" represented. ■ - The 'Superintendent's - ;repbrt' .'showed, that there were 126 pupils on ' the roll of'tho'main school, and 37 on the roll of .the Parkvale branch.: Tho'credit balance was- £7,155. 3d., -The average attendance .at tho Parkvale branch was" 24.; ( The report was adopted.-; Mr. AV. Tucker was re-elected secretary, . and Mrs. Wakelin; was re-appointed treasurer. - Misses Edwards wero appointed, secrotary -and treasurer respectively for- tho Parkv-alo branch. It was resolved to vote the necessary amount for installing : tho gas in tho Sunday School, and to hold a Teachers' Bible Class on Tuesday evenings.: ' LEVIN. ' On Thursday, the; Town Clerk (Mr. P. AY. Goldsmith) officially declared-Mr. B. R. Gardener Mayor of Levin for the ensuing year. ; The Y.M.G.A. literary debating session is to commence early in May. ' At a farewell dance given by the Tennis Club to Mr. A. M. Thomson, who is leaving the local branch of the Bank of. New Zealand and going to Wellington, a great many members of the'club were present, Towards;the end of the' evening Mr. Burns made a short speech-, bidding Mr.- Thomson good-bye, and wishing him all possible' good fortune in his new position. 1 Ho had met JMr. Thomson in .all of sport, and never wished to meet a better sportsman. : Mr. Thomson replied. ■ , i,