PROVINCIAL NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 475, 6 April 1909, Page 7

PROVINCIAL NEWS.

(fHOII OUlt BrECIAIj CORRESPONDENTS.)

MASTERTON. Mrs. Manning, wil'o of Mr. D. Manning, of Rangitumau, died at a private hospital at Mastorton on Sunday night after a short illness. Deceased, who was tho daughter of Mr. Jorgonsen, of Mauricoville, was twontylivo years of age. Tho cricket championships this season resulted as follow: —Saturday Senior Championship, Mastcrton; Saturday Junior Championship, Cr.rterton; Thursday Senior Championship, Carterton. The following teams will compete in the AVairarapa senior football championship this season:—Carterton, Red Star, Mastcrton, Groytown, and Gladstone. The Civil Service Cricket Club, of Wellington, which intended to tour Wairarapa at Easter, have postponed their tour, owing to inability to get their best team away. The annual distribution of prizes in connection with tho Knox Church Sunday school took place on Sunday. Tho three services during tho day were conducted by tho Rov. A. T. Thompson, 8.A., who also presented tho prizes to the successful scholars. At all tho services special anniversary hymns wero rendered by the children, under tho conductorship of Mr. R. J. Young, and solos were sung by Master Ronald Crichton and Miss Myrtle M'Kenzie. Mr. G. H. Ralph presided at the organ, and at tho conclusion of tho evening service gave a short recital. At the annual social of tho Sunday school, held on Monday evening, there was a largo attendance. Tho balance-sheet showed a credit of £8 16s. 9d., and an expenditure for tho year of £61 18s. 3d. The Rev. J. N. Buttle, who has been appointed to the Durham Street circuit, ChristI'.hurch, preached his farewoll sermon at tlio Methodist Church on Sunday evening. Tho congregation was a very largo one, and tho preacher delivered an impressive address. At a mooting of tho executive of tho St. Patrick's Day Sports Association, tho balance* sheot for tho social and dance showed a credit of £15 12s. 7d. Accounts amounting to £49 3s. Bd. were passed for payment. At present a large number of "swaggers" aro to be seen in the district in search of employment. Farm labour is very scarce, both around Masterton and among the stations on the East Coast. Mr. A. Bewley, of Masterton, who recently passed his law examination, intends practising his profession in New Plymouth. Ho will leave for that town this morning. On Saturday evening, Mr. Bewley was entertained at a farewell social by the law clerks of Masterton, and presented with a handsome case of pipes. Mr. Bewley will be missed in sporting circles in this town. Ho took a koan interest in golf, oricket, and tennis. . Mrs. Nesbit, an old resident of Masterton, died at the Palmerston North Hospital on Sunday. Deceased was on her way from Wanganui to Masterton, whon sho took suddenly ill. Old settlers will remember that she assisted in organising the first Sunday school hero in connection with tho Catholic Church. . Tho following are the Masterton abattoir returns for the year ending March 31, 1909: —1616 cattle slaughtered, condemned 48; 219 calves, condemned, 1; 2012 pigs, condemned 72; 9635 sheep and lambs, condemned 24. The returns for tho year ending March 31, 190S, were as follow:—1710 cattle slaughtered, condemned 26; 230 calves, condemned, nil; 1144 pigs, condemned 14; 9272 sheop and lambs, condemned 45.

FEILDING,

Tho Hon. Mr. M'Kenzie, Minister of Landa for Victoria, accompanied by Mr. Jas. M'Kenzie, Commissioner of Crown Lands, and Mr. Lundius, Crown Lands Ranger, visited tho Aorangi Settlement yesterday afternoon, with a view of ascertaining the progress of that portion of. the New Zealand system of tho land settlement. They relumed to Palmerston yesterday evening. Tho visitors were greatly impressed with the appearance of Mr. A. It. Mayo's orchard, which is in the settlement. The Salvation Army's Feilding Band paid a visit to Apiti for tho week end in connection with tho country corps' harvest festival. The weather was wet and squally for Saturday, heavy showers prevailing all tho way up. At Kimbolton- tho band played a few selections, and Mr. Poole, tho local hotelkeeper, kindly supplied afternoon tea. A committee of Kimbolton settlers has been set up to prepare a suitable reception for tho Premier when he comes up to open tho now post office there. A banquet is being talked of. . . The new Borough Council is to consider the question of providing its own street lighting, ns the present council is dissatisfied with tho present arrangement with the private gas company. In writing to Mr. A. H. Atkinson to explain his unavoidable absence from the public meeting called to discuss tho question of compulsory military training, Mr. J. G. Wilson, National President of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, said he was entirely in accord with tho movement, and would bo glad to help it forward in every way possible. In pointing out the advantages of the system, Mr. Wilson said it would engender tho feeling of patriotism and would havo an effect on the character of the people. Character, ho said, was what mado the standard of tho people high or low. The recent meeting is to result in the formation of a Fcildinr Defence Rifle Club/

Tenders were opened at tho meeting of the Feilding Borough Council for the construction of the forro-concrete bridge in Manchester Street. As part of the proposal for tho eeneral improvement of tho borough, the council raised a loan of £1750 for the construction of the "bridge as sanctioned by the ratepayers last year. Tho following tenders were received: —Turner and Beedlo, Now Plymouth, £1310; H. Maekay, Stratford, £1997; Adams and Smart, Wellington, £1902 155.; T. Collins, Feilding, £1116 175.; L. G. P. Spencer, Now Plymouth, £1-199; Buckland and Tons, New Plymouth, £1452 2s. 6d. The lowest tender was that of T. Collins, who has just completed the borough swimming'baths. The council decided to accept tho tender of Mr. Collins. A splendid exhibition of roots and vegetables was on view at tho Apiti Annual Show on Friday. _ There was a very largo attendance in spite of threatening weather. A special feature wns tho display of cooking by tho ladies. Butter was well represented, and considered that it compared favourably with some excellent factory butter exhibited. A remarkablo exhibit was that of home-made wine, which came in for approbation. At a meeting of tho Oroua County Council on Friday, Councillor Pearce, speaking with reference to the proposal to erect a traffic bridge over tho Oroua River at Menzies , Ford, proposed that ,the Government should bo asked to give a £1 for £1 subsidy on the total cost of £2665. The settlers and others, ho said, had promised donations amounting to £260. The Foilding Borough Council should be asked to contribute £250, and the Oroua County Council to find the balance. It was decided, as it would take two years beforo the council would be called upon to pay their contribution, to postpone consideration of the means of raisins* the money, and to apply to the Government for a £for £ subsidy, and to tho Feilding Borough Council for a donation of £250 towards the cost.

CARTERTON. Tho Dalefield Football Club opened tlio season 011 Saturday afternoon with a practice. TII6 grounds were kindly lent for tho purpose by Messrs. H. Honnail and C. Gallon. Mrs. R. Gallon, of Matarawa, had a narrow escape from a serious accident on Friday afternoon. She was driving in a gig with her two children, one in arms, and tho other four years old. When leaving the Matarawa railway station the horse suddenly shied, and completely upset tho gig, throwing the occupants out, clear of tho vehicle. Fortunately neither of tho children was hurt, and although Mrs. Gallon was somewhat bruised and shaken, she pluckily rose, unharnessed tho horse from the gig, and walked home. MAIITON. At a meeting of tho Rangitikei County Council at Marton on Saturday, a resolution was passed recording the appreciation of tho council of Sir J. Ward's action in offering to provide a battleship for the defence of the

Empire, and a second if necessary, in consequence of tho grave state of affairs now existing in Europe. Tho motion w;is proposed by Councillor who said that vory few people understood the grave position tho people of the Dominion were in today. Sir J.. Ward deserved tho wannest thanks not only of the people, of the .Pominion but of the whole Empire. Councillor Fraser jokingly remarked that it reminded him of iiiectins a fellow who wanted to borrow ft shilling, and who, immediately ho got it, turned round and nsketl him to have a drink. At Taihapo on Saturday a deputation, representing the local bodies, Chamber of Commerce, and settlers interested, waited on Sir. Hogg, Minister for Roads and Brdges, respecting the metalling of the Main Trunk road between Taihano and Tho deputation pointed out that tho sum granted by tho Public "Works Department had been inadequate to put the road in a thorough state of repair after the road had ceased to bo used as a service road in tho construction of tho railway line.' Although the Rangitikei County Council had supplemented tho amount granted by tho Department, a portion of the road still remained" umnotallcd. It was estimated this-would cost about £2000. The Minister promised to cive the matter favourable consideration in drawing up the estimates for the coming year.

: MANGAWEKA. "" '" A deputation from Mangawoka waited on tlie llangitikei County Council at Marton on Saturday in connection with a water and drainage scheme for Mangaweka. Mr. Gcorgetti was chief spokesman. He said it was two years since an application was before the council for a loan of £4000 for this work. The council at that time decided to placo the application on the list of loans to be applied for to tho Government in turn. The pcoplo of Mangaweka wore satisfied to wait, and as the timo bad now elapsed, the deputation wanted to know what action had been taken. Thoy were told there- was no money, but the deputation begged for fair treatment. Tho speaker pointed out that other loans applied for at a later period had been raised, and instanced tho Kawhatau bridgo expenditure, as a loan that had been given precedence. If it had been thought in tho lirst placo that tho council did not intend to go on with tho loan, no timo would have been lost in taking the necessary steps to get tho money. The application, Mr. Gcorgotti claimed, deserved tho fullest consideration, seeing that the residents were prepared to rato thomselves for the loan for such important works. When Ho was a councillor a distinct promise had been mado that the loan would receivo attention in duo course. . | Councillor Smith thought that if the council had pledged itself to do this it should be Rono oa with. Councillor Fraser suggested th*t the difficulty could bo got over by inviting the residents to form themselves into a Town Board. This would givo them power to borrow the money. The chairman told the deputation that when this loan was first introduced tho council anticipated that increased borrowing power would be granted to local bodies. Two Ministers had promised this, but now tlioy heard somothing about Government retrenchment. The council was always ready to assist in such, deserving work, but they were placed in a hopeless position. Tho Government had no money. If this loan was raised under existing borrowing powers it would scoop almost the. whole of the money of the council's borrowing limit for the next year. Under the circumstances it was not fair for the back-block settlers, who were, in urgent need of roads and other, works being done. Mr. Tansey, ajiother member of tho deputation, considered the council was not keeping faith with tho people of Mangaweka. The position at present was serious, as there was a danger of an epidemic. They should ■ have been told beforo that the money was not available, and then they would have formed a Town Board without loss of time. The council resolved that owing to its borrowing powers being so curtailed, it regrets it cannot see its way to agree to the proposal for a. £4000 loan, but would be willing to assist in obtaining tho money under the debenture system (Government guaranteed debentures), as provided under the Act of last session.