PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 725, 26 January 1910, Page 10

PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

{From .Our Bpccial Oorreapondenta.) : $ : - FEILDING. " N " The; Taonui and Raiding. Baptists aro holding thoir annual picnic in Mr. Wm. Bailey's paddock. : ; "Wo all know that ono volunteer, is worth twenty pressed men," . said ; Mr. Harford at a meoting . last night. "Query?" retorted Captain Barltrojy'-who is in favour of,' compulsory military training, and has. before' publicly: stated that he can get asi'much good'out of a pressed man as out.,of a volunteer. '.

A ' sad : surprise has been . received/; by | Mr." John "Wratt ;and, family at'-,Taonui, j this„being a telegram announcing -that.I his'niece, Miss'Elsio "VVratt, a' daughter of .Mr,';A. . "Wratt,' lato of Colyto'n, had mot her. death this, week by, drowningat Havelock,' Marlborough. ' : Tlio family, which had spent many years in\ tlio Colyton district,' recently' removed . to Dannovirke,: and then to Havelock. Miss Wratt was only seventeen years" of age. Miss Henry, of tho China Inland Mission, was entertained; at a garden narty: at Mrs. Frost's by .tlie ,ladies of Feuding; yesterday afternoon,* and' last evening she gave, an address- on) "China: the •CJhinese/', .In tho'- course, of ; an interview, . Iliss Henry, 'was asked: "Is there any opening in China for New Zealand cheese, butter, and frozen- meat?" "I am. afraid that. I cannot,.- speak much on . that subject," said.'.the missionary. "The Chinese, don't know anything .of cheese and butter, and, in the inland.parts, they know.-..nothing; of . mutton. Australian mutton is sent to the - seaports.. Regarding flour, , the Chineso grow.- their wheat* and,, in some districts \n the northern part.;of -tho' Empire,: .-,thp'. people, . live entirely on' i.flour. foods, and f they havetheir'own .-flour " mills. ": lii mjy district, rice is the staple article of 'diet." One thing that ; I can say with emphasis, is tjiis: -If ..people »knew the immense gain that it would be. to the. world:-to bo..sure, retaining as a: peaceful nation,• governed, on Christian principles, they : would ; spend millions of money, "and send an adequate number of missionaries to the, country.' to teach l the those -principles. 4 .' • ■ ■■ . v •. - Says 'to-night's ff Star": —' f Tho Govern-: ment ! wiir see"'itself very heartily''disliked* if it continues : its.. party ;schemes'> of. saving. 'The latest rumour from.: the; city is: ; tbat it : is intended to the subsidies hitherto paid to public, libraries, and 'thoy - were; small enough in•all conscience/-' V . Commander M'Leod,, of the Boy Scouts,'wis in'Feilding yesterday-oii Scout business. ' He ;had':" an Avith . Mr. T. Watson, : the district .com-: mander, in referenco to matters connected with the - local 'troops. ; - . / : V•-

OTAKI. :

At; the ;Ota3d' tennis; courts on . Saturday !a . team/ icpreseiitiiig Victoria College easily,.disposed,.; of a/:local combination:' College won 17. ; games,\Otaki 5. -The, out- , i ng,. however, • proved.J enjoyable:', to' both sides, v

. Weasels have . beon causing , : hayoc. among poultry at Manakau, 1 arid. one. farmer's daughter.. : is ■; credited with vloaVHng' a fowlirig-piece .arid-firiiig.at'one: of ; tho y«rmin'witn:.deadly .results.' It reqtiires:some proficiency, in.'markmanship ;to M.a sel as.a rule. •• '. •

LEVIN. , Tha annual oompotiiioiis by members of the 1 Lerin' .Volunteor ■'.Tire!: Brigade took place. 011 •■ Monday,' on thoMtecreation Ground. The . various evonta were well contested. Mr. H. Anstice.acted.as.judge, 'Captain R. J.' Jonte as .timekeeper; and Mr.' J. M'Taggart 'secrotary. ' Results :— •Two-men Coupling—Foreman.; T.. oobhson and Fireman. It! 41' Wscc.y; 1; Tireuieh Hcuscman' aiKl; Booth, -1.15ec.,; 2. :Also coiilpetcd:. Allaway: and Lauriei Mus-grovo'-indSFollas,.. Raiisom and - Scott. iN T ovice:!Kac€, . one T man ; manual—Kreihan, Hehsman'i.^} sec!, Kreraen Pettitt, and Messenger . Scott.:' Tliree-meii. llan.ual Erigine-rJohnsoii,, FollSS,'V.'and--. vßooth, 33 l-ssei);, *1; Allaway, Laurie, and, Pettitt, 37 "Also competed—Musgroye,' Ransom, and. Herisman.:.' •: Challenge. Cup, engine (handicap)—Eireman Booth'.'(7mc.), 34 3-ssec;, 1; Fireman Honsman. (Vsec.), . 35sec., "'.2; ; Messenger, Scott (Tsec;), 1 .35: 2-ssec., 3; !:!'ireman!rllan-, 'som (2seo.), '3a 3-ssec., .4. • "•''.•Also.'com- ■ peted—Johnson,:.'ToUaa, : Musgrove, , : Alla!ytay, Laurie, and,Pettitt. ,••.• ~ : :, :• ! -On!. Monday., th6 r bo'yS'' ; 'department-,of; tho,:T.M.C.A.V'under tlie:.6uperinteiidence of Mr. J. AV. Gibson and O. Ransoin, had a most enjoyable outing at the Ohau River, where • they indulged in: swimming, .racing, and other, sports to their hearts' content. : ', : . :■• : The Methodist 'Sunday .School.' annual picnic was held on'Monuay, in a paddock belonging to, Mi-. R. Prouse; sup.erinten-' dent of tho,school. ! The. weather being of the best, the, children therliselyes splendidly. Some novel competitions were, held,, that., for . the best bow.'and' . arrow, being won* by G. Waltonbest_ kite, _C. Walker; doll dressing,.senior,girls,''Miss F.'-Smith 1,. MiSs H.. Ransom>-1 junior girls,' Mabel'-Grav 1, Irene, Williams. 2. The Rev. T. 'T. Jones and the: teachers worked !their. ; hardest te further tho enjoyment *of all; and tinging. cheers were raised for Mr...and Mrs. R. Pronse.-for tho use of the grounds.',, ~ , Mr. Chas. >'Mley, a well-known mem-: ber of tho Levin orchestra,. was married in Auckland last week.: , V . . ; Anniversary Day \yas celebrated . in. Leyin on Monday, when 'all: the 1 places of business, were' closed.:- .Whilo a ; . number rodo to Foxton for. the races, numerous: parties visited •Hokio.-Beach and Horowhenua Lake. Mr. Novin's motor, launch on the latter i^as. in'- great demand for the conveyance 1 of parties across the water to the west Miore. • . / The annual picnic of; the Anglican Sun-, day School;. Wereroa, ,was held near the experiment - farm on- Saturday, -. when ,'a good time was.spent. ' . .

PAHIATUA.

Monday last,' whicbi was' observed- hire as the holiday "instead of. Saturday, was averyquiet day in'Pahiatua,'the bowling green-beingj'perhaps- the. busiest .place. . Several very interesting matches between local players were contested, but owing to tho holiday it .was thought"inadvisable to; play . any trophy . matched ;. Games' for the president's trophy,-.will. be continued during this week, 1 however.'. ■ The delightful: piece of bush in Mr.; Robertson's ' ground at Konini. was the; scene on. Monday last of the annual-:, pic-.; nic in connection-with.'the ; Presbyterian congregation and Sunday school, and,, the: day being beautifully! fine, a: most enjoy-, able, time was'spent by all present.- Tho' wants of the littld ones' wero .veil', entered• for, and -an energetic .cdmmitteo qf-lady' workers attended to the refreshments, an! abundant supply, being provided. The! gathering was considered the most sue-; cessful. of; its kind"• tliat;the church- hasyet held.; . '.' . ~:•: '' • Mr. - and Mrs. E. Johns,: senior,, of Range Road,: have , gone: on a holiday. visit to ! Canterbury. Whilst . in: the /South Island' they .will attend the golden / wedding;of Mr: and.Mrs. J. I'ye. 'The members of , the local Church of Christ and members from. tho, Palmerston Church /held a. combined- picnic.', at!, the 'Manawatu,.Gorge: on' Monday last./ . , The horse entries !;for., ; the 'Pahiatna: show are still advancing, the secretary stating that, up to the tiriio of. writing no fewer than . 220, had been received. The work of, erecting pens for sheep and cattlo, will, it!is understood, be proceeded: with,at bricc.' • ,• ;• A cricket match.between Kohunui:. and Mangatainoka,; played"' on I'the'.', latter's ground 011 Saturday last, resulted in. a win .for: tho homo team by an innings. | For,the winners A. Brockelt.(29) and A. Barrcll (13) made the highest scores, Goodwin-..being : the i only 'double-figure man for, Kohunui.-. R. Williams (Mangatainoka) and Golder (Kohunui) were tho most successful 'bowlers.

At l midnight , on a recent Saturday a collision occurred three miles off Spurn, tho Scottish herring drifter Fearful -being sunk by the Hull trawler Hercules.' Both. vessels were making for. tho Humber for shelter .wheh ; tho'Hercules.struck tho Fearful-amidships."' The latter imnie.iliately began to fill,/and sank in a quarter of an hour. She had a crew of ten, and they had no time to-save , any-of their property, having just pushed off in! a boat.:when 1 the-Fearful sank.-/ . '

Tho great curso of to-day in tho commercial sense" is incapacity'.!'.That ;evil is attributable, in tho 'first: place, to the e'diientional system, wo folloiv, and tho fact/ that, "our boys, are:-, turned - out • to earn'their own living before they 'are eufficiently troined,—"City. Press."- •