PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 837, 8 June 1910, Page 2

PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

(?r«m Oar Special CarrepoondenUJ FEILDING. Tho Rev. P. W. Isitfc is coming up from Wellington to take part in the Oroua No-License Convention in Feilding to-day. \ Tho Rev. J. Takle gave a lecture on his work in India in Feilding last evening. The roads of the Oroua county are to l:r> closed to stock during the winter months, A largely-attended tangi is being held at Aorangi in connection with the death of W. Simeon. The Cornish Dramatic Company is ii> activo preparation tor-the season which is to be given in Feilding next month in aid of tho funds of the local patrols of the Roy Scouts. Rather appropriately, "Jack, tho Boy Scout" is the title of the three-act pjpy which Mr. T. Scoble Cornish, of Xiwitea, has written for the occasion. The curtain-raiser is entitled: "Our Relations." Messrs. G. D. Braik and Strong, inspectors for tho Wanganui Education Board, were engaged yesterday inspecting the Feilding State and Roman Catholic schools. Tho District High School is procuring a first-aid equipment, and the teaching staff is to substitute first-aid lessons for , the health lessons now being given. Mr. Ncnl has offered a silver medal for the boy passing with the best results in a ilrst-aid examination at the end of the year, and Mr. Darragh, another member of the committee, has offered a similar medal for tho girls. The completion of the second round of the Friendly Societies' card tournament gives the Oddfellows points, the pruids IA, and the Foresters one point. ' OTAKI. The Manakau school committee intend 11. bold an entertainment shortly, in aid of the school funds. Another entertainment that is likely to attract a good attendance is the one which is to be given shortly in Otaki by the Natives of Poroiainvhao, in aid of the funds of the Anglican Church in their district. Mr. Gear, of Te Horo, has purchased the butchery business of Messrs. Howell Bros., at Paraparaumu. Among the visitors to Otaki are Mr. and Mrs'. C. H. Giles, once host and hostess of the old White Hart Hotel {now the Club 'Hotel) in Carterton. They are now on their way home from Wanganui. Tho State schools in the district reopened on Tuesday. The local Gentlemen's Club, which has been in existence for some considerable time, will probably close down towards the etui of this month, it being stated that suitable terms cannot be arranged as regards rent. The Gregg hockey players from Wellington, met the local team hero 011 Friday, and suffered defeat, after a mediocre game, by three goals to out. SHANNON. Mr. A. Saunders' flaxmill, at Moutoa, closed down on Monday for the season. 1 .A friendly march between local senior and junior footballers, played last Saturday, resulted in a win for the latter. . On Saturday, a team of tho Shannon Rifle Club was defeated at Te Horo by 43 points. Mr. H. Greig is proceeding with the erection of a large four-stripper flaxmill at Moutoa. CARTERTON. Members of the local tennis club aro being invited to tho Clarevillo Tennis Club's forthcoming dance.

Mr. W. A. Kitchen left here on Monday for Silverstream, in response to a telegram conveying tho sad intelligence that his sou Harold had; been lost in the river on Sunday.

EKETAHUNA. The Eketahuna Mounted Rifles held their annual "social" on Friday evening, the function being largely attended. Music for 1 tho dancing was supplied by Mr. M'lfenzie, of Masterton. The senior football matches played on Saturday resulted as follow:—Pahiatua, S points, Eketahuna, nil; Mangatainoka, G points, Konini, nil; Nireaha, 3 points, Ilukanui, nil. Tho championship points so far are:—Nireaha and Mangatainoka, 5; Pahiatua, 4; Hukanui, 2; Eketahuna, 0. Detail work is being done by the coal syndicate, and boring operations are expected to commence at an early date. Mr. Matthews, of Wairarapa, gave an interesting lecture last week, under the auspices of the Farmers' Union, his subject being breeding of Romney-Marsli sheep. The cheese factories in this district have closed down for the season, which lias proved one of the niost profitablo to dairymen sincc the industry commenced. An exceptionally mild winter has so far been experienced, and dairy stock are doing well. MAKURI. A Makuri correspondent writes: —"The county teams have finished metalling round Makuri, and are now at Coonoor, where the roads are in a very bad state. Tho river is encroaching on the Makuri recreation ground, and if the trustees cannot get some'money from the Government to divert the river a portion of the ground must go. This is a serious matter. The district engineer (Mr. Nathan) should be asked to report also on. the state of a swing bridge erected some years ago by the Government, bat allowed to get in a sad state by the Pahiatua Comity Council. The state of the bridge is a standing disgrace. If Mr. Roderick M'Kenzic saw it ho would speak his mind very clearly." RANGATAUA. This mushroom township, hardly ys.t known, is still forging ahead. Within a radius of a mile and a half the town has eight sawmills and one timberpreserving works, "The Powell Process." This latter establishment in itself has material and machinery to the value of ,£'30,001). Tho population within the samo area is a little more or less than TOO. The school-roll is a little over. 100.

One would naturally suppose that tho majority of settlers are connected with the timber industry, and that is so. The majority of workers are young men with young wives and children, under school age. One great difficulty is housing these workers, and many have to leave their families in other parts of the Dominion rather than consign them to a life in tents at Kangataua. As soon as a settler puts a few blocks in the ground ho has inquiries to know if ho will let the cottag? when built. A shell of a cottage of throw rooms will bring in 10s; per week. Why is this? The holdings are mostly leasehold, and the Government forbid leaseholders to build and lot. their cottages.

Since the inception of the Settlers' Association the town has had an energetic executive, the members of which, though they may liaro been litilo heard of publicly, have befoi carefully guarding the interests of the town. The ill-success of tlio former management in the matter of getting the Government to move in the construction of Dreadnought Road (to link Rangatnua with the express trains) lias, under the new combination, brought forth a petition with 273 signatures. This petition was forwarded through tho'proper chamifl to the Minister for Public Works, and a very satisfactory reply has been received.

At their last meeting the executive decided to call a public meeting to discuss tho following questions:—(l) Appointment of committeeman to fill vacancv; (2) election of trustees for Town Hall; (.1) Raetihi branch railway; (J) approaching the Government in regard to having a State-controlled hotel at Hangataua, and other matters. This meeting is to bo held on .1 line lfi, when an interesting discussion is oxpectal. With regard to ,£IGH accrued thirds, My. Punch was asked to support, the suggestion to oxpeml the money in clearing tho centre 30 f«'t from Man.gateitei River to Ohakuno East, since tho Public Works Department have cleared from that river lo Rajigataua. Action is to !:o taken regarding persons riding aud driving on

tho footpath in Nei Street. The Mount Ruapehu Mountain Committee submitted a report regarding work done. It was considered that preparations should be made (on the new scenic route from Ilangataua to Mount' Ruapehu) for a large number of tourists next summer. The number who used the private track last summer was 140 or more.

Since Easter several buildings hav« been erectc<l—Mr. I-'arley's butcher shop, Mr. Forsyth 5 two shops, one for himself as a bootehop, and oue for a saddler, a plumber's shop, and several cottages, tinder construction now arc two boardinghouses, a laundry, and dwelling, and an up-to-date drapery shop, with tearoom* and dwelling. More private dwelling-house? and tho schoolmaster's house are under- consideration, but the by-roads not being metalied will retard building operations till the summer.

Mount Ruapehu is now a beautiful sight in its winter mantle of 'spotless white. .