PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 961, 31 October 1910, Page 2

PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

(From Our Bnoclal CorrceuonatDti.) • « ——— MASTERTON. v Tho Masterton Homing Pigeon Club' flew a race from Christchnrch on Thursday, but owing to bad weather the birds did not arrive ill Masterton till Friday. Mr. JO. Flannagan's entry was first, Mr. J. B. Rosson's second, and ' Mr. W. Drake's third. Tho Masterton Tennis Club opened the season on Saturday afternoon, when ' there was a large attendance of members and friends. The courts were in excellent order. ~ Tho vital. statistics for tho month ; are:—Births 21, deaths, 11, and mar- • riagce 6. Tho number of. bankruptcies recorded m tho W'airarapa last month was six, . which brings the number for the pasfr ■' ten months up to 21.

WOODVILLE. ' The monthly sitting of the S.M. Court , was held on Thursday, when - three old ago pensions were renewed and two new_ ones granted. Tlio transfer of the Wimbledon Hotel license W?a again brought before the Court, and; a' temporary transfer was.granted to Mr. Butterfield.' Several civil cases wero also 'dealt with. ■ . Wclccßic rain fall last week, and Waj wanted in every part of tho district. Tho growing crops were at' a standstill, while "feed" was'beginning to dry up. The factories in and round Woodvillo, . > however,.anticipate' a record year ,foB .' tho .supply of milk. \ Blade shearers. aroinVdemand for the country districts, and there is sonw indication of \thcro being a scarcity of labour, which, \ of course,. • ffjll incon» .: venience the small sheepfatmer.lv l\- : .: j- . The Papatawa School. Committee'art !| organising a "social" in I aid ..' of thebf . school prize fund. • v. .. . V- v KAIfOKE. '

■ A servioe of soiig,yentitled ,"QuifJoo," was 1 held at Kaitpke on Wedneis* day evening last. In spite of the boistaiv ons weather, there was a fair audieiKXV The Vicar (the Hev; J., H.\Sykes)'wad, - and the Sunday School children sang ■ the songs. A duet and seteral songs , (the answers being taken by\tho. children) were also given." Miss u'Gregoe • and Miss Langridge trained ■ tha children. \ A contest is being arranged between . the local Boy Scouts and the ston Scouts. The. idea is to attack and • oocupy Fea-tlieretoii,' if 'possible.' while it is defended by the Featliersfea " ■ Scouts. 'It is understood; that all th» ' Scouts jn 'the•'Hutt bs. a«ked\io help in.tho attack., •.* '.V \.

FEATHERSTON. The Featherston Co-operative Dairy Co. is: surpassing its previous, records ' this season, and is already receiving ■« larger quantity of milk daily ' than it has ever received before. The supply; now exceeds 5100' gallons ; per . diem, and'it is anticipated that,' wit'lrttie wet, come rain which .has just fallen, thisj quantity will soon be considerably augi ! mentedl ' A shipment of 330 cases.of cheece was dispatched from: Feather* ston last ' week by tins factory; . .GREYTOWN. ' , Mrs. J. H. Kiugi, a Nativo of tk», South Islajid) died hero last week. ; T. Hodge, labourer, has been adjudicated a bankrupt, and a meeting of. ciwlijiors;,irill .bo held to-day, , Our P, and A. Socicty was unfortunate in: having tbo ouly two wot daya , experienced here for some time for its show, days.,, however, notwithstanding; the weather, "people's" day saw.- a large crowd out, and tliisfact, serves. ' to show : tho popularity of thia> event; Had the., weather .boon. ;■ propitious, it would undoubtedly, have been a record gathering. ■- < The rain, which proved so detrimental', to the show, has, of . courso, boon very beneficial to the country. Prior to th»> . downpour; the land was very parched. .. The local Boy Scouts are preparing a« performance, which is to bo l staged in l about fort-night from .now.'-: ■

SHANNON. V Mr, G. W. Phipps has returned from ' South. Africa,, wluther. .lie " went to •; witness tho , Arnst-Barry. 'contest.,'. . There is likely to bo a. surplus, after . V paying all expenses, of some £5 or £8 as a result of tho recent performance : of "Our Boys 1 ' by the local Dramatic Society. Credit is due to an energetic. ; V, committee, and special praise must * bogiven to Mrs. May,- who played many; parts, including coach,, stage-manager, and an: inimitable ..'.'Belinda," for this desirable consummation. . The large mill recently erected • by Whitaunui, Ltd., at Moutoa . started,.' ' t>vo strippers last week, and a thirii'; stripper will begin operations today. The mill is well designed, and fitted up witlr appliances; in-', eluding, .tho -Suttie-Wynyard--catchorj . ■ aiid washers arid the improved stripper lately patouted.: by ' Mi-. H. ■ Grcig, managing director of the. company. . ,A rinii of local, bowlers,', consisting of Messrs. T. C. Duuckley, K B, Stephen-, son, J. Roach," and J. Oleson, will play , a Levin : rink at Levin oil Wednesday : for the Kinniburgh feathers.' 1 ;Mr. W. H. Gunning, who has for a.long time: been, a firm believer in tho; i benefits likely .to accrue tothfc district, from the utilisation' of the dongant hydro-olectric energy stored up in tho ■■ creeks that descend from; the hills im- ■ mediatetly behind the town, is interestI ing' himself in bringing the Shannon sohemo before tho proper authorities, and has > been promised support from., tho neighbouring towns. As soon as the necessary. reports arc to® hand a* conference of representatives from the-: neighbouring districts is likely to be :; held. Shannon depends very largely on. the flax industry, and situated as it. is in the centre of the areas under flax,-' with the largest flax mills in the Do-, minion operating in tho vicinity, such a schemo is fraught with potentialities : for tho industry and the surrounding countryside'.. A flower show in connection with the Presbyterian Church will be held in the first week of March. . Mr; Galland has been appointed secretary, and hopes to have-the schedule ready ;by tho end of ' November. The .church has purchased ■ two acres of land, from Mr. F. W. • : Venn, whereon it' is intended to erect a manse. ■ ' '