PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1005, 21 December 1910, Page 6

PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

(From Our Bnecial Correspondent.) ■' A CARTERTON. Mr. E. Eagle, - jun., of Belvedere, has disposed of three of .his purebred Jerseys to Mr. Thompson, of Hastings. Mr. H. R. Bunnj", of Ahuaruhc, has an oat crop over 7 feet high, hnd Mr. I'. Court has ono somewhat similar. The yield of these crops should prove interesting. ' On Friday as Mr. R. Douglas, of Lands End, Te Wharau, was driving a five hor.se wagon, laden with wool, into the Carterton railway station, ho had occasion to pull off the road to allow a gig to "pass. The leaders became fractious at the passing vehicle, and broko the pole of the wagon off, besides other minor damages.

Mr. IT. Salmon, clerk of the court at Carterton, retires at the end of the month, and' Will be .granted three months' leave of absence on full pay. Mij. Salmon has been here for the past six years, and on his' retirement the duties will be taken up by Constable Canned^,

The annual picnic and presentation of prizes, under the 1 auspices of the Belvedere School took place on Friday afternoon, Mr. W. C. Buchanan, 11.1'., distributing the awards. My. R. Stout, the headmaster.' received a handsome Loewe pipe and tobacco pouch as a presentation from the scholars.

Mr- W. C.' Buchanan, M.P., has donated another cup to the Wairaraua Rifle Association, to be.known as the Buchanan Challenge' Cup, and to be held for one year by the dinner at t)ie association's meeting. . The previous cup given by the same donor was won outright at the last meeting. .

REIKORANGI. The annual breaking up of the Reikorangi School took place on Thursday last, and, in the evening, a social function wan held, when Mr.i W. H. Field, H.P., presided. Before presenting the prizes and certificates, Mr. Field made a short address to the parents and scholars. He referred to the advantages of the system of education provided in New Zealand, and, in prt* senting the certificates for regular attend, ance, ho remarked that it seemed to bo the children who lived furthest away from the school who were the winners. The following was the programme Overture, Reikorangi Orchestra—Miss M. Stubbings (piiinq), E.' Brown (cornet), G. Howe (drums), G: Stubbings (violin), and R. Stubbings (clarinet); song, children; recitation, four little girls; song, Mr. Lanchester; recitation, Aiice Elliott; recitation, Miss Buck; dialogue, four girls; song, Mr. Donovan; recitation, M. Larson; selection, orchestra; recitation, ten boys;'song, Mr. Meek; Sunflour March and Drill, six girls; motion song, children; dialogue, boys; song, Mr.'Lanchester; debate, children; song, children. At the conclusion of the concert, Mr. Field expressed pleasure at the way in. which the children had taken their parts. He also made complimentary reference to the work of the teachers, Mr. W. D. Bennett and Miss Jamison, who deserved special commendation for : the way in which they had trained the children. The committee thanked Mr. Field and » uamber of performers who had come a long way to help. The floor 'was then cleared for dancing, which was kept up till the small hours of the morning.

'RANGATAUA. Rangataua was first.sold on December 5, 1908, just two years ago. At the request of the settlers ,tk© sections were loaded with a sum of =£2000 for clearing and forming the streets. The settlers then formed a special rating district, and raised a loan under the Loans to Local Bodies Act for ,£2500, for 36} years, at S'j per cent. This loan is now being spent in street improvements, mostly metalling, which includes all the streets and roads in the town and village settlement. This action and cost to the settlers has considerably enhanced the value of several Government sections in the town. The population within a radiifs of. two'' miles is between 700 and 800. Eight months, ago the Settlers' Association framed a petition to the Minister asking him to place a sum .on the Estimates for the construction of Dreadnought Road, estimated to cost ,£2OOO, and load! certain sections on the route, mainly because the road is the gateway to the express trains. The petition was signed by 273 persons, about 75 per cent being Government supporters. The road, besides being the gateway to express trains, is an important factor to the success of the tourist routes to . Mount Ruapehu, and would no doubt be supported by the Minister in • charge of the Tourist Department. It is also an important, factor to the success of .Obakune as a railway'station, and would naturally be supported by the Minister for Railways. It was apparently .'seen that the road was really needed, as the Under-Secretary for Lands sent in a recommendation that .£SOO be placed on the Estimates. The recommendation was turned down. Our' member then endeavoured to have the amount placed' on the Supplementary. lEstimates, but failed. The matter ,is now in a nutshell. Rangataua, with all its natural advantages must forge ahead, but the question which is now in the minds of the people is, "If the Government will'not help : Rangataua while we remain loyal to them, will they help us if we give the Opposition our support?" GREYTOWN. Tenders by Mr. W. L. Humphries (£2B 10s.) for the erection.' of a tank stand at the school, and of Mr. El G.' Beard for. plumbing work (d£i9) were accepted at a meeting of the Greytown School Committee, on Monday eveniug.