PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1020, 9 January 1911, Page 2

PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

(From Our Special Correspondents.) : 4 HASTINGS.' ■« oe ?L ! )<nr ' er9 have been so pleased with their success in recent Hawko's Bay competitions that they have decided to' try their luck in the championship tournament, which commences . at. Auckland to-day. Two full rinks comprising the loliowing players will compete at the Auckland tourney :-W. F.- Ilall, Monteith. Smith, Beatson, E. Hall, Tonkin, Ivmght, and G. F. Roach. - At the Hawke's Bay A. and P. Society's committee meeting on Friday, the secr&tary, Mr. C. Douglas, was granted six months' leave of absence on full salary, and a bonus of .£SO was donated in i-eco"-riition of his past services. Preliminary arrangements for the Autumn show were made. Mr. H. Hunter spoke of the .presence of nasal bot among tho flocks of the Wairarapa district, and asked that tho society take means to preventrits introduction to Hawke's Bay by means of the sheep sent from Wairarapa for the Autumn show. He moved- the following resolution: "That the attention of the chief inspector of stock be called to the reported cases of nasal bot amongst sheeo in the Wairarapa, and that. lis, be . requested to inform the committee what steps are being taken to prevent the introduction of infected sheep from ..that district to Hawke's Bay." The' motion was carried, and • it was decided to get the stock inspector to move in the matter at once. • •

The weather has been very hot durinr the past week, but. has proved eminently satisfactory foi- harvest operations, whica : are general; throughout the country. Crops as a whole will be light, as a r&. suit of- the drought in the early part of the season.

GREYTOWN. The weather conditions for harvesting are jnst perfect. The thermometer •ig high, and the weather bids fair to last for a day or two yet. The "Borough Council have fixed ~th® dog fees at ss. and 2s. Gd., the same as last year, and Mr. Treson is again dogtax collector. ' - • Men are busy in the "district cuttintfcocksfoot for seed, as it is likely to-ba* at a, x good price this year. — ' OTAKI. ■' Daring the year 1910 .the : number ol offences dealt with in the' Otaki district (which i j tinder the charge of Constable : ?onn V^ y ' 121, as -against 107 in . 1909. Drunkenness was the charge in "3 cases last year,, the figures for 1909 being i none °' other offences chronicled on the list were the.figures at all large. ' In all some 104 males were' summarily convicted, and 15 females. There are at present some twelve prohibition' orders in force in Otaki. Constable Satfc-erly-is to be commended for the excellent work he has done in- the- toivi-' and' tluv large district over which he'hai < control, . ' ■ ™ WAIHOANGA. ' Jfr. and Mrs. Fergusson, of Maranikau,- - gav„ a farewell entertainment, consisting ot progressive euchre, and music to Mr. and .Mrs. H. Fergusson, ■ prior to their • departure for Napier, on' Friday evening : lasi, to which a' large number of giusts were invited.. Much' amusement >was created during the progress of the euchre tournament,. which resulted in Mr. A.. Murray winning the ladies' prize, white Mr. Beauchamp annexed the gentlemen's. Mrs. Hol.born and Mr. J. Fraser also won prizes. During the evening' piano. recitals were given by-Mrs. Holborn and Mrs.- H. Fergusson, while songs , were rendered by. Messrs. F-crgusson, Beauchamp, and A. Murray, Mr. H. Fergusson recited "DoAll the Good You Can," with piano ac- 1 companiment by Mrs. Fergusson. ' The ' reception rooms and also the dining- . room, where a most enjoyable supper waa • laid, were beautifully and tastefully, de- ~, corated:. with l flowers and ferns, -