MASTERTON NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1204, 12 August 1911, Page 14

MASTERTON NOTES.

(From Oar Special Correspondent,) Masterton, August 11. The forty-fourth annual congregational tea and meeting in connection with the Masterton Presbyterian Church were held yesterday. At the meeting in tho evening the annual balance-sheet of the church was read. It showed' that the past' year had. been one of substantial progress. The fact was mentioned by tho chairman (Rev.- A. T. Thompson) that the church now occupied tho honourable position of being sscond on the list for the whole of the Wellington provincial district. Congratulatory speeches were delivered by the Revs. E. C. Tennajit, L. Thompson, and Chambers Mill. Musical items wero also rendered during the evening. The monthly meeting of tho District High School Committee was held last Droning, Mr. E. 11. Waddington presiding in- the absence of the chairman (Mr. R. Brown) through sickness. The headmaster reported tho average attendance for tho month to have been SSS, and tho percentage of attendances 113. The average at the side school was 152, and, at the secondary school, 55. Tho treasurer reported a credit at dato of .£l4 2s. Id. Messrs. Hughes, Hyde, and Perry were apf/ointedi a visiting committee.' Much regret is expressed at- the announcement of tho death of Miss Montgomery, daughter of Mr. John Mont-' gomery, an old settler of this district, •which occurred at an early hour this morning. Deceased, who was only nineteen years of age, was a popular member, of tho staff of tho local telephone exchange. The Masterton Fire Police held their annual smoke "social" in the Druids' Hnll last evening, Mr. E. C. Eton presiding. Tho usual toasts were honoured, and musical items wero rendered. Trophies won during the year wore presented as follow:—For attendance at Town Hall, ]?.'.■ Bovle',,l; A. E.V Wilton, 2; J. Stewart;- 3; Foresters' Hall, F., Boyle,;' five years'medals, R. Russell; two years' certificate, F. Robbins. During the evening Mr. 0. Pragnell, chairman of tho Firo Board, presented Mr. A. E. Wilton, for some years secretary of the corps, but jiow Slartinborough, with a handsome illuminatod address. Mr. Pragnell referred' in eulogistic terms to tho sterling qualities of Mr. Wilton, • whose health was honoured.

Tho Endeavour Lodge, 1.0. G.T., held its weekly meeting last ovening, when members were entertained by the newofficers. A football match between the Wairarapa representative team and the next eighteen is to be played on. tho showgrounds to-morrow. In answer io a question at his Kuripuni meeting last evening, as to whether ho favoured the deviation of the Kimutaka .railway, Mr. E. E. Sykes stated that tho question was one of Dominion importance. They had to discover whether the deviation would be in the best interests of the Dominion, and whether the money required would bo more profitably employed in opening up the backblocks. He promised to give the question further consideration. TV. J. Ranby, who met with a shocking accident at Te Awamutu, is thought to have been a former resident of Jlasterton and Pahiatua. He was engaged in farming pursuits in the latter district. Mr. G. E. Sykes addressed a meeting of electors at Kuripuni last night, and received a vote of thanks.