COUNTRY NEWS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 121, 16 February 1920, Page 5

COUNTRY NEWS

NOTES FROM VARIOUS CENTRES (From Our Own Correspondents) - AWAIRARAPA The Featherston Borough Council lias taken steps to puss n special order preliminary to rasing a loan of XIBO for meeting the council's share of the cost of the crection by the Featherston County Council of the Upper Tauherenika.i bridge on the Featherston-Greytown highway. It has been found impassible to meet such calls from the general revenue. The following resolution has been passed unanimously by a meeting of Musterton. business men, copies to be forwarded tn the Prime Minister, the member for the district, and the Board of Trade: "That the attention of the Board of Trade be drawn to the apparent inequitable distribution of sugar throughout New Zealand, and that they be strongly urwd to adopt a uniform basis of distribution. Assuming that the present outout is normal, ae compared with previous years, ovary retailer should receivij the average quantity drawn by him during, «ar. the 'last two or three years. If the outmit is less than normal, delivery should be proportionately reduced to supoliers. It is furthe.r urged that the matter of population should lxs taken into consideration in arranging supplies." A Masterton grocer, to whom the above resolution wn6 referred, endorsed the opinion expressed by Mr. TV. 6. Jl'Donahl (chairman of the Board of Trade) that the shortage was no doubt due to the hoarding of 6Ugar by the consumers. Theso people had been buying 1151 supplies for montba past in anticipation of a.ri6« in price due to the impending shortage. Sugar vras sold in comparativelT small quantities, but ever since the shortage—or rumour of a shortage— f.ho orders had become more frequentin many eases suspiciously so. "I am sure." said thi« retailer, "that if the authorities were to make a house-to-house «;arch. thev would speedily find the true cause of the shortage." That did not mean, of course, that all consumers were hoardinr. but some must be, if the statement is correct that the Sugar Company has refined 500 tans more sugar this year than last. Mr. W. C. Davies, schoolmaster, was the recipient of a presentation last week on his leaving the Groytown district. In Featherston on Thursday night the Wairara'pa Automobile Association entertained the riders at tho motor carnival at a smoke concert. Mr. M. R. Kendall presiding. The following toasts were honoured :-"W.A.A,," Mr. Card (Mayor) ■nroponent; "The Riders" (Mt. I. V. Wilson, secretary, Mr. H. Osgood); "N. 71. Auto-Cyclo Union" (Mr. A. C. Holms, W.A.A., treasurer, Messrs. Gu6. Torstonyon president, and Lloyd secretary). The chairman formally H presented the Elgar Cup to Mr. Percy Coleman, he having won the trophy twice in succession. Messrs. Norman Aitken, Williams, Captain Blainey, and Lloyd were the entertainers. <* Four trainees were approved for the Penrose Training Farm at the last meeting of tho Wairarapa District Repatriation Committee. Mr. A. W. 0. Holling*, A.P.A.N.Z., ins been appointed accountancy instructor at the Masterton Technical School.

During last year 15 cases of .tuberculosis. 84 cases of influenza, and 76 cases of diphtheria were reportod in the Wairarana district. The total number of infectious diseases was 231. At thq forthcoming Masterton Show the Fanners' Union intends holding a meeting., at ■which Messrs. A. T), M'Leod, M.P.. and J. C. Cooper will deliver addresses on the meat and shipping questions. Nurse Bevin, of tho Masterton branch of tlie. Plunket Society, reports that from September 1 to December 13 Inst 61 visits wore paid to homes and 50 to tho Plunket room. One dny was spent at Carterton and ono in Featherston. Nurse Every is; now in charge of tho district. The annual financial statement submit•Uvl to a meeting of tho Board of Managers of the Masterton Technical Sithool ,showed tho' receipts from all sources (including a credit bain nee of i!IS2 is. lOd. at the beginning of .the year awl -£350 withdrawn from fixed deposit) to have been «C2!)-10 17s. !)d. The expenditure amounted to .£2728 9s. Gd., leaving a credit balanco of X 212 Bs. 3d. at the end of the year. . , At the monthly meeting of the Masterton Trust In nds Trust the chairfnan (Mr. C. E. Daniell) and Messrs. Eton and Grundy were re-elected to the Technical School Board of Managers. ' A Tequest from Mr. James Anderson that the Trust contribute jEI2 towards the crection of a fence on his property was referred to the liuildiiig Committee with power to act. Mr. J. A. Smith was graiitod the lease of allotments in Bannister Street. Mr. J. M'Master was granted the second h-nlf of /lit matriculation allowance. On the notion of Mr, D. Caaelberg, it was tlmt the Building Committee bring down a report at next meeting oil the ] voposal to exchange lvith St. Patrick's School acre 42, situated in Queen Street, for an equivalent value of ground on the fishponds site. Tho treasurer's report showed a credit balance of iCS9 l&s. 2d. Accounts for .£66 14s. Id. were passed for payment. Several recent failures of the clectric light pl.'-nt at tho Masterton Opera House were complained of at a meeting of Ihe Trust Lands Trust last week. The building is at present held under lease ?:'Oiii the trust. Mr. D. Casalberg movid, and it wns agreed, that the presont Building Committee approach the Picture Company to have the lighting plant overhauled. Ixom Jnnuary 9 to February 13 the sum of J!463 9s. 4d. was collected in rents on behalf of the Masterton Trust Lands Trust.

Mr.' IV. H. Jnckson presided over a meeting of tho committee of tho Masterton Competitions Society held ,'nst week, when matters connected with the forthcoming competitiuns were arranged. It was decided that the committee should meet again on Monday evening in order to nrraugo for tho distribution of r.osters. The annual statement of the Wairarapn (Caledonian Society shows a credit 1 alaiice of J!l2 Bs. 6d. The total nsaets of the «(K*i-?ty .ire IHs. Bd. Tho Featherston County Council has relieved tho Mauriceville and Eketahuna County Councils from contributions totalling 3 per cent, assessed in connection with tho cost of road nnd bridge improvements on the'Eimutaka highway. As with tho Featherston Borough Council, through the medium of Councillor A. C. Holms (treasurer), so with the Featherston County Council, per the treasurer (Councillor John Martin), exception "was taken to the_ basis—pro rata on large'' and small bodies—of the levy towards the cost of the recent conference held under tho auspices of the Wellington Central Chamber of Commerce. Councillor Martin specially mentioned' the unfairness to small bodies, such as, the Maryborough. Toivn Board, of which he is also treasurer. „ , ~ , To-morrow at Eketalnma tho Annual conference of the Oddfellows' Order will be commenced. A presentation of a chequo was given to Mr. C. Davies on his retirement from the Rcadniastership of the Greytown District nigh School. The presentation took place in the Borough Council Chambers. Mr. W. A. Ifutton (Mayor) presided, and handed a cheque to Mr. Davies. Others present also spoke in appreciative terms of Mr. Davies s abilities as a toacher and also as a zealous worker in St. Luke's Church as a lay reader. Mr. Davies feelingly responded. An afternoon tea was subsequently given Mr. nnd Mrs. Davies in tho Presbyterian Schoolroom. The Greytown Borough Counou have agreed to accept the Memorial Park purchased by the citizens of Greytown, and the Town Lands Trust Trustees have agreed to donate ,£IOO per annum for its upkeep. This park will be a boon to the borough, and it is hoped the original native bush will nt once be attended to and preserved for all time.