COUNTRY NEWS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 274, 13 August 1920, Page 10

COUNTRY NEWS

NOTES FROM VARIOUS CENTRES (From Our Own Correspondents.) WAIRARAPA Under tho auspices of the Mnsterton District High School Committee, a pleasant gathering was. held on AVednesday night, when Mr. Richard Brown was presented with a gramophone and records in appreciation of his long service in connection with school committee matters. Mr. Brown, who until recently was chairman of the High School (Committee, first became a committeeman in 1876.

Replying to a deputation in Masterton recently, the Minister of Education (the Hon,' C. J. Pnrr) expressed surprise at what ho termed the extravagance of a certain school committee in setting aside the sum of .£lO per annum as remuneration for the keeping of a minute book. At a function held in his honour last night, Mr. Richard Brown, until lately chairman of the Mnsterton District High School Committee, asked' how the Minister expected the work to be done if payment were not made. Dal he expect that someone would undertake the office of secretary gratuitously? The Mnsterton Committee paid their secrc tary more than .£lO per annum, and lie thought thev were amply justified in doing so. The duties of a committee secretary did not consist merely in keeping the'minutes of each meeting; thero was an abundance of office work and correspondence to attend to. No man could afford to give the time required without receiving fair remuneration. The death occurred, at Carterton on Friday eight of Mrs. Lorina Conradsen, relict of the lato Mr. Hans Conradsnn, who predeceased her eomo years ago. The deceased lady came to the Domti-.ion from .Norway in 1876, and was 82 years of age at the time of her death. She tvas a cousin of Captain Amundsen, the- famous Arctic explorer. The monument lo be erected in the Memorial Square at Carterton .will bear over a nundred namea of soldiers'of tho district who feil in tho Into war. In the Magistrate's Court at Mnsterton yesterday, Mary Frances M'Grath, of Masterton, administratrix in the estate of the late Kathleen M'Grath, deceased, applied to recover from F. Fanning, of i Wellington, merchant and land broker, a sum of .£SO, which it was alleged that defendant, as agent for the plaintiff, had received from Charles f>. Blake, by way •of deposit on the purchase by Blako from the plaintiff of the premises known as the Blairlogie Hotel. Mr. O. Fragnell appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. W. Noble for the defendant. After hearing a good deal of legal argument, Mr. S. L. P. Free, S.M., reserved his decision.

The. Mayor (Mr. W. H. Jackson) presided over a public meeting held in Masterton last night to decide on suitable persons to be recommended for appointment to Hie Board of Governors of the proposed High School. It was resolved that the following names be submitted to Cabinet for appointment:—To represent tho Education Board: Messrs. ' T. Moss, W. T. Grundy, and T. Jordan; to represent the Government: The liov. G. T. Brown, M.A., and Mr. C. E. Daniell. It was resolved.(hat it be a recommendation to the Minister that the term of appointment do not exceed live years. Recently Mr. Hannah offered through The Dominion four priws of .£B, £i, A"., and £\ respectively, for file best essays upon the question of "Why the Prohibition Party had lost the tremendous majority they held in 1911, and were now 11162 to the bad." ■ The judge has awarded the prizes as follow:—Edward I!. Bartlctf, Mastcrton, 1; H. E. Gordon, Masterton, 2; E. J. Spencc, Mastcrton, 1; 11. E. Gardner, Masterton, i. Mr. Hannah is so pleased with the essays that' lie is giving four gold medals to the prize-winners, with names inscribed. ...' MANAWATU

The succession of frosts experienced during July has been followed by fairly cold weather, and a good deal of rain hns fallen, which is causing water to lie about on the low-lying lands, but as the sun is gaining strength feed is beginning to come along, and there are signs of an early spring. Stock of all kinds are looking well, and a largo number of cows are coming in early, giving the dairy factories a good start, and there is every prospect of a, good season. A look round some of the dairy farms gives the impression that many of tho herds have been considerably improved since last season by the introduction of higher grade heifers and cows. Although in the early part of the autumn many farmers were inclined to regret that they had made so much preparation for winter feed, they have in most cases found good use for it, and the result is that the stock generally hare wintered well.

During ■ tho past few weeks tho annual hogget sales havo been held, and close upon 50,000 have been offered at auction. Although, in some eases prices were irregular,' on the whole well-grown fiomneys and their crosses sold well, Forward cattle have been meeting, a good market, and voting dairy stoelt, especially anything'with a touch of .Tcrsey in it, lias been keenly sought after. Over twelve months ago the Hon. I). Guthrie, .Minister of Lands, took steps to hav» an area of limestone in the Manawatn Gorge vested in the four county councils adjacent, in order that they might be able to lease it to a company to be formed by . tho Farmers' Union, so that it could bo worked for the benefit of farmers who Tcnnire .the lime for fertilising purposes. Although several meetings have been held to consider the best means of .dealing with the deposit, nothing tangible has yet resulted. The Palmcrston North branch of the Farmers' Union has called a conference for Saturday, when proposals will be made to form a company to work the limestone. It is proposed to form a company with a capital of .£2500, which will lie issued in the form of debentures. It is hoped that tho proposal will be taken up keenly, and that work will soon be commenced on the lime, as it is badly wanted, .more especially in some of the heavy clay lands in the Manawatu.