DISTRICT NEWS. IN THE WAIRARAPA.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 46, 24 February 1908, Page 8

DISTRICT NEWS. IN THE WAIRARAPA.

[Bt Telegraph — Spfhial to The Post ] MASTERTON, This Day. On Saturday night the rainfall wus nine points. There was a fairly sharp shower this forenoon in the eastern portion of the YVairarapa. The weather to-day is considerably cooler, and the indications are for more rain. Most of the fires in the district appear to have been extinguished. The Waingawa River has ceased to flow by the main road and railway bridges. Settlers who have resided on its banks practically for twenty-six years cannot remember an occasion previously when this has occurred. It is quite a lemarkable sight to see this extensive watercourse, with a twelve span bridge, as a railway viaduct, without a, drop of water in it. As this river supplies the town with water, some apprehension might be felt by residents, but there need be no cause for this, as at the headworks, which are a considerable distance from the bridge, there , is ample water. It is the big tax on the river's resources caused by three large water supply and irrigation schemes, that is responsible (with of course, the extraordinary dry season), for the present unprecedented condition of things lower down. FEATHERSTON, This Day. The contractors for Wh'angamoanaroad expect to' have the work finished this week. Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey Callister, of Carterton, leave this week on a trip to the Old Countryi It is fifty-one years since Mr. Callister' left his native home. The balance-sheet of the Carterton United Friendly Societies' Sports Committee shows a credit of £12 13s lOd. Of this amount £510 has been handed over to the fire brigade. | Mr. F. Rands conducted his farewell service in the Methodist Church, Featherston, last night. He left to-day for Canterbury, and after spending a brief holiday there, will return to college at Auckland. The prizes won during the year by the scholars attending St. Andrew's Sunday School, Carterton, were distributed | yesterday af ternoon. MANAWATU MATTERS. THE FIRES. LEVIN, This Day. The chairman of the Horowhenua County Council (Mr. H. J. Richards) opened the tenders on Saturday for tho metalling of the Mangaone-Pikiorangi road. Tho tender of Mr D. Roberts for £775 per mile was accepted. For metalling 100 chains of the Otaki Gorgeroad, Mr. Percy Durton's tender for £287 10s was also accepted. Mangaoneroad has long bcon in a bad state and it will be good news to those concerned that it is to be put in order immediately. Two small bridges have suffered through tho all-prevailing firo, and will lequire to be replacod at once. A small 20 foot span bridge on tho road just arranged to be metalled has suffered, and one on the Waihoanga-road. It is understood instructions are to bf issued for the immediate repairing of these structures. The last two days have showr a marked decrease in the smoke in and around the town, and last night rain fell in small quantities from about 10 o'clock, which was greatly appreciated. Clouds are still very low "and threatening and it is to be hoped will allow two or three days good rain to come. ' Even if rain does come now it will be of no use to a good many settlers, as they will require to' re-sow and that means a great loss of time, with nothing to keep going, in the meantime. Some of the land burned on the ridges havo had a clan sweep made through it, and hero the fire has proved of great value, the fern boing so thick in former years as to almost defy the thorough cleaning necessary to make it fertile. Shannon Justices of the Peace — Messrs. St&nsoll and Wood — sentenced a man named Patrick Walsh to a month in PaMnerston gaoi for theft, and further proceedings against him are also pending on a more serious < charge. Tho Horowhenua Agrieultuial and Pastoral Association anticipate holding an Autumn Show about June and July. The schedules will be issued shortly, and as great interest was manifested in the late meeting, the committee hopes to make the show as big a success as the last. The annual meeting of tho Levin branch of the Farmera 1 Union has been fixed for Saturday, 11th April, and a full meeting is expected, there being a good deal of important matter to be brought up. Dairymen are extremely bitter about the various interpretations of the Act under which they are granted their licenses, and instance many "improvements" which the inspectors insist upon, which they say cannot, by any stretch of imagination be termed improvements. It is reported that many cases have occurred where the new inspector has ordered the work of his predecessor to be taken up."