COUNTRY NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 111, 12 May 1909, Page 4

COUNTRY NOTES.

'■ ♦ (From our Travelling Eepresentative.) Arrangements have now been almost completed by the Levin municipal authorities for the lighting 1 of the town: with gas. Mr. Shaw, the manager of the works, tells me that he anticipated having everything in working order by the second week in June. The borough streets * are to have_ incandescent lamps, and, what is more important, a plentiful supply, -so that even those residents living in the mofet remote parts of the borough will have the advantages of a ivell-ht town -The borough has offered to supply the fittings to, the present rail-, way station free, provided the Government will become consumers, and the wisdom of auch a suggestion must be apparent to any one who has business there at J . night", • for a mpre dark and; dismalff/O.k.ing place , it would be hard/ to find, practically tho. whole of." the business people of the town and a good number of private residents are having the gas installed. Another improvement, that is receiving every .attention from the Borough Council/ of Lovin is a water supply. The sum of £13,000 has been secured for this work, and the Ohau riyer has been selected as the source of " supply. There is also a movement on foot to have the streets improved; but it has been wisely decided to defer this work until the gas and water mains are laid; so that the streets ■will not need to be dug up again. Levin, in the matter of its public reserves, is one of the most fortunate country towns in New Zealand, and the day is not far distant when the rent 6 from these endowments, will almost pay the amount that will be required to carry on the work of the municipality. A great fctrctch aloug the main street on which a number of the principal business places stand belongs to the council. It was let for purposes nineteen years ago, at ti_ nominal rent, and reverts to tho council in 1911, when it will almost for certain be submitted to public auction, and should realiso sufficient in rent to pay at least the amount of the present general rate. The councillors recently returned l<> power wefo pledged to bring tho allotments Imdor the hammer at the earliest opportunity, so that in 1911 every one will have an opportunity «of becoming a tenant of the Levin .municipality. . -It- is stated thai.co.mc insurance Companies, in view of the early expiration of tbe,pre-> sent lease?, .have cancelled the policite»>on< the buildings^ but have expressed wili\i»gnes» to increase the amounts held .on* etocks held therein. . ' "A suggestion made I'eoently by 'Mr. TD, -Buick, M.P. for Faltnerftton, fhat ifhe. •Levin State Farm should be subdivided' into decent-sized farms, and disposed of, finds no favour in Levin. Mr. Drysdrfle, interviewed, hes htmted authoritatn ely that (he farm will bo self-supporting in tho near future, and points out that -already many families and single men rare being supported on tho farm. Air. \V M Clark, one of Levin's loadiing business men. recently made extonsnre alterations and additions to his priwaie home which is now one of the most up-to-date in the district. Mr. W. Iligguis, the new proprietor* of the Weraroa Hotel, has completely renovated" his "house; and \i 13 now in* excel- 1 lent ordei, s and Uncle much favour* with commercials, v *