PALMERSTON NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 14555, 2 May 1911, Page 2

PALMERSTON NOTES

The mayoral end municipal elections caused no little excitement, in Palmerston. It became the vogue last year during the contest for the mayoralty for the candidates to publicly address tho electors—a form of public nuisance hitherto unknown in tho borough. This year the candidates both for the mayoralty and tho Council took to the platform. Two candidates were in tho contest for the chair, Messrs Riddle and Wheeler. Mr Riddle, having served as a councillor for many years, was elected last year as mayor. Mr Wheeler, who is also a nop.Jar councillor with a long record, contested Mr Biddle's right to again fill the chair, but Mr Riddle was on Wednesday night declared the victor by tho handsome margin of 203 votes to 125. In the contest for tho Council there were twelve candidates, nine of whom could be elected. The election was made rather more interesting, than usual owing to tho candidature of Mr Wm. Page, a now arrival, who has led for a few months past a small party who are opposed to the policy of the Borough Council. On the evening before the battle Mr Page and Mr Graham (another candidate who has promised a Utopia if elected) addressed the electors in the Town Hall. Unfortunately Mr Page was unable to make himself heard beyond the first few seats in a speech which ho read from a few pages of foolscap. Mr Graham, however, electrified his audience by his denunciation of the then sitting councillors. The audience were delighted. They had gone to hear Mr Pago criticise the Council, as he had promised to do in many a letter published in the local paper ; he had not succeeded, but Mr Graham had jumped into tho breach, and had given the people their quid pro quo for venturing from their firesides on a wintry night. Mr Graham was therefore returned thud from the top, while Mr Page just scraped in. It will be many a day before the people of Palmerston will be again so disturbed over a municipal election. 'Hie annual meeting of the members of the Donback branch of tho Farmers’ Union was held on the 13th inst., when Mr D. M. Philip occupied the chair, and there was a fair attendance. Tho retiring Committee submitted a report showing that the branch had experienced a satisfactory year, and the balance-sheet disclosed a credit balance of £4 10s. The following officers were elected: —President, Mr Jno. M'Kenzie; vice-president, Mr A. M‘Lennon ; secretary and treasurer, Mr Andrew Murray (re-elecied). Mr M’Kenzie was appointed delegate to the Otago Provincial Conference. Tfi© recent concert and dramatic entertainment in aid of the funds of the Palmerston Lawn Teunis Club resulted in a net profit of about £l4. Yesterday being the day set aside for the observance of the terceutary of the publication of the Authorised Version ofthe Bible, the Rev. Jas. Ciarke, at tlie local Presbyterian Church, preached from the text ‘ The Book of Books.’ He showed that by the number of languages in which tho Scriptures were primed, by the vastness of its circulation, and by the amount of criticism poured upon it, it was easily the first of ail' books. In the evening he termed his subject ‘ The Power of tho Word,' preaching from Hebrews iv., 12— “The Word oT God is quick and powerful and sharper' than any two-edged sword, and is a discemer of the thoughts and intents of the heart:” He pointed out that of the ancient races nono had left any religion to posterity except the Hebrews. Hebrews alone had knowledge of the one living and true God, and their God it was wo worshipped to-day. After a brief reference to Psalm XIX. the reverend, gentleman went on to point out that upon the publication of the Bible 300 years ago tho power of the Word was immediately felt throughout Europe. He pointed out its effect in producing the Reformation, and in other national events. He then referred to its power on individuals, and dosed, aa he did in the morning, with an eloquent appeal to more and more study of this great, this divine, book. —Own correspondent, ; May 1.