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Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 439, 31 October 1908, Page 2

Mr and Mrs Wright return thanks to those who rendered assistance at the recent fire on their premises.

A special collection willy be taken up in the local Presbyterian church to-morrow, at both services, in aid of the fund to instal coal gas lighting.

Mr W. J. White has been elected unopposed to the vacancy on the Borough Council, rendered vacant by the resignation of Councillor Wilson. We feel sure that Mr White will do justice to the position.

The services at the Presbyterian Church to-morrow will be conducted in the morning by the Rev. Geo. K. Aitken, and in the evening by Mr D. W, Low, M.A. of College Street School, Palmerston North. Prior to the Methodist anniversary service in the Masonic Hall, to-morrow night, there will be a half-hour song service by the children. Among the items to be rendered will be the new no-license rally song, composed by the Rev. W, Harris, late of P'oxton but now of Christchurch.

A meeting of the committee of the Foxton Athletic Club was held in Mr Perreau’s rooms, on Thursday evening, Dr. Adams (vicepresident), in the chair. It was decided that the club run the “ correct cards ” as last year, and Messrs. Page and Robinson were appointed to canvass the business people for advertisements. The concert committee reported that arrangements for the concert on sports night are well in hand. The secretary reported that the nominations received this year compared favourably with previous years, the total being 165 this year against 131 received last year. Other minor matters were discussed, and the meeting terminated. The Orepuki Advocate (Otago) reports that an improved process of flax dressing has been discovered by Mr H. A. Nicolson, ofOtautau. The fibre is treated with a chemical, the constituents of which are not disclosed. It is claimed after extended trials that by its uses fibre was produced giving in one instance 15 points and in another 17 points over fibre treated by the ordinary process. The inventor claims that by his process there is no need for paddocking the flax, there is less tow, an increased strength of fibre, and a greater weight of the dressed material. These savings he estimated to run to from £$ to £5 per ton, while the cost of treatment is set down at not exceeding 13s per ton. The cost of the installing process is nominal, not exceeding £5.