MASTERTON NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 896, 3 May 1889, Page 23

MASTERTON NEWS.

(from our own correspondent.) April 30. The annual meeting of the Masterton Chess Club was held last night at the Oddfellows’ Hal], the Rev W. E. Paige, President, occupying the chair. There was a fair attendance of members. The report and balance-sheet for the past year, showing that the past season’s play had been satisfactory and profitabie to members, were read and adopted. The subscriptions received about covered the expenses. Mr A. J. Rawson was elected President ; Mr W. Knmmer, Vice-Presi-dent ; Mr F. H. Bakewell, hon Secretary and Treasury (re-elected) ; and Messrs Galloway and Roekell, members of the Committee. It was decided to allow draughts to be played at meetings. On the motion of the new President, it was agreed that a handicap tournament be arranged, the Committee to act as handicappers, and the prize to be one of the leading chess works of the day. The Club promises to be stronger than last year, although the subscription has been doubled. As only 2s 6d was paid last year, the amount now required is not exactly ruinous. A number of stacks and a threshing machine on Mr A. Matthews’ farm, Opalci, had a narrow escape from destruction on Saturday. A straw stack got alight, it is supposed through a spark from the engine falling on it, and was soon blazing furiously. All hands worked hard to prevent the flames from spreading, and in this they were successful. The straw stack was, of course, burnt. I hear that the last of the threshing machines has returned to its shed for the winter. There were six of them out, and it is estimated that they threshed 180,000 bushels of grain.