MASTERTON DISTRICT NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXX, Issue 3862, 4 October 1899, Page 3

MASTERTON DISTRICT NEWS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.; News'being somewhat at a discount, I may be permitted to note that spring has covered the earth Vith resplendent beauty during the past few weeks. Farmers will feel the benefit of so rich a season, and already they are anticipating a good year. Let us hope the good weather of the past few weeks is the forecast of a continuance of the same in view, or the shearing which, toward the end of the month, must commence in earnest;' It is just nine years since the advent of the K.ev Robert AVood among ' the people of - Masterton and to the charge of his congregation connected with the Presbyterian Church. During this Period he has marvellously increased the power of the Church in both town and district, and it has been found necessary to inaugurate a fund for the purpose of converting the * present church ini/O a Sabbath school and erecting a new and larger church building. Towards this fund something more' than £IOOO has already been promised. Besides ah increased communion-roll; there has been for several years past a weeknight class numbering close upon a hundred members. Mr >. ood is certainly to be congratulated upon his pastoral work in Masterton. Mr William Johnstone, known to so many readers as a most promising student in connection'with the vV ellington Education Board’s roll of teachers, *s, notwithstanding his recent trip to' Australia to recoup an enfeebled constitution, lying dangerously ill at the. nome of his brother, Dr Johnstone, of Carterton. Matters political in this district seemed to be for a time somewhat awry, but now the sitting member bids fair to return to his accustomed seat, whether a decline of Liberalism is imminent of not. Mi Hogg during his term -as a member has lost little, if any, of his personal popularity Mr E. Montgomery, an erstwhile Mastertonian, and nephew of the famous leader of the Coldstream Guards Band, Mr Dan Godfrey, who was recently created a Bachelor of Music, is now touring New Zealand with a kinematograph company which he has recently formed. - Mr Montgomery is an acknowledged vocalist of ho mean order, and during ms tour through New Zealand will doubtless give a good account of his powers in the matter of vocalisation.