The Tararua Lodge of Freemasons. No 67 (New Zealand constitution). This Lodge was founded at Pahiatua in 1889, the first W.M. being Mr. A. Black, who was at that time proprietor of the Pahiatua Star. The meetings of the Lodge are held in the Masonic Hall, Sedcole Street, Pahiatua, on the Wednesday nearest the full moon in each month. The installation takes place in October. The officers for 1896 are:—W.M., Bro. J. D. Wilson: S. W., Bro. Jacob Manson; J.W., Bro. Thomas Hewat; secretary, Bro. A. Baillie; treasurer, Bro. James Henderson; organist, Bro. H. H. Godfrey.

The Pahiatua Lodge, M.U., I.O.O.F., holds regular meetings in Pahiatua. Mr. H. Wainwright is the secretary.

The Court Pahiatua Lodge of Foresters, No. 6730. Meetings of this Lodge, which was established in 1886, are held in the Foresters' Hall, Sedcole Street, Pahiatua, on alternate Mondays. There are 135 on the members' roll. The officers for 1896 are: Chief ranger, Mr. George Matthews; sub-chief ranger, Mr. F. G. Moore secretary, Mr. G. F. Gelderd; treasurer, Mr. G. Hyle.

The Pahiatua Tent, No 56, I.O.R. holds regular meetings in Pahiatua. Mr. F. Knewstubb is the secretary, and Mr. S. Griffin is the secretary of the juvenile branch.

The Pahiatua Athletic Society holds its annual meeting in November. Mr. W. Tesswill is president, and Mr. G. Moore secretary.

The Pahiatua Chess Club holds its annual meeting in March. Mr. N. J. Tone is president, and Mr. J. M. Levin is secretary and treasurer.

The Pahiatua Cricket Club has about sixty members on the roll. The officers for the season of 1896-7 are: Patron, Mr. W. A. Warren; president, Dr. Gault; vice-presidents, Messrs. Crewe, Iunes and Job Vile; secretary, Mr. F. Y. Watty; treasurer, Father McKenna; auditor, Mr. W. J. Reeve.

The Pahiatua Football Club holds its annual meeting in March. Mr. G. Bottomley is president, and Mr. E. E. Lewis is secretary and treasurer.

The Woodlands Hunt Club has a large number of members, and holds regular meetings during the season. A picture illustrating a meet of the hounds will be found on page 1018.

Pahiatua Racing Club. The first meeting of the Club, which has a membership of about fifty, was held on the 4th of January, 1894. The officers for 1896 are : Messrs. R. Smith (president), W. Tosswill (vice-president), J. Breeds (judge), G. Bottomley (clerk of scales), J. E. Henry (handicapper), D. Knight (starter), J. B. Whyte (treasurer), J. Harris (totalisator clerk), H. W. Briggs and A. Caselberg (auditors), A. Lucas (secretary), J. McCarthy, G. Bottomley, D. Gault, D. Crewe, A. Yule, C. Avery, and E. Sullivan (committee and stewards). At the meeting of 1896, £225 was given in stakes.

Commercial Hotel and Pahiatua Public Hall.

The Pahiatua Burns Club holds its annual meeting in March. Mr. H. Turnbull is the secretary. Concerts are held annually under the auspices of the Club, and invariably succeeds in attracting large crowds.

The Pahiatua Horticultural and Industrial Association holds its annual meeting in June. Mr. J. Vile is president, and Mr. J. Thomas secretary.

Pahiatua Public Hall. This Hall was built in 1890, and became the property of the present proprietor, Mr. Edward Sullivan, in 1891. In 1895 Mr. Sullivan spent some £300 on improvements, including new scenery by the well-known scenic artist, Mr. Thornton. The hall is capable of seating 500 or 600 and the stage is twenty-five feet by forty feet. Two very large dressing rooms are contiguous to the stage, and all the appointments necessary for theatrical or other performances are provided. The charge for the use of this hall has been fixed at the very small price of £22s. per night, including light and piano.

The Pahiatua Musical Society was established in August, 1895, and immediately put “The Pirates of Penzance” into practice, and the opera as produced was a very creditable performance. The officers for 1896 are: Messrs. G. Harold Smith (president), G. Innes, B. G. M. Harrison, A. Baillie (vice-presidents), A. Lucas (conductor), F. P. Wilson (secretary), M. Wood (treasurer), H. J. Starkey (stage manager), Miss E. Wood (assistant stage manager), Miss L. Falconer (pianiste), Messrs. G. Avery, MacKinlay, W. Bray, C. Morris, Misses F. Knight and A. Gowing (committee). The members number about fifty.

Mr. Augustine Lucas, the Conductor of the Pahiatua Musical Society, was born at the Yan Yean, near Melbourne, Victoria, in 1887. He received his education at the Daylesford Grammar School, and came to New Zealand in 1883 to take the position of articled clerk to Mr. Hartley McIntyre, solicitor, of Blenheim, from whence he came to Pahiatua in 1893. In 1895 he passed his solicitor's examination, and is now managing clerk to Mr. G. Harold Smith, solicitor. He has been interested in music all his life. At the age of fourteen he had a sweet alto voice, which has, however, turned to tenor. All the cantatas and operatic pieces which have been performed by the Pahiatua Society since 1893, were conducted by him. In 1893 he was married to Miss Rica, daughter of the late Mr. H. G. Clark, late Commissiner of Crown Lands, Blenheim, and has two children.