FOXTON ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 581, 9 August 1909, Page 6

FOXTON ITEMS.

During the past week the line between Foxton and. Palmorston has boon blocked. Every winter, and frequently two or three times during a winter, this happens, and hundreds of. pounds are spent every year m repairing the wash-out that conies with duo regularity. The Railway' Department 6eems to have no idea of doing anything'to obviate thjs annual loss. It is not as though it were impossible to do so—in fact, with, tlio judicious expenditure of a comparative y small sum of money, ample provision could be mado for flood' waters getting clear of theiino altogether, and never, luterfert.tg with the traffic. It would bo interesting to have the cost of repairs to the permanent way for the past three years at this particular place where the damage is regularly done. :Ther&.is not the slightest doubt that it would amount to a sum that woufd very much more than pay interest and redemption on an, amount sufficient to ' provide against damage being done by flood waters, to say nothing of tho inconvenience te which the public is put by tho dislocation of traffic. Such, however, is railway management. At tho meeting of the Wanganui Presbytery, held at Marten last Tuesday, a petition was presented 7 by Mr. Hornblow, ou behalf of the* local Presbyterian Church, praying that tho charge be raised from a Homo Afission to a fully sanctioned one. Tim petition was supported by the Rev. Mr. Jolly, of Palmerston North, and a motion was carried unanimously giving effect to tho petitisn, and appointing the Key.' Mr. Aitkin to:be theVminister-in charge This wiU ■■ give tho church here a considerable step ■ forward, and put it'on. a more permanent and satisfactory basis. . It seems that the Presbytery's action has to receive the on. dorsei'neiit of the General Assembly, which, meets at aii early date. That Foxton i 6 emerging from its long somnambulism is seen in the interest that is being taken by some of tho local sports in having an important aquatic event contested on the Mauawatu. That the river is eminently: suited for such a purpose -goes without saying; the "Whirikino stretch is 6aid to be one of the finest to bo. found in any ( New Zealand river. There is a straight courso of ahout three miles, on which a boating contest could be seen-from start to finish, from.the high bank overlooking tho river. A sculling •match lias been arranged between George Wlielch, of Akaroa, and , George Day, of Sydney, for a stake of £200, to be rowed ou the Manawatu. Mr. S. Messina, of Foxton, who has interested himself in the matter, has posted a •.cheque to Mr. Coombes, of the "Sydney -Referee," and immediately Day makes his deposit tho articles for the raco will bo drawn up and forwarded to Australia for Day's signature. It is expected that the event will take placeearly in November. ■ The vital statistics for Foxton for July were: Births, 11; marriages, 4; death, 1. It is notified that, the iMoutou swamp »ill bo opened on August 16 for flax-cutting for tho coming season. Tho mills that have been idle for the last two months will then resumo operations, and,. from all accounts, it promises' to be a very active year. During the mouth of July there were 1400 hales oi I hom'p graded at the local, sheds, .this, total being an increase of 889 bales ovor that for July, 19QS. Tho grader reports a great im- , provenieht in quality for the winter months. The figures. are: Good fair, 832 bales; fair, 522 bales; common, 40 bales. The following'is the harbourmaster's report on the local bar for the month,of July:—"l have sounded the bar five times during tho month, and find depth 'of water has been i)ft. 6in. at bighwater spring tides, aud 7ft. 6iu. at higkwator neap tides. Since my last report tho bar has spread' considerably, and tho channel boing wider his'had the effect of reducing tho depth of water on the bar. Another cause for this has been tho prevalence of easterly weather, which cuts off the tides. _ The 'spring tides : now cominc show -.indications for the bar deepening, tho channel apparently being' more confined. The rivor at the present time is better than it has been for years, all the crossings carrying good water, being eight to ten feet at ordinary tides. From tho fishermen's huts to the head tho rivor is gradually working to the north bank, and all buoys in lower part of river have had to bo shifted."