The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 1883. THE ANNIVERSARY.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 79, 15 March 1883, Page 2

The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 1883. THE ANNIVERSARY.

Some three months ago we called at- , ten tion to the fact that a project was , on foot for celebrating the anniversary of this settlement. Since then the i project has been carried into practical effect, and, as is well-known, the celebration of the ninth anniversary of Feilding is to take place in tbe Town Hall on Saturday next by a public tea, to be followed by a ball. The committee appointed have been working very energetically to make the affair a success, and they are not likely to be disappointed, as a large number of the original settlers, as well | as those who have since cast in their lot with the pioneers, have expressed | their intention of being present. Nor | is the attendance likely to be confined to persons residing within the limits of the township, but most parts of the outlying districts will be represented. In addition to the natural desire on the part of settlers for celebrating the anniversary of the founding of the settlement, we think there are some sp cial reasons for rejoicing in the case of the Manchester Block. It is generally conceded in other pa>ts <f the C'lony ! that this is the only really successful j " special settlement," and that it has ! been a success every person who contrasts tbe aspect of the locality 9 or 10 years ago with its present appearanca will be bound to admit. It may j not be out of place here to quote from an article which appeared in the Official Hand-book of New Zealand, for 1875, the writer of which is wellknown to our readers, and whose predictions as to tbe success of the Man Chester settlement bave already been i fulfilled. Referring to tun timber industry of the Block he says : — "For j many years the ring of the axe, the j whirr of the saw-mill, and the rush | of frequent trains of timber laden trucks, should tell of a busy and thriving people reaping tbe richest harvest the land wiU ever carry at one time. Given a population, and cbeap transit, the future of this part of the country is assured. So soon as the timber is removed, English grasses, cereals, roots of all kinds, hops, vines, and all sorts of fruit tr»*es grow with the utmost luxuriance, and with little labor, so that the man who cuts down his timber to-day becomes tbe purveyor of food to the reaper of the Dext belt of timber a few years hence, besides growing wool, tallow, hops, and perhaps fruits for jams for other marketH." No one can deny that the writer is here substantially correct, or that he is less so where he says : — "* Making use of our experience of the rapid progress made in similar spots, and drawing on the imagination to depict the change which the next ten years will produce, it will not be unreasonable to picture this infant town grown into a vigorous and beautiful manhood — with bells ringing the little ones i unwillingly to school/ with the whistle of the locomotive and the hum of manufactories; with gay shops and busy foot-paths ; with carts and carriages bowling along well-kept roads; with houses far and near nestling among a younger race of trees, surrounded by the weeping willow, the cypress, and the pine, and flanked by apple and peachloaded orchards ; with a steeple here and there suggesting some degree ot thankfulness for so bountiful a return for labor : while far back in the landscape the dark rich melancholy forest will be dimly seen, waiting its turn for destruction, and seeming to shrink | for protection to the very feet of the distant snow - clad range . " Now, although the period allowed for the realization has not expired by two years, yet it is apparent to every one tbat these prophetic words have been carried out almost to tbe letter. .As the progress made has been due to the j energy, pluck, and determined perse I verance of the settlers, we commend | them for taking an opportunity of meeting together to exchange nurra- i i tives of their varied experiences j gained since they first landed on the shores of New Zealand. " Labor Omnia Vincit " will very properly 'form the principal decorative device oa Satuiday next, and is a truth that has been amply verified by the settlers of the Manchester Block.

. OGAL AiND GENERAL. «. We have to acknowledge receipt of complimentary tickets for the anniversary fete on Saturday. Messrs Stevens and Gorton will hold a stock sale at their Awahuri yards tomorrow at 1 o'clock. We notice that the large new hotel at the corner of The Square at Palmerston is still unoccupied. The prosecution of a man named Toole for hlasphemy, in England, has resulted in his conviction. He has been sentenced to one year's imprisonment with hard labour. The Rev. Mr Murray returned from Auckland by train last night. Mr Murray looks all the better for his trip. He considers Auckland the most beautiful city in the southern hemisphere. Mrs Griffith, mother of the Rev. S. Griffith, of Palmerston, was presented by the Wesleyan congregation with a beautiful silver trowel, with which she laid the foundation stone of the new Church at Palmerston yesterday. Fred. McCabe, the celebrated performer, has arranged for a season <f three nights in Wanganui. We trust that he will he induced to visit Feilding, as his " show" is most interesting and amusing. A plank has been smashed on the floor of the bridge near Major Liddle's residence on the Awahuri road. As this leaves a hole very dangerous for horses passing over the bridge, it should be looked to at once, and save the County a probable action for damages. We regret to announce that Mr J. C. Thompson has been confined to his room for some days from illness. We understand that Mr 1 hompson's indisposition is not serious and that he will shortly be able to attend at his place of business. Mr and Miss Halcombe took their departure for Patetere last evening. A number of residents were on the platform to wish them farewell. Mr F. Towler presented Mr Halcombe with a magnificent bunch of grapes grown in his garden. The latest attraction of the Salvation Army at Reading is stated to have been "a war dance" by the redeemed maidens. The dance is said to be a combination of the Red Indian war dance, a Maori haka and an Australian blacks' corroberee. When the Hon Mr Bryce arrived at the Thames, the crowd assembled to hoot him were nicely " sold." They mistook their man, and followed Mr Murray, the Inspector of the Bank of New Zealand, hooting him the whole way. The Thames people appear to be a little silly at times. A Home paper states that at the marriage of Mr Charles Bewes to Miss Frances Saltan at Plymouth, the happy bridegroom found under his plate a cheqme for £25,000 from his uncle, the Rev. T. A. Bewes. This would form a nice little nest-egg for the commencement of married life. A slight reminder to those acquainted with London life may be seen about the streets of Feilding in the shape of a very neat costermonger's barrow which has been built by Mr J. Belk to the order of Mr Young, greengrocer of Kimbolton Road. Is this to regarded as another sign of Feilding's daily progress in the march of civilization P We noticed yesterday that a large dead tree had been blown right across the Kimbolton Road a little above Mr Marshall's, and a log cut from it to re-open the traffic. About a chain further on stands a tree of similar size in a very dangerous position, and we think that it should receive the timely attention of an axe-man, so as to avert an accident. There was a social gathering of the hop pickers and their friends held at Mr Bones's residence, Awahuri, on Tuesday evening last. After a few hours spent in dancing and other recreations the company separated and departed for their respective homes. Mr Bones has had a remarkably successful season, and his profits will amount to upwards of £700 for the yield of hops. At the Wellington R. M. Court on Tuesday, Jeremiah Murphy was called upon to keep the peace towards his wife. The defendant holds the diploma of M.A., and was formerly a Church of England clergyman at Gisborne, and once officiated at Palmerston North. Through intemperance he had been reduced to skulleryman at a Wellington restaurant. During the gale early on Monday morning a large tawa and small rata which had been growing together were blown on to the house occupied by Mr Patterson and his family near the junction of the Ashurst and Taonui roads. The inmates of the house were much terrified and alarmed, but most providentially the full force ofthe fall came up n the verandah only which, was smashed to atoms. A few inches of difference in the inclination of the falling trees might have resulted in much more serious consequences. The lesson to be deduced from this circumstance is that houses should not be built within the reach of standing trees liable to be uprooted by the wind, or that at any rate, such trees should, as soon as possible after building, be felled.

VVe see that at the Fordeli Horticultu- | ral Society's Autumn Show held on I Tuesday hist, prizes were offered and won for wheat and other cereals, and also for grass and other farm seeds, as well as for roots and the other varieties of cattle food. As this district is eminently adapted for growing all the above-men-tioned kinds of productions, we think the Manchester Society might add to the interest of their Autumn exhibitions by imitating the Fordeli example.