THE MANAWATU HERALD. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1878.' FOXTON-SANDON EAT WAY.

Manawatu Herald, 20 September 1878, Page 2

THE MANAWATU HERALD. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1878.' FOXTON-SANDON EAT WAY.

♦ In the course of the Public Works Statement, the Hon. Jas. Macandrew said that he looked on the construction of railway lines under the District Railways Act, as " one of the most giatifj'ing features in the future railway policy of INowZealaud." Under this Act it is proposed to construct the Foxton-Sandon line ; and as the' committee meet in a few days, some information on the -working of the Act will be acceptable. "When the company is formed, the first thing the Act requires is that a plan and book of reference showing the land required for the railway, together -with the owner's names, shall be lodged in some public place, and duo notice given to all persons affected. In this notice it must te stated, the area it is proposed to constitute a railway district, also the classification of the land comprised therein, whether receiving (1) direc^ benefit, (2) less direct benefit, (3) incidental benefit, (4) otherwise tffected. The land is classified thus for rating purposes, as some, of course, receive' far greater benefit from the railway than others. Tho company must also publish generally and transmit to the County Council, full particulars of the proposed lino — its cost equipment, maximum of tolls and charges for goQds and passengers, rent or storage, number of trains daily, and tho amount of rate to bo levied. Within two months of the deposit of the notice, the ratepayers and pro* perty holders affected must vote upon the matter, and if a number representing more than half the valuo of the rateable property, consent to the line, the Governor may declare his approvel of the line, and tho construction be proceeded with. The coßt of taking the votes comes upon tho Railway Company. By section 20, it is provided that die i! ail way Company can apply direct to the Governor, without tho votes of the ratepayers having been taken, but it is in tho power of the ratepayers, and the County Council, to petition the Governor within 30 clays praying him not to grant the application of the Company. When tho Governor's consent has been given, the Company may take any hind necessary for the works, compensation being granted as provided by the Public Works A^| 1876; and the work of ereciic^g^B be at once pushed ahcad^^tf^^^^| works not be m^^H^^^^^^^H toiily, or whflfl^^^^^^^^^^^| train no^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^| the Govj^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H run it

application, if any fciuveyorsare avail- j able, the Government would willingly j allow llieiv stiift' to do the work. In' stating this we liavs no distinct authority ; but we judge from what has boon done for other similar companies Tho Otautau, Waiau and Nightcap line, (which will act as a feeder to the Go vernmont railway line from Iliverion, aud will be tho cutk-t for a coallield, was surveyed by tho Government staff. The Gore (on Mutaura) to the Elbow Line, joining on to the Kings* ton line— a most expensive work be* tween 30 and 40 miles in length —was surveyed by the Government, upon pciition signed by 100 inhabitants. We believe the Government plan is to survey the lino, charging the company the actual cost, and although no direct financial benefit may accrue, yet the advantage of the survey staff knowing every inch of the ground, is ften a great ono. We commend this to our readers, with the suggestion that the work be pushed forward at once, as the Foxton-Sandon line will be of great benefit to both ends of tho district. ; ), /' : j

The suggestion made in our Wei* lington correspondent's, letter (which we commend to our readers), that the Wollington'Eoxton line should be at once started ab this end, is a most excellent one. Tho difficulties of route, are compa ratively small, aud tho work of construction could be pushed on rapidly from this end, without waiting for the more difficult parts of the line between Wol* lington and Waikauae to be finished Parliament is fast hastening to a close, and we would suggest a public meeting should at onco be called, and if necessary, a deputation sont down to Wellington to urge the Government to push forward the work at this end. " Our member " should also bo' stirred up to greater diligence in tho matter of the Hue. x We again commend our correspondent's remarks to our readers.

LntEt. — Mr J. B. Dungan, proprietor of the Manawatn Times, wai served with a writ on Wednesday last, for libel. The gentleman libelled is Mr Harris, of Marton, who estimates the damage done to his character by our contemporary at tlia modest sum of £1,000. Before plunging into the Slough of Despond so precipitately, Mr Harris should have paused to consider. The affair sprang out of a harmless joke ; and, after the ample explanation our contemporary made last week, Mr Harris should have let tho matter drop. " Injured innocents " aro far too ready to fly to the law, only to find that in addition to their papers, they get their fingers burnt » whilst tho lawyers fatten upon the spoil. A Graceful Acknowledgment. — At the Christchuich banquet a few weeks ago His "Worship tho Mayor of Christchurch said it had boon suggested that some mark of approbatioa ought, to bo given to Sir Julius Yogel, and it was propo39d on tho following day to send him a telegram conjjiutulating him upon the completion of tae line of railway between Ohristchurch audDunediti, Wo think the congratulatory telegram to Sir Juliu^^Mg^fl^^Hfl thing to d°-^jfltf|tf^^^^^^^^| euccesjfu^^^^^fl^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H

11 -*,■'■ •t-ttufrTT tiirmuieymiirtmrsrasrfmv^^asiaamism 'Vnv. Wj:i.li.\t;toN"Foxtox Railway. — The Wellington Evening 1 Ohroniclo makes the following remarks upon tho ITon # .Mr Shcvhan'a speech re the Wellington j railway, at tlio ilayoral banquet iv Wellington, and which we quoted in our last issue:— "Wo accept thj.i assurance "with tho utmost satisfaction. The construction of the Hutt-Manawatu railway will not only bo the very making of the West Coast of the Wellington Provincial District, but it will also add enormously to tho trade and commercial prosperity of the City and Port of Wellington. A great portion of the Manawatu block and of the trado south of the Mauawatu Hivec dowu to Otaki and Waikanae, would ilud its way to Wellington as tho great commercial entrepot of the West Coast. Tho construction of tho new line would enable large blocks of land already acquired by the Crown to be brought into tho market, while other native blocks now under negotiation for purchase would in due time be utilised. Wellington, indeed, has a splendid future in store for it when the West Coatt ai*d Port Nicholson are connected by rail." A J.P. Exercised. — A few clays ago a UangitiUei J.P. was waited on by a " g Q n« tleman in blue," with a bit of blue paper asking for rates duo to the Manawatu County Council. After the paper had been duly served, a difficulty arose as to the constable making an affidavit of service and it so happened chat this J.P. was the only one near at hand ; whenupon with right good will the "beak " at once affixed his autograph to show that in his private capacity he had received a summons for rates duo. Tho honor of being a J.P. sometimes entails unpleasant work, though the J.l\ in question must have thought the i.ifuir a grand joke, if he had an element of fun iv him. Lixcoi,x9.— Two very fine Lincoln rams wore imported into the district per Tui, on her last trip, by Mr J. \V. Gower. of j Sundon, Wellington. — It has been decided to hold the Wellington races on the 6th and 7th of Feb., al the Hutt course. The prizes include the Wellington Cup of 100 soys. with 500 soys. added Foxtox. — Mr A. A. Barnetfc held a sale of Foxton land at Wellington, on Wednesday last. Sections Nos. Ito 20 realised an average of £5 ; NO3. 21 to 70 brought from £10 to £1C ; while Nos. 71 to 82, in the Alotoa Block, realised an average of £20 per section. JUnk at Palmerstox, — The new buildings at Pahnenston for tho Bank of Australasia aro baiug rapidly proceeded with. The heavy timber is already erected, the whole of the studs and uprights being in position. The building will bo 40 feet square, and though only the ground floor is provided, tho appearauuo will bo commanding, as the studs aro 20 feet high. The bauking room will be 20 feet square, and there will be manager's sitting, and two bed rooms provided. Tho front will be handsomely decorated, with a pediment head, finished with banisters and vases ; whilst tho large ornamented 10 feet by 4 feet windows of plato glass, wi.l set off the whole. Two windows of the same size aro provided for each side. The internal fittings will bo well finished, and tho building will bo lathed and plastered throughout. Tho contract has been taken by Mr ltussoll, of Marton, and the building is beiug erected under tho superintendence of Mr Stephen Bambroy, a Palmerston builder, who, we have no doubt, will give every satisfaction. The contract prico is about £800, and two mouths will elapse boforo tho work is completed. interested

10s sd. Summons not served ; to bo j enlarged. I v. S. C. Hartley— claim £11 ■ Is Id. Iv this case £7 was paid into Court. The dispute was as to interest, plaintiff doposing that he told defendant interest would bo charged if the amount wore not paid. His Worship held that plaintiff was entitled to recover interest. There was also a disputed item of one farthing per pound on a salo of flux. Judgment given for £9 8s 6d, less £7 paid I I into court, and costs 19s. Samev. W. Banks — claim £'d 17s lid. Summons not served. j Samev. C. Burgess — claim £1 4s j 6d. Settled out of Court. Sume v. F. Marchant — claim £7 4s 3d. Judgment ex purte for the amount claimed, and costs, 13s. J. C. Thompson v. F. Taylor — claim £3 9s 2d. Judgment, ex parte for the amount claimed, and costs, 9s. C. Mallinder y. W. Reeve— claim £1 17s. Plaintiff claimed amount for wages, and defendant put in a set off of £1 for a load of firewood supplied upon plaintiff's order, and 17s for meals supplied to him. The set off for wood was not allowed, as it appeared plaintiff had merely conveyed the order to defendant, being his servant ; the amount of 7s being allowed for meals, judgment was given for £1 10s, and costs 9s. J. McCulloch, Clerk to Manawatu County Council V. G. Y. Lethbridge — claim £30 10s for rates. Judgment ex parte for amount claimed, and costs 255. Same v. J. Jillett— claim £1 11s 3d. Amount paid into Court.