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Manawatu Herald, Volume I, Issue 62, 1 April 1879, Page 2

Thk County Gbavkl Pit.— Considerable dissatisfaction appears to exist regarding the present method of working the County gravel pit It will be remembered that some months ago a plot of ground was purchased at a cost of £500 by the County for use as a gravel p t, in order to get into which the County authorities agreed to drive through part of the General Government ground, but were limited to a width of 20 feet, the same quantity of gravel to be returned when the County got into their own land. From this cutting 20 feet wide, the whole of the gravel required for use in the County has to be taken, the gravel baing taken from the " face " of the drive, as the workmen are not allowed to touch the sides. The effect is, that the getting out of gravel is an extremely tedious and expensive affair, and works in the County are delayed in consequence, as only one set of men can be employed, there being room in the cutting for only a single line of rails. As the distance still to be driven before reaching the County pit is about ten or twelve chains, it is computed that it will be several years before the present unsatisfactory state of things is done away, and the County contractors allowed to work at their own pit. In writing to us upon this matter, a correspondent acquainted with

the subject says :— •' I b.-lieve it has been estimated thut it would cost the County about £20;) to lay a line independently of the Government through td their pwn pit. Were this done, there would be no Interference on the part bf Gdverniibufc officials, And the County Would; in my opinion, bo recouped by the payment of ro.yulty long within the ten years that under the present arrangements they will take to reach their own pit." Native Licensing.— During last seSndn of Parliament) a Vefy Useful Act was passed, eiltitled "The Native Licensing Act, 1878." Under it the Governor is empowered to proclaim any native district a " locality under the Act," and thenceforward, until the proclamation is removed, no liquor can be sold or supplied to any native resident, A committee of five natives may be elected by the Maori residents of the proclaimed district, and may inflict fines of £2 for breaches of the Act. The above is the law, and it has fedfintly been cm 1 ployed in punishing a European and several natives. Recently, a popular resident of Moutoa, having concluded his haymaking, gave a " harvest home," a number of his Maori frisnds being present Amongst the delights of the party, the flowing bowl was not forgotten, and Bacchus, ever young and fair, was duly honored. But the hospitable pakeha found, a few days afterwards, that the Native Committee had sat and fined him £2, for supplying the "liquor to the Maoris. His protests Were in vain, and a mild threat of clause 16 being brought into operation, and a summons issued for the money, caused him to hand over the amount of the fine. But the committee I went further, and fined the people who got I drunk 30s each, the amounts being duly ; paid. We also hear that a case con es on 1 tomorrow, at the I olice Court, under the I Act, when a Maori named Heta will be I summoned by Renatdj the Motuiti chief, I for keeping a grog shop at the pah. One j half of the fines recovered under the Act go to the Government ; the other half go to the chief of the tribe. Probably his half is spent in whiskeys " on the quiet." j The Douglas. — When the Jane Douglas { started from Wellington on Thursday last, lit was blowing a howling nor'-wester. As I the little steamer piped her whistle, a numI ber of persona gathered as usual, to witness her departure, some of whom indulged in a little " chaff" at Captain Fraser starting on such a wild night, and ielling him ihey would be on tho wharf to see him re* turn at 7 o'clock, — an hour after starting. The skipper assured his tormentors that by 11 next day he would reaoh Foxton, and though a frightful gale blew off Terawiti, the Douglas pushed through it, and reached the Foxton wharf before " time was up." Captain Fraser was highly amused, therefore, at seeing the following paaagraph in Friday's New Zealander: — "The s.s. Jane Douglas left the wharf for Fcxton at 6 o'clock last night. A gale from the N.W. was blowing, and if. is expected that she will be unable to round Cape Terawiti. She would therefore anchor at the Heads until the weather moderated." Piiecocity. — Colonial youth are undoubtedly precocious, but the most glaring instance we have met with came under our notice the other day. In an obituary notice, published in a Wellington paper, of a child 6 months old, it was added, " Deeply lamented by a large circle of friends." The above is probably the first instance on record in which an infant had, during a short pilgrimage of 6 months, made " a large circle of friends." But we are at the antipodes. Good Bdtter. — We have received from Mr J. Monrud, of Palmorston North, a copy of a pamphlet recently issued by him, giving " a few hints how to make good butter." In the introductory paragraphs, Mr Moarad remarks upon the heavy fluctuations in the price of butter, " not being limited to a few pence, but extending from 6d to Is fid per lb." " This (he says) may be partly accounted for by the general custom of letting: the cows calve in spring time, making the milk plentiful in summer, and scarce in winter ; but I am convinced that the chief cause must be sought in the making of the butter." He then proceeds to give a number of very interesting hints and remarks upon the subjecihe undertakes to deal with, also explaining Mr Lefeldt's centrifugal creaming machine. We commend the pamphlet to the funning industry. The price is one shilling. Another Ring.— When tbe Jane Douglas was being brought alongside the wharf on Friday last, considerable difficulty was experienced in mooring her, owing to there not being saffioient rings or hooks. Another one or two of these upon the wharf would be a great improvement, and we have no doubt if the wharfinger would apply in the proper quarter for them, the request would be at once granted. Raiway. — The Railway Department is about to erect at Halcombe and East Town massive hooks and chains for the purpose of lifting the engines. They will be similar to that already up at Foxton. We may explain that heavy beams and cross-pieces are erected at the top of the engine shed, the massive hooks being fixed to a heavy piece of timber which runs on rollers to tbe centre or either side of the building. The lifting power is a double-crab winch, and the pulley* being fitted with treble-purchase, four men can with ease lift an engine weighing 16 tons, a chain being placed around it and attached to the large hook. This method does away with necessity of screw-jacks being used when the wheels are taken off tbe engines, and also enables tbe latter to be taken to pieces for cleaning and repair* ing, &c, much more rapidly than could otherwise be done. Timber. — The s.s. Goahead took away on Saturday morning last 37,522 feet of white pine timber for Timaru. Thb Ohau Punt. — Mr Robert McLean, the contractor for the above work.has started to construct it. He is building it near the Foxton wharf, and when completed, it will be launched into the river, and towed down by one of the coastal steamers. We should think this method rather a hazardous one,as, if an easterly breeze came on, the puut might make the South Island, instead of the Ohau ferry. Local Boaud. — The amended valuation list of the Foxton Local Board is now open for inspection at the office. Objections must be lodged before April 14. Over the Riveb. — An inoident occurred the other day, which shows the necessity of persona being careful when they roam the bush, and cross rivers. A couple of horsemen went into the bush beyond Moutoa, on a cattle-hunting expedition. Having to cross tha Manawatu river, they ferried themselves over in a canoe behind which the horses swam. Arrived on the far bank they dragged the canoe up, and started off. Towaads nightfall they returned to the bank of the river, but found to theii dismay that the river had zisen, and that the canoe had been washed to the opposite bank. After mature consideration one of the party " doffed" the habiliments in which an enlightened age demands the Britisher should enrobe himself, and assuming nature's most primitive garb plunged into the river, and swam to the other side, whence the canoe

was ferried over, and the hunting couple safety leached the bank on the riOrtli side. TUe moral of cdiirse i.4 that river* drie should le mi td gtfinl ; aild tt U >; that til6.se who use caiioes alioull drag them up to highwdtel' mark, or else make thoiri fast to the shore. The Whauf. — The Chairman of the Harbor Ito-u-d, Mr Gray, his received a letter from the Government, in which th y decline to hand over the Foxton wharf as an endowment fco the local Harbor Board. Considering the fact tllat they are making abdiit £50 per month clear profit from the wharf, we can quite understand the answer of the Government. Tha subject will pro bably be referred to agui". Special. — A spjciul train came down to Foxton yesterday aftornoon, and the .trucks having been loaded up with rails, the traiu prooeeded late in the afternoon to funnythorpe. Ministerial. — The Hon Jas. Macandrew had not arrif ud in Foxtail Up to last evening. When he will be here, no one knows. The Chairman ot thn Harbor Board telegraphed to him at Wellington a few days ago,asking when he *vould be hero, and would be able to recaive a deputation, but no answer whatever was received. Sold. — The Govgrnnunt paper, the New Zealander, has been sold to Air R. C. Reid, late of the West Coast Times, for £2,000. Parliament.— The Christchurch Corporation has issued a circular, uniting the South Island Borough Councils to cooperate in eudeavoring to obtain the next session of Parliament at Christchurch. Waimatb Plains. — There is no further news of importance from the disturbed district at Patea The Government have sent a reinforcement of 4') constables to thd Patea district, to show the Maoris they mean business. The sale of 10,000 acres is lo be gone on with at onco. Education Board. — The recent Educa* tion election resulted as follows :— Mr Sanson, 33 votes ; Mr Fox, 3D ; Major Noake, 19 ; Rev J. Doall, 13; Mr Godwin, 13 5 Mr Baker, 13 ; Mr Homer, 9 ; Mr Peacock, 7. Messrs Sanson, Fox, and Major Noake, were therefore declared elected. We con' gratulate Mr Sanson ou the result of the olection. Campbell. — A few plans of the land to bo sold next Saturday by Messrs Stevens and Gorton have been left at our office,* where persons desiring to invest can see them. Shooting Season.— This being the first day of the shooting season, our local sportsmen intend to make it pretty " hot " for the game during the next month or two. A great many ducks have been visible on the river during the lant few days. Highways Boabd. — The rate list of the Manawatu Highways Board is now open for inspection. Objections must be lodged before April 16. Particulars will be found in the advertisement. Tkndebs.— Tenders are called by Mr A. Moinet, Engineer to the Foxton Board, for works required by that body. Meeting. — We remind those interested of the Foxton and Sundon Railway meeting at the Sanson schoolhouse on Thursday evening next. A Clebgymanß Fake. — The natives of the "bonnie Land o" Cakes," says the .L«yttelton 'I imea, are generally thought to be extremely fond of oatmeal, either in the shape of "stir-about," "porridge," or " burgoo ; " but we have it upon the authority of a Scotchman and Presbyterian minister that oatmeal is looked upon, by him at least, as " shabby stuff." At the Presbyterian Assembly, during the discus* sion of an overture from the Wellington Presbytery, relative to the granting of A'so a year towards the salary of a minister for the Feilding district, Mr Paterson pointed out that the £100 a year granted to the minister was not sufficient to keep him. One of the rev gentlemen present expressed an opinion that £100 was enough. "Oh yes," replied Mr Paterson, "he m ; tfht Jive upon oatmeal and such shubby fare." There was a general smile, and the Assembly pro-, ceeded with the discussion. It is generally admitted by everybody who has visited Jacobs' Athenaeum Bazar that it is the only shop in Wellington that contains a good and complete assortment of Fancy Goods and Jewellery suitable for Presents, Birthday Gifts, or Wedding Pressents. Parties requiring any of the above articles will save themselves a lot of trouble by calling and inspecting the immense assortment, which is too gigautic to particularise by advertisement.— [Advt.]