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Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 30, 5 December 1879, Page 2

Licensing Court.— A. sitting 1 of tho above Court was to have been held on Wednesday, but owing to no quorum of ComEpissioners being present, the sitting was adjourned for 14 days. Progress.' — One of the latest signs of paogrea* at Otaki is the erection and completion of a handsome and commodious shop for Mr Thos. Bills. It is nearly opposite the Telegraph Hotel. A. large and wellnnisked counter goes round the building, whilst one of the main-windows has been fitied up for che display of articles. The fittings inside are well-appointed, and capable of affording every convenience. Mr Bills hopes to have his shop opoued in the courso of a month or six weeks, and wo wish him every success in his venture. DkiFTWood. — The attention of the re sponsibla party might with advantage be directed to the mass of driftwood lying on the river beaoh on the Foxton side of Hartley's. At the bottom of the sand hill a large quantity of small logs, &0., have collected, which might at any time lead to the capsize of a vehicle. As only a few minutes' work is required to clear it away, we trust it will be at once seen to. The Otaki Court House. — A great many humorous incidents have occurred in connection with the above edifice, but on Tuesday last the loungers enjoyed a hearty laugh at the condition of the building. His Worship noticed that the Court house appeared to be very dark at the northern end, and quietly asked the constable to " draw np the blind. " A loud guffaw of laughter rang throughout the building when it turned out that the blind in question was an old sack, nailed up to .prevent the wind from blowing through the broken panes, whilst instead of " drawing it up," theconst&ble had tolitexally " tear it down." After noticing the occurrence, the spectators remarked that his Worship's request to •' draw up the blind," was merely a stroke of very keen irony. At thb Exhibition. — The special correspondent of the N.Z. Times thus refers to tho two pictures forwarded by Mr R. G. Palmer, of Foxton, to the Sydney Exhibition: — Mr Palmer, of Foxton, is also a progressive votary of art ; his " River Scenery, We3t Coast," and " Kaiwarra warra Gorge," are examples deserving of more than a passing glance, his coloring 'and perspective being excellent. Advance, Foxton. — We are pleased to chronicle the advent of gas in Manawatu, Mr A. J. Whyte having with his usual enterprise determined to lead the van in the matter. The machine lobe employed is a small one purchased from Measra. Gardiner & Co., of Wellington. It will be placed in the storeroom, on the ground floor, and the whole of the rooms on the lower floor will be lighted from it ; whilst j«ts of gas will also burn in the passages upstairs. When finished, Mr Whyte expects to have about 30 burners fitted up. As tho fitters— j Messrs. G. Hall and Thomson— are working hard to get the pipes, &c, laid, wo expect in a few days to see Mr Whyte's com modious and well-appointed hotel lighted with gas. Whilst congratulating him. upon his enterprise, we would also congratulate the district upon the possession of a settler who is determined that Foxton shall lead the district in improvements. Saz.b. — We desire to direct attention to an important advertisement published in this issue by Mr J. W. Liddell, in which that gentleman announces a great clearing sale of drapery, clothing, &c. That this sale ia genuine may bo known from the fact that Mr Liddell intends to close £he drapery oranch of his business, so that I heads of families, and in fact everybody who wants bargains, should take advantage of the month's sale. The attention of farmers is also directed to the announcement r$ harvesting and general farm tools. Hild Oveb.— Mr Knocks' letter is held over till next issue. Feildisg Cotjut.— At the R.M. Court, Feilding. to day, Mr A. F. Halcombe will be charged with arson, in having set fire to a house, claimed by John iielk. From what we can hoar, the case ia a weak one, Mr Halcombe claiming the land upon which the house was built. WAGOon Conteact. — The schooner Amaranth, whioh arrived on Tuesday last from Onehunga, brought 25,000 feet of pouriri timber, to be used in the construction of wiggons for railway purposes. The contraotors intend to make an early start at | the work. Threatening Language. — As will be seen by tho report of the proceedings, Mr Rockstrnw was on Wednesday last fined £1 and costs for using threatening language towards "Mr G. Hussull. Tho Court was crowded during the hearing of the case, and the liveliest interest was taken in the proceedings by the general public. Considerable laughter encuod when the defendant unrolled a file of the Manawatu Herald from its stait, and remarked th:tt he intended to read all the papers to show bow systematically he had been abused! Whilst bemoaning our criticisms upon Iris public career, and even asserting they had " hurt his health, " Mr Rockstrow conveniently forgot to tell the Bench that he had missed no opportunity of attacking this journal, and trying by incorrect statements to damage the interacts of its proprietors. Had be not boasted of his intention to raise a libel ease against them, no reference to tho matter whioh hurt bis feelings would have been made in the paper. If in the future his public career dema&cU censure, it will be unsparingly written ; if praise, we will not begrudge it. In the past, we have watched carefully but in vain for an opport^mH|*to praise him. TH^^^pfANGi Block —We are happy -to infoftlrour readers that tho contest for this block is ( rai?idly drawing to it close. After a most searching aud exhaustive examination of a deed containing 1700 names

—those of the sellers of the RangitikeiManawatu H lock— the Native Land Court has at length found out the persons who have a bonnfiih title to tho block ; and we believe that in a fow days tho Court will be enabled to finally determine who are to bo declared the owners. Tho Ngatiteau, Ngati'uranga, and N^atirakau hapus of tho great Ngatiraukawa tribe are the persons whose olaimß are likely to prove successful. We have heard tho patienoo and discrimination of Judge Heaphy in tho case highly spoken of. Kainfall.— The rainfall at Foxton for the month of Novomber, ultimo, was 4 - 65 inches, and rain fell on 16 days ; and at Manawatu Gorge Bridge the rainfall for the month was 6 ! 88 inches. In connexion with the rainfall, it is worthy of remark that atthough November is a summer month, n good deal of rain occurs in it; thus in 1874 the rainfall at Foxton for November was 3-6) inches ; in 1875 it was 6-a5 inohes ; in 187.6, 355 inches ; in 1877, 37» inohe-J ; in 187.8, 4-15 iuches ; and in 1879, 465 inchos. This, considering the average annual rainfall at Foxton, is not q-iite 40 inches, shows November to bo a risky month for shearing or haymaking.