FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1873. HIGHWAYS MATTERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 34, 19 December 1879, Page 2

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1873. HIGHWAYS MATTERS.

♦- ■ We notice Mr Maopherson, "Warden for the Foxton. (2£o. 8) Ward, has called a meeting of .ratepayers for Tuesday evening next, at the Athenseum, to consider the recent action of the Manawatu Highways Board in passing a resolution, " That no more tenders he called for until tfie Board can see its way to meet its liabilities." Mr Macpherson has taken the proper course in determining to secure an expression of opinion from his con-

stituonfcs, and we have no doiijbt a unanimous protest will be evoked throughout the Ward against the action of the Board in first spending the rates of this portion of the district in other parts, and then coolly passing a resolution that all works shall be stopped until a large overdraft is paid off. We have before us a statement of the accounts of the Foxton Ward from April 1 to December 1 of the present year. On April 1 there was a credit balance of £181 9s 4d, in addition to which there have been County contributions, £130 ; subsidy, £75 ; rates collected, £182 10s 4d ; total income, £569 8s Bd. During the same period there were spent — on working expenses, £61 19s 2d ; interest, £1 16s; arrears of rates, £24 1 5s 6d ; contracts performed, £302 12s sd ; balance in Bank on December 1, £178 5s 7d ; total, £569 8s Bd. We have furnished the above particulars for the information of those who attend' the meeting. As will be seen by the figures, the books of the Board show a balance of £178 5s 7d still due to Foxton, not a penny of which can be obtained, according to the resolution of the Board, until the overdraft and other liabilities are met. The course the meeting should adopt is the appointment of a couple of ratepayers as a deputation to point out the injustice of their action to the Board, and to demand that necessary works should be pat in hand at once. Should no satisfactory reply be received, the remedy would be in separation.

County Council. — The usual monthly meeting of the County Council will be held at the offices, Foxton, on Monday next. A Gentle Reminder.— ln glancing over ihe Rangitikei Advocate, we are constantly noticing items of news clipped (wUhout acknowledgment) from our columns in the most barefaced manner. Only a few days ago, a paragraph referring to the Sandon Railway deputation was treated in this manner, and yesterday a paragraph regarding Pepper's trial appeared in our contemporary, copied from our Tuesday's issue. As the Advocate dubs itself tho Mnmwatti Argus, it nv'ght sureJy spare one of its hundred eyes to look for news in Munawttu, instead of stealing unacknowledged the new 3 published by other journals. We intend to put a stop to this kind of piracy, and every time the offence occurs we slr.ill expose it. A Good SuooestioN. — During the hearing of a rate recovery case on Wednesday, Mr Ward, KM., asked the collector (M> Palmer), what proof he hafl of his appointment to the office of collector. Mr Pulraer j thereupon produced the minute book, which showed (hat his tender for tho appointment was accepted, and stated that was his only authority. Hi<» Worship remarked that it appeared doubtful whether any proper appointment had been made. However, he thought sufficient authority had beon shown for the purpose of the action. He thought it would bo far better if on the appointment of a collector the local body were to hand him a paper declaring his appoint ment. This he cmld at all times carry with him when collecting, and would at once set at rest any doubts ratepayers might have as to his right to demand the money. We think the sugurestion a capital one, and worthy of being followed out. Limitation. — During the hearing of the case. Collector Local Board v. Warbur f on, on Wednesday, the R. M. pointed out that the Ratinsf Act contained a limitation clause, which declared that no legal proceedings could be taken for the recovery of rates due over two years, and in giving judgement he Rtruck out part of the account, being rates due on March 1, 1877. The various local bodies should pay atten tion to the warning of Mr Ward, and insist ■■n a settlement of all rate accounts during or at the close of each year. We fear the Local Board will lose a considerable amount of money through not paying attention to the clause to which the Magistrate referred. Presentation.— Mr Jas. Donald, who has been employed on the Oroua Dawns Station for three and \-h«lf yearaas foreman, intends leaving this district for Otago at the beginning of the year. On Saturday evening the station hands presented him with a handsome gold albert guard, in recognition of the high esteem in which he is held by them. The present was accompanied by the following addrtxs : — " To Mr Jiimes Donald, Foreman. Dear sir, — Wo the undersigned having heard that you are leaving thia estate at Christmas, wishing before you leave to give you some small token of our esteem, determined to present you with an article, which, being constantly in use, might often bring us to your mind. After great deliberation we at length decided upon this watch guard, which we trust you will accept and wear in kindly remembrauce of the " Boys of Oroua Downs," who, no matter what their faults may be, know how to appreciate a kind-hearted straight forward man like yourself. Furl her mo re, wo hear that after leaving this place it is your intention to make a home of your own in some part of New Zealand. We are happy to think New Zenland is to be the favoured country, and wishing you the hearty success you so richly deserve, we beg to subserbe ourselves your Bincere friends and wellwishers. (Here followed a numerous list of names). Mr Donald briefly replied in feeling terms, expressing his sense of gratification at the handsome present and the kind words accompanying it. School Fkte.— The annual fete of tho Foxton State School will take place to day, at the Public Hall and the adjoining pad dock. The children will meet at tho flail at 2 p'm., at which hour the sports will begin. A t 4.30 p m., the tea will bo handed round, after which the prizos will be presented by the Rev. J. Duncan. Sale. — We remind our readers of the sale tn be held to-morrow at Mr London's store. Foxton. As a largo variety of goods arc to be sold, we expect to sea a good at tendance. Mr Thynne will be the auotioncer on tho occasion. Tap Deau Lrm,B Shamkock.— A few days ago, an old lady who sells vegetables in Foxton, whon visiting a cmtomer, es pied a lnrge barrel in the yard, upon which she exclaimed, » Ab, my dear Mrs Spiff kins, would you give me that barrel th«re, so as to make a hencoop for my dog." She got it. , Licensing Court.— A sitting of tho Licensing <V>urt was held on Wednesday last. Considerable excitement was experienced in town on the morning in question amongst those interested in the sitting of tha Courr, upon a rumour gaining currency that Mr Rockstrow had declarad his intention not to sit, thus preventing a quorum. The rumour gained strength as first Mr Macirthur, and then Mr Maclean wore noticed button*

holing the individual raf-Trod to, as if entreating him. However, nt 12 o'clock Mr Maclean was aeon murching Mr Roekstrow np to the Courthouse, nnd nfter sin • dry flittings a'loul of thoj officials, and v long " confab " with the R.M., in the bnek of the building, the two entered the Court, and eat on the Bench, a sigh of relief esca; - ing from Hnr, applicants and publi\ It, was currently stutsd I hat the wholo ground of dispute between Mr Rockstiow ntv! tha other membr-rs of the Keneh was whether op not one of the officials should apologist; for addressing a letter to him as " Mr." It was ulso stated ihut thn offio.il absolutely refused to apologise, nnd the indignation was bottled up. Too Late.— On Tuesday afternoon, fin individual lost his passage per train by a few seconds, It appeared ho had arrived pur coach, and desiring to hive a drink, had rushed ov»r to Why to* Hotel. Ho stayed too long, however, and j-ist as the starting whistle sounded he reached the train. By this tin.o the train was in motion, and thoui^h he pleaded with Guard Moss, "Let ua go," that officer remained resolute, and carriage after carriage rolled past the laggard, who with ill-suppressed anger saw it recede from view. He learned a rather expensive losaasi in punctuality. Masci'Mxp. on Feminine. — The Maoris are accustomed to a great many strange things, :>a railways, telegraphs, steam .-rs, &c , but are not yet accustomed f> the sight of a white woman with a pipe in her mou'.h. A. few days aero, just as the train was about to start for Wtmganui, some Maori loiterers f.ausjht sight of a Pukehu danio who was sitting in a Rcon'l -class carriage in thn most approved fashion smoking a short clay pipe. The word at once spread, and in an iustanfc every Maori within earshot range was at the aido of the carriage, to gaze upon the prodigy of a Paksha wahine with a pipe. After staring for a moment with mingled amusement and disgust, one native raised the query, " Is she a woman t" and straightway two of the oldest men sprang on to the platform and opened the door to assure themselves whether tbe lady really was what she professed to be. After looking for a moment, one old follow sagely renurknd, " Well, 1 believe she's half a man nnd half a woman." A Cr.RitOYMAX in* Count. — At the Dnnedin Pol'ce Court on Monday last, a clergy man named Arthur Graves waa charged with forging the name of Archdeacon Edwards on a promissory noto. He arrived from home in the Hermione recently, acting as chaplain on the voyage, aud preached at all Saints' Chnrch there on the 7ili. His credentials profess to bs signed by the Bishop of Carlisle, but it is said that ho wns prohibited from preaching before leaving for this colony. In conducting his defence to-day he made somo extraordinary statements, and endeavoured to make out he was ignorant as to the nature of ths promissory note Ihe subject of the charge. After his committal Archdeacon Edwards suggested he should be medically examined U3 to his sanity. Journalism. — The Poverty Bay Herald thus discoursed in one of its late issues :-— '' In the day of our triumphs, in tho hour of our aflli3tious, and iv all timos of our trouble, we have always taken our leaders into our confidence. We have opened our heart to them, and disclosed its innermost secrets. We do so at this moment. The Standard has had to lower its colors ; shall the Herald, then, from HimilaßdSWaes, cease to blow its trumpet ? W4jß&£f&fiirfvreaders exclaim, ' Forbid ir, Hcav^|i:-^wall, then, we ask, why do castomera^|^^^;square their accounts with us ? JSKffl|p^'adverUse, and won't pay theirl^STO^ra; will read our papers, and won't pay their subscriptions ; and wo can't stand it any longer." The Uyjeb, House.— The Now Zealand Times of Wednesday says that on the previous day, in the Legislative Council, during the debate on the Property Tax Bill, there was an unusual or rather unprecedented occurrence, which was nothing less than the first Parliamentary oration of the Hon. John Martin. In his reply on the debate, the Attorney-General alluded to Mr Martin's speech, stating it to be a singular eoncidence that the event which had drawn forth the first legislative utterance of the hon member was the State t ireatening to put its hund into his pocket. The following is the speech Mr Martin made~: — '• Well, sir, I consider this a very bad Bill. In the first place, it will prevent capital coming into New Zealand, and in the second place, the taxes that are wanted from the co mtry coula be got from tea, sugar, and beer, and would not have cost more than £25 or £30 a-yei'r to collect neither. Therefore I shall vote against the Bill." , Why Giiu.s Cannot Throw. — A content porary thus explains this interesting point: — The difference between a girl's throwing and a boy's is substantially this. The boy crooks his elbow, and reclines back with the upper pait of his arm at right angles with his body, aud the forearm at an angle of forty live degrees; tho direct act of throwing is accomplished by bringing the arm back with a sort of snap, like a tail of a snake or whiplash, working every joint from shoulder to wrist, and sometimes making your elbow sing a3 though you had got a whacK on tho crazy bone. The girl throws with her whole arm rigid, the boy wilh his whole arm relaxed. Why this .marked and unmistakable difference exists, wo never learned until, at a somewhat advanced period, we dived into a book of physiology, and learned that the clavicle, or collar bone, in the anatomy of a female is somo inches longer, and set some degrees lower down than-iu the masculiuo frame. The long, orooked, awkward bone interferes with the full and free action of the shouldoi*, and that's tho reason why a girl cannot throw a stone. Shocking Ingratitude! — The Wairarnpa Standard thm exposes the ingratitude of the Upper House Qreyites, in not supporting: the "' little Colonel" when attacked by the supporters of the present Government. It says : — "Everybody knows to whai persUtent persecution the late Premier has been subjected within and without the walls of the Legislature: but there aro fuw persons who know the kind of treatment the late Colonial Secretary, Colonel Whitmore, has met with by several members of the Legislalive Council during the timo he held that office, and more particularly since he resigned it. It is fortunate that he lias proved himsolf well able to defend himself agaiust the persistent attacks which have been made upou him, as, with one or two occasional exceptions, there wa3 not one of the members his Government had been the means of pitchforking into that Chamber who shewed that he possessed either the ability or the disposition to stand up in his defence, or in defence of the administrative acts of the Government to whom ho owed his elevation. Whatever in iy be said about thoir other qualification", their oratorial powers are of tho lowest possible description, and it would almost seem tbat their deficiencies in this particular pointed them out as be-t qualifying thorn for seats in the Upper Chamber. Be this as it may, it is certain that Colonel Whitmore did not receive that support from them to which he was entitled, and this rendered his position in that Chamber one of the least enviable that can be conceived."