Untitled

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 62, 30 March 1880, Page 2

Foxton Reclamatiox. — We have great pltisure in stating that at last there is some prospect of tenders being called for this important work. A gentleman who arrived per coach from Wellington on Saturday evening last iuforms us that Mr filackett told him the plans would have been ready by the end of l«st week, had it not been for the holidays. According to this, it can reasonably be oxpected that the advertisement calling for tenders for the exeoution of the work will be published by the end of the present week. Unclaimed G-»ods. -A sale of unclaimed goods was held at the Railway Station on Saturday last, by Messrs Thynne, Lintou and Co. -Retrenchment.— We understand that as a step in tho path of retrenchment, the Bteam company have determined to dispense with the services of the pursers of the steamers Jane Douglas and Stormbird. This step will be regretted by all who have been accustomed to travel in the steamers mentioned, as tho officers referred to— Messrs Unsworth and Humphries — have by their courtesy to passengers and careful attention to the wants of shippers, made themselves deservedly popular. MkVAWAtJ HIGHWAY 9 RoARD ELECTION. —On Saturday last, nominations were made at Carnarvon Schoolhouse, for a member to repiesent No. a Ward, in place of Mr Herman Kockel, resigned. Mr Jos. Linton. Returning Offic. r, presided. Mr Bracken proposed, and Mr Mudford seconded, Mr W. \Y. Whiteman as a fit and proper person. The only other person proposed was Mr GHfford, of Mount Stewart. There being two candidates, a Bhow of hands was taken, which resulted as follows :—Whitemam, 4 ; Gifford, 3. A poll was demanded on behalf of Mr lijfford, and was fixed to take place at Carnarvon eohoolhouse on Saturday next, April 3. Of the two gentlemen who are proposed, we think the ratepayers would act wisely in returning Mr Whiteman. . He resides in the centre of the Ward, and is in every way fitted for the position. We hope to see him returned. The Haweba Stab.— A journal bearing the name of "The Hawera and Normanby St»r, Patea County Chronicle, and Waimate Plains Gazette," will be published early next month, at Hawera. The pro.

pr'efcor is Mr P. (la'vin, a gentleman wollknowa in Tress ciroles, ami who wns fo.i* som j timo sub-edit tr of our P'llmrrs'on contemporary. Mr Gjlvin hns the happy ktiHc'c of making himself thoroughly popnlar wherever ho goes and being bothapracticai and liUr iry ne.v.apappr man, should be able to mnku a success of it. We learn that Mr Joseph Ivess, proprietor of the Putea Mail, in: ends to fight Mr Galvin for the Hawera stand, and will ulso bring out a newspaper there. It will certainly need all Mr Ivesb' taleat to discover a name, as Mr Galvin his monopolised so many of the titles ordinarily »iven to newspapers. A Plucky Tim 1 . —On Friday last, a boat was sailed up to Foxton from Obaki. The boat oiiginally belonged to the ill-fated barque Felix Stowe, which wns wrecked at Otaki some time ago, and has been purchased by Mr J. '11.I 1 . Stewart. The crew for the trip consisted of Air M Carkeek. Me J. Cootes, and the Captain of the Hokomai. The Hydrnbad was roaohed by the tiny craft three hours after leaving, but the wind, which had been a strong favorable breeze, fell light, and it took another hour to reach the Mana»vatu bar. As it was seen that it would be unsafe to cross the bar, owing to the strong current rushing over, tho crew shoved their vessel over the souili spit into tho river. This took them half-an-hour to accomplish, and after some very hard, work the crew managed to make the wharf at 10 p.m., having baen six hours pulling against the fresh from the bar to Foxton. The boat is a fine roomy one about 18 feet long, and will be an acquisition to the stock of boats already on the river. | To Drainers. — Mr Cobb invites tenders for a draining contract, and also advertises keep lor horses and ca l tie. Svicide — A man named Mason hung himself at Bulls on Thuisday lust. Ohofa Uiiidgk.— The bridge over the Oroun at Awuhuri is cLsed except for pedestrians and horsemen. Rrvaiks.— Repnirs to tho damaged part of tho railway line are being proceeded with slowly, on account of the slow rate at which the water is snb-iding. The canoe is still used for a distance of several miles in conveying passengers. Deputy- R*ni9T.nAHHinp. — Mr Samuel Tunsli-y has been appointed Deputy-Rtgis-trur of Births, Deaths, and Marriages at Fox ton. To ComiuspoxnENTs.— We have reoeived a letter from Mr M/Lcnnun, in reply to Mr Sanson, but are compelled to hold it over until Friday ; also a letter from Mr Thos. JU-van, juur., re roads in the Otuki Highways District. As OtjieksSer Us.— ln another column we print a lengthy description of Foxton, by the travelling correspondent of the Lyttellton Times. It will doubtless be interesting to our readers to see what is thought of us by visitors. The article is exceedingly interesting, and proceeds from the pen of a gentleman well-known in New Zealand, Mr S. Crombie-Brown. Strange, if Tbue.— The Feilding Guardian of Saturday says : — " There is every reason to believe that the construction of the Bunnythorpe-Grorge and Ashurst railway will be forthwith commenced. This will re a most important connecting link between the East and West Coasts. For a portion of it £140,000 hits been already passed. It is believed the Railway Commission will strongly recommend it, and its undoubted utility is admitted on all sides. The engineering difficulties connected with the Manawatu Gorge are said to be of no consequence, and will not necessitate any excessive outlay. We rcgarJ the work as one of incalculable importance and essential value to these districts." If the Gorge line is to be commenced, it will be one of the greatest jobs ever perpetrated The enly people who are at present anxious to have the Bunnythorpe-Woodville line constructed are the Feildinur Corporation shareholders. The section comprises 14 miles, and is estimated to cost £150,000 ! As a contrast to this, we may remark that in his report of 187S, Mr Knorpp estimated that the West Coast line from Waikunae to Foxton, a distance of 36 mile*,und which would open up the very pick <»f the whole counfry, would cost only M 190,000, or £40,000 moru than this G-orgG suction ! If it be true, as stated in another part of our contemporary " that there is not the least prospect of the West Coast railway being proceeded with," we can only confess our amazement that it should bu proposed to go on with the Buuythorpe-Woodville section. The only way to account for it is this. Colonel Pearce is a Director of the Feilding Corporation, and a member of the Railway Commission ; and the Feilding Corporation are deeply interested in th« BunnythorpeWoodville Railway. Nevertheless, wo protest against the whole West Coast l»i<ilway scheme being thrown overboard to suit the Feilding Corporation, when hundreds of thousands of acres of land would bo opened up by spending the same amount of money on the Welliugton-Foxton line, as it will take to make the section from Bunnythorpe to Woodville, a distance of 14 miles ! Falkland Island Giiasj — Dr Curl has addressed to the Rangitikei Advocate the following letter, which we reprint for general information : — '• Some months since laddressed a letter to you on the subject of the Falkland Islands tussac grass' (Dactylis coespitosa). In that letter I stated that I had then received a consignment of this valuable grass seed, but as the package containing it had been so long on its transit from that island here, I waa afraid the vitality of the seed might be impaired, so I at once took steps to get v supply from the islands forwarded by a quicker despatch. This has cost a consideruble number of pounds ; but I shall not mind the expenditure if we succeed in getting this valuable grass diffused widely over theso islands. I should be glad, Sir, if you would make it generally known, through the mecUum of i he papers you exchange with, that I will give small quantities of the seed to any person applying for it, provided such persons are in suitable localities to grow and propagate this very valuable grass. This grass grows best in damp situations, where it gets the sea spray can ied by the winds ; but wherevet it grows it is the most fatten ■ ing and best cattle, and will prove most valuable to all who grow it." Who Pays Hi* Rates?— A few day9 ago a gentleman whose accent was very Hibernian, might have been seen searching the streets of Foxton for some one who it ; seems pays bi9 rates. Happening to see a lounger in Imnfc of the building devoted to the Foxton Local Board, the individual in question said to him, " Can yez till me who pays my ratsß ?" Quite taken aback, the lounger said, " No, sir. Don't you pay them yourself?" "Begorrah I don't, 5 ' said he, " and if I get hould of the fellow as does, he'll suffer, be tha powers o' Maleready. Ts this the office f" "Yes; but, by-the-bye, where is your land ?" " Oh, it's in Fitzherbert. Here's the paper." Haying this, he persisted in invading the 1 Losal Board office, and there produced a certificate of title stating that a certain in* dividual was possessed of a certain section of land in Fitzherberton. " Look at that," be said, "ye see it's mine, and yet I'm not rated, and another fellow's paying them for me. I'll find himeuj." After this oration

the ounger ad li essed him thusly : •• Strunger, tiike my advice, and l«>t thut mon pay your rates a< long tH ever he likes. When yon settle on your aero of land at Fitzherbert. you'll bu glad to find somebody to pay your rates for you You can go and pay mine now for five years to come if you liko !" Still that Irishman snid, "Do you know his nume ? Do you know my land ?" " No, I don't ! Try the County Clerk," was the answer, and as the old gentleman turned the corner towards tho County office, he wus murmuring, " I'llfijd him out ! I'll find him out !" whilst his auditor moralised on the superlative fo'l-y of a man who objects to having his rates paid for him !