Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, MAY 4, 1880. THE GOVERNMENT AND THE SANDON RAILWAY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 72, 4 May 1880, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, MAY 4, 1880. THE GOVERNMENT AND THE SANDON RAILWAY.

A few days ago there was published in this journal a report of a meeting of Directors of the Foxton- Sandon Eailway Co., in which the following paragraphs occurred : — Letter read from P-iblic Works office, stating that it would be neSessary to furnish complete working plans, and sections showing all the works proposed, before the Governor's approval could be recommended. Messrs. M'Lennan, Gower, and Sanson were empowered to act as a Committee to arrange with Mr Hayns as to the survey. The above sentences open up two important questions, viz., the action of the Government, and. the management of the Directors. Kegarding the former, the opinion forces itself upon us, that the Government are acting the part of shufflers in connection with the Sandon Eailway scheme. Their whole action in connection with it has been one long series of "put-offs," and this last request is not only a cool piece of humbugging, but is, we maintain, in direct defiance of the law. Any Company proposing to construct a railway under the provisions of " The District Bailways Act, 1877," is required to deposit a plan and book of reference showing "the middle line and direction thereof, the lands required to be taken for the same, and the names of the owners and occupiers of such lands." These and all other preliminaries required by law were duly carried out, and by direction of the Governor a day was appointed upon which the votes of the settlers were taken, the result being that they almost to a man voted in

favour of the scheme^ aucl thus expressed their willingness to be taxed for the raising of the 5 per cent, guarantee. Nevertheless, tho Company has had every possible obstacle thrown in its way by the G-overn-ment. At nearly every meeting of the Directors held since the vote was taken, letters have been read from the Government, asking information upon the most trivial matters, all of which have been most fully answered by the Engineer (Mr Hayns) ; whilst the Directors have shown the most exemplary Christian patience, in fulfilling every wish expressed by the Hon. Eichavd Oliver, or his lieutenant, Mr John Knowles. But this last request that now, after many months of vexatious delay, after every obstacle has been removed, the Company should have the whole line surveyed and working plans prepared before the Governor's consent can be recommended, fairly takes away our breath. Why, only a few weeks since, the Directors received a letter from the Government to the effect that if the survey were gone on with before the Governor's consent were given, it would be at the Company's risk ! JVbw, the survey is a sine qua non to the granting of that consent. We have already expressed an opinion that the Government are acting illegally in demanding " complete working plans and sections, showing all the works proposed," as preparatory to the Governor's consent being recommended. That opinion we repeat. The only clause of the Act that can be brought in support of the action of the Government, is the following : — j Clause 1(5. The Governor may require from the Company such further information as he shall deem necessary to enable him to judge of the necessity of the pro~ posed work, and the ability of the coirpany to carry it out. It will be seen that the Government are limited to two subjects on which they may require further information : First, the necessity of the work; second, the ability of the Company to make the line. Regarding the former, working plans and a complete survey are certainly not the things to prove the necessity of a railway line. Any man who wished a set of plans and specifications drawn to show him whether or not he needed a house would be treated as a promising candidate for a Lunatic Asylum. Kegarding the second subject — the ability of the Company to form the line — complete working plans are in no sense necessary. Any second or third rate engineer could furnish in a day an estimate of the cost of making the Sandon Eaihvay, and the ability of the Company to do the work could be at once tested by comparing the cost of the line with the capital of the Company. A detailed survey and complete drawings are not therefore a necessity to enable the Government to judge of the " ability of the Company to cany on the work." Looked at in the light of common sense, apart from the law, the request appears more preposterous still. Here is a company which has fulfilled every particular required by law in order to gain the Governor's consent ; which was told a few weeks ago, that any survey it carried on would be at its own risk ; — this company is now asked, at its own risk, to have this very survey made, at a cost of over £200, whilst no guarantee whatever is given that after the survey is completed, the " consent " will be vouchsafed ! Suppose the line proposed to be constructed were 50 miles long instead of 12. Would the Government expect any body of business men to be so foolish as to spend nearly £1000 in the survey of a line which it was very doubtful they would be allowed to make ? The same principle obtains in this case ; and to insist on working plans and a detailed survey being made before ihe Governor's consent can be recommended, is to oppose the Avhole spirit and letter of the District Bailways Act, which is evidently framed to make the expenses preparatory to obtaining the Governor's approval as light as possible. In view of the above considerations, we must express our surprise at tho meekness of the Directors, who are apparently willing to submit to any indignity from the Minister of Public Works. The Directors appear to have become so used to being struck on one cheek that they have with the patience of martyrs turned the other also ! They at once expressed their willingness to have the survey made, and appointed a Committee to arrange with Mr Hayus to do the work. In this they showed " the white feather." A far more dignified reply for them to have made to the Government would have been this : — "If a detailed survey is necessary, why did you not tell us so nine months ago, when our plans were first submitted to you ? Besides, we challenge your right to put us to a large expense which you have already told us is at our own risk, especially as you give us no hope of consent to the scheme. We are determined to go no further without a guarantee, and are prepared to accept the verdict of a Committee of the House of Representatives as between you and us !" Such a reply as that would have been likely to bring the Hon Bichard Oliver "to his bearings,'*, whereas the meekness of the Directors will probably cause him to try the effect of further trials of their patience after the detailed survey is completed.

Tile Chief Justice. — His Honor the Chief Justice., accompanied by his Secretary and Mr Hall, Deputy- Registrar of the Supremo Court., passed through I'oxton on Sunday last. Tho p'irty arrived per train on Saturday night from Wanganui, and put up at Whyte's Hotel, leaving for Wellington by tho s.s. Jaae Douglas. County Council. — The usual monthly sitting of the Council was held ycßtftiYliiy. A report will bo found iii another column. Cattle. — Another large mob of cattle wns ferried across the Mauawatu River on Friday last, in charge of Mr W. M'Kouzie, for Messrs Barber Bros., of Wellington. These cattle were jiot so refractory as the last mob, but were quite bad enough, and in the wretched stale of the lead to the river the animals were occasionally scampering about the southern cud of the town. A Maori girl, aspist.ing in one of tho canoes, had a mvrow escape. One infuriated beast Hwamat the canoe.which notwithstanding all the efforts of the two occupants, was rapidly shoved in shore by the bullock. Fortunately, the animal could not get its head over the canoe, or the girl would probably have been gored most horribly, and perhaps killed. As it was when the beast was driven off, the horn of the animal was close to the side of the girl, under her armpit. The girl acted most courageously, and hammered the brute fearfully a'oout the head with her paddle while tho canoe was going ashore. R. M. Couht. — A sitting of the Resident Magistrate's Court w'll be held to-morrow, at Foxton. At present, the business on the sheet is not of a very important character. Cojtcebt. — We remind our readers of the concert to be given by tho Foxton Choi-nl Society to morrow evening. The programme to be presented is a remarkably good one, and has been practised most assiduously and faithfully by the singers for some time past, and we cordially hopo the concert will be the sucoess it has b.-en endeavored to make it As mentioned before, the first part of the programme will consist entirely of selections from Wallace's well-known opera of " Maritana," the choruses being "Sing, Pi-etiy Maiden," " Angclus," 10, the Organ," and '• Oh, What Pleasure." The soiiijs will he— (t Scenes that nre brightest,'" " Lat mo like a soldier full," "In happy moments," &c, &c. The glees in the second part will consist of " Olcrmi " and tho " Carnovale," (Rossini) ; tho songs, dncts.&c, will be of the miscellaneous order. With such a programme there should be a good house, and we lmpe the concert will be a success both musically and financially. Feast. — The Muapnko natives at Horowiienua are at present giving a. gniud feast to their friends, and considerable numbers of Maoris passed down the coast 01 Friday and Saturday to attend it, mostly from Uangitikei. A report of the affair from v Horowhenua correspondent w:js received too late for insertion in this issue. Accident. — On Friday an accident occurred at the punt by which a horse belonging to a Rangitikei native named Utiko was killed. It appears that when the horse, which was one cif a team of throe, was leaving the punt, lie slipped^ and struck liis head heavily on the flooring, his death bein<r the result of the fall. The natives at once threw the carcase into the liver, and it disappeared. The owner appeared to be very vnuoh frightened at this ill omen, and expressed great fear. The local constable was appealed to, and exhausted his whole Maori vocabulary in an attempt to explain to Utiko that the death of his horse was the result of natural causes, and not of some evil spirit's interference. Still the Maori (an enormous fellow weighing some 15 stone) groaned out, "Kanuika whakama au," ("Great is my fear"), although the bystanders thought that the beer within him was more the cause of lm fear than the disappearance of his horse, ELECTOhAr, Roll.— The Post Offices at Foxton and Palmerston are gazetted as the plnces where the official electoral roll for the district of Manawatu are to ba deposited. Foxton Wool. — Wo are glad to learn that wool from this district has been taking "top prices" in England. On Saturday evening a gentleman called at our office and showed us a memo, he had just received, stating that a quantity of his wool had brought the high price of Is 10§d, which compares most favourably with "the prices quoted in the circular just received via Suez. From the N. Z Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. Circular just received, we notice that seven bales of half-bred in grease, sent from the neighbourhood of Foxton, realised Is 3d per pound, which is rei^orted in the circular to the local agent (Mr Flower) us being the highest advance of the season in that class of wool. These facts will be doubtless Bati>» factory, as showing that Foxtou wool is appreciated. Railway Accident. — Wo are pleased to learn that the accident to Patrick Maxwell, which was recorded in last issue, lias proved to bo of not so serious a character as was at first expected. On arriving at Palmerston he was taken to the Clarendon Hotel, and attended to, and on the following day was able to get about. It certainly does seem almost miraculous that a man riding ahorse along a railway line, and overtaken by an engine travelling at ihe rate of about 20 miles an hour, should be still in tho land of the living. Mr Maxwell certainly had one of the narrowest escaped wo ever heard of. The Road to the Beach. —Mr Saml. M. hJaker, Native Officer, was yesterday engaged for a considerable time in fully explaining the law relating to surveys to the native owners of tho land between Foxton and the 13caeh. Tno natives now exprerfs their determination to muko a formal protest this day, when the survey is commenced, and demand ilooO as tho price of the roadway, but will oiFer no other obstruction to the survey, provided tho surveyor produces an authority from tho Go. vernmeut. Tho survey will therefore bo pushed through with all possible speed, and the natives will take their claim to a. Compensation Court. This settlement of tho expected difficulty will doubtless bo regarded with great satisfaction. Had thd matter been placed in the bunds of Mr Bilker when the trouble first arose, wo have no doubt it would have been settled long ago. Otaki Couut. — Several sittings of tho R.M. Court were held last week at Otaki ( before local Justices of tho Peace, when Win. Rumsey, a well-known charac!er, figured largely, being finod £5 and costs for an assault, £1 and costs for injuring the look -up in trying to escape, besides being ordered to pay £1 for repairs, and 10s ana oosts for drunkenness. A charge against him of using obscene language was dismissed. Caroline Petford was also charged with drunkenness, and v light fine inflicted. Gazetted. — Mr Johu Purcell's election ay a Commissioner of the Foxton Local Board is notified in the Gazette of April 29. Dolly Vabden. — This famous outrigger, which has been recently purchased by the Foxton Kowinsr Club, ai rived by the Jane Douglas on Saturday last. The Kangitiket Peat. — Mr Donald Fraser, it is stated, has definitely determined to contest the liangitikei seat against Sir Wm. Fox.

Paumamisnt. — L',,v!ifi,'nont meets for despatch of businass on Friday, Jlay 28.

Naiirow Eshave. — The Chicago Railway Review, of January l7bh, says that a terrible bridge disaster was barely averted on Sunday at Boston by the alertness of tho engineer of a New York and New England train and the Westinghouse air brake; 'i'lie large iron steamer Lancaster had crashed into Hie railway bridge beyond the Con-gresp-streot draw because a broken bell>wire had foiled to give the steamer's engineer the signal to stop, badly twisting thr>- bridge timbers, breaking the draw lock, and deviating tho rails 18in. out of Hue. Nt one was on the bridge or in the vicinity to warn the inward-bound train, whoso engineer saw the trouble when but a train's length from the bridge. He reversed and applied the brake, stopping the five cars loft, from the bridge abutment. But for this the train would have gone into the river, and, as the tide was high, tho loss of life would have been great.

TnE Author of " Pinafore."-— Mr W. S. Gilbert is a devoted yachtsman, and his enthusiasm dates from the success of " 11. ai.S. Pinafore." In fact, Mr Gilbert is a little bit of everything, and when he takes up a subject ho does it with dogged pertinacity. Besides being a humorist, and an admirable versifier,he has made himself by steady application a first-class militia oiucer, a bit of a sculptor, a draughtsman on wood, a player at lawn tennis, and a navigator of the deep. It is this last passion that he cannot resist. He is fond of ordering people about and being in command. He is at home as a captain of a crew, or as a stage manager of a refractory company. And so, when " M.M.S. Pinafore " was produced in New York, Mr Gil bert put on the attire of a British tar, and went amongst the chorus siugors just to show them how to shiver their timbers and hitch-up their unmentionable?. The practical good 6ense of the author delighted the New York critics immensely, and the audience made Mr Gilbfit appear before the curtain and make a speech, which was a model of modesty and courtesy. This tickled the Americans.

A Nobls Example. —An important firm's handing over on their retirement from business to their staff of assistants the business which they have spent a lifetime^ in building up, is an act of quite astonishing irenerosifcy. Yet this has actually been performed by the old establi-hed firm of Messrs William Lawrence and Son, builders, of Loudou. In retiring from business they handed over to their managers and chief clerks, nine in number, a loan of £30,000, with which the new firm will purchase the stock and continue 1 "lie trade. Nor did the beneficence of the principals stop here, for a considerable .sum of money was divided by Mr Alderman W. Lawrence, M.1., amongst the largo staff of workmen, the gratuities being proportioned to the length of service of the men, some of the older uervants having sufficient to retire from labor. Pu','h an example of unparalleled nobility may have its effect upon great labor employers, who way be led to think of the claims of those whose lives are spent in their service.

A Cum-; roit Colds. — If what we read in a medical journal be correct, then there is likely to be a great ilemund for the Australian eucalyptus before long. B. Rudolfi reports, in the Gazetta Medica Ituliima, the following observation made on himsolt'. Being seized with a severe coryza, he happened to chew one or two twigs of the eucalyptus, at tho same time swallowing the saliva secreted, which had a bitter and aromatic flavour. To his surprise he found that iv the course of half au hour the nasal catarrh had disappeared. Some days later he was seized by another attack from a fresh exposure to cold, when the same treatment was followed by an equally fortunate result. He then prescribed the remedy to several of his patients, all of whom were benefitted in the same way. He believes this treatment is only suitable in acute cases.

A New Cloth. — We learn from Berlin that an invention has recently been patented iv the German capital for the production of a new kind of cloth, which consists principally or entirely of sponge. The sponges are first thoroughly beaten with a heavy hammer in order to crush all the mineral and vegetuble impurities, so that they ctm be easily washed out. They are then dried and pared, like a potato, with a sharp knife, the parings being sewn together The fabric thus obtained is free from all the danger which sometimes arises from the absorption if poisonous dyes into the system ; it absorbs without checking the perspiration, so as to diminish the danger of taking cold ; it is a bad conductor, and therefore helps to maintain a uniform temperature ; it can be more easily cleaned than the ordinary woollen garments ; its flexibility diminishes tho liability of chafing ; the ease with which it can be employed in shoes, stocking.?, underwear, hat linings, and other articles of clothing, seems likely to make it especially useful as a protection against rheumatic and pulmonary attacks. For ages past the denizens of the earth and air have furnished mankind with materials from which humin ingenuity lias produced wearing apparel of all kinds ; but it is a marked advance upon the past when we draw our stock of underclothing from the depths of tho ocean.