FOX TON VERSUS WANGANUI.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 27, 3 December 1880, Page 2

FOX TON VERSUS WANGANUI.

» . So that importers and exporters in the Mana\yatu clistriet may be able to see the advantages of utilising the port of Foxton in preference to Wauganui, we publish the subjoined list of railway freights from Foxton to Feilding, and from Wangauui to Feilding. The figures need no comment, as they prove conclusively the advantage of Foxton as the port for the Manawatu County. We have selected the items specified in the monthly list of railway returns : — HAII/WAY TARIFF OV OOODS FROM PEILDIXG TO WanFoxton. ennui,

A Sfaiiciiint! Exqi'iiiy Neeped. — Information has reached us to tho effect that a week or two tigo, when the up traiu was ascending the Wangaehu hill, tho enginfi suddenly came to p dead stop, causing great alarm to the passengers. Enquiry showed that the boiler had gono dry, airl passengers had to run in different directions find obtain water with which to fill tho boiler before stoam could be a<rain got up and proceeded with. The Teason of tho boiler going dry is thus explained, wo believe. The engine should have taken in water before reaching tho Wansrauhu hill, but them being soin..impediment in the pipe leading from the tank, tho d'-iver determined to try and run on to the next tank without watering. Tho result we have already given. It is almost a miracle that a dreadful accident did not occur on the occasion, and in thu intcrßsts of tho public a searching enquiry should be m.-ide into the fucts of the ease. Experimenting upon tho time a railway ensrino will run without the boiler being fed is a game tint should not bo allowe.l. I; is rather surprising the Wanganui papers have never mentioned this mutter. AYe will nut speculate upon the reason, but. ex press the hope that tuey will not :illow their admiration of tho m magemeut of the line at their end to prevent them publish ing facts which should be reported, in the interest of the travelling 1 public.

The Jlaxawatu Standard. — We have received the first number of this journal which is printed and published :it Palmerston by "Wr Lyes, for the proprietor. The Standard is cucr&etic-illy written, and gives its readers a fair amou.it o'* reading matter. Whether the venture will be a success or not time alono will. Ml, but against so wellconducted :i journal as the Manawatu Times, the odds are against the Standard. The New Baxk.— The contractors for the erection of tho Dank o." Austnibt-ii at Fozton are progressing rapidly with thoir work, and expect to have it finished wirhin the contract time. H.u'PV Taranaki. — Although Pu'.lin. works throughout the colony are at present doliytd for want of funds, tho I'anuia'.u distrii.-t appears to bo an exception. Tho Hawera Star reports thut tho inihvay from Taranaki to that plaae is expeou d to bo opened by M iy of next year. Exom ir M.vie. — Persons having 1 homo correspondents should note that the English mail closes at Foxtou ihis evening, at S.Sj p.m. Legal. —^lr ffanlcins informs his clients that having returned his offiofs arc ag'iiu open. Mail Coach.— The first coach under the tii-'.v<;ekly service came into Foxton last, niuht, at G. 30 p.m., under the guidance of Mr T. Mnher. It left Wellington at 7 a.m., and brought three pissengers, all of whom wonld doubtless eijoy the luxury of spending an evening at Foxton. The Wellington mails will be taken through to Wanganui by this morning's train. The Mfhdejier Tour. — The murdeier Tuhi is to be tried «t Wcllingtonon or about I lecembev 9. Very few of even the most mimdlin sentimentalists would wish to interfere with the prospective hanging in his case. " j Feilimxo Bonoursu. — G-reat success has attended the efforts of those w!i'> are canvassing for signatures to the FeiHing Muni cipnl petition. The signatures of 2j2 re.-i---dent householders had been obtained up to Wednesday last. CAMP Meetinc;.— The Primitive Methodists of Fcihling intend on Sunday to hold a camp meeting, — a rather novel form of open nir religious service, very common in America, nnd which was extremely popular amongst tho early Methodists of Great Britain. District Court. — The next sitting of the Palruerston District Com t will bo held on Tuesday, December 21, beforo Mr Hardcastle, District Judge,. Racing Clpii. — A Manawatu Racing (Hub meeting was held at Palmerston on Monday evening. It was resolved to hold tho races on Anniversary U.:y, January 22. This decision was coite to in consequence of the members present understanding that the l'oxtou Hegntla would not be held on that day. Mr Walter John* too, M.H.R., was elected President, Messrs Macarthur and Linton Vice-Presidents, Mr T. Frnser Judge, Mr P. Crawford Secretory, and Messis J. King, T. Knight, D. Knigut Nannestad, Jenssen, Crawford, W. Akcre' T. King, M Neil, Nathan, Stewart, and Hay i s Committecmen. Local Board.— The Chairman of tho Local Board Ims taken our suggestion as to the advisability of steps being taken for tho appointment of a valuator, nnd calloJ a meeting for thin evening, at 7 o'clock, to consider the matter. Champion.— Mr Hector M'Donald, of Horowhenua, has purohtibed tho draught stallion Champron. It will be remembered his la»o owner, Mr Lunisden, of Sandon, advertised him for sale iv this journal a few weeks ago. Fire.— We regret to learn that last Saturday morning, about 3 o'clock, the slaughterhouse belonging to Messrs F. Rich & Co., of CampbelUown, was discovered to be in flames. . The fire had obtained too strong a hold to permit of anything being saved, and in a couple of hours was a smouldering mass of rubbish- Although tho loss is not a very large one, it will be felt rather I

severely by Messrs Rich & Co., no insurance having been effeete 1 upon the building. Nevertheless the owners of it arc men oi'rjul grit, iind not likely to sit down and wt-ep over their troubles. They inti-nd at oncu building- a slaug'.erhouse of ranch larger dimensions than that destroyed. CmusTY-s It is hardly necessary to remind the settlers at Palmeraton and other up-country districts tint tho Foxton Christys appear at tho Foresters' Hall, Pnltuerstion. tomorrow (Saturday) evening at 7.30 p.m. The Christys have prepared a most attractive programme, comprising the choicest items in their repertoire, and whilst wo do not wish to exaggerate their merits, we can say that if tli6y do them- ■ selves justice their patrons will enjoy some good singing and acting, and generally i speaking a capital amateur entertainment. Grim Irony. — Mr George' Richardson, of Karere, who has had so many cattle and homos ruu down by the train, advertiaos with grim irony in the Manawatu Times, as follows; — "To Drivers, Guards, and .Managers of the New Zealand Railways. Liberal Offers entertained for an Active or Passive partner. Capital no object." Still Fubthkr Pbooress. — Referring to the rumour of a second paper being about to start at Foxton, the Feilding Gu>»r. flian says: — "Our contemporary (the M. Hbk.vlu) should advocate the CrftabHshaient of a 1 ;natic asylum in Foxton. Wo guarantee thu unfortuuatc proprietor of the embryo journal will require some such accommodation before ho has run his paper threo months. Nous vnrrous." It may interest our contemporary to know that tlio latest rumour is, that Ihe |>li!it is even now en route, bin that it has not been determined whether Feildin" or Foxton shall be the scene of futuiM operations. Tliu choice, it is said, lies between the two. The Next Election'. — The Wairarapu Standard, which is usuully a well-informed journal upon such matters, fixes " she next general election somewhere about September, as Parliament will not likely meet, before June if . Ministers can prevent it." According to "The Triennial Parliaments Act, 1873," the House of Kepresentativey, unless previously dissolved, will expire by eflluxiou cf time on February 28, 1882. It. is probable, howuVer, that the election will take place between tho close of next session and that d.ite. Catholic: Uxiox, — A proposal has envinaled fiom the Catholics of Ohristcuurch that a political union of members) of ihat Church should be formed, lor the purpose of assisting tho return at next general election of candidates who support the Catholic views on the education question. If thd proposed union becomes an actual fact, the (Jiitliolkvs will exct a considerable power p.t next election At Kaiapoi they baudi-d thems. -lvt-s last election, and Mr Bowou's committee hail to work very hard to secure his return, notwithstanding ihat the candidate opposed to him was not possessed of oven average political ability. County Councillors as Cost a aotous. — The following quotation from our Grey town contemporary will bo- of interest to County Councillors : — " A case of some importance was heard at tho R i\l. Court, Miisterton, on Thursday, m which Duncan M'Gregor was chtrged on tho information of Arthur Falloon, with selling timber to the West County Council, being a, member at the time. A considerable amount of evidence was taken to prove such was the snse, and which was virtually admitted. Id giving judgment Mr Wardell s:iid that it appeared to him to bo a very wise thing that a case like this should be inserted in tho Act, as it gave confi lenco in the public bodies. It. w is to guard tho Council against acti ms of this kind. Tha evidence of tlio County Engineer and Cr. Moope entirely exculpated Mr Al'Gregor from any desire to do a dishonorable iietiou. The Court felt itself at a loss, as tho tippet of its decision might be the moans of causing a vacancy in thi: Council Under the present information the Court was not^called upon to make an order for tho ousting of defendant from his :.eat in the Council, aud if ousfx-d liv would still be eligible for re-election. In its opinion the uaso would b-j inecbv inflictin.u 1 ii small penalty. A fine Would bo inflicted "f £-1 which was a small one, compared with one that could be inflicted, vi/.. £<50. An order was then e-iven for a fii;e of £i 1 Is Court fees, and 21s counsel's fee '>

Ax Old .Mau.kt.— -The mallet used by tho I'rince of Wulea the oilier daj' in laying tho fouiiflation stone of the now catht-dra'l at Truro was the same one us-'d by Chariest 11. to liiy the Corner stone of St. Paul's. Oatuhino the Mail. — The following story shows how fast the Yankees are, and how their " push " will stick at nothing. The story is told by the New York Tribune iv the following words : — " On Wednesday," it aays, " l'ostraaster Jumea (of New York city) learned that the Pacific mail steamer City of Sydney, which left Sydney on September 9, had leached San Francisco on October o, two duys ahead of time. She was just two hours late to catch the mail traiu of that day.find a delay of twenty-four hour? was unavoidable. The (schedule time from San Francisco was two hours too late to catch the first departing British steamer. .Mr James went to the Union Pacific office iv this city and represented the facts to Sydney Dillou, and asked if a special could not be put on to catch tho rogular mail train of tho day before. S H. 11. Clarke, general manager of the Union Pacific at Omaha, and A. N. Tow ne, general supermteudi-nt of the Central Pacific, at Sau i'raucisoo, were pivsent. ' Where is the train with the mail at this time ?' Dillon asked of Towne — ' On the Humboldc Division somewhere,' was tho reply. ' Can a special train catch tho other train ?' he aslud. Clarke replied in the affirmative), but added : • We shall have to ruu tho special a thousand miles, and it will cost a thousand dollars.' ' Don't euro what it costs,' roplit d Dillon, 'do it.' The telegraph was put into lequisition, and it was done. The regular mail train was overtaken at Omaha. The Australian mail car was attached lust night at 9.18. It was lauded in this city, and today ie goes by the Arizona to England. If the vessel makes schedule time, tho trip from Sydney will have been made iv the shortest time on reGord — about forty days." The Arizona was expeoted to reach England in seven days, but did not anive i»t Queensland till the evening of October 21. The mail was delivered in London forty-two daj's from Sydney. A correspondent wrote to the Tribune inquiring who paid the thousand dollars, and Postmaster ■Tames replied that it was the Union and Central . Pacifio ll«ilroad Companies, that ho was proud of his country and the ent^iprise of its railroad men, and that such a thing wus not possible iv any other country in the world. Daxcing. — We quote the following from the \Vellin{jtoD correspondent of the Wanganui Chronicle : — Just a little gossip for the ladies, in conclusion. It may interest them to hear that just as we are at the very fag end of the dancing season the old-fash-ioned cotillon tins come into unexpected faronr. Many of the figures are exceedingly amusing. For instunce, a lady is called upon to choose a partner, which she I does by making him kneel upon a cushion in front of her, or a gentleman chooses a lady by " lassoing " her, so to speak, with a senrf. Most trying ordeul of all, the ladies retire behind a curtuin and exhibit

only their hands, irom an inspection of which tho gentleman makes a choice of a fair companion for the mnzy dance. It was a great fivouri'e in London some years ago, aud never fails to excil.o amusement. It was. tried iii a modified form at a small party at the Premier's the other night, and there it provoked considerable glee;

s. d. s. d. Timber, per lDOft . . ..IS 2 2 Firewood, posts, &(.:., per tract 2G 10 34 1(1 Wool, prrlmlo 3 2 4 6 Grain, por ton .. ..10 4 l'l o .\lerohniulise, Class A, por ton 23 0 31 5 „ B „ 19 7 2G K „ 0 „ 10 8 22 5 „ 1) „ 13. 3 17 8 Minerals G 10 9 «">