THE PROFITS ON THE WORKING OF THE RAILWAY LINES.

Manawatu Herald, 19 August 1881, Page 2

THE PROFITS ON THE WORKING OF THE RAILWAY LINES.

Beturn No. G, attached to the Eailway Manager's report, gives the net revenue, cosfc of construction, and rate of interest on the different rail way lines. The cost of the Wanga; nui lines to date has been £640,149 ; profit on lasfc year's working,£ 13,206 ; rate of interest on cost of construction, £2 Is 3d. The following is the rate of interest paid by the other lives : — Wellington section, 16s ; Kawakawa, £3 7s 5d ; Kaipara, 19s 2d ; Auckland, £2 5s Id ; Napier, £2 17s Id ; New Plymouth, 13s 6d ; Hurunui-Bluff, £4 13 4d ; Grey mouth, £4 4s 9d ; Nelson, £1 17s 10s ; Picton, 14s Bd. The average rate of interst of all the lines is £3 10s lid, or, excluding Postal Services, £3 8s 3d. Truly, our prospect as a colony is cheerful !

Our Railway. — In the report of the General Manager of the Railways we find the following note on the local line : — " A new station and wharf are in progress a* Foxfcon. A new station and wharf are jus* completed at Wanganui : both are much wanted. The goods traffic has increased ; the passenger traffic has declined ; the revenue has slightly improved ; the timber traffic has increased. The per centage of expenditure to revenue for the twelve months, as compared with the precdiny twelve months, is 66*78 against 69*64. The competition of the Port of Rangitikei with Foxton has to some extent influenced the traffic. The road and stock have been maintained in geod order. The genera' results of working are satisfactory. There is a good prospect of improved business during the coming year, but the cost of maintenance must be expected to increase. " Appointment. —Mr Clement William Lee has been appointed Registrar of Births, Deaths, and Marriages at Otaki, vice Dr. C. G. Hewson, deceased. Railway Returns. —The returns for the four weeks ending June 25 show a revenue on the Wanganui line of £2,892, the revenue on the Wellington line during the same period beiug £2,607. The per centage of revenue expenditure to date on the local line is 59*14. Land Court.— A sitting of the Native Lands Courfc will be held afc Ofcaki shortly, beginning on the 30th August. The claims to be heard comprise mostly those relating to lands near Otaki ; but there are also B<>me to be dealt with referring to lands in the vicinity of Foxton. Particulars will be found in the N. Z. Gazette of August 8. We are glad to notice that at this Court the Government intend to have considered their claim to a number of the South Manawatu Mocks purchased from the natives by the Crown. Delhi Sauce. — In our advertising columns Mr Liddell brings under the notice of the public Whitlock's Delhi Chutney Sauce. The article mentioned is produced by a resident of Wanganui, and being a colonial industry should be well supported We have to thank Mr Liddell for forwarding a sample to this office, and having tried it we can pronounce it pungent and palatable. We believe the Chutney Sauce is to be sold at a very cheap price, only Is per pint bottle. We therefore expect it to become very popular along: the Coast. Impounded. — Two horses impounded from Mr T. Mitchell's land at Moutoa will be sold by the Foxton poundkeeper on August 27. , New Storb.— We understand Mr A. J. • Whyte is about to erect handsome and

commodious premises adjoining Temple Ch-unhers, to bo u_«d asaireneral store aud dwelling house by Mr E. O.borne. Earthquake.— A shock of earthquake w\s felt at F 'X'on about ten minutes pa.t two p.m. on \V.lne3 lay. Titk Missing Schooner Bee.— C.ptain Mxire, of th« Emerald, which left Lyttelton on Fr'day last, informs us that all bop<« of thu schooner B?e have now been given un at that nort, whare she was owned. In addition to Ctptain Green and his three sons (who formed the crew), two oth^r m«-n, siipnnsed deserters from an English ship at Lvttelt'in, were on board, they hiviinf obtained passages in the schooner to tf ivelock, the port to whioh she was bound on her last fatal voyage. It may be interesting to our readers to know that some years ago the Bee was found floating bottom upwards, her crew having all been drowned. Nautical men are quite at a loss to account for her disappearance, though some think the fact that she was rather "crank." may have been the cause of the disaster which has undoubtedly befallen her. Sale at Otaki. — We remind our readers along the Coast that Messrs Thynne, Linton & Co. , will today hold a sale of furniture, stock, farm implements, &c, at the residence of the late Dr Hewson, Ofcaki. The sale is likely t_ be well attended from all parts of the district. The Public Works Estimate?.— These estimates have been circulated. They include £500 for repairs to the Fitzherbert i bridge, and £500 for roads in the FitzherI berfc block ; £1000 to open np the Mana-watu-Kukutauaki block ; £5000 for road to Otamakapua block ; £ 1000 to open up land on the east side of the Pohangina river ; £2300 for the inland road from Mungaroa to Waikanao ; £1330 to open up blocks in the Kairanqa survey district ; £90 to open roads in Kiwitea ; for Manawatu Gorge road, £700; Manchester block, £16; | Foxton-Ofcaki road, £243. Rowino Club. — A meeting of the above Club was held at Whyte's Hotel on Tuesday evening last. Ten members were present, and Mr A. Howe occupied the chair. It was resolvd to hold another general meeting on the 23rd inst., when the secretary will bring up his report re insurance. It was also rejolved that the concert in aid of the Club's fund take place on Friday, September 2. The River Bank Road.— Mr Robinson informs us that in the Crown Grants of his property fronting the Manawatu river, no reservation is made of 15 feet right-of-way along the river bank. In one of the grants a right-of-way is reserved, but not beside the river, being across the section, to connect two roads. Mr Robinson also points out that the public road laid off alongside the big drain has never had a penny spent upon it, and that had this road been made, there would have been no need for discussing whether or not there was a roadway along the river bank. So far as we can see at present the position of the matter appears to be that the Government apoarently intended to reserve a right-of-way 15 feet wide along the river bank, but omitted to make the reserve in the grants. Held Over. — "X's" letter on County administration in the Horowhenua riding and our Campbelltown correspondent's letter arrived too late for insertion in this issue. They will appear in our next. Law Practitioners Bill.— Sir George Grey's Bill to throw open the legal profesion was thrown out by a large majority, 'he numbers bsing — for the 8i11, 6 ; against, 14. Campbelltown School— Three tenders were received for the erecMon of Campbelltown school, viz, A. M'Donell, of Parewanui, £107 10. ; E. E^eriss, of S.ndon, 6100 ; and T. Slade, of Palmerston, £186. The last was accepted by the committee, and was duly recommended to the Education Board, and will, I hope, be summarily dealt with by the Building Committee. — From our own correspondent. President Garfield. — The latest news from America is to the effect that President Garfield is again in a critical state. The Stormbird Robbery. — The preliminary enquiry into the theft of tho box of silver from the Stormbird has resulted in Williams and Green being committed for trial, w'l.le M 'Carry, the cook of the steamer, was discharged. The prisoner Salmon turned Queen's evidence. Father Larkin. — As a report has been spread abroad here that the Rev. W. Larkin has been convicted of manslaughter at Honolulu, we desire to set before our readers the true state of the case. The rev. gentleman had erected a building to serve as a college, and on a recent occasion obligingly lent it to the firemen to hold a fete in it. While the hall was being decorated, the roof and one of the sides fell in and killed a Native lad engaged in working there. Father Larkin himself had a few minutes before been standing in the spot in which the lad was killed. The charge of manslaughter made under the circumstances seems a most extraordinary one. Father Larkin was, moreover, informed that if he | chose to leave the island it was open to him to do so, hut he preferred to remain and stand his trial rather than go away with such a charge, however groundless, hanging over him. &ince the charge was brought we cannot say whether the result will be an acquittal ; for who can tell what may take place in Law Courts void of sanity t — Tablet. Aoes op Great Men.— lt is curious to note the different ages at which celebrities acquire their fame. Mr Gladstone, iv his recent speech on Lord Beaconsneld, said that the only career wifch which he could compare that of the lately deceased ex-Pre-mier, was that of Pitt, but Pitt was Prime Minister at twenty-four, whereas Lord Beaconsrield was thirty-two when he made his famous first effort and was laughed down in the House of Commons. He was fchen only four years younger than Byron when he died. Napoleon's career was over when he was fifty, and Waterloo, Wellington's last battle, was won when he was but 46, while the Duke of Marlborough was fifty-eight when Blenheim was fought. Had either Disraeli or Lord Palmerston died at the age of Byron, or even at that at which Wellington won Waterloo, few would have given them credit for a likelihood of reaching the Premiership. Again, had Scott died at the age of Byron, no Waverley novel would have been known to fame, while George Stephenson was up to forty in receipt of daily wages as a labourer, and George Peabody up to fifty was very far from an arch-millionaire, and had a great deal less than hundreds who died alomst paupers. The saying goes "Call no man happy till he's dead," nor, it may be added, unfortunate, for success only comes to many in the latter part of life, aud albeit early success is very enchanting, it is perhaps of the two best to be " in well at the finish." — Catholic Review.

Lawyer. " Did you say an incompetent man could keep a hotel ?"— Witness. " No : I said inn-experiencod." Marriage ia a safe way to gamble. If you win, you win a treasure ; and if you lose, you ain't out anything.