Manawatu Herald TUESDAY, DEC. 16, 1891. Water.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 15 December 1891, Page 2

Manawatu Herald TUESDAY, DEC. 16, 1891. Water.

+ The dry weather that we are experiencing should prompt, on the part of ouv Borough Council, some action to secure a supply of good water. This difficulty crops up every year, and whilst the weather is dry, the burgesses would he willing to see some of their rates applied' to this purpose, but, so like human nature, directly the rain falls, they object to any such expenditure. The general health is cf more importance than a few pounds, and it is not well that the water supply J should be taken from thn viver, '

presumably, at low water. We have | had last week two fires, which might under a different direction of the wind, have become serious conflagrations, and there was practically no water available, in the quantity and position most needed* If the Council still adhere to the opinion they have previously expressed that the time has not arrived, when a fairly good water supply should be obtained for the time, they ?an hardly a9sert that some supply IS not necessary. We would suggest, as a partial mitigation of the evil, that a few good wells, supplied with pumps, be sunk. One well in the main street near the Court house, and one on the Motoa road near the ferry hill, would be of great value, and should not run into much expense. These two wells should be put down wholly at the ratepayers cost. We think that the householders along the main street would be acting wisely, if they arranged amongst themselves for certain sites for wells, and met the Council in a liberal manner in sinking them. We should have done something in the right direction.

Mr Wilson, the manager of the Moutoa Estate, has finished shearing. Mr Oliver is now in the middle of sheaving. Mr Davies is also nearly through with his flock. Two or three private people are putting down wells on their town sections. Mr Easton was unfortunate enough to have emptied all his tanks to get them painted inside just before the draught set in, and has had to sink a well for temporary supply. This will be a busy week. To morrow the Flower and Vegetable Show will open at the Hall. At noon also the new Mayor will be installed in office, at the Borough Council Chambers. On Friday the distribution of prizes will take place at the State School at 10.30 a.m. We are asked to mention that any parents who would like to attend will be most welcomed. Mr and Miss Stausell returned last Friday from their holiday trip to Australia. Dr Dermer has been kept pretty well engaged since he arrived. Influenza having a good deal with it. The Appeal Court has ordered the sale of the Savenake estate. Speaking at Northampton, Mr Gladstone referred to Mr Goschen's proposals for an issue of pound notes as a quack scheme. Justice Sir J. W. Chitty has authorised the reduction of the capital of the National Bank of New Zealand. Mr McPherson, of Titnaru has been appointed secretary of theLongburn Freezing Company. There were over 100 applicants for the position. The hon. secretary of the Manawatu Rabbit Extermination Society announces that those desirous of obtaining payment for rabbit'skins can do so by taking them to the Oroua Downs on Saturday afternoon. Mr Russell thanks all those who assisted in .subduing the lire at his hour,?. Owners are reminded that nominations for the Flying. Hurdle, F.R.C., and Stewards' Stakes Handicaps close on Monday next at 9 p.m. The Arawa, which sailed x'or London ou Saturday took a large shipment of butterabout 4000 packages, representing about 200 tons weight. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company held the first of their series of wool sales at Oamarn on Friday. The bidding was spirited, and prices realised were equal to those obtained at other sales in the colony. Greasy went to B£d, and scoured at Is 4d. Several of the vondors, however, would not accept the prices ruling, believing that the Home market would imp.ove. A singular question in ethics has arisen, says the Pout, out of the late, railway accident in the Manawatu Gorge, when a truck-load of iron became derai ed, and ran into a horsebox. The guard has been suspended. It is said that he hud neglected to hook the chains between the trucks. It is further alleged, however, that had it not been for his fortunate n- gleet, had the chains been hooked, tue derailed trucks must have been carried on to the bridge over the ravine, when the whole train would probably have been precipitated to the bottom, and, as one officer expressed it, not a soul wou'd have been left to tell the tale. The guard's neg ect did not cause the accident, but saved the train. Should he be punished or rewarded ? The most violent thunderstorm ever experienced in the Masterton district raged for an hour on Friday afternoon. The lightning was very vivid, and rain descended in torrents, flooding, the streets and doing considerable damage. A fire ball ran along the wires and exploded in the Telegraph Office, fusing the instruments, but fotunately the operator was absent. The atmosphere was filled with a strong sulpheric odour, and the storm was sufficiently alarming to t^op proceedings in the District Court for some time. No very serious damage is reported. In 1881 it is said that the heat through- | out the United States was the greatest on record, the thermometer in many places registering 105 cleg, in the shado. In Eng- [ land the mercury ranged from 9ft dc<>. to | lOOdeg., and in Paris y3deg. In London | it was the hottest season known in 22 years. The director of the Paris Observatory declared there was no record of such intense heat. Many persons will hear with regret, says the N.Z. Tillies, that another of our old colonists is • dangerously ill, Mr John Symons. They came from a gond old Devonshire family, and arrived in U oilington in 1841 in the Catherine Stuart Forbes, and setfed at Goathurst Farm, now Brooklyn. Mr Syraons, in his youth being an excellent Maori scholar, used to trade up the Manawatu with the Natives, and has frequently been asked to write hiR raperi* ences with them. He also had the nifer of Maori interpreter, but denlinofl it. After his father's death he settled at Brooklyn and carried on business as contractor for supplying the Government with firowood. At the time the British iriov.s w»vp hero the contracts were worth having, being as j much as £500 a mouth. Mi' Ry-nnns em- I ployed a great number ot men 10 f,il the bush instead of burning it, as so many have done. He waf, w»> mar add. always noted for his superior judgment in horseflesh, and, as is well known, In- lin^ i^tirfid from business for th« ast 'JO y-iiis. but ; many in this town will roiiionihor bU kin'l- I ness to the poor soldiers' <\ives when tlx-ir i husbands were at the front, and tiny had to pretty well support themselves by doing ! washing. Mr Symons will long be remeui. ' bered for his kindness and hospitality to th« poor Rtfd npMy,

The new hotel is progressing vapid y to- i wards completion. The roof is on, and the framework boarded in. Mr Jenks has secured all the painting and paperhanging work. On Thura l ay evening tho prize dlstribu tion at the Girls Sigh School, Wellington, I wfb made by the i cv W. J. Habens, each recipient being heartily applauded as Bhe came forward to accept the award of merit. Miss May Keb ell wa9 received with quite an ovation on the announcement liiat she had won the gold medal as dux of the school for 1891. The Lady Pr ncipal said that this young lady had been with them ever since she was a little one, and year by year they had loved and honoured her more, whilst her influence had been excellent. (Applause and cheers.) ."The estate of Mr Parnell shows a net value of £6000. Adolph Albert, banker, of Gorlitz, a town in Silesia, has absconded. His liabilities are 2,000,000 marks. One depositor alone loses 800,000 marks. The Dunedin correspondent of the Tuapeka Times has the following: — Mr Earnshaw has not been able to settle down to regular " graft " since he came back from Wellington, nor do I think he will be able again to reconcile himself to the lowliness and humility of rubbing np and polishing brass castings ; not, indeed, that it is not a far more honourable and useful occupation than political Bnarling at Wei. lington or writing insane poetry in Dune din. Mr Pinkerton, on the other hand, has knuckled down to his boot-mending and patching like a brick. It both pleases and amuses us to see him in the evening homeward coming, grimy and black and unprepossessing.looking, trudging along Princess-street ilke any other ordinary individual. The Pahiatua Star thus refers to a peculiar difficulty which has arisen in the Forty Mile Bush :— There's a lion in the path of the relief works at Makuri Gorge. The storekeeper who is to supply the men wants to know what security he is to have that he will get his money for goods sold and delivered to the men, and he has written to the Hon. the Minister of Lands asking that ]the officer in charge be instructed to deduct his accounts from the amounts earned by the men. Unless the Government agree to this there will only be two alternatives open to them— (l) To stop the works ; or (2) to open a general store again, and supply the men as they did at Makairo. In either case they will commit a breaoh of the Truck Act. In Chambers on Saturday, the Chief Justice granted a rule nisi calling upon District Judge Kettle to show cause why the order of committal against Mr Jellicoe for alleged contempt of Court should not be quashed upon the grounds that he acted without jurisdiction; that the matter alleged against Jellicoe was not contempt ; and that the District Judge was prosecutor in his own cause and disqualified by his own interest and real bias from adjudicating. The rule also prohibits the District Judge from proceeding further. During last month there were 1921 arrivals in the Colony and 769 departures, the arrivals being 1152 more than the departures. The departures include 56 Chinese. Theee are certain customs that seem in issolubly associated with Christmastide, a- d one of the oldest and most agreeable i.=i that of giving and receiving present 3. This time-honoured precedent we now follow at Te Aro House. With a view to rendering shopping a veritable delight, an> imparting to it all the pleasures of anticipation, we shall during ,the present month, and until its close, presentour ca sh customers with a Christmas gift, the value of which will be in accordance with the amount of goods purchased at Te Aro Honse. The cash buyer of 10s worth will receive a present, and so on, varying in value for parcels of £2 up to £100. '1 he larger the purchase the more numerous or valuable will be the gifts. Nevertheless every purchaser from thelimitnamedwillget a choice of presents as decided by the amount bought at Te Aro House. This free distribution will extend to and include the 31st, or last day of the month and year. Those who can appreciate the advantage of buying from the largest and best selected stock of summer drapery in the city, new, seasonable goods in perfect condition and fashion, and at the lowest wholesale prices, wi 1 find the addition of attractive Christmas presents perfectly irresistible in uiging a visit to Te Aro House — Advt. We are requested to direct the attention of our readers to the fact that Ross & Sandford, of the Bon Marche, Palnlerston North, have opened up a large stock of Men's and Boys' Clothing, purchased direct fro » the best mills and manufacturers in the Colony. The value and choice in this department this season surpassing anything they have previously offered to the public. Visitors from this district are respectfully invited to inspect the stock in this and other departments.