Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, FEB. 28, 1892.

Manawatu Herald, 23 February 1892, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, FEB. 28, 1892.

The progress of the movement towards merging the Boad Boards into the Horowhenua County is not rapid, and it is said that some of the prominent settlers who ■have actually signed the petition to secure that object are now doubtful of the wisdom of the step. It is no doubt a most important question, which demands moat serious consideration by all, and no one should sign any petition, either way, until he is satisfied as to the course he should take.. ; We are glad to find that tha settlers in the Horowhenua County are waking up in political j matters, as it was stated at yesterday* ineeting that, the County Chairman, in conjunction with the Chairman of the Boad Boards, were about convening meetings to discuss the advisability of forming a political Association in that district. Yesterday a committee meeting was held in this town in connection with the formation of a political Association ■ A good many of our Sarnon friends attended. It was arranged that Mr K. B. MoEenzie and the Mayor of Foxton should sign the circulars to be forwarded. It was left in their hands to fix the dates of the meetings. Mr Speirs has made a start at his mill on the river bank. The only three mills that are now idle are, Messrs Russell & Co.'s, Jack & Co.'s, and Carter's. The programme of the events for the regatta on St. Patrick's Day appear in another column. It will be noticed that most of the events are open to all comers. The Okaua estate has changed hands, Mr Qliver having last week sold tp the Messrs Strang Brothers. The price, which includes stock and the goodwill to some leasehold, is close upon eight pounds an acre. The Messrs Strang have secured a va uable < *nd picturesque property at a fair >rloe. ,

The fJehoDl Committee* met this morning and hfter very careful consideration selected Mrs Alpllish for the post of Assistant Mistress &t the Foxton Sohooi. We are glad to learn that the Government are showing a little interest in the flax trade, as they are paying the freight on two tens of tow to America, to secure from the paper-makers |h?re an expression of the value this article would b 3 to them. Mr Ashby of Motoa has also sold his farm, which adjoined that of Mr Gibson's, to the Assets Company. We understand that the Motoa estate is securing these properties wilh a view of erecting an embankment to keep back the floods in the river, which have previously found their way into the estate by these two properties. Mr Gibson has sold his farm on the bank of the river at Motoa to the Globo Assets Company at a satisfactory figure. Messrs Stevens & Gorton announce that their next sale at foxton will be held on the 23rd Marob. Settlers are requested to give early intimation of the entries they will make. Messrs pascal Brothers have leased their Oroua Bridge hemp-mill to Mr Gledhill, and he has now made a start at turning out the fibre. William Ballantyne, guard of the Gape Foulwind train, got his head orushed between Borne projecting timber in a truck and. the engine, which he was coupling, on Friday last. There is a chance of his reoovery, though his head was compressed into four inches. . '*Mr Rutherford has started another stripper at work at his hemp mill. Mr B. F.llis has a field of rape of most luxuriant growth at his farm at Moutoa. The rape stands three feet high and the leaves are very broad and long. The sheep are now feeding the leaves, but owing to the heighth they will not eat the heart out and another feeding is expected off it. The constable has been lately employed in preparing a list of names of persons of " good fame and repute " who are eligible to serve on juries. This forebodes trouble to many in the not far distant future. Fourteen years is a long time to be absent from a place, but that is the interval that has elapsed since Mr Suiallbones, of the Telegraph Department, was last here., He is simply on a visit now, looking up the many friends he made when he was a junior in the local telegraph office. We were pleased to see him looking so well, and are glad to meet him yet once again. The colonial market is better for some fruits than the London one. The last advices state that one hundred cases of green Gape muscat grapes were sold there at 3Jd to 4d per Ib. .Referring to Sir Harry Atkinson at the Wellington banquet, Lord Onslow said that whether he chose to continue in the dignified position ho now occupied or whether he would return to the battle of political life, there was no one amongst us who I would not recognise that the services he had rendered to New Zealand would ever be amongst the highest pages in her history. The weather in England is the coldest experienced for thirty years. It is also severe on the Continent. There is no accounting for tastes. The : " Bazzal Da?zal ".is a contrivance shaped [ like a boaij/arid placed upon mechanism i which <gives all the rolls, heaves, and tilts |»f a vessel in a choppy sea. The persons | who pay for this "pleasure" frequently i become very " sea sick," but the machine is not stopped till the " voyage " is over, ac those who have accustomed themselves to the motion require their full penny- | worth. A case in which J. L. Morrison, flax broker, of 'Wellington, claimed from E. Austin, flaxmiller of Foxton, £50 as damages for breach of contract on account of the non-delivery of 50 tons of flay, was heard before Mr C. C. Graham, B M., on Thursday afternoon. Judgment was given for the plaintiff for £5, together with £1 8s costs. Mr Jellicoe acted on behalf of the plainti^. and Mr Hislop was for the defendant. A free pardon or £250 reward is offered to any person, not being the principal offender, who shall give first information which will lead to the apprehension or conviction of the person or persons implicated in the murder of Peter Dickson and Joseph Moore, at.Pahiatua in December last.