Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 1899. The Improvement of the Manawatu.

Manawatu Herald, 17 August 1899, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 1899. The Improvement of the Manawatu.

The river apparently belongs to no one, though many use it, and thus having dropped into the control of a government department it is practically uncared for. We in no way desire to see a large expenditure at the Heads in the endeavour to make Foxton a rival of Liverpool, but what is important is that the channel from the mouth to the Native Church at Moutoa had something done to it so that the full value of water communication might be had. We think the Borough Council having shown some interest in the river at their last meeting might bring this question before our representative in parliament and the Minister of Marine. There should be no hesitation on the part of the government to set to work at once in effecting the improvement in the shoal between the Heads and the wharf, as the railway is very much interested in the spa-borne traffic as it brings grist to their mill. There is not even* an excuse that there are no funds available as the difference between the cost of working the wharfage and the receipts, a large sum, is due to the river, and must now amount to some thousands of pounds, besides which there has been a yearly income from the leasing of the Harbour Reserve. We are asking for no useless expenditure just for expenditure's sake, but the flax industry has given a great impetus to the river traffic, there being four or five small steamers running up and down it daily. This statement may be used as a pro6f that such work as we have mentioned is not needed, but those who would be inclined to say so must not forget that the Manawatu is a tidal river, and thus shallow spots can be negociated at high water. To be bound by tides is expensive as well as inconvenient and can be avoided by a small expenditure. Beyond the Shannon ferry the heaviest work needs doing, but it is what would be of much value if the flax industry is continuous. We have a government which seems anxious to meet all bona fide applications, and if the claim of our river was fairly set before them it would, we believe, rece.ive their careful attention. At any rate no harm can be done in drawing their attention to the undoubted facts that the river needs attention and that the government holds money, which should be in trust, for this very purpose, having been derived from the traffic on the river.

The annual general meeting of the Foxton Lawn Tennis club is advertised to be held at the Good .Templar's hall on Tuesday evening next. Yesterday morning Mr Fraser J.P. fined William Tomlinson 40 shillings or seven days for being drunk and disorderly on the railway platform on Tuesday morning. The Advocate has been informed that its statement that Mr Ralston had sold his farm is incorrect.

To-day we are putting through insets relating to the Northern Drapery Company who have lately opened up juainess in premises at the old Ready Money Store. We draw attention to the advertisement of the Company ippearing in another column in which cjreat bargans are set out. To-day we were shown over^ the "oxton Family hotel \rj the proprietor Ir W. Hunter. He has with the aid >f painters and piperbangers made a startling alteration inside and out. Pne outside has been painted a light ;tone colour with pillars and facings to the windows picked out in a rich reddish brown* At the top in the centre of the parapet he has had a representation of a fox, and the public can judge who is the hunter. The Commercial room is now handsomely furnished and is as comfortable a room as can be found in any hotel. The sitting room upstairs is also a very bright, warm and cheerful room. Nearly the whole house has been refurnished* The billiard room is roomy and well lighted and lias a capital table. The dining room is fitted for any large gathering. The house contains besides the rooms we have mentioned six bedrodrtis Upstairs, and the same number downstairs, besides a bath room and closet. Mr Hunter has brought the hotel up to date and deserves to profit accordingly. The Post-Master-General invites tenders for the conveyance of mails between Shannon and Foxton once daily and twice daily. Tenders will be received until Monday i ith September The contract is for three years. Mob orator : "No, gentlemen — I tell you that if you want a thing done well you must always do it yourself." Voice from the crowd : " How about getting your hair cut." Elections will soon be held for three councillors. It behoves the Burgesses to ponder well over the matter as one or two who retire do not intend seeking re-election, Another move in real property. We understand that the house and half-acre of land now in tbe occupation of Mr Birchley has been sold to Mr W. Cook. Dr Mears is not making that satisfactory progress towards recovery at Wanganui which his friends would wish. All day, and every day, the fearful and wonderful boulders placed on our roads under the misnomer of meial is commented on, and very strongly to. A remarkable instance of tuberculosis in pheasants imported from China by the Wanganui Acclimatisation Society has been brought under the notice of the Wellington Philosophical Society. A cock bird although kept in a good aviary, died of tuberculosis. How he contracted the disease could not be accounted for, and Sir James Hector said it was quite % puzzle. The Horowhenua County Chairman said there were plenty of men at the end of a long handled shovel who were better men than he (the Chairman) was. Did anybody doubt it ? In the American Museum of Natural History is a famous skeleton of an extinct animal called the " phenacodus," discovered in Wyoming, andbelieved by geologists to represent the earliest form of a horse. The animal was about as large as a sheep, rather slender, with a long tail, and five toes did nearly all the work. The Railway Department have illustrated their report with a number of photographs of engines, imported and those built in the colony. There is a view of the Dunedin station ; two of the Woodville station ; three views of the Kopua viaduct showing the old and the new structures ; there is also a pretty view of a , goods train on the Whangarei section running round a curve with a load of 296 tons ; and one of the school excursion train drawn by four Fell engines on tne Rimutaka incline. The length of the train was 648 feet, and the weight 174 tons. There is also a capital photograph showing the interior of the machinery shop at Addington Workshops. The condition of the Christchurch Police Station has caused a good deal of controversy in the press lately. With reference to the matter, Inspector Broham says : — " The lock-up here at the present time of the year is enough to lower the vitality of the strongest man. My only surprist is that it does not occasion the death of a large number of weak and feeble men locked up for drunkenness, who are also suffering from dangerous diseases. The building itself is the cause of all the blame attached to the police." Two horses, the property of a , waggoner, were, the Dunedin Star says, frozen to death at Ranfurly i during the recent cold snap. At the meeting of the Horowhenua County Council on Saturday a letter was read from the Wirokino Road Board, asking the Council to take over the Ferry road, Shannon. This letter, the Mail says, provoked a lengthy discussion, Crs Kebbell and Davies urging that the request be granted, while the other Crs thought the ratepayers interested should be the persons to make the request. Eventually it was decided, on the motion of Cr Simcox, seconded by Cr Bartholomew, " That this Council will not take over the district road leading from Shannon to the terry over the Manawatu river so as to constitute it a county road, unless a petition asking for such change be made, signed by a majority of the ratepayers interested, be presented to the Council. The Horowhenua Council passed the following resolution at their last meeting " That in the opinion of this Council the roads are sufficiently protected by the Public Works Act, 1897, and its amendments, and by the Counties and Road Board Acts, and that the proposed Act to prevent the obstruction of public roads is unnecessary, and only duplicating legislation, and that Messrs Stevens and Field be requested to oppose the passing of the said act." This is not surprising when the gate on the road between Foxton and Levin is remembered.

The President of the Primitive Methodist Conference preaches in the Methodist Church next Sabbath. The Rev. P. W. Jones is an old friend of Foxton church, he being one of the Ministers who worked the district over twenty years ago, and no doubt a large number of his old friends will be pleased to see and hear him again. Mr Harry Palmer advertises a sale of fruit trees and flowering shrubs on Thursday next from the nursery of Ur v. T. Benefilld. The locality of the Will be announced in our next ■ssue. Tne Education Board has decided to build a teacher's residence at Taikorea. Irascible party : " Conductor, why didn't you wake me as I asked you ? Here I am mites bgyorid my station." Conductor : " I did try, but all 1 could get out of you was, ' All right, Maria ; get the children their breakfast, and I'll be down ill a rriiiiUte. ' " The government now issue picture books instead of the old dry reports of the days gone bye» The Report of the Department of Lands dnci Surveys have to start with two photographs of persons attending a ballot for land, more for the rjurriose of Convincing the Opposition that all their deeds will bear looking into. The others are veritable pictures and comprise the Ngaruawhia bridge; the Waikato bridge; the Mangaweka low level bridge; village of Otukou, Rotoaira; view of the south end of the Raramai tunnel ; suspension bridge over' the Waiau river ; Pavilion bath, Rotorua ; Falls on the Ohura river near its confluence with the Wanganui river ; and one at the confluence of the two rivers, and a very pretty view it is ; The Hermitage at Mount Cook ; two views of the Tasman Glacier, and one of Mount Cook from Sealey Range. There are two views of Red deer now in the Paraparaumu Sanctuary, besides maps and plans.