The Centre of Commerce.

Manawatu Herald, 29 September 1900, Page 3

The Centre of Commerce.

Mr Edmund Osborne does not appear to have lost heart through the depression in the flax trade. He is having The Centre of Commerce painted in a manner that will make it an ornament to the locality. Mr Jenks, the contractor, is using a special shade **bf green to correspond with the new shades of colour so fashionable this : season. We notice a great improvement in the light. The proprietor has just had two windows erected in the ' side of the building to allow more ; light so that customers may see exactly what they are doing. The cash desk he has had erected is a decided improvement and everything appears to be worked on the same system as in the large city houses. Mr Osborne says, that as we are settled in Foxton he thinks it is the duty of every business man to make everything as bright and cheerful as possible, and though we are living in a small town we may be as much like the city as possible. It is cheering to see the faith he has in the purchasing capacity of Foxtonians. The cases of drapery just imported show his knowledge of the requirements in the drapery and clothing trade. It is remarkable how that in so small a town such quantities of muslins, prints, zephyrs, piques, nuns veilings and all kinds and colors of dress stuff; ladies' hats, and all sorts of millinery — not forgetting men's and boys' clothing — find a sale, but we are informed that the prices are such that parcels are sent to the neighbouring towns. Mr Osborne has been attending to the wants of the town for nearly 25 years and we are glad to see the public appreciate the services he has rendered by patronising him as they are doing. It seems quite natural amongst the old settlers in particular, to walk into Osborne's for their drapery.