Manawatu Herald. [Established Aug. 27, 1878.] THURSDAY, DEC. 15, 1904. “In The Gloaming.” IS THE KITSON LIGHT EFFECTIVE?

Manawatu Herald, 15 December 1904, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. [Established Aug. 27, 1878.] THURSDAY, DEC. 15, 1904. “In The Gloaming.” IS THE KITSON LIGHT EFFECTIVE?

The fact that no tender was received for lamp-lighting at Monday night’s meeting of the Foxton Borough Council makes matters look rather gerious for the street lighting of our town. Certainly, the kerosene lamps as used at present are of little use, but Councillors do not wish to treat the matter seriously, most of whom seem to be content with an “ As You Are ” policy. The Council evidently cling tightly to the motto “Go Slow,” and at all events are not of an adventurous turn of mind. As to the matter of thoroughly lighting the Borough something will assuredly have to be done, and that shortly, otherwise Foxton will earn for itself the anything but desirable distinction of “ Black Hollow ” from outsiders who chance to strike our Borough after sunset. From the outset, the Mayor has strongly advocated the installation of the ICitson lamps, but the majority of his brother Councillors are rather dubious as to the effectiveness of this form of illumination. There are those among our Councillors who treat the Kitson testimonials like' thoge of patent medicines—“ fakes.”

There are others who will not hear of Foxton Borough rates being expended for experimental purposes. And thirdly, there are Councillors who have no opinions at all. Like the hooked fish, the latter are guided. In fact, the Mayor, who certainly has the welfare of the town at heart, is left practically “ on his own ”in the matter of Lights. Undoubtedly the terms offered by the Kitson Coy. are moderate. We do not claim, to have any material knowledge of the light referred to, therefore it would be fallacy to advocate the purchase of these particular lamps to illuminate the town. Nevertheless, something must be done, and the sooner the Council utilises its brain power, so much sooner will it find favour with those ratepayers who returned them as Councillors. Whether they fathom an effective mode of guidance by the aid of kerosene, Aoetylpfif?, gas or electricity, it matters not, but our street lighting will have to be attended to; otherwise the whole populace will be manufacturing “ tallow candles,” by the aid of which a struggle will be made through the darkness to more congenial climes, where the civic authorities regard light as a necea-

airy. If a loan be necessary to carry out the project, teat the ratepayers views'on the Subject by taking a poll, and so obtain the feeling of townsfolk as to whether the general desire is for the port of Manawatu to remain stagnant or to progress with the times. Councillors, awake from thy slmnbeys, and, above all, “ Let There be Light ! ”

Mrs Haywood wishes to make the purchase of geese and ducks. Correspondence on Socialism is unavoidably crowded out of this Issue. The weather yesterday prevented tennis being indulged in, though cricket was in progress.

Mrs Gray wishes to meet all her pupils at the Triad Hall on Saturday afternoon next at 3 p.m. The Foxton Public School breaks up to-morrow afternoon for its Christmas holidays. Prizes will be distributed prior to the closing. The Feilding Band Contest committee have abandoned the idea of holding a contest next March, owing to insufficient entries being received. Mr T. Kennedy-Macdonald forwards us a pamphlet dealing with his speeches in the Legislative Chamber on the Licensing Act during last session.

Mr L, J. Furrie has been granted leave of absence for six months, pro* vided he is selected to represent New Zealand on the English football tour. Through a typographical error the tender of Mr Cooksley for Nos. 2 and 6 Lines was printed on Tuesday as £2094. This should have read £1094. A pamphlet has reached our office edited by F. W. Frankland, of this town. It is certainly readable, and is entitled “Thoughts on Ultimate Problems —being a synoptic statement of Two Theodices.” Captain Blake, of Marton, suicided on Tuesday last by drowning. Deceased was a Native interpreter, and we understand was a brother of Johnny Blake, who raced Daphne to victory in the Foxton Cnp some years ago. Before Dr Bennett and A. Fraser, J.’sP., on Tuesday afternoon, Marlin Costello was sentenced to a month’s imprisonment for using a railway ticket which had transpired, and for behaving in a violent manner in a railway carriage. The Seddon—Taylor slander case, in which plaintiff claims £IOOO damagef, was opened at Christchurch on Tuesday last, and is expected to last some days. Dr Findlay is appearing for Captain Seddon, and defendant is conducting his own case. We understand the Foxton Borough Band members are practising hard of late. Probably they are preparing a programme for the annual race meeting. Why not give a programme of sacred airs in Victoria Park on Sunday afternoon. Has the unitorm matter ever been thought of ? It is with pleasure we record the tact that Mr A. Jonson, late of Foxton, has been forwarded a cheque for £SO from the Dunedin Patriotic Fund. His was a deserving case, life on the South African veldt having materially affected his health. A country Solomon had a tough case to handle last week. Husband had been married three months, wife had deserted him. and taken the presents (about £350 worth). They had been given the pair jointly. Could he claim them ? Solomon said that he had better cut them in two like his namesake did the baby, and give the missus half. But, he can’t find the missus.— Free Lance. Ambrose Pratt, novelist and solicitor, has been awarded £250 damages against the proprietors of the newspaper Tweed Advocate (N.S.W.) for publishing an article impugning his scrupulousness as a solicitor. Pratt’s book dealing with the larrikin element was much in evidence and the Chief Justice, in commenting upon it, urged that steps should be taken to purge the community of the larrikin pest. Sydney Newsletter passes on a curious story about Mel. B. Spurr, by a friend of his, which manifests the occult in a marked degree. One day in Melbourne Mr Spurr said at breakfast that he had dreamt that he was going to die at St. Kilda before the end of the year. “ What did you have for supper, Mel. ?” said one of the company, and the subject was brushed aside jokingly. A week later, Mr Spurr said to his manager, “Flemming, I’ve had that dream again, with the addition that it is to be on a Sunday afternoon. As everyone knows, Mr Spurr died on the '•ernoon of Sunday, September 35th.

The New York Globe states that Chadwick dined with and wined' financiers, allowing them to associate with young girls in compromising circumstances and then blackmailed them.

A public meeting at Nelson formed a committee representative of the district to organise and conduct a hospital Saturday and Sunday on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with the ob ject of erecting a consumptives hospital in Helsoih The riioverrlerit is being enthusiastically taken up and already nearly £IOO has subscribed, about £IBOO being wanted. The bitterly cold weather of the last few days has been felt throughout the Colonyi At New Plyrtiouth a particularly destructive wind-storm took charge of the town, whilst the temperature was exceptionally low at both Nelson and Dunedin. We in Foxton yesterday Certainly imagined we were neater the 2tst of June than the 21st of December-. When will this eease? ThU Lyttelton Tithes tells of a man who left Christchurch by the first ex press for the south on Tuesday last, who managed to imbibe the best part of a bottle of whisky before reaching Dnnsandel. He then began to grow uproarious, and was threatening to empty everybody out ot the train and then push it off the line, when an actor who happened to be on board declared that he would stage manage this ex citing performance, and under his directions, the rioter was spread-eagled on a seat with tvvd male passenger's to sit on his chest and feet respectively, whilst his stout and comely better-half sat solidly on his middle. Mr J. Vile, at Marton said — “ I may be asked, and have been from time to time, who is there to take the reins if there Is a change of Government ? There are now In the House three gentlemen on the Opposition benches—l refer to Messrs Massey, James Allan and Herries—whom I consider head and shoulders above Mr Seddon. Sir J. G. Ward, and Hon. Hall-Jones, and as far as the others are concerned to complete the Ministry, four men could be taken from anywhere amongst the present Opposition, and be more useful than the present occupants,” A journalistic Truthful James in Wairarapa says that a local apairist ran out on to the street the other day after an escaping swarm of bees. " When approached, the bees buzzed round our successful apairist, and a large number, including the queer, bee, settled on his whiskers. Suspecting that ha had possession of the queen, he made his way along the street, foll iwcd by the remainder of the swarm, creating much interest among the residents. Making his way to the hive, he brushed in the bees which were clinging to his beard. The reminder of the swarm then entered the box.”

In his concluding remarks at his Marton address, Mr Vile, member for Manawatu, said he had striven, as one of His Majesty’s Opposition in the Parliament of the colony, to show to his hearers the failings ot the present Administration, and deal with the colony’s public affairs. Further, if he was right in his contention, he believed it surely behoved the people of the colony to pause and consider very seriously whether or not the time had arrived when the present Administration should be ousted from office with out any further ceremony, and another Administration be asked to take the reins, whose duty it would be to make financial saving and fairly allocate (he colony’s funds. These were matters he felt should be considered at next election very seriously.