AS OTHERS SEE US.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3776, 5 October 1907, Page 3

AS OTHERS SEE US.

We take the following from yesterday’s N.Z. Times: —

Foxton is to the uninitiated eye a town of tin flax-mills, with the dull brown river flowing past. To the traveller who has dried himself and assimilated comforts, it is a peaceful Arcady, in whose long, variegated main street the only brick building is held and owned by Chung Wah. One knows that, under less moist circumstances, Foxton would be pretty, even though the smiling Asiatic is seen distributing his vegetables among the generally comfortable people who comprise the population. Diving right into borough statistics, it may be recalled that formerly the borough extended over 5760 acres ; that it is now cut down, after having been the largest borough in New Zealand, to a mere 1450 acres. The former population of the extended borough was only 1212, so phormium tenax has indeed worked wonders. The estimated rateable value of the larger area in times prior to April Ist, 1906. was but,the present rateable value of the circumscribed area is Property ? A citizen who six years ago held eight and a-half acres, which he bought at an acre, recently refused a cash offer of an acre. In the main street half a section, with a twostorey dwelling, bought for £250, would now bring During the last twelve months's3 building permits have been granted, including two large flax - grading stores —one for the N.Z. Shipping Company and one for Devin and Co., as agents for the Shaw, Savill Shipping Company, The extensive new Borough Council buildings, including a particularly complete public library, have been erected without cost to ratepayers, the rentals of two offices and the old building providing interest and sinking fund for the whole of the loan moneys.

WELL-KNOWN RESIDENTS. The Town Clerk, Mr A., Fraser, is not without honour in this connection. He is a resident of 16 -years’ standing, and has been | Mayor. The borough has let to a .private company a contract for the supply of gas. The street channelling and kerbing is going ahead. Mr Bernard Gapper Gower, the Mayor of Flaxopolis, is a man of progressive ideas and shrewd business common sense, and. with the Town Clerk, is keenly alive to the great possibilities of this commercial depot. The new bridge at Shannon, for which the contract price was ,£4713 10s, will be completed on March Ist, and will give another main thoroughfare into Flaxopolis. Three local bodies — Manawatu . and Horowhenua County Councils and the Foxton Borough Council —will defray costs of the bridge. Mr A. Fraser was Mayor when the Wirokino Bridge was under way, and the Mayoress “drove” the first pile. The bridge cost ,£SOOO. Bv the way, the Town Clerk has something of a record, for he has for five years collected every penny of rates. There are no outstanding rates, and no debts owine to the Council have had to be written off. One of the most interesting personalities in Foxton is that scholarly philosopher, Mr F. W. Frankland, whdse library is something of a show place, and whose ceaseless work for the district daring his four years of residence has earned him wide esteem. It will be remembered that at the last general election Mr Frankland intended to oppose Mr Stevens, now M.H.R. for the district, but decided not to do so, as it would split the Liberal vote,’ He will, however, stand again, and indeed has every intention of becoming a member oi the House if possible. It is largely owing to Mr Frankland’s advocacy that Foxtonians have seen the total inadequacy of the port accommodation, the necessity for dredging the river, and extending the rather poor wharfage facilities. Many inquiries among townspeople .elicited the general desire for a railway line between Greatlord and Levin to Foxton, along the existing tramline to Sandon. Six miles of permanent way from Foxtbn to Himitangi exist. The completion of such a line would shorten the journey by the Main Trunk Railway by about two hours. -THE FLAX TRADE. Seeing that Foxton is fostered by flax, let us go .down to the river side and find out .things about the trade. There are seven mills on the river bank and seven others within six miles radius, this of course, representing only a proportion of the mills throughout the flax country. Twelve out of the fourteen mills in and near Foxton are held by separate owners, the other two being owned by the one firm (Manawatu Fibre Company). The river is full of boats owned by Levin and Co, These bring the green blades from Moutoa and Makerua to the mills or fibre to the %ewly-erected grading-sheds. shed (Levin and Co.) has over fSooft of floor space, is served by the railway on one side and the river on the other, and is being fitted with every appliance, including hydraulic dumping presses. The manager is in communication by telepn&ne with Wellington. Last year ,£25,000 worth of wool, hemp, and tow went through the port, and a total value of & 150,000 of produce was handled. The coal from the West Coast mines which came to the jport amounted to 20,000 tons.