The Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, JAN. 4,1908. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 3780, 4 January 1908, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, JAN. 4,1908. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

“Gxvn a dog a bad name, etc.” One often hears, when travelling, the remark that Foxton is a notorious place for “ boozing. ” Such notoriety may have obtained in the good or bad old days, but it certainly does not apply at the present time. Dike other towns, we possess certain people whose appetites for spirituous liquor occasionally “gets them down,” but, comparatively speaking, Foxton is now a more temperate town than many other places of a like population in the Dominion. Whether the people realise that their earnings can be spent in more reproductive channels than in lubricating the larynx, we are not in a position to say. But this much we do know, that the conduct of our hotels during the Christmas festivities has been exemplary and Foxton, for sobriety and orderliness, set an example to several towns visited by our representatives during the holidays. We object to Foxton being libelled, and we congratulate our hotel-keepers and police for the manner in which they carry out their several duties.

Our representative had the pleasure of attending a picnic at Mangaweka on, New Year’s Day. Nothing extraordinary in that, you say ? Perhaps"not, It was a social function, however, which we should like to see carried out in every part of our Dominion. The Roman Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian, and Wesleyan Sunday schools united, and held a monster picnic. The parents and kiddies mingled in. soc|£ intercourse, and spent a , right ] royal time. ,< It is thus'fhat'prejudices'' and >rdi£ilojis-hip-ntrv m»y Bk stamped oufe&>f'^j

Mr Pownau., representing the Yorkshire Fire Insurance Co., is a(; present paying Foxtpu a business visit, asa result of the ccnflagration on New Year’s Day. In conversation with our representative, he expressed surprise, that a place the size and importance of Foxton did not possess any firefighting appliances. He is not the only one who has expressed surprise at such criminal neglect. But wait till our Main Street is reduced to smouldering ashes, and then we’ll talk about the expenditure of a few pounds on a few wells and a manual engine. Taihoa !

The disgusting details of the Wallace divorce case which has been the talk of Melbourne during the past few weeks, gives one an idea of the shocking immorality of certain circles in high 1 life. Of course it does not follow that morality is at a low ebb among the whole of the elite of Melbourne, because a doctor has placed a dirty daub on his profession, an.d a few giddy, giggling, pleasure-loving society women have strayed from the paths of virtue. But the veil has been torn aside, and we have been allowed a glimpse of the happenings of Melbourne " society." What glorious examples for the " common ” folk! Give us the purity and sweetness of the humble "grafter’s" cottage to the glamour and godlessness of damnable and soul - wrecking society mansions!