LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 812, 15 February 1910, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

During the month of February there will be opened for selection 1,126,613 acres of Crown lauds in various parts of the Dominion. It is probable (says the Dominion’s Otaki correspondent) that half the Chinese population of this district will shortly “told up their tents, like the Arab,” and vanish. It is stated that high rents and the potato blight proved too much even for these plodding Orientals.

The traffic returns ou the North Island main lines and branches for the four-weekly period ended January 8 amounted to ,£i53>909) against ,£141,058 for the corresponding period of last year, an increase of ,£12,851. Passengers accounted for ,£77>7°9 (against ,£69,121), and goods ,£63,473 (against ,£59,627). President Taft believes that four is his lucky number. Four letters spell his name, and four the name of his native state, Ohio. Also, he points out, that he is one of four brothers. Graduating in 1874, he went to a four-letter college—Yale. Four letters spell the name of the street in which the future Mrs Taft lived —Pike Street—and the clergyman who married them had a four-letter name —Hoge. Niue four-leiter men managed, for the most part, his presidential campaign—-Bluu, Hart, Hill, Luna, Cade, Todd, Hale, and Lyon—and amongst the men he has appointed to high honours are Loeb, Parr, Wise, and Duiz, each having four-letter names.

Three local residents took train to Palmerston on Saturday afternoon, and then cycled over the ranges to Pabiatua. *lhey left Palmerston at 5.40 p.m., and after a most enjoyable ride, reached their destination at 8.45 p.m. The return journey was accomplished yesterday morning in time to catch the Palmerston-Foxtou train at 9 a.m. The road is in splendid order, save that here and there on this side of the range road there arc outcrops of huge boulders. The road from the top of the hill down the Pahiatua side is perfect, and the glimpses of scenery in the deep ravines,superb. The konini shrub, nikau, and bunga are very prolific. It is marvellous, during the last few years, how the land eu has been cleared and settled. Smiling homesteads and herds of cows are seen in all directions. The tour is a very pleasant one.

Further additions are made to the Himalangi stock sale list. Mrs Richardson, Purcell Street, advertises for a good general servant.

Mrs Nye notifies that she has just opened up a choice selection of post cards, including Faster cards. Also in stock, the collapsible go-cart.

We would direct attentu n to the new series of illustrated advertisements respecting Wolfe’s Schnapps, the first of which appear in this issue. The number of dogs registered in the borough of Foxton this year constitutes a record, no less than 15 1 having been registered to date.

Mr W. G. C. Smith, of Palmerston North, has sold his flaxmill at Oroua Bridge to Mr Walter Seifert, who took possession yesterday. The Wellington crematorium is uow considered a success. Four bodies have already been cremated there. The cost to ratepayers is £2 12s 6d, and non-residents 2d 4 s - The Motueka Fruitgrowers’ Association is arranging with the Government to secure a grader (a machine for grading apples). The growers will be charged a small sum for the use of the machine.

Clearance week of bargains in remnants and oddments is advertised at the Bon Marche, Palmerston North, positively terminating Saturday, February 19. The balance of sale stock must go and prices are made accordingly.* John Morrison, who pleaded guilty at Palmerston North on the sth instant, to the theft of a suit of clothes and 23s from the Family Hotel, Foxtou, was sentenced on Saturday by Mr Thomson S.M. to four months’ imprsonmeut on the first charge, and one month on the second. Sentences to be concurrent.

Messrs Mouusey and Co. will sell at their mart, Palmerston North, on Thursday, March 10th, at 2.30 p.m., on behalf of the Foxton Harbour Board, 31 leasehold sections situated at the heads. In connection with the above the auctioneer will donate the commission from the sale to the consumptive annexe for females at the Palmerston N. Hospital. Mr H. W. Climie, the engineer who furnished the report on the proposed water and drainage schemes for the borough, will be in Foxton on the 24th instant, and will attend the special meeting of the Council to be held on that date to discuss the schemes, and will also be in attendance at the public meeting of ratepayers to be held on the evening of the 25th iust. The Rev. I. Jolly preached his farewell sermon to a very large congregation at St, Andrew’s Church, Palmerston North, on Sunday night. Last night Mr Jolly was entertained at a farewell “ social ” in the Municipal Hall, at which there was a very large attendance, and a presentation was made by the congregation of St. Andrew’s. Mr Jolly leaves immediately for Pousouby, Auckland.

The Town Clerk, Mr Fraser, stated at last night’s Council meeting that he had succeeded, for the eighth year in succession, in collecting every penny of the rates levied by the Council. During that period nothing had been written off, and we think that in the matter of rate collecting Mr Fraser has established a record for the Dominion. Fast year’s rates alone totalled over -£I3OO- - public hall came in for some adverse criticism at last night’s Council meeting. The Mayor asked when the license would expire. The Town Clerk said that a renewal had been granted on the 7th ultimo which would not expire until the end of the year. He had not received any instructions to the contrary and the renewal had therefore been issued in the usual way. After some discussion the matter was allowed to drop. About a quarter of an hour of last night’s Council meeting was taken up by a discussion on rats. Cr Eevelt said the borough was swarming with rodents, and he moved that, with a view of lessening the number of rats in Foxton, the Council offer one penny per head for rats, dead or alive. Several other councillors were in favor of exterminating the rats, but objected to having to pay for rats caught outside the borough, as they would have no proof that any particular rat was a Foxton one or not, and the motion on being put, was lost by one vote.

“Beachcomber” writes as follows to our Palmerston morning contemporary : —“ It is regrettable that the Foxton capitalists are so lacking of enterprise with respect to the establishment of a small river steamer to carry, say 300 passengers. There can be little doubt such a boat would pay. In any case it would pay indirectly, handsomely. Foxton people must bear in mind that they must help themselves, if Foxton is to be considered a progressive town. As a watering place Te Wharangi is not equalled in the Dominion and is capable of almost unlimited development, but Nature unadorned has forced the only improvement that has taken place, while those whose duty certainly is to do all they can in their own interests, nave done absolutely nothing.”

Mr Parkes, he local watch maker and jeweller is opening up a splendid assortment of gold, silver and electro-plate goods suitable for presentations. Watch he window displays,*

Mr Clemett left for his annual leave to-day. Mr Downer is relieving postmaster, (

Mrs Teviotdale notifies that she is prepared to receive pupils for voice production and singing. Terms on application.