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Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1585, 18 December 1885, Page 4

A meeting of all persons interested in the Pohangina Reefs is advertised to be held to-morrow at the Secretary's office. Business : To receive report of Messrs Anderson, Rolf and Armstrong. A full attendance of all persons taking an interest in the scheme is asked for. In an inset in this issue C. M. Ross & Co., The Bon Marche present the seasons compliments, and also direct attention to a variety of lines suitable for present demands. The Woodville Post and Telegraph Office had a narrow escape from destruction by fire on Monday morning. The local paper thus describes the incident : —The chimney in the telephone room got on fire, and being made of iron piping it soon got nearly red hot. The heat set fire to some brown paper which had been used for " stuffing " between the mantel boards and the chimne y, and this in its turn fired a sack nailed up to do duty as a " smoke board." While the staff were engaged outside throwing water on the piping, Mr Jackson happened to go into the room to see if the fire was out, when he discovered the sacking ablaze. The mantel board and lining above were much scorched, and in another minute or two the whole building would have been in a blaze. At an Amatenr Christy Minstrel entertainment in Wanganui the following conundrum was given:— What is the difference between the Pohangina Gold Mining Company and the Wanganui Harbour Board?— One body is looking for a reef it cannot find, and the other has found a reef it cannot get rid of. The Taranaki Herald writes :— " Sir Julius Vogel is always on the look out for suggestions whereby he may increase the revenue, and we may therefore expect to see the " rapid delivery of letters system "soon introduced into New Zealand. This is a new service, which came into force in the United States on October 1st. In all cities and towns containing a population over 4000, a distinct corps of messenger boys are kept at the post office to immediately carry out any letters which may bear "a special delivery stamp " in addition to the usual postage. This stamp costs 10 cents (about 5d), and represents a mail messenger boy running. Such letters are despatched directly the mail bag is opened, before the ordinary correspondence is sent out. The system could be adopted in New Zealand by utilising the telegraph boys, and the letters conld be delivered by them on their hourly rounds." It strikes us (Napier Telegraph), as it will strike most folks, that the telegraph boy and rapid delivery are not synonymous. We (Star) are informed that the demand for dairy cows has steadily increased in the Makino Valley since the Cheese and Butter Factory was started there by Mr Davis. Mr and Mrs Halcombe are at present on a visit to Major Marshall. We understand that Mr Halcombe is likely to settle in the Rangitikei district. It is officially notified that Saturday return tickets, issued from any station to any station trom 19th December to January 2nd, inclusive, will be available for return till Saturday, 16th January, 1886. Major Atkinson addressed his constituents at Hawera last evening and received a unanimous vote of confidence.