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Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1696, 30 April 1886, Page 2

Ihe Detroit Free Press writes m a very distinct manner upon the subject of supplying reading-rooms, Athenaeums, &c, with free copies. The Free Press has declined numbers of such applications because after the large expenditure upon paper, gathering news, and the thousand and one expenses eutailed m bringing out a newspaper, they -cannot afford to give it away, and adds that when the members of the readingrooms get free board, tree lodgings, free coals, free gas. and frae clothing, will be the time for them to think of getting free newspapers. There is sound sense m this, and the reasoning cannot be gainsaid. Howbeit, adds tho Bruce Herald, it has always been our custom to supply all the rtading-roomn, hospitals, and charitable institutions m Otago and a good many iv other parts of the Colony, with the Bruce Herald free of charge, and suppose we shall continue to do so. The Manawatu Standard is also, largely distributed among the public libraries, sailors' homes, working men's clube, institutes, athajiusems, and other similar institution? throughout New Zealand, and we hare received many letters of acknowledgment from persons connected therewith for the trouble we have always taken m that direction, and which we have reason to believe has been appreciated, and has »Ibo benefited ourselves indirectly m many ways. We hare had many requests to forward copies of the Standard to these institutions, and so far as we know have never refused one, and trust will never require to. We are only too glad to he able to render the service lequenteci. A commercial traveller a few days ago rewarkod to us, '* I see that paper of yours m evory reading- room I frequent," and he added, "I am BH re such an extensive distribution will make your district known and very probaU y attract many new settlers." We-hope so.

PSWe lenrn from the Hawera Star that Mrs Matthews, of Hereford Lodge, Nor-

tiro at the lattor end of last year, for thu purpose of having the market tested, and accounts have now been received. These show that the butter, three kegs, containing 1771b5, realised Is per lb, and tlie charges from Normanby to London, including cost of kegs, amounted to £2 12s. Tho charges would, of course, bo much les3 if a larger quantity were \ sent. The quality of tha buttor is spoken of m the letter from Home as very choice, a circumstance espKcially worthy of note whan it is remembered that tho kegs were of tawa. The writer eiys that such butter arriving there from November to January would be very acceptable* Concluding an article on Sir Julius Vogel's speech m Wellington, the Wellington Evening Press thus writes :— Ho generalised m the most ingenious manner, but as to the future policy of the government he uttered not a sound. The whole speech appeared skilfully directed to preparing tho public for the announcement ot large borrowing prooosals, but after leading them ud to the point he suddenly stopped and left his hearers as wise as they were before the meeting so far as regards Government policy. As & Ministerial utterance the SDeech was of no importance whatever, and so far as the enlightenment of the people as to the intention and plans of the Government for the future are concerned it might just as well have remained unspoken. The Napier Telegraph has authority for denying point blank that the Maoris m the '.interior have given a chain width of land to the Government for tho North Island main trnnk railway. The natives of Murimotu know nothing of such gift, and laugh at the idea of such a thing. When told of Mr Stout's statement m his address at Napier, the natives said " The Premier must havo been deceived, Majnr Hump may have told him that he would give the land, but it is not Major Kemp's to give away." Before any such gift could be made the title to the land would have to be ascertained through the Native Landa Court, and when that tedious operation was concluded it is estimated that the signatures of over one thousand natives would have to bo obtained before even a chain wide of land between Murimotu abd the settled districts of Wangauui could be granted to the Crown. Spuaking of Sir Georgo Grey's recent stumping tour down .south a contributor to the Southland Times soys :— He visits, schools and hospitals, and receives deputations and " ovations," and delivers speeches m which lie ia cheered to the echo, just as if he were Governor, arid Premier, and political agitator, all rolled into one. The Ministry are nowhere. Mr Stout's star pales before that of his old discarded chief, the man who first put him on his political legs,, and taught him to go, but alas not to go straight. It must be gall and wormwood to Ministers to think that while they are sitting m Cabinet up m Wellington over a policy which is never to coma off, Sir George Grey i; their great ) opponent and rival, should bo, licking 1 the butter off their bread m their own Otago. ; From the Marton paper we learn that; some comment. has been caused m the I Carnarvon and Campbolltown district re-, specting Mr Larkworthy's offer to sell his Carnarvon estate to the Government at a price less than the PropertyTax Commissioner valued it at. Many are of the opinion that it would pay the Government to buy it, arid settle a number of families on it on the deferredpayment system. The tramway from Carnarvon to Campbeiltown passes nearly all its length through what may be regarded as unpopulated country, and the settling of say, some sixty or seventy familieSi.on the land would, probably cause the tramway to become a financial success; besides tho many other ■ advantages which would accrue from an increased population.