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Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 71, 23 June 1877, Page 3

TO: THE EDITOR. * Sic, —As I lay on my bed with a very severe cold, rocking to and fro with •pain, I could riot sleep; therefore, although I did not dream, my mind dwelt tLpon a subject which has often occupied it before, and I thought I could commit the result of my thoughts to paper. Well, Sir, Ijvas up, at the Lower Perry on the 27th of, May, 1876, and when there I saw and admired what eyery person can see who will take the trouble to go there and see for himself, that" is a very rich mineral, namely iron ore; some of-it lies m the bed of the river. Now I think if the people of Palmerston were to bestir themselves, and get some • of the heads of the country to take part m the enterprise,, and try and_ float a company with' a capital of about .£500,000; it would be the making of this place. The thing requires to be grappled with a'bold hand. From what little I have seen of the iron works m South Wales, the stone here is much the same m colour, but much heavier, therefore there must be a greater percentage of iron "m it. Coals are doubtless to be found underneath these beds of iron stone. Now, I would suggest that the people here should club together and get 30 cwt. or two tons of this stone, and jhave it sent to Wellington to be tested. I should think £10.would be quite sufficient jto give it a fair trial, r and we should fjhen-know what-founda-tion we,had to work upon.. This -would be, but a small outlay, and might be the means of bringing thousands of people , to'the district, and making'work for all ages. If successful, it would make every man's^ property more valuable, and bring millions of money into the , Manawatu district. Surely ,we have men with spirit enough to try this thing. The place is dull now that the public works have stopped, and we-want something to turn up to put a little life into us. I think I .was the first t that discovered the iron stone, and I should be happy if Tarn the means < of Jpromoting the place. —l am, &(c, <t • - ! ' ' John Francis. Palmerston, June 13,1877.