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Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 51, 6 April 1878, Page 2

With regvet'we notice the departure from this-district of the Bevds. Hainmond^Simmonds, McG-regor, and' Jones. Tfidae gentleman hare been*'' closely identified. with the rise and progress of , this district during the last fottr years. As minister's of the. Gospel I bey hare laboured hard, and .undergone many veal hardships m connection with the execution, of their sacred duties. We can safely say that they Carry ,with thorn the b£st wishes of the majority of the. inhabitants of this Oonnty, and m parting with them we believe that each lias done his duty nobly aqd well*

We' have 'been asked by the Town Clerk to state that through a mistake the tender of Mr Charles Bosenthal, for metalling the Fitzherbert road was not presented to the Council on Thursday night. The note was left at the wrong office, and Mr Keeling did not receive it until next day. However, had it been considered together with the others, there was very little likelihood of its acceptance, as it was thirteen shillings above the lowest, and three" shillings and ninepence m excess of the highest tender. As may be seen from the report, the Borough Council have determined to take energetic and- prompt action with regard to the Hutt-Wakanae line, to follow up the efforts of the Hutt County Council. Although no deputation was appointed, we are informed that early next week certain of the Councillors, whom business will call to Wellington; will wait upon 1 the Government, to request that a similar concession be granted m despatching an Engineer to report . upon the line . from Palmerston to the capital. The voice of Parliament was most favorable to it during last session, the Wellington papers strongly advocate its construction, and if the surveys are pushed forward so as to have some data to go on when the House meets, there is very little doubt that immediately afterwards the contract will be let for its formation. Mr Barton C.E., having purchased some thirty acres of land m Fitzherbert, close to the Manawatu Bridge; is now erecting a large and commodious dwelling-house on the site. The building, which faces the Main road, will however have a verandah overlooking the ruer, and contain eight rooms, beside scullery and outhouses. The initative having been taken, Mr Barton's house will no doubt form the nucleus of suburban villa residences, for whioh the location is so admirably adopted. : We have reoeivied a lengthy letter m reply to "Foxton," but as it is composed of personalities which might be continued on each side for an indefinite term, we think it advisable to withhold its publication and thus bring the correspondence to an end. We have already devoted a large amount of space to the controversy, and all the facts being exhausted, we cannot afford to lend our columns for an interchange of "compliments," having no interest for any beyond , the persons interested. The railway line from the Oroua Bridge to the Feilding station, and some half mile further, presents rather, a business-like appearance^ having stacks of posts to be used along the track on the way to Halcombe. The bridge over' the Riyor also is 'undergoing, renovation being subjected to a coating of the anti-conflagratory paint now used on all such structures. -*We notice by our Wellington exchanges that Berquirist, who it may be remembered was committed for trial at Feilding on a charge of sheep stealing, has been' acquitted. Mr Maclean, of Bulls, defended the case. During the week Mr Harding, photographer, of Wangaiiuii has paid' a professional visit to Palmerston, and from the number of places of business before whose doors his apparatus has been seen m opera-: feion, we should^judge his trip to have been a very remunerative one. Amongst others who have bestowed their patronage is Mr Owen, who has had several large photographs of the, . Clarendon Hotel struck- off. When the various pictures are seen,, i£- will be ob-; served that the persons m the foreground are nearly the same m each instanoe, as some of our Maori friends -were so pleased m having their " phizzes " taken on the cheap, that they accompanied Mr Harding on his professional tour about town, and occupied, a prominent position on each oocasion. On Wednesday evening several ladies and gentlemen met. at the Post Office, Feilding to te3t the powers of the telephone. Conversation was cari'ied on between several o£ the party present and Mr Eva, m Foxton; • with very great success, nearly- every word -being heard with the greatest distinctness. Twcfjpf the ladies sang "The Bridge " and -.''Shells of Ocean," and several Scotch songs were given by. a gentleman through the telephone ; wheu the Feilding party was repaid by " Belle Mahone,"; and "The Heart Bowed Down," m capital. style- by ; Mr Eva. They were also treated to music played by the same gentleman on the piano and the flute, the latter instrument sounding most clear and sweet through the telephone. v A mob of sheep from Mr Merrick; of Napier, passed through town yesterday morning. We were informed they started one thousand strong; but 'between those ! that died, arid other's lost on the road, on reaching Palmerston they were one hundred and fifty short of that number. We have received^ several letters, but we are unable to give them publication m this issue. We are also compelled toi hold over our report of the Manawatu County Council meeting, Police Court, beside a leading article bn the Terrace platform. We nolice that a great publio convenience, has juatJbeen added to the business ■facilities of this town. ifejCr. Fergusson intimates, m our advertising columns, that he has just opened a ladies' drapery department, adjoining his business premises m the Square. We look upon this move' as a step m the right direction, and one which plainly, shows that Falmerstori is rapidly arriving at a point when.it willbe found necessary to classify the yavioiis branches of its business departments. It has now passed the period known m all new settlements as that of the "general store;" and entered upon one m which its business operations will be oarried on' m ' distinct blanches ; consequently greater attention will be bestowed upon each, and, we.truist, better results obtained. The stables lately burrjed down at the Clarendon Hotel, have been replaced by others having gr&ater convenience, larger m proportion, and of more substantial character. The oontraot has been carried "out by Mr West, And although it was oommonced but a fortnight ago, it: is expected to be completed to-day. Oorisidering the siz.e of the building, and the substantial manner m which the work has been executed,- it reflects the highest oredit upon . Jhe cpn^TOctdr \tKat within so, limited a ; period ieS^fiiai*be able hand over the job 4n so satisfactory a inanner'.; Although the, actual, business transacted at the Palmerston E. M.Oout»t on Thursday was comparatively liglit, it managed to o'ceiipy the time of : the Bench, Bar, and Press for the greater, portion of two hours. First the District Constable^ being m Wei-

lington, had left no instructions for the Clerk of the Court with regard.to service of summons, &c, and Mr Baker went on a voyage of discovery," during which time his Worship gave most convincing proofs of his patience, Next a case was called on, the plaintiff m which, was present, but his counsel was absent ; to be followed by one m which counsel, was m attendance, but the plaintiff had not arrived. 'As there were a numbei'ofQasesagaihs'jdelinquent ratepayers, :■'. the Beriah^ thought it saw its way out of the difficulty, arid balled upon the Town Clerk to bring forward the first on the list. As the one selected,- however, was defended, another hitch, m the proceedings took place, m order to allow Mr Keeling time to 'produce evidence of his appointment as rate collector. For half an hour longer ' was there an intermission, during" which, to relieve the monotony, sundry- jokes were manufactured and grotesque sketches inked upon the blotting pads, while one charitably disposed, gentleman suggested that Mr Baker should act as constable pro tern, and " run m " somebody for the occasion. We must give his- Worship credit for a stock of patience far m excess of that usually credited to Justices, and trust that it will 1 be some time before it is again put to so severe a test. ' We have heard on excellent authority that the Government intends to have the works on Nathan & Wilkie's Contract carried on without further delay at the risk of their bondsmen: The carpenters are at work, and about fifty of the men who knocked off have received orders to hold themselves: in readiness to resume. work. r It app6ars that since the strike too 1 : place Mr Nathan has been every day at the works, but could; make no satisfactory arrangement : ; with the rfijevu. We are informed that there is still abojit £2,000. 0f the contract money undrawn fr x o.m ■ the Government, and also that from' the time fresh operations commence, the line will be m working order m about a fortnight. At the Polico Court, Palmerston, on Thursday, two of the enginedrivers summoned ; Nathan & Wilkie for . sums of £63 and £47, but the case was not „ •proceeded with, m default of proof of ser- ' vice of summons.