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Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 67, 1 June 1878, Page 2

We have to apologise to our Feilding neighbors for being somewhat premature m our congratulations over their obtaining a local Court House. Under the circumstances, it certainly may have appeared to them that we intended to be sarcastic, but we assure them that we had no such intention. When we received the advertisement calling for tenders for the erection of the building, we were not aware o£ its contemplated dimensions, or condolence most probably would have taken the place of congratulation. A day or two since we incidentally heard the size of the proposed Court, but we put it down as a joke, and it was not until we had seen the plans m the office of the District Engineer that we could believe it to be a fact. The genius who allotted such a space must certainly have imagined that Feilding is peopled by a Lilliputian race, and that even then the population must be very limited. When about three feet is taken off the eighteen for the swing of the doors at each side and the fire-place m the centre, we will have the. whole sizie of the Court proper 15 by 14 feet. fi vie for a passage behind the Magistrate, his seat, -and the bench before him, then Eve feet for a table, and two feet between it and the rail, and there remains three feet to contain- the .spectators. The whole affair is such a farce that it is a ; waste of time and space to point -out its. absurdity, for without furniture of any kind it is scarcely larger than a, goodsized lock-up.-; Perhapsthe designer of the plans, would 'be surprised ;to learn that the Riding .of Manchester, ;f or. which this Court House will have to do duty, contains a population of 1,765, and that they are -by :. no means below^ the r average standard _of humanity. A' meeting of the residents : *of Feilding was held: last nighttb protest against the monstrosity sought to be foisted upon them, but we feel convinced that such a course was unnecessary, 'fas the ridiculous absurdity of the proposed plan will cause its condemnation. A building about 40 by 20 might .possibly meeif* the present . requi rements of "the place, but even the erection of- one that size would be a mistake, 'for with the fast-increasing population it would not belong ere an addition would have to Jbe hiade; .7 y : ; ■'■ 'A yy Ay - : ■ .-Avx