The Manawatu Times. SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 1878.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 85, 3 August 1878, Page 2

The Manawatu Times. SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 1878.

. The ordinary meeting of the County Council was held yesterday at Toxton, and the sitting extended far into the night. In consequence of the extreme length of the report, we are compelled to hold its publication over until next issue. With Eupahe, and other similar mountains m the distance, yet clear to the vision, snow is not altogether a stranger to the dwellers m the plains of the North Island ; but the acquaintance is only to the eye, and we are not on hand-shaking terms with it. Wednesday night, however, ushered m a new era m the history of Manawatu, by the descent of a heavy fall of snow, a thing hitherto unknown m the district. Not only were the Tararua Ranges and the surrounding hills draped m white, but the streets of Palmerston were on Thursday morning covered with a coating of snow fully two inches m depth. Staid Councillors discarded their municipal dignity for the nonce, and with it the weight of some soores of years, and might hare been seen indulging m the time-honored practice of . snow-balling ; while the youth of colonial birth, with characteristic precocity, took to the pastime as if "to the manner born." We believe we are correct m saying that since the settlement of Manawatu, no such fall, or indeed anything approaching to a fall, of snow has been witnessed. Wa have been requested to notify that the Rev. J. McWilliams will hold divine service on Sunday, August 11th, m the English Churuh, morning and evening, at the usual hour. The meeting of the members of the congregation, which was notified to take place on next Sunday evening, is postponed until the following Sunday, after evening service. ,

A meeting of the Palmerstou oouooi ;J*>u»miftee was summoned for seven o'clock on Wednesday evening, and although our representative was there at that hour punctually, it was not until forty minutes later that the fourth member put m appearance and enabled a quorum to be formed. The night wasjrniserably wet and tempestuous, and the task of waiting for three-quarters of an hour m a bleak school-room anything but an agreeable one. When the meeting, composed of the Chairman, and Messrs Goodisson, Keeling, and Warburton, had been opened, ifc was found that there was really no business to|transact, beyond ordering a few repairs to the schoolhouse, and appointing Messrs Snelson and Keeling to accept tendersi for repairs to the teacher* residence. Before separating it was determined to hold future meetings monthly, instead of fortnightly, and on the first Monday m each month. From a telegram received by us on Thursday evening we learn that, m accordance with instructions from head-quarters, the Hawke's Bay police had been prosecuting a i vigorous search for the 'missing man, Peter Kane, whoso disappearance we lately noticed j at some length m our columns. Inspector j Scully had been out making investigations, and had ascertained that Kane had been at Hunter's Station, Porangahau, on the 20th of November, while the Woodrillo murder occurred on the 23rd. From a later telegram forwarded to us we learn that it had been traced that Kane called at Captain Newmans Station, Arlington, on the 12th of December, or three weeks after the death of OUandfc. If this intelligence be reliable, then certainly the idea that he met hiV death m the manner supposed falls to the ground. Still his absence remains to be accounted for, and it is to be hoped that the police will continue to prosecute their search until the mystery is explained. We have received the prospectus of the "Mnnuwatu Herald," which is intended to make its appearance somewhere about the middle of tlie month, m Foxton. The proprietors, Messrs Russell Brothers, intimate, that "the politics of the paper will be liberal but unfettered, and a competent literary staff will be employed." As we firmly believe m the motto that " opposition is the life of trade," we give the new journal a hearty welcome. The Palmerston Fire Brigade held their last meeting on Wednesday evening, when the committee met to finally wind-up its affairs and discharge all liabilities. After doing so, it was found that there would be still a considerable balance m hand, and it was resolved that it should be returned pro i rala to the donors to the fund. We under- ! stand, therefore, that subscribers will be returned by the Brigade about seventy per cent, of their original contributions. Such j a course is so extremely rare on the part of bodies, that we feel their praiseworthy conduct deserves publication. The building now m course of preparation for the Bank of New Zealand m Palmerston will, when finished, be one of the finest branches out of Wellington, being built of the very best seasoned wood, and lined with polished kauri. Extensive alterations are being made which will result m there being eight rooms, with every convenience, .independently of the office and manager's room. As the contract has to be finished m three weeks, Messrs Johnston and Easton are pushing on the inside work with expedi- ' tion, Mr Hampson, m the meantime, doing all the outside painting. We understand the alterations will reach between £400 and £500. . / . We would wish to draw the.attention of the Public Works, the Railway Depart- i ment, or whatever other branch of "the powers that be" within whose province the subject lies, to a little matter which decidedly calls for alteration. We refer to the removal of the old goods-shed which now blocks up half the carriage-way m Main street. The building has long been* discarded as useless, notwithstanding which, it has been allowed to occupy such a portion of the roadway as leaves but barely passage for one vehicle at a time. Why it should be left so is a mystery, unless it be for the matter of consistency, and to be m keeping with other Governmental matters on the same line. Were the shed removed, and placed end on to the present goods-sheds, it could not only be utilised, but it would — beside removing an eye-sore to the street — be a precaution from accident on account of the narrowness Of the passage. We certainly think the matter is one which cal!s for the interference of the Borough Council, and we wonder it has not been dealt with before. .And apropos o ( f the above, while we are indulging m a growl we may a3 well direct attention to the stupid blunder committed m erecting the feeding tanks for the en- | gines so close to the Palmerston Station. When the process of watering has to be gone through, and three or four trucks are coupled to the engine, the passenger carriagea do not by any means reach the platform. As a consequence, lady-passengers have either to dismount at a most dangerous and inconvenient place, or sit quietly still until the aqueous cargo has been taken on board, when they are allowed a chance of alighting at the platform.. We would suggest either the removal of the tank to a greater distance from the station, or that j some persuasion should be used with the engineer to induce him to land his passengers before watering his horse. We learn that the Wanganui Education Board have adopted the plans forwarded by theFeilding School Committee, and theref oi-e that district will obtain a school-house equal to its requirements, and with accommodation three times that of the present one. The Foxton School has been allotted an ex'.ra £50, while the residences of the teachers at the Awahuri and Taonui Schools will be considered by a committee for that purpose next week.

Tiio io»vu of wad perfectly alive yesterday with Maoris of both sexesjwho had evidently donned their holiday attire. The occasion was nothing more nor less than the holding of the inquest upon the body ■ of the unfortunate man found m a whare near Awahuri. As two of the Natives had been summoned as witnesses, it was thought the correct thing to make a tribal demonstration, and early m the day carriages bearing the older portion of the gentler sex commenced to arrive, while the younger were escorted by cavaliers on horseback. Although the proceedings, no doubt, were, not quite clear to them, they evinced a morbid curiosity worthy of a Pakeha. With regard to the man Smith, we learned that he was a ship-mate from England with Constable Price of Feilding, with whom he arrived m the colony about five years since. His wife died m the Wellington Hospital, and Mr Reed, the Governor of the Gaol, having taken his daughter into service, deceased had been leading a wandering life ever since. The men Frederick" Whitlock, Thomas McDonough, Ambrose Lough, and Underwood, on a remand for having an illicit whiskey still and aqnsmtityof spirit m their possession, were brought up at the Wanganui Police Court yesterday. Two of the prisoners were fined £250 each, the third committed to prison with hard labor for twelve months without the option of a fine, while the fourth was discharged, as it was proved that he was only sheltering from the rain on the premises when he was arrested. An inebriate, named James Stewart, and a narrow escape from expiating his weakness by a residence for three days m the Feildiog look-up. Constable Price found it necessary to produce Stewart at the inquest, but the Coroner finding that he was drivelling drunk, committed him for contempt. Learning, however, that Stewart's infirmity had commenced at a date anterior to the death of Smith, since which time he had been m a chronic state of stupidity, the C jroner concluded no premeditated disrespect had been intended, cancelled the committal, but ordered the police to exercise a watchful surveillance over him. The many" friends of Mr' Gilbert m Palmevston will be pleased to learn that he has taken the Masonic Hotel inJWanganui. We are requested to draw particular attention to the fact that a meeting of the members of the Palmerston Reading Room will be held at the Public Hall on Tuseday evening, at seven o'clock. As the business is of an important nature, it is requested that all taking an interest m the institution will be present. " All is not lost," for there is just a possibility of the Square being graced with the Corporation lamps, about which we' have written so much, before summer will obviate the necessity. We noticed an instalment of three on the Station platform a day or two since, and if the erection be not a work of equal magnitude to the construction, we presume they will soon be m position. We learn that Mr Fenton, the late proprietor of the Manawatu Hotel, Foxton, has purchased the property of Mr Robinson, consisting of over four hundred acres, at something like £4 5s per acre. We believe Mr Fenton is but the first instalment of a number of most desirable investors who purpose settling m the vicinity of Foxton. The tacts op the case are that during the last quarter of a century, maladies involving bodily prostration or a deficiency of vital power, all affections of the sensitive organs, kidney and bladder complsnnts, bronchial troubles, sleeplessness, indigestiori, and the nervous ailments to which the feebler sex are especially subject 'have invariably yielded to the operation of TTdolpho Woiyi's Schiedam Aeomatio Schnapps.