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Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 99, 21 September 1878, Page 2

1 We are getting on famously. Since our lrist pulicition we have been served with a writ nk Hie suit, of Mr Harris^; of Marton, for JtJIOOO> ;thmages for libel,, said libel being supposed. to be m a facetious paragraph whioli appeared! m our issue of the 7th. The document sets forth that if £1000, with £15. 15s costs be paid l within ■twentyone days, further proceedings i \v-ill be stayed. lfow considerate ! Had the demand been only for the £1000, to might possibly hare handed: it over to Mr Harris without farther trubTe, but we draw tUe Hue at, that sum, and elect to let matters take- thejr course. There are some viel lories, more disastrous than dei'eatj aiid were Mr 1 Harris as wise as we are, and able -to view the Geld from behind the scenes, we think he would bo of opinion that the coming tfuso is one m. point. At all events we can promise him that verdiut or- not, his exchequer is not likely to bo replenished by the result. His solicitor may' sHoceed.(n;oJDenj,Hg the oyster, only to find that it is a b'liild one. Wo have not so far m our lifetime arrived at the dignity of being a State prisoner, with thousands set itpbn our'hbad, and it will be some consolation if the worst comes tq. the worst to foel that the marketable value of our body has been assessed at-£I.OOO >and the £15 15s costs. ■ ■• i . At the weekly meeting of th© Pnlmerston Literary Society on Thursday night, the subject for-do.bate was.." ls Selfishness the Mainspring of Human Action ?'* The question was argued pro and con, with, great ability. >Mr R. Lcjary ' opened the debate on the affirmative side, followed by Mr Staite on the negative, the ; other, .speakers '''bein^ Messrs Keeling and 'Piram m support, and Messrs Green and Patten m denial of the assertion. The subject had evidently been deeply studied by oil who took part m the discussion, various, instances- being adduced m support of the .conflicting arguments to prove or disprove that selfishness was the motor of all action. A large number of persons attended the meeting for the first time, and judging from the applause with which the close of each speech was greeted, the proceedings" possessed considerable interest for those present. After the subject had been thoroughly ventilated, and the opener heard m reply, "a irote was taken upon the question, resulting m a majority of two i'or the ucgti ivoa. A programme for next

Thursday night was arranged, and the meeting dispersed, each cms well pleased -with the result of the first debate which has been carried on by the society*,;. In our last issue wo referod to the advances ""made m thy towu m the reentral., parts, "the improvements tp the Square, and tlie munhcr of buildings! being erected' m ilia" _ vioinit-jC Terrace ;End seems j to pc olosely; following" m- its wake, tind d^y 'after day. stfes ; the' f rahie. work of a 1 building place| upon.a.preyiDusiy^.vacant spot. Mr Beards, the 'spirited proprietor of khoPrrnces3 Hotel, is one of those who note the strides of settlement, -and make preparations, for it. As 13 well known beside his splendidly furnished and commodious family hotel, htrhas irr full swing an -industry -which-is a credit ,to such a young township as Palm erston.' His lemonade and {©rated water factory is patronised by not only every publican m the Manawafn, but various private famile3, both m this and Rangitikei County, aye customers. The want of a blacksmith's shop at the Terrace End has been long felt, and this want he has determined to supply, the timber- being now on the ground for the erectipn of a building for that purpose. Were it not that there is likely to be an Uninterrupted line, of houses, all along Main- street, one would be- led to imagine that Terrace End was a little independent township or suburb to- Palmerston, with its post-office, and other industries we have spoken of. Now that the Hokowhitu Mill has been started again, we will expect to- sco that end-, of the town compote m the race of advancement which has set m higher up. The- •Palm.ersfcon • iWesleyan Chapel has undergone a thorough renovation of late, the panelling has been nicely varnished, while the remainder of the walls to the ceiling has been painted a light bluish tint, which is a relief to the eye from the monotonous white. The roof and cross beams have been stained : and Tarnished, and the building at preseut appears the model of : neatness. Unfortunately, however, although it is all that is wanting as far as appearance goes, it is far too small for the congregration, and consequently further alterations are necessary for comfort. It is contemplated to knock out the end wall, and add thereto an addition m the shape of aT. The building was started under great difficulties, but happily most of them have' been overcome) and it is expected to be out; of, debt, in, a few months. The congregration are making ■am > angem'ents for the holding of a bazaar, and no doubt when that 'has. 'been, organised, the remainder of the money will ,be easily obtained. Mr James Jiinton, who owns the land m tlie vicinjty, lias generously offered a quarter- of an acre of land immediately behind the -church,, as a free gift for a school site-.' '... .-•.■••...■ ' . . . ... , Over a' week ago the Cora arrived from Oanviru at Foxton with a pargo of floury a portion cdj .which, * was consigned t0... Mr G.. Snelson.: It /would, appear that the shippers made an error m the name of the person to whom it was consigned, and sent it to Mr G. S. Nelson. Three days ago the agent of the -Vessel m Poxton was apprised of the mistake, and notwithstanding Mr Snelson informed him that ho- had posted payment bo the shippers, the consignment has never been 'forwarded .to Paluterston. As tlie good* .were advertised to be sold today, Mr Snelson is naturally wroth at not only the loss, inconvenience, and disappointment which will be the result, but even more so at the ungracious treatment he has received at the hands of the Foxton agent. He .asserts, and with great justice, too, that such-action is calculated to make.|me,rcaants and business men give Foxton a wide berth. As we have the interest and devolepmentof that port at heart, we trust that agents will see the folly oF adopting a policy which is calculated to drive tlie trade Wanganuiward. We regret' to state thtvt _a ! melancholy accident occurred on Thursday near Feilding, which resulted m the almost instantaneous •death df a ; mAn named Thomas Harv*ej^ jit appears that the deceased, who was a late .arrival from Auckland, : was employed m bush-falling, a. few miles from Feilding. He was mates with' a. German* and both men being .inexperienced bushmen,- a'tree had ■been felled m such a manner, that m; falling it struck' against another, glanced pff.and fell on Harvey, .kitliitgf him on tlie spot. His male arrived at Feilding with the sad news,-and m search of assistance to move the tree off the. man. It appears that there wjjre men working within a mile of ,the scene, and some blame has been attached to the German for not having ' sought the nearest, assistance, b,ut as it is admitted that ,death was. almost- instantaneous, we cannot see that it would have made any difference. Harvey leaves a widow and three children destitute among strangers. believe Mr Macarthur," J.P., hehi an inquest' upon t'lia body yesterday. ; ' We-' regret to hear' that Mr Straker has been singularly unfortunate m the loss of of two horses. One of the animals strayed away toward Jackeytown on Wednesday, and m the evening Mr Straker, mounted upon another, went m search of it, but without success. On his return to Palm erston he put the second beast m the telegraph-paddock,-only to find m the morning that m striving to jump the fence it had become staked. After the fence had.. been ..knocked down, and ~>the animal set free, it tVotted along wfth its entrails hanging, and dangling with every, motion. Under those cireum-stances-the-owner mercifully put the beast out of its misery by shooting it. Tlie loss is a severe one, as it is hat long since Mr Straker paid a good sum for it. The extreme' difficult/in' gettiuga : "supply of timber, irf Palmer'^ton^ for \biiilding purposes; ia. so;newh^fc ; astfinuhing, and we : know; of several peraems who aro only deterred from, commencing the .erection .of houses, through a : fear of being stuck for- material. Considering that Palnierston is. surrounded with thousands of acres of bush, with sufficient timber to last for the next hundred years, the. present difficulty is a strango one, and forcibly reminds one of thelinea of the poet .Coleridge, m his "Ancient Mariner-," " Water/ water, nil around, bub not a drop to drink." With such a steady, persistent,; and : increasing demand for timber, it is a mystery to us why mills . have not been started to supply the deficiency. The material is ,ab. hand, and all ib needs is. the will and capital. There is a gentlemen on .a visit to the district,'named Ffrost, wlio has Ittfely been appointed secretary to the New Zealand Tanning and Leather Manufacturing Company.'. Now there . is a president m APalmerston, a worthy son of Crispin who rejoices m the spqtjess name of Snow, and as. the forinor gentleman, was, anxious to open up business relations \YJtli the latter, an interview: was .'eagerly sought. Unfortunately Mr Snow was not easily found, aiid the untiring efforts of tlie iiulb'fatigable agon t ; to secure him, c.iused no little amusement at the chase Of Ffrost after Snow. We are given-to understand that the extensive premises ove.- the store lately occupied by Coker and' Fisher, have been taken by Mrs Wakefield, who intends starting a private boqrding-house. The place is to '.be furnished: in first-class style, fitted with every convenience, -and will supply a want which has been long felt m Palmerston. We have also been informod that the store itself will shortly be "opened m the drapery line. We are pleased to hoar that such is the case,, as it is a pity to see such splendid

'premises closed, a blot, as it were, upon the the progress of the town. ! A meeting of the Public Worke^Gommit- | tee of the Palmerston Borough, Council was held on Wednesday, when instructions ; were ! [ issued tp the dimtractoFs for the iown- fencingto remove the pound jto the, back of the present Biio',°ane[ ereqb a new fence. ; The : overseer "a remuneration for flighting the streets, Uutil tenders !w,ere ac« icepted for the work. Sufficient furitisjiaving been raised on .the debenture^, ib was resolved that tenders "be called for the following works : Forming and metalling i. George-street : also, falling .and clearing- the north-west boundary line of the borough and Yogel street. I The reserve m front of the Police" Court, I on Thursday -would leave one to imagine j that; a Natives Land Court was being~;held \ witliin the buildiug. , Groups of Maoris of I both sexes* were squatted down, robejft m most varied costumes, smoking the caluvnet | of peace. From the magnitude of the gathering 'one would suppose that the whole Native race were litigants, but a3 is: well known to the initiated, an inquest 'or a court case cannot be held without every member of the tribe making a holiday of the .occasion. ; A- meeting of the Manawatu Highways Boai*d was convened for yesterday, bjut at the time of meeting there were bub- two members m attendance — Messrs. Hammond and McPhersotiT- -Mr Farmer-awivedby the half-past eleven train, but as four were necessary to form a quorum, the meeting was indefinitely postponed. We regret to hear that Mr McNeil's absence was occasioned by illness. We notice that the postal authorities have commenced the practice of stamping the date upon newspapers, m the same . manner as is done with letters. This may m some measure check delay m delivery, but if a clerk will go- to the trouble of taking a pap&r out of the cove* and putting it back again, he will not stick at altering the- figures to suit the date of restoration. Owing to the extreme length and tediousness of the cases on the cause list, at the Palmerstbri Police Court on Thursday, Mr Ward was unable to clear the sheet at the time for rising. The Court, therefore, resumed its sitting yesterday morning, but for long after its opening none of the litigants had put m appearance. Those who assert that no traffic goes to Foxton would have been surprised had they seen the nitd-day train yesterday, which, took down somewhore about fifteen wagons, most of them laden with posts and planks. We have been asked by the postmaster to notify to the public, that on and after next Monday, the Wellington mails will close at Palmerston every evening at 7.45, instead of eight as heretofore.