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PALMERSTON.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) March 15th. The effects of the fire at Messrs. Munson and Co.’s saw-mills, particulars of which I forwarded in my last, will not be confined to the locality in which it occurred. The owners and the good people of Palmerston no doubt will feel the loss and inconvenience most, but the latter will ramify to different and distant parts of the colony, as Messrs. Brogden and Son drew some portion of their supply of squared timber required in their various contracts from this source. The Government not being satisfied with the progress made in completing the works of the Palmerston contract of the Feilding and Foxton railway have, during the past week, put on additional men. The contractor—Mr. Peter Stewart —has had many difficulties to contend against, the chief of which have been the weather, and the limited number of hands available. The past winter was quite an exceptional season —in this district at least—there having been very few fine days from June to November. This alone retarded operations greatly ; but, unfortunately, delay in the completion of this section involves a similar delay in the next, as the materials used in the latter have to be conveyed over it. There is nothing savoring of harshness in the action taken by the Public Works department —it is only what is just and fair to the contractors for the adjoining section. I shall have something more to say on this subject in my next, when I shall have been over the works.

If similar commendable zeal and energy were displayed in converting our wooden tramway into an iron railway, the Government would earn the sincere thanks of our community. There are many and loud complaints as to the present state of the tramway, and, as I pointed out in my last week’s letter, if the rate of progress be not accelerated, the work of conversion will not be finished within a decade at the earliest.

We have lately had increased facilities of communication with Foxton. As it may be serviceable to the travelling portion of your readers, I may mention that the tram now leaves here on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday afternoons, and Poxton on Tuesday and Friday mornings, and Wednesday afternoon. This will prove a great accommodation to those arriving or departing by steamer, as well as in the dispatch and receipt of telegrams, if utilised for that purpose. This reminds mo that Sir Donald McLean, the Native Minister, has intimated to the natives his intention of coming to see them. They are highly pleased at this, and say that after his visit the telegraph line affair will be “all right.” I alluded in my last to the probability of the bridge in connection with the deviation of

the Great N.W. road being carried over the Manawatu river in a line with the road from the township to the reserves. I have since heard that the Provincial Government had decided upon this being the site for the bridge in question. Since then I learn that the resident engineer, Mr. Graff, has been instructed to take the levels again, and report. This he has done, and I think there can be little doubt of its being finally decided that this shall be the site of the bridge. We have had a few heavy showers during the night which will have the salutary effect of reducing the high degree of inflammability to which the underscrub had attained. So parched had vegetation become that the Norwegian mill was in some danger a few nights ago, owing to a fire, lighted at a considerable distance, having spread rapidly in all directions, the lessees having had to keep watch all night.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM18750318.2.12

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4366, 18 March 1875, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
620

PALMERSTON. New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4366, 18 March 1875, Page 2

PALMERSTON. New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4366, 18 March 1875, Page 2

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