OUR RANGITIKEI-MANAWATU LETTER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4425, 26 May 1875, Page 3

OUR RANGITIKEI-MANAWATU LETTER.

(FKOJI OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Marion, May 2i. During the past week the management of the Foxton and Palmerston tramway has again

come disagreeably to the surface. This time, however, it is the Government who are at fault, qwing to the action taken by their agent or representative in taking over the line—the superintending engineer, Mr. Passmore. Twice during the week have travellers from Wellington to the East and West Coasts had a narrow escape from being compelled to bring their journey to an end at Foxton, owing to no preparations having been made, when the line was taken over, for main- , taining communication with the interior. The Government, through Mr.- Passmore, took over the tramway on Monday. On Tuesday morning there were no horses provided for the car. As this was the first day, however, allowances ought to made; and so thought Mr. Cook, the late contractor, who obligingly forwarded the passengers by sending his own horses with the tramway car. On Friday this gross carelessness—this seeming indifference to the requirements and convenience of the travelling public —were again allowed to manifest themselves. Again there were no horses provided. Mr. Cook very naturally refused to be again made a convenience of ; the neighborhood was ransacked for horses in vain, and had not Mr. Cook been induced, for a consideration (of the nature of which I have not been fully informed as yet), to relent, the probabilities are that the passengers would be at Foxton still. Mr. Passmore's cheese-paring policy in offering Mr. Linton, the manager at Palmerston, a salary very much below the one he has been receiving, which was not at all commensurate with the nature of the duties required of him, and the responsibility they involved, has been generally condemned. Mr. Linton, in justice to himself, could,not, accept it. So his services have been dispensed with. This is another instance of the false economy not unfrequently pursued by the Government. They will find it far cheaper in the end to pay a good man a handsome salary than an indifferent man a low one.

Feilding has been going in for emancipation. It wants the Manchester block to be freed from the Manawatu Highway Board, and to be proclaimed a separate district. A petition to that effect is, I believe, being pretty extensively signed by the settlers there. I suppose the burden of it is the old one—that thoy pay a large sum annually in rates, and receive no equivalent benefit. The want of a metalled road from Sandon to Feilding has been made more apparent than ever by the late rain. I wonder that the Sandon Board have allowed the matter to rest in abeyance so long. There is, or rather would be, a large amount of building going on there if timber at moderate rates could 'be procured. With a metalled road to Feilding, where there are two mills, there would be an unfailing supply all the year round, whereas now, in the winter months, over unmetalled roads, the rates for cartage would prove simply prohibitory.

There is a great amount of sickness in the district, which for the most part developed itself in the form of measles or typhoid fever. The latter seems to be becoming more and more formidable. During the past week it has numbered among its victims Dr. Purdon, of Bull's. His death will prove a great loss to the district. He was ever ready to respond to the cry of the suffering or the afflicted ; no weather, however tempestuous, no oppressive sense of weariness, ever delayed him when sent for. Cut off in the prime of life, his kindly words of encouragement or condolence will long be remembered in many a household where his skilful aid has been called into requisition. His funeral, which took place on Saturday, was attended by large numbers. The late fine open weather has enabled our agriculturalists to push on with their farming operations. The land is in splendid order for working just now, and ploughing is the order of the day all around. A much larger breadth of land is being brought under the plough this year than any previous one, and no doubt it will give a good account of itself next harvest. Matters are very quiet here at present. We suffer very much from the want of timber, which is not only very high but very scarce too. If you give an order to the mill, it is months before they can execute it, so great is the demand. I kn3w of many buildings that are going up as soon as timber is procurable, but there is none to be had. They are far better off in this respect at Bull's. There there are any number of dwellings, shops, and stores going up at the- present time. As a criterion of the value of land there, I may mention that the section—a quarter-acre one, and certainly one of the best in the township—on which the new Bank of New South Wales is being erected, cost £2OO, or at the rate of £BOO per acre. It is true that this is a " fancy " section, but the price will give some idea of the value of land in Bull's.

The rumor is again revived of a Scandinavian paper being abovit to be started at Palmerston. I heard of this two months ago, but as it seemed to hang 6re so long, I fancied the project had been abandoned, especially as the only inducement seemed to be that some of the leading Scandinavian residents . knew another Scandinavian who was possessed of a large quantity of Scandinavian type. Hence the scheme I I certainly should not like to be a large shareholder in the concern. Talking of papers reminds me that our paper the Rangitikei Advocate, made its first appear ance on Thursday, and took everyone by surprise, for not one of us believed that we were to have a full-grown paper. Ho one thought it was to be anything better than some of the evening " penny rags," as they are irreverently termed. The Advocate, however, was pronounced a great success, and we are all proud oi it.

This is the Queen's Birthday, but there are no loyal demonstrations here, as there is to be a "big affair" at Turakina, whither everyone is going. There is to be an immense gathering of Volunteers—cavalry and infantry—who are to compete for valuable prizes in a manner not understood by non-volunteers ; at least, I have endeavored several times to master the programme, but have each time failed. I can, however, see this much, that it will bo very good and very well worth seeing. I will try and tend you a report.