OUR RANGITIKEI-MANAWATU LETTER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4443, 16 June 1875, Page 3

OUR RANGITIKEI-MANAWATU LETTER.

(VKOM OUlt OWN CORBESrONDEXT.) Mahton, June 1-1. Ever since the Government took over the tramway the business peoplo of Palmerston and the outlying settlements have been much annoyed and inconvenienced by the irritating delays experienced in the delivery, or rather forwarding, of their goods. To such a serious pass did this reach, that several of the storekeeper's' ran completely out of those articles most largely consumed, such as tea, flour, and sugar. The only answer to their anxious inquiries at the goods-shed was " not arrived ; expected by the next trucks." But the next trucks came, and the next, but still no goods. Matters were beginning to look somewhat serious, and so steps were taken to find out the cause of the delays. This, it was ascertained, was the action taken by the agent for tho steamer and former lessee of the line, who refused to allow the goods to go forward until the freight was paid. A requisition was hastily prepared and as speedily signed by consignees iu Palmerston, and forwarded to Messrs. Turnbull and Co., of Wei- , lington, the owners of the Napier, stating the fix in which the requisitionists found them- i selves, and praying for Messrs. Tumbull's intervention in the matter. These gentlemen promptly acceded to the request, and have appointed an agent at Palmerston, so that in future consignees there, and at Fielding and Sandon, will have their goods forwarded direct from the steamer on its arrival. Freight will be payable at Palmerston, but the steamer's risk will cease at Foxton. This judicious action on the part of Messrs. Turnbull and Co. has allayed an immense amount of irritation, as the consignees find themselves in a better position now thau they ever were before. To show to what an extent this state of affairs had reached, I may mention that goods per Ino, which arrived in Foxton on the 31st ult., had failed to reach Palmerston on Thursday, the 10th inst. The good folks at Foxton have been galvanised, as it were, into spasmodic energy by discovering that the only street they can boast of, is, according to present plans, to be robbed of its fair proportions by having a railway running along its centre. They have memoralised the Minister for Public Works, praying for a deviation, commencing at the racecourse curve and carried thence by Whyte's Hotel and Gray's Store. The memorial was numerously signed, but no reply had been received up to Thursdav.

When the superintending engineer was in Foxton, finding that he required the site of the Athenaeum for railway- purposes, the members were convened, and an offer made to them of another piece of land of far less value. One member moved that the Government should have the site of the Athenaeum, provided they removed the building and paid over the difference in the value of the two pieces of land. This did not meet with Mr. Paxsmore's approbation, so, of course, the motion was not seconded. A deputation, how-ever,-was appointed to confer with the Government, and very satisfactory terms have been offered—the Government promising £IOO as compensation, and to remove the building. The tramway is in a horrible state of disrepair, so much so that a rise in the rate of freight seems inevitable, owing to the additional horse-draught the state of the line necessitates.

Palmerston has come prominently into notice latterly in a way that is extremely undesirable. Deaths from excessive drinking are far too frequent. Within the last fortnight inquests have been held on two victims of intemperance, and I hear that on Friday morning two more bodies—those of a white man and native woman—were found huddled together by the roadside, about a quarter of a mile below the Palmerston Hotel. In addition to these, a man named Samuel Davey was on Friday bound over to keep .the peace towards his wife for six months, himself in £so,' and two sureties in £25 each; in default, to go to gaol for a similar period. Then again, there was a charge of assault and battery a"ainst a woman named East heard at the President Magistrate's Court on Thursday. The complainant, in the discharge of his duty as a juror, had, through the coroner, asked the defendant, who was a witness at one of the inquests referred to, a question she did not like, and passing him on the previous Saturday ni"ht, sho recognised him and turned back and spat in his face, which she afterwards slapped with her open hand. The Bench, to show their desire to prote'et jurors in the execution of their duty, inflicted afino of £5 and costs, or fourteen days' hard labor. All this shows that a highly objectionable tone of morality obtains in Palmerston. The long and short of it is that there is in this township a set of old swipers—both men and women—that cannot be matched in the colony, I believe. A man named John Johnston committed suicide at Palmerston on Friday morning in a most determined manner. It appears that the suicide, who at one time was second cook at the Empire, in Wellington, had engaged as cook at the Clarendon Hotel, where he went on Sunday week last. He had ailing for some time, and while at the Clarendon was so ill that he was obliged to leave on the Tuesday. He was staying with Mr. Green, the butcher, who had known him when cook at the Royal. On Thursday night, Mr. Green noticing that he wandered in his mind, advised him to go to bed, which he did. He got up as usual about seven o'clock on Friday morning, and about half-past seven ono of Mr. Green's boys informed him that something was wrong with Johnston, who was lying down on tho closet floor. Mr. Green went there and found him weltering in blood, with his throat cut from ear to ear, and his windpipe nearly severed. The Colonial Bank opened a branch establishment at Palmerston on the 20th ult., and last week the Bank of Australasia followed suit, so that one of the great drawbacks that business people suffered from has been -removed.

Mr. Steward's contract on tho railway line to ITeilding is drawing towards completion. Tho rails are laid all but about twonty chains, and for this the lino ia all ready for there being laid, with the exception of about'threo chains. An accident to the locomotive, whereby one of tho small wheels was broken last week, will slightly retard the progress of the works. Tho Palmorston people are anxiously looking out for steps to bo taken to give effect to tho votes for this district which wero passed in tho last session of the Provincial Council. Altogether tho sum of £13,000 was voted for works which, whou completed, cannot fail to promote very materially the prosperity of this portion I of the province. Tho Licensing Bench sat at Palmerston on Thursday, The Commissioners were—Major

Willis, B.M. ; J. T. Dalrymple, Esq., J.P. ; J. T. Stewart, Esq., J. P.; and V. Monrad, Esq., J.P. The renewals were all granted, and there was only one application for a new license. This was for an hotel at theOroua bridge, and the grounds upon which it was refused —that the house was not needed —took most of those present by surprise. There has long been expressed great dissatisfaction at there being no house of accommodation or refreshment between Foxton and Palmerston. The general opinion seemed to be that there was some ulterior reason that it was not deemed prudent to disclose. Mr. Maclean, counsel for the applicant, elicited, however, from the Bench the assurance that that was the only reason why they thought the license should uot be granted. lam reliably informed there is a large amount of sly-grog selling by the natives going on in the immediate neighborhood, and that travellers have had drink offered to them for sale on the roadside.

At Bull's matters are very quiet. Building is still the order of the day, one enterprising individual having no loss than a dozen cottages going up at the present time. Sickness is not quite so rife as it was. I hear that Mr. Donaldson, late medical officer of the Hindostan, contemplates settling down here, and commencing practice. If so, it will materially relieve the over-wrought medical men of the district.

There is a great outcry about the absence of facilities for telegraphic communication throughout the district. The Foxton and Palmerston people are rather sore about it, seeing that they were led to believe that they would enjoy communication with the outer world by Christmas last. If, as I believe, the opening of this particular line depends upon the Native Minister being interviewed by the obstructive natives, there is very little chance of its being an accomplished fact until after the session. In this event, the opening of an office at Sandon, as prayed for in the memorial of the settlers in that district, would be no small boon.

It is not often that vessels seek the shelter of the Manawatn, and still less so that they bring shipwrecked survivors to our port. But yesterday the Hannah Barratt put in through stress of weather, having on board the captain of the William and Mary, which vessel was found bottom upwards by the Hannah Barratt, twenty-five miles south-west of Opuuaki. The captain had managed to get on to the keel and was rescued, but the mate and four others were drowned. The weather seemed very dirty outside yesterday, and I fear we shall hear of more disasters.

We felt little or nothing of the gale that raged so furiously on the East Coast during Saturday, Sunday, and Monday last. At Palmerston it was very severe and did no small amount of damage. We had sharp frosts here on Thursday and Friday, which were succeeded by rain that has continued to fall at intervals ever since. -