OUR RANGITIKEI MANAWATU LETTER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4456, 1 July 1875, Page 2

OUR RANGITIKEI MANAWATU LETTER.

(FROM OCR OWN CORRESFONDENT). Marion, June 26. As a great deal has been said and written with respect to the fiasco in which the taking over by the Government of the Foxton and Palmerston tramway resulted, I have endeavored to get at tho real merits of the case, and I give you the result of my researches, so that the public may forbear censuring those undeserving of it. When the superintending engineer visited Palmerston, Mr. Linton, the former manager, not having heard from him relative to his services being retained, took the opportunity of putting the question to Mr. Passmore,. who inquired what salary he (Mr. Linton) had been receiving, and on being informed, told him that the Government could not offer him anything like that amount. Mr. Linton then said that unless they were prepared to offer him more he should not stay. The next day a mutual friend asked Mr. Linton if he would stay a month, to which he replied, “No, not an horn - .” Mr. Passmore then proceeded to Foxton and asked Mr. Cook to forward*, the goods in the shed as soon as possible. Mr. Cook pointed out that he could not send them on as formerly, as he had no one at Palmerston to collect his freights. “Oh,” said Mr. Passmore, “Mr. Linton .is stopping on for a little time,” and with that assurance Mr. Cook forwarded some of the goods. Not long after, Mr. Linton went to Foxton, and then Mr. Cook learned that be was not going to remain. Mr. Cook then communicated with the principal consignees in Palmerston, offering to pay the freights himself if they would allow commission. This they refused to do. The official at the Palmerston shed refused to have anything to do. with ti e freight, and Mr. Cook, after obtaining legal advice, felt himself constrained to detain the goods until freight had been paid. A stir w.'is made in Palmerston, the owners of the steamer communicated with, and finally an agent for the steamer was appointed at Palmerston. The only solution for all this is that the mutual friend referred to may have over-rated his powers of persuasion, and given Mr. Passmore to understand that it would be all right, and that he would get Mr. Linton to stay. The Foxton people, as well as those of Palmerston, are greatly irritated at the very slow rate of progress that is Ijeing made in the conversion of the tramway into a railway. There can be no doubt that it is very unwise policy on the part of the Government. Foxton is the entrepot for a large and rapidly increasing population in the country districts, embracing Palmerston, Feilding, and Sandon. The trade

of Foxfon is increasing daily, and the tramway would soon be insufficient to supply the wants of the country population, even if it were in a sound state, but it is quite the reverse. Tracks delayed by broken rails is a matter of almost daily occurrence, i Then again, one half of the benefit expected to be derived from the substitution of steam for horse draught will be wasted until the chemin-de-fer be completed. Before quitting the tramway I may mention that Messrs. Brogden and Sons have at last managed to get the worldng of the goods trafiic into their own hands, whether this will be a satisfactory arrangement- remains yet to be seen.

There; is an immense amount of building going forward at the present time in Palmerston. The Wesleyan Chapel is covered in, and will be opened in a few weeks. A.building is being erected for -the Bank of Australasia, between the Royal Hotel and Mr. Waldegravo’a residence, and the Colonial Bank are about commencing to build on the other side of Mr. Waldegrave’s, so that that side of. the square will soon be filled. .The English Church will be commenced in about ten days or a fortnight, and the extensive additions to the Royal are still going on. ’ Houses are still very difficult to he met with,’and the hotels have been full to overflowing for .several weeks, shakedowns havingito be extemporised nightly, tables, chairs, sofas, and floors being all called into | requisition. ’ The lovers of the green cloth can now practise their favorite game in Palmerston, “ mine host” of the Royal having erected a spacious, well-lighted billiard-room, detached from the hotel. The internal fittings are not quite finished, but when complete the room and its j appliances will he second' to none in the I district. The business of the postoffice at Palmerston was removed rather abruptly on Tuesday from the stores of Mr. Snelson to the hew postoffice, .and in a manner but little calculated to reflect •credit on the Government. There was as great an amount of discourtesy—that -is too mild a term, offensiveness is more correct —displayed by the gentleman (?) officiating as could possibly be imported" into the procedure. Mr. Snelson has, to my personal knowledge greatly to his own inconvenience, obliged the postoffice authorities by keeping on the office at their urgent request, and yet on the occasion referred to was treated with as much indignity and contumely as though he had embezzled some of the monies—and that, too, by the Inspector. I should not write thus stronrly were I at all doubtful of my authority; but as-the matter may possibly come before the public in another shape, I shall not enter into the merits of the case. ... Contemporaneous with the removal of the postoffice came'the gratifying intelligence that the difficulty with the natives , regarding the telegraph line had been settled, and that in all* probability communication with other parts of the colony by wire would be established in a fortnight from that date. I have since bean informed, however, that another stoppage near the Ohon has taken place in consequence of another claimant for utu having appeared on the field. The claim, I fancy, could not have been of a very, formidable nature, as I learn that Mr. Lynch expressed himself very confidently of its being arranged'“in a. day oc two.” , j. , -' % ' The petition for the separation of the Man-. Chester block from the Manawatu Highwiy Board, and for its being proclaimed a separate district, received the signature of upwards of two hundred of the settlers—in fact, of neatly all—-so that it will most probably be granted. It is a matter that affects Feilding vitally. For the last two years they have paid a third of the rates received by the Board, and not a shilling has been laid- out in the block. The road leading to the township,, owing to the recent wet weather, is in a very bad state, and, as a matter of course, the rate of freight has gone up very considerably. Two pounds a ton from Palmerston is now demanded, and last week I heard of fifty shillings being asked, A very sad accident occurred in tlye- olofl; on Wednesday last. A man named Johns having taken a contract for clearing some tri». stations, was engaged falling a tawa tree, when it split up and fell upon him, crushing and mangling, his knee, and breaking the bone above and below. A consultation of medical men resulted in deciding that amputation was necessary. This operation was performed on Thursday, under the influence of chloroform, and the poor fellow seemed to be getting on ,'dl right; but last evening a reafetion took place,, and he died this morning. He had hot been many months in the • colony, and leaves a widow and ten orphan children without any means of support. Subscription lists have been opened in the various townships, and a liberal response is being made.. As this is a very distressing case and one worthy of sympathy, I venture to add that should any of | your readers—and I am glad to know that in Wellington there are many really charitable, tender-hearted Christian men and women, who are only too glad to meet an opportunity of doing good in cases of this kind—should any of your readers feel disposed to contribute, their donations will be thankfully received either by Mr. Sherwin, at the corporation's office, Feilding, or by the proprietors of the Advocate, Marton. The good folks at Sandon are interesting themselves to obtain, funds for an English Church, and also for a teacher’s residence. I:a aid of the latter, it is proposed to give an estertainment shortly. The settlers too do net seem inclined to let the subject of railway communication with the port quietly drop out of sight. They intend to renew the agitation in this direction. There can be no doubt tha.t it would benefit them immensely to have easy communication with the port ; but whether

they ■will be able to induce the Government to Bee through their spectacles is another matter. There was very heavy rain throughout the district on Tuesday, both day and night, and many of the low-lying portions were under water. A gap was worn through the AVanga-nui-road, a mile this side of the AVaugaehu, which prevented the coach from getting through on Wednesday. It is strange that in centres of population, such as Palmerston, Bull’s, and Marton, no steps have been taken to provide the people with any means of rational amusement or intellectual improvement. The long;' dull, winter evenings seem to have made them aware of this fact, and a small agitation for reading-rooms is talked about, but I am afraid that it will not result in' anything. There certainly is a great need bf something of the kind, unless we are careless about retrogression. There is very little; mental improvement to be extracted from flaying euchre “for drinks,” in a room reeking with the fumes of alcohol and tobaoed, nor is “Devil’s pool” a ..'ofitableJjjajS'of amusement. i ■■