NEW PLYMOUTH,

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2173, 17 December 1885, Page 2

NEW PLYMOUTH,

Ii'BOM ODR OWN COBEESPONDENT.) The favorable season has had its brightening effect on fruit and vegetables fin this district. Oherries, gooseberries, and strawberries have been retailed in town fob some weeks, and present in appearance a large and altogether healthier fruit than have been seen for many paat seasons. They have escaped the blight and cutting sea breezes which are usually prevalent just as the fruit iB forming, and are so disheartening to growers., Indeed, from the present prospect of the season's produce, wo shall be able to oxport to outside markets a considerable quantity of both fruit and vegetables. Some remarkably fine specimens were shown at tho Horticultural Society's Show on Wednesday, In the ' fruit class, cherries, strawberries, gooseberies, currants, and locally grown oranges, lemons, and litrfea were shown,' all of excellent quality, qnd many strangers who happened to be in tho district at the time, and visited/$e Show, were unanimously of opinion that Taranaki was well adapted for fruit grow-

ing, and only required sumo little extra attention to make it a prosperous and remunerative Vegetables iu sizo .and quality were an advance upon the previous year, while the variety of flowers and ferns was almost innumerable. There is not the least doubt the soil of this district is rich enough to grow almost anything,, but protection must be provided. The cold wind from Mount Egmont's snowy peaks is the only drawback to our'-extensive indulgence in horticulture. To have one's labors nipped in the bud by .the cold winds is disheartening. That plenty, of shelter-is required to guard against this, wo are beginning to understand, and though some time, must necessarily elapse before we can expect to be perfect in this respect, we nevertheless hopes of yet being able to make our mark as one of the fruit and vegetable producing districts of the colony, Remarkable progress is being made by the contractor .for the concluding link of

the railway connection .between this town arid the port. All the culverts and bridges have been completed, and. earthworks formed, and the staff now actively engaged in ballasting, the line. It'ls expected ths engine and goods truck will be pu£ on jn a'week or two, to ply to and from the port. • A presentation of the Australasian Royal Humane Society's medals wa# made on Saturday last, atWajipi, to a patire chief Te Wefcere T« Rerenga, and hia tifo men Earewa and.Niwhia. These three natiyea, in March, 1884, saved the lives of two Government surveyors, Messrs Perham and Hursthouse, who were at that time engaged in the survey of. .the Mokau bar, The boat in which they were making the nectary observation* was swamped, and the natives, at the risk of their own lives, put off inasmallcatioe, and gallantly rescued the drowning sen. The medals, together certificate?, wew sept to the' Native Department, and were presented by Mr Lewis, Under-Secretary of the Department, who is at present in New Plymouth, Mr Balance not being able to make the presentation His Worship ? the Mayor and the members for the district were present at the oeremony. A European, for shooting Maori, pigs, which were trespassing on his property, was mulcted for damages and costs ai Opunake, a few days ago. An engine at the breakwater, with two trucks attached, meeting with an obstruction at one of the " poiflts/' raq off the i rails and clean P.w breakwator, one' day last Tveak, liuok'tly it was low tide, and the engine fell on the sarid, receiving no damag?. The driver and stoker were on board at thetime, hut both miraculously escaped unhurt, The engine was hoisted up cm to the lino again, by the big ''crane," ' '

Taking advanhigo ofJhe fine weather of the past month, tho Harbor Board have employed thuir staff iii dredging the harbor of tile loose sand. The result bo. far has been an increase in the depth of water at the pier of three or four feet. Only four uew sections of the breakwater hare been laid this season, in consequence of this, The Board have in a meagre been necessitated to take this action, as they wore running short of cement, The ship Pareqra, from Home, litis, however, just arrived with a cargo of 2110 caaka of the necessary article, and the work of blockmaking and laying will be immediately prooeeded with. Colonel Whitmore visits this district to inspect the seveial volunteer corps some time during the present month. Extra drills are now being held by the different companies.

A somewhat lengthy programme is on the board for,the Ohristmas and New Year holidays, comprising pittiioa,: aspe meeting or two, and the usual asletio sports of the different fraternities,, In the way of evening amusements,. one or two concerts and amateur, theatrical performances are "in prpsdetfii." If we are favored with decent weather, we may expect a jovial Ohmtma#, in' spits of the depression in business, "'V', ,: •, An illicit whisky distillery case recently •appeared likely to come on in'the Police Court here. The distillery was supposed •to be situated some eight .or nine miles from town, towards' Mount' sgmont,at'a. place called "Rum Keg Or Swpiiion of the existence oitta "still" WoJo' through th« evidence of a. nVHittiSft in .a' case' of Sunday trading, £ TftS fallc#, upon investigating, wereunsbjq to find th» least •rldenoe ef tin txUtaoMof aniSWtitilL