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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 1, 3 January 1901, Page 15

The headquarters of the Palmerston North Gas Company Csayß the Manawatu, Time*) have been removed from Wellington to Palmereton North, and the local manager, Mr M. J. Kennedy, has been appointed secretary. This is a step in the right direction. Mr Kennedy has proved himself a very able official as manager, and we have no doubt that in the dual position he will be tqually successful. The effect of the changes indicated should very largely assist to promote friendly relations between the company and the gas consumers. The gentleman referred to is a son of Mr Kennedy, manager of the gasworks, Greymouth, and was appointed to the managership of the Palmerston North Gasworks some two years ago, having previously been at Perth, Western Australia, and for three years in England. Speaking at Auckland tbe other day, the PostmasterGeneral claimed that the present Administration has assisted in developing the country. There had been an endeavor to do full justice to all parts of the Colony. The expenditure on public works for the whole Colony up to 3lst March last totalled *32,978,000. He anticipated that the North Island Main trunk railway would be completed in four years. The expenditure on railways in Auckland province had been more than one-sixth of the whole expenditure on the completed lines in New Zealand. Dealing with the recent reductions in taxation, he held this had always been the policy of the present Administration, and that the results fully justified it. For eight months of the present year the Colony was £209,000 better off than for any similar previous period. Both imports and exports had inoreased all round, and, taken on the whole, the Colony had never been upon a sounder basis than at present. The issue of the Amtral Light for December completes the first year of its existence under its new proprietary, and without in any way making invidious comparisons it must be admitted that the new magazine has been a decided improvement on its predecessor. During the past 12 months there have appeared in the pages of the Autti al Light articles on many subjects which were of a very high order of literary excellence, and dealing with matters of every-day interest. We hope that it will, in the coming year, be able to keep up the high standard in art and literature which it set itself during the past 12 months. During the year drawing to a close (says the Daily Newt) 189 new buildings and additions to existing ones have been erected in Inveroargill. For some years past the carpentering and kindred trades have been very active, with the result that the appearance of Inveroargill has become materially changed, vacant allotments in all portions of the town, and the south particularly, being extensively converted to residential purposes. Handsome buildings also have been erected in the principal streets, and former residents who have been in other parts of the Colony during the time referred to are agreeably surprised at the transformation when they pay a visit to the town. Business premises are at a premium, and, in consequence, rents have been raised, and they are now higher than they ever were before. This is only one of the numerous signs of the advance made by Inveroargill during the past few years, and perhaps business was never on a sounder footing. The progress enjoyed is not dependent on some precarious basis, but owes its existence to the thrift, enterprise, and energy of the settlers.