PALMERSTON IN THE OLD DAYS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 96, 16 January 1908, Page 4

PALMERSTON IN THE OLD DAYS.

' ... V' It was a ,'as ? L. rp'dl''; J over tho track to Palmerston (writes oil': { travelling correspondent). From tho last j turn in tho road, boforo entering tho defile 1 near tho summit, thero is a'wonderful pa no- 1 rama of'the plains of.Manawatu,./dotted all . over with tarms and plantations, tho : Manawatu River, like a silver "ribbon;: wilding on its way to distant Foxton. : Thirty t years ago, this rich country was practically i unbroken forest, and look- at it now.l i l'almerston had then a population less in t hundreds than it has now in thousands. -'An I t what a jolly, happy family wo ail were in i thoso days — everyone know'cvcrybody^clfo;/. t And what a. chango ono sees now I■ - Very : -few 1 of tho old identities are met as one takes;tho f round of The Square. Wbcro• the,present, t railway station is situated.Vis a largo .'si.pi.il.'- ,i pit, aud hero used to liv' 6." Old Sharnia'i,', , j on ex-Lifeguardsman. Ho stood about six 'f feet six, and, though over 70 when I last saw r him, was as straight as an arrow. Another, .1 ■xell-known and highly ; esteemed, 'i was Mr." J George Snelson, storekeeper arid auctioneer.' j His mart was near where Ross's is now. Ho t used to sell on Saturdays, and had a stand i at tho corner whero.tho Union Bank is. I well l remember ono day being at tho sale. Snelson i stood on an old American cbair, with tho t back oif. On this c<-casion ho, said : Now; ] then, who wants a barrow;"!''havo got two' i for sale?" Tliere was no bid.' '"What! i does no one want a barrow to-day? They t are to be sold without reservo." Still no bid. There was a goal ring. Of peoplo all i round. Thoso on tho outside,. of course, i could not see the centre. At last a voice i was heard; "I will gif you fivp shillin'." i "I'ivo shillings? If there is no other bid I I shall knock it down " ; and knocked down it < was. Then the fun began. Tho purchaser. ( who was on tho outside of the ring, elbowed i his way in. When ho got to tho auctioneer I he demanded : " Vere is dot barra.?" "There 1 be is," said Snelson, pointing to a barroiv t pig. "My gootness, ' says the ScanrJiii- t avian, "I tink ho vas a burra mit the veels.. I no vant a pik." Mr. Snelson was Mayor; i and used to read tho lessons at All Saint's. <■ You would scarcely seo him without a flower i hi his buttonhole, on Sundays never. :

■■ I A man has been, killed n't New Haven,: :i Connecticut, by a cow which had b poo mo in- i t,vxicated by drinking> a quantity of. newly- ( made cider.