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Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 51, 25 February 1881, Page 2

Rarere Bridges. — Afc the County Council meeting on M >nday ifc was resolved, a pan the motion of M;- Liuton, "That the Engineer be instructed to carry out the proposed alterations to bridge on the Karere road, ami that tendura be invited without delay." This resolution was inadvertently omitted from our report. Under Crop. — About 230 acres of the Oronu Downs station have been put under crop this year. Well •deserved Decorations. — At the Rowing Club meeting on Tuesday evening, the desirability of obtaining some suitable decoration for the Foxton champion crew, in honor of their threo successive victories, was considered, and it was unanimously resolved to present each member of the crew with a gold medal suitably inscribed. The selection of the medals was left in the hands of Messrs A. J. Whyte and J. W. Liddell. We would take the liberty of suggesting to tke committee that there should be sufficient room left on the ribbon for a bar to be attached to the medal in honor of each victory gained by the crew, after the military fashion, and that on each bar should be engraved the name of the place where the regatta was rowed, and the year. By this means, eac < member of the crew would have ia addition to his medal a bar for each victory ho had been instrumental in winning. The crew have worked hard to uphold the honor of the Club and district, and we regard the proposed decoration as a graceful tribute to their energy and spirit. Tenders. — The Local Board in another column iuvites tenders for some roadmakng. Sculling Boat. — The sculling outrigger rallied last Saturday, by Mr T. R. Taylor, was won by Mr S. S. Quinn. Rowing Club Boats. — The Foxton Club are having their boats overhauled by Mr Taylor, boatbuilder, of Wellington. The Ranger. — Many ratepayers are asking whether the Fuxton rangjr is still in receipt of a salary, as tlie wandering horse nuisance is again as bad as ever. The Wanoanui Regatta— This regatta takes place on the ninth of M arch, and as the Wanganui Club have beeu beaten at three successive regattas by the Foxon Club, great interest is taken at Wanganui in the affair. We understand that Foxton is to be represented in the sailing rice as well as in the rowing matches, Mr Liddell having determined to enter his boat, The Thistle, which won the sailing race at Foxton last week. The Union Club have altered their senior crew, dropping Bates and Council. The Foxton boat will therefore face R. Baasett, N. Garner, J. Ruscoe, and F. Ruscoe. Referring to this crew, the WanganuifcHerald says :— " We understand that the crew above mentioned will uo iuto practice at once, and should they keep it up until the day of the regatta there is every probability of their giving a good account of themselves. The Club have also very good Maiden and Junior crews already in training, so that our l''oxtou friends m*y expect a warm reception." All Saints' Church.— We understand that tho Rev. Mr Keating intends to visit Foxton on the firat Sunday in each month. He will conduct services at All Saints' Church on Sunday, March 6. D->G3. — At the County Council meeting on Monday it was stated that 341 dogs had been registered in the county. Several members thought the number mentioned did not represent anything like the number of dogs actually owned by the settlers. Mr Rickstrow thought there were r.earl> that number in the Awahou riding alone, and the Chairman remarked that seventy were registered at Feilding in one day. A Cabbage.— Mr Joseph Birchley, of the Avenue, Foxton, has forwarded to us a splendid cabbie, grown in his garden. The weight ia 16| pounds, the diameter 13 inches, and the depth 9 inches. The Pilot Station* Difficult*'. — The Native Minister has promised to enquire whether Te Wharangi, the land at the mouth of the Manawatu river upon *vhicii the pilot station is erected, and which some Rangitikei natives claim, was included in the Awahou purchase. If it was not, he has promised them reasonable payment as rent. The natives have agreed not to interfere with the pilot station ia the meantime. How very kind of them ! Shooting Match. — Mr John Liddell is determined that Foxton shall wrest all the honors possible from Wanganui. Hu is noc content with aquatic victories, but is determined to try shooting also. Some little ime ago several shooting matches took place in Wanganui, aud then Air Liddell off-red to ehoot the winner fur either £5 or £10. From the Wanganui Herald we learn that Mr Geo. Cummins has taken up the challenge for £5. The Herald adds :— " Mr Liddell used to bo a splendid shot when Lieutenant of the Wangar.ui Rifles, aud if he has kept up practice he should prove to Mr Cummins a foema-a worthy of his nowder. We have ftith that the youiK' Oivpoal wi'l worthily uphild the cr dit<>f Wanjinii." We understand the ma eh will take place on the morning of the Wanganui regatta. The Hydrabad. — If ever a vessel was 'loomed to destruction the Hydrabad whs. It is about two and a-hulf years since ah" was stranded on tho Horowhenua beach, uul though on several occasions she hat just b ?en on the pn'nfc of flo tting off, some •hing 'as occurred each tine to cast her back oi to the beach. At one time thUrwuking of a chain, at another a heavy tra'e of »i'id or a break-down of the ma chinery, have occurred as instances of the ill-fortune which his appeared to hang over this splendid ship and keep her embedded in the sand. Her present owner. Mr Ki-lty, has gone into the work of launching her with exT-iordinary vigour, and had things in such readiness that he was to start this day (Friday) from Dunedin with the view of leing present when the operations for launching her during n»xt spring tides were begun. The telegram announcing this was sent from Dunedin on Monday last, and the vessel was burnt next morning. Particulars will be found in another column. It is probable that all efforts ia connection with the launching of the ship will be abandoned now ; in fact, the capstans and all other gear are certain to be burnt, and consequently even if she were worth launching, and were certain to be got off, the appliances to do so would have to be replaced. The vessel will be, in fac% a mere skeleton, and the only thing that can be done with her will lie to take her to pieces and cart the iron to Hartley's for shipment. If it will not pay to do that, we may expert that for many generations the hull of the grand old ship will lie in the sand on the Horowhenua beach. An Unwelcome Visitor. — The people of Foxton received a most unwelcome visitor on Tuesday morning, in the form of a severe frost. During the previous day there were appearances of a heavy snowstorm on the Tararua range, and towards evening the wu»d lulled and » geatle Mr

set in from tho east. We suppose thia floated the frost over. CV>-tainly on the following morning the whole of the pumpkins, marrows, cucumbers, melons and potatoes were found to have been slaughtered. Tno crops were exceptionally promising, and there id a feeling of strong disappointment throughout the district. B itlx Mouday and Tuesday nights were bitterly cold. It would be interesting to 'enow whether the frost that occurred i< >'■■ end of last winter or the beginning of next ! Another Slice of Luck. — Mr A, J. Whyte is an exceptionally lucky man. He ia the fortunate holder of the ticket which drew The Governor in Touks' £2000 sweep on the Danedin Cup. As that horse secured third place, Mr Whyte's share of the sweep ia £200. Mr Jeseph Saunder has a half share in the ticket, and both are to be congratulated on their good fortune. Regatta Committee. — A meeting of this Committee was held at Whyte's Hotel on Tuesday last, Mr J. T. Stewart in the chair. In regard to the protest received from the Wanganui Club against the Manawatu, the following resolution was passed : — " That as the meeting is of opinion that the Manawatu is an inngged boat, the protest be not entertained. " A number of accounts were ordered to be paid, and the meeting then adjourned. Pigs at Waimate Plains.— The following is from the Hawera Star's Patea Cninty Council report -.—Sir W. Fox, West Coast Commissioner, telegraphed to the Chairman as follows :— "Extermination of pigs on Waimate Plains essential to enable purchasers of land to fence and cultivate. All hands, Maoris and Europeans, busy pisj hunting. Have advised Government to suspend Dog Act in that district. (See section 3. ) Will you please suspend collection till I hear from Wellington." The Chairman explained that he had replied to Sir W. Fox, stating that the Council held to their right t« collect the tax. and had informed Mr Jacomb to that effect. The Council approved of the action of the Chairman. The Civil Service Prize Essay.— In reference to the competition for the "Civil Service L'terary Prize, 1880," a notice from the office of the Civil Servics Examination Board appears in the G\z?tte of yesterday, to the following eSect : — Three essays on "The Development of C institutional Liberty in Eigland' were received. None of these easays appeared to the examiners to be deservin ? of the prize. One of them showed a considerable amount of labor and diligence, but was largely made up of extracts taken from well-known writers, without acknowledgment. The B .«ard, therefore, having determined not to award the priza, destroyed the envelopes containing the names of the writers without opening them. — N. Z. Times, of Friday. A Severe Retort.— The Tablet tells the following story :— There was a dispute the other night in a French theatre about a seat. The occupant refused to give it up on demand, and a policeman was called. That functionary ordered an evacuation. Said the occupant :— " You have a right to summon me, if you like ; but to turn me out is another thing. I know well you have become familiar with expulsions of late, but just bear in mind that I am not a Capuchin. " The policeman retreated, and the listeners laughed. The Rifle Association. —The annual meeting of the N. Z. Rifle Association will take place at Nelson in a few weeks, and the number of competitors who have entered gives promise of the meeting being as successful this year as on previous occasions. At a meeting of the Committee held at Wellington on Thnraday evening, it was reported that the following entries had been received : — Auckland, 3 ; Patea. 2 ; Wanganui. 13 ; Mirton, 1 ; Wellington, 21 ; Nelson, 31 ; Blenheim, 14 ; Oariiaru 2 ; Dunedin. 17 ; Hokitika, 2 j Greymouth, 1 ; total, 107. Besides these it was known that seven competitors were coming from Taranaki, and a good muster froiu the Thames. Rabbits.— The "rabbit scare" at Palmerston has had at least one effect, the appointment of Mr W. B. Yaldwia as auditor of the accounts of the Rabbit District Trustees. The Taranaki Harbor Works.— The Hawera Star's special reporter thus describe? the progrrss made in the construction of the protective works at Taranaki harbor :— " The foundation wall to tho west side of what is termed the root «f the breakwater is carried out about 270 fret, and the wall on the east Ride 130 feet. The two walls. I was informed, will meet at the point where the foundation stone was laid, and will be filled in with rubble. There is a jetty some hundred yards away, ami nearer to the town, where it is intended to land the plant, as soon as it arrives from England. The jetty is a substantial afl'ur. and I «hall not he surprised if it is used for some time to come. There is a tramway from the jetty leading up to Paritutu. for a distance of about a mile, and the concrete blocks, fixings, and everything required for the works can be carried along easily <uid expftditiously. A large galvanised store has been put up, which answers for the Engineer's offices, and giv«a ample storage room for the cement. Tho mixing r-oua-s aro in course of erection, and will shortly be finished. A largo number of men have been employed on the work sine Mr Rees' return from Great Britain, bu* as the works progress, there will not he the same necessity for keeping on so inanv, a* all the latest appliances in machinery have been procured. The steam launch ha* been finished, and a whnleboat will Boonb>re»dy for se<». Everything is bsiug done under Mr Rees' superintendence. Nelso-* Hops.— The hop crop of thi« year bids fair to he a magnificent one, although rain is beginning to be much wanted. Outsiders have very little idea of tho importance of this industry, hut we (Colonist) may state that we have learnt en reliable authority that the value of the crop in the immediate neighborhood of the town is estimated to be of the value of between £30,000 and £35.000. The expenditure upon the picking of this crop alone, without the expenses of cultivation, &c, is set down at from £1600. As our Nelson hops have now been recognised as being the best produced, there is no reason why this industry should not advance much further than at present, for as both at Sydney and Melbourne they have gained the highest places in competition open to the world, the demand for them is sure to inorease very greatly. [It is known that hops thrive wonderfully in M»naw»tu if planted in suitable situation?. Will not some spirited farmer think of the matter next season, and try a crop ?] Flattering the Emperor. — London Truth says : When the Emperor of Germany was hunting a few days ago in the Hartz Mountains, he fired 16 shots at the deer, which appeared in large numbers wherever he went. In the evening the Chief Forester, who had conducted the hunt, showed him 23 of them dead, which ha said the Emperor had shot "Are you quite certain about that?" asked his Mtj«rtv. "Yes; positive." "Well," said ;hfl Emperor laughing, "that's very curious, for I fired only 16 shot*,"