FOXTON

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 203, 27 July 1929, Page 13

FOXTON

(From Our Own Correspondent.) FOXTON, July 25. Despite unfavourable weather conditions, the Manawatu County Council’s main highway construction work continues to progress rapidly on the Himatangi—Rangiotu section. If tho work continues at the same rate of progress the construction should be completed by the end of September. Several large and dangerous holes have made their appearance between the decking and bank on the local wharf, evidently due to erosion by the river. Mr J. Neale, a well-known business man of Nelson, who visited Foxton last week, informed your representative that he was quite glad to get away from the South Island for a while and got a rest. Earth tremors wore still shaking the northern part of the South Island, no said, and, although not severe, Nelson experienced at least one shake a day. There were usually two tremors in tho twenty-four hours, and these had a very bad effect on the nervous systems of the people generally after their trrifying experience during the big shake. A business man in Nelson had estimated tho damage to tho business portion of that town alone at £IB,OOO and Mr Neale did not think this estimate included the damage clone to the college. The Board of Directors of that institution were now busy on the perfection of an absolutely earth-quake-proof building. The Nelson Public Hospital, of which Mr Neale is Chairman, suffered very little from the big shake, and, apart from damage to the ceilings in one or two places owing, to plaster coming away and damage to tho hospital chimney, there was nothing of a serious nature to report there. The Hospital had been very well constructed, with huge reinforced concrete strips running right around the building between storeys, and Mr Neale was ot opinion that it would take a very severe shake to do any serious damage at that institution. Mr Neale has for many years been interested in coal mining ai;d informed your representative that miners working in various mines in the northern portion of the South Island had told him long ago of rumblings and other noises which could be heard when working in the bowels of tho earth. These, he said, had been going on to his knowledge for the last twenty years. It was the general belief among the miners and others in these localities, however, that the earth’s crust was not shrinking, but pushing up in these parts and that the noises heard were caused by the upward thrust of the earth’s surface. Mr R. Cochrane, of Foxton, had an unenviable experience while motoring to his mill at Bulls one day recently. He was accompanied by Messrs Westwood and Royal, apd was driving his car over tho Bulls Bridge when the vehicle suddenly skidded round and tipped on its side after crashing into the railing of the bridge. Mr Cochrane stated that ho was travelling very slowly at the time having pulled up at the approach to > allow another car to cross the bridge, and he had .proceeded a short distance only when the accident happened. Fortunately no one was injured and the car was not badly damaged and was able to proceed on its journey once it was righted. A very enjoyable social afternoon was held in All Saints’ Schoolroom on Wednesday, under the auspices of All Saints’ Ladies’ Guild. The hostesses were Mesdames F. Robinson, Nye, Warwick, F. Procter, Bain and S. Austin. Interesting competitions were won by Mesdames Brooks, Perreau and Owen. Vocal items were contributed by Miss Wilson and Mrs F. A. Mason. A dainty afternoon tea was partaken of at the conclusion.