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Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 78, 18 July 1877, Page 2

The day on which the first election takes place m connection with the Borough of Palmerston North -will doubtless be looked upon as a red letter day m the history of the township. Monday, the 6th. prox., is the day gazetted for the election of the mayor, and on the Wednesday following the councillors are to be elected. It has been suggested to us that it would be well if the business people of the place were to make holiday on one or both of these days. The agricultural meeting held at the Clarendon Hotel, on Friday last, was adjourned owing to the paucity of attendance. We trust that all those interested is the development of the agricultural resources of the district who can make it convenient will attend the adjourned meeting, which is to be held to-morrow 'evening^t 8 o'clock.

We are pleased to notice the return to Palmerston for a few days of an old and ' respected resident, Mr James Mitchell. We understand that Mr Mitchell will leave again shortly for South Canterbury, where he has undertaken extensive survey contracts under the Government. The s.s. Napier arrived m Foxton on Sat- . urday, having about 80 tons of cargo and <a few passengers. She left again on, Sunday at 11 o'clock a.m., taking with her five passengers and a large, cargo of timber. Her arrival again may be looked for to-day. The following are the latest gazetted postoffice rates for the delivery of- book packets and pattern parcels within' the Colony. Not : c xceeding two onnces, Id j above two but not exceeding four ounces, 2d ; for every additional two ounces or fraction of two ounces, Id. No book packet must exceed 51bs, and no pattern .parcel 24 ounces m weight. • We are glad to Observe that our local farmers are making good preparation for the flour-mill. A sufficient quantity of grain is being cast to make a very respectable beginning m cereal' culture. The season that brings grist to a< Palmerston mill will, we trust, be a memorable land mark m our history, and the inauguration of the'new industry will brighten the commercial atmosphere of the place. The' steamer Tui arrived rather unexpectedly m Foxton on Saturday, with- a batch of immigrants for. Feilding Settlement who came to/ the Colony m the* ship Madras, which was chartered by the New, Zealand Shipping Company, and arrived m Wellington on Thursday last. On her arrival arrangements were made with the agents of the Tui to convey the immigrants to Foxton,- without landing them m Wellington. *MxJ3herwill, fronvHalcombe town cameto Foxton by the .morning train, and took charge o£ the new- comers, who departed for 'their destination by the T3O train. Immediately .after the arrival of the train from Palmerston the Tui left again for, Wellington with four passengers." Mr Charles Tricklebank,"in our advertising columns,' announces that he is m possession of a secret m connection with the improvement of brickmaking machines. ' From hints furnished us by Mr Tricklebank, we should judge that the improvement effected'by him m the machine he is at present working is one of considerable importance, and .as that gentleman is "willing to give the benefit* of his experience to other brickmakers for a consideration, we would recommend those • troubled with defective brickmaking machines to apply to Mr,Tricklebank without delay. Strange" sounds like the "rumble oL an' earthquake, or the roar of distant waters, may be heard almost any night proceeding 'from a particular point m the Square. These are accompanied ever and anon by a crash as of some heavy body falling to the ground. Wayfarers have asked the meaning of these mysterious sounds, and nave proceeded on their way satisfied with the answer that " It is only the skating rink." We proceeded thither the other night and saw an individual with his feet mounted m little chariots, jusfc a trifle bigger than that of the -fabled Tom Thumb. Jn -these he wheeled himself ""rapidly along beneath the rays of the kerosene lamps, describing m his career such figures, as Euclid never conceived. On he went m his majestic career until suddenly he came crash against an upright, and was thrown like Phaeton to the ground ; as his body reached the floor his chariot-cased feet described a parabola towards the heavens. ' Others tried the skates with varying success. Some revolved with all the ease of veteran rinkers ; some would bid for the next upright and embrace the earth .before they reached it, and others would find their legs flying from them as soon as they attempted to stir. Now this is rinking. It is an exceedingly healthful and exhilarating, amusement, but it Has its drawbacks. A meeting was held at Mr Beatty's, on Wednesday last, for the purpose of forming a Dramatic Clnb. There was a numerous attendance, and all present enrolled themj selves as working members. It was agreed to call the Club the Foxton Amateur Dramatic Club,'which was to consist of i two classes ofmembers, viz., honorary and acting. The following officers were elected — Mr Beatty, stage manager; Mr Palmer, scenic artist; and' Mr Maclean, treasurer and"secretary. A committee was also formed, consisting of Messrs Buck, Hickson, Gannaway, and J. Symons, who were to report to the next meeting what arrangements they had been able to make with the Foxton Public Hall Company regarding the letting of the Hall for performances. After the rules of the Club had been read and passed, the meeting terminated. Mr S. M. Baker, who^for some years past occupied the position of native interpreter ' m the Legislative Council, yesterday sent m his resignation, having received an' appointt ment as clerk and interpreter tb the Courts" held at Foxton and Palmerston, Manawatu District, and also the intermediate courts at Feilding, and. Otaki. " Times," 14 July. We understand that the officers of the Eailway Department purpose presenting a testimonial to, Mr Passmore,. on his retirement from the service. He was given his choice of twelve months' notice or six months' salary, and elected the latter. It is understood he intends to settle m Canterbury.-—" Advocate."

A number of applications were made for the , post of engineer to the Inangahua County Council, and we understand that a Mr A. Munro has been appointed. The Dunedin telegraphic correspondent of the Wellington " Argus " says it is'confidently stated that; Sir Julius Yogel conies out to edit the "Daily Times," at £I^oo a,, year. ' ■' ..' . V ','.;: ; ;,.< Orders have been issued from the-War : Office to British Officers on leave of absence to rejoin their regiments immediately. This statement is-; made by^ an influential person m the confidence of the*Q-6verninent and is regarded as . ominous. It is also announced that the "British fleet at Malta has been ordered to proceedreastward, { ■.'.-. A steamer has been put on to run between Christchuvch and Timaru m opposition to the railway.- The prbprietore'pror rinse to convey goods between the places at at least half the cost charged for railway carriage, m ►view, of which the " Herald ' ■ says :— Several business men have ordered their goods to be sent from Christchurch by her,' instead of raO as heretofore. The " Marlborongij. Express" .comments m this wise.— -It is really too bad altogether. The Agent-General has^, despatched'anottier cargo of immigrantß fpr Blenheim,; What > is to become of themiit. is hard.totejl. :We hear of no outcry for. laborers m any part 'of the Province, but there will ; doubt- , less be an outcry shortly on; tne part of the towns, who' have to furnish the whole, or nearly the whole of the money paid for charitable aid. -^ : " ■ « . ' Says the:" Eora>ty f Bay Standard :'^—^l remarkable>relic was Vi picked up pn the beach .oil rMonday morning by the/daughter Of ,. Mr O'Meara, of* this town.- It is an ancient iron rowlock, deeply encrusted with shells and marine deposits without destroying, the'original form of the irofl. It cannot : foe less than ,a tsentury; old, and is Vof the/.: exact form of a ship's rowlock of that, date. It is believed to have belonged to, a boat • which'iande.d on 'the beach from Captiari . Cook's ship.: It is , a great curiosity m. its , way, and well-worthy of; an inspection."We understandiSnys the " News Letter " that a well known contractor r has- made ah offer to the Government to form the' road through the Mangaone Blpck m the Forty Mile Bush, payment to be made m land" .situated within the^boundaries of. the block We do not think such-a plan "has ever been carried out with regard ;to. road making,, although railroads f ihave' 'of ten been either "paid for m land or a certain acreage Was given to a company as a bonus. The plan, shouW work well - enough, provided the contractor wSs bojindJto carry out certain; improvements. Otherwise it , would only prove itself the most aggravated form of land jpbbing. , v: -- • : ; ; "You must inpt. judge : a man by his" coat," says; the -Tapanui " Courier," -and m support of vits. observation it submits the following :■— " A; jdilapidated46oking. individual, hailing from the; Emerald Jfsle, at-, tended the late land sale. Erom his apV peSrance, you wpjild, not give Vs. Bd. for; all his effects ; and i iihis^opinipn, of his poverty- , wa?. strengthened jwhennh^^went. to one oi~. the Btore'Sj and drawing" *ut* a dirky, greasy, , ■ old chamois' leather, purse,, produced ibtiee' coppers, and asked for an equivalent m biscuits to that amouit. The good-natured storekeeper, thinking- he>was <? hardrup," andunable to pay for a'dinner, gave him at least a shilling's worth ■ Jof ; rbuscuits--fpr his and was rather disgusted to see the same lone orphan biddings up to £80Q.and £1000 for sections atthe land sale. >;He was a^careful man." ..'--;;>: v ] v ' A singular ■circumstance has been narr rated to the Cambridge Board of Guardians (says The Tunes "of April 11); It appears ; . that a Great : v Eastern Rail way Company JSreniari, residing at Sbuthrstreet;.Cambridge, named" Charles Lawrence, became ill at the : beginping^of .last week^ and .-PnJFpiday night; he was^. supposed to have ' dieii. -Ha -was "laid out," and m due. time was put m his ; boffin. .Some rumors;bbing circulated as. to the suddenness of his^cteath, a communication was made to Mr'C. F. Jarrbldi'the deputy-coroner, with: a view to his holding ; axi.iriciuest. .The corbner; learningthat one of the^ihedical practitioners of the town had been m attendance on -the marij; wrote to ■ know what the/ causeVof death was. The fpllpwirig- is the reply :"-^" ©ear' Sir,-^ln; answer to the above/" I attended Mr Lawrence for five/ days withi. asthmatic bron- v chitisand r valvular disease of the.heart of some standing. His death was very sudden, asi was ,to be expected. Believe" me, my; dear sir, yours faithfully,^r-=-. He must; .have been" suffering at least^ three months, and his disease was, incurable." Upon receipt pf this letter" the, coroner properly determined that he > wbiridT'hold no Jn-i quest, 4 On '■ Tuesday afternoon sat up ih'his coffin " arid rwas astonished^ at ■_ : his ppsitionT Yesterday, 3fe Is undersfopd, he wias upand walkmgabbuti'; ;j : -\., On Sunday, 25 th MaTch, as I)r -Cater and several other gentlemen^'were out. riding m the d'irectioi^f Wohdbpbafi N: S. W. (the Nammoi Incfependent states), they observed a number of kangaroos some little distance from the road, andimmediately gave chase, each gentlemaiSfsihgiing out a separate animal. Dr Cater ..followed an "old man" of extraordinary size, and afters a very exciting chase succeeded m running the animal downy after which<, he; dismounted} - the .kangaroo m . the ;:meaa time i; having taken, up his. position against J a tree. The doctor next proceeded -to s attack the monster by making a very determined blow at his head; which, however, hW 'missed, ahd ; the^next • thing the unfortunate \ geritletnan became aware-of was that he was tightly clasped" round the' neck, arid a greai; struggle ensued, all attempts of. the doctor to extricate -himself being useless. ; ]|prtunately for himself he neverlost his presence of inirid, and, as a last" resource, detenriined, ;f possible, to get his knife from his pocket; and rid himself of his tormentor; but again fortune was on \. the side of Hhe " old man," for just as^the doctor was about to phinge his knife into the heart of the kangaroo, it fell from hishand, 'arid another deadly struggle commenced. What the'^next act inthe.scene might have been it is painful to contemplate,! had it riot , been for thetiniely arrival of anotherof the gentlemen (Mr R.V. Thompson), who immediately went to the assistance of^ --■his companion, arid m > a very short time, th c '. dpctpr was' free and the kangaroo d^ad. Beyond a very rough handling Sandra slight 1 : shbck to ,thef nervous the-doctbr-iustairied no other injuri«t. . -; ][■ ■: ■'■-