The TIMES Recalls “The Good Old Days”

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7270, 25 September 1933, Page 8

The TIMES Recalls “The Good Old Days”

What was Palmerston North like over forty years ago'? Very few of tho city’s pioneers are left to recall the days when homes were carved out of standing bush—days of heartbreaking toil and little in the way of pleasures and comforts. And then ngain, memories fade, time effacing all but the more stirring of events. Fortunately there is tho printed record and a copy of the'"Times" dated September 2d, 1881—printed 52 years ago yesterday —contains much that will interest. the younger generation and bring back pleasant memories to those Who knew the city when it was in its swaddling clothes.

Transport and Accommodation Foxton was "on the map" to good purpose as a port. Messrs Thyme, Linton and Co., shipping agents of that town, informed readers that "the favourite s.s. Tui has now been put oil the trade between Wellington and Foxton only, and as she possesses superior accommodation and carries an experienced stewardess, passengers will receive every attention. ’’Whyte’s Hotel, Foxton, advertised "the best accommodation for travellers," and advised that Hast well and Macara’s coaches would leave tho hotel every morning for Wellington (Sundays excepted) at 4 o’clock. From the Royal Hotel, Palmerston North, a coach left for Napier and one- for Masterton, in each case three times a week. Time-tables were advertised of the Foxton-Palmerston-Wanganui and Wanganui-Waitotara sections of tho Government railways.

Affairs of Trade Loan money was offered by various agents and interest rates were quoted at from (3 to 8 per cent. The Public Trust Office had been in existence for seven years, but it was believed that the objects for which it had been established wero not sufficiently known or understood, so it advertised "in a concise form information respecting the business which this office undertakes.’’ Among the advertisements was one setting out. “the best opportunity ever brought before the public in the Australian colonies" —to wit, a £IO,OOO sweepstakes on the Melbourne Cup, the iirst prize in which was £3OOO. “Even though the Gaming and Lotteries Bill becomes law," the agent stated, "this sweep on the Melbourne Cup won’t be interfered with, as the Act cannot come into operation before about the Bth of November.’’ There was also an art union, which offered “'Sections of land for £1 Is,” these being the prizes in the drawing. Owing to an earthquake causing damage to the kilns, brickmakers advertised an increase in their prices.

Some quotations from a Wellington merchant firm’s price list are: Tea, Is Sd to 2s Gd per lb; sugar, 34s'to 42s per cwt; matches, 5s a gross; soap, 15s a cwt; salmon, 9s dozen tins; currants, 7d lb; pickles, 10s dozen bottles; vinegar, 2s Gd gallon; charges f.0.b., cases free.

The proprietor of the Palmerston North. Brewery claimed that the high quality if his beer had given the brewery a reputation which it would be his aim to preserve and extend. That the Labour Exchange and Registry Office had European emigrants among .its clients is indicated by the announcements, “Skandinanish talcs” and “Dcutsch gesprochcn,” meaning that Scandinavian and German were spoken there. Live Stock Prices

'‘The recession that has' been experienced in live stock values in recent years makes current prices comparable in some respects with those obtained in the same month of 1881. Cows were bringing, at Waverley, £3 10s to £4 10s; heifers, £3 7s Gd to £3 12s Gd; yearlings, £2 10s to £2 12s Gd; fat sheep, ills lid; at Hawera, fat cows realised £5 ss; store cows, £3 7s Gd; yearlings, £2 10s; fat ewes, IGs, and hoggets, 19s. Porkers were quoted at 14s Gd to 265. At a recent Levin sale fat cows sold at £3 15s; weaner heifers to £2 Gs; fat ewes, 245; fat hoggets, 18? 3d. The pig indutsrv is evidently in a much sounder position nowadays than 52 years ago, when the quotations wore 14s Gd to 20s for porkers, as against a range of 2Gs to 37s Gd latterly".

Literary Characteristic The editorial of the issue under notice is entitled “The Penalty of Greatness.” It was an able one, though in the ponderous, grandiloquent style of the period. “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown —so said the great dramatist whose knowledge of all things human extended from the thro likings of the heart beneath the Imperial purple to the innermost nature of him born to labour by the sweat of his brow. President Garfield is no more. The ruler of 50,000,000 of people has been stricken down by the weapon of a cowardly assassin, and the sceptro which has fallen from the rigid hand is already in the grasp of his successor.” The article occupies a column and a -half of small type. The news columns reveal a hardhitting tendency which was not uncomornn in the journalism of those days.

Smiting an Adversary The Standard, to which reference •was made as "our waspish contemporary above tho baker’s,” came in for rebuke for having published under the heading “A Cool Request,’’ an item from which the freshness had departed. This was an announcement that a request was to be made to the Resident. Magistrate by an amateur dramatic company for the use of tho Police Court for rehearsals. “No doubt,” says the '‘Times,’’ “it will be gall and wormwood to the gentle scribe, and his obliging informant, to know that the ..cool request has been made, that the R.M., in his kindest and most courteous manner, immediately gave the dc-

Sidelights of the City in 1881

sired permission; but that it is not the intention of the amateur dramatic company to avail themselves of Mr Ward’s kindness. ... No doubt it is in a great measure owing to our contemporary’s locution over his neignhour’s oven that lie so often waxes ‘hot’ about matters upon which ho is only half informed; but we would recommend him to copy the conduct of thoso at whom he has flung his sneer, and imitate their coolness.”

Briefly to the Point The report of tho monthly meeting of the Palmerston North School Committee was a model of brevity, as it consisted of a two-inch “local." Contained in it was a resolution that on urgent application be made to the Education Board for the sum of £l5O for tho erection of a school upon ground at Terrace End, which had been granted for that purpose by the Government.

"Sweet Expectations’’ This was the side-heading of a paragraph foretelling a sitting of the Native Land Court at Marton, and conveying this interesting intelligence: “It is said that the Natives expect to lift some £-15,000, and consequently the business people of Marton expect to get a lion’s share, which, there is little doubt, they will. In view of the great distribution of the lucre, and in the hope of securing his share, we hear Mr Gibbons, of the Whito Hart Hotel, is about to erect a monster marquee in the yard at the rear of his hotel for the accommodation of the Natives. Other preparations are also being made by the publicans and tradespeople to got their share.” Such an announcement would give widespread offence in these times, because of its obvious suggestions of exploitation and get-rich-quick methods; but there was little shame attached to these matters half a century ago. When the Reporter Slept

A squatter from the Onga Block, Kiwitea, who waited on a meeting of the Manawatu Highways Board, and stated settlers’ grievances, was described by the paper as ‘‘a talking machine.’ ’ It is recorded that “during the time the board was under torture, the representative of the Press indulged in three separate naps of a quarter of an hour each.” After referring to the possibility of the deputationist standing for the County Council, the scribe wrote: “The members of the council have not treated us well in the past, and we owe them a grudge over the advertising, but, bad as they are, we shall pray earnestly they may be saved from the introduction into their midst of a gentleman who, from tho spcciman we have heard, we should most decidedly proclaim him as the champion spouter of the Colony.’’

Turning Night Into Day The editor was Mr J. B. Dungan, and from a report of the Oddfellows’ opening banquet, it appears that his name was coupled with the toast of ‘‘The Mayor and Borough Councillors.” In his response ho said that there was evidently a screw loose somewhere, and the compliment bestowed upon him was intended, or at least due, to Or. Mowlem, inasmuch as he (Mr Dungan) was no longer a councillor, while Mr Fred Mowlem, who was present, had that honour. Ie consequenco of the initiation ceremonies having had to be performed before the dinner, it was close on 11 p.m. before members and visitors took their seats at the banquet table. The report does not state when the function finished, but the programme was quite an extensive one, and it concluded with a solo which must have been in the naturo of an anti-climax, the title being ‘ ‘Pour Out the Rhine Wine.”

A Paper War The “Times” was a morning biweekly then, selling at threepence, and tho edition under review, No. 163, the volume number being V. Mr Lindsay Buiek, in • ‘ ‘Old Manawatu,’’ records that the first editor was Mr C. J. Pownall, and that ho was followed for a brief period by a son of Mark Lemon, the celebrated editor of Punch. The next to wield the editorial pen was Mr Richard Leary, and then followed Mr Dungan. Opposition to the “Times” came in November, 1880, when Mr Alex McMinn brought out the Standard, tho first daily paper published between Wellington and Wanganui. The “Times” did not become a daily until two years afterwards. Much hostility existed between the rivals, culminating in a libel action which somewhat quenched the fire of both journalistic champions.