COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 674, 30 January 1885, Page 3 (Supplement)

COUNTRY NEWS.

MANAWATU.

(FROM OUR own correspondent.;

Palmerston North, January 24,

During the past week we have been favored with a visit from a member of the Cabinet in the person of the Hon. John Ballance. As is usual on such occasions, several deputations waited on him and laid their grievances before him, and made certain demands, all of which will no doubt be duly considered ,by the hon. gentleman and his colleagues. The Chairman of the Manawatu Road Board, together with several of the members, waited on Mr Ballance with reference to draining the Kairanga Block. The amount of Government money already expended on this muchneeded work was nest only insufcient, but injudiciously spent. The hon. gentleman stated that the only available assistance forthcoming, would be an equivalent to the amount raised by the local body. The proposed Manga-tainoko-road was the next question considered : Whether, in the event of a Special Settlement being formed to take up certain lands between Palmerston North and the Mangatainoko, the Government would take steps to provide a road to facilitate such settlement. In reply, the Hon. Mr Ballance stated that when the association was formed, and the land decided upon, the Government would undoubtedly commence the work. The completion of this undertaking would considerably shorten the distance between here and Masterton.

A request was also made that certain sections in the Fitzherbert and Jackeytown should be vested in Road Board as gravel reserves. Another deputation, headed by Mr Amos Burr, waited upon the hon. gentleman, with reference to forming a special settlement on the Central route, the site of proposed settlement being about twenty-five miles from Marton, in the Otamakapua Block. It is proposed to take up 10,000 acres of land, and a sufficient number of names have already been appended to the application, vshich has been forwarded in due form to the Government. Every information was given to the deputation by the hon. gentleman as to the working of the association and benefits to be derived under this scheme of settlement.

Notwithstanding the fact that the sittings of the District Court are held quarterly in this township, it is the more strange to find the Deputy Official Assignee residing in that out-of-the-way locality, Bulls. Yet no sitting of the Court is allowed to pass without a considerable number of bankruptcy cases being dealt with. At the next sitting of the Court, to he held on. the 29til, there are three applications for discharges and six for examination. Good men must be scarce in this district, or else such appointments go by favor or friends at Court. The injustice to this district is considerable, apart from the inconvenience.

Although thousands of pounds sterling are being expended at the present time in erecting railway bridges over creeks and rivers, and constructing miles of railway from Masterton to “nowhere” in the Forty Mile Bush, it is lamentable to find the residents and business peeople of Woodville groaning under a rank injustice, by paying heavy tolls to cross at the lower ferry, a dangerous river in a still more dangerous contrivance called a punt. On entering the Gorge from the Woodville side, your money is demanded to cross the bridge, and on emerging from the Gorge at Palmerston side you are again called upon to pay for the privilege of a journey on the machine above mentioned. Two tolls within a distance of four and a half miles ! And in the event of a flood in the river l , you must sit on the banks, as the Hebrews of old, allowing your thoughts to wander back to your homes and friends, the pleasures appertaining to which may never more be enjoyed. I regret to chronicle the fact that at a meeting of the shareholders of the Manawatu Soap and Candle Manufacturing Company, held on Friday, the 16 th inst., the following resolution was passed, viz., “ That it has been proved to the satisfaction of the shareholders that the company cannot, by reason of its liabilities, continue its business ; and that it is advisable to wind up voluntarily ; and that Messrs T. R. Walton and T. King be appointed liquidators.” What should be a most profitable and beneficial local industry has been allowed to go by the board for want of support. Alittle more capital to erect the necessary machinery and steam power was not procurable through the shareholders. The fact remains that any one with capital could not do better than take over the concern and continue operations. The annual general meeting of the Manawatu Racing Club was held on the 15th instant. The attendance was very small—only fifteen persons present, owing no doubt to the fact that the usual course was not adhered to, viz., advertising—a most unusual plan to adopt, especially when so many are interested. From the balance-sheet it appears that a credit balance of Ll 6 13s Id is in hand. Fortunately for the stewards, there was only the sum of Ll 3 53 expended on the course this year as compared with L 127 7s 8d last season for permanent improvements. Mr James King handed in his resignation as hon. secretary, and Mr Thomas King was elected secretary at a salary of LSO per annum.