PALMERSTON NORTH.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 866, 5 October 1888, Page 30

PALMERSTON NORTH.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) [ September 27. Your Longburn readers will be pleased to see the result ,of the school examination at that place, which is alike creditable to masters and pupils; 69 per cent of the children on the roll were presented for examination in standards, of whom 80 per cent succeeded in passing. In a school of this size, it i 3 also pleasing to note that of the seven presented in the sixth standard (all of whom .passed), several obtained the maximum number of marks in arithmetic and grammar. Mr Flood, the head master, and hi 3 able assistant,. Mr McDougald Matheson, deserve every credit for this state of things. A fire occurred shortly after 2 o’clock this afternoon in a four-roomed cottage in Tainui-street, and in a very - short space of time, the manful exertions of the Fire Brigade notwithstanding, the place was burned to the ground. The occupant of the premises was a labourer named Cartier, who was preparing to remove to another house. His effects, which were uninsured, are totally destroyed., The building was the property of Mr L. Jepson, and was insured, I hear, in the Colonial office, but to what extent I have not yet learned.

; . . September 29. My business yesterday took mo as far the Gorge, and with magnificent weather the drive was most enjoyable. The recent rains, followed by the warm weather experienced for the' last few days, have brought vegetation forward very rapidly, and the country from Palmerston to Ashurat is looking well. Great improvements have of late been made by the settlers along this, road in the way of new buildings and iu stumping the ground and bringing quite a considerabls extent into ploughing. Good progress is being made on the railway works at'the Gorge. In what is called the ‘‘ long which is 26 chains in.length, seven chains have been excavated at the west end, and about a chain at the east end. At the east end of the 10-chain tunnel about T£ chains have been excavated, and some very heavy concrete work is being done on: the foundations for the bridges, I see Mr W. G. Bassett, of Wanganui, has secured the contract for the Pohangina bridge, the price being L 12,447. Considerable satisfaction is expressed at Mr Bassett having got this work, as it is said he is a man who will make good and rapid progress. .It is thought that 18 months .or a little more than that time should see the completion of all work in the Gorge, and it is hoped Government will in the' meantime proceed with the connecting link of about eight miles between Palmerston and Ashurst. At the last-named place an entertainment was being given last evening in aid of the school funds By the Ashurst Dramatic Society. Among the per*

formers Mrs Jennings, Miss Graven, Mr Daley, Mr Sexton and others wore to take part. I have since, heard that the attendance was very poor, and that the settlers and those employed on the railway works want something a - little more appetising than they haVe had lately in this line. Verbum sap. ' ' A very rich alum, shale has been found in the immediate neighbourhood of the township. The alum industry was within my recollection an important; one in the north riding of Yorkshire, but I know very little of the-trade now. Perhaps some of your readers will give us some information as to the , value of such a discovery. Coming nearer home, I was pleased to see that the meeting held at - the Btoney Greek School resulted in quite a .triumph for Mr Ligertwood, who is perhaps, as someone remarked, only .too good for the place, and whose abilities as a master are fully proved by the results of the examinations. Those who have been trying to undermine Mr Ligertwood appear to have been very deservedly “ sat upon.’ The remains of the late Mrs Treweek were brought from Marton for interment here, by the midday train Mrs Treweek was a sister of.-Jthsr late Mr Alexander Gould of' this'-.place, whose death was reported a few months ago. Mr W. Park, bookseller, will leave for Melbonrne next Thursday on a wellearned holiday, and I trust he will thoroughly enjoy his trip. Mr Park, I have just been told, will. .take.-with -him the manuscript of Herr aSTorberg’s. !* Overton Waltzes,’' and arrange for their publicar tion in Melbourne. This is the. waltz which was so enthusiastically received at the Philharmonic Society’s_c.onperfc on Tuesday last, and for which I am told Herr Nor berg has rofuaod.a'positive offer of LIOO. - ■ —'V’""'" ' I "

I had almost omitted to mention that Messrs Freeman R. Jackson and. Co. will hold the first of their Ashorsfr'stock sales on Friday, the 12£h October, at their new yards adjoining the Gorge Hotel.