FEILDING.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 994, 20 March 1891, Page 24

FEILDING.

A public meeting was recently held at Birmingham for the purpose of discussing a proposal to form a town board.. It. was unanimously resolved ‘That it is highly desirable to form a town board for Birmingham, and that the necessary steps ba immediately taken.’ This is another evidenoe, not only of the rapid progress of the district, but also of the enterprise, pluck, and independent character of the settlers.

The other day I took three Napier gentlemen who were visiting here to see one of the largest and best cultivated orchards and gardens in the district, covering altogether some 6 acres. The visitors, oa.e of whom represented one of the largest fruit retailing houses in Napier, expressed their profound astonishment and admiration of the enormous quantity, sizs, and quality of the fruit they saw, especially the apples, which were of fine flavour, and perfectly free from codlin moth or any other disease or defect, showing a great contrast, they said, to those usually brought into their own city for sale, these being for the moßt part so much affected with the moth as to cause a great deterioration in their quality and usefulness. The probable result of this visit will be, (now that the Gorge line is open, connecting this district with Hawkes Bay) the opening up of a fruit trade with the capital of that province, as apples and other orchard produce can be placed on the rail at auch rates as will leave a fair profit to both the grower and retailer. We have had a visit from Mr W. W. Collins, ths noted,. Australian lecturer. Owing to the little notice that had been 'given there was only a’’moderate audience. Tbe subject dealt with was *Do we live after death ?’ and for upwards of an hour and a half Mr Collins rivetted the attention of his hearers by his eloquence and pathos ; and even those who differed from him in hia materialist opinions could not but acknowledge hia power as a public speaker. The school committee have selected Miss Haynes, of Nelson for appointment to the pasl i -n of second assistant mistress, to fill the place of Miss Roacho, tvhos resignation I recently mentioned. Gray’s Wellington Band, one of the competing bands at the contest to be held here at Easter, at one time contemplated giving a sacred concert on Easter Sunday. They have now givon up the idea on the ground that they think the Feilding people will have had sufficient of 4 band ’ in the two previous nights contest. Perhaps from a financial point of view they have acted wisely, but there is a general wish that one or other of the Wellington or other visitiDg bands will voluntarily favour ns with a little of their music from the rotunda on the Sunday afternoon. Ia this case we might very well take a collection in aid of an arbour fuud, as I see the Kaiwarra Band is to play for a similar object in Wellington on the first Sunday in April. I notice from the report of the proceedings of the Wesleyan Conference recently held at Auckland, that it has been decided to appoint a Probationer Minister to bo located at Feilding, and who is also to work the Kiwitea dietriota. This ia good news for the Wesleyan congregation here, who for several years past havo agitated for the appointment of a resident minister. Another old settler has been removed by death, viz. the wife of Mr Konald Cameron, of Makino road. The deceased lady had reached the ripe a;e of 78, and was highly esteemed for her many good qualities. A Solemn Requiem Mass for the repose of her soul was held in St Bridget’s church conducted by the Rev. Father Paterson; and the funeral was attended by a large number of neighbours and friends of the deceased and her bareavad husband. The weather during the past week was fine and very warm, and consequently bush burning was in full swing ; and sometimes the township was enveloped in thick clouds of smoke, causing a good deal of involuntary weeping, though wailing, for it was really cause for rejoicing that the long-looked-for opportunity for firing the bush had come at last. We therefore gladly put up with a semi-darkness that reminded one of a London fog, and showerß of ashes as if we had been io tho neighbourhood of an active volcano. On Sunday, however, the wet weather returned, and it rained most of tho day and night, thus pulling a stop to any further burning for the present.

(FROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT.) Bush fires have made the air murky and the eyes watery. We are, however, thank, ful for the weather which allows a bnrn. Owners of fallen bush, in the present Btate ef the law, generally fire by stealth, or lay low for the neighbour to burn a really disgraceful state ofjthings. Surely when a

man takes reasonable precautions by warning hia neighbour and burning at a usually dry season, he has done all that is expected, but no, by law he is liable, if a spark alights on a lady’s dress fifty miles away, at least by a parity of reasoning from bush fire damage oases recently decided here. From a conversation with one of the late Gorge railway contractors, both of whom have purchased fine properties here, I am pleased to learn that the line will be as substantial and safe as any ia the Colony. It is at any rate much more solid than travellers who view it from the road imagine. Mr J. M. Greenaway, who lately purchased some two thousand acres of the Oroua Downs, just below Awahuri, has been living temporarily in Feilding and is now building a 16 roomed house on his property. It is a remarkably handsome Gothic building, designed by a Mr Mountfort of Canterbury, who, I think, planned tho Christchurch Cathedral. We are to have a fourth medical man— Dr Johnston, a well-known professional gentleman, lately of Feilding and now of Gisborne, intends returning immediately he can secure a house, which in these prosperous times is no easy matter. On Sunday last, in the districts extending from Longburn to Halcombe, the settlers had the phenomenon of a heavy downpour of rain during 18 hours, while the barometer was extremely high and steady. By those who profess to have studied the question, a belief is expressed that ths vast volumes of smoke from the bush fires bo overcharged the clouds as to bring rain in what ought to be fine weather. Perhaps Captain Edwin could englighten us Keen and healthy competition among banks as among other Institutions, renders them anxious to provide for the convenience of their customers in many ways. In this connection I would suggest au acceptable and inexpensive addition to the cheque book, particularly those whioh are carried by country customers in their pockets, viz, a single sheet of blotting paper affixed to the front cover, which would in turn Berve to dry each cheque drawn.