SOME CIRCULAR NOTES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1250, 13 February 1896, Page 10

SOME CIRCULAR NOTES.

BY “ SWAN PEN.”

(Specially written for the 'New Zealand Mail.)

( Concludedl.)

First impressions of the City of Sandhills (as it used to be called) are disappointing, whether one enters by rail or steamer, but when the outskirts of the town and all the backyards have been passed, a roomy station building opens out on to Taupo quay, along which is planted a noble line of shade trees. The streets and footpaths are in the best of order, the water-cart is in evidence, and, generally speaking, Wanganui shows an advance on former years. There is no feverish heat' in the moneymaking line, but rather a family sort of contentedness and rivalry of a friendly character. The public men and institutions of Wanganui have already been so well done by " Scrutator ” that one fears to touch them. The Museum I paid two visits to, and on each occasion found Mr Drew, the honorary curator, hard at work. Mr Drew has only lately returned from a visit to Australia, where with another old Wanganuite, Mr Charles- Smith, he spent some weeks among fishermen in wild place-s getting specimens for his beloved Museum. What Wanganui really owes to Mr Drew for his labour of love it does not know, and perhaps has not yet begun to appreciate. Just before my visit the institution had been carefully and critically inspected by Professor Hutton, of the Christchurch Museum, who gave Mr Drew' credit for the best collection of New Zealand fishes in the Colony, and also said that in natural history it was as good in its way as the big Museum of the Southern Hemisphere. There are many improvements in and around Wanganui, but none more important than the new hospital which is now being erected between the town and the Heads. Owing to the liberality of one of Wanganui's merchant princes, the late Mr T. Eeid, this institution will be one of

the finest of the kind in the Colony

Strange, is it not, that hospitals are so »frequently built near cemeteries P In Wanganui a sandhill will divide them. The “ God’s Acre ” there is one of the best attended to that it has been my privilege to inspect anywhere. John Ballance’s tombstone, to inspect which I made the journey, is plain, but of handsome granite of a dark colour, bearing a simple inscription of his name, birth date and death, and the addition of the . words, “ The greatest honour is to live in the people’s hearts.” And as I stood there and recalled the day when the Colony from the North to the South was represented round that open grave, listening to the grand Masonic service with which his body was committed to the earth and his spirit to God who gave it, I could not but recall the man with all his passing moods ; at ono time thinking of little else but fighting “Willy” Watt on local and especially harbour questions, at another trying to alter the constitution of the Collegiate School, which latter he lived afterwards to bless, then fighting the religious party at The school committee ejections, anon as the president of the Freethought Association, and afterwai'ds as the defender of so different an individual as the Eev James Treadwell, the Presbyterian minister ; next full of fight at a general election,

but anxious as to liow the result will go ; one day full of a fad about mating gas from water, tbe next talking of nothing but a cure for apple blight; ever and anon chess occupied his whole attention, and to relieve this he would take up homoeopathy and so on. A man with plenty of ability, but too great a liking for change. Still, John Ballance will “ live in the hearts of the people ” for many a year as the man who did more to forward Labour and Liberalism than all who preceded him. While in Wanganui I saw the gallant Major Kemp, who, though he cannot be much under 70 years of age, and has been harassed for many years by a troublesome

cough, looks as active now as he did ten ago. Kemp possesses great influence the Natives, as was shown in the Horowhenua case, and the wonder to me has been that successive Governments have not utilised his services more, in place of disregarding him and by suspicion rendering him rather an enemy than a friend. It is time to proceed again on foot, and leaving Host Foster’s after a comfoiting lunch,- a good smart walk lands me at Mart on, a distance of about 2U miles, at about 9 o’clock, 'l'he district from Wanganui to Wangaehu was singularly barren of crop, nor, indeed, was there much more as far as Turakina. The only new feature of importance in this old township was that the Presbyterian Church seems to have been painted within the last few years, and its pastor has a more pretentious looking manse. At Marton 1 found Host Gibbons doing a good Hade as usual, as also was Mr J. Catte’.l (son of the well-known ex-publican of Wellington). The Mercury office being all lit- up, to cross over was only natural, s* and here were to be found Messrs Corny ns (editor) and Boyle (manager) hard at work. The Mercury, as is well known, is a truly Liberal organ, which owes a great deal to its first editor (Mr C. Wilson), aud it is satisfactory to know that Mr Boyle is adding' daily to the list of patrons. Looking round the town next morning, one could see a few new buildings here and there, but generally speaking Marton has hot boomed since I last saw it some eight or ten years ago. A new recreation ground close to \ he centre of the town should prove a convenience to holidaymakers, but it will require some planting for shade purposes. The road from Marton to Palmerston North takes one clear away from the railway line. The first stage is through Croftou, a temperance township which Sir Win. Fox once tried to run, to Bulls. Hero for almost the first time one comes oh some-

thing like cropping. Field after field is passed of cereals or potatoes. The reaper and binder is busy all along the road, but here let me correct an impression that harvesting means necessarily employment for a large number of men. In my tramp I naturally came across a great many men who were “ humping biuey ” as it is called, and I made it a study to learn how they had fared in respect of harvesting work, and in every case it was the same —the farmers could do pretty well with the hands they had. I have seen paddock after paddock with one man and two boys following the machine. These paddocks will be threshed from the stook, and for a few days a few extra hands will be engaged to do the carting to the threshing machine. There is any quantity of good labour going to waste along our highways and byways. Bulls has remained absolutely stationary. Its only improvement so far as I could see was on the racecourse and grandstand^—another proof of what is really our national sport. r The death of Mr C.' W. Maclean has left a void not easily filled. Bulls enjoys a distinction that is not, as far as I know, shared by any other small town in the Colony. It has resident in it two M’s.H.lt., viz., Messrs Stevens and Wilson.

Crossing the Bangitikei bridge, which some of these fine—or, rather, wet days—will be swept away again, we resume the road to Sandon, through some nice-looking country, which, however, lacks water.

Sandon possesses the customary pub., store, smithy and saddler’s shop. It is the centre for a thriving district, and those who are in business there speak well of the place. Mr W. J. Neill, who runs the saddlery establishment, was well known at one time in Patea and Wanganui, and his assistant, Mr W. Eapley, is a son of Mrs Ormsbee, the popular hostess of the Oriental Hotel. About 18 or 19 miles for the day, say, taking things easily—and we are at Palmerston North. The last part of the road has been through recently cleared bush, and consequently cropping is not attempted, but there are smiling homesteads with orchards and gardens most of the way, and judging by the vehicular traffic there must be a large number of settlers up the by-roads. Palmerston North has been written up — and down —more than most jfiaces in the Colony. It has been termed the Chicago of New Zealand—whether because of the inclination of its inhabitants to blow or not I know not. It is entitled to some credit for the strides it lias made, and for the advantage it has taken of its position, especially in the matter of the A. and P. Show, which is now the largest of the kind held in the North Island.

But fancy a town the size of Palmerston North without a Public Library and Heading Eoom ! All the way down the Coast I bad made it a point to inspect these institutions. New Plymouth and Hawera have been mentioned, but Patea, Wanganui, Mar ton, even Bulls, Woodville, Masterton, Carterton and Greytown all lia-ve more or less creditably conducted reading rooms. Palmerston North seems so taken up with the race for wealth that no time can be spared for culture, and consequently the young men are left to lounge about the Square, if, indeed, they get into no worse habits.

The great show place in Palmerston North is the railway station, where one may meet, almost any day in the week, friends from ail parts of the colony. That it is an important place may be judged from the fact that Mr Freeman pays <£4so a year for the refreshment rooms, and that is apart from the sum of about PTS a week for the dining car on the Manawatu Kailway Company’s line. On the nine-mile walk to Ashurst one thing struck mo as peculiar, and, as I noticed it later on in the Wairarapa, it may as well be mentioned here. There is a creamery at Stonej Creek, some three or four miles out, but while a good many vehicles go there, some pass it, and take their milk either into Palmerston or else to some other factory that cannot be seen from the road. Why this should be so puzzles me, unless it be that some suppliers have a preference for butter-making and others for cheese. Arriving at the Manawatu River one finds the bridge washed away, and a punt in its place. The charges over this river are ridiculously high in the opinion of not a few. Thus, a trap with throe individuals in it has to pay :5s (sd. Every human passenger, whether on foot or horseback, or driving, has to pay (id. And yet the man complains of dull times! 1 understand that the new bridge, which may be expected in the fullness of time, will be built lower down, and not be so the subject to floods as the last.

The scenery in the Manawatu Gorge, though it lias been greatly spoilt by the railway line, is still well worth a visit. The road is now in better order than when wagons and coaches, to say nothing of mobs of cattle and sheep, used to be met on it from morning till night all the year round. But may you have the wind wit h you, as 1 had. It was almost strong enough to lift one oil' his feet at some of the corners, and one poor horseman 1 met was compelled to get off and walk, as he could not face it oil horseback.

Woodville shows signs of improvement sinco last 1 saw it. There is now being made an extensive addition to the State school, a fine drill hall has been erected since then, several new shops have been built, and a brewery added to the industries of the place. This latter is am by .two of the young Redwoods from Marlborough, and judging by what they are sending away it is fair to assume that they are doing a good trade. “Woodville possesses a Fire Brigade with a manual engine, and a squad of men were practising the evening I was there and pub in some fairly fast time. As Woodville is some nineteen miles from Palmerston North, it affords a convenient resting place for the night. Tlio Forty Mile Bush is said to start from Woodvillej and though at one time

there was bush all round the township there is little to be seen now for some miles. The ten-mile walk to Pahiatua, however, lies pretty largely through bush. Those portions that have been reclaimed seem to have been given up mainly to dair j/ farinihg and orchards. pples are grown every where and some fine crops are to be seen, while near Mangatainoka there are several fine nurseries which cannot have been very long established, and which yet present a healthy appearance with young fruit trees, flowers, shrubs, etc.

The railway formation stops at Mangatainoka for the present, and it seems a pity that a gap of some eight miles should be allowed to prevent the tapping of the whole of the district by Wellington and delay the extension of settlement, which must proceed when the line opens. There are several factories and creameries in the vicinity, and though the township of Ballance lies seven miles off, and is not seen from the main road, I heard good accounts of it.

Alter a ten-mile walk it was a relief to meet civilisation once more at Pahiatua. This wide-sti eeted town looks one of the most progressive 1 have seen on my journeys. The shops seem to be well stocked—the bookseller especially—there are some well-appointed hotels, two newspapers (one owned by Ivess, of course, and the other the Pahiatua Herald, owned by a company and smartly edited by Mr Baiilie, churches, large school and all the etceteras that g'o to make up a flourishing inland town. How Pahiatua will fare when the train passes its back door a mile or two away this deponent knoweth not, but 1 do not think it can make very much difference, for those who come now by coach are either only C.T.’s or passers through. When its double row of trees down the main street grow, Pahiatua will be a handsome town. A pleasant walk of some nine or ten miles, making twenty for the day, lands one at Hawera, or, to speak more correctly, Ilamua, which is now the officially gazetted name.

Here for the first time since leaving Kakaramea does one hear of grass-seeding, and a party of men is made up over-night to go out cutting cocksfoot in the morningat Is an hour.

I had seen almost all sorts of gambling, but at this township a novelty awaited one. An itinerant fruiterer made his appearance as the inevitable euchre was going - on in one room, and piano playing with singing in the other, w r ith a bucketful of bananas, and commenced collecting sixpences till he got 3s, after which the bones were produced, and the fruit “ shaken ” for. The winner, I think, got four bananas and the crowd divided the rest, no one gettingmore than two.

Ten miles farther on through bush lies Eketahuna. With the exception of a couple of saw-mills, only one of which -was working, there is little to be seen on this road. Nearing Eketahuna I notice a passenger carriage attached to the ballast engine and wonder at the cause thereof. As it nears, however, there is to be noticed the figure of the übiquitous Premier, smoking a cigar, and on his way to see the co-operative labourers on this section who have been complaining-—the single men, I mean —at the recent decision of the Government to replace them by married men. Later in the day I meet Mr Seddon in the township, and he tells me that he has consented, in fairness to the men, who have put in a lot of dead work which would go to benefit their successors, to allow them to remain for some time longer, more particularly as the married men, when the work was first of all kept open for them, were in no particular hurry to take it up. Eketahuna, of course, has a paper, the Express, which answers local requirements. It also possesses one or tw-o creditable hotels, and I noticed some new dwellings now being- erected that augur well for the prosperity of the place. this is as far as the Government line runs at present, and it may be taken for granted that it will be the terminus for the greater part of this year.

A longer walk than any yet tackled now lies before one, unless he chooses to break it and stop at an accommodation house at Mauriceville. That is a 28-mile stretch to Mastorton, which, in addition to the 10 already done from ilawera, will make 38 for the day. lhe road is in good order, and if a swinging pace is kept up it is strange how pleasantly one gets over it. .Just as the sun begins to sink, fortune leads one to the whare of a couple of raiiwny men who are just about to sit: down to tea, and insist on my joining them. Here I find the morning’s Nkw Zealaxo Times (i should have said that from New Plymouth downwards 1 have bad no trouble in finding it and the Mai;,), and having rested, chatted, smoked and read for an hour, 1 resume my walk. At Mauriceville there remain 13 miles to do, and 1 am advised to rest for tine night; but the evening is pleasant, and “proceed” is the determination. There is no moon, but the stars make up for this, and once and again a benighted horseman is met on Hie road. Lay light breaks at about 4 o’clock, and Masterton is, according to tbe peg, three miles off. As it is too early to go into town, the friendly shelter of a flaxbush and four hours’ sleep is sufficient to enable one to feel quite refreshed and march into town.

‘V S ' ,J 1 toil is so well known to most Wellington! a ns that description is superfluous ; but visiting it for the first time one could not but be impressed with its bustle. Mr Mandei has the leading hotel here, and looks quite as much at home as he used to do on Lambton quay. Mr A. W. Hogg, M.H.R., who had been to Eketahuna with the Premier, was to bo seen about constantly, and Inspector' Pender was attending the inquest on the unfortunate William Hugo. No one should neglect to pay a visit to the Acclimatisation Society’s fish-hatching ponds. Space forbids —besides, it has been done before—my giving a description of these ponds. The Fire Brigade were out

for a run hern the night I [was there, but their work might have been cleaner.

From Masterton to Carterton, a distance estimated by some at S and others at 10 miles, and thence after tea to Greytown, was a pleasant day’s outing, blit the Country is not nearly so good as that to the north. Grey town possesses the nicest public reading-room of any that I have seen At one time 1 used to fancy Wanganui “took the cake” on that coast, but New Plymouth, Marton, and even Bulls, beat it so far as catering for the public lis concerned. There they keep all their ! illustrated papers and magazines for subscribers, not even placing the old numbers on the table; but here in Grey town the public can see not only the leading colonial papers, but a good selection of the latest Home newspapers, reviews, &c. —and in a condition I should like to see copied in the Wellington Library. The next clay saw me passing through Featherston, which was virtually shut up, cn route for Pigeon Bush (a distance altogether of some 14 miles), where the Premier and the Natives were making holiday over the conclusion of the Wairarapa Lake difficulty. The special reporter of the New Zealand Mail has already dilated on the luxuries then provided and the extreme hospitality shown to all and sundry. The Natives were above all things attentive, and very cleanly in their waiting. They spared no pains to make the thing go off pleasantly, in which they | were ably seconded by the Premier and “Timi Kara,” the latter being quite in his element as lie led off some of the lialcas.

As here I was persuaded to join the train rather than tramp over the It) mil taka, and agreed to do so the more readily that I had heard so much of its dangers by rail (which, by the way, 1, for one, did not see, as it was raining too bard to go outside), these circular notes must come to an end.

The experience has been on the whole a pleasant one, though it would have been more enjoyable had one had a companion. To young fellows used all tlieir lives to sedentary occupations, a tramp of 20 miles a day seems something appalling. For years I have looked on a mile or two as ample, while three, four or five was a task not to be thought of; but now that I have done over 200 miles in little less than 10 walking days, 1 feel better in health for it, and the old laziness is cured. To the residents in town walking or cycling gives a better idea of the inland country than railing or steaming from port to port can do ; it acquaints them with people and places they know only by name, and corrects many mistaken notions as to geography. At this season of the year there is little risk of wet weather, and if a shower does catch one there is generally shelter a mile or two ahead. There is no necessity to carry a swag, as board is cheap (1 have had splendid meals in Masterton and Greytown for (id —three courses and tea —as good as I have paid a shilling and Is (id for in Wellington), and a bed can always be procured for a shilling One word of advice to those who go on walking tours — don’t rely on getting anything from those along the road, even though you are willing to pay for it. Most of them, and especially in the Forty-mile Bush, are too poor to be able to provide you. I had two feeds gratis—one from a party of roadmen who invited me into their galley as I was passing, and the other from the surfacemen mentioned above.