PALMERSTON NORTH.

New Zealand Mail, 17 September 1902, Page 34

PALMERSTON NORTH.

(By Our Special Reporter.) Monday,

The promoters of the Manawatu Poultry Association will address a meeting of settlers at Bunnyt-horpe to-morrow evening. It is stated that a Rongotea settler intends importing a motor car capable of accommodating twenty passengers, to run between Rongotea and Palmerston.

At a clearing sale of dairy stock last week, Mr Harry Palmer disposed of twenty-five dairy cows, under the hammer, at prices ranging from £lO 10s to £l4 7s Gd. The iierd was a big one, and the balance sold from £5 Tip, making an average for the whole herd of £9 14s, a record for the district. The second concert of the eighth season of tiio Palmerston North Orchestral Society will be held to-morrow evening in the Theatre Royal. The excellence of the programme to be presented should make the concert one of the most enjoyable the society has yet presented. The chief attraction of the programme will be tlie yoc-al numbers of Miss Kate Connell and Mr Ballance.

the speed at which horsemen ride and drive through the streets of >*almerston is often a menace to life. On Saturday night Mr F. Pirani, M.H.R., was a victim to the practice. While riding his bicycle along Rangitikei street a horseman, travelling.at a high speed, turned sharply around a corner, and before Mr Pirani could move outof the way lie was knocked oS his machine. Luckily no serious injury was suffered by Mr Pirani, who escaped with some bruises and a severe shaking-

At Palmer’s produce sale on Saturday there was a big .demand for pigs, buf the entry was poor. There was also a limited number of poultry offered, and good prices were secured. Laying hens and pullets made 3s 6d to os 2d a pair, cockerels 3s 3d to 4s, ducks 4s to 4s Gd. Best eating potatoes made 7s per sack, other sorts 6s to Gs 6d. Other produce was equally firm. Tw.o of the most popular young n.en in this district are leaving for South Africa. These are Alec Mathieson and Roy. Mathieson, sons of Mr Roderick Mathiesou, a well-known and highlyrespected settler of Kairanga. Both gentlemen are school teachers, and have resigned their appointments in order to try their fortunes in Africa. Mr Alec Mathieson was master of the Kelvin Grove School, and Mr Roy Mathieson master of the Jackeytown School. The former, who has just been married to Miss Inncs, third daughter of the Palmerston Postmaster, received several handsome presents from the school committee and the school children, being also tendered a farewell “social” by the settlers of the district-. Mr. Roy Mathieson received a handsome present from the parents of-the children attending the Jackeytown School. He is also to be tendered a farewell.“social” by the members of the Palmerston North Football Club, of which he has been captain.

Tlie site of the proposed bridge over the Pohangina is still causing considerable friction in tho district. At the meeting of the Pohangina County Council on Saturday, the report of the Government Engineer to tho Minister of Lands was read. This favoured the middle or Ferry site. Tlie upper, or Beehive site, was reported against, as it would not be convenient to the majority of settlers, and. owing to the changing of the river from channel 1o channel over the whole course, a continuous bridge would be required the whole way across. This would tate,' owing to drift timber, s: bridge with not less than 80ft spans, and the ; cost would bo £7OOO. . The lower site, which.a section of settlers are working for, is objected to principally on Etc ground that the western bank, a cliff of 80ft in height-, was on account of its

formation and the narrowness of +i river at the point easily undermined bv the nver. On the other side the land wag low and would need and there were no roads apnronmm, the site. The Ferr, site prcSnt? tS fewer drawbacks, and wa s considered the most suitable by the Government Engineer. In- discussing the report the chairman adversely criticised th« Engineer’s opinion. Councillor Phni pot, however, said he would accent tbl report as correct, and he declared that the chairman was trying to get a-brickm for nineteen ratepayers, while he th, speaker, wanted one for sixty. Tlie re port which will be generally favoured by the majority of settlers, was held over for further consideration.