NOTES FROM MANAWATU.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVIX, Issue 3010, 23 December 1896, Page 1

NOTES FROM MANAWATU.

(Hv an Occasional Correspondent.) The charge alleged against Humor, chemist, of Foxton, was to have been hoard last Friday, and the police, were quite prepared to go on, but owing to the very short sitting of the Court the case has to stand over till the 15th January. The charges are laid under the 4th and 12th sections of the Sale of Poisons Act, 1871, and the defendant is charged on tho one information with unlawfully keeping open shop for retailing poisons, when not legally registered by law’ ; and on the other with unlawfully soiling a certain poison, viz,, aconite, tho bottle containing it not being properly labelled as required by top Act, with the name of tho article eontainod in it, and tho name and address of tho seller. I hear it rumoured that Dr Eockstrow. a very old practitioner on this coast, who lately sold his property in Palmerston to Dr James Rood, ofHawera, is likely to take up his residence in Foxton, whioh place has been without tho services of a resident medical man for some considerable .time, Tho worthy medico was established there long years ago, when it was a day's journey on horseback from Oroua Bridge to Palmerston North. Mr Black, who mot with an accident on election day through trying to stop a runaway horse has not been doing well at all, and tho doctors have decided that his leg must bo amputated above tho knoo, in order to prevent more serious complications. Tho poor man has a wife and five children depending' on him, and with the breadwinner crippled for life they will have u hard struggle to get along. I- learn that throe informations have boon sworn against a hotelkeeper formerly in business in Palmerston North. He is charged with having obtained, credit from certain Wellington merchants through (also ropro* sontations as to his position..I regret to learn that Mr Bradley, lessee of the Post Office Hotel, Foxton, Is seriously ill. He will bo remembered by many as tho first proprietor of tho first hotel opened at Shannon. Ho was ’attacked suddenly with severe illness one day last week after returning from a drive, and since thou alarming symptoms have supervened, causing his family and friends much anxiety. Dr McCarthy, of Palmerston, has been in constant attendance, but I learnt on Saturday that his condition was somewhat critical, I noticed a number of sheop-ladon trucks at Carnarvon station, whioh wore attached to our train bound for Longburn. I had the curiosity to ask tho man in charge whore their destination was. “The Gear Com- ■ pany’s Works, Potone,” ho informed mo. On my enquiring when they would reach there, ho said they would bo at Potone by midnight. My next question was how long would it have taken to have “ travelled " them there. “Oh," said ho, “about a month." Now, what a contrast. Seven hours as against a month, not to speak of loss of condition, perils of the journey, &0.,&c. Really, progress is the order of tho day. I should judge that . Foxton is about to wake up. Prospects there appear decidedly moio hopeful than of late. The fiaxmills are whirring away, and a sawmill for white pine is about being laid down on the banks of tho Manawatu, a little above Border’s Hotel.

The timber is for export to Australia, and tho starting of the mill will moan another industry for Foxton, and tend to improve things accordingly. It is sad to think how many thousands of pounds 1 worth of white 1 pine have been destroyed in Manawatu' through there being no market for it. I was always under tbe impression that its value as a marketable commodity would bo acknowledged some day. Iliad a chat with a prominent supporter of tho sitting member for Palmerston a day or two ago. I asked him did ho know what hiemau’s politics wore to bo in future. “ Well,"’ he said, “ho knows very well that bo has boon re-elected to give the Government a* loyal support; as, in my opinion, it is the l best Government that baa over ruled tho" country; and if ho * goes back on them’ bo need never stand for Palmerston again, Wo sec now that a stronger man on the other' side, and with better organisation on tho part of the Opposition, Pirani would have* becn easily defeated.” There has been a slight occasional rainfall* during tho last few days, whioh lias done uu l immensity of good. The farmers, however,say they could do with a lot more. From* Palmerston to Oroua bridge there ia an abundance of luxurious food, and the cattle stand kueo-deop in grass, but round about' Carnarvon the country has a burnfrup-' appearance, except in proximity, to the swamps. Tho light soil which forme a considerable portion of Carnarvon very soon l ' , shows tho effect of a few weeks’ drought’. The little steam launch lately built for" local requirements at Foxton has greatly im- r ; proved her rate of speed since tho alteration* :n her propeller, and- oau now steam nhm* knots. Between bringing down ilax for the * mills Working on tho banks of tho river and taking parties of excursionists to tho Heads and up the river, she should bo kept busilyemployed for.the neat'few months, andshould' prove remunerative to her owners. Sbippin g has been unprecedentedly active of. late at the port of Foxton, owing to tho wooi season, and Pilot Soabury has boon kept busy. Your readers will bo surprised to learn that; wool ia shipped at Foxton for tho port of” Wellington from districts as remote as away beyond Danevirko, in Hawke's Bay. It moaner that produce can now bo convoyed to a seaport through the instrumentality of our railways, which, but for them, could not have' been brought to a port of shipment except at a cost which, considering present prices, would have been almost prohibitive. It was a very different thing when wool was bring--lug oightoonpouce and upwards a pound. All to whom I have spoken of late express their sincere satisfaction at tho return of Mr - John Stevens for .Kfynawatn, as ho enjoys c largo share of popularity iu the Foxton. end o? tho .electorate.

Tho Anglican Vicar of Foxton, tho Bew Young, is making himself aw popular there orho was in Palmerston, from whence ho was removed to Foxton. Ho is a clergyman who, by his unobtrusive yet earnest manner, will make friends wherever ho goes. Ho reminds me a good deal, in tho way in which he associates with his fellow-man, of Archdeacon Thorpe, now temporarily stationed at Hawora, who is one of those large-hearted Christians who endeavour to make tho world better and brighter for their presence in it. The Foxton people are complaining that tbo Stipendiary Magistrate's Court, through it# short sitting, is a cause of great inconvenience. Take last Court day, for instanceThere was Mr James subpoenaed from Wellington, to give evidence iu tho case against* Hamer. There wore other witnesses aa well, • but owing to tho short visit of the Stipendiary Magistrate tho hearing had to bo postponed for a month, causing delay, incon* t vcnienco and suspense to both prosecutor and defendant,, besides unnecessarily adding to* tho cos’js. I think a petition ia likely to be' presented to tho Government, asking for’ more frequent sittings of. the Court. A couplo of hours or so once « month-is absurd for the present .requirements of Foxton, Foxton is becoming a popular place for the residents of the • inland towns to have recourse to for sea-bathing, arid camping down l by tho beach.. Quite a number of people go-* there every summer, taking- their tenia,utensils and supplies with them', and have; quite a jolly time. It is hy no mearia a bad 1 sort of a place to spend “ away from ih* piadding crowd,” though tho hcach is not so* fine as at Otaki.