FOXTON

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 49, 28 January 1932, Page 8

FOXTON

. (From Our Own Correspondent.) FOXTON, Jan. 27. January 18th marked tho 51st anniversary of tho death of Foxton’s greatest benefactor, Ihakara- Tukumaru, whoso grave in Ihakara Gardens fronting the High School buildings is always a sourco of interest to visitors, tho late Ihakara Tukumaru donated the land on which the Courthouse now stands to tho Government, as well as a considerable area now occupied by the Triariglo and portion of Main- Street. In addition ho offered to Rev. James Duncan, tho first Presbyterian minister in thoso parts; the land on which tho Foxton Presbytorian Church now stands, but Mr Duncan refused to accept the. land free from 'his Native friend and paid him £ls for tho section. Tho deeds in this connection are still in tho hands of the local Presbyterian Church officials. What is now known as Ihakara Gordons, at that timo an old Native cometcry, was also handed over by deceased as a reserve while the land on which tho District High School buildings stand also found thejr way into Europoan hands through the generosity of his descendants, and it was an acknowledgment of these gifts and as a mark of the esteem in which ho was always held by tho Europeans that tho gardens wore called, after him. Thero is little further to report in connection with the recent announcement by tho Unemployment Board to tho effect that an arrangement had boon como to for the starting of operation in three flax.mills in tho Manawatu but, hopes arc running very high in Foxton that this is tho forerunner of the ro-establishmcnt of tho industry. As far as Messrs Ross, Rough ..and Coy aro concerned thoy commenced putting . their mill in order last Monday and anticipate being able to commence stripping on Monday next., Scutchings, of course, will not commence until a la tor dato when there is sufficient fibre on hand.