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Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 81, 28 July 1877, Page 2

A petition for presentation to the Government has been prepared, and is, we understand, being numerously signed, praying that certain roads be made on the South side of the Manawatu river. Nearly all the land in the Fitzherberton Block has been purchased, and many of the purchasers are only waiting for roads to be made to settle upon their land. It is a great pity that such fine country should be locked up for the want of roads, and it is a positive hardship to the settlers who have purchased land in this block, that they are prevented from settling upon and improving their holdings, simply because no provision has been made for the formation of roads through the block. We trust that the Government will consider this petition favourably. A meeting of the Local Board was held at the office on Saturday, for the purpose of receiving tenders for forming and metalling the footpaths on the South side of the Square. The following is a list of the tenders opened :— Wylds £49, Raymond £48, Collins £48, Nathan £64, and Hall £44. The last mentioned tender was accepted. A letter was read from J. T. Stewart, Esq., District Engineer, in reply to one from the Chairman, asking that the balance of the old tramway rails now lying in the Square, should be handed over to the Board, to be used for kerbing the footpath from the Railway Station towards the East end of the township. The request was granted on condition that the timber be used for the purpose specified. Referring to the of forming the footpath from the Railway Station towards, the East end of the town, and the gift by J. T. Stewart; Esq., of the old tramway rails to be used as kerbing for the same, it is to be hoped that the Board, or the Council about to be elected, will, take steps to have this most important work done without delay as the road in that direction is in a most deplorable state, being almost useless for any sort of traffic more especially for pedestrians who are forced to take advantage of the railway line at present. This mode of getting into town will, we believe, soon be stopped, as in all probability the line will be fenced on both sides through the township. If only on this account, we trust that no time will be lost in making the footpath. It will be a comparatively cheap work taking the gift of the timber into consideration. If the local authorities had to purchase the timber for this purpose, it would form a serious item in the expense of making the footpath, and might reasonably be urged as an excuse for delaying the work. Mr McColl, the ever energetic librarian to Parliament, has had prepared and fixed on convenient stands in the library by far the most interesting and valuable maps that have yet appeared in connection wish the RussoTurkish war. The maps are on a very large scale, and as telegrams bring news of the movements of the forces on either side, these movements are indicated by means of moveable pins, having little colored flags attached to them, red in the case of the Turks, and blue in the case of the Russians. Mr McColl deserves the thanks of members for furnishing them with a daily record of war proceedings, which it is not too much to say "He who runs can read.''—" Times."