Places of Amusement.

Princess Theatre, Fire Brigade Hall, Academy of Music.

Hotels.

Chavanne's Victoria Hotel, Victoria Avenue.

Foster's Steam Packet Hotel, Taupo Quay. Tariff, 6s 6d per day.

Watkins' Newmarket Hotel, Victoria Avenue.

Rapley's Prince of Wales Hotel, Taupo Quay. Tariff, 4s per day.

M'Laren's Anchor Hotel, Bell-street, opposite Court-house.

Livery Stable Keepers.

Robt. Ross, Victoria Avenue. Hacks, 10s per day; carriages, per agreement.

Smiley's Livery Stables, Victoria Avenue.

Hackney Cabs, Carriages, &c., Borough of Wanganui.

Schedule of Rates or Fares for Single Passenger:

Fares by Time.

Fares by Distance.

Night Work.

Double the above fares (by time or by distance) may be charged; before 8 a.m. and after 7 p.m.

These fares apply to days other than Sundays only.

The hirer or passenger shall have the option of paying either by distance or time.

The town of Wanganui is situated on the river of the same name, about four miles from the entrance, where it falls into the sea. A short line of railroad connects the town with the Heads, and here, in the future, a great deal of the work of the port will be done. At present steamers have four miles of river to ascend to the town wharves, which are of a substantial character, and contain goods sheds, bonded stores, &c., belonging to the Government; and the Foxton and Taranaki Railway has sidings on the wharf by which goods are speedily transferred from the vessels to the trucks, and vice versâ. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. have an imposing warehouse and stores; Hogan Bros., and the Railway Station are all on Taupo Quay. A splendid bridge of iron spans the river, 600 feet in length, which was erected at a cost of £40,000. Above the bridge, which has a centre span, and which swings to admit of vessels passing through, is a scene of more than ordinary beauty. The river is of a great width, and the mountain range, of which the crowning point is Mount Ruapehu, is not to be excelled. The cliffs on the right bank of the river are named after Shakespeare. The town is built on the north bank of the river, the chief street, Victoria Avenue, containing the best portion of the shops and offices. The cross streets, Taupo Quay and Ridgway Street, are, however, pretty well crowded with shops and offices. Victoria Avenue is almost a portion of the Great North Road. Three lines or roads lead out to the opal country and to the various centres of population lying around Wanganui, and are known as No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 Lines, respectively, being so named when constructed by the troops during the late Maori war, and have been known as such ever since, Very confusing this nomenclature is to the newcomer, who is some time before he can distinguish between 1, 2, and 3 Lines, to say nothing of another road called the Brunswick Line.

At Aramoho, the river is crossed by a substantial railway bridge; and at Aramoho, the junction of the northern and southern portions of the line take place, the southern crossing the bridge, and the northern ascending the hill by a long incline.

The suburbs of Wanganui are Taylorville, on the southern side of the river, and the hills on the No. 2 Line, on which is built the suburbs of Durietown; and Eastown, where the Government Workshops are situated.

On the northern side, in addition to Aramoho, St. John's Hill, where a splendid view of the valley and river are obtained, as well as the view seaward; Mosstown, on the flat between the sea and St. John's Hill. The suburbs contain many well-built houses, with gardens.

Recreation Reserves.

The town is well off for breathing places. The chief is the Recreation Reserve on the Town Belt, which is partly laid out as a racecourse, and is acknowledged to be about the best in New Zealand. The Caledonian Society have also a space railed off, where their athletic sports take place annually on St. Andrew's Day.

The Rifle Range, containing three targets, is immediately beyond the racecourse, where more than one champion shot of the felony has trained.

Cook's Gardens is an open place, entrance to which is obtained from four points, viz., St. Hill-street, Guyton-street, Wilson-street. It is a great playground, and, being situated in the centre of the town, is much used by the children. It is well planted with trees round the outside.

Queen's Gardens is a similar space, but more hilly, and only recently reclaimed, enclosed in which now stands the remains of the old Rutland Stockade, now used as a gaol, and looks like some rid fort of the middle ages frowning over the Courthouse, which is at the foot of the hill.

There is also another space at St. John's Hill, which is known is Victoria Park, and is in great request for cricket, picnics, &c.

The Public Buildings

Are the Council Chambers and Fire Brigade Hall, in St. Hill-steet; Public Library, in Ridgway-street; Courthouse, in Market Square; and a fine Masonic Hall, in Bell-street.

Murray's Foundry.

The Wanganui Iron and Brass Foundry and Engineering Works were established by the present proprietor in the year 1868, at which time it employed some 6 or 8 men; since then it has slowly but steadily grown to its present size, and employs, in busy times, upwards of 150 men. It now covers upwards of half an acre, and the buildings are well arranged, and contain many modern tools and appliances. On the whole it is one of the most important industries on the West Coast, being capable of turning out all kinds of machinery, including saw mill, corn mill, and flax machinery, cheese, butter, and meat preserving plants, steam engines and page 24 boilers, from 2 to 50-horse power, and many other pieces of machinery too numerous to mention. The works have a frontage to the river, and small steamers, yachts, and launches are successfully dealt with. The firm has also successfully contracted for, and erected, many of the Government works throughout the colony. A large river steamer for the W.R.S.N. Co. is now on the stocks at the works. She is being built with 19 water-tight compartments; draught, 18 inches; working up to 90 horse power, and capable of steaming twelves miles an hour.

The Sash and Door Factory

Is on Taupo Quay, and when in full working 'order gives employment, directly and indirectly, to about 200 people. Herd everything in the shape of joinery and turnery is turned out in a style equal to anywhere in the colony. Doors, sashes, mouldings, casks, buckets, fretwork brackets, tracery work, naves, spokes, wheelwright's work, in fact specimens of wood-work in every branch are on hand in large quantities. The immense piles of building material and of rare woods show that the local demand does not absorb the resources of the establishment.

Flour Mills.

The Wanganui Flour Mills are situated in Nixon-street. Proprietor, Mr. J. Duigan. There are also flour mills at Warrengate belonging to Mr. James Baker.

Bone Mills.

Mr. E. Wright's bone mills are also situated in Nixon-street.

Cheese Factory, Okoia.

Seven miles from Wanganui, on the line of rail to Foxton, and has been in working order about two years. At present the shareholders place about 40 tons of cheese during the season on the market. The cheese is of a very good quality, and the price hitherto obtained has been satisfactory to the shareholders. Another source of profit are the piggeries, in which are fattened! stock for the bacon factory. The Okoia cheese has been found to stand a very trying voyage, is exported to Australia, and is almost solely used in the local market. In taste it is very like a Cheshire, and is a cheese that keeps well.

Cummins and Richards's Bacon Factory.

This is an industry of which very few people—even in Wanganui—know the extent, and is carried on in two establishments on Taupo Quay; and at the time the writer visited the establishments there were about 1500 pigs in process of being converted into ham and bacon. The largest building is known as Beaven's store, and the whole of the ground floor was occupied by page 25 the cutting up and salting processes. Tables lengthways, cross-ways, and every way they could be put, with piggy in every stage of dismemberment; go which way you would, men were met with bearing either sides, or hams, or rolls upon their shoulders; some mounting to the upper story, where the array of hams and sides were most attractive, most of them being nearly cured and ready for smoking. Nothing was more striking than the external cleanliness of all the appliances employed, the utter absence of all offensive odour, which is evidently owing to the slaughtering of the animals being done at the abbatoirs some miles away. The accounts of Chicago's chief industry which one has perused, could not help coming into one's mind, and though this industry, as far as Wanganui is concerned, is in its infancy, yet it cannot help but grow, and the time may come when this establishment may rival some of the American ones.

Laird's Nursery Gardens, St. John's.

These tastefully laid out grounds will repay a visit; especially if the visitor happens to visit them when the flowers are in blossom, the extent of this branch of a most important industry is realized. Almost every kind of flowering and forest shrubs are in stock, the number of native and imported acclimatised plants are legion, while added to these gardens Mr. Laird carries on an extensive business as a seed merchant. Mr. Laird recently paid a visit to Great Britain in order to extend this branch of his business. Any attempt to describe either gardens or stock is out of the question here, but catalogues can always be obtained at the store, Taupo Quay.

The other seed establishment is that of Mr. Hastings Moore, situated in Victoria Avenue, where everything in the shape of seeds for the farm, the plantation, or the flower garden are to be obtained.

John Bennie.

Five acres of hops under cultivation. Malt house in St. Hill -street. He makes a speciality of packet hops, and keeps all brewers requisites in stock. See Advt.

Caxton Lithographic and Printing Works.

Mr. A. D. Willis has, for some years, paid great attention to the lithographic portion of this business, and his enterprise and perseverence have at length succeeded in placing him at the top of the trade—no other house in New Zealand being able to produce the same class of work. The Christmas cards of New Zealand fauna and scenery are really works of art, and the preparation alone of them has been a source of profit to a number of people. Quite recently he has published two very ambitious views, both of which are perfect marvels of drawing on stone, and quite equal to page 26 anything done in England, the one of Wellington being printed in fourteen colours, the artist being Mr. W. Potts, the chief of Mr. Willis's lithographic staff. Playing cards, printers' ornamental cards, ball programmes, one series of which are gems, being entirely composed of New Zealand scenes, and all executed in a style that would be thought good in London. A first prize was awarded to Mr. Willis for this work at the Colonial Exhibition held in Wellington lately. The machinery is of the newest description, and is constantly being added to. The letter-press printing portion of the establishment is also equal to any strain likely to be made upon it. At present the number of hands employed are upwards of fifteen. The book store and stationery establishment is very complete. Artists' materials, cricketing, and football requisites, periodicals, &c., &c.

Mr. H. I. Jones has also an extensive printing establishment in the Avenue. At his establishment artists can be fitted with every requisite for oil or water colour drawing. Canvas, easels, mahls, brushes, sable, hog hair, cricketing, football, and lawn tennis materials. His stock of hand-painted cards for Christmas and Easter are quite a local industry, and the variety he imports is perhaps the most extensive in the district.

No artist need bother himself with impedimenta, he can obtain all requisites in Wanganui, and can be supplied by train or post at a few hours notice.

The Collegiate School.

The school, which ranks with the chief secondary schools in the colony, has close upon 80 boarders, and fifty day scholars.

The school buildings stand in the reserve fronting the Avenue, are large and well built, and contain, besides the big school and school rooms, the head-master's house and private dwelling houses. The whole of the interior arrangements for the pupils are of the best, and the high stand the school has taken since its reorganization render it an institution of which any community might be proud.

The gymnasium (very complete) is a large, separate building, fitted with trapezium, ladders, rings, swings, &c., &c., and is lighted with gas, the floor being covered with tan. A carpenters' shop adjoins the building, and other workshops are contemplated.

The tennis court is surrounded by a close fence, and is a great source of amusement to a section of the boys, but it is in cricket the school has the best record. In the first term of the present year, the first eleven of the school did not sustain a single defeat; in football they have not such a good record.

During the winter season the indoor amusements are:—Parliamentary Union; Debating Club: Glee Party, who give periodical entertainments to their schoolfellows, and occasionally an invite to page 27 their friends outside; Gymnastic Club, and a Naturalist's Club. There is also a Cadet Corps in connection with the school.

Divine Service is held in the big school every Sunday evening, during term time, but arrangements are now being made for the [unclear: perection] of a school chapel.

The following is a list of the masters:—Head master, Rev. B.W Harvey, M.A., school St. John's, Cam.; second master, Walter Empson, B.A., Oxen; assistants, C. Wilson, C. Rees-Mogg, St. Albans Hall, Oxen; Bowden Smith, F. Field. Drawing, R. W. Pownall.

M. R. Jackson's Saleyards, Victoria Avenue, and St. Hill Street.

These sale yards have been established for a number of years, and occupy a very central position in the Avenue. They are entered by an archway; the offices are on the right as you enter, and the eye is immmediately struck by the size and completeness of the arrangements. The cattle yards and enclosures are numerous, and sufficiently strong to stand any amount of rough usage, and are surrounded by platforms, which enable the spectators to see everything and be out of danger. The sheep yards are flagged, and when not in use are kept beautifully clean. There is also a large sheep dip, and every facility for buyers to examine stock. The sheep and cattle sales are held every alternate Wednesday, special sales for horses, carriages, buggies, harness, &c., being held every Saturday. The agency for the steamboat Huia, is also held by Mr. Jackson.

Barns and Higgie's Sale Yards, Campbelltown.

Sales are held every alternate Wednesday with F. R. Jackson's, so that Wanganui has a weekly cattle sale. Barns and Higgie have large enclosures for every description of stock, which are situated about 200 yards from the Bridge, on the River Bank. Cattle, sheep, horses, traps, carriages, and farm produce are sold every sale day, at the yards. The yards are capable of holding 400 head of cattle, and 3000 sheep, and are frequently full. The offices and auction rooms are on Taupo Quay, where sales of furniture, general merchandise, and farm produce, are periodically held.

The Wanganui Newspapers

Are the morning paper "Wanganui Chronicle," and the evening paper, "The Wanganui Herald," the latter is owned by a joint stock company. The papers are opposed in politics, but on questions affecting the good of the district, they are generally on the same side. They have each an extensive circulation, and are equally well patronised, both in town and country.

Soler's Vineyard,

Situated in Bell Street, covers about three acres of ground, and is well worth a visit. The proprietor is by birth a Spaniard, and page 28 is a practical winemaker; the vines are trained on trellis work, and when in leaf the aspect of the long vistas, especially' when the clusters of grapes are pendant overhead, is very beautiful. This industry is languishing, consequent on the duties on spirits not enabling the proprietor to ship his produce, and so compete with Australia. Should the Government remove the duties, he is prepared to go into vine growing on a large scale up the river, but not otherwise. He obtains forty tons of grapes on the average, from the three acres, and makes sixteen different kinds of wind He has wine up to sixteen years old.

Hogg's Steam Confectionery, Biscuit Manufactory, and Bakery

Are in the Avenue, and consist of engine and boiler house, fitted with one of Murray's horizontal engine and 10-h.p. boiler. The stoic room is capacious, and contains on the average, twenty tons of flour, and is iron lined. The next room contains the biscuit machines, driven by steam power. There are four of these machines—the mixer, from which the dough passes to the next machine, called a break roller, and from thence to the cutting machine, which delivers the biscuit ready for the oven. The break roller has three deliveries; near these are twenty-four different kinds of dies, or moulds for biscuits. The corner opposite the oven contains a copper boiler, and a long stone table divided by stiff iron ribs, is covered by hot sugar being passed from table to table, and finally, after passing through a machine, coming out in the various kinds of lollies so dear to the colonial child; nothing can be cleaner than everything about the place. In another part of the room are buns emerging from the oven, and tins of various shapes, contain tarts and pies, and even a wedding cake ready for its coat of iceing. All round the shelves are ranged a goodly stock of lollies in tins, and biscuits of all descriptions, shewing that Mr. Hogg's business has a wider range than the town of Wanganui.

Staffan's Rope Works

Are in St. Hill Street, and many excellent kinds of twine and rope are turned out.

Mitchell and Richards' Meat Preserving Works.

Few of our readers, perhaps, have any idea of the importance of the industry springing up here in this line. Those who see the large quantities of meat which come down from the slaughter yards in the waggons may be able to imagine what is being done, but neither this, nor seeing the number of cases and casks shipped to Wellington, would en able them to form a correct idea of the work being done. To get at this it is necessary almost to go through the works, but as this is not possible for all, perhaps a few figures may enable them to form some idea. In the first place, 150 head of cattle are put through in a week, and if this page 29 rate is kept up long, graziers need have no fear of a market for their stock. The number could easily be increased to 300 head if the firm were pushed with orders which required immediate execution. The firm do very little in the way of preserving mutton, beef being the article for which they have most demand. Of course, to put through the number of cattle named, a large staff of hands are required, and at present the firm have over sixty hands in employment—that is, counting case-makers, coopers, and others, who, though kept employed by the industry, do not work on the premises. The scene at the Guyton Street works is a busy one. The meat is received there in boxes (having been boned at the slaughter-house), and from these it is emptied on to tables, and thence conveyed to the boilers as required, After being boiled for a time it is taken out of the pan, cut up, and tinned. A number of men and boys are employed doing nothing else but filling tins and compressing the meat by means of screws. The tins having been filled, they are sent to the upper floor by means of an hydraulic lift; here the tins are topped, and then placed in pans to boil for a certain length of time. A hole is left in the top of each tin, which allows the steam to escape; after standing for a time the holes are soldered up, and then the tins are lifted out by a block and chain and conveyed to a cold water bath, in which they remain until cold enough to handle. When the time comes they are painted, labelled, and cased, and then are ready for export. That a large space is required for storeage goes almost without saying, and seeing that during last week there were over one hundred tons of tinned meat on the premises, our readers can easily imagine that already the firm find themselves cramped for want of room. To resume our description of the ground-floor, we may state that tinned beef is not by any means the only branch of the business, for stacked along the walls we noticed large quantities of salted beef stacked in tiers, and for which we believe there is a very large demand. Large tierces of boiled beef were also to be noticed stacked up. Next we noticed a plentiful supply of ox tails, ox tongues, kidneys, &c., all of which are preserved by the firm, and for which they find a ready sale. These delicacies, together with soups, sheep's tongues, and other small lines, are popular, and the firm have resolved to go in for another line, viz., roast beef. To supply this, they are having a 400-gallon tank fixed up as a gas stove, and in this the roasting will be done. It would not do to pass over the tin-making in such an establishment, for this is one of the most important branches of the industry. On the day we visited the works it was estimated 1650 tins would be turned out, and it goes without saying that, to achieve that result, a large number of hands have to be kept on. The majoaity of those employed are boys, and the dexterity with which they put page 30 together the tins is remarkable. The whole of the cooking, is done by steam, for which purpose a boiler, manufactured by Mr. D. Murray, has been erected. In this manner it may be seen that one local industry helps another, and we are glad to be able to record the fact that our local foundry can in such lines compete successfully with those of other places.

Walter Armstrong's Engineering Works,

Ridgway Street, are another example of the resources of the town; here are tools, and labour saving machines, suitable for making or repairing any article, from the small spring of a sewing machine, to the largest piece of machinery. At the period of a visit paid quite recently, there were quite a number of men and boys employed at the various benches, and in another department, gun repairing was being carried on, to say nothing of the shoeing forge in full swing.

Wanganui Parcels Receiving and Forwarding Agency.

We have to direct our readers' attention to Messrs. Pollard and Simes' advertisement, and to impress upon the mind of the public in the British Isles that those who have friends in New Zealand, and are desirous of sending small parcels as presents, not to forget to send them through Messrs Sutton, of London, addressed to Messrs. Pollard & Simes, of Wanganui. We also notice that the same firm have large blocks of land for sale, and persons with limited income desirous of obtaining small farms, at low rates, should place themselves in direct communication with Messrs. Pollard & Simes, who will favour them promptly with full particulars.

Churches.

Christ Church: Rev. T. L. Tudor, Church of England.

St. Paul's: Rev. J. Treadwell, Presbyterian.

Trinity: Rev. W. Tinsley, Wesleyan.

St. Mary's: Father Kirk, Roman Catholic.

Baptist Church: Rev. Lewis Shackleford, Fire Brigade building.

Plymouth Brethren: Bell Street.