Empire Hotel (P. L. Harnett, proprietor), Main Street, Foxton. Situated opposite the post-office, and the nearest hotel to the railway station and wharves, this hostel contains excellent accommodation for travellers, and private rooms for families. Since Mr. Harnett took over the house it has undergone improvement in every department. The cuisine is first-class. The proprietor was born in 1856 in County Limerick, Ireland, and came to New Zealand in 1880 from Victoria, where he had resided for a year. He joined the Armed Constabulary in Wellington, served from Waingongoro to Stoney River, and afterwards gravitated into the regular police force. He was stationed at Wellington, Johnsonville, Lower Hutt, Masterton, and Patea, and on leaving the latter place (where he was Public Trust Agent, Clerk to the Court for Patea and Waverley, and representative of Labour and other departments), he was the recipient of two illuminated addresses, accompanied by a purse of sovereigns from the public and some valuable jewellery from the local magistracy. He retired from the force with the rank of first-class constable. Mr. Harnett is married and has six children.