THE PATEA MAIL. Published Wednesdays and Saturdays, SATURDAY, MAY 22, 1875.

Patea Mail, Volume 1, Issue 12, 22 May 1875, Page 2

THE PATEA MAIL. Published Wednesdays and Saturdays, SATURDAY, MAY 22, 1875.

Fon some time past a rumour has been rife that the Hon. Julius Vogel aspires to a scat in the House of Commons, and that he will shortly sever his connection with this Colony, We cannot say what foundation there exists for the circulation of such a report, but wo do think it is one calculated to do great harm if let pass uncontradicted. When Mr Vogel first propounded his startling scheme, he fairly frightened the slow going portion of the colonists who viewed with alarm the trial of such an enormously costly experiment as that of the Public Works and Immigration Scheme. The prospects of the Colony wore so gloomy, however, that the golden vista with which the great enchanter gladdened the eyes of t he people, fairly routed both caution and fear from the minds of the majority, who saw in the borrowed millions a season of plenty and prosperity for New Zealand. So far, Mr Vogel has borrowed and spent right royally, and the Colony has made wonderful strides under the operation ; but it is open to question whether, in the Public Works expenditure, wo have not paid too dearly for onr steam whistle. At present the work is but half completed, and therefore protected to a certain extent from adverse criticism ; but it is only too palpable that blunders of a most costly character have been plentifully made in the laying out and construction of many of the railway lines now in course of formation. A sort of penny wisdom and pound foolishness seems to have pervaded the engineering staff, as most of those employed in the laying out of the railway linos of the Colony have sacrificed the spirit of their instructions in a stupid adherence to the letter. Mr Vogel, when putting the country in possession of the details of his scheme, stated that it was intended to cover Now Zealand with a complete network of light narrow’ gnage railways, which, exclusive of rolling-stock and station accommodation, should not cost over £5,000 a mile. In attempting to fulfil this estimate, engineers have been tempted to cast aside every other consideration, and have, to avoid a heavy cutting or other expensive work, taken the lines over far more ground than was at all necessary, thus putting the country to much useless expense. A short length of line in this manner has been made to cost some £20,000 more than there was any necessity for; hut then the engineers have adhered to the parliamentary limit, although they know full well they could have laid the line out to cost less in the aggregate, while in one or two miles of its course it might exceed the aforesaid limit, but while doing so w’onld so shorten the whole length as to effect the above saving. This is no fancied case, as we have been over the section in question, and seen for ourselves the whole of the facts alluded to. The Foxton and Palmerston tramway has already cost as much as a railway, and is at this moment all but useless, owing to the wooden rails being unequal to the traffic. Iron rails are being slowly substituted, so slowly that it is questionable whether the present generation will live to seethe completion of the work. In other parts, too, the construction of the various lines have boon both slow and expensive, so much so as to induce many to believe that the authorised loan will fall far short of the strain they will be called upon to bear in order to finish the works they have been raised to pay for. Under those and a multiplicity of similar circumstances, it is very undesirable that the

gentleman who gave birth to the scheme should desert his offspring before it has arrived at a sufficiently advanced stage of existence to stand alone. Parliament gave Mr Vogel everything he asked for, and looks to him to fulfil to the best of his abilities the promises he made when dazzling the country with his celebrated Public Works and Immigration Scheme. When Mr Stafford for a short time supplanted him. in the Government of the country, everybody regretted the action of the former, as they thought it a dangerous thing to release Mr Vogel from the task ho had imposed upon himself, any failure in which means ruin to our commercial prosperity. Mr Vogel should retain the holm of G-ovornment until his scheme has been navigated to its successful finish, and neither on his part nor on that of his opponents should any attempt to release him from that post be tolerated. He is the only man among his own party competent to carry out the task he has undertaken, and it would he quite out of the question to expect the other side of the House to undertake the safe conduct of a policy they have condemned and opposed from its birth. In their hands its speedy failure would bo sure of achievement, while in Mr Vogel’s it Ims its best chance of success. It is his scheme, anti in it is bound up his reputation as a statesman; to him, therefore, must its

completion be left. Wo are compelled to hold over several letters, &e., till onr next issue. The Tongariro was unable to get out last night, the tide being too low. We would call the attention of onr readers to Mr Sherwood’s notice of meetings in another column. Messrs Ashforth and Liffiion will hold a sale of freehold properties at their rooms, Wanganui, on Wednesday, 26th instant. For further particulars, we refer our readers to onr advertising columns. Wc are sorry to learn that Mr Dclamore lost a fine draught horse on Thursday last, under very peculiar circumstances. He was working on the Unthanks Road, and in crossing the new bridge, the leading horse, who seemed rather frightened, fell down dead. Mr Dclamore attributes it to nothing but fright, as the horse appeared perfectly well in the morning. We learn that Mr W. Williams paid a visit to Kotemarae this week, in order to find a site for the proposed saw mill, but did not succeed in making any definite arrangmuents with the natives, who are the owners of the land upon which it is intended to erect the mill. The district) we believe, is well suited for the purpose, there being a plentiful supply of good timber. We hope that the necessary arrangements will soon be made, so that the Tatea district will be able to supply itself with timber, and not have to wait for its arrival by vessels, which has been the cause of delaying the erection of buildings for months longer than was necessary. There are several houses in course of erection here now, and the cry seems to be general among builders—no timber. A valuable addition has been made to Taranaki Hoad, in the shape of a very neat building, which occupies part of the space between Mr Sherwood’s and Mr Potto’s. Wc understand the building will be used as an office by Mr Cowern. It will bo seen by an advertisement in another column, that the Wairoa people intend holding sports on Monday next (Queen’s Birthday.) As it is a pleasant ride to the Wairoa Racecourse, and there being no counter-attraction here, we should think the sports would bo well patronised.

We have received the first number of the Inangahua Times , which has been started in opposition to the Herald in the Rccfton district. It is double-demy size, and contains a plentiful supply of reading matter. The following will show that the old journal intends, if possible, to keep advertisements tendered for to itself : “ The tender of the Inangahua Herald , of one penny per inch, has been accepted by the Eeefton Road Board, for general advertising for the current year.” The Wanganui Herald says ; —“ The fallow deer turned out by the Acclimatisation Society some five or six years ago at Tapanui have increased considerably, and they now number about 80. Parties out pig-hunting on the outskirts of the forest have often during the last fortnight come upon small herds of these animals. The small lot turned out at the Mouvern Hills about the same period have betaken themselves to the bush at the head of Lake Hawea, and they have also considerably increased in numbers.

It is said that during a secret session of a Chicago board of commissioners, one was astonished to see an anger tip projecting through the carpet, and upon examination, found that a party of reporters had bored through the cellar, with the object of hear, ing what was said. We should be surprised at nothing done by American pressmen. Their motto'is that all is fair in love, war, and newspaper r •porting.

Tlie Canterbury Frees says;—“ The sales of blood stock usually held after race meetings in Christchurch, took place on the 26th April, conducted at Tattersall’s by Messrs J. and R. Campbell, and at Cobb and Go’s stables by Messrs J. T. Ford and Co. Though a number of horses were catalogued at both sales, comprising some of the best blood in New Zealand, not one lot submitted was placed, each one being returned to the owner. The following ig the result. Submitted by Messrs J. and R. Campbell : —Tadinor passed in at 210 gs ; Somnambula do, llOgs ; Mcdora do, 90gs ; Tamburini do, 160 gs ; Lough Neagh do, 120gs ; Parawhenua do, 120gs ; Maritana no bid ; Traduccr colt, no bid ; Hercules passed in at 230gs; Defamer, 210gs; Wink colt, 45 gs. Messrs J. T. Ford and Co—Phoebe colt, by Towton, passed in at 450 gs ; Wahnea colt do, 350gs; colt dam Harekiki do, 250 gs ; colt dam Queen of the South do, 180 gs ; colt dam Shrovetide) 200 gs ; colt dam Fair Puritan do, 180 gs ; colt dam Certainty, 180 gs ; Twitter, dam Skybird, 130 gs.” [Hercules, mentioned above, is a three-year old colt, by Ravensworth, dam Plover, and is own brother (a year younger) to Mr R. E. Mcßae’s thoroughbred entire Monarch.] A new use has been proposed for the Great Eastern. She is to be anchored during the Centennial Expedition, and to be made a great floating hotel, in which 5,000 persons can be accommodated. What an amount of discomfort wet boots entail, and how well we all recall the painful efforts we have now and then made to draw on a pair of hard-baked ones, which were put by the fire over night to dry. Once on, they are a sort of modern stocks, destructive of all comfort, and entirely demoralising to the temper. The following plan will do away with this discomfort: — When the boots arc taken off, fill them quite full with dry oats. This grain has a great fondness for damp, and will rapidly absorb the least vestige of it from the wet leather. As it takes up the moisture it swells and fills the boot with a tightly fitting last, keeping its form good, and drying leather without hardening it. In the morning, shake out the oats, and hang them in a bag near the fire to dry, ready for the next wet night, draw on the boot, and go happily about the day’s work.