The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1897.

Waikato Argus, Volume II, Issue 97, 20 February 1897, Page 2

The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1897.

"We learn from Messrs Weddel and Co.'s Annual Iloviow of the frozen meat trade during 1S!)(5, that there were received into the United Kingdom 5,718,000 carcases of frozen mutton and lamb. This enormous trade has been built up in 1J years, the first shipment of 400 carcases having been sent from Australia in 1880. As is well known New Zealand has taken the lead in this business, 1 the record total of '2,412,000 carcases having reached England fror.ti this colony in 1895, the liivor Plate being a good second with 1,800,000 carcases. These Argentine shipments are nearly all sent to Liverpool, the meat going into consumption in the northern counties. The year 1898 is remarkable for the large expansion of Australian shipments, the New Zuuliiud

exports decreased by 200,000 carcases, the River Plate increased by 175,000, but Australian contributions showed un expansion of 685,000 carcases, being an increase of 05 per cent, on the previous year's total. Moreover, there is now only a trifling difference between market Tallies of Australian Merino mutton and New Zealand crossbred. During last year prices were frequently equal. Australia is thus an increasingly powerful competitor in this trade, and it behoves our producers to use their utmost efforts to maintain the highest possible standard with our shipments. Among numerous interesting details of the business of 1890. we can only select two. (a) The population of the United Kingdom is increasing at the rate of something over 1000 per day, say 400,000 per annum. During the past ten years the increase in the Home flocks has barely kept pace with the growing food requirements It is estimated that to-day thd United Kingdom requires to import 271 b of meat out of the total consumption of 871 b per head of the population. Of this 271 b the proportion of frozen meat imported is only 91b. There is, therefore, ample room for development of our colonial exports, without driving the British farmer out of his own markets. As a matter of fact, prices for prime English mutton averaged slightly higher in 1595 than ten years previously, (b) It has often been stated that freezing injures the tissues or lowers the quality of meat. During the past year a series of exhaustive investigations has been carlied out by Dr. Samuel Rideal. D. Sc, London, who has now certified that after comparing prime English country killed beef, American chilled beef, and Queensland frozen beef, ho finds absolutely no difference, that hard freezing in -no way injures the fibres or tissues, and that both with regard to digestibility and for tho preparation of soups or beef tea the hard frozen meat is of intrinsically the same value as that which has been chilled or freshly killed. We in New Zealand are aware that the tough, hard meats, which have from time to time been complained of by purchasers, could never have come from these colonies, and it is to be hoped that the above authoritative utterance may be useful in English markets and in promoting the sale of frozen meat at something nearer fair relative values. If it is as good as English meat we are surely entitled to look for better prices.

On our fourth page we publish the remainder of Mr W. Tucker's interesting paper on " A Trip to Christchurch." The Hufct Park Railway pays a dividend of iO per cent, und carries forward £3lB. The quarterly meeting of the Raglan County Council will be held at Ngaruawahia on Wednesday next. The Permanent Artillery corps at Auckland and Lyttelton are to be strengthened by the addition of 20 men each. The Government contemplates making farther conncessions in railway freights, especially on goods, at the end of the financial year. The quarterly meeting of the Waikato Fruitgrowers' Association will be held at Ohaupoon Tuesday next, 23rd iust., at 11 o'clock. The knife for which search has been going on ever since the Petonc murder, and which is believed to be an important link in the case, has come into the hands of the police. A large consignment of Lincoln sheep is to bo shipped from Wellington by G. H. Scales to Monte Video on board the Kaikoura. Some are from the estate of Perry Brothers, Masterton, and some from Auckland. Crimson clover is a plant well worthy of a trial in this district. We draw the attention of our agricultural readers to the article concerning this plant in our Farm and Garden Notes in to-day's Supplement. A telegram r< ceived from Dunedin last night says that John Ryley has been committed for trial in connection with his bankruptcy. Bail was allowed in two sureties of £2OO each, and himself in £4OO. Bail was immediately forthcoming. The Rev. J. M. Mitchell will conduct the services in the Hamilton Presbyterian Church to morrow, morning and evening, and nt Tamahere in the evening. The evening subject will be : " How long will the Hamilton Presbyterian Church Live ?" Mr E. White, of Hamilton, announces that he will deliver an address on " Conditional Immortality " in the Voluuteer Hall to-morrow (Sunday) night, commencing at 8 o'clock. Mr White intends to review the sermon preached by the Rev. H. Bull in the Wesleyan Church last Sunday, a report of which appeared in our columns on Tuesday. In the course of an interview at Sydney, Bishop Julius referred to prohibition in New Zealand. He said the movement was splendidly organised, but had received a severe check. His own belief was that New Zealaud was a sober country, that prohibition was dangerous as a policy, had little chance of success, and that the State system of licensing control was probably the best. The harvest festival sermons in connection with Trinity Wesleyau Church, Hamilton, will be preached tomorrow by Mr W. Shepherd Allen, M.A., of Annandalc. The visits of this gentleman are greatly appreciated by young and old, and for four years in succession he Ins preached the harvest aernious. Special collections will be made on behalf of the circuit fund. We understand that Mr W. Geach, formerly the popular landlord of the Frankton Hotel, has about concluded negotiations for taking over the new Whatawhata Hotel. If this information is correct, the Whatawhata and Waipa people will have secured a good man as " Mine Host" at their local hostelry, and in this commodious and wellsituated house Mr Geach should bo able to build up a steady and lucrative business. Mr T. M. Hall, son of Mr Roht. Hall, of One Tree Hill, has recently purchased from the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company that desirable- property on the Ohanpo Road, formerly owned by Mr C. Hibbs. The estate comprising fome CSS acres, is well situated, close to good markets, and in the hands of a good practical farmer, such as one cvpects the son of Mr Kobt Hall to be, we have no doubt whatever but that the purchase will turn out satisfactorily. Lord Onslow has sent out an illuminated address, framed in oak, and a iin« Union Jack (20ft. x. 12ft.) to tha Ngatihuia tribe, after which his son, born in New Zealand, was named. Lady Onslow sent a large "portrait of the hoy. These were handed over by Sir Walter Buller, at Muliuonoa, near Papatitonga Lake, this week, on the occasion ot the tangi over the remains of Hutu Roero, a woman of high rank, and the opening of the new carved house, the work of Morehu, a Tohunga of some repute. There were great rejoicings oa the occasion, and the Maoris were delighted. In an address, Lord Onslow .says tiie Maori housi) is now erected on his estate, and is full of memorials of the Ngatihuia.

We direct attention to Messrs McNicol and Co.'s advertisement re their second Sheep Fair, which will bo held at Ohanpo on Wednesday, March 10th. The Cambridge sports programme will be found in this issue. It is a most attractive one and should command large entries for the contest which will take plice on St. Patrick's Day. In the evening a concert and dance will be held in the Oddfellows' Hall, and the proceeds from it will be devoted to liquidating some little extra expenditure that the trustees of the fund for benefiting the family of the late Frank O'Neill have incurred, and if there is a surplus it will be used for the benefit of the family of the late E. W. Stewart. A quiet little wfidding was celebrated at St. Peter's Church, Hamilton, on Tuesday morning, when Mr 8. W. King, of Taranaki, and Miss V, E, H. Dunne, of Hamilton, were made legally one. The bride, who looked exceedingly nice, was attired in a pretty grey tweed travelling dress, brightened with dark green. She was attended by her younger sister (Miss M. Dunne) and Miss King as bridesmaids, and v. as given away by her brother, Mr Va) Dunne, also of Taranaki. Mr J. S. Edgecumbe acted us groomsman, and the ceremony was conducted by the Rev. R. O'C. Biggs. In the afternoon Mr and Mrs King left for Tc Aroha, where they will make a short stay before proceeding to their future home in Taranaki. There was a sitting of the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday at Hamilton, Capt. Jackson, S. M., on the bench. There were only four small debt cases. P. LeQuesne v. John Clarke (judgment summons). Claim £5 9s, for board and lodging.—Ordered to pay 10s per month, first payment to be made at the expiration of two months. P. LeQuesne v. John Emerson, claim £4 10s. No appearance of defendant. Judgment for amount claimed and lGs costs. Fawkes and Foxall v. Emilia McLeish (Mr O'Neill for the defendant), claim £2 9.", for timber supplied.—Non-3uited on grounds that the debt was due by the husband of defendant. The same v. John Douglas, claim £1 Gs. The amount of claim had been paid.—Judgment for costs, 21s. Several inhabitants of Cambridge decided ou Wednesday, that they WCllld take a holiday and visit the Tauranga races. They went to Te Arolu on that day, where they were joined by several others, and .shortly before 5 p.m. they started for Tauranga, via the Katikati Track. They reached a point about a mile from the top of the range shortly before 7 p.m., when they encountered a big slip. They endeavoured to find a way through the bush, but nearly lost their horses in so doing, and finally had to sleep on the road. Two of them walked to Katikati and brought back picks and shovels, but the contract was too big and they joined their friends in an endeavour to slumber on the road. They were without anything to eat from 1 p.m. on Wednesday till they reached Te Aroha the next morning, and had not even alimejuiee to drink. They reached Cambridge again on Thursday evening, having missed all the "big " divs." at the Tauracga races. Mr C. Craig's horse had a miraculous escape; he slipped down a place fully fifty lect deep, we are told, and it was nob thought he would ever be got out again. But old " Dandy " climbed the boulders like a cat, and he reached Cambridge safely, but much cut about. Two well established surgeons in Paris have been arrested, and a third, an American practitioner, "is wanted." Miss Ida Thompson, aged thirty-three, a handsome English lady, and directress of the trying-on department iu Kedfern's monster establishment, died suddenly a few days ago while undergoing an operation in a doctor's surgery, aided by two confreres. The death inspector did not like the circumstances, refused the certificate to inter, to the remains were sent to the morgue for medico-legal examination. The result was a report that death was caused in an attempt to secure criminal ends. Iu the meantime Miss Thompson's papers were seized. They revciled she had been the mistress of a relative for some time, had become enceinte, and desired to destroy the evidence of her shame. The relative implicated wa? a Captain Mausuy, a distinguished writer on equestrian subjects. When requested to come to Paris to explain his letters to his mistress—he lived in the suburbs—he entered his study and shot himself. His wife and three young children were in the next room. The books and correspondence of the arrested medical men, and " the list of their clients operated upon," have been seized by the police; also the instruments, etc. The body of a young woman who died from a similar operation a year ago, has been exhumed, and is undergoing medico-legal examination. The fee for the operation was IOOOfr., and care in the doctor's honse during a fortnight. Everybody whose name is registered and letters seized will be prosecuted. 11 agine the scacdal ! There wei'ft foreign clients, also some will be cited as witnesses for the prosecution.