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Waikato Argus, Volume II, Issue 113, 30 March 1897, Page 2

The d;ttn tor the opening of the season for shooting native game has been tixed for Saturday, 17th April. The opening for many years was ou the Ist April, but of later years the date has been a movable one, but little trouble is taken to make the public acquainted with the proper date,

Mr Ceo. Edgecumbo thanks those electors who accorded him their support at the late licensing election.

Hardin" has accepted the challenge of Wray, the New South Wales sculler, to row for £2OO aside 011 the Thame?.

Mr V. W. Lang, M.H.8., will, wc understand, leave for Auckland by the express tram on Friday, en route for Wellington, for the session of Farlianipnt, which opens there on Tuesday next.

Mr W. K. Carter has decided to return to Cambridge to live, and has bought a section on the Hamilton Road, between Mrs Young's and Mr Brown's, upon which he intends building a commodious residence.

A "working bee" was held in the grounds of the Hamilton Presbyterian Church yesterday. There was a good attendance, and a great ileal was done in the way of clearing up and improving the appearance of the grounds. The final cricket match of the season undei the Waikato Cricket Association, between the Te Awamntn and Taupiri Clubs, which should have been played on Sydney Square on Saturday, was postponed by mutual arrangement until Saturday next.

We remind ratepayers generally that unless the current rates are paid by the 3lst inst. they will find their names on the defaulters' list, and will thus forfeit their right to vote at any election during the year, and, further, will have to pay 10 per cent, extra on the amount due.

We were shown by Cjpt. Reid yesterday some capital snap shots taken liy him at Ngaruawahia during regatta day. One is a view of the scene on the arrival of the excursionists by the Auckland train, and another shows a group of Maori warriors in charge of a stack of food arranged for distribution amongst their friends.

In addition to the many improvements effected in and about the Commercial Hotel since Mr G.J. Mann became proprietor, not by any means the least important has been the providing a convenient stairway leading from the balcony into the garden, as a means of egress in case of fire. This work was completed on Saturday last.

Che shareholders in the Ward Association have determined to have the directors publicly examined. If this be done, no doubt many more astounding revelations will be extracted from very unwilling witnesses. After the liquidators' interim report, it would be a public scandal were all matters connected with the Association not sifted to the ve:y bottom.

Mr Kenneth Rains, the victim of the Te Kuiti stabbing affray, is rapidly regaining his strength, and on Saturday we saw him in the street for the first time. Mr Bain is one of Ne,v Zealand crack long distance professional runners, but he thinks some time will elapse before he attempts any more record breaking. No doubt his assailants will shortly be put upon their trial.

A race meeting was held at Te Au O Waikato, near Morrinsville, on Saturday, when an enjoyable day was spent. The following are the results : Hurdles : Discord, 1 ; Taihoa, 2 ; Shandy, 3. Maiden : Shamrock, 1 ; Tailoress, 2. Cup : Whiti, 1 ; Thunderbolt. 2; Waiwera, 3. Hack: Oreni, 1. Kiwitahi Stakes : Oreni, 1 ; Waiwera, 2 ; Thunderbolt, 3. Pony : Tiger, 1.

We remind the residents of Hamilton and tha surrounding districts of the sacred concert to be held in the Public Hall, Hamilton, to-morrow evening, as a farewell to the Rav. J. J. Mather, who is leaving at an early date to take up his duties in his new circuit. Miss Rimmer, of Auckland, will render two solos, and all the leading local talent will assist. The chair will be taken at 8 o'clock by His Worship the Mayor.

There were 389 deaths from cancer in the colony in 1896. Of these 205 were nudes and 184 females. The returns for the last four years show that the percentage of mortality from this cause has nearly doubled, while in England the increase is not fifty per cent. This is believed to be largely due to improved diagnosis and more cave iu ascertaining the exact cause of death. Cancer caused six per cent, ot the total deaths during the year.

The many friends of Mr AVilliam Odium will be surprised to hear that he is at present in the Waikato Hospital, at Hamilton, having come there from Rotorua yestceday afternoon. We understand he is suffering from sciatica and au affection of the liver, but wc trust he will soon he all right again. Ho is. wellknown and popular throughout Waikato, having to within the last year or so passed most of his life in the district, but at present he is proprietor of an hotel at Northern Wairoa.

During the past ten days the police have been engaged in making a raid in the Kawhia district, and as the consequence several charges of sly-grog selling will be brought against one European and some Maoris. A quantity of liquor was seized. The cases will be heard before Capt. Jackson, S.M., on a date to be fixed by him. It has been an open secret for some time that considerable quantities of liquor have been landed at Kawhia, and lately the traffic has been conducted in such a barefaced manner that the authorities had to take steps to suppress it.

We an: sorry to record the death of the young man Patrick Dcvitt, whose admission to the Waikato Hospital we reported in our Thursday's issue. At the time his ease was looked on as a very critical one. and notwithstanding the greatest care and attention at the hands of the doctor and nursing stall', he expired on Sunday. The deceased, who was only 26 years" of age, was a fine athletic young fellow, and his almost sudden death will come as a great blow to his parents, who have the sympathy of their many friends in their sad trouble. The funeral will leave Mr Devitt's residence, at Hamilton East, this afternoon at 3 o'clock. The victim of the assault and robbery committed on the night of the 21st, in Napier (Mr Jame." Mcintosh), is still suffering greatly from the effects of his injuries. Although he recovered consciousness some days a«o he remains in a semi-dazed condition. Mr Mcintosh's life is not despaired of, but as a precaution, and on the advice of Dr. Delisle, his depositions were taken yesterday afternoon. Great difficult} was experienced in getting him to tell his story, but fiDally a fairly clear statement was obtained. In reply to a question from Sergeant O'Donovan, "Who were the men who assaulted you?" Mr Mcintosh replied, " These are the men," indicating the accused, who were present.

During the Christmas and New \"ear holidays little or no conveniences were provided by the Railway Department for those outside the city and suburbs, beyong the issue of tickets at lower rates than usual. In past years the Department catered for this tratiie to some extent ami we venture to say with a considerable accession to the revenue. We do not know as yet what arrangements have been made for the Easter holiday season, but we hope the country districts will not be altogether left in the cold. An excursion train from Auckland on Thursday afternoon, cr early on Good Friday morning, returning to town early (m the following Monday would, we are suie, be appreciated by many, and the day excursion tn To Aroha, formerly held on Good Friday, was always well patronised, and we see no reason why it should Hot be so now.

The opinions of the English County and Australian Cricket Clubs being equally divided with reference to the lo'dow-011 rule, the Maryleboue committee have decided not to suggest any alteration in the rule.

The arbitrators appointed to decide whether Mr Charles Wilson, editor of the New Zealand Mail, or Mr R C. Kirk, mayor of I'etone, should contest the Wellington Snbmbs seat, for which Mr T. M. Wilford, solicitor, was disqualified, have given their decision in favour of Mr Wilson. Mr Kirk denies the rumour that he is likely to visit England with the rifle team, as he sees but little prospect of leaving his business at present.

Mr Robert King, of Opotiki, by an advertisement in this issue, thanks the electors of the Bay of Plenty for having so generously supported h'.m at the late election of the Licensing Committee. Mr King is personally known to many of the inhabitants of the Waikato. by whom he is both esteemed and respected. We expected he would come near heading the poll and are not disappointed, for he ranks second on the list.

Our Te Awaniutu correspondent writes :—The Rev. W. 11. Wilson will preach his farewell service in the Waikato West District in St. John's Church, To Awamntn, on Thursday evening next at 7 p.m. The rest of his family leave with him for Paeroa on the following morning, s) this will be the last occasion on which wc shall hear him preach amongst us for some time. We are glad to know that the " parson " has promised to pay his old friends periodical visits.

During the past week (writes the Hot Lakes Chronicle) the local railway employees have been working " double tides." No sooner does the Auckland train arrive than the engine and van are despatched to Putaruru for empty trucks. In some instances it is three o'clock in the morning before they return and the men must be ready shortly alter seven o'clock for thu passenger train to Auckland. Aud yet wc live under the same paternal Government which directed a prosecution against a bank in Napier for working their clerks a few hours overtime on an occasion ot urgent necessity.

Mr Cohen, in bis valedictory address to the Otago Education Board, urged that the Boards should be entrusted with the enforcement of the compulsory clauses, and that the Board should supply readers and text books to committees at prime cost as a first step towards free text books which should belong to the schools. He counselled the Minister for Education convening, during the recess, a Conference of Boards over which he should himself preside, with a view to introducing legislation making the education system truly national, ami making the amendments proved to be necessary by past experience. The whole of the members spoke in flattering terms of the services rendered to the Board and to education generally by Mr Cohen.

Mrs Seddon was entertained at a so3ial in the Opera House (Christchurch) by the Women's Social and Political League About 500 persons were present. Mrs D. Isitt presided. The Hon. Hall-Jones was present, and read a telegram from the Premier, apologising for his absence. Mrs Seddon said the women must be ever on the watch, otherwise the ground gained would be taken from them. They must make themselves acquainted with the requirements of the colony and should be careful in seuding men to Parliament who would carefully consider every question, and give effect to the. women's wishes in respect to social mutters, and endeavour to remove obstacles in the way of their progress. She claimed that as advisers women could safely be trusted. They should band themselves together for the interchange of thought and mutual confidence. The story of the disappearance o the island of Juan Fernandez, the original of Defoe's " Robinson Jrusoe," turns out to be untrue. Captain Slocum, of the United States navy, who recently reached San Francisco, states that the report is baseless, and explained its origin. He found the island precisely where it always was, and the 35 families constituting its population safe and sound. With regard to the report, he found that the captain of a Chilian barque sent from Valparaiso with stores for the islanders broke into the wine and spirit cases, and became so intoxicated that lie could no longer navigate the ship, and as there was no one on board acquainted with naivgation the ship went adrift, and after some time turned up again at Valparaiso. To screen himself the captain then invented the story that the islaud of Juan Fernaudez bad disappeared. The Minister of Railways estimates the earnings of the railways during the financial year just ending will exceed the earnings ot last year by nearly £IIO,OOO. The increased expenditure necessary to earn this amount will not exceed £30,000 The amount expended in maintenance and ballasting lines has been in excess of the amount spent in any previous year, while something like £50,000 has been expended in the construction and replacing of rolling stock, trucks, carriages, and engines. So far as the passenger and general traffic is concerned, this year will be a record one In the history of New Zealand railways, and notwithstanding the considerable increase the net earnings this year will work out at about £3 2s Gd per cent, as compared with £2 163 last year aud £2 14s Gd for the previous year. This year's earnings, 3& per cant., are the highest on record since 1883.

The first instalment of new hooks (about one hundred and fifty in number) will be on the shelves of t.ie Hamilton Public Library, lending branch, to-day (Tuesday}. They are all bound in blue cloth, with the name of the library th-.:reou. and it is intended to cover the whole of the books in a similar manner. A further lot of books are now under order, and others will be procured as rapidly as funds permit. Meantime the librarian is busy under the direction of Messrs Swarbrick and Barton sorting aud arranging the old books. Those which are in fair order will be retained. Those which are capable of being repaired will be put in good order, and all soiled and defective books will be cast aside. As soon as the necessary work can be carried out, no book will be senr. out that is not clean, perfect, and bound in the distinctive binding adopted.

On Sunday evening, according to announcement;, the Rev. J. M. Mitchell delivered a sermon at the Hamilton Presbyterian Church on ''Children who break their parents' hearts," his text being Isaiah l. 20: "I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me." The preacher said ingratitude in any form, and by whoever practised, was a heinous offence, being at the root of many crimes, and Shakespeare was right when he characterised it as worse than vanity, drunkenness, babbling, or adultery ; but the ingratitude 01 a child towards its parents was the basest ingratitude of all. The love of parents was the purest on earth ; ic was not actuated by selfishness, but the mother and father, if they were worthy of the name, vied with each other in an endeavour to place their offspring in a position in life. A son or a '-laughter who could repay such love witli ingratitude was a base ingrate indeed. He knew of a no more pitiful sight than a man taken before the court and compelled to assist his aged parents. .Such folk could only understand one kind of argument—the lash- "ami," said .Mr Mitchell, " I could take a delight in administering it myself, and I know I would have the consciences of my congregation Wiih me "—a sentiment which apparently met with the approval of those present