The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 1898.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 237, 20 January 1898, Page 2

The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 1898.

We have received from the publisher a copy of tho Waikato Almanac It contains a good deal of usrful information. The annual meeting of the subscribers and members of the Cambridge Library will be held ou Monday next, at 7.30 p.m., in the reading room. We draw attention to Messrs McNicol and Co.'a advertisement re their annual Sheep Fair, to be held at Ohaupo on Wednesday and Thursday, 2nd and 3rd February. During December a total of 2477 men were employed on cooperative works, under Government departments. In the same month the total number of unemployed assisted in the colony was GO. Lieutenant-Colonel Webb will have command of the Rifle Association camp at Oimaru. In all probability the Defence Department will allow sonic of the Permanent Artillery to act as markers at the meeting. At their Cambridge sale on Saturday next, Messrs McNicol and Co. will offer a tivc-roomed cottage and allotment in Alpha-street on account of Mr N. I. Hunt. The property i 3 splendidly situated, and being for unreserved sale they should have very little difficulty in disposing of it. We understand that the accommodation at the Hospital, is severely taxed just now, there being 35 patients. In order to provide for this number some of the beds from the fever ward have had to be utilised. The fever ward at present is empty, the last patient having been discharged a few days ago.

Full particulars of the clearing sale to be held by Mr W. J. Hunter ni behalf of Mr J. H. Kelly at Te Kowhia, near Ngaruawahia, on Monday, January 31st, will be found in his column this issue. The sale will commence at 12 o'clock. A public meeting at Balclutha passed the following resolution:— " That, in the opinion of this meeting, notwithstanding the assertions of Magistrate Hawkins to the contrary, prohibition has proved beneficial in Balclutha and the surrounding districts of Clutha. The £IOO War Canoe Race at the Ngaruawahia Regatta on the 17th March will be a grand display. At least five big canoes will take part in it. Two new canoes to carry 40 mai each are under constiuction, and another has just been launched. The two big canoes that competed at Ngaruawahia last March will also take part. The Department of Agriculture intends to conduct an experiment with the object of asceitaiuing the percentages of salt and " preservitas " to be used in preserving butter. A sample of butter is being sent to Wellington from the Moa factory in Taranaki. The intention is to grade it again, and then Btorc it for another three months. We learn that the Government will in March next take over the Rangiatea Estate, Waitoa, of 4000 acres; *hey will also take over about 1000 acres of the Matamata Estate. This land is situated on the right bank of the Waihou River. Both properties are in the hands of the Assets Realization Board, and it is intended, we understand, to throw these lands opt'u for selection forthwith. Captain Fairchild has informed the Marine Department tint the B,s. Tutauekai struck an uncharted rock in Daggs 5 Sound, north of Preservation Inlet, a few days ago. The spot where the rock exists is marked on tho chart as being 84 fathoms deep. The damage appears to be confined to one of the propeller blades. Further examination will be made when the vessel arrives in Wellington. Yesterday no less than three conveyances met the train at Hamilton for the purpose of carrying passengers to Raglan. One was occupied by Mr Maxwell and family. Mr Maxwell recently told his property at Papatoitoi and has bought land at Te Mata. The others contained visitors to Raglan in search of recreation and renewed energy by a short residence at the now fashionable watering place. The Christchurch Trades and Labour Couucil passed a resolution to the effect that the Council protests against the action of the Legislative Council in throwing out the Old Age Pensions Bill, and requests the Government to take such steps aswillensnie the passing of the Bill during the next session of Parliament. It was also resolved that the Council expresses its sympathy with the movement for the abolition of the Legislative Council, and will use its isfluence with the unions affiliated in getting a petition signed to request the other Councils of New Zealand to take the matter up. Two accident cases were admitted into the Waikato District Hospital on Tuesday. Mr A. Main, of Hautapu, while engaged harsefsiog his horses into a drill got his head caught between the collar and the hamss, and the horse starting off he had the whole of the skin and flesh torn from the back of his hand before he could get free. He was taken to the institution, and his injuries, which were very painful, received prompt attention. The other case was that of Aubrey Chitty, eldest son of Mr \V. Chitty, of Brooklands, Kirikiriroa. He was thrown from his horse and had his elbow dislocated. We hope both patients will have a speedy recovery. Re the large haul of American trout made in the Rotorua Luke referred to in our last issue, the Hot Lakes Chronicle says :—Mr W. A. Williams, acting here on behalf of the Acclimatisation Society, has issued a license for lake fishing. The holder is Mr Linton, who has brought his own boats, tackle, etc., from Tauranga. The first catch was made early on Wednesday morning, when 36 brown trout, rangiug from 21b to 16. b were uetted. A . considerable portion of tho catch was forwarded to Auckland by Thursday's train. Aucther large catch of 150 fish, weighing up to 171 b each, was made on the following morning, and the major portion sent to Auckland yesterday. At the Police Court, Auckland, on Tuesday, before Mr H. W. Brabant, S.M., Isaac Alcock, a storekeeper residing at the Great Barrier, was charged with various breaches of the Licensing Act, by selling whisky without being duly licensed. There were in all seventeen cases, three of which were admitted by defendant. In view of the admission, the Sergeant agreed to withdraw the others. The first charge dealt with was one of having, on October 22 last, sold to one Phlip Brewster a bottle of whisky without being licensed to do so. In this case a fine of £2O and costs £ I 12s was imposed. The s-cond information charged him with having, on November 11, sold to one McGifford a keg ot beer without possessing a license to sell the 3ame. Defendaut admitted the charge, and was fined £ls and costs 7s. In the third Ct.se, which was one of selling to R chard Kneebone a bottle of whisky, defendant was fined £ls and costs 7s. Judging by a lively discussion which took place recently at the Dublin Town Council meeting, there is reason to believe that the Tramway Ring System has been introduced into the Irish capital A special meeting was held to consider a letter of the Lord Mayer's, produced at a recent trial, requesting tbc plaintiff to allow his name to be used as nominal contractor for coal to be supplied to the corporation, the real contractors being the Lord Mayor's firm The Lord Mayor said that in writing the letter he had acted indiscreetly, and that during the nine years of his connexion with tho corporation he had never de. rived the slightest advantage in connexion with contracts. In the discussion which ensued, charges of corrupt connexion with contracts were freely made against several other members of the council. Eventually a resolution was carried expressing strong disapprobation of the conduct of the Lord Mayor.