The Waikato Argus. GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. SATURDAY, MAY 14, 1898.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 288, 14 May 1898, Page 2

The Waikato Argus. GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. SATURDAY, MAY 14, 1898.

♦ Our cablegrams this morning contain little that is fresh concerning the war. Spain is in a state border ing on civil war, and if it be true that the Spanish fleet, which was reported as having been at Cape de Verde, has returned to Cadiz, the Americans have a free hand as to throwing troops into Cuba and the Philippines. With the country in a state of anarchy, one fleet destroyed, and the other safely sheltered in Cadiz, Spain is in a sad state indeed, and now that victory is impossible and defeat certain, it is to be hoped that the good services of other Powers will be tendered in order to restore peace and save further bloodshed. The longer the war lasts the greater will be the claim of the conquering Power to compensation. The news from Italy is of a startling nature, the population appears to be prepared for a revolution, and if the statement of the Times is to be accepted that the Vatican is in league with the Socialists and Republicans in order to overthrow the House [of Savoy, serious trouble is brewing. We accept this statement, however, with very great doubts.

Lord Ranfurly left Sydney by the Mouowai on Thursday. The New Zealand Crown Mines Company crushed 1667 tons for bullion, valued at £3OBI. Mr J. A. Young, dentist, notifies that he will visit Te Awamutu next Tuesday, 17th May. We remind Te Awamutu readers that Mrs Long will open a dancing class in the local hall on Saturday, 21st inst. The Misses Soppett intimate that they will re-open their dancing class for juveniles in the Volunteer Hall, Hamilton, on Saturday next. The ordinary meeting of the Piako County Council will be held at the County Office, Morriusville, on "Wednesday, 18th inst., at 11 a.m. The Cambridge Public Hall Committee met jyesterday morning and decided to have the floor of the building planed and the place generally renovated. The Cambridge branch of the New Zealand Mothers' Union will meet at St. Audrew's schoolroom on Tuesday next, at 3 p.m. Subject for discussion, "The Soul." A shipment of oranges from the South Sea Islands received at Wellington by the Upolo, was inspected by the Government biologist, and found to be free from disease. The football season opens seriously on Saturday next, when Hamilton and Ohaupo meet at Ohaupo, and Cambridga and Waingaro on Sydney Square. The Huntly Club has a bye. The Christchurch bakers have decided to raise the price of bread one penny per loaf. The price of flour is now £l3 per ton in 2001 b sacks, £l3 10s in 1001 b sacks, £l3 15s in 501 b bags, and £l4 in 251 b bags. At the Waikato Amateur Athletic sports meeting on Wednesday last, out of three bicycle races the Skeates' machine was responsible for two firsts, a second and a third, which is certainly a creditable record. In connection with the Trinity Presbyterian Church Sunday-school an« nivereary to-morrow, we have been requested to announce that the Rev. W. Uannell will conduct a children's service in the afternoon, at 3 o'clock. Mr R. N. Buttle left Cambridge by yesterday morning's train en route for Mexico. We learn that in a short time Mr Harry Clark, son of Mr G. E. Clark, of Cambridge, will follow Mr Buttle to the same estate. Full particulars of the clearing sale to be held by Mr W. J. Huuter on behalf of Mr H. Kirk on Wednesday next, May 18th, will be found in his usual column this morning. The sale is without reserve, and will commence at 2 o'clock. The monthly meeting of the Hamilton Bcrough Council, which was to have been held last evening, was adjourned until Monday evening, Crs. Tippin, Salmon and Gwynne being the only members in attendance at eight o'clock. The Renter's Telegram Company has declared a dividend of two and ahalf per cent, for the past half year, making five per cent, for the year. The j total profits earned during 1897 amounted to £10,687, whereof £5177 was added to the Eeserve Fund, which now amounts to £26,000. We learn that Mr F. J. Marshall, of Morrinsville, has purchased the thoroughbred entire Leolantis from Mr L. D. Nathan, aud intend to stand him in Waikato this coming season. He is a half-brother to St. Leger, champion sire of New Zealand, and himself champion show ring horse of Auckland. The cricket bat, presented by Mr Wm. Bright, of the Hamilton Hotel, to the Hamilton Cricket Club, at the commencement of tho season for the best average during the series of matches, has been won by Mr A. E. Manning. We have not been able to obtain a correct list of the averages ; but will publish them in a future issue. A telegraphic chess match has been arranged between the Hamilton and Ngaruawahia Chess Clubs, six players a-side, to commence at 7 p.m. next Tuesday evening. The players will be—Ngaruawahia : Messrs Da vies, Burr, Gould, Wells, Rathborne and Mallindine. Hamilton : Messrs Stevens, Lye, Home, G. Edgecumbe, McCraa and Going.

The railway authorities announce that cheap excursion tickets at 2d per mile first class aud Id per mile second class (minimum 4s and 2s respectively) will be issued from any station to any Btation from Saturday, 21st hist., until Tuesday, 24th inst., iuclusive, available for return up to and including Thursday, May 31st. Passengers must commence the journey on the day the tioket is taken out, and may break it at any station at which the traiu is timed to stop, after travelling the first 25 miles. These tickets may be extended to make them available for a further period of two weeks on payment of the difference in value between the Ordinary single ticket aud half the excursion fare. Passengers desiring extension of time must apply, before the expiration of the excursion ticket, at the station to which it was originally issued. The Waikato hounds met at Mr Comer's residence at Pukekura on Wednesday afternoon, where a most sumptuous spread was laid out for all and sundry. We need hardly say full justice was donoto it, and the health of Mr and Mrs Comer was drunk in bumpers of the good old English beverage and the real " mountain dew." A very fair day's sport was had. A hare was found in the gully at the back of Mr Comer's, which gave a steady run, but the hounds were too good for her, and she met her end not far from Trelawney. Another hare was found in a guliy, but unfortunately she was '• chopped." A move was then made to the other side of the road and a hare was found that afforded good sport for the remainder of the day. The at' tendance at the hunt has not been as large as could be wished ; but now that Polo has finished for the season and the rain has softened the ground the fields will increase in size, and the sport will be much betcer, for the scent was not at all good while the ground was so dry. In our advertising columns appears an advertisement notifying that au entertainment will be given on May 24th (Queen's Birthday) in aid of St. Peter's Sunday-school, Hamilton. The aunouncement.is rather vague, and it certainly fails to give one any idea of the merits of the show it is proposed to submit. The ladies who have taken the matter in hand (Mrs Murray) aud Miss Sandes have been working strenuously to give the public of Hamilton a mild surprise, and from what we can gather there appears to be every prospect that their efforts will be crowned with success. The first portion of the programme, it has been arranged ahall take the form of a concert and in the latter part will be produced a charming little comedietta entitled "Withered Leaves," which is a very popular one among amateurs. During the past week or two those engaged in it have been rehearsing steadily under the direction of Mr Macassey, and doubtless the piece will be staged in a manner which will leave nothing to be desired. Mr J as. Reid has kindly consented to see to the arrangement of the scenic effects, and all will agree that they could not be placed in more capable hands. We trust the efforts of those who have undertaken the good works will be rewarded with the success they deserve, in the shape of a bumper house. So long is it since the historic trial in which the " Tichborne claimant" matched his wits against the skill of the late Lord Chief Justice (writes the Daily Chronicle), that tho tale is only a dim memory to most of us. Yet it was amemorable event, and a moral not to be forgotten. The death of the archadventurer who invented and carried on for years that marvellous fraud will bring the story very vividly before the minds of those who are old enough to recall a trial at which Sir Henry Hawkins was only a " junior." It was a strange romance. . . . The case was one of circumstantial evidence and of rational inferences to be drawn from the contradictions and ignorances of this gross and boorish man, supposed to be, in fact, a low - born cockney, who said he was a baronet. In the end no national person had any doubt of the result. But neither the issue of the civil nor the criminal proceedings proved to be sufficient to convince that fraction of credulous and obstinate people who are always ready to " believe a lie." For many years afterwards there was actually a kind of political party, for whom " the wrongs of Sir RogGr Tichborne" were somehow connected with Magna Charta and the general maintenance of Democracy, pure and uualloyed. . ._ To those who care to look back upon that absurd history with a moralising eye, it suggests many things. The moral which the Claimant himself drew from it is historical. " There are some as has money and no brains, and some as has brains and no money ; them as has money and no brains is made for them as has brains aud no money." This summary of what we may call without irreverence the Darwinian philosophy of fraud is neat and pithy. Its only defect is that it is too general in its application.