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Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 371, 15 December 1898, Page 2

A will has been found amongst the late Mr Tyson's papers, but it is not signed. Securities amounting to £BOOO have also been discovered. Mr John Archibald Ruddick has been appoiuted a Dairy Commissioner to the Government, and Inspector under the Dairy Industry Act, 1894. A telegram from New Plymouth received last night states that a man named Michael O'Meara, aged 62, a settler at Okato, has been thrown from his horse and killed. The Hon. J. McKenzie states that his health is much improved. So long as his health is satisfactory he does not intend to resign his portfolio. He does not think he would be justified in leaving the Ministry at present. There was a good muster of the members of the Waikato Mounted Rifles (No. 1 Company) at Hamilton on Tuesday afternoon, under Capt. Reid. The men were marched to the rifle range, where the annual volley and independent firing was carried out under Col. Banks and Capt. Grant. Mr J. S. Keith, Mayor-elect of Timaru, has announced that instead of giving a banquet to councillors and friends to celebrate his installation, he will provide an extra scholarship for one year at the High School, to be competed for by the Timaru children, Roman Catholic schools included. We havo to acknowledge the receipt of a bound volume of the Statutes of New Zealand, passed in the third session ot the thirteenth Parliament of New Zealand. It contains 42 Public General Acts, 26 Local and Per onal Acts and two Private Acts, deemed to be public Acts. It has a useful addition to previous volumes in the shape of a table, showing how previous legislation is altered by the legislation of the session. Mr A. J. Storey (Messrs McNicol and Co.) has completed the purchase of some 800 lambs on behalf of Messrs Bcvins and Co., and the first consignment goes forward to Auckland by truiu this morning, and the remainder tomorrow. This will be all that can be dealt with by the Freezing Company for a few weeks, as the works are engaged to deal with the Assets Company's slieep and lambs. No doubt now that a start has been made, our breeders will make arrangements for meeting an early market next season, and we may look forward to better prices for early lambs in the future. At the last sitting of the Magistrate's Court at Hamilton a case of hardship was dealt with by the S.M. A native was charged with allowiug two of his horses to stray on the railway line, and was fined 10s and costs. In addition to this the unfortunate native lost both his horses, as they were run into by the train and had to be destroyed. Certainly, as the magistrate pointed out, the travelling public must be safeguarded, but it is very difficult to keep animals off the line, especially where it is unfenced —a state a good deal of our main line is in. In this connection the railway authorities are carrying out an active crusade and arc impounding all animals found straying on the lines, and in addition, we understand intend proceeding against the owners for trespass.

Burglars entered the Imperial Hotel, Wellington, on Sunday morning. They broke open the safe and stole £SO in cash and several small articles worth about £5. There are 36 inmates of the Ohiro Bsncvolent Home who are entitled to old age pensions, their ages ranging from 64 to 92 years, and their term of residence in New Zealand ranging from 25 to 52 years. John Newton, who will be remembered as the " American salesman " who travelled New Zealand a few years a«o with cart loads of gold (?) watches—- " giving them away "—now owns a residence in Johannesburg, which is said to have cost £IBO,OOO. It is rumoured in volunteering circles (says the Taieri Advocate) that there is a probability of nearly all the mounted corps in New Zealand disbanding at the end of the year, owing to the Defence Department calling in the carbines and issuing long rifles. It is said that the Otago Hussars are likely to resign in a body when the volunteer year is up. The continued showery weather, although productive of much good to roots and grass, is interfering sadly with the hay harvest in Waikato, and in some cases we have heard of the hay will not be worth saving. Some of the early oat and wheat crops are also suffering by being laid through the continued wet. A finer ?>pell for a few weeks would be greatly appreciated just now. Commandant Booth, on being interviewed in Syduey, on his visit to New Zealand, said he interviewed Mr Seddon with reference to boys and girls' reformatory work, and it was likely the Army would receive assistance from the New Zealand Government in connection with the work. He was also arranging a new departure in Maori work, in which he was seeking Government co-operation. An Eltham settler informs a contributor to the Egmont Star that it is computed in his district alone 2000 calves have been killed this season. Ihe low prices ruling for young stack have been the cause of general slaughter, dairy farmers preferring to kill off the young stock rather than rear them to sell at the low prices offering. Of course it is mostly male stock that is being destroyed. The railway receipts between the beginning of the financial year (April 1 and the 12th of last month (up to which dale the accounts have been made up), exceed those for the corresponding period of last year by £52,000. If the holiday and harvest traffio comes up to expectations the Department believes ic will be able to show a most satisfactory result of the year's working. Messrs Pagan and Darker, two officers of the Queensland Railway Department, are ou an official visit to New Zealand. While in Wellington they made inquiries as to the system of workshops management and maintenance. They paid a visit to theßimutaka incline yesterday and left for the South in the evening. They were staying at the Royal Oak Hotel when the fire occurred, and lost most of their personal effects. We have received from Messrs Geddes and Blomfield the official handbook and catalogue of the Auckland Industrial and Mining Exhibition. The publication is exceedingly well got up, and would be a credit to any firm conducting business in very much larger centres thau Auckland. The illustrations are excellent; they give truthful pictures of the beautiful surroundings of the city, of its public buildings and of the industries prosecuted. The descriptive letter press ia well and truly written. The likenesses which appear of the members of the different committees are very good, and will have the effect of handing down to posterity an idea of the kind of men whose enterprise and diligence brought about the exhibition of 1898. Why did the Government go to the expense of bringing Leonard Harper back fiom the other end of the world, and why is Joseph Myers to be allowed to go scot free ? (asks the Wanganui Chronicle). The questiou wants answering, and the Minister for Justice will have to answer it. The longer he delays to do so the worse the impression that will get fastened in the public mind. It cannot be, surely, that Leonard was pursued, not because of the offences alleged against him, but because his friends and associates were connected with the party that is opposed to the Government ; and that no steps are to be taken to interfere with the freedom of Joseph Myers because he was a pronounced friend of the Government and was, at one time named as a probable candidate for the city of Wellington in the Government interest ? From the Southland Times' descriptive report of a local flax mill and the work it does, we cull the following as an instance of the late labour develop ment :—ln speaking of their workmen the owners said : "We decided on adopting a plan, not exactly piece work, but giving every man an interest in his work as soon as we get into proper order. We have adopted the following principle with the men and we intend to do the same with the boys :—We require a certain amount of fibre every week to clear expenses. All hands receive ordinary day's wages, but beyond that ou the amount of fibre turned out they receive a share of the profit with ourselves, and we hope in this way, seeing that there are so many labour troubles about, to avoid anything of that kind, as each one then will have an interest in the quantity and quality of the output." A case occurred in the Grafton circuit lately (reported in the Sydney Mail) which is of some interest to farmers taking land on the share system. A farmer took land on shares for dairying, the agreement being a verbal one. When the farmer had occupied the laud for some time the proprietor forcibly ejected him. The farmer claimed damages to the amount of £IOOO. The proprietor does not appear to have stated that the larmer was incompetent to do the woik or that he was injuring the property by bad management. His defence was that the plaintiff was only a servant, and could be turned away at any time if a month's notice were given. The jury found a verdict for the plaintiff, with damages at £3OO. This case shows the necessity for a proper written agreement between the parties entering on farming or dairying on the share system, ,