The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 1899.

Waikato Argus, Volume VI, Issue 423, 18 April 1899, Page 2

The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 1899.

0 In another column wo print the telegraphed digest of Mr liolleston's speech to bis constituents, which we trust will be cnrefully read and pondered over by every elector. In reading it they should remember that Mr Ilolleston is a man of high standing, both socially and politically, with a record in this colony which should be a sufficient guarantee that he would not bring charges and make accusations of deliberate untruth against a political opponent unless he was thoroughly convinced that facts justified his language. Nearly all who have taken the trouble to read Mr Seddon's speeches and compared them with facts within their own knowledge, can believe that every word Mr Eolleston uttered is to the point. Untruthfulness, whether in connection with public or private affairs, should deprive a man of the confidence of all other men. It is au old and true saying : " That a. man who will lie will

commit any other crime." Within limits, this saying is true, and being so, Mr Eolleston has established the fact that Mr Seddon is not worthy of trust, and should be got rid of as soon as possible. We will not follow Mr Eolleston, though all the charges he brings against Ministers, wo have for the mest part dealt with the same subjects at the time they arose.

It will bo more useful to touch upon some of the propositions he put forward as the policy which should be pursued in the future. The settlement of the land on the most advantageous terms for settlers is, and must be for some years, one of the most important questions with which Ministers and Parliament will have to deal. Mr Eolleston approves of the resumption of land for close settlement, but thinks .the initiative should be in the hands of Parliament and the prices bo fixed in open court. If this had been the law the country would have been saved more than one injurious scandal. He completely upsets the charge brought against the Opposition that if they get into power they will return to freehold as the only tenure upon which land shall be at the disposal of settlers. He prefers the perpetual lease with periodical revision of rents to the lease in perpetuity. In this we agree with him, as should all who talk so glibly of securing the unearned increment for the benefit of all. The present system involves that at some future time the Legislature shall step in and break contracts deliberately entered into, or that the descendants of the present lessees will in the course of years, hold land at an absurdly inadequate rental. Mr Eolleston believes that those who desire freehold should have full opportunity to purchase. He is not in favour of the removal of the duties from the necessaries of life and making up the deficiency by reducing the £SOO exemption from the Land Tax. As showing the unequal manner in which Ministers applied public funds, Mr Eolleston pointed out that the expenditure per head of population last year in Canterbury was 4s Gd; in the Premier's own district it was £3 10s lOd. This is only in pursuance of the policy laid down by Mr Seddon the electors of Waitemata. He told them : "If yon return an opposition member you cannot expect much consideration from the Government."

As regards policy, Mr Eolleston pointed out that with the present franchise the people would not allow a standstill policy, and when his party came into power it would deal with the interests of the colony with less political bias than the present administration. He points out that democracy is in danger from the autocracy of one man, and the first thing to do was to turn that man out. Every man in the country should agree with Mr Eollesson, when he said " They must put in men who could govern, and dared not lie." The fact that a man of Mr Eolleston's standing, as we wrote above, should feel justified in making th* accusations he has, is not pleasant to contemplate, and unfortunately there is no room to quarrel with his verdict.

The annual soiree and tea meeting in connection with the Waikato West Presbyterian Church will be held at Te Awamutu on Tuesday neyt, 25th inst.

We remind all interested of the public trial of the Spaldiug-Robbins Rotary disc plough, which is to be held in Mr Turnwald's paddock, Ohaupo, at 1 p.m. to-day.

On the Huntly Cycling Club's track things have been very lively during the last few weeks, some of the local men putting in good work. Given a fine day to-morrow, a good crowd may be expected. The first race is to start at 12 30 p.m. sharp. The remains of the late James McFarlane, of Cambridge, were interred in the cemetery on Sunday. He was one of the old identities, and was born on the day the battle of Waterloo was fought. He leaves a large family to mourn his loss.

Mr H. A. Engall, in charge of the note department in the Bank of New Zealand, died suddenly in a 'bus while coming from Worser Bay, Wellington, on Saturday morning. He leavea a widow and one child. The cause of death is supposed to be heart disease.

The young lady who disappeared mysteriously from the Royal Mail Hotel, Auckland, some days back has not been found. The following description of her is given :—About 18, in short dress, tan boots, light brown mackintosh with cupe, felt hat with green ribbon, flowing dark brown hair, dark complexion. An entertainment will be held in the Volunteer Hall, Hamilton, on Wednesday, 24th May, in aid of the funds of St. Peter's Sunday-school. In addition to the musical items, the amusing farce, " lei on Parle Francais." will be staged, and a good evening's amusement may be anticipated.

A pleasing little ceremony took place at the Catholic Church, Hamilton, on Thursday last, when the members of the choir presented Miss L. Taylor with a very handsome tea-set as a token of their esteem and appreciation of her services in view of her approaching marriage, which eventuates to-morrow.

Mr T. Floyd, for many years coach proprietor at Kihikihi, in which capacity he was a general favourite with the public, has, we are pleased to hear, become lessee of the Royal Hotel, Hamilton. He was valued in yesterday, Mr Whitehead, of Auckland, acting for Mrs Hamilton, and Mr W. Mowbray for Mr Floyd.

The Waikato will be well off in the way of athletic sports this week. To-morrow the Huntly Cycling Club holds its annual gathering, on Thursday the Waipa Amateur Athletic Club's Meeting, which was postponed on account of the bad weather, takes place, while on the following day the Cambridge sports will be held. The weather during the past few days has taken a frosty turn, and the promoters need have little anxiety on that score. The Assistant Ganeral Manager of Railways, Mr C. Hudson, is at present on a visit to the district. On Saturday he passed through to Rotorua and returned yesterday to Frank ton, proceeding from there to Poro-o-tarao by the ordinary train. Mr Hudson returned by special, arriving at Frankton shortly before 8 p.m., and then went on to Cambridge, whence he comes to Hamilton by the ordinary train this morning.

The natives of Waikato have for some time been prepuriug for a big meetingl which has boen fixed to he held at Tauwhare on Tuesday next, 25th inst, On that date a big feast will be held, to which both natives and Europeans are invited. No charge will be made on visitors, but contributions will be thankfully received, the proceeds from which will be used iu arrunging for a future meeting, which will be held at Waihi. Re presentatives frcm all the tribes in Waikato, Thames, and the King Country will be present, and it is hoped that Mahutu will be able to attend, but at re6eut his child is very ill.

Game licenses for the ensuing season are now on issue at the local postoffice (cost £1). The season opens on May Ist and closes July 31st. It is reported in Wellington tha fc the Hon. Mr Hislop is likely to stand fo r election to Parliament. Mr Hislop is a man of experience, and was Colonial Secretary in the Atkinson Ministry. This will be a great week in Cambridge Both the Athletic Sports and the Chrysanthemum Show are to be held on Friday. The show wil', no doubt, be an undoubted success, notwithstanding the large number of the blooms the veteran exhibitor has had destroyed by some miscretnt. Over 1200 cut blooms will be shown, a greater number than ever before at a Cambridge show. There are good entries for the sports and some exciting competition should result.

The Wellington City Council's medical officer inspected aud condemned no less than thirty-five shanties in one street in that city. He reported that they were unsanitary, over-crowded, beyond repair, and improperly drained. In one three roomed cottage, with only one bedroom, ho found eight persons living. One Councillor, who also inspected the place?, said that he could not have believed there was anything equal to the disgusting state of these tenements. The Council decided to take action in accordance with the report.

Prominent women throughout the State of Illinois are organising a crusade against the use of the female form in illustrations for advertising purposes, and a Bill will soon be introduced in the State Legislature prohibiting it. Mrs Gertrude Wallace, president of the federated women's clubs, said recently : —" The mothers, daughters and sisters of free civilised, enlightened America believe that the common, indiscriminate immodest, use of woman's face or figuro as an advertising medium not only lowers the standard of her womanhood in purity and dignity, bnt depraves the high ideal for which she was created."

A meeting of the ratepayers of the Hautapu Drainage District was held in Saturday at the Criterion Hotel. Our Cambridge representative was not informed of the meeting by the Secretary, but heard casially that it was to be held in the Public Hall. In consequenee he was not present, but has gathered the following particulars from a member who was :-Mr Jas. Forrest occupied the chair and gave a very doleful account of of the manner in which the Board had been constituted and managed. Great disatisfaction was expressed at the classification, and finally it was resolved to endeavour to abolish the Board.

" It is sometimes said, often on slender evidence, and as a reproach to our national system of education, that while good instruction is imparted in reading and writing, and generally in the attainment of knowledge, the teaching of manners is sadly neglected. Speaking generally, we think teachers deserve the sympathy of the public for the pains taken to correct the faults of their pupils ; but in largo mixed schools almost insuperable difficulties sometimes arise in bringing under proper control children who are either altogether neglected at home or subjected to counter-acting influences." —From the Inspector's annual report to the Wellington Education Board.

On Sunday morning a man named Hugh Kane was found dead on the road a short distance from Howick. He was last seen alive at 10 o'clock on Saturday after he came out of the Howick Hotel. The two men who were with him state that he was sober, not having had more than three glasses of beer during the evening. On examining the body two bruises were found on the right hand and a bruise on the right side of the head, from which a little blood flowed, also a mark as if a wheel had passed over his back. The only vehicle known to have passed along the road was the 'bus from Auckland. The driver of this states that he did not uotice any jolt as of running over a man.

We understand that a question which at one time bid fair to become a serious matter with the natives of Tauwhare has at last been settled amicably. It will be remembered that a dispute arose between the natives living at Tauwhare and the Tamahere Road Board in connection with a gravel pit which the latter were using on the natives' property, but to this the natives objected and more than once stopped the Board's workmen from taking gravel from the pit. The dispute passed through various phases, but was finally settled cu Saturday last. The Board have arranged to pay £25 for the land required and a meeting will be held to fix the exact site, when the Board will fence the portion. The necessary documents have been prepared by Mr Swarbrick, and will be signed by Taingakawa on behalf of the natives. Tho satisfactoryarrangementhas been brought about mainly through the mediation of Mr W. A. Graham.

The Scottish friends of the Hon. Mr McKenzie presented him \\ ith an address on Saturday, at the Metropolitan Hotel, Auckland. There were about 30 gentlemen present at the function. The address, which bears 100 signatures, was presented by the Mayor of Auckland. It reads as follows :—" We, the undersigned, representing the Scottish residents of the provincial district of Auckland, desire, on the eve of your departure from this colony, with the object of paying a temporary visit to your native country, to tender to you our high appreciation of your success as a colonist of 40 years' standing in this fair land of your adoption. Although many of us may not take the same view of public matters as you have done, we are of opinion that in your public capacity, and aho as a private citizen, you have always been actuated by an honest desire to advance the best interests of this colony. We regret exceedingly that you have for some time past been in indifferent health, but wc sincerely hope and trust your vitdt to your native heath will have the effect ot restoring it perfectly. Wishing you, Mrs McKenzie aud family, long life and also all earthly blessiugs, and a speedy return to the land of your adoption." Dr. Dawson Burns contributes to the London Times some highly interesting figures on the drink bill of the United Kingdom, the people of which during IS9B expended upon intoxicating liquors the enormous sum of £154,480,930. Estimating the population at 40,188,927, this is equivalent to an outlay of £3 10s lOj-d by each person, or £l9 4s 4Jd by every family, reckoning five persons on an average to tach family. The drink expenditure in 1898 was, Dr. Burns points out, two millions and a fifth in excess of the drink expenditure of the previous year, which stood at £151,281,723. The increase of population was estimated at less than 1 per cent., but the increase in the national drink bill was H per cent, the net increase of expenditure beinj> £2,199,511. As between the three countries composing the United Kingdom, the English expenditure increased by £2,087,052, and the Irish by £11,560, though the Scotch people arc in the happy position of being able to show a decrease of £4032 as compared with the figures of the previous year. Dr. Burns takes the totals of the last 25 years, and gives us some rather astounding figures. During this period the total expenditure on intoxicating liquors in the United Kingdom has exceeded 3,395 millions sterling, giving an annual average of £132,814,542.