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Waikato Argus, Volume XI, Issue 1074, 16 October 1901, Page 2

Some interesting matter will be found on our fourth page. The next European mail, via Sau Francisco, closes at Hamilton on Friday next, at 1.30 p.m. The consecration and installation ceremony in connection with Lodge Waipawillbe held at Te Awamutu tomorrow. It is expected that a large number of members of Beta-Waikato will go over by train. Mr D. D. Hyde, Government Poultry Expert, was in Hamilton yesterday on a visit of inspection to the to Government Experimental Farm. Mr Hyde states that the poultry farm and all appliances which are ab present at Motuihi will be removed to the new farm at Hamilton, which will be in working order by next June. The population of Sydney and suburbs on the 12th inst., within a radius of 10 miles ot the General Post-office, was 495,202, which includes 246,151 males and 249,111 females. The General Post-office, however, is not a central point, inasmuch as it is situated at one side of the city. The geographical centre of Sydney is Spectacle Island, and the population within a radius of 10 miles from that point numbers 521,197, of whom 259,423 are males and 201,774 females. There was a large attendance at the monthly meeting of the Band of Hope in the Hamilton Wesloyan Schoolroom last night. Mr J. W. Bowles occupied the chair, and expressed satisfaction at the large attendance of children, who were being trained in temperance principles. This evidenced the steady growth of the temperance movement. Several of the younger mem hers gave addresses, and several hymns were sung and recitations given. Misses Haines and Meachem presided at the harmonium. We remind oil who are in want of horses of any description of Mr W. J. Hunter’s sale advertised for to-morrow and Friday at Ohaupo. There are upwards of 500 horses ol all descriptions, including 250 light and heavy draughts, amongst which are a number of firstclass young horses straight from the breeders, sired by Prince Fergus, Better Times, Royal Conqueror, Braemar and other good horses. Persual of the advertisement in another column will assure any intending purchaser that he is bound to he suited if he attends at Ohaupo to-morrow and Friday.

It is fifty years since gold was first discovered at Golden Paint, Ballarat. It is estimated that no less than 18,707,1090z of gold, of the value of £74,828,836, has been won. The population of Ballarat, including Sebastopol, is now above 45,000. The rateable property in Ballarat City is now valued at £161.027, and that of the town at about £B,OOO.

The native village of Mohaka, near Wairoa, affords an apt illustration of the good effects of training the Maori mind to belief in the efficacy of clean and healthy homes, The village has an excellent sanitary system, is kept sweet and clean, and in place of old and tumble-down whnrcs there are nearly a score of well-built, nicely-kept bouses, constructed after the European style, and with most of the comforts and conveniences of a modern home.

How have the mighty fallen! At American public libraries, it is said that Kipling, not long ago the unapproachcd favourite, is now read less than any one of twenty American authors. Only three years ago the whole nation was awaiting with eagerness the daily bulletin from his sick-bed, yet last month a common and character istio newspaper comment on the adverse decision in Kipling’s copyright suit against American publishers was the caption, • A dog gets his due.’ Mr J. Young, Manager of the New Zealand Dairy Farmers’ Union, published iu the Manawatu Times the following cure for milk fever:—As soon as the systems are not ced, get the animal into a shed, the floor of which hai been covered with a thick Dyer of straw. Put a rug on the animal to keep it thoroughly warm, and give at once 20 drops of tincture of aconite in about a cupful of lukewarm water. An hour afterwards give ten drops of tincture of belladonna in same quantity of water, and give alternate doses every hour until four dosts of each have been given. Take away any milk every hour or oftener.

Wm. Coulson, aged about 68, lately employed as caretaker of the Hauraki Mine (Limited) battery, Coromandel, having been reported to Constable Law as missing since 7th inst., the constable got up a search party on Tuesday morning, and proceeded to the Waikoromiko River. After a long search the body was found by Mr Thcs. Matheson, a bush contract r, under some kauri logs which had been washed down by the dam, which was tripped about half-past two p.m. on Monday. One leg was completely torn off, and the trunk and head were completely knocked out of recognition, the only means of identification being the coat, which was lying on the bank near wdiere the man had evidently been fossicking in the creek. The body w r as carried to the foot of the hill by willing hands, and from -thence by cart to the Tokatea Hotel, where an inquest was held before Mr A. R. H. Swindley. The jury brought in the following verdict ‘ That the deceased met his death on or subsequently to the 7th inst., accidently, in the tVaikoromiko Creek,’ The jury added : 1 That where a driving creek travels through a goldfield, or across roads, proper precaution should be taken at least halfan-hour before tripping the dam, to see that all is clear.’

The dangers attached to the killing of diseased cattle is exemplified in the case of Mr W. Barnard. Recently Mr Rowan, Stock Inspector, made a post mortem on two cows that had died of anthrax on a farm near Waitara. The cause of the disease in the cows was said to be eating turnips that had become affected through bad bonedust. In the work he was assisted by Mr Barnard. After the work was done both operators washed their hands in a chemical solution, and also rinsed their knives in the same, and the cloth used was hung up to dry. A day or so after Mr Barnard killed some condemned cattle at the works at Moturoa, and having slightly cut or scratched his arm used the cloth to wipe off the blood. It would appear that some poisonous matter must have been on the cloth, aud this was transmitted to Mr Bernard’s arm. Serious symptoms soon set in, and the arm began to swell up in a hard lump, Drs. Walker and Home, after consultation decided to operate. The two doctors cut away the diseased part of the arm. the operation being carried out successfully. The patient is reported to be progressing favourably. It is understood that when the part of the arm cut away was placed under observation it was found to be teeming with germs.

It is the custom (says the Hawke’s Bay Herald) to look upon the sheep-fanning class as a particularly fortunate part of the population, but few fortunes have been made by the wool producers of late years. It is wellknown that some farmers have suffered severe losses. Their clips have been shipped Home and sold, and their expenses amounted to considerably morethan their receipts. After incurring all the expense of shearing, shepherding, etc., it must be very disheartening for the farmer to receive from the firm through which he shipped to the Home market a statement of accounts showing that the result of the operation is that he has overdrawn his account and owes the firm so much on the transaction. Times have changed in this regard. For a long period there has been a want of buoyancy in the trade. When prices commenced to climb down the scale an early revival was deemed almost certain. But as season succeeds season they continue to decline with very slight recoveries that never last long. The profits of wool-growing can be estimated by the fact that where a farmer was receiving sixteenpence and eighteenpence a year or two since he now gets eightpenoc or sixpence.

It is wonderful how the public are always waiting to be taken in. It does not seem to matter how often they arc victimised, there is always a hearty welcome awaiting the next fraud who comes along with a big enough lie and plenty of audacity to carry it through. Strange to say it is usually the man who possesses more than the ordinary amount of business acumen who falls a prey. The latest example comes from Auckland where some young fellow has been personating SergeaulHardham, thefirstW.Z. recipient of the Victoria Cross. His plan of campaign was laid in Parnell, where he found many friends, one of whom went so far as to advance a sum of money on the strength of a borrowed cheque, while a tailor In that district fell over himself to secure his patronage, which it is perhaps superfluous to say was cheerfully given. Then a well-known resident took him round to the Orphans’ Club social on Saturday night, and introduced him as ‘ Hardham, V.C,' He received a tremendous reception. The Chairman toasted him in a glowing speech, and they all sang ‘ Rule Britannia ’ and ‘ God ‘Nave the King ’ in his honour, The hero of the evening was most unassuming, responding with a modesty befitting his decoration. He quietly announced that his cross would be presented to him in Auckland on Saturday next, aal expressed his sympathy with the Wellington people, who were desirous that the ceremony should take place in that city. The Aucklanders were delighted,—it was one way of getting even on windy Wellington over the San Francisco mail service affair, and they drunk,) his health once more, Hardham disappeared yesterday, and there arc a number of hero worshippers in Auckland who are going round looking for somebody to kick them. It will be a cold day with the next V.C. man who arrives in Auckland, which can only be likened to the visit of an insurance agent to the King Country.

Great arc the responsibilities of Royalty, We read in the Australian papers that since the visit of the Duke and Duchess ot Cornwall and York there has been an increase in the number of marriages and engagements in all ranks of Australians, and acknowledgment is made of Australia’s 1 still further debt to the British Crown for having promoted not merely political and Australian, but social and individual, federation.’

The French barque Golbert very recently arrived at Tahiti, Society Group, after a terrible voyage. It) one storm the vessel was on his beam ends, and soon after she righted an immense wave swept over her from stem to stern. The chief officer and a sailor were swept overboard. The returning sea carried them up against the side of the ship, killing the sailor instantly, and breaking the mate’s leg and arm. The crew managed to get the officer aboard, and he was doing fairly well when the mail left. The Golbert is a small barque that has beeu engaged in the Tahiti trade for years.

A blockhouse in South Africa was occupied for a month or so by a sergeant and four men of the Imperial forces (Dublin Fusiliets), who one night were beguiling the weary hours away by a game of 1 nap,’ instead of keeping a proper lookout No. 1 said: ‘l’ll go three.’ Another exclaimed : * I’ll go four. At this juncture a Boer put his head into the room, and, with a couple of revolvers to back his opinion, exclaimed ; ‘l’ll go nap!’ He did so successfully, aud the result was that the Imperial sergeant is now doing twelve months’ penal servitude, and the other four members of the blockhouse defence force seven years’ imprisonment each for allowing themselves to be caught napping.

Captain Bonner, owner aud master of the Oban, which was lost in Polorus found lately, through capsizing in a fierce squall whilst iu ballast, is at present in Wanganui. By the loss of the Oban he has lost his all, as the vessel was uninsured and has became a total wreck, the Government steamer Tutanekai, which attempted to tow her to a place where she could be repaired, having to abandon the effort. In addition to this misfortune, Captain Bonnncr’s eldest son lost his life near East Cape through the capsizing of the scow Whakapai, which had been stranded, and was, after being refloated, making her way to Auckland for repairs. Captain Bonner’s numerous friends iu Whangarei and elsewhere deeply sympathise with him in his trouble, and hope that his well-known abilities as a master mariner will speedily result in his obtaining a suitable appointment in the coastal trade, in which he has had a long and successful experience, his late misfortune in the Oban being his first during the many years he has been on the coast of New Zealand, and one entirely beyond his control. The Wanganui Herald says: ‘We speak with a long personal knowledge of his ability, and feel confident that any vessel he may get charge of will gain the services of a capable and careful master.’ We have received from the Editor the Christmas number of the Weekly Press. This publication has gained the proud position of being the best illustrated weekly published in the colony, and in consequence it commands a large circulation. The Christmas number fully sustains this reputation, The illustrations, as , regards subjects, are very happily selected and their execution is quite equal to the majority of similar publications in the Old Country. Prominent among the illustrations are a number of pictures depicting phases of Maori life and customs, hakas, pern peru, war and poi dances. These are particularly valuable, as the natives from want of practice, consequent on the adoption of European manners and changes iu their mode of life, are gradually lodng the art. The illustrations, therefore, in » year or two will become valuable as records of past customs. There are views of several of the cities aud towns of the colony and some of the many picturesque spots of what is possibly the most picturesque country in the world. Nearly all tastes are catered for.«flt is difficult to conceive any publication limited to the scope of an illustrated paper better calculated to give friends in other countries a fair conception of the beautiful country of which all New Zealanders are so justly proud. Space will not allow us to enter into details. We have no hesitation, however, in recommending all who wish to send a reminder of their existence to friends in the Old Country to post them a copy ot this really excellent publication.