The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 1881.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 733, 2 June 1881, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 1881.

A new Licensing Bill is to be introduced next session, hut as far as this district is concerned very little interest will be taken in it, excepting by those who hold extreme views on the general question of liquor traffic. Changes in the licensing law as a rule do not have a marked eft'eot on the character of licensed houses, It is the local administration which really modifies it, Jf the latter be judicious, houses are respectably conducted; if it be weak and vacillating, they are, in some instances, badly managed. In the Wairarapa as a rule the administration of the Licensing Act lias been satisfactory, The .Resident Magistrate and the Commissioners have been diligent in the discharge of their duties, and the police have been watchful, If any mistake has been made it has been in the direction of enforcing more improvements. and encouraging the building of more houses of a palatial character than the trade of the district warranted, The Premier has described the object of the new measure to be to make the law strict, without making it unjust to the publican. Wo fear such a perfection of legislation as this will hardly bo attained in our General L ssembly, and that the Government will have to trust in the future, as they have done in the past, to the discrimination of those officers to whom the administration of the Act is entrusted. The G. vernmont, too, propose to grant local option for now licenses, to please the temperance party, and to withhold it for old licenses, to please the publicans, We question whether either side will be altogether satisfied, and it would, probably, have been better either to leave local option alone, or to adopt it in its entirety. Local option is an experiment which has yet to be tried in New Zealand, and till its value has been tested we shall be worried with it. A partial trial; however, will not be regarded as conclusive, We would like to have seen local option tried on its merits, and perpetuated if successful, or condemned if a failure. As it is, it is likely to prove, as half measures always do, a disappointment and a delusion. The only feature in the Bill upon which (here is reason for congratulation is the licensing and inspection of all clubs in the colony. The multiplicity of bogus clubs which have sprung into existence throughout New Zealand during the last few years renders a step of this character necessary in the interests of the revenue, of the legitimate publican, and of the public. If this section of the proposed measure be carried it will atone for the weak ones displayed in the local option clauses, •

Less than two years ago Messrs Harvey & Murray constructed a small building on the banks of the Waipoua for wool-wash-ing purposes. Since then they have built a larger one in addition to it for Woolsorting operations, and latterly they have mado a still larger structure for tanning. Their present conveniences are in striking contrast to the modest soale on which they started their enterprise, but it is evident that in another year or two they will have to extend their sheds still further to cover their increasing trade. The various processes carried on at their establishment are of special interest in a pastoral district, The first one is on tlfe arrival of the staple in the shape of a load of skins from a station, and consists in st.eeping them in properly prepared troughs fur ten days or a fortnight, They are then removed to a small air-tight building called the sweating-house, The process of sweating is necessary in order to loosaen t|ie wool on the skins. After the latter come out of thp sweat-house I he wool is easily and rapidly removed from them.; At this stage the operations 'divide; into two branchos—cleansing the , wool and preparing the pelts. Prior to the erection of the tannery the pelts were aimply so much waste material, and many thousands of them are buried in the neighborhood of the works to get them out of the way; now, however, they are utilised, and constitute, as it wore, a new source of wealth to the whole community. The skins are first of all digested in a vat containing lime-water to soften and cleanse them. Tliey are next placed in the tan pits, So far Messrs Harvev & Murray have -been using tan imported from Australia.' They are now, however, trying experiments with black birch bark from the Forty Mile Bush, which they believe will prove an efficient substitute for the imported article. If so, the demand for local bark will give constant employment to settlers where the black birch grows. There is now on the premises a fine stock of brown basils tanned out of the Waipoua pits. There are also some fine samples of white leather, which does not pass through the tan pit, but is prepared with alum, Another production which haß been manufactured with considerable sncoesoati the Waipoua works is woollen doormats. The pelts are treated with alum to prepare the under surface, and- the wool • on them is" combed out and dyed in brilliant ; cokm^^The , wool taken from:.

'uiarket. :The washing of it' is a; .delicate process, which requires the skill of an ox: port, The-essence of good washing confisting intaiiiiiig a pure Icolorj *>vi thtmt. sacrificiji^-thß>^ily ( char^i^i^t the; wobi. The water'of the Waipoua is naturally* a favorable one for this purpose, and 4b this may in a measure be attributed the high reputation which Messrs .Harv.ey & iVluFrTiy a-*wool"ha ve secured "in;"tho "local" and home ; market. . The l AYaip.oun.. works are fafoiably situated for the next process and that is drying the washed wool, which is spread and turned on a bed of.'- shingle opposite the works. Thia iB found in practice to be the quickest- • and cleanest' drying, ground. ! he-lust operation- is • sorting-the -wool.' 'his.again requires trained and : . practiced ands. " If all tlio wool were; mixed and acked together, if would riot command, s highrprice as it'does when separated; erhaps .into'a ..dozen different classes, V'heu the. sorting i 3 properly done, each li'cel of Iwool 13 ready for the particular lanufacturing, purpose for which it is best tted, and on itß arrival in England,' inlead of being unpacked- and reaorted-can )B sent straight to the manufactories. Messrs Harvey and Murray by the cure villi which they have prepared and sorted thoir wool, obtained last year, the highest f ruling prices. And we..hope, when they send leather homo to England, which they propose doing shortly, they will be equally successful with it.

The San Francisco mail arrived at Masterton at iiiion yesterday. A cartload of mail ba«s "were stacked in the office to be forwarded to Napier, Mr John Williams, of Tiraumea, has been duly elected warden for No 4 Ward of the Castlepoint Highway Board. The quarterly meeting of the Greytown Trust will be held in the Town Eall on Friday evening next at 7 o'olook, Tenders aro invited for leasing the refreshment rooms at Kaitoke. We remind Maßterton footballers of the match in Mr Drummond's paddock this afternoon, when fifteen will play allcomers. Players are requested to be on the ground not later than 3.30 o'clock,

The bodies of two males came ashore at Otara On Saturday last, They were nearly nude, and quite unrecognisable. One of the bodies washed ashore was that of a man about sft 2in ,of medium build, His clothing consisted of light tweed trousers, woollen drawers, lace up boots without nails, and recently half-soled,' There was no property or papers found on him. The othor was that of a man of sft din., and of rather stout build. It was entirely naked. Up to the present time, 71 bodies in all have been recovered.

A special meeting of the members of the Greytown Cricket Club was held in Mr Bick's office yesterday aflsrnoon to elect a secretary and treasurer in place of Mr Porter, who has left the district.; Mr Cuff occupied the chair; there wore, also present—Messrs Bock, Ronaldson, Webster, and Wickcrson, Ou the inotioh of Mr Webster, seconded by Mr Buck, Mr T. S. Ronaldson was unanimously elected to fill the vacant offices, and was asked to collect all outstanding debts, and pay off the liabilities as far as practicable. The Committee (if the Carterton public Institute met on Thursday ovening, when there were present- Messrs Booth (chairman), Boys, Parker, Snodgrass, and Samuel. The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed, an application from the "Star of the Valley Locl«g, 1.0. G.T.," was considered, for the use of the Council Chamber, in which to hold meetings on Monday evening in each week. It was resolved—That the application be acceded to on payment of a rental of £1 per calendar month. The Farmers' Club having requested to bo informed upon what terms they might havo the use cf the loom for two aflornoons and evenings in each week, it was decided to intimate that the Committee would be willing to give the desired accommodation at the rate of £25 a year, dates and other details to form the subject of subsequent arrangement. Mr Parker undortook to be present on such evenings as the Institute was occupied, pending the appointment of a permanent custodian. The use of the hall was granted to the same gen•tleman for fortnightly entertainments, the proceeds to go the library fund. It was resolved, that additions be at once made to the shed, that the section be fenced, and the planting of the enclosure be ontnisted to Mr Parker. The chairman wis authorised to procure phandcliers for lighting the Institute. It was understood that all subscribers should havo free access to the chessrooin. Arrangements having been made for the payment of several outstanding liabilities, the meeting adjourned.

Ono of the new books recently placed 011 the shelves of the Masterton Library is Beaconsfield's" Eiidymioti." For anyone who takos an interest in English political life this novel will possess a keen interest. From "Notes and Queries," published in London, December 18, we cut the following key to the characters in "Endymion,'' which will bo found interesting to readers anxious to decipher its hidden inuendoes iZenobia, Lady Jersey; Berengaria (Lady Monlfort), Hon Mrs Norton; Agrippina, Queen Hortense; Adriana Neufchutel, Lady Burdett Ooutts, the Neufchatels, the Rothschilds; Colonel Albert (Prince Florestan), Napoleon III,; Lord Roclihampton, Lord Palmerston ; Lord Monlfort, the late Lord Hurtford ; Lordßawchester, Earl Granville; Earl of Beaumaris, the late E.irl Derby ; Mr Berlin Tremaine, Lord Houghton ; Count of Frerroll, Prince Bismarck ; Endymion the author, Disraeli ; Nigel Penruddock, Cardinal Manning; Mr Ferrars (the grandfather), Right Hon, George Rose ; George Waltershare, George Smythe; Joe Thonibury, Richard Oobden; Mr Vigo, Mr Poole; Mr Jorrocks, Mr Miluer Gibson ; Hortensius, Sir W. Vernon flarcourt; Sidney Wilton, Sidney Herbert; Mr Sainte Barbe, Thackeray ; MrGushy, Dickens; Topsy-Turvey, Vanity Fair ; Scaramouch, Punch.

A committee meeting of the Greytown' Horticultural Society was held in the' otlico of Mr Book on Tuesday afternoon. Present—Messrs W. G. Beard (in the chair), Bock, Earratt, and Mills. The snb-enmniitte appointed to see about holding a show at Carterton reported that the Masterlon Society did not care about amalgamating with Greytown to hold the combined shows at Carterton, and that the Pastoral Society had kindly offered the freo use of their grounds, provided" the Horticultural Society created their own buildings. Mr Bock proposed, and. Mr Barrett seconded—That in considering the present liabilities of the Society, it be docided not to hold a show at Carterton this year; and that a vole of thanks be tendered to the Pastoral Society for the offer of the free, use of their grounds, but that the Society cannot availthemselves of it this year. The Chairman reported tint the entertainment given a short time ago in aid of the funds of the Society was not attended as well as had been expected, owing to the night being so wet and rough; but . that there was a balance to the credit of the Society. A cordial vote of thanks was passed to the ladies and, gentlemen who Jtindiy assisted at the entertainment. It was resolved—That the/same sub-committee,'.' with the addition of Mr R. 0. Black, bp lasted to arrange for'.another &entertain-:

' .The Works Committee of the Groytown Borough Ooiincsil meet oil Friday evening at,B o'clock:.;; ].- ' .•The Cartertoji Rifle Volunteers parade : fqisiuspso{fon/on the 6th instant, and the r MwM'tmiJJlfleß and Cadets on the 10th instantr'\ We.havßioihanl^pTpltHW^fm

lotterdntitlscT " Pot v Kettle,""but the question he takes up is one of private rather-tkirpublio-intorM^-r-^—_-. : —-—- Poundkeepers do not always mako big profits, Two ancient and dilapidated st&eds were sold in the Masterton pound this week at two shillings a head orsixi. pence per leg. Y'JJ()Y ) . A meeting of the committee 'of the Masterton Football "Clob""\Va"3"lfeid'lasT evening, Mr A. R. Bunny in theichajiv, -Correspondence was read re uniforms, and from Mr A.' W,. the secretaryship,.'. It was'- uiianiWuslvresolved to ask Mr Harrison to re-considqr his determination. The fiftQe.ij'.-tfplay against the Athletic Club on Saturday .will leave Masterton by the 1.30; train, arriving in Greytown at 2 30. After a few minor matters'had; been the meetin«adjourned, . j. fj.\J }.

The Nativo Lands Court at Mastetton'i is still silting, but Messrs Brooklield and Puckey are excellent' ju'dges* - and"are getting through their work very rapidly/" By next Monday or Tuesday it ii'espected that-the .Lower Valley ciises'will be able to be,taken up ati Jn! the interim the~Te Ore Ore, Wahgaeliu, and Tararua cases have to be decided. Mr Commissioner Booth is dpwn, from. Wanganui, being interested iii the las! named case. ' 1 ' ; ' :' J ' ! '

The election for the office of auditors for the Borough of Masterton did ■ not; create much excitement'yesterday. ' The 5 result was in favor of-'Messrs'Janies Brown and Joseph loins, "who polled 52 and 48 votes respectively. Mv'W, SeMy who was a'new candidate! for''these' annual municipal contests was third with 26, Mi'W. M. Easthope, who was successful last year, was fourth with 18and' MrG. S. W. Dalrymple, -who f usually' foots the annual return, obtained 7.tfotes.' Mr Ranall has paid a visit to Wellington, and interviewed the Government, re town acre 42, which is a bone of'copten-V tion between himself and his colleagues on the Town Lands Trust. His colleagues' secured the consent of the Education Department to inolude the transfor'of this agre to the Trust, in the Bill now about to be drafted re the exchange of school sites. The Government, we are informed, accepted Mr Renall's view of the matter, viz., that the Trust has nothing to do with the acre, and will drop'the referring to it out of the Bill. ' : ' 1 News via Fiji records a terrible massacre at Line Island. The London Missionary Society had established, a station there, under a Sandwich Islander named Kabu. The natives at the southern part of the Island became disatisfied witli the missionary's demands for copra;, and apostatised. I(abu preached a crusado against .the heretics, and,, arming his followers, attacked the defenceless people. The carnage was almost incredible, five thousand women and children beiiig ruthlessly. massacred, Atrocities "werti committed on the bodies which were then piled on the beach, and combustible, material placed over them, which Kabu fired with his' own hands,' Kabil 'has sinco been taken to Honolulu to answer for his crimo.

A meeting of the Custlo Point Rabbit Trustees (was held at Tinui on Saturday last. The members present were Messrs Mackay (Chairman), Williams, and Langdon. The minutes of the previous meet? ing were read and confirmed, A letter was read from the .Hon the .Colonial Secretary, on the subject of rabbit netting as a legal fence, and destroying rabbits on Crown lands. The Inspector. read a report on the properties ho had inspected since his appointment. It was resolved that clause 10 of the standing orders lie abolished, which states that a Trustee wishing to bring forward a resolution, must first give seven days notice of his intention to do so, in order tl;at it may be inserted in the notice calling the meeting. The Inspector was directed to prepare a report of the whole district, to be read at next meeting, ana received authority from the Trustees to enter upon properties for that purpose, The meeting 1 then adjourned. The Greytown Volunteers, held their usual weekly drill on Tuesday evening \yhen about 35 were present. The Drill Instructor put them throqgh their facings in his usual soldierlike manner, after whioh the Volunteer Quadrille Qorps took possession of the Hall, after dancing to the strains of the Band till about 10 o'clock, when Mr F. Maxton provided it, till about 11.30 when the party broke up, everyone being highly pleased with the evening's amusement. If other Corps in the District were to adopt the, same method of passing away, the evenings, after Drill, it might be aninducement for their members to roll up, and also of recruits joining them. On Sunday next there'will be a Church Parade' of the Greytown Corps when we expect to hear of a good muster, The rendezvous is the Post Office, time, 10.30 a.m. The Band to attend.

A great fire occurred at-Taurangaon 1 Tuesday night. It commenced at eight o'clock, in Sir Lee's shop on the Strand, and with a southerly breeze itapread both, ways. In two hours it had cleared the whole of the block of buildings between. Harrington and Hamilton streets. ' When Menaie's hotel was on fire, the flames flew, over to the other side, of Harrington-st., and oaught Mr Chadwick's shop, and thence it swept Mr Jordan's large grain stores, stacks of Hobart palings; and the Mechanics' Institute. Tho" Government building had a narrow escape, as it was enveloped in sparks and burning.material The coals were Bet on fire.in the shed. The' buildings burnt down are . those of Mr Rhodes, Mr'M'Kpnny, Mr? Fielding, Mr Banner, Mr Lee, MrEllis Mr-Burrow3, Menzie's Hotel, Bay. of Plenty Times Office, and the "premises cf Messrs Wrigley, Chadwick, and Jordan, and the Mechanics' Institute,' :The total lo'ps is estimated at about ;Gij0,0()0, of which very little is insured. Thbre is no fire brigade or hand pump there, but the Maoris, who are in great force iii' the 'inwn 'worked splendidly in trying to Bave all the goods, ;

Mr John Chancy,; of Franklin country Ohio,' is said to be the oldest ex-member of Congress, His term was from 1832 to 1838. He was also once speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives. . Although 91 years old,' he has atten'de'd to his own business until .the.'firstof, this year, ' ■' " M In the good old days 'of Masterton,when storekeepers were scarce and money was plentiful, large profits -and 'exorbitant prices were obtained, but now times are different, 1 money is scarce, and storekeepers are plentiful. ; Schroder, 1 -Hooper & Co., Hall of .Commerce, have taken this into consideration, and have and profits down to such* an'exteiit that they completely baffle all-competition. Their stock is very large,-' ari<HeautiMy ! assorted in r departi^ehtj ; withjaU; tHe latest fashions from tho.country are. patch; andas .carefully. •.person.':. Purchasers of drapeiy ■ing will do well to inspect.-.theiv .'stock.' Their, advertisement will be found on-tbe