The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1886 A DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2436, 27 October 1886, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1886 A DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

A department of agriculture has frequently been suggested as desirable in the interests of the colony, and it might be possible to supersede one of the ornamental figure heads of a cabinet such as that with which we are now blessed by some competent minister for agriculture with advantage to the community. At present the Colonial Secretary is the responsible head of th 6 pastoral and agricultural interests of the - Colony, and as the occupant of this office is a city lawyer the hopelessness of the Govern meat developing these resources is apparent. In the colony of Victoria there is a Department of Agriculture and an experimental farm, which it is said are doing good work. Th<>y are, says the Auckland Weekly News, exchanging ideas and natural products with the Agricultural Bureau in Washington. On June 16; the Department received from America one hundred bushels of Mexican wheat, ordered with a view to its distribution for seed among farmers desirous ot trying it. It has been proved by experience that this wheat matures six weeks earlier than the earliest varieties grown in the colony. At the same time a quantity of " Johnston grass" was obtained, as proved at the experimental farm to be excellent herbage, keeping green in summer, a very dry climate. Since then , further supplies of the Mexican wheat have been written for, with different other seeds that promise well for tbef colony, and which the Government will furnish' to all settlers disposed to give the novelties a fair trial.- Specimens of some',of the l*bor-sa.ving machines and handy im : pigments, for which they are fanions in the United States, have been applied for to serve as models for the makers in Melbourne, special - arrangements

JjeingSuwdeit'or Buch as' are patented, rheeoterprifieofour Victorian neighbors in availing themselves of the advanced ideas of .Uncle Sam. and introducing Yankee notions'through the agency of a Department contrast strangely with Jhe'ajiHthy displayed bv tho New Zealand . Governments oh kindred subjects. Here if a relative or a particular, friend of a desires a billet, some kind of a Department will be called into existence to supply his need, but no systematic effort is made to develope the arterial resources of the Colony., There is not energy enough in the Government to stamp out even a few wild sheep on Crown Lands which are now keeping back the pastoral interests of the whole of the North Island. While we would like to see a Department of Agriculture in New Zealand, presided over by a responsible Minister of the Crown, we should be sorry to have one instituted ac the cost of an extra portfolio. It woukl, however, be quite practicable to re-arrange the Cabinet so that there should be more useful aud fewer ornamental portfolios. It would be possible to get along without a Minister of Justice, a Minister of Defence or even a Native Minister. The routine work of these branches could be entrusted to paid Secretaries, and any special question affecting them could be determined in Cabinet. The succesful cultivation of land is our main chance in this colony, and more attention will .be required to be paid by the State to encouraging production in order to provide way* and means for the wasteful expenditure in the past on unprofitable public works.

The Taratahi Carterton \Road Board proposes to borrrow £3IOO under the Loans to Local Bodies Act. The annual spring show of the Masterton Horticultural and Industrial Society will be held in the drill shed on Satuaday November 25th. The annual meeting of the Wairarapa Caledonian Society will be held on Saturday evening at the Club Hotel at 8 o'clock. The Palmerston Borough Council, to get through the business of their monthly meeting, met three times, on the last occasion sitting till midnight. ' At a meeting held on Monday uight, it was decided to form a Boya' Club in Christchurch, in order to rescue newspaper runners and other boys from bad influences of the streets. Steps are to be taken to secure a large meeting of boys by means of a tree tea or breakfast. The following team of the Masterton Cricket Club will play against Greytown on Saturday next on the JRark Oval, play to commence at 11 o'clock a m. sharp : Board, Howell, Littlejohn, Moore (eapt), McKenzie, McMillan, Perry, llobison, Selbv, Stokes, Williams. Emergencies — lggulden, Booth, D'Arcy.

A project is on foot to alter the Foresters' Hall in Queen-street, so that it can be used as a Friendly Societies Hall, the several orders in Masterton haviug signified their intention of using it. The alteration intended would mean extending the upstairs portion over the whole of the lower part of the building. Queen Street business people are complaining about the dilatory manner in which the Borough Council are dealing with the water-cart question. It was decided about a mwnth ago that one should be obtained, and up to the present we believe no action has been taken. As it will take about a month to erect after the order is given, there is every probability that the summer will be far advanced before it will be in use. Some amusement arose in the R.M. Court, Wellington, during the administration of the oath to the plaintiff in the case Kong Lee v. City Council. As the plaintiff was not a Christian, the oidinary oath cjuld not be used, and the bench . was asked as Co how the oath should be v/orded. Mr Wardell said he did not quite understand the meaning of the Chinese way of sweariug, aud thereupon questioned the interpreter as to the meaning of blowing out the match, in China. The answer received was to the effect that as the match was blowu out, so would their spirit be consigned to the eternal fire if they spoke anything but the truth.—Evening Press. One of our wealthiest Wellington citizens is evidently a firm believer of taking care of the pence etc. On Saturday last he was a passenger on a tram car, and tendered to the guard a packet of the small red tickets for his fare to be deducted therefrom in the usual way by clipping »ne of them. By mistai e the guard clipped two, and when the wealthy old gentleman discovered it. he demanded threepence of the guard by way of reparation for the spoils ticket. The guard regretfully but firmly refused, probably not having the sum of his own upon him. The old Dives waxed very sad and sat eyeing the two clipped pieces of red paper till a bright thought struck him. He would sell the second clipped ticket to another passenger ! Reset about canvassing at once, but no one in the car would buy it of him. Then he waited and waylaid each new passenger as he or she entered. .No ; they all refused to purchase the mutilated threepenn'orth. This was dreadful ! Here were the threepence gone " bang," and nothing to show for it. The car reached its stopping place, aud the wealthly man heaved a sigh as, ticket in hand, he left the car. Feebly he tottered away about half-a-chaiu distance, and then returned to make a last appeal to the guard—that obdurate guard. Alas ! in vain !—Evening Press.

A Pahiatua correspondent of the Hawkes Bay Herald writes • The curious war of coacheß continues all along the three . roads which radiate from Woodville as a centre, to Tahoraite, Palmerston and Mauriceville. There are a crowd of opposition coaches. I forget their names'; but Macara is the only real "M'Kay," and his drivers will take you anywhere aud pay your liquor bill if you so much as smell an opposition coach. Nobody can divine Macara's object. He is well-known to be wealthy, and quite unlikely to remain much longer in the business. Why . then resort to these American tactics, worthy of a Vanderbilt ? Macara's rates are unquestionably high. Years ago I complained of the fare from Woodville to Palmerston, 17 miles for 10s. Six months a?o I complained of the fares from Woodville to Pahiatua, 9| miles for 6s 6d. To-.' day I can go from Pahiatua to Woodville and, back for 5s by the oppoas the opposition is coming up I am sure much less woidd be taken. At the same time i admit that 'Macara's horses are better, and ins drivers selected witha'" judgment that marks him (Mr Macara) aa a born organiser—the sort of man who gets £2OOO a year at Home, because that sort of man is so difficult to catch and train, and compel him to conduct a large business. Oh, if we. could compel Macara to accept the unfortunately not. vacant pdsition of General Manager of New Zealand Railways! 1 fear his restless spiiit would chafe in official trammela.

A notice to pumpers at the late fire appearain our advertising.columns. Mrs E. Tayler of the local Fruit Depot. Queen-street, notifies £bat in response the request of the ladies of Masterton, she has opened a registry office for servaurs.

We learn from our Carterton correspondent chat a man named Wheatley was found dead in his bed this: morning by twu well-known residents, Messrs lngley and Bennett. The old established arm of Messrs Truscott and Alpass, brickmakers, announce that they are in a .position to supply first class-bricks at the railway station or any where in the neighborhood of Masterton cheaper than anyone in the district. '

The usual weekly meeting of the Loyal Masterton Lodge, 1.0.0. F., M. C 7. . was held in the Foresters Hall last evening, when there was a fair attendance!' One"* new member was initiated and two more proposed. The other business was of the usual routine character. We remind our .Tinui friends. of tho meeting to be held in the Public Hall there on Saturday afternoon. The meeting is an important one. and it is desirable that the attendance should be thoroughly representative. Messrs Jas. Brown & Co.. Auctioneers, Land, ' and General Agents, 'announce several agencies, and that - they have money to lend. They also have.a number of properties for sale, particulars of which appear in another column. A Blenheim telegram this morning reports an outbreak of scab in Godfrey's flock, Tory Channel, three ewes and thiee lambs being infected. Godfrey obtained a clean certificate seven months ago.As the country is -very rough, and the flock numbers'7oo", it is considered better the Department should buy. and destroy them,- closing the country, for two years, thus stamping scab out. ' A Pressman writing in the Otago Daily Times sunis up Sir Julius Vogel's political creed as follows 1. Nothing on earth can be done witliout money. 2. Money can only be got by taxation and borrowing. 2. It is impossible to have too much money to spend. Therefore—4. Keep up to the limit of taxation and get as much by borrowing as people are disposed to lend.

A public meeting of the Carterton branch of the Gospel Temperance Union was held last night in the Town Hall, and considering the inclement state of the weather there was a vary fair attendance. Mr S. M- Hait occupied the chair, and gave a stirring speech on the Temperance question. He was followed by Mr D. McGregor, of Masterton. The Rev J.. Ward then addressed the meeting and congratulated them on having so good an attendance. The speakers were all enthusiastically received and listened to with great attention. The choir under the leadership of Mr T. A. Weston, and Miss Challis at harmonium, rendered good service and made the meeting an enjoyable one. At the close •of the meeting it was announced that meetings would be held once a month in future.

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