The waikato times. "OMNE SOLUM FORTH PATRLA." THURSDAY, MAY 22, 1873.

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 162, 22 May 1873, Page 2

The waikato times. "OMNE SOLUM FORTH PATRLA." THURSDAY, MAY 22, 1873.

Is advocating 1 - fche immediate construction oi the railway through the Waikato, we are only asking that this portion ©f the railway scheme shall be proceeded with sooner than is at present contemplated. The most bitter enemies of Auckland, and the most persistent of the South, have never h:id the andacity to contradict the assertion that the Waikato railway is the oneof all others that will fulfil the conditions sup. posed to be necessary before a railway is commenced—we mean a probability that it would pay working expense-, and interest on its cost. It is nob necessary for ua to again prove that which is admitted on all hands to be a fact. The questions we have now to consider are . 1 How are we to get our legitimate clairrn lecognked while there are ko many " political " railways in contemplation? 2. In the event of our just demands getting favourable consideration, which route shall the railway follow ? As regards the first proposition, nothing but the most determined expiession of opinion on the part of the people and the greatest unanimity is likely to huve the slightest tik- cl upon parties in the House. It is too true that the best interests of this colony aie often saoriLKed on lht> altar of piirty. It will not be a question with our legislators whether the railway is necet>ftaiy ; but whether this

paity or that would gain a vote or two by advocating or opposing it This is nut merely a Waik.ito question for the consideration of the Aucklaud members. We believe that the interests of the whole colony demand that it shall be made ; it is therefore a subject calling for the most earned consideration of every member of the House. Jhe duty that we, us settlers, have to perform, is to hold meetings and foiward petitions to the House; there is no time to be lost, as the Assembly will meet in a few wivks. WeW c are glad to observe th.ifc a meeting is called in rSgaiu.iu.ihi.i for next Wednesday. Tlio people must lemomber that they are the Government, and that the Executive are their servants to do as they shall direct through their members. Meetings should not be confined to the Waikato ; every constituency in this province bhould meet and briug' prts-uie t*> boar upon its members If the Auckland members will fur once unite, there is little doubt but that they will carry the day. As regards the route that the railway should follow l,wo have been, suggested,— oue to pass through Cambridge, and the other Orakau. That which has been brought most prominently forward is Cambridge. If that pluce be selected, it would be the most convenient for communication with Taupo, and through there to the line between Wellington and Napier. Another rouie is thiough the valley of the Waipa, which would join the line between Taranaki and Wellington at Waitara. This line would probably pass near Orakau. As regards the present interests of the settlers, the railway should undoubtedly pass through the "Delta. This being the case, it should on no account be constructed along the eastern bank of the WoikaLo to Cambridge. If that route were followed, it ould be practically useless to the fsttlers on the western side, whooccupy large tracts of highly cultivated land, the carriage of the produce of which it would have to depend upon for revenue. In a .strategical sense it matters but little which route it fallows. Ja conclusion we again urge the settlers to take the matter up with the earnestness that the importance of the subject demands.

Since our last issue little culling- for particular comment has transpired. As we anticipated, Purukutu is said to have consented to go to Tokangamutu. By Maori custom, his having been invited to the King's pluce-, is a guarantee on the part of Tawhiao that he shall not Joe harmed |so long as he is able to defend him. This means that we are to allow Purukutu to go unscathed, or we are to forcibly take him from his protectors. We have every reason to believe that Kawi will not fight; rather than do so, he will retire to the hills. Ho is probably the most sensible of the natrves we have to deal with ; he knows perfectly well that to fight means, at no distant date, loss of position and loss of land. Ho is perfectly well awavo that we could eater Kawhia harbour, establish a fort there, seize the land in the neighbourhood, and hold it in spite of him. It is more than probable that if it becomes necessarytomoveaforceii-.to the King's territory, tliat we shall find little else than the wind to fight. We are glad to see that the Government/ are making every preparation in their 'power to protect the settlers; they arc erecting redoubts and blockhouses along the frontier line, and, as will be seen by advertisement in another column, aro recruiting the ranks of the Armed Constabulary. This may perhaps be shutting the stable door after the horse is out; but it must not be forgotten that the outcry for economy has forced them into a corner. The cry that we cannot allord to keep a force doing nothing, was the reason that no men ready to move were on the frontier at the time of Sullivan's murder. We must be reasonable, and not think or act hastily ; but if we are to continue to live in the "Waikato, the murderers must bo given up, or there is nothing for it but war to the death. The native difficulty has to be settled at one time or the other. Why not now? It tho "King" party could only be convinced that their positiou must eventually become untenable, then all will be well. They oannct, and it is only natural they should not, be able to distinguish between the bunkum proclamations that have emanated from former ministries from these that will eraanate from a ministry driven to action by a determined jicople. We believe that we express the unanimous opinion of the- people, in this island at least, when we say that the day has nearly arrived when there faliall be but one " King," no murderers at largo, and none against whom murder can be legally proved unhanged. This is harsh language, but harshness is sometimes true mercy.

The operators in the telegraph office! in this district are tremendously overworked, and equally underpaid. Of late it has not been at all uncommon lor some of them to be in their offices from 9 o'clock m tlic morning till 1 and 2 tho next. Their pay is miserable, and tueiE work is excessive. We believe that we cannot possioly en- when we say tliai they are the worst paid men in the world. Tho telegraph, departinonb is returning a n-vcnuo, and the very least tlint | should be done is to raise the pny of the telegraph ciileula to a sum that will onablc those who havo families to support to maintain the position thej arc entitled to hold. Independent of raising Uioir pay, they should hare assistants. In the country districts they are Postmasters, Agents for In suranco, Immigration, kv. It is impossible for one man to perform all those duties efficiently, The Cambridge Cavalry Volunteers commenced) their week's drill on Monday, the term m consequence willevpiro on tho Queen's Birthday. We learn that on that d-iy a magnificent banner will be presented to them by the ladies of the district, who |hato good cause to bo proud of their I corps. These are days of trouble und tumult, and true courage is always more admired by tho softer ser than personal appearance. They naturally havo confidence in those who possess it, m the first place, because a courageous man is never a bully ; and in the second, they feel that in him they havo one willing and able to protect them. Tho To Awamutu Cavalry, if their duties permit them to leave thoir post, will be present. Thera will bo a levee in tho evening, at which a large nttendnsfc is expected. From a native source we, Cross, are supplied with the following :— Tile trouble has all arisen from Plirukutu's unshaken belief bhat ho ha* not been dealt justly by in regard to Walker and Douglas's lease. Somo short time ago Purukutu and party Lilled n number of sheep, and as their imagined wrongs were not redressed, they now have killed, a European. They claim to bo absolute owners of tho land, and have never consented either to the survey or leftse. They have been averse throughout to the selling o.- leas.ng of land on tho boundary of confiscated territory. Jlad tho Kiilopcan bfon kilted insiilo the boundary Ihore could only lime been one thought (opinion) on the matter. Thi 8 h \\ha<, the Uauhiuu say who btuk to our side (i v, uro disposal to be li lendlj )

A settlor bonds the following as to his observations of the eclipse of the moon on the 12th ln-hmt .--" I will venture to give an account of my observation!'. The outer edge of the moon at about 10 o'clock became obscured. Half an hour afterwards it was nearly all obscured. For at quarter of an hour before it became quite invisible, there appeared to be something revolving at tri'inendous rapidity. It had the appearance of a vus.t volcano, sometimes vomiting fire of a bright red colour, and at others hidden bj wha appeared to bs an immense volume of amoke. This Listed lor {.bout Lulf uu hour, nhen the moon became totally ob-cured For about .111 horn it was intensely dark." We call the attention of the authorities to. the absolute necessity of adopting some means of searching every canoe that passes up the nvcr towards the rebel country. Every lutne travelling vitli a swag should also be subject to have his sw.ig seaiched. In the piesent unpiotected state ot our co.i^t line, we are await: that nothing is easier than to smuggle munitions of war, yet eveiy pound of powdvr and eveiy gun t\ken fiom the lebela will be so much q vined. A party of Armed Constabulary, were to hare left Cambridge yesterday for Mo.umtu.itua; it is the intention bo build a redoubt at Rotorangi. Tins position wall command the swamp road bftwtTii Cambridge find RungiuvwihiJ, and will I be visible from Cambridge, Orakau, and llongiau hia, and is only three miles distant from JS'gnhokowhitu, Purukutu's settlement?. It is reported that Puriikutu has at last consented to go to Tokangamutu. He was expected to start from Aratetehc yesterday. If this be the case, tho necessity to- assert tho authority of the Government by force of arms is more iininiiunt than ever, as the " King " has indirectly expressed his intention of defending him if he acquiesces. Lieut. -Col. Lyon and Mr Mackay were to have met yesterday at Kilnkihi for the purpose of selecting a site for a blockhouse that is to be erected somewhere on the Panui between Alexandra and KUiikihi. The TuapeJca Times sa\s: — "Labour has never been so scarco m the country as it is at present. All districts unite to swell tho great cry now heard in the land for more Liboir . Every workman, skilled or unskilled, is fully employed, and an idle man, if to be seen, would be looked ou as a phenomenon. Men for new works cannot be obtained for love , money, or any othe* consideration. This scarcity of men is peculiarly, unfortunate just naw, as many promising enterprises, depending for their success upon an adequate supply of labour, both in mining andothur diiecuio-.is, are being commenced. If the stream of immigration to this colony is not very largely augmento.l, and that speedily, wages must inevitably rise to an extent that wih check, enterpriss and also^niihtate against the interests of labouring men. Properly represented m Groat Britain,<tho demand for labour here should attract thousands, especially in the present atate of things in tho mothe 1 " country. A 1 competent Agent-General and efficient sub" ordinates are Badly seeded, and we look to the next session of Parliament to see that immigration arrangements are not bungled in the future as they have been in the pa^t.