"OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1873.

Waikato Times, Volume IV, Issue 209, 11 September 1873, Page 2

"OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1873.

To (he present \}me no Auckland member has jtffpmptpd to elicit from the Ministry a,ny information as to when it ie purposed to offer far contract $ho construction o,f the line from Mercer to Ngayuavyahia. If they delay the procuratiou of a proni'se till after the Government have succeeded in piryin^ all their important measures, it is more jjjb*n probable that a cuit and unsatisfactory answer be received. We Iruot tlt^i thf niuuiber for

tbe Waikato, who, more than any other member should be aware of the importance of expedition, will take the matter in hand. It is needless for us to again point out to tho settlers in this district that every month the completion of the lino is delayed the material progress of the Waikato is retarded for a like period, and that as yet | little progress has been made compared with the time the work has been in hand. We had the satisfaction of learm'ng from the statement of the Minister of Public Works that the cyljudert? for the bridge across the Waikato had been ordered from England ; if the Agent-General prqceeds in his habitual leisurely manner to execute it there is a remote probability of their being on the ground about September, 1875, the very latest lale at wl.icli the first train should run iuto the Ngaruawahia station. The making of the railway to this district should be hurried, not only on commercial grounds but because its completion would facilitate tin suppression of any native disturbance that maj arise. In making the above remark we do not mean f o convey that we think disturbance likely, although the Government in quietly submitting to the indio--nity of having a British subject pu,t to death icalculated to make the Maoris turbulent. We believe, however, that they have gpt the sense to know that fighting cannot possibly be productive of good, and would be nearly certain to result in the loss of their land. We again call the attention of the Government to the fact that oui coal mines would keep the line pretty fully occupied, and nearly, jf not quite, pay the working expenses ; also, that the longer the work is delayed our capital already inye&ted will contiuue to be unremunerative. We hope oqr members will unite to elicit a distinct statement from the Government as to when the work is to be commenced, and, when completed. There is no necessity for delay, the surveys having heen completed for some months.

Mr Curuming has written us complaining that he lives at East Hamilton, and that tho telegraph office being on the west side, he is charged Id for each communication, that being tho charge for crossing the punt. He states that the boy frequently crosses with more than the one telegram, yet the Id \i exacted from each recipient. It appears to us that tho boy when carrying Government telegrams n on Government service, and should therefore cross the punt fiee. Mr Dargaville addressed a meeting of the ele< tors at the Delta Hotel, Ngaruawahia, last evening. There was a very good attendance, and the speaker was listened to with marked attention. We are unable to give a full report of his addret* in this number, therefore prefer holding it over till our next, issue. A vote of thanks was proposed at the termination of the meeting, oh which an amendment was moved, " That tins meeting has confidence in Mr Darsavillc." On lljp amendment being put by the chairman it was carrieil gunnimou«h Mr Dargaville will address tho electors tins (Thuisdav) evening, at 8 p.m., in the school room, Hamilton West. He will speak at Alexandra on Friday evening, aud at Te Awaniutu on Saturday at the same hour. We learn from the Church Gazelle that efforts are being made to raise the necessary funds for the building of a chapel to be in connection with the l'rowncial Ja.il. The sum of £31 is notified as having been already reeene 1 or promi-rd. I It is of the utmost importance that our criminal.! should h.' I brought under the influence of religious teiiehin" ; we triN | therefore, that the Rev B Y Ashwcll. who » the initiator of the movement, will have the satisfaction I of soon seeing the funds necessiry ij, the Bank. Were tinprovince in a more prosperous condition as rega.ds its finances, we should certainly urge upon the lVovincal Council the necessity of erecting that, the alienee of which, is a disgrace to a Christian communil\. The Hon John Hall (says the Napier Trleymyh) "has been requested by the General Government to lorward from England a gentleman to fill the post of Inspector of Post Offices. Mr Hall has been asked to proe.ure the assistance of the London Postal Department in making the choice." If this be the case it i 3i 3 not saying much for the officials already in the post office department, nncl is n tacit admission that appointments in our public bcrvice are only grunted to those who have personal or political influence with the powers that be. If appointments were judiciously ina,de there eauld surely be no need to send home for a gentleman to fill a responsible position. On Tuesday evening the Kgaruaunbia Dramatic Club gave their first entertainment in aid of the funds of the local library, The first piece on the programme was. "No. 1 Eound the Corner." The characters were represented bv Messrs St Clair, Mulling and Le flueur — the latter represented a female character very passably. Mr St Clair is undoubtedly not a novice, and had he had n larger stage and better appliances would, no doubt, have appeared to greater advantage. Messrs Mulhns and Le Sueur played up to him very well With a little more pract ice they will make very passable amateurs. Mr Murra y during the interval between the pieces sung some songs ; lie possesses a good voice, and was deservedly applauded after each effort. There were two or three other pieces put upon the boards. The negro comicalities were decidedly amusing, and we can safely assert that all went away well pleased with their evening's entertainment. We trust that Tuesday's was tho first of many pleasing entertainments to come. Thanks are due to those who at considerable pains, without fee or reward, exerted themselves to amuse. The Committee of the Library have desired us to convey their thanis to the members of |the club for their exertions in aid of the funds of which they have the management. Our Alexandra correspondent, writing on September 4, says .— " There has been no news fiom the Ktuti these last few days. The aukati, lam informed, is to be kept strictly for the next two months. Yesterday was a great day with the Eopua people. For the first time since the war in Waikato two of tho native race wore law fully joined together m holy wedlock in the K-ng country, bv a European minister. The Bey Father Hoyne was the officiating priest ; and the contracting parties we ro two hnlf-cnstei. The bride--eroom wns James Thompson, eon of the late Alexander Thompson, of Waiheki. He is a very intelligent young fellow. The bride was Miss Mary Searancke, of Kopua. A large tent had been erected at Ohinepu, where i the ceremony was performed. About 100 natives, pnnci- I pally pf the Ngat imauiopojto tribe, including the chief IV wana, a brother of Rewi's, and a few Europeans, were present. A good breakfast was provided, in European style, to which, I need hardly say, simple justice was done by all pro•ent. Notwithstanding the fact that there was an unlimited supply of wines, ales, and spirits supplied to the guests, I am happy to say there was not a single instance of unpleasantness or a caso of inebriety amongst the large number of natives present, who amused themselves by hakas, dancing, &c., until suudown, when, a number of pigs, bread, Le , were presented to the visitors, which, after dividing amongst themselves they took leave of the new-married couple, and returned home to their respective kaingas." — Cross. Though commercially perfectly legitimate, yet the action taken by the New Zealand Insurance Company" in the matter of insuring railway material from England to this colony was, to say tho least of it, supremely foolish. Up to very lately this company has had a virtual monopoly of the insurance of all Government plant against marine risks, and one would have thought that such a monopoly meant an uncommonly good business, and one the losing of which was not lively to be risked. But the Coinpam, it appears, was greedy, and sought to make of its monopoly something very golden. In tho matter of effecting an insurance on railway plant, ex Millwall, the Agent-General applied as usual to the agents of this Company, and after considerable bargaining got them to consent to a reduction of four guineas per cent! instead of four and a half guineas first asked. Thin rate, however, did not, in tho Agent-General's opinion, conform to the instructions of the Government, and consequently he applied to another first class office— the Universal Marine Insurance Company, Cornhill. The rates asked by this office were but three percent, for the whole cargo ot the Millwall, and 6s per cent, less upon shipments in part. The discovery that he could have Bayed 24s per cent, by taking a little extra trouble m the first instance must have been bitter to the conscientious Doctor, but fancy his wrath when he made the stijl further discovery which caused him to mdito the following: — " I shall have the less hesitation in taking the Government business out of the hands of the New Zealand Insurance Company, because I have discovered that in the case of the Millwall they insured our shipments in the Uniyersal at 24s per cent, under the lowest which tney asked the Government." Doubtless an honest way to make a comfortable 24s per centum, but under the circumstances h monstroui unwis.o one.— Timaru Herald. We call attention to the sale of Mr R. Kirkwoods live stock, and agricultural implements. Mr Knox will be the auctioneer, nnd the sale will take ufou on Momlm m-xt, on the farm, THinabere

Mr Gillies, whilst speaking on the Provincial Loans Bill said, in reference to the finaucia} pojitjon of the province of Auckland :— " Sir, — We come to tho province of Auckland, and I 9*y unhesitatingly that, financially, it i« veil nigh bankrupt. I have no lie»itation in saying so, because ifc hoi beca mj miaprj fur tho last two years to be obliged to cai ry on the Provincial (government ot that provinco simply upon a system of packing up waifs and sprays. I say it deliberately, tho Qrdinary revenue derivable from (lie provmcp of Auckland ia not equal to the necessary expenditure on gaols, lunatic asylums, hospitals, police, mid sick and destitute Ifad it- not been for a waif of £17,9J.7 grantefl to the Province last year on account of an old claim, and a sum of £2(j ; 000 which was obtained the jear before for the land and roiling stock of the Auckland «nd Drury Railway, taken oxer by the Government— l say, lmd it not been for theso two items, the prqymce could nofc go on performing its functions during the past two years. I venture to say that, unless gome other wiuf or stray comes in its way during the present iession from the General Government, the province, from the 3lst December next, will be unablo fronj ordinary cvenije to meet the ordinary nece-isnrs- oipend'ture, ai.d itietyloay v,i\[ bo obhgeu to step m and moot Hie ncccssurj ei.pendituro for tho purposes I have named."