The Waikato Times. "OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1873.

Waikato Times, Volume IV, Issue 212, 18 September 1873, Page 2

The Waikato Times. "OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1873.

The Immigrants Land Bill wna read a second time on Monday. There can be little doubt that free granting of land is great temptation to the surplus population of the old couutry to emigrate to our shores. There is one feature in the bill, bowever, that has beeu the stumbling block over which ll io iuitiators of a similar Behuuie have previously fullvn. We allude to the practice of putting up to auction all hind selected. It \a notorions that the capitalists of Auckland btepped in and ran the good laud up fro a price that was never contemplated by the new urriralt*, and they in consequence were uu-

able to purchase. Some gave up in disgust, and others settled upon unsuitable land. This, combined with the difficulty of transport, reduced selectors, in the majority of caseß, to penury. We ai-e at a loss to understand why land set apart for immigrauts should^ be thrown into the market. Why should not available land be valued at a fixed sum per acre, and each immigrant seluct his £20 worth wherever he could find it ? An intending emigrant is told that the value of land in New Zealand is a certain sum per aero, aud of course can oalculate how much £20 will purchase ; he is not told that after he has selected he will have to compete with capitalists at an auction sale ; men who aie always watching for au opportunity to invest their niuucy on the most advantageous terms. A probable influx of population into any district always imparts to land a fictitious value ; from having to pay this fictitious value is what the immigrant should and must be protected from if the scheme is to be s,uccesful, and we trust that the evil we complain of will be rectified in Committe. While on the subject of immigration it behoves us to point out the absolute necessity that exists for the better reception and disposal of immigrants on their arrival in our port, It is too late when they have arrived to think of finding situations for them, and a system must be organised by which the authorities shall know what labour is required and by whom ; in order that the supply may be regulated accordingly. We are confident that had proper precautions been taken, it would not have been necessary to send printed notices all over the country in order to procure situations for the arrivals by the Uerar. Ifc has been pointed out, aud wo agree with the writer, that the moment .an immigrant lauds in this province or any other, it is the duty of the local authorities to look to his wellbeing. The Press in the South is naturally indignant at the treatment of the immigrants by the Berar ; and we trust that it will never again be in the power of any writer to point to this province as having so misconducted its business that it has increased the difficulty of procuring the one thing required to give to New Zealand a rapid impetus on the road to prosperity.

We are glad to bo able to report that the Cambridge bridge will be passable in a day or t\\ o. The ship City of Auckland arrived in Auckland harbour on Monday last. She brings several first and becond-class passengers, but no Government immigrants. On Sunday night, about half-past 11, a fire broko out in , the Tookey mine. The timber appears to have caught fire in consequence of sparks baring escaped from tin* engine ami lighted upon it. The fire was extinguished m a few hours and the damage done is estimated at £50. We should be obliged by the Secretaries of Cricket Clubs forwarding a report to us of matches played. Wo have every desire to give information a-j to the doings of our cricketing friends, but it is quite impossible for us to have a special reporter present on each occasion. The Press understands that Mr J. A. Brown, of Christ- | church, has received from Sydney some brown wrapping and royal hand papers, together with sonio grey paper bags, worth 5d per lb. manufactured from pAormiitin tow. The tow was exported from Canterbury by Mr Bird, and bus ■ been manufactured by the Sydney Pnper-makiug Company. We (Evening PostJ are glnd to notice thnt the Government have cancelled the eonnm—ion In Id l>\ Major b'initimore in the New Zealand Militia. It would have been a most improper proceeding had the Government rercpted the resignation, which was tendered only as a means of eswijimg a just punishment. The City of Auckland has bioii»!it a number of valuable sheep; all but one have arrived m excellent condition. They were euro fully Bclerlcn from the best English Hocks. Four are consigned to Mr J. May. One ram from the flock of Messrs Clarke, of Welton-lc-Wold, coot £52 10s. Two from the flock of Mr Budding, of Panton, £32 10s each. The four cost £157 10s. >even are consigned to the Hon C. J. Taylor at a total cost, ot £'177 10s. Tho alterations to the approaches to and from the punt nt Ngaruawahia are in progress. A winch is to be fixed at each side of tho river for the mining and lowering of tho stages, and these aro to be strengthened by the driving of two outer piles, so that the end of the stilus may hnvp -upport. The superbtructure of the punt is to be raited in order that the angles of descent and ascent may be reduced. When the alterations lire finished we anticipate thnt the crossing will be sufficiently good to suffice till the contemplated bridge is built. The Wanganui Chronicle (onus Mr Lemon's proposal to employ girls m the Telegraph Department n wiic-drawu attempt at economy, and states that " the innovation is looked upon in anything but a favorable light by the grown-up operators, who, having passed years in the service, find themselves forced into competition with it clm.-<b of alien p labour, which is purchased dearly in the long run. A btnko baa been talked about in tho event of a pelticont intruding into the operativo room of any station where mule' telegraphists are employed." We hope, mijs tic llvuring Post, tho present telegraphists have more gallantry and common sense than our contemporary gives them credit for. Great dissatisfaction is felt by uittin residents in and about iiamilton at the Government having declined to accept the services of a cavalry corps, with its hendquarters in Hamilton. It appears to us that the Government have acted injudiciously in this instnnee. They appear to think it necessary to keep a mob of Maoris on tho frontier for the avowed purpose of affording protection to tho settlers, yet they refuse to a section of tho«c settlers tho opportun ty of effectually defending themselves. The expenditure on volunteers in the South Island might well bo curtailed; they are perhaps ornamental, but the probability of their ever being of any use is extremely doubtful. We trust that tho matter will be reconsidered, and that those who gave their names as members will ignore tho slight they have received at the hands of authority. Mr Searancke, Resident Magistrate, met with an aeulent on Monday last that, under less favorable ciroumstauces, might have led to serious consequences. He was walkin" his horso over the Tatnahcre bridge ; the weight of the horse and rider proved too much for the rotten planking, and the horse's leg went through. We are glad to ob3erve that tenders are called for the rebuilding of this bridge. Ihe General Government have, as it is clear they will be compelled to in many other instances, takon the matter into their own hands. The system of Bead Board administration is cheap, but it i» to a great extent ineffective. It would be much bettor if tho subsidy from the General Government were applied entirely to keeping in repair the main roads, and the rates levied under tho Act applied solely to the making and keeping in repair of bye-roads. The statistics of the Post Office Savings Banks we print below are interesting as being evidence of the increased frugality of the peoplo consequent on facilities to deposit their savings being afforded them. In 1867 there were onlr forty-six post offices where there were savings banks open"; now there are ninety-two. The deposits received in 18(>7 amounted to £96,372 from 6,977 depositors, whilst in 1872 they amounted to £430,877 from 31,071 depositors. The balance remaining at the credit of depositors on the 31st December, 1867, was £71,197, whilst at the end of 1872 it was £190,066. The amount received by depositors for interest in 1867 was £1,618, whilst in 1872 it was £20,436. T! c expenses incurred in working tho depurhuutit last year, •mioinilcd to £16,268. Tho greatest Amount of deposits luring I In- ln«t year was in Otago, £101,387; after which lomis A n.-kl.ind, £80,065; Canterbury, £80,000 ; Wellington, tiiPJIS; Westlaud, £3B,397; Nelson, £24,087; Southland, .1. 17 <s 13; Hawke's Bay, £10,000; Taranaki, £8,212 ; Marlborough, £6,129. In accordance with advertisement a goodly number of tho electors in Hamilton assembled in Hie Court House, West Hamilton, at 8 p.m. on Thursday, 11th inst , to hear Mr Dargaville, a candidate for the Superintendent, deliver his views on matters connected with his candidature. Captain McDonald wns unimonsl\ voted to tin- chair. »ud introduced Mr Dargarillo to the meeting, who then spoke continuously for an hour and a half to the points at issue, tho only interruptions being those sounds of the feet and hear hears by which tho Anglo-Saxon is so used to signify his appreciation of sentiments uttered. Wo need not again rccapitulato his speech, at the tame strings must be harped upon at every meeting where the candidate seeks to woo the votes of the cleotors. Several pertinent questions were put to the candidate with regard to the education rate, extension of the railway, reduction of expenditure in the proviiicialdepurtnienls, road boards, and other local matters, all ot which wore, answered in a straightforward manner and to the satisfaction of the electors. The motion of u voto of thanks wus proposed, and also, as nn amendment, a vote of confidence. The amendment was carried almost unammonily. Mr J)arguvillc briefly returned thanks. A vote of thanks to tho chairman brought the meeting to a cluoc about 10 p.m.

H id of so great importance) that immigrants arriving in Auckland should get immediate oinployment, that wo will uibert, gratis, the requirements of settlers iv this district and have little doubt that our local contemporaries will copy in> order that employers of labour may be u-atisiled, and the immigrants not ieel that they have been cajoled into coming to a country where no employment is t > bo found. Tiie follow ing is th.s translation of a letter forwarded to the Bay of Plenty Times;— "Friend,— Salutations to jou. Wo Inn i' all seen your newipaper of the 23rd of August, about the words of C. O. Davis concerning the Arawa. He calls us abig-moutbe.l tribe, and says, send them back to ii twunki, or to some very v.inn place — viz , hell. Now this is .i word from all of v, in answer to Davis bud talk about us That double-faced man is like Judas and the Devil. Ilia work from of old has been to give bad advico to some of tht) tribes of .New Zealand. The Europeans are aware of the doings of that reptile, who crawls about over the laud by day :iud by night, continually disturbing the peace and tlio l.i\s of this island. Listen ftU ol 3011. Wo do not want D.imh, and we have driven him far away to- the plan* irom whence he came. We will not ha\e him buck again, because jwr hnve found out, his deceitful way*. We arc writing to I -Mr McLean and the Governor to let them know the wickedlu'is of this lizard without a tail. We think he had better be placed on one of those two islands, cither " Kurima," or " Ivarewa," in the midst of hi* own- tribe (scorpions). O friend ! this is sutlicient answer to his statements m your newspaper. Please to insert this. From your loving friends, Henare Pukuatua, Temuera te Auiohau, P&ora Amoh*u, Petera te Pukuatua." This is pretty plain speaking. If Government persists, look out for news.