"OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 1874.

Waikato Times, Volume VII, Issue 347, 4 August 1874, Page 2

"OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 1874.

' <m i: iiioi. % the curse that Provincialism is proving to tl.iH colony is being made apparent by the • < ).;ms!u'i,h of iljo Provincial party in the House to I 1I 1 " i-Ji-r.liig of the Bill introduced by Mr Vogel for . t!,c fwji.su \at ion of the forests of the colony. The tailed} ill's oppoaition is that the forests within tJ.o diheruit provinces are a temporary source of it \enr.o, and consequently afford to those who have the in. uipuUtion of those revenues, more of the hh.i vs of m ar to expend upon local objects. These men appear to forget, however, that they are " killi'ig the goose." The address of Mr Vogel to the house, when speaking to the Bill, shews an amount of careful consideration seldom given by leaders of political parties to such questions : to our mind, ho clearly proved the necessity for immediate steps to be taken to prevent the reckless waste that is taking place in every district of the colony. It is rather startling to lind that in 1830 the forest lands *of the Province of Auckland were estimated at 4,000,000 acres, and in 1873 at only 1,200,000, so that over two-thirds of the timber has disappeared without, wo venture the opinion, commonsui'ate re wilt. From a telegram which appoars in another filumn it will be seen that thei'e is very little chance d the Bill becoming law. The most potent argument.* again&t it being its tendency to rob the provinces of a portion of their rovenue, and, as *.i r iHliceLan pointed out, throw a number of those •n gaged in the timber trade out of employment. A^.iegards the first objection, it amounts to a state-

mciit tli it l.itlior than a section of tlio colony should be lobbed of a portion of it&> re\ ume h is better that the whole colony should be denuded of its forests. The hon. member of course argued or rather stated that the statistics of the Premier exuviated the evil. Allowing that the statement which follow a does exaggerate the case, it must be apparent to any man who will take the trouble to carefully peruse it that the danger is great, and that the throwing of a section of the population out of employment would prove of comparatively little moment. The timber that is cut for use is only small in quantity compared with that which is wantonly destroyed. The Bill aims at the prevention of this wanton destruction.

We learn that, Mr Searancke, X.M . i<i nbout to leave this district. He has acted as Resident Magistrate for the Waikatofor the last nine years ; during Hint time the di&Lric Ihns grown in wealth, population and importance. His decisions during his term of office have given general satisfaction, and Ibis is saying a great deal for n man who lias had to settle the squabbles of neighbours for a term of yours. We understand that he has sold his residence at, Unniilton, and regret that the small pay attached to his office Ims necessitated this step. Wherever Mr Searancke may go he will carry with him the good wishes of the *etllers. Ilia long term of service fairly entitles him to an easier and more lucrative appointment, The annual meetings of the ratepayers of the Karioi, Whaingaroa, and Town of Eaglan districts were held on Wedncaday, July 29fch, in the Court House, Raglan. The Karioi ratepayers held their meeting til 11 o'clock. Mr Thomas Mitchell in the chair. The SojreUry reud the annual report and- the statement of receipts and expenditure. Receipts from all sources, £128 lOa 2£rt ; expenditure. £S3 12s Id. ; leaving a balance in hand of £15 7s lid. It was proposed by Mr James Phillips, and ccconded by Mr Hume, "That the report and financial statement be adopted.' — Carried. Proposed byMi'T. B. Hill, seconded by Mr Galvan, " That the rate for tho ensuing year be Id m the £ on value to sell. The following were elected to serve as Trustees for the current year :— Messrs Dobsom, Duncan, Harsant, G-alvan, and Liddel. Messrs Tliomns Mitchell and W. H. Wallis were elected auditors. It was proposed by Mr T. B. Hill, seconded by Mr Swan, and carried. " That'the thanks of tho district he accorded to Mr Vernon for the gratuitous use of a room in his house as a Board Room and office. The newly elected Board held their first meeting at Hie close of tho general meeting. Mr H. Duncan was appointed cliauv man, and Mr LaTnobo^jlerk and collector. Tho appeal day was iixed for tho 12th of September, when the Board will meet to hear any objections to the Assessment 8011. At one o clock the ratepapayers of tbo Whaingaroa district met. Mr Charles Sutton occupied the choir. The financial statement was read by tho Secretary, which showed that the total receipts had been £63 16s ; expenditure, £41 3s 9d, leaving a balance in hand of £22 12s 3d. Proposed by Mr Wilson, seconded by Mr Moore, and carried, " That "the. financial statement bo adopted." It was proposed by Mr Wilson, seconded by Mr Ilarsant, " That the rate bo Id m tho £ on the value to sell, and that all land be valued at 15s per acre." This was unanimously carried. Messrs Harsani, J. Moon, Savago, Sulton, and Wollis were elected 'JL'i iitO*es for tho ensuing year. Proposed by Mr J. Moore, seconded by Me Harsant, find carried. " That Messrs Wilson and Gibbeson bo appointed JFence viewers for the district, to act under the provisions of tho new Fencing Act." Messrs Charles MauD maid and T. Mitchell were appointed auditors. The new Trustees met at the close of the meet ing, Mr Wallis was chosen chairman, and Mr LaTrobe appointed clerk and collector. The sth of September was iked as tho day of moiting to hoar uppcals to Assessment Roll. Tim Town of Raglan ratepayers assembled at 3 o'clock. Mr Win. Powell "was \otcd to tho chair. The statement of receipts and expendsture for the past year was read by the Secretary} Receipts, £55 5s 9d ; expenditure. £46 lis Gd, leaving^ balance in hand ot £5 13s 3d. A ra|o of Id m the £on value to sell was struck. Messrs Giluiour, Mitchell, Moore, Ponell, and Wnllis were elected Trustees, and Messrs T. B. Hill and Pcgler were appointed Auditors. We understand that a matcli has bren arranged between Willnim Skelhe, of Matamata, and Delany, of the Armed Con bta bulary, to run one mile level. Some o^ our renders will doubtless recollect the pedestrian peifonnanees of tlic first-named man, who\has successfully competed on several ocensions with the best Aucklaud nthletcs. We behove that his time for one mile 4min. 42seo. has never been beaten by any pedestrian in tho colony. Delim/s performances have been recently debaited in these columns, and uuqi:estiouably stamp him as a runner of no mean order. A maunificicnt race may therefore be confident.lv anticipated. The eourso will bo laid out in tho Government paddock, at Cambridge, and the time fixed for the start is 2.30 p.m. on Saturday, August Bth. The pm- to be contested for is £15, tho greater part of which is ulicady in the hands of tho stakeholders. A concert took place at To Awamntu on l<Yiday last, the cflsli proceeds from which are to bo devoted to tho augmentation of a fund being raised to build a public hull in the township. The only available building \m> well filled, a fact which may bo taken as evidence that a building suited foy public entertainments is much required. Tli<rprogrammo was a long one— it consiatod of twenty songs, t-olos and choruses, amongst which were several eveelJent compositions. It would bo unfair to adversely ciiheisc amateurs who gave their time and exertions to benefit their fellow settlers we shall thoreforo refrain from prniso. Wo may say this much, Lou ever, tho nudienco seemed delighicd wibli Iho entertainmont provided for them. It is not out of place for us to remind those gontlemon who wriv congregated near the door, that it would have been \erv desnuble that they should have carried on their coin mat ion conrernm« farm slock in a inoro suitable place. They v, onlrl ha\ c sat el I heir 2s Gd, and others would have been hl>lc to get their inotuVd wo -tb, of which tho noise partial robbed them. It is rumored amonyb)G-ood Templar circles', we undeistnnd, that a high dignitary of tho older is about (o \isij thr-.c colonies. No doubt tho presence ol a reco nnsod leader of tins girs- movement will tend largely to K.rp up the m torestfelt in the woik of tho order by lls'nmny friendu ; and, regarding it as we do, as an important a<joii| of .social reform, wo sincerely hope the proposal lelt llM v" re3ll i t in inutjii beueut to the order. — Cro&s.

Tiio wid effects of drink whs .14.1111 illustrated at an m- | quest Ik'Kl m Auckland, on S iturday, on the body of ix man I n imed Ednurd Little, who was lound Ho.nl in a water-closet, j The deeea-ed was u nun of education, and was foinierly u reporter on the l>cw Zeafamltr lie had latterly been "re. -iding at TauranjjM, and filled tin- portion of schoolmaster. In coiiseiiucnci', lioueior, of ill health, the result of his weakiu'-d for dunk, lie had come up to Auckland, and sought ndnn-sion into the Hospital, but was discharged tit the end oi a fortnight as incurable, since which time he appears to ha\e wandered about without, the, moans of procuring shelter and almost destitute of clothing. The inquiry resulted in a verd'et of serous apoplexy, ariiintj from intemperance, exposure, nnd want of proper nouns'imenfc. The application made for a new trial m the case of Donnelly v. Burn»ide, in whicli the defendant was mulcted in the sum of £250 for alleged seduction, has been refused with costo. Tin* argument advanced for the rule were that the damages wero excessive, and that, fresh evidence had baen gathered. Two inebriates, John Kelly and William Goodwin, wero brought before Captain Euyncr, J i J , nt Ngarunwahiu. yesterday. The former, being an old offender, was fined 1O J , or in default 48 hours imprisonment, and the latter ss, with the alternative of 21 hours imprisonment. The result of the scrutiny of the votes given in tho Waitemnta election shows a majority of GO for Mr Yon der Uevr'e. Nineteen inelligible vote* had been recorded for Mr Macfarlane, and nine for Mr Yon div Hpyde

Total Area in Acre?. Estimn ;o of Foresl Lnnd. Pboviuce. In 1830.* In 186S> In 1873* iueklnnd Uaranaki Wellington Han ko'd Bay . . . kelson Marlborough ... l/'nntcrbury IVestlawd* Dtago 16,650,000 2,290,000 7,000,000 3,050,000 6,928,000 2,720,000 8,693,000 3,025,000 16,038,400 4,000,000! 2,000,000) 5,000,000 •970,000 3,000,000] SOO.OOO 300,000 2,000,000 2,800,000 1,650,000 1 800,000 4,000,000 360,000 2,5<)0,0u0 700,000 270,000 1 .900,000 2,116,000 1,200,000 1,600,000 3,000,000 250,000 2,000,000 500,000 180,000 1 500,000 1,90U,000 Totals 66,394,400 20,870,000 15,296,0001 112,130,000 * These appro: irovmces nro fin ;imato estii ■nished by iates of fort Dr Hector. >bt lund in the various

Percentage of Forest mnd in IS3O. 1868. 1873. Auckland fnraiiulci SVollington Inwke's Bay ... kelson Harlborough .. Canterbury ' IVestlancl ] 24.024 87.336 71.428 31803 43.302 29.411 3.4509 66115 1 1.34 9 909 83 013 57.14^ 11803 36 085 2r>.735 3106 62.809 12 569 7.209 65.562 42 857 8193 28 863 18.382 2 H7UO6 49.121 11.841 DUgo | Whole colony 30.63 23.038 i 18.27

Comparative Statement showing the Percentage of the Forest Land in New Zealand, 1830, ISC.S, nn.l 1873.

1868. 1873. Auckland Taranaki Wellington Hawke's Bay ... Nelson Marlborough ... Canterbury Westluud Otago 58.75f 10. 20. 6082 16.6 12.5 10. 5. 12.34 27.27 11.1 25. 30.5 20. 2557 33 3 21.05 10.71 Whole colony 25. 20. t Tli in, of the forest standing m there bad been destroyed 58.75 per between tbnfc date and 1873 tbere bai per cent, of the remainder. 183U (in Auckland), :en(. up to 1808 ; and been destroyed 27.27

SHOWING RATK OF DBSTBFCriON.