The Waikato Times.

Waikato Times, Volume VIII, Issue 488, 6 July 1875, Page 2

The Waikato Times.

F, i al nnd exact justice to all men. <T whatever s-t ito or psrsuasion, religious or political; 5#5 # * * * T^ c shall vho Pic>s t lie Pi-oplr's right maintain, (Jr .iwed by intlnonee and unbiibctl by gam.

TUESDAY, JULY 6, 1875.

r special report of the annual meeting of rate.v^aofthe Mang.iuiko Highway district, pub- '} >\ in this issue, brings in considerable prominence vv/ofthe matteis which most intimately affect ' y .^™ n.,ri wolffire. not only of that locality,

, but of* he W.iikato generally. It is cKurly^ apparent that i.he local Board has exhibited considerable care and tacl in the distribution of the expon dittire on improvements and repairs ; but in a district so extensive, and so young, no very comprehensive or costly works could, be undertaken. The land is of excellent quality and [comparatively level, and the settlers appear^to be of a thoroughly industrious, and thrifty stamp. There is abundant promise that, when the early difficulties of settlement have been overcome, —difficulties incidental more or less to the Waikato as a whole — the elements of material prosperity which the Mangapiko enjoys, will have fuller and freer scope for development than now. The funds at present available do not go far, and the utmost care and economy are necessary in order to administer them efficiently. The new trustees enter upon their duties with a considerable credit balance, and the prospect of receiving at least double the amount from the rates during the current year ; and as they are energetic men, possessed of considerable business capacity, they willy in all probability, be enabled to accomplish works on a scale considerably larger than was within the means of their predecessors. The district at present is afflicted to a large extent with that too-common curse of many of the out-districts-absenteeism. We are told that something like 20,000 acres of land in the Mangapiko are owned by absentees whohav^spent little or nothing at all in improvements. ■ ftfceyare apparently holding the land for meWy speculative purposes, or waiting until the outlay by their neighbours has improved the value of property, and smoothed away all the difficulties. It is possible that a peuny in the pound rate will reach them to some extent, and if it affect them severely, they are not deserving of much sympathy. The evils of absenteeism are greater than is always apparent on the surface. Large blocks of unimproved land positively depress the general value of property in a district, widen the area over which the rates have to be spent, increase the labours of the Trustees, and worse than all, lock up the . land from those who would occnpy and improve it. One of the chief wants of the district is direct communication with Ngaruawahia. There is a passable dray road from Alexandra and from Ngaruawahia which is broken about the centre by a swamp of about six miles. To make a good road through this it would be necessary to constructa few bridges, and there would be some small cutting^ to^ be done. The engineering difficultresNjoura be^nsisnNficant, and a direct road would efrasth* siivingVf xen\jiiles upon the route now used. w\rk has not been done long ago, must be attributed to the fact that the settlers to the South of Auckland are more long-suffering than those in other parts of the Province. It is only the most troublesome that can secure any attention to their reasonable demands. Those which are content to rely upon some innate sense of justice which is traditionally supposed to actuate governments in general, may wait till Doomsday foe the barest necessity. And here we may-^nri^k>that^theH^balance-sheet of the MangapikxrK[>ard ffrr shows not one penny amon^t the fevenufe^Ap. having been received from the Provincial Government. Having this fact in view we can fully understand and enter into the feelings of hostility and contempt with which country settlers regard the Provincial system. It is to them in reality nothing better than a huge sham, a mere useless paraphernalia for the collection of certain monies, which disappear in some mysterious manner like water thrown down a sink. The settlers would be glad to know clearly what the province has done with the money received by the Provincial Treasury from tijß Colonial Government on the pretence of expendin^wtSn (Jertainvnia*in roads in the Waikato. The province^ got the- m\sney, but the main roads which the Provincial government pretended to be so extremely solicitous about remain only as sad memorials of neglect and financial thimble-rigging. We should like to know which thimble the little I pea of .£2,500, received from the Colonial Goyern-l-ment, and which was to be expended on the roads | from Ngaruawahia to Cambridge, to Te Awamutu, and Alexandra^ has been shuffled under, Another thing *wirich>the Mangaj>iko district urgently needs is a ffybrfc schoo^ \HUheHo the settlers have paid the education *tax' getting, absolutely nothing in return. They have lately subscribed asura of £80 towards the erection of a school-house. Messrs Seccombe and Scott, with commendable public spirit, have given an acre of land each as a site for a building. The contract has been let for a school-house which will cost £120, so that there is yet a balance of .£4O to be raised ; which it is to be ho.ped tlie Central Board of Education will be willing to grant out of the ,£lO,OOO now available. The settlers have done their share of the work, and their liberality in the matter gives them strong claims upon the board ; but while things remain as they are. che district is not likely to receive any aid unless its claim is strongly pressed. We trust the time is fast approaching when the General Government will devise a comprehensive •and eJ^cieut system of education for the whole Colony, Und when the present tax will be replaced by some more equitable means of revenue. It will hardly be credited that v the district is without even a Post-office, yet such is" the disgraceful fact. A settler who desires to post a letter must send it half a day's journey to Ohaupo or Alexandra. This is a matter which needs the immediate attention of the Government. On the whole the Mangapiko settlers afford a good example of self-reliance, and willingness to help themselves. Despite obstacles and disabilities which are sufficient to seriously retard the progress of any district they are sanguine of the future, and determined to make the most of the means within reach. With proper roads, and a reasonable amount of ai4 from the Government the Man^ipiko is clestmetkfQ^ecome a most productive j and flourishing district^ and to afford homes to i many hundreds of valuable settlers.

We understand that a telegram has been received from Mr Brooking, G.W.S. of the Grand Lodge of Good Templars at Auckland, stating that Mr Turner will arrive in Hamilton to-morrow evening without fail. It will be seen on reference to our advertising columns that members of the 1.0. G.T. are requested to meet and welcome MrTurneron his arrival by coach to-morrow evening, and that a public meeting is convened to assemble in the Court-house tomorrow evening at 7.30 p.m., to hear a lecture from Mr Turner. This gentleman has the reputation of being a fluent and ready speaker, gifted with much versatility, and a peculiar Yankee vein of humour. A sergeant and eight men of the Armed Consta bulary proceeded to Mercer by Quick's coach on Saturday, en route to Wellington, for the purpose of forming a guard of honor to' his Excellency the Governor, on the occasion of opening Parliament, on July 20th. The recent rains have caused a slight rise in the WaikatQ river. Up to last night it had risen to a height of about three feet, which will improve the navigation. It is notified that the bridge over Walker's gully, on the Cambridgo and Ohaupo road, will be closed for repairs for a fortnight. i

Tlicie have bf-en lieavy gales and extraordinary j high tula* at Wellington. An additional public hall is to be built in Wellington. The July number of the " Australasian" contains a large birds-eye view of Adelaide, printed on finetoned paper. We would remind those interested that a lodge in connection with the Order of Good Templars will be opened at Cambridge at 7 o'clock this evening. It is announced that a lecture on the subject of the " Electric Telegraph," will be delivered by Mr B. B. Reynolds, in connection with the Cambridge Literary Society, this evening. Mr H. Roche, M.P.C., invites his constituents to meet him at 3 p.m. on Saturday next, in the Volunteer Hall, Te Awamutu, when he will address them on the subject of his conduct in the Provincial Council, and on political matters generally. We learn that the river Waipa has been considerably swollen by the rains, and that the natives are taking advantage of the favourable state of the river for navigation by bringing down large quantities of produce. Mr Kennedy Hill will hold a sale of hardy ornamental trees, evergreens and flowering shrubs, fruit trees, flowers, thorn quicks, &c, being the fourth annuul sale by Mr Mason, at the Hamilton Hotel, at ISL a.npHo-ikorrow The assortment to be offered is aSttosfl^choicß cfne. We understand tffl^^es&'sNLainTand Braid wood have purchased xm entire (flyflradale horse, " Baron of Clyde," which will stand during the season in various parts ef the Waikato. Their enterprise in the matter is deserving of much praise, and we hope their endeavours to improve the breed of horses in the district will be liberally supported by the settlers. We understand that Mr Percival, well known in sporting circles, is preparing a New Zealand Stud Book, and Guide to the Turf. The book will contain a list of meetings, and a great variety of information of interest to turfites and sportsmen generally, find Mr Percival'a experience render him peculiarly fitted for the task which he has undertaken, and in which, we wish him success. We havsTr'&^ivfed apircnkr^from the proprietors of the " Auitra%,Bian,' r inUm^in^ that it is their intention to prtblisn in thaiJournaFa series of papers, descriptive of the political, social, and industrial condition of New Zealand, entitled " New Zealand as it is." The papers will be the work of a special correspondent who had excellent opportunities of acquiring the requisite knowledge. The settlers of the Manga piko district have raised by subscription a sum of 80/. towards the cost of a school-house, which is to be 30ft. by 20. Messrs Seccombe and Scott granted an acre of land each, as a site for building, and the contract has been let to Mr Sanderson. The cost is estimated at 120/, and the Board of Education has been requested to grant the requisite balance of 401. It is expected that .tta tnuberv will^ be ready in a week or two, atyl that the wpHcNvjtfr- be finished in about J two or thr.ee* irtonths ffencer* Jt number of settlers | have volunteered to convey the timber on the ground j free of charge. The " New Zealand Horald" strongly urges the Superintendent to request the General Government to institute a searching iuquiry iuco the charges of mismanagement of .the Auckland railways Apropos of this subject, we notice by the i( Southern Cross " that on Saturday night there was a narrow escape from a collision. The train from Mercer to Auckland was stopped at Newmarket by order of the station-master there, to await the arrival of a goods train expectel from Auckland. After ten minutes delay, the train proceeded to Auckland, where it arrived just as the goods train was ready to start. Had it not been for the anpa«§ntjy accidental delay of the good&tirain at i^uclnanjj, & collision must have occurred. \ * % The matter which\ r as referred to by Mr Ormsby at the annual meeting of the ratepayers of the Mangapikodistr-ict is one of considerable importance. It is a notorious fact that the Road Boards, by some singular fatality, usually commence a large proportion of the road works in the height of winter, when the formations are converted into mud and slush by rains, and the slightest traffic over a newly made road ploughs it up into a morass. Doubtless the high rates and scarcity ot labour during the finer months are. great obstacles to the prosecution of works on any considerable scale, but this does not sufficiently account for the strange partiality of the Road Boards to road making in winter. The cause is evidently more general in its operation, and it will be found in the fact that the Boards ffcito^tofr nrtfek, o€ the general rate to remain in ar^dar urctil *neiiWthe end of the financial year. We cannot seV tliat " tke date fixeel for the annual meetings is unsuitable. Even if the pre parations for collecting the rate involve a delay of between two and three months there is no excuse for allowing the bulk ot the work to remain over until the winter months. Were energetic measures used to collect the rates, the funds would be in hand in ample time to prosecute work in the tine weather, and it would be far more profitable in the long run to pay a slight advance for labour then, than to do cheap and nasty work in the wet weather. The fault appears to rest with the Boards and their collectors, who are too indulgent with dilatory ratepayers and absentees. It appears that our anticipations as to the happy family arrangement in the matter of the Daybreak and Maori Weed swindle have been realized. The whole affair has been hushed up in a most comfortable manner for all parties. At a recent meeting of the Jockey Club it was decided that unless Mr Isaacs gave a clear and satisfactory explanation of his conduct, he should be expelled from the Auckland Jockey Club. This determination was generally approved, as affording some security that the grosH scmdil would be sifted to the bottom. It is clear now that there has been much cry and little wool about the deliberations of the committee. The mountain's been in- labor* and has brought forth a mole-hill. v Hi fact tne inqpry has been as big a swindle as was the race. Mr Isaac's delicate sensibility was so touched with these unworthy suspicious that he resigned his connnection with the Auckland Jockey Club. The committee refused to accept it, and he was again iuformed that unless he satisfactorily explained his conduct he would be expelled from the Club. At the last meeting of this august body they were unanimously of opinion that there was not sufficient evidence against Mr Isaacs, and that he had completely exculpated himself. The Committee, however, very judicionsly neglected to enlighthen the general public with regard to the facts upon which they based this decision. The public may therefore be excused if they smell a rat, especially*,^ C-ipt Walmsley, one of the most experienced turfites--- in Auckland declined to acquiese in $h$ decision- of the Committee. However, the matter has been arranged in the hole and corner, happy-family manner we predicted. No doubt the Committee made a very abject apology to Mr Isaacs for having ever entertained the slightest doubt of his spotless integrity, and after mutual forgiveness had been affectionately pronounced on both sides, they embraced, wept profusely on each other's bosoms, and vowed eternal friendship.

The following Tauranga telegram indicates an interest in the Road Board elections there, which contrasts very strikingly with the indifference exhibited in some districts in the Waikato :— " There was a most exciting meeting of ratepayers here last evening. It lasted several hours. The result of the election is as follows : — Messrs. Hannon, Firth, Wrigley, Norris, Conway, and Cook. Mr Norris was appointed chairman, and Mr Cook treasurer. More were nominated, and the voting was very close." Serioiib complaints are made as to the condition of the wharf at Mercer. There is scarcely a sound pile in the structure, and the planking has become so rotten that it is dangerous for passengers to walk over it. Only a few days ago a gentleman was walking across to the steamer when his foot sank through one of the rotten planks, and he narrowly escaped serious injury ; and recently Messrs Martin and Briton nearly lost a valuable horse from the same cause. The Road Engineer has been frequently appealed to on the dangerous condition of the wharf, but he has a happy knack of referring every one to the Government. The railway traffic is daily increasing, and the wear and tear of the wharf is proporbi^natoly grater. _Th«, Government are building ih^whp.riS at ]xfcar»aw«Aia, while that at Mercer, wh\fTis at_ least\of\B^a'ijmportance is allowed to fall into decay .^ Evidently the wharf at Mercer must he repaired right soon, or the number of inmates of the Hospital may receive considerable additions, orVrork be afforded for an j undertaker. >. V .