The Waikato Times.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 549, 25 November 1875, Page 2

The Waikato Times.

Equal and exact justice 'to all mm, 01' whatever state or persuasion, religious or political * # # # # Here shall the Press the People's right maintain, Una wed toy inftuence and uivbribed by gain.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1875.

There is some truth perhaps in the remarks made by " Observer " in our correspondence columns of to-diy, but we scarcely think that he is justified in jumping to the conclusion, that because Waikato ha« not yet driven the Canterbury and Otago farmers and dairymen out of the Auckland markets it is from want of energy and spirit on the part of the settlers. We have much respect for our correspondent and for his own indomitable energy, but .if he will compare the Waikato of to-day with that office years ago, when thia paper was first started, he ca»not but note the difference in its appearance, its wealth, and population. We are new only just emerging from the infancy of settlement. It is but yesterday, as it were, that we .turned our sworJs into plough, shares and ceased to be a mere "^cordon" of military settlements. It is quite true that much, too much of what we could ourselves produce is still imported into tbe distiict. but this state of things is fast correcting itself, and will probably disappear altogether after the present harvest. J3ut it must be remembeied that increased cultivation and settlement of themselves occasion this very state of things. JS.evr settlers must necessarily for a time be non-producers, and at the rate the Waikato districts have lately increased in population it is not surprising that the demand for the home market has been more than the local production could supply. As regards the Auckland market w«aoubt very much if Waikato

can, until the railroad is carried further into the heart of the district, compete favorably with either Canterbury or Otago i& the Auckland market, in respect of the articles of produce mentioned in our correspondent's letter. Practically the Auckland 'market lies nearer to their doors than to ours, to say nothing of natural advantages enjoy od by the settlers of the Canterbury plains where the land lies ready for the plough, and yean of settlement have placed ready at their hands every modern improvement in agricultural work, even to the steam plough itself It is easy to ride through the country and imagine what might have be^n done without taking into consideration the means by which and the circumstances under whjch what has been undertaken has been done. If Waikato has been more favorably .circumstanced than the northern districts of tbis province it has not been without its difficulties of early settlement, also, as hundreds amongst us can testify. Our early settlers were not all wealthy men, but have had their struggles and difficulties, swamp land, and want of roads and bridges, and in some cases indifferent land to oontend with, and these difficulties are mot overcome in a day. All things considered, the progrets made has we think been rapid and we are certain of this, that it is sure. The Waikato settlements "have taken root and hold upon the soil, and cases of individual failure are rarer than in any new agricultural district in the colony. JNor when the itime comes, when railway communication shall have opened up our settlements and farms and brought them into direct communication with the capital, -shall we be found wanting in entering into -competition with the farmers of southern provinces. Till then and while our settlers labour under the disadvantages of indifferent roads, heavy freights, and dearer labour —for that of the south is cheapened by tibe use of machinery not available or not perhaps yet applicable here— we shall consider it no sign of " wan: of energy or spirit " that they are unable to drive the Middle Island farmers out of the Auckland market.

NoARUAWAHii. ASSESSMENT List. — Objections to the list will be beard this afternoon at two o'clock by the Board whioh sit* for that purpoie at the Royal Mail Hotel. Alexandra Batepaybbs List. — The assessment list of the Alexandra Township District Board is left at the Post office for the inspection of ratepayers. Objections and appeals will be heard on the Bth proximo. Water.— Now, before the summer fairly sets in, opportunity should not be lost by those unprovided with wells of securing water through the dry weather. It will be seen by advertisement elsewhere, that Mr Cumming of the Wai kato brewery, has a few iron tanks capable of holding 400 gallons each for sale. Etkikibiboa Hoad Board. — A meeting of Kirikiriroa ratepayers, was held yesterday afternoon, at the Royal Hotel, Hamilton East, when Mr J B White was elected a trustee for ,the district, in the place of Capt McPherson, ' the late Chairman, who had resigned. After , the election a meeting of the trustees was held when Mr Whit? was elected Chairman. Tb Awamtjtu Hotel. — The new hotel at Te Awamuta, is rapidly approaching completion, and Mr Can^y the proprietor informs us thai everything will be ready by Licensing day. The hotel consists of eighteen large »nd lofty rootas, and no expense is being spared in anything that can add to the comfort and convenience of visitors. A petition in favor of granting a license has been got np ami «igned by sixty of the most respectable settlers in the district. Accident to Mr Evens — We regret to learn, that it has been considered necessary for Mr Even's who recently met with an accident to come into Hamilton for medical advise and treatment. Mr Evens, late of Blaydes and Evens, was chopping some meat about ten dayß ago, when the tomahawk glided off the bone and struck him upon tHe knee, inflicting a deep and severe wound . The wound getting worse instead of better Mr Even* came in yesterday, and had it dressed bv Dr Beale. The Cavalry Review. — We trust that the weather will be fine to-morrow, or it will prove . a great disappointment, not only to the people of Cambridge, but of many part* of the district, who would otherwise assemble there, not only to see the review but to participate in the sports and amusements which will take place afterwards. The Review will be held at the farm of Mr W Reynolds and an excellent programme both of horse races and athletic spoits has been provided, and to-morrow is likely to be a gala day long to be remembered by the people of Cambridge. An AQUATrro Monster. — Newspaper paragraphists have been most unfortunate in describing Mi- Quick's new boat for the Waikato. On Saturday w© corrected an error of our own, copied into all the Auckland papers, that the vessel was 60 feet in length, with a beam of 40 feet, giving the ro-reot dimensions 100 feet by47 feet. The " Herald,"" we see, anxious to make "the amende, attempts to copy our paragraph ■but flounders deeper into the mud. We now learn from tint jo'imal that " Mr Quick's nqw s earner, intended for the Waikato river traffic, -will hare a length of one hundred feet, by ■ »venteen feet in width, with a beam of forty ieefc." .What* next ! Cambridge Literary Society.— We have been favored with the following report of the statement of accounts of the Cambridge Literary S-jciety, for the quarter ending October Slit :— The receipts amount to £7 4* 6d, and the expenditure to £4 18e ; leaving a credit balance of £2 6s 6d, The receipts are the following : sale of periodicals, 6s 6d ; members' subscriptions, £2 15s ; proceeds of entertainment, £h 3s. The expenditure is composed of the following items : 1 gh^ing for 13 weeks, 13s ; minute book and stationery, 3s ; advertising frjm last quarter, 3s ; t>vo prizes for the spelling bee, stationery, and album, 12s 6d ; hand bills, and advertisements, for spelling bee, £1 lla 6d ; balance due from last quarter, £1 15* 6d. The A C Fohob. — As mir readers are awans the Government have resolved to utilise the ■ervices of the members of the Armed Confta'bulary to the -utmost, aud as many men as can possibly be epnred are bring drafted from *he various stations to the road works in progress in different parts of the Province. On Monday « sergeant and six men were sent from Cambridge to assist in the work of road making now going on at Ohinemun, and Sub-Inspector Ross-Watts is left in command at Cambridge with a mere skeleton garrison, until those of his men at present in Hamilton, going through the u-ual course of musketry instruction, return to Cambridge, which wrll be in the course of another ten days or a fortnight. Front face! Attention ! -Mr Low, photographer, re-opens his business again in Hamilton West, endiis open to receive visilora-to-day. Wo need i»y Httle to recommeni Mr Low to the notice of the residents of Wailcato, in the several districts of which he has been located at one time or another during the past five years. It is, however, some seven or eight months since he was in business in Hamilton, and he has now determined to settle down permanently here for the purpose of following his profession as far as portrait taking goes, and has erected a very convenient and well adapted studio in Victoriaatreet. Tire room in full sized and well lighted so as to secure freedom from too much sun, and that 'peculiar grey light which gives tone, softness, and distinctness to a photographic portrait The room, too, is so arranged that portraits can b u taken from either end of it. AJI modern appliances and every convenience for manipulating negatives after the portraits have been taken have been provided, so that with Mr Lowes well known skill as a photo arapber, the public may trust themselves in his hunda as sure of a portrait that will do justice both to themselves and tt> him. Some of the specimens taken at different times during the last few ynuri, on show at bis rootoo, display a tone and finish wcond to none produced in the proTinea:

• Waikato East Elsotiow.— The numerously signed requisition to Mr Whitaker from the electors of Waikato East and his reply will be aeon in our advertising column*. Thb Waipa Elbctiow.— -Mr McMinn it will be seen is about to make a personal on vast of the district, and will meet the-electors at Alexandra, on Saturday sett, and at Te Awamuta an iha Saturday following. Whether M<«sra Roohfrand Brigkt will really come to the huttings, ,we oannot say, though it is quite possible There are at any rate two candidates in the field, for both Mr Cox and Mr McMinn mean it. We understand tkat Mr McMinn hai a large promise of support in tke upper Waikat© district which was naturally to be expected, as he is favorably known at a practical sound man of business, and one wfae has keen long «nd is likely to he identified with the interests of the constituency. Thb Railway Works.— We see by the Auckland pipers that the Colonial Engineer, Mr Carruth«r», and his assistant. Mr BUckett, have arrived in Auckland and may shortly be expected to visit the Waikato and inspect the railway works at present being undertaken between Mercer and Hamilton. A large quantity of railway iron and other material has "been received at Taupiri during the past week, having been forwarded by barge from tbe Wnikato heads, where some 700 tons of it have been lying for some time. Considering the misguided state of the weather, the conlraotors have got through a considerable amouat of work, and the bridge at Ne»ruawahia is in a more forward state of construction than might have been expected. We perceive that tVve contractors for the bridges between Ngaruawahia and Hamilton have commenced work, and should the weather take up, will soon giro a goad account of themselves. Thb Timib and th« A»eicfltttbal Snow.— The Cambridge farmers olub has t juched us upon a raw wbioh had gust, and only just began to skin over, and on which we are not a little sensitive, tbe non-publication in the TiMßa of the report of the Agricultural Show at Ellerslie. Our Cambridge friend* might have been (light 'Upon this journal nnder the ciroustances, at the omission occured during a short tnter-n gn urn between the leaving of one editor and the assumption of editorial duties by h«s su oe«sor. However we plead guilty and throw ourselves on the mercy of the court. It is at least satisfactory to find that the president ©f tbe club in passing sentence did not put on the black cap, but simply ad-nonished us. Seriously speaking, however, the omission was a mistake and it gives us no little satisfaction t« find tbe Waikato settlers depending so much* upon their local journal for reports of Auckland news, the di-clo9ure of which fact will make us all the more observant of the desirability of keeping them well supplied with matters of special interest to an agricultural community. Jookbt Club Mibtzva.— A meeting ef the Jockey Club was held at Gwynne'a hotel, on Monday nighi last, when the committee appointed to report en tbe race course to be seleoted, stated that that on Mr Jolly's property was both too small and too full of holes for the purpose, but that there were two other available sites, tho one on Mr Graham's property at Tamahere, and the other on Mr Runciman's, near Cambridge, either of which they believed would be found to be-euiuble. A committee consisting of Messrs Carpenter, Runciman, Martin, and Robert Kirkwood was then appointed to visit the two places indicated, and these gentlemen proceeded there on Tuesday, when it was decided to hold the race meeting at Mr Runcimtn's, the proposed course ea Mr Graham's property being somewhat rough and consequently 4ikely to entail considerable expense in putting it in proper order. Mr Runciman we understand has undertaken to erect the necessary posts (tee of cost to the club. A meeting will be held at Gwynne's hotel, on Monday evening aext, to fix the amount of the stakes and make other necessary arrangements for the forthcoming programme, when probably the appointment of a paid secretary wi Ibe made in place of the hon secretary who resigned at a late meeting. Tna Cambbibob and Tattpo Roa» — Allnling to the withdrawal of opposition by tho natifei tj the construction of tin* roai, tho " Cr>s? " says : — " We are informed tint when last Aiijor Mair visited the Ngatiraukawaw* tribe, some allusions were made to this road question, and many chiefs then expresael themselves to the effect that in their opinion the road might now be made, especially if the road rate question was settled. This means that if the road goes thrnigh native lauds, the native owners shill not be liable for the rate. Our informant is of opinion that if the proposal wore to ba brought forward now, the Hauhaus would not oppose it— at leist, not strongly. They would remonstrate, no doubt ; but their remonstrance would take ft form whic'i could not well be ignored. They would sty. writes our informant, 'Kaue whahararuraru i te ra o Tawhiao rau ki te Makarini,' which may be freely translated by ' Better not disturb matters until the Government hare really come to an understanding with Tawhiao. 7 Tfee natives do expect a full and satisfactory understan ling to be arrived at with the native Minister and Tawhiao, who has now returnod from Kawhia, and it would be well if this were arranged without delay. It is said that Tawhie's meeting with the natives takes pla<*e during the present week. It is te be quite a social affair, %nd has, says the writer, ' been more discusse 1 by Press correspondents than by the natives themselves ' " The projected Hamilton Hall— As we stated in a late issue would be the ca^e, the prospectus of the proposed Company for building a Public Hall for Hamilton is now before the public, and it will rest with the people of the district to say whether this rao*t desirable object will be successfully carried out or not. Of the necessity for such a building we need aay nothing. That is most certainly -felt and appreciated by all. Of the means of the residents to successfully carry out the pr ject there should also be no doubt. It would certainly not be to the credit of Hamilton, that it -hould fail, where other settlements have succeeded. On the other hand the matter has been brought forward in such a manner that it really ought to be a success. People are not asked for a subscription towards the creotian of a building which, except as far as they are interested iv the progress of the district, will be of no further source of profit or advantage to them, but to take part ra an investment which is likely to j»rove a very good 1 one for their money, and pay a fair, if not a handsome rate of interest. They are in fact only a«>ked to lend, not to give, for the shares ' will always be saleable at par. -Const Bering how useful the building will be to them, we think the various pubic Societies, the Masoni, the Orangemen, Good Templars, and .others, might not only assist by taking shares as individuals, but as Societies, and that the funds of the various (Lodges miglit very properly be applied in taking so many shares in the name of the Lodge or Society to assist in tho movement. For further particulars of the propjsed arrangements we refer onr readers to the prospectus published in another part of to-day's issue.