The Waikato Times.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 567, 8 January 1876, Page 2

The Waikato Times.

Equal and exact justice to nil men, 01 \s hat*v«r «tnte or j)er»u»sion, religious or political # # • • ♦ Ifcie Mull thcPrcm the Pfopj^k's right maintain, Uh.ivm tl l>y luUuunce and unbribed by gain.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 187 G.

The ingratitude of man is proverbial and Mr T B Hill of Aotea, is no exception to the general run of mankind. We have dealt tenderly with bis " political fledgeling," as Mb McMinn is not very courteously teum-d by liis friend Mh Hill, and have tempered the cold blasts of political criticism ho that nothing rougher than a literary zephyr should fun his youthful brow, while on the other hand wo have been equally sparing of reference to the political antecedents of the more veteran politician against whom Ma AlcMinn is pitted. Tim journal in (act has impartially held the balnnee between the two, and yet forsooth Mil Hill can say, that with its assistance Mr Cox ought surely to beat Mb Me Minn without, the aid of clerical or Government influence being brought to bear upon the election. The clergy and the Government oilicinls can speak for themselves, but as far as this journal n concerned, we emphatically deny that it has in its editorial columns assisted Ms Cox. That its correspondence columns have contained more letters in support ol that gentleman than of Mr McMinn 13 a Dialler for which we are not responsible, no letter in the interest of the latter having been refused insertion since the contest commenced. I3ut as regards ourselves, we have carefully abstained from expression of opinion and lor two reasons ; the one, that to have taken either side would, under tho circumstances of the case, have been taking an unfair advantage of the other , the second, that the political opinions held by hoth candidates called for no bucli interference being so generally the same that any leaning of this journal to the one or the other could only havo arisen from personal feeling, and "measures not men" is our motto. We must not of course be understood, tint under no circumstances would the Waikato Times have taken a side. Had either cundidute expressed views inimical to the real interests of the district, had either rcfraim d from distinctly pledging himself to such a course as in the opinion of the electors and ourselves would havo advanced its progress, then, as the guardian of the local interests, wo should lmvo been found as outspoken u» we have now been silent. But as matters •food, wo felt and wo believe rightly, that the influence of tho only journal in the district thrown into tho scale on either one side or the other would havtj turned the election, and wo had no wish in tho absence, as we havo Baid, of »uQicient public grounds to exercise a power which none but extreme cause would havo rendered justifiable. It is for these reasons and from no desire to shirk the fair responsibilities of journalism that tho Times has maintained tho perfectly neutral position it occupies in this matter, a position to which it now refers with justi fiable pride, indifferent what this or that active political partisan on either sido may think or say of its conduct. A few days now and the election will bo over. On whichever of the two candidates at present before the constituency tho choice of tho electors may fall, of this we are qaito sure, that the district will be faithfully and energetically served, and we do most oarnestly hopj that the beaten party, whichever it may be, when the contest is once over, will bury all feeling of animosity or contention and join heart and soul in strengthening tho hands of our s'ttiug member, whoever he is, in the advancement of tho general welfare from his scat in Parliament.

Mb MrMinn hit llio null right on tlio head tlio other day when hu spoke in favour of n reduction of the duty on the necessaries of lifo and tho imposition of a property und incojno tax to catc h abtcntco landed proprietors and bank shareholders. It is not to much taxation itscll, as tho unfairness of its ineidenco of which tho people. Of this colony liavo to complmn. Tho Auckland Education rate has clearly shown tliis. No on« objected to the eipcndil uro on education Tho working cluihcs obtamo J free eilucution for their children, and tho propertied classes in effecting this really efleoted nn miuranco on the tccuro enjoyment of their property and tho continuance of preservation of law and order. The n.att of tho peoplo, howevor, naturally did object to Iho unftiiincss of a tax which foil equally on the occupi»r of a mere hut, and tht> owner of a mansion ; on the man woikmg for wages which barely soeured for hit family th» necessaries of lifo and the man who counted hu income by thousands. And so it u from onoond of the tariff" to tho other. Tho chief burdon of the debt of New Zealand falli on tho struggling settlers and the working classes. And just as those, who can best aflbrd to p.iy their fair share of the public tuxis escape them, do those samo men accumulate wealth, at tho cost of the workern What is it that makes tho lands of the big men, bel I by thousand* of acres in such a district :ih tlio Waikato, of real value, but Uib «wo»t anil tod of tho cockatoo settler! whom so muny oi them affect to despiao. W» ai-o not bjiivikitig ol the men of many acres, who bona fide tcttlti on hoiiio portion of their holding with the view of niadually reclaiming tho wholn of it. Thfii action is h-gitimiito enough, but of tho absentee put c and simple, tho man who buys land, and leaving it untouched waits for tho cultivations of tho working lottlers of tho district and the progress of dottlemnnt — to tho cost of which ho contributes nothing but his highway rule, and not always that -to runo it to a maikntiblo value- Theso are tlio men whom a property tax should bo made to reach for the benelit of tho country at largo, while by means of an acreage highway rato ihey aro reached ior local improvements. What in needed m a property t*x is that it bo so designed as to touch as lightly bb potmblo unproxcd properly lulling uioro heavily in proportion on that of the mero iprculatur or land uLark, and to tuoli extent that it, will foi co either tho necessity of hulo or ot improving tho land so us to make it productivo.

Oub Almanac— With to-days usuo of the Waikato Times Hubionbom will rrcoiro thi'ir copies of the Tunes Almnnuo for 1876. In view of making it ono of tho beat adverting mediums for tho Waikato, nie.ana will ho taken to lorwurd It to overj household in thn Waikato. Should, howefer, nny nob rooeiyu a copy ib ih requested that thej will applj at our ofQoe for one. Fnou-h Mait,. — Ma'ls for Aajcnci, Uiutfil I^. >i »i i itiiicnt of Ku o,*, vi'» S»n i<V . > i » lit ilainilton i'oet Ofli.-o on Siaurd^y moruing, 16t.h Jwiunrj, tt 7.30 % a.

Thu Fukemmu Mkktinh-.— -Both cnndniuto-. met the elector! on Wednesday evening. Tim report it to hand btU only tlio old ground was travelled OTer by cither candidate.

Pckfrimo.— Wo undenUnd that there will be no polling pUoo nt Pukerimu. At mntiy of tho letUerf, howover, will be at Ohaupo attending the oattlc ttles on Tueiday noit, the inconTonioDCo will not ho bo largely felt.

Hamixton West I)i<jtuict School. — Parents and those interested in the Above will be glad to learn that the Local Committee are doing Uieir bcit with the ','cntral Uoard to got a building ready by the end of t lie vacation. Cnvucn of England. —Wo have been requested to ctato that tbere will bo an c Kolmnge of servio-OB to-morrow, between tlic Roy Mr Krady and the Ret Mr Culdor. The Rev Mr Jirady will hold nervico at Cambridge in the morning and at Hamilton in tho evening, while tho Ray Mr Calrit-r will bold flerTicfl°in the morning at Hamilton, and in the oremug at Alpwndra

Thk Oambuidob Outjiagk.— We aro obliged to hold otor tbo full report of tlio judicul investigation of tho assault, on tho Key Mr Neill's house on new years morning, George Came, Jus Oluno, Alexander Clone und Edward Murtyn were each lined a sutn of £3 Id Cd including costs, 01 in default 1 months imprisonment. Tho report shows that no blame what•Ter as implied in Mr Neill's lettor, rests with the Armed Comtubularj. Wo trust that the pum«hinent indicted on these grown larrikins and tho exposuro will prerent the repetition of such outrages in future.

An Old Hi hj —That Mr Whitaker was to old iv Bottler in Now Zealand as he it wo wcr not aware, out m seconding his nomination fo Waikiito East, on Wednesday, dipt Eunciman in stating Unit Mr Wlnlaker wis no nonce but thoroughly conversant with the requirements of tho Colony — and one than whom none other could bo ioiuid of mom mfiimncr* and who would tallci look nftor their lniensts — went on to 8«y that Mr Wbituker arrived about tho inmo time as Mr Runciman, senr, namely in 1840, before o»en Auckland had a local habitation and n name.

Mklanciioly Death. — An inquest; was held nt Cambmlgo yesterday, on tno remains of Philip O'Dinnell, beforo Dr Hoilo. f'oroner, ami a jury of twelro of whom Mr George Nenl win elected foreman. Deceiwod wlio was about 40 jours of ago, and win a slioemutor by tivido h.is lieon reai(linf» vi Cambridge for Some two yenrs pant. Ho hud been in good health till quite lately but for the laßt week has been complaining of a pain in tho eluMt. He went to his dinner ns usunl on Thureduy and shorlly afterwiirds w«s ln.\rd groaning by sotno person pusgnijj his hut. They wont in and found hm lying on tho iloor under the bed d_) nig if not quite d"n'l. A verilict of "deuth from natural cause's " was returned.

&li.iAbCii<>i.Y Suicide. — There is too muehrealon to bcliovo that a former member oftho Armed Constabulary force and one well known to many of tlie inhabitants of the district has weai^ o life, sought rest in Bolf-destructiou Infoimatioo liai been received t tint Mr Horace Barber, for sume time past living with Mr Lang on the Waipa, wa§ mir-sing. It appears that ho left 8 letter for Mr Lang in which he said tlia' ho vim wearj of his existence and had determined to drown himself. Search was made ami hU c'othej were found on the bank of tbo rivc.-r. For two daj* past t lie Constabulary haro been tnrieuvourinrr to find the body but. up to jesterday without metcss. Dcceusjd who was we 1 born and bred, had unfortunately acquired intemperate habits to which m-iy bo attributed tbo unfortunate state of miud which has led t > hiH last ru«li a t.

Nahuow Escape fhok Dbowning, Hbhoip iu.scuk — On Tuesday liiat when the steamer Rungu in was at the Ranginn landing place, hating two barges in tow astern, a man named M'Kayi in attempting lo got into a small boat astern of the Innermost barge foil mto the water und wan rarned clown by the stream. Mr McKuy could nut. swim, hut by paddling with his hands managed, it Heems, to Leap himself tillcmt a tihort time. Ilia danger wai scrn from tho steamer, on boird of wlncli wore Kobort Cunningham, W iSpurgo, and James Oill, Tho man wai then at least 150 yards down stream, but all three at once plunged in nftor him, and Cunningham, who evidently " meant it," goon left the other two behind, and wua quickly along«ido McKay. Nor did he arrive one moment too booh. McKay »m going down when ho reached him, the water juat closing over tlm top of his head. Ounningbiioi seized him and swum safely with him to the shore. Wo cannot too strongly praioe tho gallant conduct of all threo, but more eapechlly that of Mr Cunningham, who niicl" have waited and ■hired with the other two tho da- ger thut always attends the saving of u drowning man in •tith a river as tho Waikato. Had ho done so McKay must have boon drowned, for when ho reached him tho other two had scarce swam ha f the distance Conduct such at this deserve* something more than patting notice. Many a tnun ban receivoJ tho medal of tho Ilumano Society for lew.

ANoTllbli NaBKOW ESCAPE YBOM PllOWNiwo — Mi-ts Culey daughror of Mr J> Culey of Mona Hill, near Cambridge, hud tho narrowest ponible escape from drowning yesterday afternoon About three o'clock nho caino down on hormiback to t lie puut, remaining on hor»eback during the passage. When about half way aero»s tho hor-o becamo restive and tho puntman in endeavouring to restrain it only made matters worse. It Muunhed llio rail and Miss (Jalcy m getting off fell into tho river and was cariied by the current, which is very rapid in that part of it, dowu the stream. Foitunatoly her long riding habit pi evented the escupe of air from her ulothi s and she floated for tome httlo time. The accident wan seen from tho Ht oium*r Uangmri, and Robert Cunningham and James Gall, whoso gallant conduct in saving Maxkay jea'erday will be found in another part of to-days paper, jumped ashore and ran down to a small dingy which was lying near tho bank. On reaching lr, howover, thoy found fastenod by an lion chain and Oiintiinghurn at once prococded to tuke o(F his boots and coat, knowing how strong a currout he had to contond with and plungt'd into tho rivi-r and stricking out Ticoiouoly toward* the unfortunate young ludy, Mrnntnno Gall, who is a powerful man, went to work upon the chain and tmcccdod in breaking it and putting oh" in tho dingy reached the now sinking girl boforo Cunningham bad como up. When ho iciohed her nho was disappearing benoath tho water, and it wus only by her ikirt, that sho was sived. Whon taken ashore uho wa^ for some little time in & precarious stato and scarcely bn-athing. This is the second lifo saved on tho river by these two mon within the one week.