The Waikato Times.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 596, 16 March 1876, Page 2

The Waikato Times.

Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatever Mate or permamon, ruligious or political * # # # # Hftre shall the Pren the People's right maintain, Unawed by intiuence and nnbribed by gaip.

THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 1876.

Whili the one party has been inveighing against the Government for not finding money to enable the Superintendent to keep the miners at the Thames at work on road making, at six shillings per day, go as to prevent them from leaving for other districts — and while the other p&rty has been censuring the Government for facilitating their departure to the Sottth by removing them in the " Luna," to where their labour is more in reg est, the main question at issue seems to have been lost sight of altogether — namely, how far the Government has any right to interfere betweon employed and employer at all.

"We oannot blame the Government for acting as they did in the first instance, and congratulate the Colony on the fact that they did not find money from the public treasury for bogus road making-, in order to keep up the iprice of labour and enable Grahamstown storekeepers to keep their customers together at the cost of the rest of the Colonists. But we cannot approve the deportation of labour by the Government Prom one portion of the Colony to another except in extreme cases, and that of the Gruhamstowu miners was no such extreme oase. If there was not work at the mines — if shareholders were unwilling to pay twenty-five shillings in labour and material to obtain twenty shillings worth of gold, there was plenty of work in other parts 'of the Province -within <a radius of sixty or seventy railea of Grahamstown. Waikato itself could have absorbed a large proportion of these m'en, and why should it not have been allowed to do -so. So, too, according to recent accounts published in the " Star," could Pukekohe. That journal of Monday says : — " A gentleman whose name we shall " give on application offers rerauneYative " employment at Pukekohe to a number " of men, and has placed himself in com- " municatiou with Mr William Howe on " the subject He offers seven pounds " p«r hundred for the cutting of puriri " sleepers, and one pound'each for posts. " Another gentleman, whose name we " have, gives six pounds per hundred, end " at this rate the men employed by hint " are making two pounds ten shillings per " week ; and we hare it on uninrpeach- " able authority that in that one bush " there issimilar employment for at least " one hundred men.*' Yet in the face of this the GoTernment spe«j fit to deport two hundred men 'from Grahamstown to one of the Southern. Provinces. Labourers wages, those of some skilled artisans are not as proportionately well paid, are already so high in this Province as to render it a matter of difficulty to work even the soil with profit, and it is this peddling 1 interference of the Government from time to time that causes and keeps up so unhealthy a state of things. Let work be more than unusually slack and there is at once a ciy for Government works. Yet why should not the price of labour, like that of everything else, be left to the regulation of the natural laws of tmpnlv nnd demand ? The remedy for slhc'c woitc it* a lower into of wages, which "would react i.-woi-ably by increasing the- le*'*™ m I^'M-l >'"our<;ener..illv,and by incie.ninsjf tlu3 production of the necessaries of lifi>. Tho nwm who sulk his 1 ibour hasno'moic-' ,*i<rht \v!u«n its nal^ is difficul 1 and iti price low, to sisk tho Government to keep tho matkrt so.iutily supplied and i'mbo tho mto of wage*, than the 'agricultural producer has, when beef or wheat are plentiful ami lov,'toask'£br piotection by the exclusion of foreign produce. It the interference of the Government is right in the one'cise it is -so in th» other; but we maintain that it is not so in either, and that only in an extreme and exceptional case dotit, it behove the Government to meddle with the labour market, for the expiess puiposo of affecting supply and demand between the einp'oyer *nd employed. It may fairly do so in the interests of humanity, bnt not in those of a district or a ckis, and even then the subject should be approached Y/ith great caution. Government work, if afforded at all, should be made as litile attractive as possible, so little so as to ensure that no man would accept it who could not find room for his labour in the ordinary employments of the colony. We cannot, therefore, regret that the Colonhtl Government saw fit to refuse to expend .£i,ooo in keeping- up the labour maiket, while at the same time we must just as heely add that we cannot too strongly condemn the action wlm-r ' takes <Yom the province sono couple of hum he< l men, who, if they cannot find work in the Thames muuy, could have easily found it in the surrounding agricultural districts. Since the ab(n« was written, we see by last night's Auckland papers that the General Government decline to deport these men to Wellington unless the Superintendent gives bis consent to the step. The Superintendent declines to interfere, expressing neither uouseut nor disapproval. The "Thames Advertiser" protests that, the men being left, one Government or the other must find work for thorn. We trust that nothing so contrary to all 'the principles of political economy will be entered upon. If there is not work for these men in Grahamstown, there is plenty in Waikato and elsewhere in the agricultural districts. So long as the summer lasts as many men as can be procur«d will find employment in draining the large swamps here. It is monstrous that settlers and capitalists should be deprived of the means of improving their properties and reclaiming the waßte lands of the 'province in order that customers may be kept in $>. particu lar district — as in Grahamstovrn— for the, benefit of the hoteikeepers and other tradesmen.

Railway Slbmbm.— It will be ieen that Mr Stewart, the Di&trict Engineer, give* liotide that after the 10th of June next, he will discontinue the purchase of ileepors for wiilway purpoiei.

Oattlb for Auckland. — We understand that Mr D Calej, of Alona Farm, near Cambridgo, will forward some thirty head of cattle to the Auckland markets to-day. Ifc has occurred to us tbat ifc would bo exceedingly desirable, in the interest! of the Waikafco farmeri, if they wduld furnish, as a matter of course, information of their intention of forwarding oattle at scch and such a date, »ay at lewt a week previously to their doing go, as such notice would have the effect of preventing the market from being glutted and irregularly supplied. A very little one way or the othur affects the Auokland marketi. Tb« othor day when Mr Jolly, Mr Walnor and others attended the iheep market, purohasing some 1.500 head of steep, their bidding rawed the market some two or three ibtllings per bead. So, when a number of cattle are «snt at one and the tains time from Waikato the demand it over lupphed and prices rule low. By recording their lutentioa of aeail'ng 10 many head of oattle on auch and such date* lettlen will enable others id to time their •upply as not all to bo rushiug in their cattle foyether, and will thus ierre thenuelTei and oilers too. Properly such notices should be pain for as advertioements, but where the advertiiement of the sale itoelf oomei to vi they will bt ioiertod gratuitouily.

Ban* Changes. —Many will l«arn with regret the retnoyal of Mr McLean from the Bunk of Nsw Zealand in Hamilton to tho Ngaruawahia branch. Mr McLean was a general ftrorite and much esteemed *by the people of Hamilton. He will carry with him the good wishes of a Urge circle of acquaintances for his prosperity aud happiness in his new sphere of mclioa.

I O.G.T.— Bro W 3 Speight, G.W.O.T , may bo oxpecbed in Hamilton to-day, and at Cambridge on the following day, returning agaii to Hamilton on Saturday, and Tiaiting Ngaruawahia on Monday next. Tliere seems as wo read the advertisement to be no ipecial business to be transacted ia connection with the order in Ham* ilton, on either Say of viait, but pnblie meetings will be held both in Cambridge and Ngaruatfahia.

•AiCFitr to the Aohbing.— W» have bog requested to draw attention to the podophyllin pill, ao advertised m another teolunm, and'-whioh is generally acknowledged to be an admirable antidote to indigestion aRd liter complaint* generally. We can safely recommend this pill to the dyspeptif, as it ddes not go fooling about 'but afc'ends itnotly to buswesj. It is more searching than a small tooth -comb, and at certv.a in iti eiT«ct as a faro bank on the pockets of a greenhorn.

Thb SrBAfcBR Aikrt.— Thi» tfe««elliat had* thorougb'ororhaul «iaoe the accident to her screw, and, what will bo more satisfactory still to paisengers. has been fitted with a spark catcher, so that there will bo no danger now of their getting their clothes injured or being in the leait way annojed as heretofore. Novr that thii improvement is effected this vessel, which is the smartest of the WS N Compan7'i boats, will Me a goueral faTOrite.and not the less 10, that the fare has been reduced to fire shillings each way between Mercer »nd Hamilton.

fnEAP Meat.— Housekeepers will welcom c the announcement of Mr Coleman in another column that be is commencing ' business as a batcher in Hamilton and is prepared to sell prime meat at greatly reduced prices to thoio hitherto ruling. There it no scarcity of beef and mutton in Waikato except on the tables of the poorer classes, and Mr Coleman is determined 6hat this exception shall no longer luve cause to contiuue. Thirty per cent at a sweep off beef and mutton will be a blessing to many — aa long ke it lasts.

Primitivb Maori Adze — A Tory curious and interest.ng relic of ancient Maori implements was found lal.oly whilst forming the railway lino in the iwamp bet 'een Hamtltoa and Ohaupo, at a depth of ten feet below the lurface. It is a stone adze with the handle complete. The handle is formed of two separate pieces of wood. One, the socket; into whidh fits the pieoe of «harpened atoue, u of kauri, and about Dine inches in length, and » more or leis decayed, though still in fair preservation— the other, the handle itself, which neatly fits on to the other end of the socket, curving in until it reachei tvo-thirds of the length 'of the socket, from which it then strikes at right angles till some twenty inches m length. This, which is round, aud about an inoh m diameter, it of Utree aud is as found as the day it was made. How long it has lain buried in the swamp would be hml to hay. It has been purchaiad from the i tinker by a gentleman connected with the railway work*, with a yiew to its presentation to the Auak'and museum. Stone axe and adze heat! s are common enough but not with the hau lies complete. The implement may »t present be seen at Mr Gwynne's Hotel.

No moke Petticoats. — The old woman in fch nursery-tale book, ■with her basket of egj <, who wont to sleep by the road side and woke up to find hi>r petticoat* all cut a^out to h6r kneei by the podlar Stout, waS not so babfy used ai the wholesex in vy the tyrant, Fashion. Petticoats are to be abolished altogether. A dcup d' ttat has been effected by the milliners of Paris and London, and henpecked hutbunds will henceforth acknowledge not potticoat but the padded drawers government. Our authority «t»-e: " Tliat in the very most recent trosaeau turned out by the ler.diug modistes for the yery latest marriage in high life, the Lady T. Ti wardrobo included no such item, and tha grand mode now it that the female body shall be encased in a fourreau of the richest material, so constructed that with every movement the lines of the hiiibß shall bo fully dispUyed, and anything like length of step effectGßlly checked by the taarrownoau of 'the skirt, under which thiokly-waddefd drawers only are worn. Tlie effect is, of coune, t> qaeition of taste, and I merely pretend to record my own in iajing that a more unsightly and a let* modest costume than that tohioh is tho T?ry highest faßhion of the day has nerer, I should think, boen devised by the nun or Troman milliner mind. The enortnoui crinolines of a dozen years ago were no less absurd, perhaps, but they wer» certainly more dncrnt."

The Govekmob's tis^t to the Hot Spruces. — Hia Excellency accompanied oj Mesu* M.nU iDg and Lb Pastural weie driven through Hamilton yesterday morning about 10 o'clock by Mr Perguwon,' oir their rjud tfo the upper W*ikato. Tho Governor had arrived in Ngaruawahia tho preceding evening— where little or no demonstration liad been made t© receive him. bpyond the sporting of a piecr of bunting here and there. In Hamilton, though tho tune at which he might bo expected was telegraphed from Nguarawaina no demonstration wns made, the public very properly allowing His Excellency to ■ink the Governor in the private gontlemau when out on a pleasure trip. Alluding to Hn Excellency's vibit to the iiot Springs tho "Herald" of Tuesday says.— "The Vico>regal party expect to be in th 6 upper Wftikato on Wedne»dM niglit. Tho next night they will camp out, a.d on the following evening they wpect to arrive at Uhmemucu, Ihe Arawa «ettlem«nt o'a the shore of Lake ftotorua, Thence they Will vmt the Rotomaliani, Whangarewarewt, and the Lake», and having spent a week at Rotorua, they will go on to Taupo, and 'continue their journey to Napier. They will probably return to Auckland per s ■ Luna. His Excellency's prc*ent journey has no political signifietnce. The natives of the different Battlements through which he pasGei, or at which he may reside for a time, will no doubt receive him with all the honour they can §hew ; but he will not enter into any porhticil matters. It is probable, however, "th«t Hi§ Exoellency will »oon pay a second viiit to Waikato, accampacied by Sir Dbnalti McLean, when the long-talked of interview with Tawbiao will come off, if Tawhiao U willing."

Thb Double-furrow Plough. — Mr Graham's paper on ploußhiug formsd the iubjeot of ducmsionat the List meeting of tha We*t Bourke Agricultural Society. In answer (reports the " Lnncefield Mercury " ) to Mr Biddell, a* to :— First : How does the double-furrow plough aofc in up-hill land in comparison with the tingle plough ? Second : la it not diflicult to arrange* double-furrow plough, and wouJd it not take ft firmer •> long time to make the ueoessary alteration! in the field ? Third . It it not possible when ploughing on land to let the plough slip out of the furrow, and thus leave a portion of the ground unploughod P— Air Graham said, that in hill«ide ploughing, it was possible, with two honei, to take two fnrrowi down *nd one up, thus gaining with the same power, one furrow more in every round, as agtinst the single plough. In regard to the second question, at to the difficulty of managing the double-furrow plough, it waa diffioult or not, according to the person who got hold of it. The ploughmen, as a rule, had an objection to it, much in the tame why that the reapors had to th« reaping machines. They considered that the double-furrow plough was likely to reduce thoir chances of employment, and therefore wero determined not to like it. The fact was, howeVef, that the doublo.furrow plough wa* as easily managed as the singlt plough. de had himself a boy ploughing with one at present. The lad uad the nnii) objoo'ioa »8 the others at first. But in the ciurae of a few hour* he (Mr Graham) hid taught htm how to manage it, und ho wai> now ploughing from 2i to aj acres a day. In answer to tho third question, ho might sny that it was quite possible to make bad work with the double-furrow plough, but it was Dot ea»ier to do 10 than with the single plough. Mr Graham further stated that he watnow, with his double-furrow plough, with two horses, getting through from 2* acres to 2* acres » day on itubble giaund, which was, howevep, vtty hard. This wai bting done by a ltd only.

Trndebs tor the efeotion of » cottage at ■Kthikibi, will b« reoeired up to Saturday week next bj Mr Lewis oF the Hotel, Te Amamutu, where plans and tpecificationß may *Ibo be «een.

Cricket.— Boxa Match.— A. third match between the boys of Mr Davis achool, and thoie of Mr Danver's will be played on Saturday week, ■hd a scratch match from bothteatna on Saturday next, on the Zingari ground, the ago of any of the lattorteam being restricted to 17 years, 11 players on either side. With respect toth} three cheers given by (he winning team after the last match we are informed that they were called for and intended by those who gave them for the other team and not for themselves. Had this been underntood on the ground Mr Darts' boys would no doubt hare responded with a cheer in acknowledgment oT "the compliment intended.

'PrESBN'TA'TION TO Mlt & At RgKD. —We learn from the " Herald " that Mr & M Eeed w*» presented, on Tuesday, with a beautlfuUni elaborate smoking cap by the young lady compositors of the " Star " a» a toemeato on his leaving Auckland for Dunedin. la acknowledging the present, Mr Reed stid he had long considered chat every aphere of employment which girls and women could honorably fill ihould be open to thorn, and he wished them success «nd prosperity in the profession, lie should alvriys entertain an interest in their future welfare, indindually and collectively ; and, howerer far away from them, would watch with deep interest the success of this effort to extend the sphere of female industry.

Nrvr HOBBE Clipper.— 4. trial 'of a new horse clipping machine h«s been made in Melbourne. The tnnchtne is an American invention, for which Mesirs Blanchard arid Johnston, newly armed from Boiton, are the Australian agents, % and it differs essentially from the oldfashioned one -at present in use. The nucbrae itself -consists of a cnat-iron stand about 4J feet high, in the circular base of which is a aocket, so that the standard may be 'fitted to any position" required when clipping. The motive power is furnished by a hand wheel £xed midway up the standard, Vlnoh drives wheeli to an arm, at one end of which 1 is a beary weight, and to the other is attached a swinging pendant. At the lower end 'of this prndant is filed tha cutting apparatus, which consists of a «enes of compound cog-wheels, arranged in the most ingenious fashion, and produces a revelution of a Lnife upon a circular steel comb of about 2,000 per minute. The handle and cogs oafn be easily adjusted t6 a«7 position required by the operator, and altogetbor the machine is a perfect mechanical wonder. When the etperiment took place, a horse wts led out and located near the machine. The animal hud a long co»t of bair, but was not otherwist a good subject, having too many angularities in 'hi> formation. Tha machine was put in motion, and in something under three-quarters of an hour the horse stood entirely divested of hair.

Who's Who "— -The following letter was left near the door of a gentleman's in the suburbs, of Auckland, addressed "My Dearest, at Mr '•." It was, ai its contents show, intended for the servant maid who, happening to be a foreigner, delivered the lettor to her mistress :— " Saturdaj Night. My Dearest Mils I hope you will exonso Mo for The boldnois of writing to you, Me but quite a Strauger to you, Not having spoke to you, but Meet you a few Mornings ago when going for The Milk would you give Me The pleasure of Meeting you on Sunday Evening if you can get out I will Meet you at The g»te I will come up about half-past Eleven in The Morning after Mr and Mrs' gose to Churoh so you be on The loolc out for Me My Dearest I wotld like to have a talk to you try and tee Me I put This letter so you will get it as you get up. Do Meet Me I Must Now close with Kind Love to you My Sweet little Dearest — I remain your truly Loving Friend D R Smith.— P 8 but I aih waiting Bearling waiting for your footfall on The grnis My tearful eyes grow wistful your De.ir from Dose Xdt pas* By The elm tree Near The Cottage Though wide and op-n gate you come Not oh My Dear and I cannot bear to watto. Ky Soul » full"of Longing Thoughts are with you Dear.— D R Smith " A man was iet to watch who tliij amorou* awain "could be, who did not even know -the taaire of the person to whom he wrtjte. Hu m ivements were watched, j att'l the loiterer was duly spotted. He proved not to be entitled to the naile of " D It Smith " but to be inbreoTer a "n imrd man with three children. There has been talk about Newmarket of a horae-pond and a horse whip.

E.VBT LIFK ASSUBATTCB JOtt TIIE WORKING Classes. — Some short time since we drew the at'e-ition of the working clasies to the facilities nfforfJed by (lie indmtrul branch of the Government Life Assurance Department to men with limited ineoinos, weekly p.emiuffis being reoeireii of from one penny to three shillings, the former premium security to a man insuring as late in life as the atjo of 43 the sum of £5 11s at his death and the latter a sum of £199 16j, the full •urn of £201) being th« largest policy inued in this branch of rtiis department. A working man at 30 years of age may secure £7 16a at death Iby a'weeklj puynient of one penny. To came this system of life assurance to practically reach the working classes, arrangement* hare been made by the Government that the lecretaries oi benefit and other soeietfea should a6fc as agents receiving the weekly premiums from their "members and settling with the Government agents. Unfortunately the Good Teinptar Association ■et* its face against carrying out this part of the arrangement, and thin cuts ofi' what Would otherwue be a most useful agent between the aisuranco department add the working daises. Mr J G. Baker, the traTelling agent of the New Zealand Government Insurance Branch, has been lately oh a visit to the Thainei in oohnedtion with the duties of his office, and has been most successful in induoing miners and others info taking the prudentiil step of insuring their lives by thiseaaypaymentofpi-eraiums. We think that the time of the travelling agent might be wone employed than in paying a visit to the Wai.nto settlement*, as many, if they had an opportunity of reoeiring information 6( its working, and its benafits to the labouring classes would be induced lo insure in the mduitnal branch. The Friendly Boeiety oonfines itself to providing a doctor when lickneu ensues, a weekly allowance when the bread-winner is unable to perform his dutie«,aand an allowance at death sufficient to pay funeral expemts. The industrial branch of the Gorernment Iniurance department steps m at such a time with a good round inns, acoording lo the amount of premium paid in weekly instalments, which is most useful in enabling the widow or ohildren to keep the wolf from the door until other means are found of turning it to profitable account, fy would ease many a pang of sorrow lo know that the widow and family would not be left totally dependent on cold charity when the head of the family was removed by death, whilst the latter would hare the satisfaction of knowing that he h»d done wh*t he could toward* ensuring »uoh comfort in their distress and bereavement.