The Waikato Times.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 674, 7 October 1876, Page 2

The Waikato Times.

Equal and exact justice to all men, 01 whatever ttate or pei suasion, religious or political # • * * » Here »hall the Tresi tho People's right maintain, Una wed by influence and unbribcd bj gain.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 7, 1876. In ouv last, we published the manifesto of Mr Macandrew to the Governor, and his Excel'ency's reply thereto, forwarded through Ministers. To-day, we give the rejoinder of Mr Macandrew. No one can begrudge Mr Mncandrew and the people of Otago their inalienable right, as British subjects, to appeal Lo ths Courts if they feel themselves aggrieved, and the threatened appeal to the Imperial authorities is, in itielf, at least, * perfectly legitimate one. The dona fides of the course, however, is on other grounds open to question. In the conduct of casos in our law courts, there are certain stages only when objections are allowed to be raised, and such stage in the case once passed, the oltjc2tion is not entertained. It seeim to u<?, looking at the case of vho Proviuciali;t3 from a similar point of viow, that the appeal to • ho Imperial antlioritios should have u2»n made, not now, bnt at the close of lasu Session. Tb*n was the time for the moribund SuperintenI dents to have sati' fisd themselves as to the legality of the acHon of the Legislature by an appeal to the

Imperi.il authorities, not to ha\e !uft, it till now, when, whethoi right or wrong, the country must nproas.ivily, bv such course, bo left like M.ihomet's coffin, suspended between Ab lilion and Provincialism ; its administration, carried on by necessaiily imperfvet adaptations of the now form of Government furnished by make shift acts intended to fill yip the interregnum. The Opposition, beaten at the hustings, beaten in two parliaments, one of which was specially summoned upon the Very question at issue, has no right to ask the Colony to make such sacrifice aa is involved in the waste of time reqnired to settle a question, which, if raised at all, should have been raised and settled during the recess. There is little doubt but that, apart from the public credit, the private business of the colonists baa suffered largely by the confusion and disorganisation occasioned by the long political struggle which has convulsed the Colony, and by the mistrust which very naturally, considering the utterances of party loaders and party organs among the Opposition, has arisen as to what may be the posssible outcome of all this political ferment. Business in our cities, settlement in our country districts have both been seriously affected, and it is altogether intolerable that such a state of thirgs shall be permitted, for mere political party purposes, to be carried on as is now being done, year after year. Wo have no hesitation in speaking •trongly on the matter, for we believe it the duty of the Press not to mince matters in such a case and that, and we know that, in writing as we have done, we are giving expression to the sentiments of the large majority of the constituents of no unimportant district in the Pi ovinco and Colony. With the last day of the present session, Provincialism must ceaso to exist according to law • and, looking as we do to the Pailiament of New Zea land as the mouthpiece of the colonists — and it would be an insult, especially in the case of the present Parliament, to the good sense and intelligence of the electors to deny that it is so — we cannot but be rejoiced to find the Government determined and prepared to assert the decision of the Legislature, as stated to be the case by the Premier, in his reply to Mr Macandrew's manifesto to the Government

It is satisfactory to find, by our Wellington telegrams of last night, that the County Bill ia to be recommitted, in order to allow of the re-consider<ition of the boundaries, and, that thus, it is possible that the great injustice with which the Piako district is at present threatened, through the greed of the Thames representatives and the ignorance of locality prevailing with many Members of the House, may be nve. Led. Some time since, "we warned our readers that au attempt at spoliation would be made by the Thames, for we can call it by no milder term, and now it will be seen thpi., on Wednesday, on the representations of the Thames Members, a large portion of the Piako and Waitoa district was included in the Thames County. From a telegram of same date, received at the Thames, we gather that the proposed annexation includes the whole of the land on the Thames bide of the Piako river, extending southwards to a line drawn from Te Aroha to the head waters of tho Piako. Wow, this is monstrous. The lands sought to be enclosed are purely agricultural and pastoral lands, and the district into which it is sought to incorporate them is one which has no community of interests with them whatevc , namely, a goldfi d. The object of this alliance is <-' nply to prov'de a I dower for the use and enjoyment of the goidtield. The P : ko lands will be made to the Tha nes what the outlying country districts have been to the city under Provincial Institutions, a milch cow to oe drained for the benefit and aggr, udizement of a petty and despotic cci re. Even wilh the best intentions on Iho part of the Thames, unless the railleniim speedily intervene and human nature become altered altogether,' this cannot but be the case. In the struggle for a fair distribution of attention, and especially in times of urgent gold field necessities which experience tells us are of but too frequent occurrence, the weaker must go to the wall, and the country district unequally yoked with its populous urban mate, must suffer. When Waikato was proclaimed one county, from the Thames boundary to the sea, we might have been charged with studying selfinterest in disclaiming against this unequal union, but now that Piako will form, whatever its extent, a separate county altogether we cannot be charged with any such motive. As part of ourselves as a district settled from and by Waikato, whose sympathies, whose interests, whose prospects in the future are identical with our own, we cannot sit tamely by and see so gross an injustice, so barofrtced an attempt at absorption of outlying revenue made by the active agents of a powerful and populous district without raising our voice in protest, and we call upon the settlers of tbe Piako while there is yet time, and there is tim«, to agitate the matter and let thtir voice bo heard with no uncertain sound in the Assemby before th© bill is recommitted and it be too late. The member for Waikato East protested against tbe attempt of Sir Georgo Grey and Mi'

Kowo, but doubtless Southern nieinbeisknrw little of tlio merits of the ca^e. It is for the people of Piako to make their cluiia clc.ir and to strengthen the li.inds of their representati\e. Lettliem do this and we shall not fear for the result-.

Tub Lime Light Exhibitions have closed at Hainilleu after a fair run of four nights. The performance will bo repcUo J atCainbudgo and Ngaruwaliia, at the former plate tl'ia evoniug, and at the atter on the evening of Monday. Cambridge Local BoAitrs. — Mr E Clark has been elected member of the Cambridge Highway District, vice Mr J id Smith, reaigued ; and Mr John Miller has been electod member of the Cambridge North Township Board, rice Mr Char.es Tuck, reai*ned. Crowdkd our.— Owing to the length of tue Cambridge Farmers Club report wa have not room in to-day's issue for the Ilamiltoa and Cambridge It. M. Courts report?, the letters of Justitia, our Raglan Correipondent, our Aucklaud Record of Sports and other local matter.

The Ctjtteb "Dawn" from Port W»i kato mel with an accident on 1 liursduy morning in entering the Ua»lan harbour. When she ran aground on the ipit at the entrance, ihe came in contact with 10111" old iron, kneeling a hole in hrr bottom. The sunken iron is supposed to have belonged to oilier V6j3ols Just there in bygone times.

The Lattb Fire at the A.C. Camp, in SroKE'd Basil — Amongst the effects destroyed at the burning of the whare onea{ led by the sawing party iv Stuke'a Bu.sli, was a Government tent and some tools. We uajei stand that the Officer Commanding th'i district has ordered ii Boird of OffiotM to sit oa Monday, when : something, perhaps, may be brought to ! light to t>how in what way the fire orig'iuted. The meu who occupied the whare have beeu more or less loseis by the fiie, to the exfaat, in some ca*e>, of tea or twelve puuadi apiece,

WItUJK OF A YESSKti AT KaWIHA. -A. ODirespomluDt write* us from Kagl.in, the nrtives from Kawhia have juss brought to Matakolako the inteilig.-nce th*t a vessel has been wrecked At Waimea, just south of Albatross Point (the south point of Kawbia Harbour), and that a large quautity of candles, and a oaek of viuegar and a quantity of pUnking and other portions of the vessel have come ashore. It in reported, also, that ab/>ut half a vessel has come ashore midway between KanbU and Aotea Mr Ellis inteds riding down to ascertain further particular!. Some of the natives thjay ey aaw her about & fortnight ago, moduli ihe iough weather.

PBOSPECTB OP NUW ZIULAND FaTIMErs. — A contemporary says :—": — " Farmer* in thi* colony may hive reason to exclaim, ' It is an ill wind that blows nobody any good.' The latent udviot-s from Sjdney and Melbourne induate rather a gloomy utate of matters, (he consequence of which will naturally be a good opening for New Zealand pmduce. Vvo n Adelfiide the news have been wired that ' more implement* makers are discharging huniU, became of tho bud agricultural prospect*.' Tlih ia significant, and not lesa so the I\tol bourne mnrket statement that ' wlient is hardening.' From Uiese facts it trill be seen tint agriculturtliste here should h.ire so d.ffioulty in Hading a market for cereals.

1000 MILBS IN 1000 HOlTRB.—Wilt■lure, the pedestrian, finishes bi* arduous task to-day, that 13, if lie is able, which seems somewhat doubtful, to keep up to thu murk. Tho feat is being performed in Wellington, and tho " Argu»," of tho 29th ult., alluding to hi 3 progress at that time, lays :— " Wiltshire seems to be thoroughly ' bake I.' It ii with greut difficulty he can now bo kept awake, especinll.y between the hour* of two ami four in the moaning. Tlij* morning he had <obe kept awake by »n attendant | during 'us walks. He has become Very pale and emaciated, and he himself states that he is losing a pound of flc h eiery day. Uo it still resolute, and bfgius to gain courage as Hie prospect of an early termiuation of hii task apjwtachrs." The Larceny oasis at CAanmiDGi.— Before the civil cusps came on je*te diy in the Resident Magistrates Court, William Ciune, Alfred CJuue, Daniel Dillon, and Alexander MuKiunon, wete charged by Oonatible Brennan with slnulin^ two wheelbarrows Alexander M.X unon did sot appear and a warrant was issued, but be could not be round. Daniel Dillon was discharged on account of his youth Alfred Olune was sent to the .Naval Ti fining School at Auckland for time years. Willitim Olune being over the »ge of fourteen years and not ad miss bl« to the Tm Ding School, was sentenced to two months' imprisonment with hard labour in Mount Eden Gaol. William Clune, the same prisoner, was again placed in the dock and charged by Coustub'e Brennan wall havi. q on the 2nd inst ontered the shop of Mr A Isaacs of Cambridge, and stealing a bag continuing money The ciao was clearly proved agmust him, and he was sentenced to an additional six months' imprisonment with hard labour in Mount Eden gaol and to hare two whippings durmg the term of his seutence. Afu McTjERNON, watch anil clockmnker of Vietoria-6trect, Hamillon, had yesterday morning a visit from a customer name what out of tho usual w»3, who, msfcoal of entering at the door, attempted to come in stern first at tne wiudow. Fortunately the wwUow was not hung with jewellery, as is sometimes tho cj>se, and the owner of the visitor in quostion, which, wua a horse, had only to pay for throe large, broken panes of glass uiate.id of a few pounds worth of damaged kuiekknacks as well. Whether the quadruped attempted to go into the shop fur tho s-i me reason that a human biped might have done, bscaaso he hudn't a wutcb on him, is likey enough; at uny iate his owner is likoly to keep a watch on him in the future when he goes bobbing around jeweller* windows. Nabrow Escape from Firs— Th- re are suveral new buildings going up at the present time in Weit tlnmiltou, and on 3 of them, yesterday evening, had u narrow escape from fire. Mr Ware ii building a new frame house on his corner allotment, in Hood street. Yesterday evening, shortly after the carpent *rs had lef L work, Dr Waddiogtou, who lives hard by, observed smoke rising from the near locality of the house, but, ihinkiug that it came from refuse burnibg in thu gulden beyond, paid littlo attention to it at firs!;. Shortly afterwards, seeing; it spreading, he went to the spot, and saw that the •having* at some littlo dutanee fioui tho building had caught fire, that the fin* hiU orept along tho ground by means of louse uhavings, »pd that the weather-boarding of the house had fairly caught Dr Waddmgton at once called to hit man to come with •> backet, and the fire was prevented fiom getting a further hold of the building, and so?n extinguished altogether. It is supposed that lighted tobacoo ash m*y liavo fallen on tbo shavings, or, that ohildi on— there wer»

i< me p'ftynig iicar tho ""pot when tlie men eft work — may have -"iiortiVtly act fire .o tVe ?h»vuig j , i<ifc knowing thi bairn ;liey wore doing. Tho oarpenterx btuck ;ic kr tlie buildiu^ was also couaidorubly tairi eJ.

Hajulton Punt Approaches.— lt would seem that tliu Punt approach^?, as advert i-etl, by the Hamilton Town Board wore rot clcsul to vehicles ou Tuesdny ami Wednesday through tlie contractors not being prepared to goon then with the work ; but the punt was laid up yesterda}', much to the surprise of severul horsemen and oih»rs from up country who lining seen the notice previously pub-li-lu-d presumed that ifc would be open on and after 8 p ra of Wednesday. The contractor! yesterday were bueily ensagid in repairing the framework on tlie Weat side of tho river, horses were swam over and passengers taken across in a bo it, The repairs will probably bo completed by Monday erening.

Rinkino is by no moans a L 88 engross iug amusement than when tho furor tirsb broke out uinongit m. Loth at Alexandra and Hamilton where regular &kating rinks have been established, the floor it moro or less occupied throughout tho (1 13' and evening, und some of both sexes are becoming really proficient in the art Tiie Hamilton Hall opens aijain for rinking to-night, we see, after being c osed during tho greater part of the week to that amusement on account of the lime light exhibitions. In other parts of the colony the rinkiug fever has seized with even greater force upon the people. At Wanganui we hear of one enthutiastic tinker coming along the asphalt fool paih on the quiy on a pair of American patent roller skates to the astonishment of the townspeople, and at Ohristchurch they are going in "big licks" for a rink. Messrs Milletl and Saunders of that cit. y have started on the c mstructiou of a rink which it to cost £2,000. 1 his rink now in process of construction is situate exactly opposite the Telegraph Office in Gloucester street, and occupies a quarter of an acre, 166 ft by 65ft ; the whole of this area will be covered in and the ground asphalted. Mcssr* Millet and Sauuders anticipate opening tho riuk about tho Ist of November.

Sir George and the Abolition Acr.— Now that Mr Mac&ndretv has •polien out on behalf of the section of the Otago people whose views on the nut'er he represents, it m*y be not uninteresting to quo:e Sir George Greys own word*, wheu, in the course of the diicusaion on the Bill for .Extending ProVincial Appropriations, be alluded to the same subject. Refenng to a ttatement made by the Premier, he said : — " 1 think £ understand the Hon. the Premier to say that the provinces would cease to exist at the end of tho session." The fremior thereupon repeated his words "that tho Abolition Act would then coma into force," when Sir George said :—": — " I atscrt to this House that nothing of the kind will take place. As lam advised, the Courts w ill not allow anything of the kind. I behove that tbe Abolition Act is ultra vire* ; I have no doubt whatever of that. I have no doubt that lb was wrongfully obtained, and, as I shall res'st by every means in my power the abolition of the provinces, a very contidrrable time must elapse before the queatiini can be decided. I am assured that the Government have no power to oust me from the office of ."superintendent, unless the Provincial Council pasg an Act for the purpose. 1 am convinced that I can resist tho Act succcsifully, and that it is of no more v*lue than tbe piece of paper whuh I hold in my hand. 1 ' At a subsequent stige of the discussion, tho Hon. Miijor Atkinson explained that it was not meant to extend tiie powers of Superintendent! on hour after the Act came into force, a-id referring to the remirks of fiir Goorge. said ho would most probably find that the Government were not wanting in pjirer under tho Act, but, of cjurse that, if he wauted to flght the question in iVfOnatitut.onal wiy, none would objict to hie exerci*e of the ordinary privileges of an Eu&lishinin.