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Waikato Times, Volume XI, Issue 881, 14 February 1878, Page 2

Thb Ragbhobsb Lx&a. has been sold by his owner, Mr ISolton, with all his engagements, to Mr Stevens, of Wanganui, tor £460. Thb Peotest against. Mr Buckland' Queen Mab by Mr Kirkwood 1 , on behalf of Tui, m the Waikato Stakes, will be considered to-day, at half-past eleven o clock. i Ms Whitakbb, member for Waikato, I will, it will be seen elsewhere, meet hiß constituents at the Public Hall Cambridge on Monday evening next. i Although the new.time table as printed and issued by the railway authorities mentions the Rukuhia and Ohaupo stations amongst those open, the line will not for some little time be opened beyond Hamilton. In the address delivered by the Mayor at the Borough Council meetingon v onday, the sentence "I have, as* it were, ■ created my prosperity here," should read " I have, as it were, centered my prospects here." Messes Hunter & Nolan have now for sale twenty-eight ewe and ten ram lambs by an imported Cotswold out of Lincoln ewes. The sire was bred by Mr G-iHett, of Oaklands, Oxfordshire, and the dams by Mr Thos. Russell. Auoklakd Twenty-two v. AtraraAliaks. — In the second innings of the Aucklanders, played on Saturday last, the runs credited to Robinson belong to Jas. Wood, of Hamilton, the actual scores being : Robinson 2, Wood 16, instead of the reverse. It is with no little pride we note so good a score made by a Waikato player against such a team, the top score indeed of the twenty-two that day. The Auckland Yabiett Tboupk appeared last night at Jje Queane's Hall, Hamilton, m a variety entertainment of considerable merit. To those who knew the merits of the company, whose very creditable performances m Auckland wq can call to mind over a considerable period, the excellent character of last night's performance caused no surprise. As the company plays again to-night those who did not avail themselves of the first opportunity will do well not to let the second pass. Messrs MoG-uire and Nairn were both favorites as singers with the audience, two songs by the former "Parted by the river, and "Starboard and Port, the latter especially, which was encored, being capitally executed and loudly applauded. Mr Nairn's "Old Man's Darling" was well rendered, and deservedly applauded. The Merton Brothers are clever performers on the single trapeze and horizontal ' bar, and the dancing and siuging of vir Bertie was not the least enthusiastically received portion of the performance. The whole concluded with P. Doran's celebrated farce of "The ischievous Monkey." The company performs again to-night m Le Quesne,s Hall.

Opening of thr Tsnrcre Pbesbyte&xah Chttboh, Cambridge. — The above church was opened for divine service on Sunday la»U The Rev W. Evans was induMed to the pastoral charge. In fee morning the Rev. T. Morrie preached an appropriate and earnest sermon from the test contained m the 4th verse of the 27th Psalm, and at the conclusion, the ceremony of induction of the new minister took place. In the evening the Rev, Win. Evans delivered an eloquent and impressive discourse from the words, " For I am determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.' I Cor., 2 eh,, 2 vr. On both occasions' the attendance was very good, and the collections, which were m aid. of the building fund, amounted to £10 10s 4d. The Church which was thus opened for worship is one of the finest structures m the district of elegant exterior design, and when the present contract is completed will be commodiously finished within. Delay m obtaining some of the necessary timber has prevented the contractors from completing the work within the specified time, but m other respects they have faithfully carried out the desigu of Mr D. "Richardson, the architect, and the building is creditable to all parties concerned. It will seat over 200 persons comfortably, and will cost about £400.

PuKEßnro Sunday School Feast. — The children of the Pukerimu Sunday School had their annual treat on Friday last. About sixty children were present with their teachers, and, with two exceptions the settlers m the neighbourhood assembled on the ground of the day school. The children were amply sup plied with the dainties generally provided on such occasions, and judging from their joyous voices and sports were well satisfied, notwithstanding the weather was cold and threatuing. To the delight of those assembled, however," the rain held off. The sports consisted of croquet, hookey, bat and ball, swinging. &c, and a most enjoyable time was passed by the young people. The tables for refreshment m the school room were presided ever h 7 tfadames &ane, Caley, Scott..

i\.-h?r, and Fitzgerald, and the ample ■ M:i!a were well worthy the justice done tJiwiri by the youthful appetites of the oinWfvn. Mr Cooper rendered- very ett'oefcivo .-lid- m erecting Swings, &c, and ohcfanny UlO youngsters by the enlivening strains of lu.s ooncertina and fine voice. He deserves the thanks of the conductors and of tho school and the parents of the pupils for the cheerful aid given by.him on this occasion after tea. .The superiur tendeht, Mr Carley, called upon the Rev. W. Smith, Wesleyan minister, to address the children m the school, which he did m a very phasing and instructive manner. The Doxology having been sung by the children and people, and the benediction pronounced, a most pleasing- and wellconducted annual festival was brought to a close. Such periodical gatherings have, a very benefical effect m bringing into friendly converse so large a number oifriends.

The Right Rkv. Dk Quink, Lord Bishop of Queensland, And the Very Bey. Father Walter Macdonald were passengers by the up train from Hamilton to Auckland yesterday. The Bishop, who has been at the Hot Springs for his health, had taken a trip through Waikato before returning- to Queensland. TnEfirßt pair of gloves made m the Waikato were presented by Councillor. Gwynno to the Mayor at the Council Chamber on Monday m honour of the occasion. The gloves were a pair of driving gloves, , called by the name of " Woodstocks," and were made from a piece of Bkin, which was not dressed for the purpose, but notwithstanding they reflect great credit on the maker. Mr Hut, a man now working on the railway Une, but who would soon better his con- | dition were he to start glove making. Mrs Gelling has entered into arrangements for a supply of lady'B driving gloves or gauntlet gloves, woodstocks, which can, it seems, be supplied at about 5s per pair, and warranted to wear much better than imported ones at as low a price. It is to be hoped that this local industry will receive the encouragement it deserves* Such a manufactory would enliven the Waikato, give scope for female labour, turn out skins to good account, and be perhaps the beginning of a future export trade. The leather of which the above gloves were made was dressed at the fell-tnongery establishment of Messrs Carpenter and Byron on the Waipa by a man numed Hosr^. . THE ObSTBUCTIONS OK THE RAILWAY Line which have several times lately been found m the shape of wooden fence rails lying accroßS the. iron rails of the line have caused no little alarm to the public and anxiety to the police. In our issue of the 2nd insfc. we noticed the second apparent attempt to throw the passenger train off the line on the previous day by the placing of wooden rails on the track ' of the engine, and the providental escape from accident by the discovery of the obstruction by the engine driver. On that occasion we expressed ; an. opinion that the work was not that of a maliciously disposed person, but that the rails had probably been shifted from the heap close by the line on to it by children, the houses of two settlers being closely adjacent. The mystery has now, we are happy to say, by the exertions of the police, been thoroughly and mdst satisfactorily cleared up. Not evenjcnildren's play was the cause of the danger, much less malicious intent, but the frolicsomeness of cattle "which had access to the spot where the posts and rails were piled along-side the line. Sergeant McGovern had given instructions' tnat this spot, where on two occasions timber had been found lying accross the line m the track of the engine, should be watched night and day by the police, and the result of this watching has been that a night or two ago a bull and some other cattle came down to the line, and were caught flagrante de'ietu m the act of moving the lighter rails from the heap, one or two of which fell upon the line. The culprits were not arrested, but the police deserve the thanks of the public for their energy m clearing up a mystery which as the days drew m would have rendered travelling by the evening train a matter of some little anxiety.

Thb address of the "Sons of Old Colonists," presented to the Hon. J. Sheehan on the occasion of his first visit to the Thames as Native Minister, has (says the Grahamstown ' Star ') been illuminated very tastefully, and is now on view at Mr R. M. Mitchell's office, previous to its being framed. The address is, one of the prettiest pieces of illumination and artistic writing we have seen, and forms quite a pretty picture. From one corner riseß a fern tree, nicely colored, and across the bottom is a view of the Waitemata, with the North Shore and Rangitoto. The capital letters m the address are all copied from the Harleian MSS, No. 2800, m the British Museum, and the volume formerly belonged to; the Monastery of St. Mary and St. Nicholas at Auntern, m the diocese of Treves. As soon as the address has had appended to it the signatures of the committee of the " Sons of Old Colonists," it will be framed, and we believe it will ultimately be photographed, so that the presenters and others may possess themselves of a copy:

Home Made Telephones. —The "Tuapeka Times' says — "We have had the pleasure of seeing and hearing a telephone made by Mr Humphrey, watchmaker, of Lawrence. A great deal has lately been said about the feats accomplished on this wonderful instrument, and its performances m Melbourne have been often described. The contrivance made by Mr Humphrey, which evidently embodies ■ the principle of the thing, ia most simple, consisting as it does of two small round tin boxes, say mustard or pepper boxes — with the lids off and the bottoms removed, thus leaving as it were two tubes. One end of box or tube is then covered with a thin parchment or sheepskin, m .the middle of each of which is fixed a cotton thread, the other end being left open for speaking through. The length of the thread is optional, being determined by the distance the performer may wish to converae or sing. In the one shown us by Mr Humphrey, the distance between the two speakers or operators would be sixty or seventy feet, with a door intervening, all but closed; but Mr Humphrey tells us that he has proved its efficacy at eighty yards. In fact, distance does not appear to have any influence m affecting the distinct sounds conveyed by the thread. The gentlest whisper is heard as distinctly as the loudest bawl. The power and efficacy of this simple contrivance is something altogether wonderful. Mr Humphrey put one of his little girls at one end who sang ' Po j goes the weasel.' The effect was astounding. She was out m the back yard, while several persons were listening at the other end m the shop, and the melody was as clear and the words as distinct as if she had been m the same room."

Thames Valley Lands and the BboomHAI.L SETTLEUBirP.-— At tlje nj6€(ti|lg of the Auckland Waste Lands Board, held m Auckland, Mr Mirth asked whether anything had been heard of further regarding the Broomhall settlement. The Chairman said no additional information had been received. Mr Firth aaid he thought the Board ought to take some steps to enable them to carry out their agreement. Jio referred at some length to the incomplete purchase of the Tfyimeo Valley lands, and moved— " That this 3oard learns with great regret that no progress ia being made m completing the negotiations for the purchase of lands opened by Mr James Macky m the Thames district, T&at, & consequence,

no lands m that district, suitable for settlomeiit, are being placed at the disposal'of the Board, and the. Board is therefor^ unable to reply favorably to the numerous applications from parties desirous of founding special settlements, or to individual parties of settling m the district. The Board respectfully , but strongly desire that . the Government would?, take such measures as would effectually place at the disposal of the Board the lands for which negotiations have already been commenced by the Government m the Thames Valley, m order that the Waste Lands Board may be able to meet the very pressing demand for land m that district,' and that a copy of the resolution be forwarded .to the Minister for Lands." The motion- was agreed to.'

AudfciAND Railway Freight Rates. — Mr T. Millar, of Paterangi, writes as folio wb: — "Having a considerable quantity—^something like 14 tons — of cloverseed ;to go up the Waikato, I came to town' to arrange about freight, etc. On seeing Mr Scherff, he informed me the freight as clover was double the ordinary charge. Thinking that this was a mistake, 1 had a personal interview with Mr Macdonald, of the Railway Department, who, on referring to his tariff, said Mr Soherff was perfectly correct. Freight to all parts of the Waikato is 403, but for elbyw-ceed it is 80s. Surely it is a great injustice to charge coup try settlers double freight on clover— an article that the railway ought to carry cheaper than any. thing else.<* Were it dynamite I could understand. Were it grass-seed there would be some reason m it ; but clover, packed securely m 2cwt. barrels, watertight, and m good condition, is to me inexplicable. By giving this letter-pub-licity you will confer a favor on many a country settler m the Waikato, and perhaps cause the railway authorities to alter their tariff more m accordance with eominon seme.