The Waikato Times

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1149, 6 November 1879, Page 2

The Waikato Times

Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatever «tate or persuasion, roligioun or oohtical. Here shall the Press the People's right . maintain, Unawed by inflnenofl and anbribed hy gain. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1879. The tl'uiae is steadily getting on wiih the public business. Amongst the ui'iisiir m |jDßiiea forward a stage on Tuesday was the Triednial Parliaments Bill, wide*) was «onsidered m commit-* • atH reported as amended, huyiug beeu ttlteroa to provide that

the present Parliament should expire on the 28th February, 1882, a motion to make tho date a year later having been lost on a division of 35 to 26. The Maori Representation Bill was also discussed, and tbe debate adjourned with' tlie view of dropping .the subject for the present session, and leaving the Maoris, for the time 'being; with their especial representation as at present exercised. An expression of opinion wan pas^d by the Hou->e on a division of 65 to 5 that a Bill for 'the Redistribution of Seats be passed d living the present session, whatever other measures it might 1 be necessary to postpoue. The Financial Statement ia anxiously looked for aa the real business of the session. It is .understood that Minister*, will endeavour to meet the deficiency by rigorous retrenchment, as well as by the imposition of new taxes. It is estimated that the 20 per cent, of the land fudd if impounded', would yield some £160,000, but whether th. Government will attempt to apply this item of revenue to its legitimate use is douhtful. An increase of two sllillings per gallon on the duty on, spirits, the resdrrip tion of the tea and sugar duties, and an increase on the stamp duties are spoken ot with more of certainty. The resumption of the 'tea and sugar duties, though probably the general consumer has gained nothing by their abolition, will be a most unpopular measure, but it appears to bo an idea which the Government are very unwilling to abandon. Our casual reference to barb fencinohas bad the effect of drawing attention' to the matter, and we are m I debted to Mr Edward Parsons, of [ 'Te Awamutu, for a copy of a j pamphlet issued- by Messrs Wash- ! burn and Moen, of Massaohussetts, 1 the manufacturers of the; Glidden ' barbed wire, m which the utility, efficiency, and economy of the barb fence is cleai'ly set forth sind proved on the testimony of a great number of landowners and. farmers who have tried it. The chief advantages „ claimed foi* it is' that no cattle, however unruly, will face it, that it is steel and of two strands, and will hold 1400 lbs. to each line of wire ■ wiihont breaking, or _2001bs. m a . fence of three lines, and hence practically cannot be broken, and being of two strands twisted together it ever remains straight and firm on the posts, through all temperatures, after being once strained up into place. The cost of the \vire is eighteen cents per lb., or five and a-half yards, but as only , two or three wires at most are neededj the cost is not relatively greater than that of smooth wire. The fence for cattle need' be but three and a-hal< feet high with three strands of barbed wire, as cattle never attempt it. More often, however, ifc woald seem, from the numerous testimonials published, that only two wires are used. Messrs Kirkham and Macgregor, writing from Centreville, loWa, say, " with two or thiee exceptions, the farmers on this section have constructed their fencec with two strands, viz., the first strand about eighteen inches from* the ground, and the second wire two fpet above the first, setting the posfs two rods apart ; and we have yet to hear bf a single instance where it has not answered the purpose intended." A long list of testimonials is published, m which two wires only appear to have been used, the distance of the posts varying from fifteen to. thirty feet apart. ." But not alone for field purposes would thia wire' prove useful ; for orchards and gardens it would.be invaluable, as a fence affording a barrier absolutely impassable by man, child; beast, or animal. It, m fact, combines all the utility of the thickset edge wishoul occupying any ground. except' for the posts, with the durability and staunchness of iron and steel, and without waiting for ye*rs till the live fenco is grown. Even when lhe ordinary smooth wires are m use one line or wire of " barbed fence " added to that already up is said to make a magical change m the efficiency of the whole.