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

A MfiEUNO of the members of the Wesleyan and Presbyterian congregations was held m the Pukerimu Wesleyan Oha'pel on Monday evening, the 3rd ult., to take into consideration the advisability of removing the chapel farther westward About 25 persons were present. The Uev. H. Bull was voted to the chair. *"'r J. Gane was the first speaker. • He said that the. present site of the chapel \\ras inconvenient, as the attendants for the greater part lived on the west side of the gully, and if no better site could be procured he was prepared to give a piece of land for the same on Cogan's Hill. Mr D. Caley next spoke on the harmony existing between the Presbyterians and .Wesleyans, and hoped whatever result w s arrived at that nothing that might be said at the present meeting would disturb that relationship. Only a few wished the chapel to remain on the present site. The opinion of the meeting seemed to be m favor of its removal to near the schoolroom at Walker's Gully. Mr John Fisher, on behdf of the Presbyterians m the district, said that if tho Wesleyans would give the building as it stands at present thoy (the Presbyterians) would remove the samo and re-erect it at Walker's Gully, free of all expense to the Wesleyan body, and allow them the use of it free for seven years ; a deed to be | drawn up to that effect. The meeting adjourned so that the above offer might be considered at the district meeting on the 1 3th instant, and conference meeting on the 23rd instant. A vote of thanks to the chairman, and the benediction by .the Rev. Mr Bull closed the meeting. Waipa County Council Vacancy.— There was no nomination yesterday for the vacancy m the 'A aipa County Council, consequent on the resignation of Or. Sloane. The electors of the riding seem altogether indifferent about tho matter. Mb N. R. Cox announces that he is now doing business m his new store, "Hsum!-

ton House," at the corner of Victoria and Hood-streets, ancl haa opened np a largo and new assortment of seasonable goocls at remarkably low prices. Monday, tho 10th, being a holiday, all mails will be closed at this office at 6 a.m. iustead of the usual hours. A correspondent writing from Cambridge hits the nail right on the head when Ixo says : — " What a strange thing it is that the bulk of our settlers don't 'cipher.' If they did how many foreign potatoes would fiud their way to the Auckland market? Instead of ringing the changes from mutton to beef, and beef to mutton m tho present unsettled state of the wool market, the industrious small' fanner would be marvellously better off if ho devoted himself to potatoes and pigs. Npeaking of pigs, I believe it would bo difficult to find lewt. of bacon m the twelve general stores m Cambridge district the production of the settlers. Why is this? There must be a cause. The same applies to poultry and eggs. If an hotel: eeper wanted a dozen couple of fowls m a hurry the chances are that he would haye to send to Auckland or 'Hamilton to ' get them, and eggs are brought by almost every steamer from Waikato Beads. The exhibits , of pigs and poultry at the show manifested a i marvellous amount of indifference or j ignorance as to what is really profitable to the small settler at a small cost m either labor or capital. I know that it is more flattering to a man's vanity to see a herd of cattle or flock of sheep browsing , upon the broad acres than to see half the number of well-fatted pigs.. A settlor from Canterbury was staying with a friend of mine, and Went all through the | Waikato, and the thing that struck him most, next to the paucity of cereal cultivation,, was the absence of pigs. Said he i to me, ' The only difference I see between Waikato and Canterbury is that m the latter we work and cultivate, while m the Waikato you trust to Providence.' Speaking of cropping, he said, ' There are hunj dreds of small., men m Canterbury who will pay £2 per acre for one season's crop, and depend on their pigs for the year's profit,' Speaking to him respecting the intrinsic difference m the land, he replied, ' I have seen m Waikato as good land as I ever saw m my life ; the difference is simply that m one case the land is wor- ed, m the other it is neglected.' If the statement of this 'canny Scot.' from Canterbury' is correct it behoves our settlers to rub the 'cobwebs' from their eyes, and look earnestly to discover what is at fault. Something is wrong somewhere, I or a'settlement like this would not require to get from a distance butter, cheese, bacon, eggs, and poultry. I doubt if thero is a pound of Waikato cheese m the place, and last winter scares of kegs of Canterbury butter were sold m Cambridge. In the absence of immigration the natural increase of population will not consume the increasad production, and that' means lower and still lower prioes for beef, mutton, and all farm produce. If our Waikato farmers are wise they will so ' adapt themselves to the , altered markets and circumstances that they will supply Waikato' s wants m tho commodities referred to." Mr J. M. MoLachliAN, the woll-known outfitter, of Queen-street, Auckland, has lately received from Japan somo very curious and useful -^notions," m coats, &c, for summer wear, and displayed m his window is a complete suit of armor as worn by the Japanese m battle a hundred years ago. It is well worth inspecting. About eighty horses were offered for sale at Carter's stables byMrßucklandon Saturday, and most of them fetched good prices. These horses were brought overland from Hawke's Bay, and are altogether a first-class lot. It . seeras rather a remarkable fact that, though horses are brought from other parts, and that the number of Waikato horses are largely increased every year by breeding, and that but an inconsiderable number are sent from the district, the price of this kind of stock keeps up, and that the supply does >not appear greater than the demand. When the House of Representatives goes into Committee on the Qualification of Electors Bill, Mr Montgomery, it is said, intends to move, as an amendment to the first substitution of the second clause, to the effect, that while the twelve months' residence or possession for six months of a €25 freehold should qualify the possession for _ registration, .no person should be registered for more than one electorate m this oolony. It is reported that the Government would not be adverse to such an amendment, if proposed, but every probability that they might accept it. The drawing of Mr S. W. Buck's swee^ on the Melbourne Cup teok place on Saturday last at the Oddfellows' Hall, Cambridge. There were 147 tickets taken up, and the prizes will be divided as follows :— First horse, £21 ; second horse, £10 10s ; third horse, £5 ss*; among, starters, £36 15s. The drawing went off very successfully, all parties being well satisfied. About four o'clock last Sunday afternoon a flash of lightning struck the chimney of a house now being built opposite the Scotch Church at Cambridge for a boarding and lodging house. Part of the chimney was knocked down, and the frame of the house slightly injured. There was no rain. On Mr Firth's estate at Matamata about fifteen hundred acres of wheat have been planted; no less than nine reapers and binders have been ordered to cut this crop, and a ateara threshing machine has been already sent, and a traction engine is on its way to convey the wheat to the landin°* place on the Waihou. Shearing is still going on. although the showery weather has' not been very favorable for it. A flook of one hundred ewes (Lincolns) at Matama,ta averaged thirteen pounds each the fleece, several reaching as high as • eighteen pounds. A Christy Minstrel troupe has been formed at Cambridge, and a large number of members enrolled. A performance will be given at an early date, for which some verp fair talent has been secured. On Monday next an excursion train will laave Hamilton Junction at 6.50 a.m. aud , Hamilton at 6.40 a m. for Auckland. The ordinary train will be suspended on that day. This arrangement is made to enable Waikato visitors to the cattle Bhow and athletic sports to return home the same day. Further particulars as to arrival and departure of trains on the 10th will be found m our advertising columns. Wb understand that the matter of the WhataWhata and Hamilton road has not been lost sight of by the member for Waipa, and that tho claims and necessities of that part of the district have been duly urged upon the Minister for Publio Works. Detective Doolan made a smart capture on Tuesday of an old offender named Brady who has ,been " wanted" on several charges for some time. Though anxiously inquired after by the Auckland police for tho last six weeks Brady only made his appearance m Waikato yesterday week, arriving by the mid-day tiain at Ohaupo. Detective Doolan got scent of his arrival m Waikato and succeeded m getting on his trail on Saturday, lost it again next day, but getting another clue on Mofiday followed up his mun and succeeded iv apprehending him at Wm. Thomoson's monument at Matamata on Tuesday last, after along ride of one hundred and forty miles. The Cambridge Amateur Dramatic Company will appear this evening at Le Quesne'B Hall, Hamilton m "The Area Belle and " The Loan of a Lov^r," The

performance is m aid of the stage fund of I the new Oddfellows- Hall now building'in East Hamilton. The dramatic club had a rehearsal on Monday and another on Tuesday night m preparation for their debut at Hamilton. Tho several performers aro well up m their parts. _ Amo-tg other interesting items of expenditure it appears th&i. during the visit of Rewi to Waitara, a horse was pmrchased for him by a Government agent for the suui of £GO. ? | The salo by auction of Mr G-übbins's live and dead stock by Mr J. S. Bnckland lakes place to-day at Innisfallen, near Ohaupo. , ' Sunday afternoon's storm at Cambridge appears to have been a more severe one than ordinary. In addition to the injury done to Mr Richardson's new chimney whicli had only been finished the day previous, and of which 'the lightning struck off about three feet, cutting it ■ through diagonally, two men belonging to the brewe<y, standing not far off, had a narrow escape. One had his :hat knocked off by the electric fluid, the other felt stunned for a few minutes, a young man was passing by with a dog, both felt a shock, and the dog was lifted completely off the ground yet not injured. Mr Swain, residing near Fen Court, v was writing at the timo of the storm, and says the feeling he experienced was that the house had beenheaviiy struck. It shook, ■ and crockery and other goods rattled as though an earthquake had occurred, bufc he could not find that any. damage had been done. ' '-A L.O.L — The annual meeting of the members of the William Johnston Lodge, Cambridge, will be held to-tnorrow evening for the election of officers, &c. This OAMBKiDaB Court-house.—Reply-ing to Mr Whyte on Tuesday, Mr Rolleston said that a sufficient sum would be placed upon- the estimates for the erection of a new Court-house at Cambridge.