The Waikato Times.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1194, 21 February 1880, Page 2

The Waikato Times.

Equal and exact justice to .ill men, Ol whatever state or persuasion, religious or Solitical. lail the Press the People's right maintain, Unawed by influence and unbribed by gain.

SATURDA F, FEBRUARY 21.

Business would seem to be reviving slowly in our Waikato townships, and doubtless a plentiful harvest will still further assist the change. But there is one thing we would more especially urge upon our readers, if they wish the district to reap the full benefit of renewed prosperity, and that is, to keep as much as possible the money raised in the district circulating within it. Since the railway has been opened a considerable amount of money goes direct from the Waikato general consumers to the Auckland tradesman, for goods which could be readily procured from a "Waikato storekeeper, and almost as cheaply as from town. Nay, in most cases, we believe, if the cost of carriage, freight and exchange were taken into account they could have been procured even cheaper in any Waikato township, leaving to the Waikato storekeeper his fair profit between wholesale and retail prices to be spent and circulated again in the district. In our leading towns such as Cambridge and Hamilton, shops may be seen whose stock will compete favorably with that of similar establishments in any but the chief centres of population in the colony. They afford ample room for choice, and the prices are only higher than at Auckland by the difference occasioned by freight, cartage, and occasional loss upon the road. Now what is gained by such partial diversion of business as we have alluded to, but that our business men are merely struggling •n, glad in many cases if they can hold their own, when otherwise they might be making money, giving employment to operatives in the erection of improved stores, thus raising the value of property generally, and redistributing money to the benefit of labour which would again and again circulate through all classes ? In Waikato we have local industries long established, and with a I proved reputation for the goods produced; breweries, biscuit manufactories, flour mills, lemonade and soda water factories ; makers of harness and saddlery; of boots and shoes, upholstery, even of jewellery; who carry off the prizes against all comers at our agricultural shows, agricultural and other implement . makers as hard to beat, and, as we have said, general and special stores with a stock and display equal to anything out of the most flourishing centres in the colony. If we are to progress, even as a farming population, we must encourage trades of this kind. We cannot all be producers but must foster a non-produ-I cinq class in our midst, non-producing we mean so far as food is concerned, which will furnish us with a market I for the produce of the land, and not leave the farmer to compete even in butter, cheese and other goods with the imports from Canterbury and the south, which can reach Auckland as cheaply as, nay, cheaper from thee than our Waikato produce can from here. Our aim should be to foster not only the industries we have, but to encourage in every possible way the establishment of new ones,; to keep all the money we can possibly do, even at a slight direct money sacrifice in consideration of the large indirect gain, -within the district; for the encouragement of local manufacture by local consumption means in every case the maintenance of activity in our local labor market, and there arc none of us so dull but can appreciate the effect which an abundance of well paid work has on the business and general prosperity of any community. It is the freely flowing life blood which sets every pulse in motion and gives life and vigour to the commercial frame.

A cognate subject to that to which in our last issue we alluded — the registration of electors — and equally as important to be understood by the public, is the change in the qualification of electors which has been the result of the electoral reforms introduced in the last session of Parliament. The old freehold qualification of an estate of £25 value is still retained, but with the more liberal addendum that it matters not to what extent it may be encumbered, and an elector holding property of such value in any electoral district, whether he reside within that district or not, may register himself for the same, and vote at an election of members for every such district for which he may be registered. The second qualification is simply one of residence, and is tantamount to what is known as manhood suffrage, excepting that it requires that a man shall have resided for one year in the colony, and in the electoral district for which he claims to vote during the six months immediately preceding the registration of his vote. The same person, however, who registers for a freehold qualification may not exercise his residential qualification in the same electoral district, There is,

nothing, however, to prevent his exercising it in the district in which he resides, and registering and voting in other districts in which he holds property. The Maori qualification, independently of the special representation of Maori districts provided for by the Maori Representation Act, 1867, is confined to freehold qualification in severalty, and to being enrolled upon a ratepayers' roll in force within the electoral district in respect of which he claims to vote. This latter qualification would, we fancy, have been more satisfactory had the words been added, "and who has paid all rates due." It is satisfactory, however, to find that freeholds held in common will not entitle all Maoris holding an interest therein to vote on such qualifications as heretofore. Disqualification applies to aliens, to persons attainted or convicted of any treason, felony, or infamous offence within any part of the Empire, unless such person shall have received a free pardon or worked out his sentence, and in the latter case the name only can be added to the roll after a further period of twelvemonths has elapsed. Every man registered on any electoral roll is qualified for election to the Assembly for any district, and should he, while a member of the House of Representatives, cease to be on the register as an elector he will not, from that cause only, be disqualified.

The accommodation at the Hamilton Telegraph Station is miserably inadequate to the requirements of the place. There is but one window at which both postal and telegraph business is conducted, and much vexatious delay is daily experienced by persons presenting telegrams for transmission, — not owing to any fault of tb.9 officer in charge or his assistants, but simply because the one window is blocked by people purohasing postage stamps, registering litters, taking out P.O. orders, and what not. This is not as it should be : the soul of telegraphy is despatch; this made a secondary object, its raison d'etre oeases. A gentleman informs us that only a day or two ago he went to the Telegraph Office with an " urgent " telegram in his hand : a telegram costing a considerable sum for transmission, and of a most important oharacter: the window on his arrival was blocked up three deep with ladies purchasing postage stamps, making enquiries, &c, and he was actually kept 11 minutes waiting before he could hand this " urgent " message into the window. There is plenty of space in the buildingwretched place as it is— for another window to be placed, and we would earnestly draw the attention of the Telegraph authorities to the desirability of affording a window solely for the receipt and despatch of telegrams. In offices much less important than Hamilton the P.O. window and the Telegraph Office window are entirely apart, and it is inconsistent that Hamilton should form an exception. The telegraph business done here is already large and daily increasing, and more than warrants the paltry outlay requisite to afford tha accommodation we have indicated.

Ejoutch. — In the article on the Raglan road, published in Thursday's issue, there occurs an error which materially affects the meaning of the whole article. After the sentence, " We cannot say we would recommend anyone to go there " (Raglan), our readers will be good enough to insert the words " in the' winter." It* consequence of the indisposition of the Rev. William Calderhe will be unable to hold divine eervice at Huntley, Taupiri, Ngaruawahia, and Whatawhata tomorrow. There will, however, be parson's service at St. Peter's at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., but no service at Hamilton East, in consequence of the absence of the Rev. H. S. Davies at Mercer. The vacancy which has occurred in the Hamilton Borough Council by the resignation of Mr R. Harris, will afford an opportunity to the burgesses of, in a great degree, improving the tone of the Council, and doing away with the scenes of bitter personal attack and recrimination which. occupy time that should be given to the work of the Council. Parties in the Council are pretty evenly balanced, and if the burgesses would positively refuse to vote for any candidate seeking office to i uphold either one party or the other, but would return a truly independent-minded and business man — and there are plenty of such to choose from in this community — a very great check would be given to the present unfortunate state of things. But if this is to be done, the fact that Tuesday next is the day of nomination must not be lpst sight of, and the choice of such a candidate left to the last moment, as is usually the case where political party feeling does not spur to action. It has been the fashion of late for such men as we would gladly see returned to the Council to decline to be nominated, refusing to take part in what they consider I entails no honor, but much discomfort and \ disagreeableness ; but thesa should remember that position and wealth in a community carry with them their obligations as well as their privileges, and that the only way in which the deplorable condition into which the Borough < ouncil has fallen can be improved is by men of influence and means cheerfully taking upon themselves the duties of office, and so rendering a continuance of the present condition impossible. Ck. Enos has given notice of motion for the next sitting of the Council " That this Council invite tenders for the borough printing and advertising for the current year." The motion will come on at the next ordinary meeting, on Monday evening, when the consideration of the tenders for drainage and other works in connection with the bridge will be taken into account. Me R. E. M. Campbell has returned from Ta Papa, On his arrival there he found many of the principal chiefs had gone to Tauranga to a iergre tangi being held there. Those remaining at TaPapa, however, promised to go to Tauranga and bring the natives baof in a week, and Mr Campbell returns to Ta Papa on Monday, in order to complete preliminaries. We i understand that the natives are quite willing to enter into arrangements for the formation of the Rotorua Road. At the Hamilton Sorough Council, on Thursday night, the old sore "sides" broke out, and one councillor ironically observed that the borough began at the Bank of New Zealand and ended at

Pqarce's corner. Wo had hoped the bridge would have altered all this, and by increased communication between the two sides of the borough done away with this feeling of estrangement. Perhaps one of the best remedies, and a great public convenience would be the starting of a 'bus, running at rogular short intei vhls between Pearco'h and Dawson's hotels A *but» does run from the Royal to meet tbo twine, but what is needed is a regular ■ hourly or half-hourly traffio, and a rate of fares that would cause the 'busses to be generally us°d. I We learn that the White I&land guano is ineeting with ready sale in Wai-ato. | On dit that Mr Fenton, Chief Judge of ' the Native Land « ourt ha< threatened to resign his appointment unless the Government invest him with extended powers. Thb Borough Council held another slanging m«tch on Thursday evening. A , report of the same appears in another column. Major Weir and Mr Anderson arrived yesterday evening with 70 head of cattle overland from Tauranga. The cattle are fine fresh beasts, and will be offered for sale by Mr J. S. Buckland at Ohaupo on Tuesday next. Allotting that the Acclimatisation Society acted wisely in not distributing any of the whitefish ova amongst the numerous lakes in Waikato, where there is a large inland European population to whom a fish diet would be very acceptable it does not follow that those lakes should i remain unstocked with fish. We are informed by a gentleman of considerable American experience, that a fish quite equal in size, flavour and productiveness to the whitefish could be procured from America, that is specially adapted to lakes having deep muddy bottoms such as the Waikato lakes, and that is the bull head. Those fish reach a size of two and three pounds weight, and thrive wherever eels do, delighting in mud. They equal in | flavour the English sole, and would multiply umnolebted as they are protected from the attack of other fish by a strong spike projecting from either side the head and from the back. They are quite as much esteemed in America for the table as the whitefish, and grow to nearly double the size and take bait readily. We would suggest that the Auckland Acclimatisation Society, which has many subscribers in Waikato, and draws a considerable revenue fiom this district in the shape of game license fees, should mako , enquiries from Mr Creighton with regard to this fish, and take the first opportunity J of other fish ova being sent from California to New Zealand to have a box of bull head ova sent for the Waikato lakes. There are a number of lakes in Waikato varying from 20 acres to 3 >0 acres in size, and in none of them, we believe, except Lake Waihare and the Hamilton lake have any fish been placed, and in those two only the jrolden carf aF they are oallled, a fi»h which does not take bait, and is anything but good for table. These lakes might be made a large and healthful foud supply to the district, a source of amusement, and an attraction to visitors, but are left unutilised, while lakes far away in the Maori cauntry are stocked witn" valuable fish at the public expense. The Rev. R. B. Corains, of the Melaneaian mission, is in oHarge of the Cambridge parochial district, having undertaken the duties during the temporary absence of the Rev. W. N. Willis. Mr Cc rains will ofiiciate to-morrow at St. Andrew's, Cambridge, morning and evening. Though the soil in the township of Raglan is seldom called upon to exert itbelf it is of very good quality, and can produce crops of vegetables which would astonish some of the people in Waikato. Mr Pegler, who has a garden some two or three acres in extent in the centre of the township, has raised a very fine crop of potatoes this year, the yield being 10 and 12 tons to the acres. The crop is partly brown Hobart Town and partly white Hobart Town, and some of the tubers are of an enormous size. The land receiver 1 a very small dressing of bonedust, but it hardly requires manure as the topsoil is fully a foot deep. Mr Pegler has also grown very fine cabbages, and has a patch of maize, now flowering, the 6talks of which are quite seven feet high. We regret to learn that the proposed Volunteer encampment of Thames and Waikato Volunteers is likely to fall through on account of the (Government not being able to supply tents or camp equipage. The review of Thames infantry and Waikato cavalry last year at Hamilton was a great success, notwithstanding the stinginess of the Government and the cold water they attempted to throw on the affair ; but an encampment last year's trip was not. Thanks to the royal hospitality of the inhabitaLts of Hamilton, our men were, though crowded well looked after. The object of last year's trip, however, was chicly to show Government how quickly 500 men in fighting condition could be launched on a given point, m encampment on the other hand is a mode of trainiug essentially necessary to efficiency and discipline, and is a, training' bo in our officex-s and men require ; and we regret exceedingly that our local force are prevented acquiring a knowledge of practical field work during the Easter holidays, lo crowd men into hotels iv any hamlet or town is not conducive to the efficiency wo refer to, nor a knowledge of camp guards and duties. A n encampment just now in Upper Waikato would, we have no hesitation to say, have a most beneficial effeot on the native mind. — Thames Advertiser.

The road between Hewitt's corner and Reed's in the North Cambridge Township is to be formed before the wet weather sets in, and tenders to be addressed to the Chairman will be received up to the ioth. proximo, for forming, filling, and grave]ing this important thoroughfare. Tenders will also be received at the same time for cutting and repairing the road to Halley's mill. Mr John Knox holds two important sales of property at Cambridge to-day. The first is tbe very valuable sectiou in the centre of the town offered by the trustees in the insolvent estate ot C. £. S. Rose, and which has been subdivided into allotments suitable for business purposes. These lots will be offered at Kirkwoods Hotel, opposite to^y/hicb the property is situated, at 2 p.m., and immediately afterwards an acre and house thereon, the property of Mr. Camp. Thl usual monthly meeting of the Cambridge Farmers Club, will be held in the club room, at two o'clock on Monday afternoon next, when Major Wilson will road an o&s»y 00 "The culture of Grasses." To meet the requirements of traffic on the now Raglan and Waipa Road, Mr Charles Sutton, . announces in our advertising columns,, that he I has opened a half-way hotel between Raglan and Wbatawhata, where, in addition to every accommodation for travellers, good stabling and grass paddocks are provided. The clearing out sale, for which the whole of the stock has been marked at half-price, will open at Harris's Store, East Hamilton, 10-day. The stock has been bought a bargain, and can be sold at a profit, at prices which will astonish the public of Hamilton. For particulars, we refer our readers to the advertisement on our third page. We would remind our Ngaruawahia readers and the public generally, of the sale of household furniture and effects, which Mr K. Hill, announces for Monday next, at the residence of Captain Spargo. Mr J. S. Buckland holds his next sale of cattle at Ouhapo on Tuesday, when, besides a. large 4ssortiq«nt of store cattle, he will offer a wellbred Hereford bul), and a number of useful farm horses. A public meeting of Waitoa and Piako settlers interested in the extension of the railway to the Thames is convened for to-day, at 5 p.m., at the Public Hall, Waihou. A general meeting of the creditors in the estate of George Lovcgrow, oi Hamilton, painter, is convened for Thursday next, 26th instant, at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, at the Courthouse. Mr S. Bright will sell at Cambridge on Monday, at noon, 10,000 feet first and second class timber.