THE THISTLE QUESTION.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1198, 2 March 1880, Page 2

THE THISTLE QUESTION.

Since referring to this subject a few weeks ago, we have,* by the courtesy of one or two gentlemen of experience, been placed in possession of some interesting information regarding it. Much of the testimony agrees with the spirit of the remarks put forward by us, and this reference to it will, therefore, be sufficient. On the other hand, we are glad to reproduce a few facts which bear in an opposite direction. Some time ago the subject was mentioned at a meeting of the Cambridge Farmers' Club, and in answer to a question one of the members said he had it from a runholder in Napier that his income was increased by something like £1000 a-year by the introduction of thistles, which he declared improved the land vastly, besides bringing on the grass much more quickly. Our authority, who is himself a large landholder, bears testimony to the fact that the thistles destroy the fern, which in the Waikato districts is so hard to eradicate. He is of opinion that small farmers commit a mistake in allowing the thistle to occupy land which can be put to more remunerative use ; but on large estates thistles ought to be encouraged, if only on account of their antipathy to fern. He advocates burning the fern and sowing the thistle-down, together with a light seeding of white clover, stocking the land with cattle. This is strong testimony in favor of the thistle, and in view of equally forcible reasons urged on the other side we should like to see the subject again taken up and vigorously handled by the members of the Farmers' Club. The fresh light which extended experience has thrown on the subject will ensure an animated and productive debate.

Mr Firth has commenced threshing out the wheat crop grown on his estate at Matamata. There is the produce of close upon 2000 acres to be put through the machines, and it is estimated the gross yield will be about 30,000 bushels. It would have been considerably larger but that a Considerable portion of the land sown was newly broken up ground. By the use of machinery the crop lias cost only ss. per acre for cutting and stacking. Next year, Mr Friths manager, Mr. Cawkwell, expects to have a very much better average, and to grow the wheat at a cost of not more than eighteen-pence per bushel. Ax excellent sign of a favourable change in the native mind is the fact that Captain Turner who is engciged laying out j the road from Tauranga to Waikato was waited upon recently by a deputation | from the Ngatarahaua, asking that the line of road might be taken as near as possible to their settlement Te Rapurapu. j Unfortunately, for engineering reasons, ' Captain Turner could not divert the road from the plain, and lie explained his reasons to the natives, who expressed themselves satisfied with the justice of his reasons, though evidently very much disappointed at the result. There was only one case yesterday at the Assessment Court, held by H. W. Northcroft, Esq., for the Newcastle Highway District,, that of Messrs Carpenter and Byron, and this was amicably arranged between the objectors and the Board. At the R. M. Court, Ngaruawahia, held yesterday, there were, with one exception, only a few small debt cases. The exception was a case of slander which by common enusent was allowed to be withdrawn. We are requested to correct an error which inadverteuly crept into our last report of the Farmers Club. Mr Wallace was said to have won the champion cup for rams, instead of ewes. The cup in the former class was awarded to Mr Robert Fergusson of Taotaoroa. The parade of the Hamilton Light Infantiy Corps did not come off on Saturday, having been postponed until the end of the week, when Colonel Leckie is expected in Waikato, and will review the Volunteer Corps. Yesterday morning, at the Police Court, three men, charged with drunkenm:so, were mulcted in the usual fines. V,. M. Edgcuinbe, Esq., J.P., occupied the Bench. D\ kino the last feu weoks several new buildings have been commenced in Cambridge, while the new offices in course of erection by Mr Hewitt are nearly finished. This block, which will have a frontage to Duke-street of about 40 feet, has a neatly adorned fascade, and will be one of the prominent buildings in that street. A special meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council was held on Friday to confirm the by-laws adopted at the previous meeting. There were present the Mayor, and Councillors Knox, Jones, dimming, Davis and Peat. The by-law prohibiting 1 cattle from being at large between sunset and sunrise within a distance of half a-mile from the Post Office on either side the river was confirmed as was also that restricting the rate of riding o?' driving across the bridge, Mr Price, the newly elected councillor, was intro.. duced to the Mayor, and took the declara* tion and his seat. Active measure* are being takeu to make the Catholic concert at Cambridge, on St. Patrick's Day, a thorough suecea*. The management has been placed it} the

hands of a prominent musician, and there is little doubt that an enjoyable evening Mali result. f * The latest official estimate of the rail-l-'Way,revenue for the current financial yearr^tUat is, tlie period of nine months to the' 3 1st March — is that it will be i £107,000 short of the estimate, but the working expenses have been reduced by £22,000, so that tlio net deficit ou the railways will be about £85,000.

i The members of the Cambridge Cavalry Troop will engage next Saturday in firing at floating bottles. The competition will take place on the banks of the river, near the residence of Major Wilson, commenc- | ing about 10 a.m.

The New Zealmid Punch, hitherto published in Wellington, will in future be published in Auckland, and the first number of the new series will appear on Thursday next.

A sitting of the R.M. Court was held in Cambridge on Friday, but no business of importance was transacted.

We understand that Mr J. C. Firth has made arrangements to celebrate the opening of the navigation of the Upper Thames j River by a friendly gathering of friends and others interested in the progress of the district, and that the affair will come off at Stanley, Matamata, on the I lth of March. The gentlemen invited will be franked through from Auckland to Stanley, Matamata, and back. A train will leave Auckland at 7 a.m., on Wednesday, March 10, and carriages will leave Cambridge at 7 a.m. next morning for Stanley, where the public luncheon will take place at 1 p.m., after which the guests will make a short trip up the river, and witness the operation of blowing up snags, and return to Matamata the same evening ; returning to Cambridge next morning, in time for the 1.46 p.m. train at Hamilton Junction. Mr Firth, in a report to the Hon. Mr Oliver, Minister for Public Works, on the clearing of the Upper Thames River, from snags and rajrids, recapitulates the history of the enterprise, and the efforts which have been made to successfully accomplish it. We quote the following passages, as showing whit the perseverance and liberality of one publicspirited settler may accomplish : — "The operations have been contmued to the present time. Large quantities of dynamite have been used with very good results. Groins, to narrow the stream and deepen the channel at certain points, have been built ; innumerable snags have been removed (one of the largest being 1 20 feet long, and fi feet diameter at the butt ; shallows have been dredged, and many impassable rapids and falls (formed by masses of conglomerate rocks) have been removed by dynamite. The operations have so far succeeded that all serious impediments from Omahu to Stanley, a distance of about 45 miles have been cleared, and the river rendered navigable for steamers not drawing more than three feet. There still remain some obstructions between Omahu and the Ohinemuri Junction, which, as soon as the Maori opposition is removed, will be cleared. The total cost to Ist January last, of all labor, material, and appliances, amounts to the sum of £7442 4s f>d. The result of the operations of the clearing of the navigation of this beautiful, river lias opened a very large area of valuable lands, owned by Government and private individuals, for advantageous settlement, and provided a cheap means of transit for agricultural and other produce, without transhipment, from Stanley, the head of the navigation, to the port of Auckland. — Herald.

Thndkus for gravelling or .sanding sonic fifty chains of the Hamilton and Hokonui road, near Johnson's Hill, will be received, not Liter than To-day, by the Secretary ot the Kirikiriro.i Highway Board. Mr T. S. Bucklanu will hold his next sale of fat and store cattle, sheep, &c, at the Cambridge Yards, To-day, when'amongst other stock to be sold, are the two pure Lincoln raps imported from Victoria, and thirteen pure Lincoln rams, bred by Mr E. H.Walker. Thk annual concert in connection with the Presbyterian Church, .it Ngaruawahia, will be held in the school room, to morrow evening. Ti-ndi rs for about 70 chains of road formation, by throwing out a six-toot ditch, betw een Tamahero and Tauwhare, also for the erection of a bridge, 30 feet span, labor only, will be received by the seerctary of the Tamahere Highway Board, up to noon of Wednesday, the 10th inst. The specifications, &.c, may bu seen at Captain Runciman's. The Licensing Court for the districts of Hamilton and Kirikiriroa, will be held at the Court House, Hamilton, to-niorrow. There will also be a sitting of the Resident Magistrate's Court the same day. Thi: regular monthly meeting of the Kirikiriroa Highway Board, will be held to-morrow, at East Hamilton. A GhXbRVL meeting of creditors in the estate ofE. Wilson, will be held in the District Court House, Hamilton, to-morrow, at 2 p.m. A MhhTiNG of raatepayers of the Kirikiriroa Highway District, will be held to-morrow afternoon, at the Royal Hotel, for the purpose of considering and deciding upon the actfon ot the trustees in stopping roads running through properties of Messrs Swarbriek and James Runciman. By an error, the advertisement of Tuesday last, calling the meeting, gave the d.itc of holding it, as Wednesday the 4th, instead of 3rd of March. The mistake has been rectified in our present issue. Mr Bright held a. sale of a portion of the plant, &c, belonging to Mr G. Lamb, at the Wharf, Cambridge, on Saturday. There w.is only a moderate attendance of buj ers, and very low prices were realised, A l'UHi.ic meeting re Irish Famine will be held To-day at Xgaruawahia. Evi.ryom. in the district — his sisters, and his cousins, and his aunts, has an opportunity afforded him by the arrival of Mr Charles .Spencer, Photographer.ot handing down to his descendants his " cxait self." Mr Spencer, whose gallery we ha\e inspected, has proved himself in L'auranga and other districts, able to produce good and lasting photos, anil we trust he will meet with good support in the W aikato. Till Hamilton Rifle Volucteers will p.iradr at the Odd Fellows' Hall, this evening, and to-mor-row evening, at half-past sev en. By the kind permission of Mr Gwynne,, a Promenade Concer in aid of the funds of the Hamilton Light Infantry Band will, we notice by advertisement, take place in Mr Gwynne's grounds at an early date. The Hamilton Contingent of Te Awamutn Cavalry Volunteers will parade, as will be seen by advertisement, this day week, Tuesday, March 0. Orders; we understand, were first issued by the Major Commanding calling parade tor Thursday ne\t, but owing to Colonel Letkie being unable to reach Hamilton uutil the late train on that (lay, the date has been altered. AYe presume he will take Hamilton on his return from inspecting the Te Awamutu and Cambndgo Troops. A\ emergency meeting of Lodge Beta, Waikato, 405, 1.C., will be held on Thursday next.