THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 1880.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1205, 18 March 1880, Page 2

THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 1880.

It is satisfactory to find that Sir Julius Vogel -has received instructions from the Government to draw public attention at home to the depression that prevails generally throughout the Colony, and to warn persons against coming out who have not the means of maintaining themselves for some time after their arrival in New Zealand. The adoption of this course will, it is to be hoped, prevent a further influx of indigent persons who go to make up the army of "unemployed," at present of considerable magnitude throughout the Colony. Voluntary immigration has been very largely on the increase during the last two years; engendered, doubtless, by the glowing reports of the flourishing condition of this Colony which have from time to time been published ; and it is voluntary immigration that is wanted, but hardly of the class presenting itself. Judging from results it would seem that the bulk of the voluntary immigrants are people who, hard up at home, scrape together their little all, which pays their passage money out, leaving little or nothing "to come and go upon" on arrival in in the Colony. The present industrial condition of New Zealand is anything but healthy. From figures compiled by the Registrar-General and published a few days ago, we find that during the first seven \ months of the current financial period, or from July to January last, the immigrants exceeded the emigrants by some 15,000? v This is somewhat startling, especially as there are still shiploads to arrive. Large numbers of these new arrivalsare now tramping the country in search of employment, and we much fear that the coming winter will be a hard one for many. The Government have acted wisely, and as was their duty, in providing work ,on the Waimate Plains for a portion of the unemployed ; but there are yet hundreds seeking work. Sections of railway, for which Parliament has voted money, on which these unfortunates might very profitably be employed still remain untouched. In times of depression employers of labour keep down their expenses and knock off hands who then have only the State to turn to for subsistence. The combining of Immigration and Public Works in the original policy was based on the expectation that the public expenditure would afford ample employment for immigrants on arrival, but in carrying out the system the fact was over-looked or not sufficiently attended to, that public works on a gigantic scale must come to an end, and unless the large body of men engaged upon them -were encouraged to look to other sources of employment a class would grow up in the community accustomed to rely exclusively on the Government for their means of livelihood. Now there is only one way, so far as we can see, of obviating the evil consequences of this grave oversight. Public works should hereafter be pursued with the main purpose in view of settling the land. In districts where the agricultural interests are advanced enough to supply a local labour market, the Government, instead of becoming a competitor with the farmer for labour, as in the South it was for some years, ought rather to assist in supplying, as the requirements of the settlers warrant, the labour they need. Men thus would only be partially employed on public works, and that in a subservient degree to the occupation which private enterprise may afford. In other districts, village settlements and land on deferred payments should be set apart under the Liberal Land Act brought down by the Government last session. The men engaged on public works ought not to receive more than — say three days employment in a week, the balance of their time to be spent in improving their own holdings, with the ultimate view of withdrawing the Government support altogether, and establishing these settlements as labour depots for the farm districts around, thereby not only ridding the Government of what is a serious and costly j incubus, and which threatens to become a dangerous factor in the economics of New Zealand, but also supplying a great want experienced in all our agricultural districts, — permanently resident labour. If a policy of making public works subordinate to the bonafide settlement of the land had been pursued from the initation of the Vogel scheme the results would have been very different to-day. We should have had, in largely extended cultivation and production, a tangible asset against the borrowed millions, and in lieu of thousands of men looking to the Government for day labour, many of those who were introduced at the expense of the country, would stand to-day in the position of employers. However, even at the eleventh hour, something may be done, and as the Ministers who now hold office do so by virtue of a wellearned reputation for administrative capacity, we hope to see them grapple firmly and effectively with the evil.

In another part of to-day's issue appears a report of the proceedings

at an interview between the representatives of the farmers around Otahuhu and the Hon. F. Whitaker. At the meeting held in Otahuhu, the dissatisfaction which prevails among agriculturalists with reference to the dilatoriness of the Government in grappling with the fell disease on its first discovery found full expression; and as the AttorneyGeneral availed himself of the representations made by the deputation to explain what action the Government had taken, and within what lines their future policy is likely to be confined, his remarks will be perused with more than ordinary interest. Our own views on the subject have been so plainly stated on several occasions that we need not refer to the past history of the controversy, but shall confine what we have to say to the present situation and future prospects. What has already been done may be summed up in a few words. The Government have brought from the South a Mr Maunsell, whose duty appears to be to organise and get into working order three districts in which the province has been divided. Certain regulations for the suppression of the disease have been drawn up under the supervision of the Hon. F. Whitaker, and after being submitted to the Auckland Cattle Board for suggestions have been finally revised and placed in the hands of the printer. These regulations will be brought into force at once ; the rest remains with the several Cattle Boards and inspectors. The weak point of the whole arrangement lies with the inspection. Through incompetency in this all-important department, the disease found its way here ; and it is of the greatest consequence that the inspector shall be a man capable of detecting the disease in its incipient stages. Those best acquainted with Mr Lewis we leave to determine whether his skill and experience satisfies the requirements of the office ; but the statement by Mr Whitaker that the inspector may employ as many veterinary surgeons as he desires implies something not altogether reassuring. It is at least remarkable that a doublebanking process should have been adopted in the name of economy, when a gentleman possessing all the qualifications for the office, and to whom we are largely indebted for arousing public attention to the danger, might have been secured combining the dual capacities of inspector and veterinary surgeon in one. However, not to dwell on this point, the whole future safety of our herds rests in the hands of Cattle Boards deeply concerned in the farming interests, and this is satisfactory. Until the new regulations are received we cannot say whether the repressive machinery is adapted to the work. But, we would observe, that in a wider sense than is represented^ by the Cattle Boards and regulations, the repression of the threatened plague is in the hands of the farmers themselves. It is quite impossible to say yet whether the disease has, by early discovery, been confined to the herds in which it was first detected. It may or may not have travelled further. It behores our farmers, therefore, for their own sakes and for the sake of the community at large to exercise extreme watchfulness over all cattle that could by any possibility have become contaminated, and to act in that truly patriotic spirit which rises superior to inspection and regulations wherever they have reason to suspect anything amiss. The interests at stake are too gigantic for this terrible danger to be trifled with, and we have confidence enough in the good sense of the farming community to believe that the worthy conduct of Mr Ireland will find imitation generally wherever the misfortune of a cattle owner shall call for its display.

Yesterday being St. Patrick's Day the Banks and some of the stores in Hamilton were closed, and the town presented a dead and alive appearance generally. Early in the morning several leading citizens started for Morrinsville to attend the race meeting held there. The class firing of the Hamilton contingent Waikato Cavalry Volunteers was commenced yesterday, and we are informed was not concluded, the only men who passed being Sergeant Seddon and Trooper T. Hunt. There will be a children's service at Holy Trinity Church, Ngaruawahia, this evening, at 7 p.m., and choir practice at 7.45 p.m. The nomination of three Councillors for the borough of Hamilton, vvhich takes place to-day, seems to be exciting as little interest as that for the Mayoral election did yesterday. The burgesses seem inclined to let matters take their own course. The only names we hear mentioned as probable candidates are those of Messrs Le Quesne and Mullions. Mr Angus Campbell, formerly .spoken of, will not come forward. Messbs John Hottghton, John Kichard Roche, William Samuel Rutherford, William Sloane, Abraham Mason Wainwright, John Winstone, and William Taylor, are gazetted the Te Amamutu Domain Board. We are in receipt of a few more samples of potatoes, all of prodigious size and weight. We are much obliged for the attention, but our devil says he is rather tired of spuds, and would like to sample a cucumber or two, or a rock melon or something of that kind. The Hon. the Premier is understood to be of opinion, after having visited Matamata, that a railway from the head of the navigation of the River Thames is quite unnecessary, the river offering every facility for trade for many years to come. The promenade concert, given in aid of the funds of the Hamilton £ght Infantry Voluntee- Band, held on Ttt nday evening in Mr Gwynne's pronn* s, was a very successful affair. Over 0 • people were present. The night was c °ar and mild, and the garden was well illu linated w'th lamps all round the lawn, an ' in the back ground a large tar barrel she I a briUhnt

light on the surrounding foliapre. The programme, which *vas a very well chosen one was gone through very well. The band, under Bandmarter O'Connor, acquitted themselves admirably, and, considering that the tnembe s only began their labours of love Rome five month* apo, the state of proficiency at which they have pmvei is perfectly astonishing. These promenade concerts are very er. joyable, and we trust that next summer we shall have the pleasure again of attending many. The takings last night were £10 4s 6d. Local Industry.— There are now in Mr Gwynne's garden two vases, the manufacture of Messrs Vincent and Wright, of the Hamilton Pottery Works, which were much admired on Tuesday night by the crowd of persons who attended the promenade concert held in aid of the Hamilton Light Infantry Band Fund. A visit of inspection will, however, repay those who were not at the concert on Tuesday. The vases are intended to hold flower plants, stand about three and a-half to four feet high, and are easily temovable, being formed of fpur separate pieces. They are of similar terra cotta work to those exhibited at Mr N. R. Cox's store, though of a different design, and are intended for the Wesleyan Church Bazaar, which will ta e place shortly in Hamilton. Mr Gwynne has kindly offered to fill them with plants, and no doubt they will find ready purchasers on that occasion. The following are the boundaries of the Te Awamutu Domain as published in the Government Gazette of the 11th instant : — All that parcel of land in the Provincial District of < uokland, dontainiug by admeasurement 18 acres and 11 purches, more or lesn, being Lots Nos. 20, 21, 23, 24, and 25 of the Village of Te Awamutu, Parish of Puniu. Bounded towards the north by mission land and the Mangaoi Stream, 1988 links; towards the East by a street 100 links wide, 1142 links ; towards the South-east and South by Lot 22, Village of Te Awamutu, and street of width aforesaid, 1932 links: and towards the West by Lot 19 of the village aforesaid, 1018 links. I In a New Zealand Gazette, published on I the 1 lth inst., is aproclamation by the Governor,in which the Auckland Provincial District is divided into three districts under the Diseased Cattle Act, 1871. The first district is designated "The North Auckland district," the second " The South Auckland district," and the third "The County Cork District." There is no doubt the Government will | take an early opportundity of making known the various divisions, and the particulars of all ether actions taken in respect to the importation of pleuro pneumonia into this portion of the colony from New South Wales. " Sandy Row " writes to the Herald:— " A short time ago I read in your journal portions of a speech delivered by Mr George Vesey Stewart, at Tauranga, in which the personnel and public rets of the members of the Waste Lands Board were individually, severely, and adversely criticised, the attack being most strongly directed against Mr Firth. Now, sir, I have been enjoying my annual holiday, and recently visited both Katikati and Matamata, and can now unhesitatingly assert that Mr Firth has done more to advance the prosperity of the Auckland Provincial District than the whole of the Katikati settlers put together: in fact, the whole of the cultivated land in Katikati oonld be buried in a corner of one of Mr Firth's turnip fields. More* over, at Matamata, where tho station hands are happy and contented, living in neatly finished and painted cottages, each man with a little garden and potato patch, you hear only respectful and kindly language respecting Mr Firth ; whereas at Katikati the reverse is tho case. A word to Mr Stewart : if he desires to be respected and loved by the people he i* associated with, let him try to emulate the good example of the man he has been abusing. He will then become a better nettler, and more worthy of public commendation." A SOT named John Thomas, nine years of age, experienced a narrow escape from death on Monday evening in Auckland. It appears that, about 6 o'clock on Monday evening, the lad was sent to a well in the back yard of the large wooden premises, owned by Mrs Outhwaite, at the corner of Princes-street and Waterloo Quadrant. After having wound the bucket, full of water, to the top, he essayed to lift it to the landing. He overbalanced, and tumbled headlong* into the well, falling a depth of fully 80 feet, and, singular to say, he reached the bottom without injury. A brother of the lad was in the vicinity, and he called Mrs Frith, wife of Mr Frith, the photographer, who resides in the vicinity. She promptly answered to the call. The bucket was lowered, and the poor lad, who managed to maintain his position on the surface of the water by scrambling against the clay sides of the well, caught hold of the rope and got on to the bucket. Mrs Frith and the lad wound the rope up carefully, but, after reaching about halfway up, he lost his hold and tumbled back into the water. The bucket was again carefully lowered, and again the lad got into it. This time his rescuers and himself were more fortunate, for he was brought to the surface. He was of course greatly frightened by his terrible experience, and his hands were cut and chafed by the rope, but otherwise he is uninjured. The Star's " special" at the late Matamata picnic is quite as good in his line as the Herald's Waimate "special" is in his- It is a great gift to be able to ' ' spin a long yarn, out of very little, and both ' ' specials" succeed in this admirably. This is the Star "special" on the Waikato Jehu: — "The journey to Stanley (upwards of forty miles from Cambridge) was performed in buggies and coaches. The road near Hinuera was much too undulating to be pleasant. The slippery surface made them difficult to traverse, and passengers per coach not only had to get out, but much preferred doing so. While walking down a steep declivity the At-torney-General fell: as also did the Premier. Arriving oil the apparently endless flat the horses were sent along at a much greater speed by their respective drivers, and with a straight run to the landing place the drivers gathered up their reins, and in spite of the showry weather an exciting twenty-mile finish took place. Especially worthy of mention was the driving of Mr W. K. Carter. If the sun did not shine in the heavens, Carter shone in his driving of the big coach and five horses to Stanley. He is well known as the crack driver of the Australian colonies. He has performed prodigious feats in the rolling prairies of America, but Thursday's efforts surpassed them all. His great shouts reverberated from range to range at Hinuera, until cast back by the * echoing rock/ There certainly was rain enough, and wind enough, and Carter supplied the thunder. There is said to be a reason for everything, could it be the clap of Carter's thunder that upset the Attorney-General ? The lowing herds of Matamata gathered together in affrighted hundreds as the big voice of the king of drivers rolled over the plains, while the poor sheep fled for refuge into the nearest available shelter. A small tribe of Maoris galloped for miles astern of Carter, admiring his vocal performances. "G.," writing to tho Herald calls the attention of the railway authorities to a dangerous? place upon th .« railway a little on the Auckland side of the Pukekohe station. He says ;— ♦' Thei'e is a shavp curve here on the liu3, round a hi'l, which is high enough not only to shut

out the site, but also to intercept the sound of the approaching train. Scarcely a week has passed lately withont cattle being either killed or maimed, and not to speak of wanton destruction to the property of industrious, striving settlers, whose claims for compensation the Government officials sternly ignore ; it is only too likely that before long we shall hear of a railway accident there, in which innocent passengers will have suffered from the culpable negligence of those in power. Surely such places, at least, should be securely fenced off without further delay."

The monthly meeting of the Cambridge Farmers' Club will be held on Monday next, at which Major Wilson will read an Essay on the " Culture of Grasses," which was postponed from last meeting. Owing to the Easter Review at the Thames taking place on Monday, 29th instant, the Easter Monday sports at Cambridge are postponed to Monday, 24th May, her Majesty's Birthday. The Harrisville Estate, containing 757 acres, and situated half-way between Hamilton and Ngaruawhia, is announced fur sale. The property, by reason of its position, presents facilities for successful farming operations rarely to be met with, and will doubtless find a ready sale. Plans of the property can be seen, and further information on application to Mr J. S. Buckland, Ohanpo, or Mr Alfred Buckland, The Haymarket, Auckland. Notices under the Land Tax, 1878, section 45, arc published in our advertising columns. Mr Wells, of Cambridge is, we understand, the purchaser of the stock in Mr James Martin's estate. These goods have been bought for 12s 6d in the £ on the marked price, and will, we arc informed, be removed to Cambridge, where Mr Wells' customers will doubtless have an opportunity of securing bargains bought in so low a market. The Cambridge Cavalry Volunteers will assemble for the half yearly drill, at Cambridge, on Thursday next, and will proceed to the Thames to take part in the Easter review. A general meeting of the Cambridge Cavalry Volunteers will be held at the Public and Volunteer Hall, Cambridge, at 4 o'clock on Saturday afternoon. Tenders are invited for No. 1. contract on the Hamilton and Whatawhata Road, being clearing, forming, and gravelling. Plans and specification and conditions of contract can be seen at the Resident Engineers office, Hamilton West. Tenders must be in by noon of Thursday next, 25th instant, addressed to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works. In contradiction of a rumour which it would seem has been circulated by interested parties, Mr J. M. Fraser, the accredited canvassing agent for the Australian Mutual Provident Society publishes an extract from the society's bye-laws, by which it will be seen that members are specially exemqt from libality in the matter of the liabilities of the society. The Hamilton Contingent of the Te Awamutu Cavalry Volunteers will parade for the half yearly drill on Thursday, 25th instant, at the Barracks, Hamilton, fully equipped, and will proceed to the Thames to take part in the Easter I Review.