The Waikato Times.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1244, 19 June 1880, Page 2

The Waikato Times.

' SATURDAY, JUNJH 19, 1880.

Equal and o\act justice to all men, Ot \\hate\er state or persuasion, religious or political. Here sh.ill the Press the People's riijht maintain, Unawod by influence .uul unbribed bj R.iin.

At the Borough Council the other night, the Mayor made some remarks upon the very important subject of the Borough finances, and referred to the action of the Government in discontinuing the subsidies to local bodies, Avhich he characterised as a breach of the promise made by a former Government to extend the operation of the system over a period of five years, only four of which Imv elapsed. The promises of Governments are proverbially unreliable, and even when the fulfillment of them is easy of accomplishment custom has induced us to look upon them as articles of a very unstable

and easily fractured nature. As reg.mls the actions of the pivsent Governrtient in withdrawing these <ri',\nts to local bodies, much, of course, can be said on both sides ; but looked at from whatever point of view it is probable that some very decided measures have become necessiry if the public expenditure is to be brought somewhere near, if not withim.he limits of the revenue. The Treasurer has said that the subsidies cannot be continued "without increased taxation, and if sq much were conceded the preponderance of public opinion will, we think, be found to be in favor of the propo- ; sals of the* Government. With increased rating -powers, "the local bodies willibe enabled to raise a sum approximating to the amount of the present rates with subsidy added, "which after all is nearly the same as ; sending the money through the Colonial Treasury. The principle which , underlies this is to make the Colonists more self-reliant by placing the conduct of thtiir local affairs more directly under their OVII control, and lessening tlxat (spirit of dependence on the Government which has ' t proved so hurtful to political moraljity in tjie past. Not that it is intended altogether to withdraw Government aid from local bodies. A portion of the land fund will still be set apart for this purpose, but it will be disbursed by a Board, to be called the Local Public "Works Board whose duty it will be first to pay the amount of the rates levied by local governing bodies on Crown, and Native lands, devoting the balance to the construction of main roads only. The account is to be kept strictly separate from the general account of the colony, and is to be applied solely to the purposes mentioned. We confess that this seems to us ait equally efficient and more legitimate system than the old. It is plain that under it country districts will be more fairly treated, for it is in tUft construction and maintenance of main roads ? that the rates collected by County Councils and Road Boards are now swallowed up, and by relieving to a great extent these bodies of this incumorance the Government will materially aid in the settlement of the country. Good main roads are indispensable d siderata, and were the local revenues freed from the tax which is now necessarily made upon them, increased attention could be directed to the formation of more unfrequented, but at the same time important -thoroughfares. So, far, then, the proposals of the Government will result in placing country districts on a much more satisfactory l>asis in their relation to large municipalities. But in the case of the smaller and younger boroughs, no satisfactory expedient seems to have been discovered. Let us take for instance the cases of Hamilton, or Cambridge, (-which at no distant date will doubtless be found seeking municipal honors) and we see at once that the proposals so calculated to conduce to the advantages of the country districts, without bearing with undue severity upon towns like Dunedin and Auckland, will not produce equally agreeable results. In these towns there are many important matters such as street formation, drains,, itc, still remaining to be attended to, and to effect which the income received in the past has never proved sufficient. In large towns these works have in a great measure been attended to, and even were such riot the case the value of rateable property is high enough to admit of their further extension, without making any undue demand on the pockets of the ratepayers. Impecunious as the town governing bodies have always been, the stoppage of the subsidies will reduce them to utter poverty. The hope of obtaining anything on Crown and native lands in Hamilton and Canmbidge is a decidedly visionary one. In place of the .£3BO to the former, and the .£2OO or £300 to the latter, accruing from subsidies, a paltry £20 or £30 is all that will fall to their share, for we do not think that the main streets are to be included in the term " main roads." Their position, in common with that of other similar towns is indeed a very serious one, and could not have been contemplated by Government, when their new proposals were brought down. We do not consider that it is yet too late to represent the matter in this light to our Members, through whose instrumentality something might be done to place country towns and townships Upon a fairer basis ; treating them in fact more in the light of country districts, which at present they most resemble, than as opulent urban settlements, which they are not. »

TnE Bill, introduced into Parliament by the Hon. the Native Minister, il to authorise the Govern- " ment, on behalf of the native 11 owners, to dispose of their lands," will, if it have the good fortune to find a place on the Statute Book, determine at least two important points : a decisive period will be put to all private dabbling in native land in the future, and the opening up of the country for boiia fide settlement will be greatly facilitated. The Bill is not long ; it contains only 37 clauses, and of these but a small proportion embody any very important provisions. By clause 3 it is provided that " where " the owners of any block of land " desire to sell or lease it they shall " make application in writing to the " Land Board, stating their desire." In clause 3 power is given to the

Board- to sell or lease the land referred to as if it were Grown land, when they ai-e " satisfied that " all owners, or their trustees as " aforesaid, concur in the applica- " tion.' 1 The gross proceeds of the sale shall he paid to the Receiver of Land Revenue, and by him paid to the Public Trustee, who shall keep a separate account of- each estate thuw dealt with. After payment of costs and charges incident to the transaction, 1 per cent, .commission is to be paid to the Receiver of Land Revenue, and not less than 10 or more than 30 per cent of the gross proceeds, as may be agreed upon by the owners and the Land Board, for the making of roads, the balance will be paid to the owners in proportion to their respective interests. The percentage money for roads will be expended under the authority of the Land Board in. making- roads for access to, or increasing the value of the land. These are the more important provisions of the Bill, and upon them it must stand or fall. Objection has been taken by some of our contemporaries to clause 5 on the ground that it will offer a means for the operation of a system of jobbery quite as vicious as that which it is proposed to displace. The principle upon which it is sought to fasten this charge is that of extending to the Land Board power to determine whether all the native owners or trustees concur in an application to j have land sold or leased. If this were the correct interpretation of the clause we would admit that the objection was a fatal one, because the Board might be composed of the creatures of a powerful ring, in the interests of which many tilings might be done in violation of every law of honesty. But we do not think the clause will bear such a construction being put upon it. In the interpretation clause the word " block " is held to mean " a piece of land " and any subdivision respecting " which certificate of title has been " made by the Court." It is clear from this that before application can be made to the Land Board a title must be obtained from the Land Court, and this title will, we imagine, form the ground for their decision. The remaining clauses refer only to matters of detail, and are in effect as" follows :—: — Disputes will be fettled by the Native Land Court ; certificate of title will be given to purchaser under the Land Transfer Act ; no execution of <lced by a native to any person not of the native rnce shall be valid unless explained t-> such native before the execution by an interpreter licensed under the Native Land Court Act, 1880, and unless a Maori translation thereof is endorsed thereon by the interpreter ; no judgment of any Court obtained against any owner of an undivided share of any land shall affect Such shar.% and no judgment against any native grantee shall be registered in the Deeds of Land Registry Office. Provision is made for the reservation of land for roads, arrangement of Government laud purchases entered on but not yet completed, and recognition of the rights of grantees as tenants in common, and not as joint tenants, where Crown Grants have been issued to more natives than one, witli the exception of cases when in grants have been expressly made to joint tenants. Provision is further made for the adaptation of the proposed Act to certain provisions of the East Coast Act, 1818, and for judicial decision by the Supreme Court on any case wherein a statement of the facts, and the question of a law arising, shall have been drawn up by the parties, and hettled and approved by the Native Land Court, such judgment and decisien given by the Supreme Court to be returned into the Native Land Court, and be accepted as authoritative and final on the question submitted, 'the Judge of the Supreme Court having power and authority to refer to the Native Land Court for guidance on any question of fact, Maori custom, or usage. In moving the Bill, the Native Minister spoke in the strongest possible language regarding the inefficiency and maladministration of the present system, and contended that the only system which could take its place was that contained in the Bill, the second reading of which he moved. " Their great object should be to settle these lands.'' Mr Bryce did not lose sight of the fact that the Maoris would in all probability object to place their lands in the hands of the Waste Lands Board, but he thought that by advancing money on the land the chief scruple of the natives would be overcome. This indeed would meet another of the objections raised against the Bill by the contemporary Press — that the natives would never consent to wait any length of time for the proceeds of the sale of their land. The natives themselves would be placed in far better position, and would be freed from the perpetual annoyances of the class which is continually hankering after their lands. But, though we be philanthropic enough to rejoice at the improved condition of the natives, our greatest satisfaction is to be found in the fact that the proposals of the Government, if honestly carried out, will so materially promote the settlement of the North Island.

Our correspondent " Mercy," whose letter appears elsewhere, makes a very valuable suggestion with reference to the subject of cruelty to animals. In the course of our remarks a few days ago on a case which occurred at Te Awamutu, we said that the detection of acts of cruelty was often rendered difficult owing to the population being so scattered, and we might have added to the indifference of many people who are witnesses to such occurrences. We are indeed inclined to the belief that cases of inhumanity such as we had occasion to notice are more numerous than the generality of the more kindiy-natured are disposed to think, Such a step as

that indicated l>y " Mercy " would have a tendency to reduce almost to a minimum the number of these offences. Little more than a mere intimation to the police is necessary to secure that the criminal shall be brought to justice ; the Act is extremely stringent in this respect, the offence being treated very much in the same manner as larceny. We should rejoice to see our correspondent's suggestion carried out, and have little doubt that were some one to take the initiative success would follow. So far as we have means of knowing, Auckland does not possess a society for prevention of cruelty to animals, Any action, therefore, which the people of Waikato desire to take must assume for the present a local form.

The Choral Society's practises will in future bo held m the Court House, on Monday evenings, at half-past seven o'clock.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Cambridge, yesterday, oofore H. YV. Northcroft, Esq., R.M., four civil cases were set down for hearing. Two, however, were settled out of Court, one adjourned on application of the defendant, and in the other — McVeagh v. L. Clair, claim. £2 10a 9d — judgment was given for plaintiff for full amount and costs 11s. There was no other business.

Mr George Jones, junior, the proprietor and editor of the Oumant Mad, and the founder of this journal, has just been returned as member of the House of Representatives for Waitaki, in the Grey interest. The seat was formerly filled by Mr T. W. Hi slop, who resigned owing to the demands made upon his time by his profession. There were three candidates : Air John Reid, a large runholder in the Oamaru district, standing in the Government interest, and Mr Roberts dividing with Mr Jones the Grey votes. The election, which was very keenly contested, resulted in a majority for the latter of over 100.

A football match will come off to-day on Sydney Square, between eleven of the Albion Club of juveniles and twenty boys from the Hamilton East school. The youngsters have been practicing vigorously for some days, and a very good game is expected.

The usual monthly meeting of the Cambridge Highway Distinct Board was held at Hautapu on Wednesday last, when there were present Messrs S. S. Graham (chairman), Fantham, and Snowden. Mr G. Hosking, engineer to the Board, stated that the contract for gravelling at Arnold's had been, let to Mr L. B. Ewen at Is 9d per cubic yard. The Under-Seeretary for Public Works wrote intimating that the sum of £200, grant in aid of works on the Hamilton-Cambridge road, was ready to be paid over. Accounts were passed a& follows : — Messrs Small and Coates, £3 17s lOd ; Mr Fitzgerald. £8 14s. Mr Snowden having referred to the subject of gravelling, Mr Fantham suggested that the Board should ha\ c a man permanently employed whose duties would consist in collecting rates, superintending contracts, and doing occasional work for the Board with a dray. It was agreed to leave the matter to be discussed by the new Board. On the motion of Mr Fantham, it was agreed to pay Mr H. Lang the sum of £17 for the ditch through his property, the money to be handed over when the work has been certified to. It was resolved to hold the annual meeting of ratepayers on the third Saturday in July at the sehoolhou&e, Hautapu.

The evidence of the Tokoroa Block, at the Land Court, was finished last night, and judgment will be given this morning (Saturday).

Major Mair, Native Commissioner, proceeded to Cambridge by coach yebterdty.

Mr James Stewart, District Engineer, returned to Auckland by the midday traiu ye&terday, after a few diys visit to Waikato.

A meeting of those interested in the formation of a Chess Ulul> and Debating Class in Hamilton, was held at the Royal Hotel on Thursday evening. There were about a dozen gentlemen present, and the chair was occupied by the Mayor (Dr. Beale). The Chairman explained the object of the meeting, and pointed out the advantages which were likely to result from the establishment of such an institution a* they proposed, an institution which provided healthful recreation and profitable instruction for the young men of the town and neighbourhood during the long evenings of winter. Mr Park then moved .and Mr W. dimming seconded. ''That it is desirable to form a Chss and Debating Club in Hamilton." this was carried, and Mr Ormerod moved " Tint a provisional committee be appointed for the purpose of promoting the object of the foregoingresolution, by canvassing for members and otherwise, the result to be laid before a general meeting to be held on a day to be fixed by the said committee." This was seconded by Mr J. K. McDonald, and carried. The following gentlemen were then appointed to act as a provisional committee: — The Mayor, Captain Dawson, Messrs. Park. Camming, Field, Ormerod, Charles Johnson, C. Laishley, J. K. McDonald, Small, and S. E. Smith. This was all the business and a vote of thanks to the chair closed the proceedings. A committee meeting was held immediately afterwards. Mr S. E. Smith was appointed Hon. Sec. pro tnn. It was resolved that the next meeting of the Committee should be held on Thursday, l.st July, at 8 p.m. The Mayor mentioned that in all probability the Club, when formed, would be allowed the use of the Council Chambers, which, for many reasons, would be a most suitable place to hold their meetings in. After some other minor business had been transacted the Commitee adjourned.

A very pleasant entertainment in aid of the funds of the Trinity and Presbyterian Sunday Schools, came off at the Hautapu School-house ou Wednesday. Mr F. J. Brooks, of Cambridge, exhibited his panoramic views of the Rhine scenery, and filled the post of lecturer in a manner which was at once instructive and entertaining. At intervals, during the progress of the exhibition, a number of vocal selections were rendered, and added considerably to the pleasure of the audience. Miss Gerrans bang "Only a face at the window," Miss Barnett, "Alice where artthou," and Miss Smith, " Dreamland," and " Strangers yet." The first named lady also played some very i)leas>ing selections on the pianoforte appropriate to the various views. The attendance was very fair, the net proceeds being between £3 and £4.

Mr L. B. Harris, the former popular proprietor of the Delta Hotel, Ngaruawahia, has purchased the Coal Mines Hotel at; Huufclcy- from Mr Richardson, and took possession on Thursday. In this rising little centre of population, Mr Harris will have ample room for developing* those many excellent qualities which distinguished him while host of the Delta.

Mr R. J. O'Sullivan, Inspector of Schools, arrived in "Waikato on Thursday, and is at present in Cambridge on business connected wit" his department.

We are glad to be able to state that Mr Macgregor Hay, barri&te r, whose suddeu illness has given the greatest anxiety to his friends, is slightly better. J. 15. Whytc, Esq., M.H.K, has been telegraphed for, and i,s expected in Hamilton by to-might's train.

Messrs. Livingstone and Booth, the contractors for making the cutting at Richmond-street have commenced the work, and already have a good portion done. The contractors for leniuvni^ the embankment near the Commercial Hotel, are also pushing a -head, the remainder of the soil, after filling up the footpath at Vialous, is being used to widen the road near to, and to till up the hollow at the rear of the Borough Council Chambers. N. T. Mvuvui'R, Esq., Secretary to the Mangapiko Distru t Board, notifies tli.it, in accord - .ince with l.iw, a meeting of ratepayers is convened for 26th instant, to decide whether certain roads shall be stopped or not. Tindi-rs n.rc mvitea tor working the Te Rore Ferry tor nine months, ending the 31st March inst.mt. The Mnngapiko School is to be opened on the 25th instant. By an advertisement in another column it will ! be seen that Mr George Mason has removed to commodious premises, opposite the Unio.i 15. ink, and opened business as nursery seedsman, &c.