The Waikato Times.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1264, 5 August 1880, Page 2

The Waikato Times.

Equal and exact justice to .ill men, Of whatever state or pbrsiiision, religious or political. tlero sh.ill the Press the People's rif^ht m.iintiiin by lßflutuicoaiid ulu^rfb^d (jy fjun.

THURSDAY, ,4ir(/ffp'T J, 1880.

It; is exceedingly gratifying to .iincl that! .alt,' lengtji \ c Hoi'Srafble /M^nibers" appear to be awakening to the financial position of New Zealand. Evidence of r thijs.uf to,. be found in the mariner I "' in J wfnch'tn£ proposed deductions iv thp public service are Agreed to by the House. It is the fashion, and is very easy of course, to indulge in virtuous declamation (regarding the extravagance of the [past, and to urge on r (Jrbvernment the •necessity of redu'din* expenditure in f ature, Hitherto it has been, sornewiai / amusing, and instructive" withal, to take mental notes of the imfcnj^ho "go in'*;for this &Ifylk jof? thing, and our experience leacls us tbjtlie opinion that they are', almost., [inVariably the very Wen who "dry out ' most gustily wheif/t&jir own par£ic,ulafr districts are in any way made* to suffer. It may be that the building which does duty for a post-office in the village is not of that palatial character which the member thinks it should be. Accordingly, in his place in the liouse ' he solemnly moves in the matter, and puts a question ,to the Minister in charge of the department inquiring if ct sum of money will be placed on the estimates for the erection of a new Po&t and Telegraph Office, in accordance with the .petition *of the ' resft dents. And when the Minister is compelled to reply that owing to the financial pdsitioaa:< o£ colony the i Government are not in a position to grant the jsequest, he is able to go back to his constituents and tell them how scandalously they have been treated. He is able, perhaps, to point to other places* which -have goi something done, and to insinuate that his constituents .have /-suffered all this wrong because their member has been compelled, from eonscienti ous conviction, to oppose the Ministry. Members are individually quite willing in a general way that economies should be the order of the day, provided always that their own particular district escape, but, imineiliately the shoe ..pinches at home; they discover that the interests of the colony are at stake, and appeal to k the House to resist the attempt of the Ministry to ruin their district and drive population from, it wholesale. That this has been more or less the rule cannot, we think, be denied ; " you scratch my back, I'Jl scratch yours" policy has for years been 'the rule. However, as we started by saying "honorable members" seem to have taken a fresh departure, and there is plenty of scope for their talents in the matter of reductions. There •ire mai>y luxuries which have been granted in the palmy days which might be sacrificed without any real harm to the community. ' The people of New Zealand have been demoralised by the squandering of borrowed millions, and the Colony, with absolutely tho population of a fourth rate English city, has conveniences at the present moment not dreamt of even in that wealthiest of wealthy countries, Great Britain. We have Post and Telegraph-offices in almost every corner of the Colony; mails delivered daily in many districts, where once a week would be sufficient ; and, up to -within a few weeks, trains running to suit the convenience of half-a-dozen travellers. Happily, nous avons change": tout cela ! Happily, Ministers- are alive to the necessity of freely using the pruning-knife ; and, happily, " hpnorable menibers " are proving themselves sane, and are assisting 1 in the disagreeable, arduous, ■ and thankless task' of reduction. We have come, as an honorable member put it last session, to the fag end of a fit of delirium tremem, " with a choice of death or instant and very painful reform," and we have j -accepted the latter alternative. "We are feeling 1 the pinch of an honest policy, ai^d the people are daily realising that they mast exercise, a large amount of self-denial if the body .politic is ever to po restored to a state of sou*:! and vigorous health.

Tn& Hon. Mrßk&s' T<Swh Districts Biflj a precis of which is published in'another sjjar£5 jjar£ ; o:f this issue, ' i.s a meisiire calculated to subsevvfj a xety isiful purpose 1 . ft will, if passed, have fclie effect of removing

Smauy oJ^ppoßp anomalies now existanTiß^nany local governing bodies, and will to a certain and very appreciable e\lent assimilate those of towns possessing less than the required number of householder.!, with those of larger but in many ci.ses not more important centres of population. The Bill proposes to give ■\ntli*" certfinT '"veserVatTons J "*'a? "" to" borrowing itc , to the town districts \ established under it, the po\vers*iW\V -poHsesHed-^-'^oi-owgh eouuGils»-~All . matters affecting thb leasing of reserves ; lighting streets, and the lije.ilth Ot. tiie. trwnivare Jo^ bt* (rfqegd underlie oontf 6%&nfl'-jx#fer is given to, exercise .such, functions by means of byelaws. ' In short, the town districts will possess all the material advantages now enjoyed bV boroughs, without having to sustaiir such cumbrous machinery. ' There is indeed one peculiar advantage which borougliskwill not share, and that is, that the of tlub main road shall remain under the County Council of the County wi thin* which i the district is situate, or" the Government as the case may be. This is a donsidera'tion , which will we , tliink , go far to 1 induce not only places witlf a population insufficient to entitle Ijhem to " civic honors," but towns of greater extent and even now in the enjoyment of the privileges of a borough,' jtb e!ndeavour ; to:(ib)n^ njhder this Act. A measure of this kind has long been' felt to be more than desirable ; the difference between an ordinary town highway board, and a borough is too' marked, and undpr the circumstances which affect \< new district a sort of compromise has baen an urgent necessity: There are at present in this district at least, two towns which might adopt the provisions of such an Act with r nmeh. advantage. One <a£M;hese, (§afc(ibri^j^9, has long been alive to the benefit which might be derived from a measure of this kind, and for a, considerable time its representatives in the ' local Board v Mve JnisSfict mragpprfctjnity of bringing tae^ubject prominently under the notice of the Government. Cambridge^ whose people, arel not ambitious, even were, they qualified, ok. being ruled ,oyer ,by a dignUajhf in ermine, has indeed suffered considerably through the absence of a better means of local government. After repeated attempts to get the powers of the Highway Board extended so as to be able to exercise control over the reserves and public lands in the town, the expedient of applying for a Domain Board had to 1)0 adopted,' and, fortunately, this has been successful. But the Board is altogether independent of the Highway Board, and ,cannot ii^the future be expected to work in h'ar-' mony with it. The result will be that, unless this useful measure be adopted ' this session, there will' within such narrow limits be a conflict of authority, by which the ratepayers and the inhabitants will suffer and none will profit. CCarm r bridge, it must also be remembered, is rapidly increasing in population, and, before the lapse of many years, works, the full importance of which is not perhaps just yet felt, will force themselves upon the attention of those in authority ; such, for instance, as drainage and street lighting, and these cannot be efficiently looked afte,r by the presently constituted authorities. With the example of Hamilton before it, Cambridge will long hesitate to aspire to the position of a borough ; and should this Act pass will probably jrefrain until absolutely compelled by circumstances to do so. The passing of the Bill is not, or should not lie, a matter of indifference to Hamilton. Having due regard to tjie antagonistic interests Qt i tli6 east and west sides of the river, the erection of each township into _ a separate town district would, -'-we think, ( ;be a step in advance of the present position. Wo do not wish to be understood as intending to foster that unfortunate feeling of antipathy which has' been in force ever since the settlement of Hamilton, and which no amount of patient effort has been found powerful enough to eradicate. We do not, we repeat, wish to perpetuate such a feeling ; but, if we cannot cure or diminish it, it is surely better that the perpetually recurring collisions should for the future be avoided. The day must come, though time alone will hasten it, when people living in Hamilton will forget the distinction of east and west ; but until it does arrive let every effort be made to secure peace and quietness. If, however, this appeared to us the only reason why the town should be again divided, we would not feel justified in advocating the acceptance of the Town Districts Bill ; but there are other and more potent reasons for the change. In the first place, the town would be more efficiently governed ; and, in the second, it would benefit by the local financial proposals of the Government. On reference to the summary of the Bill, it will be seen that main roads through a town district shall still be regarded as main roads, and stall be under the charge of the County or the Government, as the case may be. The probability is, therefore, that Victdria, Bridge, and Grey-streets, and th,e, bridge itself, would be maintained, not at the expense of Hamilton -merely, but jointly by the two counties of Waikato and Waipa, such bodies receiving assistance from, the Q-oremw'ont in the proportion laid dawn t^o Financial Statement of tile Colonial Treasurer. The question is uofc one that calls for any immediate settlement, at any rate not until it shall hart passed into

of tlie^^pHsions^fbnbaiS^ / in* ; %'fe .Bill ought to ue carefully weighed, with a view to future action. It is solely with that idea ttuaifpye ha^ referred to the proposed measure here. The Members for the district are making strenuous efforts '46 ;' kncl ' ! attr dent 'that tl^ey tvvilK Vypaitfl-byo fefe oA-nccl nl(e- gAtMde'oF their«coastitueiits»in, - . aL the Waikato. - •

TirE string necessity which .exists for what is called a police offences statute ?in "pSJw Zeai^d* ba^ jagajn been broii £1«H? or waoxf t>y^ Sup'emntendent Weldqn in his annual report to tlie Commissioner. By poikea.ofleucefl .statute, is meant a , compendium- of all the laws relating to criminal offences,^and .embodying as well, in a concise form, the different local regulations which are now scattered bverWwide u field. It cannot be doubted that the adoption of j this suggestion would maferially aid in the suppression of crime, by the ; readier means which-. the police 1 would possess- of .connecting, offerers, with tlieij: offences. ;^.t present only those who have made the law theu/ profession can pxetond to a. knowledge even of 'thoW statuses v which bear upon what we call police caSes, and it is therefore not to 'be wondered' that criminals are kjohstantly escaping the just reward of their iniquity, owing to the.tQqluiical blunders, and natural slips of the police authorities. 1 Such a 'Concession neec} not excite ejnvy among the learned profession, because it would only tend 1 to better informing a class of men who already are called upon to undertake the duty of prosecutors. Such a book would not only render the work, of the' eliiefe ofp police much less -arduous, but might also be -'of "rosttsliA.li assistance in instructing ;.tlie wljoje force, and in giving more enlarged idoa.s concerning tlie^ r work which they have to do. " ,

Mr E- M. Edgcumbe ' desires through -our columns to acknowledge with many thanks the receipt of the t Wu>t Anton, coat lining' a veiy full report of the visit of U.lx.H. the ( Irand M-ister of EugLmd to Tluio for the purpose of laying 1 'the Foundation Stone of the 'new (Jathedi.il, from Mi* Honey, MauHgier at tho Messrs Martju'd establiiluncnt, Hamilton. ■ •

Mrs Calder, as President and TiciMiie' 1 of the L.ulios 1 lSeiievolont Society, begs to acknowledge, with thinks, the sum of X>2 8s 2<l, vhich wiifc. handed to her yt\stcrtUy r by Mr Frank Vi.ihmi; ■ this t>ntn veinet&atiuv; part pi the returned cuutributions, •which as ere sent after the clo-jng 1 of the li^t to the Indian Famine Relict Fund. Should tln-s prmc to be the amount sub.-cribsd anonymously, will the indMrtn.il subfccribprs accept the be>t thanks of the Committee for help ho accoptablG ; and aKo thopff "wjhjqj w^ro responsible for the leturning 1 of donations for their kind thought in thus disposing of thK portion of it.

Yesterday afternoon the chestnut colt out oi Lyiii by Thunderbolt, bred by Mr Fergus&on, went .(trough Hamilton, en ionte for Wellington, where he will take up hia quaiters in the Governor's racing stable. We congratulate Mr Fergusson on breeding bucli a fine animal and hope the Governor will have luck wjth'him.

In and after the present month till telegrams to and from the ofiioes at Mercer, Newfcon, Ngaruawahia, Ohaupo, Ofcahuhu,' and Te Awamutu will bo charged afc tho rate of 6d over and above the usual taiifL This change has, it it, understood, been made by the Commissioner on account of the unremvnerath c nature of the abovcn.nnod offices. The additional charge will bo jbhe samo on all telegrams of whatever length.

The contractor for levelling Sydney-square, has now recommenced operations and a number of vnen are en* gaged in removing the veiy unsightly heaps of eni'frh Avhich for some time p;ist have encumbered the ground. We hope before long to see the designs ot the Committee fully cained out, and the bquare enclo&qd and planted. It will then begin to assume something of the appearance of a recreatioa ground.

The performance to be given this evening by the members, of the Coinu-s Dramatic Club, promises to be »s mioc^f ill ns any ot its predecewa--,. hi addition to the excellent chaiacter of tlio piere selected "£100,00!)" one of the bo.sfc by the w ell-known author of "Our Boy>'" considerable oxpenue hat> beftn inclined in prouaiingr now scenery and effects. The ••cenery \s strictly appropriate to tbib piece and the di-.idvantage under which the Club has herteofore labored will iv th s in.stance be removed. So far .ii we have the meTn-5 of judging, the nvembcit> appear to be thi roughly well up in their several paits, and under oidinary favorable circumstances will acquit themsplves with credit. A blight innovation will be made by the introduction of vooal music into the second Act. The orchestra will be formed by the musical members of the Olnb. The proceeds of the entertainment ■will bo devoted to the Stage Fund of the Oddfellows Hall.

Through the kindness of Mr P.' 4 Wnitaker, M.H.Pv. the Hamilton (Jhess ami Debating Club has been furnished with copies of the standing- oidei.i of both Houses of Pailiampnt, and the business of the Club will henceforth be conducted more iv accordance with the parliamentary system which it has adopted

We learn that the Royal Mail Hotel, Ngauiawahia, i^ likely to change hands at a figure satisfactory to all concerned. It is to be hoped, that the forthcoming Boniface will be as particular about securing and retaining the custom of tho public as Mr Sunmelhag has been. The secret consists in keeping a respeofcable bouse, and selling the best brands procurable, which Mr Simmelhag has always done.

At the Police Court, Hamilton, on Monday, before Captain McPherson, J.P., William Smith, of "Whatawhata, was charged with uttering valuele s cheques, with intent to defraud one S. Falwejl, of Papakura. The prisoner was remanded to Papakara, bail being allowed — prisoner's own surety of £100 and in two of £50 each.— Ye^fcenky, before Mr It. R. Hunt, .^.P., one case of dmkenness was disposed of in the usual way.

We are .glad to observe that the Pte^byteriaas in thp neighbourhood oi Ohaupo have just completed the erection of tb.eir new Church, which has been, built on a most suitable and commanding site, purchased from Mv Heiivy Kcwsabs, oppo-ito to the old Military Redtibt. The building -30ft. x lSJtt , —though, not

quii'gmcnts, and w;is erected by jfo 1 ]\ Cooper, of Pukciimu, whose i\oik requiies no c(nnraent ou our pirl. The 'will f^db' tvhtn 'adverbi-fenfioufc, on Suiul.iy nyxt by the l!<?v. ISIr M«Nicol of ttl. James Church, Auckland.

, In our /notice pn Tpepday ,of ,tfi£ Cathbrrd'jre Doijwin 'Board, lefdrring' to 'the" lt OT»^yiTr^fnfaie"'To-vrn i '3»gttr on 'bntft,bitle% of,tlie ( lively nlo^aa'o iilUtnicnts ajid^ f i,Bo|ild 'jesnT into iite allotments and upwards, and Take' re-ttei'v^-ttkould- read-Lake^ Dc*wi've.— ,-Tli»Chairman of thn Board. Ijas s-jucg lccoived ;ui o'.licidl communicMtiou from the Undci*Secret.uy \erifyiug- tho teloyram of i[r iWhyie to Board powers of losing, etc.

With all the generosity of a Cnteikm Hotel, Cambridge, laid lunch for a bundled gubstfe-previoiiis-to tiho meet of tho Pakmanga hounds on Sdtiuday morning ' Tati->T ati-> ( hS9 carter.' nA' '•n.'ufh- ' her of gentlemen sat down — Mr J. S. Buckland in the chair. Aftet good justiae » had been; done itp ,-the very • 'libel al : spread, ' Vhich x vfns heartily enjoyed by all tho.se who had tho good fortune to partake of this Ikhj pitality, the sons of Wimrod followed [ Huntsman Roberts^ and his pa ok for Mr FoiresVs, Hamilton Road, where the " throw-off" took place.

At a meeting of the Committee of the Hamilton Musical and , Latorary Society held on Tuesday evening, it was decided to devote a portion of the proceeds of the late entertainment to the relief of a poor woman on the East side of the river. The circumstances of the ease are of a very di^trea-in'r nature and none of tho^e who attended the ont-ertahirnent will quairel with the Committee in thus diverting a portion of the money from its intended channel. The Society intend giving another courert for a charitable , purpose, and a meeting to oigani'-e it will be held at the Royal Hotel, at half past seven o'clock tonioriow eveniuo 1 , , f AU those who are desirous of assisting arc requested to kindly attend,

The new Presbyterian Church at Oh.iupo will be opened by the Key. Li. F. McNicol, of St. James's, Auckland, next Sunday.

We are informed that it is the intention of the Waikato Zinnd Association to proceed forthwith with the cutting of .50 miles of dr;iins.

The Secretary to the Board of Education has written to the Hamilton "Wehfc School Conimfftee. intimating- thrit the Board intended to appoint a lady assistant to the .school instead of a pupil tcaohfv as at present The lady proposed i> Miss Mary A. Stan ton, a certificated class E 3, at present assistant teacher at the Waiotahi school. The attendance at. the school *'uHy .waxrants the appointment of this second teacher, and it is gritifyinij to find the Board 60 alive to the iuterests of this district.

The usual monthly meeting of the Kinkiiivo.'i Road Board was held at the Royal Hotel, Hamilton I'asfc, yestertl.iy af reruoou. Present : Messrs l'rim-ro-,o (( 'lmirmo-u), Swai brick, (riller, and Coates. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed, and the outwiud eoi respondence was read and appiovL'd. Mi .Seddon wrote asking the Bodid to form the road between his piopeity and that of OV.ptain Steele. He slid ke had paid i.ttt'£> on his property for tlic last eleven years, and had nothing done to his load. — Mr Coatct. said ,Mr Seddon had not complied with the order to cut clown his hu/.c. — The Chairman did not think the Boaid could, in the present fa.tutu of its finances, go ou .with the whrk. — Mr Co ities thought the toad onj^lit to be marlo ab f-oon ap they had funds. — It wa» irsnlvcd to inform Mr Seddon that the Board could not at piesent mike the road. —It was agreed that the Board bhould not accept any responsibility in the matter of tha drain on 3lr Suttor's property. The following accounts were paired for payment : — J. ]).ivi&, -C 7 lls 8d ; .stationery, i!l 9s 3d ; Johnson, £7 Is. Two accounts fiom tlie Engineer were lefoired back for explanation. Mr Coates was empowered to get pipes for two crossings on the JPiako lload. This warf all the business of importance.

The adjourned meeting of the Waikiito County Council called for yesterday lapsed for want of a quorum.

A book of ghost stories is shortly to be published by the Rev. Dr Jcssop, the late head master ot the Norwich (iiiimmar School. It will be recollected th.it Dr -Jcbaop gave publicit}- to jin account of a ghost which he saw in the libraiy at die seat of Lord Orford, and since then he has received po many ,'^ho>t stories fiom conesoondcnfcs that he has decided on issuing a selection of the best of them.

Support Local Industries.— Messrs I? idler and D.iltou, Kiwi Milk, aic pio(lticiug the bc*>t of flour from Waikato grown "wheat. Foi pucob, .see ad\eitiseniijnt in first column, page two.- — [Auvt.]

Mk [dun K\o\ unites tendeis ioi cleaning, B.i , ofthe 11 mnlton \\ est School. li\)iKs,ir i united foi peitoim.mce of the duties oi si'iiel.in and (ollectoi toi tlio Mangapiko HlgllW.l} ])lstllct. J i \i>, ks will be iiu'ni'd fill one o\ lock on Ihisd ij afternoon iuv(, for the election of .i (iood Jempliis ll. ill I'.u in uKu-, on apppiu ition to the liustLL-,, H.inis' .Store, Hamilton I- i-t lif p.uade notn cto munbci of the Hamilton Contingent -i pl>' ai s in .inothoi loluiihi I/uniCA' Pine dish xS\ stem now beim,' initiated b} O. .tnd L. will lert.imlj piovo .l benefit to the ])iibli( . Jt has been .i threat sutcess in .Sydne\ and .Melbourne .md when stru th c.irncd out the customer who bu\s at an establishment •rthere the (foods .ire maikcd low to ensure a i.ipidbale niut.t be a q:reat gainer. G and C. sell their drapery milhnai y, and clothing at such pru cs for cash .is {jiMs the bu)er the ud\ anUsjes ot a shareholder in a i.o-operatnesocu t\', without the nskofbeing called upon to beai a portion ot the loss should the ) car's business pro\e uns itisi.u toi\ dirluk and Ci«ui\\ell will aim to ret un the ronhdeni c whu h the publu h i\e luthi ito shown them, and •ire detirmincd to fji\c the puic cash sjstem a fair tiial; whether they gain or lose the hist joai. Countiv bu>eis on remitting cash with onkr will be supplied with tjoods at co-operati\e pines ; just the same as though they made a personalseliition ]''ninisliin<j floods, such as caipcts, tlooi cloths, bedsteads, bcddinij, and tj-eneral house furniture, the 1 irgt-st poition ot whi<h is tumid out at out own factory, will be in irkod at the lowest remuneiatne pines, and a disc "tint ot fi\e per tent, will be allowed to those who p.i) at the tune of purchase. G. &C. h.ainy lealised the entire \alue ot their stock during- thur late cash s-ile, the present stock is m w <\\D cm- U>i y HOLOiii. An inspection is invited. — Gvriick \\u Ckanwi 11, Citj. Hall Furnishing Arcade, Queenstieet, Auckland.