Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1334, 18 January 1881, Page 2

Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

iC(]iicil .md i'\.u t justice to ill men, Ot whatever st.ito or persuasion, religious or j)oliti( ,il. Mere sti ill the Pi^ss the People's ri^lit maintain Un tv( (1 by infltunrc .md unbnlx tl bj

TUESDAY, JAN. 18, 1881.

We purpose to-day resuming our nwtice oi" the statistics of New Zealand for the year 1879, from the point at which avc left the subject in our issue of Tuesday, 4th instant: — " Post-cards : The post-cards posted by the public amounted to 1171,691. Newspapers . The newspapers posted in tin 1 colony amounted to 1, 408, -365. lievenue . The Customs levenue in LiS 7 9 amounted to 1,2.36,58-3/., against 1,041,088/ in 1878, being a decrease of 108,10-")/., or 8-0-1 per cent. The following figures show the con.pirahvt, amounts realised by this branch of tho revenue during tho ten years 1870 to 1879 inclusive; —

The ordinary revenue in 1879 amounted to 2,76G,83J/. 10s Bd. (This is le^s than the amount shown in the decennial table on page 171, and in the detailed table on page m, l>y ±9,409 Z. 12s Bd, that being the amount of the unpaid balance of the proceeds of the .sale of the reclaimed land and Supreme Court bite, "Wellington, which will appear as revenue when paid. The whole proceeds of sale, including the unpaid balance, are included in the figures given in the decennial table and the one on page 17-1.) As the ordinary revenue in 1878 amounted to 2,058,708/., there was an increase in 1879 under that head to the extent of 108,126/. The territorial revenue m 1879 amounted to 318,661/., against a similar revenue of 1,509,1 81 /. in 1878. The total ordinary and territoiial revenue amounted in 1879 to 3,085, J 95?. Expenditure : The ordinary expenditure amounted to 3,460,147/. 19s 9d ; the tei-ritorial expenditure to 384,887 17s lOd; or a total of ordinary and territorial expenditure of 3,845,035/. 17s 7d, being 759,540/. in excess of the ordinary and territorial revenue for the year. In addition to the above ordinaiy and territorial expenditure, there was a special expenditure of 1,973,239/. out of loans. Of this amount the expenditure on immigration amounted to 176,630/.; on railways and roads to 1,022,476/.; on public buildings to 240,713/.; and on land purchases from the Natives to 141,376/. Debt of the Colony : — The total public debt of the colony, consisting of debentures and Treasury bills in circulation on the 31st December, 1879, and advances outstanding on debentures and Treasury bills, amounted to 23,958,311 Z. As the accrued Sinking Fund amounted to 1,805,231/., the net indebtedness was reduced to 22,153,079^. The total annual charge in respect of the bebt, including the interest on advances, was 1,225,-096?. 11s. 4d; of this, 116.176Z was for. payment to the Sinking Fund. Banks :—The total average liabilities of the banks

within the colony during 1879 amounted to 9,057,463/. 17s. Bd. ; the total average assets to 10,054,295^. The total capital paid up on the 31st December, 1879, amounted to 5,430,172/. 15a. ; the total amount of last dividend declared to 381,351/. 155. ; and the total of reserved funds at the time of declaring such dividends to 2,646,924/. 3s sd. As compared with 1878, there was in 1879 a decrease in the average liabilities to the extent of 973,545/. 10s lid, and an increase in the average assets to the extent of 660,664/. 19s 2d. Po&fc Office Savings Bank : — .There wore 165 Post Office Savings Banks open at the close of 1879, an increase of 18 during the year ; 12,401 accounts were opened during the year, and 12,786 accounts closed ; 34,747 accounts remaining open at the end of the year. The deposits during the year amounted to 812,399/. 11s lid ; the withdrawals to 876,180/. 19s 3d, being an excess of withdrawals over deposits to the extent of 63,78 U 7s 4d. The average amount of deposits to the credit of each account at the close of the year was 22/. 12s lid; the total amount standing to the credit of all deposits was "787,005/. 19s. Other Savings Banks :—ln: — In Savings Banks other than the Post Office Savings Banks the deposits in 1879, by Europeans, amounted to 138,729/. 13s; by Maoris to 8/. The total amount to credit of depositors in these banks on the 31st December, 1879, was 203,331/. 15s Id, of which the deposits by Maoris amounted to 269/. 10s 6d. The total accumulated deposits in both classes of Savings Banks amounted to 990,337/. 14s Id, a decrease on the accumulated deposits in 1878 of 52,867/. 0s lOd. Money Orders : The total number of money orders issued in New Zealand in 1879 was 117,999, against 101,017 in 1878. The total amount of these orders was 428,673/., against 368,254/. 16s lOd in 1878. Mortgages and .Releases : The total number of mortgages on land registered in 1879 was 9,770, repi'esonting the amount of 7,820,785/. 14s lOd; the releases were 1,170, representing the amount of 2,459,463/. 7s 3d; the excess of mortgages over releases amounting to 5,361,322/. 7s 7d. Of the mortgages effected, 5,035, representing theamount of 3,972,525/. 18s Bd, were effected under the Land Transfer Act, and 4,735, representing the amount of 3,848,259/. 16s 2d, under the old system. Crown Lands Alienated : The total area of Crown lands sold during the year amounted to 79,575 acres 1 rood 18} perches. The cash received amounted to 146,733/. 9o 2d. In addition, scrip representing the amount of 13,845/. 10s Gel was received in payment for lands purchased. The alienations without sal j amounted to 37,953 acres, of which 34,551 acres wore for public reserves, and 2,561 acres to natives of thuir own land on e"\ idence of ownership, in terms of the Native Lands Acts, or to Europeans by grants under these Acts. Deferred Payments : The total amount of land taken up on the deferred-payment hysiem, from the beginning of the sy.stom to the 3 1st December, 1879, was 351,1 73 acres 2 roods 33 perches, for which the receipts in cash amounted to 174,127/. 18s 4d. The amount taken up during the year amounted to 36,471 acres 16 perches, the payments on account thereof having been 4,885/. 14s lOd. The total amount forfeited to tho 31st December, 1879, was 32,880 acres 1 rood 15 perches, and the amount taken up which had been finally alienated, the payments having been completed, amounted on 31st Dec, 1879, to 79,324 acres 1 rood 19 perches. Of the unsold Crown lands, 12,025,013 acres are held for depasturing purposes, 125,813 acres on agricultural leases, and 111,287 acres for mineral and other purposes. Agricultural Statistics. — The information i.s only given in respect of holdings of cultivated land of upwards of one acre in extent, exclusive of holdings of aboriginal natives and of gardens attached to residences. The returns of the collections made in February and March, 1880, give a total of 23,129 of such holdings, against 21,048 in the previous year. Of the holdings in 1880, 15,326 were entirely freehold, 5,363 entirely rented, and 2,440 partly freehold and partly rented. The extent of land under grain crop amounted to 657,890 acres, against 571,558 acres in 1879, an increase of 86,332 acres, or at the rate of 15 per cent. "The number of acres under green crops, potatoes, and other crops in February, 1880, amounted to 255,874 acres, against 247,887 acres in 1879. There were 3,341,299 acres in artificial grasses. Of these, 1,405,018 acres had been broken up previously to having been sown, and 1,936,281 acres had been surface-sown without having been broken up. The total extent of land under all kinds of crop, including sown grasses, and of land broken up but not under crop, in 1880, amounted to 4,506,889 acres. These numbers do not include any Maori cultivations. The extent of land under wheat in February, 1880, was 270,198 acres, against 264,061 in 1879. The estimated aggregate produce of the wheat crop in 1880 was 7,610,012 bushels, or an average of 28 bushels to the acre, against an average of 23 in 1879. In Otago the average reached as high as 3lf bushels to the acre ;' in Canterbury it was 28 bushels j. in Auckland 20 bushels j and in , Wellington 19f bushels. In Nelson : t^average foil to 13£ bushels. The extent of land under oate amounted fa 330,208

acres, against 278,031 acres in 1879. The produce in 1880 was estimated at 12,062,607 bushels, or an average of 36| bushels to the acre, against an average of 30 bushels in 1 879 The land in barley amounted in February, 1880, to 57,484 acres, with an estimated production of 1,751,432 bushels, or at the rate of 30 1 bushels to the acre, against 28,666 acres, and a production of 709,775 bushels, being at the rate of 25 bushels to the asre, in 1879. The area under potatoes in 1880 amounted to I 21,260 acres, against 17,316 in 1879. The produce was estimated at 119,523 tons, or 51 tons per acre. — Civil Oases : There were 2,520 writs of summons tested in the Supreme Court during the year 1879, as against 1,211 in 1878 ; 52 of the cases were tried before juries. The total amount for which judgments were recorded was 138,468/. 10s 9d. The total number of civil cases disposed of in the various District Courts amounted to 551 ; of these, 27 were tried before juries, and 322 before the Judges only. The aggregate amount sued for during the year was 55,248?. 17s 3d ; and the aggregate amount for which judgments were recorded was 20,426 Z. 13s 6]d. 34,056 civil cases were dealt with in the various Resident Magistrates' Courts ; '.he amount sued for were in the aggregate 403,156 Z. 5s 4|d, and judgments were given for 219, 308£. 6s 4|d. — Bankruptcy : During the year 980 declarations of insolvency were filled in the Supreme Court, and 21 adjudications of bankruptcy were made on petitions by creditors ; 807 declarations of insolvency were filled in the District Courts, and 10 adjudications were made on petitions by creditors ; the total number of bankruptcies having thus amounted to 1,818, against 1,040 in 1878. The aggregate assets, as shown by the lists and statements iiled, amounted to 2,113,9497. 6s 10] d, and the aggregate liabilities to 2,241,511 0s Sl d. Criminal Cases: 21,879 charges for various offences were brought against persons, not being Maoris, before the Magistrates' Courts in 1879. The summary convictions, consequent on these charges, amounted to 15,821 ; and in 532 cases the persons were committed for trial at the superior Courts. In 1878 the summary convictions amounted to 16,119, and the committals for trial to 397. As 202 Maoris were committed for trial in 1879, the total of the committals amounted to 734. There were 474 indictments against persons other than Maoris ir, the Supreme and District Courts during the year 1879. The convictions on these indictments amounted to 287 ; the acquittals to 130 ; and in 57 cases the prosecution was not proceeded with. The actual number of persons convicted was only 260, or less than the convictions by 36, as in several instances the same prisoner was convicted of more than one offence. Of the 435 indictments tried in the Supreme Court, 71 (64 against uhileb and 7 against females) were for offonoos against the per.son, and 333 (viz., .311 against males and 2'l against females) were for offences against property. The indictments for miscellaneous offences amounted to 31, the total convictions to 262. In the various District Courts the total number of criminal cases tried amounted to 52, of which 1G (all males) were for offences against the person ; 22 (all males) for offences against property; and 14 (1 female) for miscellaneous offences. The total convictions were 34. The summary convictions in the Resident Magistrates' Courts numbered 16,08S — viz., 14,322 of males and 1,766 of females — a decrease of 441 in the convictions of males on the number for 1878, and an increase of 159 in the convictions of females. As compared with 1877, the convictions of males decreased in 1879 by 575, and the convictions of females increased by 370. 913 males and 63 females were convicted of offences against the person (the similar numbers in 1878 having been 924 males and 71 females), and 1,115 males and 112 females were convicted for offences against property; 4,888 males and 825 females wore convicted for drunkenness. There were 465 fewer convictions of males, and 111 more convictions of females for drunkenness, than in 1878. The above summary of convictions includes 267 convictions of Maoris, of whom 35 were convicted for offences against the person, and 83 for offences against property ; 93 Maoris wero convicted for drunkenness. Sentences of Criminals : 109 persons were sentenced in the superior Courts to terms of imprisonment under 1 year. Of these, 97 were males and 12 were females. 66 males and 5 females were sentenced for terms of Ito 2 years ; 21 males and 3 females for terms of 2 to 3 years; 22 males and 1 female for terms of 3to 5 years ; 8 males for terms of 5 to 7 years ; 9 males for terms of 7 to 10 years; 4 males for terms of 10 to 15 years ; and 1 male for upwards of 15 years. — Gaols : The number of prisoners in confinement in the various gaols during the year 1879 (not including those imprisoned for debt or lunacy) amounted to 5,763 ; of these, 5,125 were received during the year ; 638 were in gaol at the commencement of the year. Of #ie above 5,125 prisoners received during the year, 289 were Maoris, , Exclusive of the Maori "prisoners; and j those in confinement > for debt; ' pi* lunacy,, the number of prisoners in < confinement amounted t0;t1;24-/per 'ceni'ofrfche | in'eair^^pojpulation^jagains^ |fO3 per.

cent, in 1878, and I*2B per cent, in 1877. 23 ' children under 10 years of ago were received in gaol during the year — 1 1 charged with felony, I with misdemeanour, and 8 with minor offences, 107 prisoners were between 10 and 15 years of age, against 61 in 1878. Of the 107 mentioned, 67 were charged with felonious offences. 268 prisoners were at the ages 15 — 20, of whom 97 were chai'ged with felony. Of the prisoners, 1,329 males and 596 females had been committed before. The numbers of prisoners who had been previously convicted in each of the last three years are herewith given :—

Education of Prisoners : Of the pmoners received during the year, 663 males and 238 females were uuable to read ; 243 males and 98 females were able to read only ; 3,521 males and 648 females were able to read and write ; and 47 males and 2 females had received a superior education. Religion of Prisoners : The total number of prisoners received during the year (exclusive of those received for debt or lunacy) amounted to 5,125. Of these, 4,639 belonged to four denominations. They were as follows :—: —

Inquests on Deaths : 567 inquests were held on deaths during 1879, viz., 460 on the bodies of males and 107 on the bodies of females. In 290 cases the deaths were attributed to accident, of which 123 wore by drowning (the inquests on deaths from drowning having been 125 iv 1878) ; in 197 cases the deaths were attributed to diseases and natural causes ; 5 deaths were homicidal ; 6 directly attributed to intempei'ance ; and 41 deaths were attributed to suicide. Inquests on Fire: The number of inquests on fire was 96, against 78 in 1878. In 10 cases verdicts of incendiarism were returned. Public Schools : The number of primary schools in 1878 supported entirely by the Government was 817, having a total of 1,883 teachers, and with the names of 75,556 children on the rolls at the end of the year ; the average attendance during the last quarter having been 58,738, viz., 31,262 males and 27,476 females. Ages of Pupils: Of the above 75,556 children, 2,780 were under 5 years of ago, and 1,189 over 15 years of age ; the number at the so-called school-ages of 5-15 having been 71,587. {Secondary or .Superior Aided Schools : There were 11 .schools of this class, 7 for boys and 4 for girls, that either received aid from the Go\ eminent grants or that possessed endowments granted either by the Government or out of the public estate. 'She number of instructors amounted to 57 — 34 for the boys' schools and '23 for the girls' schools. 'I he total u umber of students on the rolls for the last term of the year amounted to 890 males and 527 females ; 261 males and 143 females were over 15 years of age. Public Schools, Income and Expenditure : The total income in 1879 of the various Boards amounted to 398,575/. 18s 2d, of which the grants by the General Government amounted to 368,457 6s 7d, and the receipts on account of education reserves to 21,330 7s Id. The total expenditure by the Boards amounted to 414,417/. 2s Id; of this, the expenditure on school buildings amounted to 142,867/. 14s 3d. Private Schools : The number of private schools iv the colony in December, 1879, fiom which returns have been received, amounted to 257, an apparent increase of 21 on the number in 1878 ; of these, 39 were for boys only, 50 for girls only, and 168 were mixed schools. The number of teachers at these schools was 563, of whom 139 were males and 424 were females. The pupils numbered 10,234, of whom 4,263 were males and 5,971 were females. Ihe daily average attendance of both sexes "was 8,581. Industrial and Reformatory Schools : These schools, 4 in number, contained at the end of the year 554 children — viz., 371 males and 183 females— at ages from under 1 to upwards of 15 ; of these, 53 — viz., 34 males and 19 females — were under the age of 5. As the children at the schools undergo a course of instruction, those above s—viz.,5 — viz., 337 males and 164 females — may be added to the number of children receiving instruction in. the colony. Native Schools : The number of schools established by the Government for the education of the Native race amounted during 1879 to 65, attended by 942 male and 676 female pupils. In 24 other schools 208 Maori children — viz., 86 males and 122 females — were educated on receipt of subsidies from the Government on that behalf. The total number of Maori children educated at the expense of the Government amounted to 1,826, viz., 1,028 males and 898 females, a decrease of 11 on the number of males and an increase of 62 in the number of females in 1878.

Te Whasepa, the Chatham Island murderer, whose brutality appears to be only paralleled, if inofc surpassed, by the Taranakr tragedy '"enacted a.^ew days previous, .has 'subject of -•»

mauclling sympathy on the part of oar contemporary, the Herald. The major proposition put forth ou his behalf, is, that whereas the circumstances of his case were such as to demand clo3e scrutiny, no legal assistance was provided for him on the occasion of his trial, and that, consequently, the defence was left wholly unprovided for. Under ordinary circumstances, the objection would have been a good one, but, viewed in conjunction with all this facts of the case, it falls to the ground. Te Wharepa was known as a man of some means ; indeed, he is represented to be one of the largest landed proprietors in the district to which he belonged, consequently, he could have had no difficulty, at the outset, in obtaining the best available legal aid. Not only did he refu&e to avail himself of that opportunity, but, when legal assistance was tendered, and the Crown undertook to boar the cost, Te Wharepa declined to have it on these or any other terms. Under such circumstances, there was no alternative but to leave the accused man to his own resources. Indeed, it would almost seem that, from the outset, Te Wharepa's was influenced by a certain grim philosophy which appears to be peculiar to the savage mind, and which, the more voluble Tuhi of Taranaki notriety was at so much trouble to expound, when he denounced all the "jaw " that was being made about him and his trial, and protested that if the Crown Counsel was not prepared to dispatch him at once, lie should be handed over to the friends of the murdered woman, for that purpose. In this, we apprehend, Te Whaiepa's untutored mmd appears to have taken a more comprehensive grasp ol the enormity of his crime than that taken by the Mi raid or even the Executive Council by whom it was decided the capital sentence should not be canied out. The circumstances attending the murder were ot the mobt brutal, nay harrowing desciiption. The unfortunate victim was battered by her cowardly assailant beyond all possibility of recognition, and the body afterwards dragged some distance for the purpose of concealment. The only trace of the murder left at the scene where it was enacted, was the blood-bespattered floor and walls. In" deed, all the surrounding oircu instances go to prove that it was an act of nnudoi, carried out in every detail to the bitter end, consequently there is no room left for assuming that it was less dehbciate than cruel. The whole thing, fiom beginning to end appears to have been a cold-blooded murder, perpetrated on an apparently defenceless woman, aggravated by the fact that that woman was the mmdeier's own wife. That is the aspect of the case ab it was bronght out in evidence, and presented to the jury, and looked at in that light, wo fail to >co a single phase in which the jury could found their recommendation of the piisoner to incicy. It is quite tiue that ceitain vagi-ie rumouis weie put in circulation, itupug'niug- the wife's fidelity; bnt so far as the evidence appeals on icooid, theic is nothing whatever to substantiate such a oharsje. The piobabihties aio, it w.ih altogether an afterthought, con j iu ed up for the cxpiess piupobo of accounting foi an o herwisic inexplicable ciiinu. Be that a^- it msiy, the ]uiy ought to have had substantial evidence m suppoit of the iiiuioui, befoie allowing their jiulgmcnls to bo warpod. thereby. Tho very encum&tanccs in which the woman h'ld placed herself were, in many respect*), provokativo of evil report. Jn allying hcroelf in marriage with a full-blooded Maoii, bhc had swerved from a preconceived opinion of Euiopean-femalc propriety, and it is a well-known fact that a false step of that kind ib as'-odated in the iniuds of bOinc with everything lewd and demoralising. Amongst small communities, particularly such as that in which the deceased lived, opinions and feelings of that kind are very prevalent, and as a rule, nothing shoit o a pattern-saint m petticoats, succeeds in eluding calumnies. >Suoh being the case, it is not improbable this unfoi tunate woman has been grossly wronged, and that hci subsequent guilt was nothing more actual than what had been evolved from her previous indiscietiou. Then again, even although the report of infidelity had been substantiated, we fail to see upon what ground it is to be accepted a? a complete answer to a deliberate cume of minder. Are we to disiegard altogether the sixth commandment, in order that the seventh may be upheld without spot or wrinkle If so, we are establishing a dangeious precedent, and of two evils we are chosuig the greatest. "Death before dishonor," no doubt sounds very well, as a poetical allusion, but in daily life, shedding blood to uphold a particular standard of moral rectitude, is too much. The cost is out of all proportion to the profit, and, in no civilized community, recognis ing self-preservation as a first law of nature, can sucli a doctrine be tolerated. Here however, in this case, we have no such view to contend against. No such delinquency was sheeted home to the victim of this foul murder, consequently the jury in recommending the prisoner to mercy, and the Government in giving effect to that recommendation, have simply connived at a miscarriage of justice, besides giving a vague accusation made against a deceased person, all the force and effect of an established fact.

There will be a sitting of the District Court at Hamilton thia morning. The native cultivations on the Waipa, in the neighbourhood of Kopua, are pretty extensive this year, and the yield of all Mnds is likely to be large. A Lawn Tennis Club has been started at Alexandra. The materials have been procured, and the court is now in course of construction. The country about the Upper Waipa is looking extremely well jusfc now. Numerous crops in the Alexandra district are very promising. Mr Logic, the postmaster at Hamilton, received the .following telegram from Commander Edwin ""yesterday,- at , 2.30 p,ra,:~",Expebt"bad weather between E.

and N. and N.W. Glass further fall, and rain heavy within six hours. Bad indications.' 1 We are extremely glad to hear that the late Cambridge Race Meeting was financially, as it waa in a sporting sense a thorough success. The committee who organised such races are deserving of everything they can get. The foundation stone of the new Anglican Church at Cambiirlge wiU be laid ou Friday afternoon, about 5 o'clock, by His Excellency the Governor. His Lordship the Bishop of the Diocese will conduct <he services. The Masons have been asked to assist with Masonio honors. The oider of the services is in preparation, and will be on sale next Thursday and I Friday, at the various stores. The choir of the church, under the leadership of Mr J. A. Beaio, -will bo supplemented by volunteers from the Cambridge Band and by the members of the Presbyterian Church choir. A collection will be made after the ceremony, in aid of the funds. Holy Communion will be administered in the church on Friday morning, at 7 o'clock. With a liberality which the late meeting 1 richly deserved, the Patetere Lmd Association have notified their intention of presenting the Cambridge Jockoy Club with a hundred guinea cup to be competed tor at such meeting as the stewards may deem fit. A meeting of the creditors in the Estate of J. G. Culpan was held at the Court House, Hamilton, yesterday at which Mr John Knox wa* appointed creditors trustee. The debtor accounts for his bankiuptcy through losses on contra ct& and sickness. Alexandra, at the present time is blessed with two distinct and separate brass bands, the cause being that owing to a certain member of tho old band being objectionable, the majority have left, and oiganispd a new body. The secession from the old band of all, except the person objected to, will however soon put nutters to rights. A party of men employed by MrW. C. Breakell, on the Fen Court E^t^te found a human skeleton the other day in a hole in the bank of the Karapero Creek. Although the bones were in a trood state ot preservation, there c<m be little doubt ! that they are the remains of a native. The bkull had fallen off and a rat had built its nest inside. Strange to say a swarm of bees had taken refuge inside which made it particularly warm for the adventurous explorers, who had to climb up u early twenty feet to reach tho mdc sepulchre. fyome difficulty appears to have nu&un in regaid to the biidgo over the Waipa at To Roie. Everybody understood that the upper site had been selected, and lenders weie actually called for the biidgo at that place; but unfortunately tho DUtiict Engineer forwaided tho wrong sections to Welliugton, and the plans weie found by the successful tevderer to bo those of the bridge proposed for the lower site. Some little delay will likely enough occur, but no doubt matters will be set right, and tho work proceeded with on the upper and proper site. During the summer, something ought to be done to that portion of the main Cambridge and Hamilton road runnmo through the Hautapu district. The action of the rains has worn away the gravel iv places, and the road for some considerable distance is a succession of hillocks, very uncomfortable to travellers. We are well aware that the Cambridge Highway Board have m the charge ot twelve miles of a main road subjected to such heavy tiaffie as that to Hamilton, moie to do than is reasonable or light, and wo have lost no opportunity for declaiming against the injustice of forcing them to maintain it. .Still if unmovements which aie necessary can be effected at a small cost they ought to be attended ta. The moonlight excursion on the stunner Delta, will, weather pel nutting, come off thisa evening. The programme ii as follows : — The steamer \\ ill leave the uhaif athalf-pabt six, returning about 10. The Hamilton Light Infantry Band, for whobe benefit the excursion has been organised, will enliven the voyage with •3ome txccedmgly choice selections of music, which the members have, under the able leadership of M. Calon, been at veiy gieat pains to rehearse. At inteivals on the trip to and fio, dancing ■\\ ill be engaged m on deck, and altogether the excursion ought to piove a thoiough hucecrfo. The object, which is to pay olf the debt remaining on the band instruments ib a good one, and on clns account alone we hope to see a full attendance. The Waikato Steam Navigation Company have veiy kindly given the steamer free, so that the whole of the pioceeds will be Jevoteci to the one purpose. The charge for the tup is exceedingly moderate, bcinc adult?, 2b, and children, Is. Should the weather p.'ove unfavourable, due notice of tlu intention to postpone tho exclusion will be given by Mr Gwynnc hoisting a flag at the Hamilton Hotel at 4 p.m. Our Cambridge contemporary has, on moie than one occasion open id its columns for the insertion of letters condemnatory of our local brew era. Even ■neie Wciikato beoi deseiving of the aspersions which have been cast upon it, it is scaicely good policy to ciy stinking fish. But as a matter ot fact, it does not deserve them. We have tasted beer brewed in Waikato which waa equal to anything from over the ■water, certainly supeiior to the vaunted I haines ales. In so far as its purity is concerned, and this is the point upon which the correspondents of our contemporary lay much stress, we have the assurances of two, at least, of our Waikato brewers, for saying that nothing but malt and hops are used, which can be proved by analysis, and by the monthly returns furnished to the Government, under declaration. To the ciedit of Waikato brewers be it said, that they have always courted analysation ; and one has for years consistently advocated the appointment of a public analyst. A few days ago, it will be remembered, the Government sent some of the liberated Maori prisoners to the Waikato, under the idea, we suppose, that by thus removing them from contact with Te Whiti, the moral power which the prophet had exercised over them would be nullified. If such 'were the intention, the object has not been gained, for the natives who were sent to reside in the neighbourhood of Alexandra have since taken their departure for Parihaka. Our informant, with whom these natives conversed, says they are deeply imbued with the justness of their cause, and seem to have little doubt that it will finally triumph. They have the most unbounded faith in the power of Te Whiti, and believe that, if he so willed, he could at any moment effect his purpose. It is a great pity that the Government does not see its way to the more profitable realisation of its property in the township of Alexandra, by cutting up and offering for sale the frontages of the constabulary paddock, or by delegating the necessary powers to the Waipa County Council. The paddock lies in the very heart of the township and contains the only sites which are likely to be required for business purposes for very many years to come. We are informed upon the best authority, that numbers of frontage sections would be readily taken up if offered. If it be necessary to retain

a Government paddock for the use of the A.O. Force, as no doubt it is, sufficient would be left after the frontages had been taken and the ground might be very advantageously turned by-and-by into a recreation reserve. Although it 18 at the present quiet enough, there can be little doubt that as the large extent of country in its neighborhood gets opened up Alexandra will become a place of some considerable importance, ana nothing removable should be allowed to bar its progress. This is a matter which the Waipa Council might with advantage take up and consider. It is stated that the liquidators of the City of Glasgow Bank are about to raise an action against Mr William M'Kinnon, a director of the bank some years before it failed. The liquidators wish Mr M'Kinnon to refund £311,666, which sum represents his-profita. We regret to learn that the Lord Abbot Alcock has been suffering from rheumatism. The right Rev. gentleman intends making a visit to Waiwera and has arranged for the very Rev. Father Downey 0.5.8. to take his place at Hamilton during his absence, Some extraordinary scoring was witnessed on the Melbourne Cricket Ground, on December 2nd, when a Ballarat eleven (minus Figgis and J. Morey, their best bowlers), tried conclusions vmii the premier club of Victoria. The litter held possession of the wickets fo^r the whole day, making 482 for the loss df eight wickets. On that number Buns*, made the tall score of 233. Melbofuna is not likely to fare so well in the return, as Ballarat will then play her two bov^ lers, and have a tower of strength in Midwinter, who has been engaged as a professional. There have been nineteen different Ministries since the establishment of Responsible Government in New Zealand in 1856. They are as follows :— BellSewell, 1556 ; Fox, 1836, held office for thirteen days; Stafford,, 1856-61 ; Fox, 1861-62 ; Domett, 1562-63 ; Whitaker-Fox, 1863-64; Weld, 1864-65; Stafford, 1865-69; Fox, 1869-72; Stafford, 1872, held office for 31 days ; Waterhouse, 1872-73; Fox, 1873; Vogel, 1873-75; Pollen, 1875); Vogel, 1876 ; Atkinson, 1576 ; Atkinson, (reconstructed) 1876-77 ; Grey, 1577-79 ; Hall, 1579. The savings effected on Department il expenditure during the past quarter as compared with the corresponding quarter of last year, amounts to a sum of £95,442. The sum total during the quarter of 1879, amounted to £528,321 ; that of last quarter to £429,879. The most noticeable item is that of the Native Department, which was £15,044, during the toraier period, and £653 during the latter. The revenue leturna for the quarter, ending 31st ultimo amounts to £793,1.38, being an increase of £80,578 over the corresponding quarter of last year. The weather during the past fortnight in the Northern District has been of a varied description. The hailstorm in the Ashley, Oxford, and Mount Thomas districts, was fortunately, confined to a small area, but wherever it did strike the crops they have been totally cut down. About 5.30 acres of corn, principally oats, have thus suffered. On some of the heavy lands ot the Kaiapoi Island, Woodend, and Mandeville, the early and consequently heavier crops of wheat have been laid to a small extent, but hopes are entertained that they will recover before they ate fit for the reaper. There are also some instances of this nearer Christchurch on the North Road, notably near Belfast Station. The "fathering in of the hay crop has been somewhat affected by the wet weithei, but that does not .seem to be much legretted by the farmers, who generally are well supplied with this article. The Melbourne Cup is undoubtedly one of Victoria's greatest institutions. It biincs all clashes together. Mark what Mr R. (J. Bigot, the Scuietary of the Victoii.m Racing Club, says of ifc. In his evidence before the select committee appoint d to iuquiie into the working of the totalistitor he slid: — "I am of opinion very stiongly that the tohili-.ntor will be the means of annihilating the bigirest lot of rosrues there are in the world — that is, the mushroom bookmaker s*,5 *, who numbered over 700 upon the hill of the Melbourne racecourse List Cup Day. — Did you hear of any case of defaulters upon the hill ? Yes ; any number of the lowest class of thieves, Avho come down to the stand reserve when they get the money of the people on tha hill. They came below to try their hand and paid their 2s. The change ticket is Bs. Having paid 2s, the change ticket is Bs." Mr Bagot thinks at least 200 totah«atois will be required to meet the speculative spirit on the Cup Day. The introduction will be the signal for a laigo number of the gentlemen now inetalliciana to take to work a little more aiduous. The Flag oj Ireland publishes a cartoon representing 1 an English "lough" btantlinsr over the bodies of two persons whom he h,is just shot down, ami it a^ks us to belie vo that there is "no coercion for him. '

In another column will be found a notification Mimed bv Captain AVhit.ik.cr, giving- the n imes of tho'c members of the Hamilton Ca\.ilry 'Iruop who will be expected to form a guard of honor for tho Governor. A meeting of the parhhioneis of S. Andrew s Church, C imbridgc,* will be held .it 3 p m on Friday, to consider tho matter cf changing tho name of the church. Mr Alfrod Buckland advertises that he will sell by .uutior, at the Havnwket, on the nth Febmarj, desirable piopcrt} at Dairy Flat. The Secretaiy of the Town of Ngaruavv.ihia Highway Hoard notifies cirU'tn information in regard to the valuation lists for that dibtntt. James McPherson, Esq., gives notice of the valuation lists of several districts being 1 now open for inspection. John Knox, Esq., of Hamilton, 1&. elected crod'tors,' trustree in bankruptcy of the * property ot James Gartsido Culp.m, builder, of Hamilton. A general meeting of the creditors of Edward Pearson, builder, of Hamilton, a. bankrupt, will take place 011 Tuesday next, at the Court House, Hamilton, at 10 a.m., to receive report of the creditors' trustee. The partnership existing 1 between Thos. Qualthrough, John Veal, and Georgu White, has been dissolved by mutual consent. Mr J. S. Buckland's next Cambridge horse sale will be held at the National Hotel, Cambridge, on Saturday next, at 1 o'clock. Messrs W. J. Hunter and Co. will hold their usual sale at Ohaupo on Thursday, the 20th instant. Five hundred head of choice cattle, principally young stock, well bred, will be offered tor sale ; also, about 1000 sheep, amongst which are some very choice breeding ewes, from some of the best flocks in Waikato. The new pure cash system now being initiated by G. and C. will certainly prove a benefit to the ' public. It has been a great success in Sydney and Melbourne, and when strictly carried out the customer who buys at an establishment where the goods are marked low to ensure a rapid sale must be a great gainer. G. and C, sell their drapery mulmary, and clothing: atsnch prices for cash as gives the buyer the advantages of a shareholder m a co-operativesociety, without the risk of being called upon to bear aportion of theloss should the years business prove unsatisfactory. Garlick and Cranwell will aim to retain the confidence which the public have hitherto shown them, and are determined to give the pure cash system a fair trial ; whether thoy gain or lose tho first year. Country buyers on remitting cash with order will be supplied with goods at co-operative prices ; just the same as though they made a personal selection. Furnishing goods, such as carpets, floor cloths, bedsteads, bedding, and general house furniture, the largest portion of which is turned out at our own factory, will be marked at the lowest remunerative prices, and a discount ot fivejjer cent- will be allowed to those who pay af the time of purchase. G. &C. having realised the entire value of their stock during their late cash sale, the present stock is new and cheaply bought. An inspection is invited. — GAhuck and Cramweu, City Hall Furnishing Arcade Queers street, Auckland.

Yo.u lisro 1871 1872 1873 1871 IS7."i 187(5 1877 !87S 1879 €705 030 731,85;} SI 3/27!) %5,800 1, ISS,!)tS 1,231,%/ 1, 20(5,791 1,22t ) !)0G 1,3U,()58 1,23(5,383 IncriMso oi JViieiso Per ( put. 137,581 or (5 99 34,047 or 4"41 81,398 or 11 -12 1 52, .12 1 or IS 73 221, US or 23-10 4(5,019 or 3'S7 25,17<5 or 228 18,115 or 130 119.752 or 8-00 108,103 or B'Oi

Denomination of ] % iiboncri>. Church of Eng. Roman Catholic Pre&byteiiAii . . Wesleyau Propoit'n Propoi t'n of Denoj)cr ioo initiation No of of per ioo, IVbneis. Pr'sncri. Census 1878. 2029 30-63 42 -55 1072 32-G2 14-21 705 14-03 22-95 173 3-38 9-14

Once. Twice. M. F. M. F. ihrcc or more times. M. F. 1877 . . 434 31 . . 223 45 . . 1878 .. 426 68 ..201 bi . . 1878 .. 430 69 .. '236 50 .. 499 425 450 404 6G3 477