The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1344, 10 February 1881, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Equal and exact justice to all men, Oi whatever state or persuasion, religious or political. Here sli.ill the Press the People's right maintain Unawed by influence and unbnbcd by gain.

THURSDAY, FEB. 10, 1881. Tun transit of produce from the agricultural districts of the interior to the seaboard, is a question of much importance to the commercial relations of the colony. ]n the matter of grain as an article of export, these relations are in a fair way for becoming greatly improved ; the experiments already made having been for the most part promising, if not altogether satisfactory. Alluding to this trade, an English paper now before us says :—": — " If we may form an opinion from recent developments of grain-growing in New Zealand, that colony will shortly become a competitor with the United States and Canada in the markets of the world. It is true that it is severely handicapped by distance ; but as the cost of carriage, when once .shipped, is merely nominal, the imports from the antipodean colony may act as a check on the rapacity of the shippers in America, who now get decidedly the best of the bai'gain ; the active raisers receiving very little of the money paid for crops." We have here a very fair appreciation of the character and extent of the difiiculty by which the establishment of the trade is surrounded, and to the removal, or, at all events, mitigation, thereof, it is of the utmost importance the efforts of the colony should be directed. The qualifying remark by the English journalist, "That, when once slapped, the car-riage-rate becomes merely nominal,'' strikes ab the root of the evil, and narrows it down to a question of economical transits from the pro-duce-tields to the port of embarkation. We have every reason for believing the importance of the point has been fully recognised by the present Government, as from time to time are-adjustment of tariff rates applicable to this particular class of freight has been made. The latest effort in that direction is published in the Gazette of the 27th ultimo, and fixes the rates as follows ; the mileage given being from one to one hundred: — 1, 2s; 2, 2s; 3, 2s Gel ; 4, 2s Gd ; 5, 2s 8cl ; 6, 2slod; 7,35; 8, 3s 2d; 9, 3s 4d; 10, 3s Gd; 11, 3s 8d ; 12, 3s 10; 13, 4s Id : 14, 4s 5d ; 15, 4s 9d ; 16, 5s 4d; 17, 5s Gd; 18, 5s 8d ; 19, sslod; 20, 6s; 21, 6s 2d ; 22, Gs4d; 23, Gs6d; 24, 6s 8d : 25, 6s lOd; 26, 7s; 27, 7s 2d : 28, 7s 4d ; 29, 7s 6d ; 30, 7s 8d ; 31, 7slod; 32, 8s; 33, 8s 2d ; 34, 8s 4d ; 35, 8s 6d ; 36, 8s 8cl : 37, 8s lOd: 38, 9s; 39, 9s 2d ; 40, 9s4cl; 41 9s 6d ; 42,9s 8d ; 43, j 9slod; 44, 10s; 45, 10s 2d; 46, 10s 4d; 47, 10s 6cl ; 48, 10s 8d ; 49, 10s lOd; 50, lls; 51, Us Id; 52, lls 2d; 52, lls 3d; 54, Ils4d; 55, lls sd ; 56, lls 6d ; 57, lls 7d; 58, lls 8d ; 59, lls 9d; 60, lls lid; 61, 12s; 62, ]2s Id: 63, 12s 2d; 64, 12s 3d; 65, 12s 4d ; 66, 12s 5d ; 67, 12s 6d ; 68, 12s 7d ; 69, 12s 8d; 70, 12s lOd; 71, 12s lid, 72, 13s; 73, 13s Id; 74, 13s 2d; 75, 13s 3d : 76, 13s 4cl ; 77, 13s sd ; 78, 13s 6d ; 79, 13s 7d ; 80, 13s 8d ; 81, 13s 9d; 82, 13s lOd ; 83, 13s lid; 84, 14s; 85, 14s Id; 86, 14s 2d ; 87, 14s 3d ; 88, 14s 4d ; 89, 14s 5d;90, 1456d;91, 1457d;92, 14s 8d;93, 14s 9d ; 94, 14s lOd; 95, 14s lid; 96, 15s; 97, 15s Id; 98, 15s 2d; 99, 15s 3d; 100, 15s 4d. For every mile after 100 miles, Id per ton will be charged. The subject is one beset by numerous difficulties, and it is hardly to be expected that these rates will meet all the requirements of the j case. Situated as the colony is, the whole question of railway tariff-rates is one demanding a very nice ad-j justment. In dealing with Staterailways, two ends have to be kept steadily in view. The one is to arrange matters so that they will promote the progress of settlement and development; and' the second, to eschew such rates as would' cause a loss to be made upon, their prime cost and working expenses. The balance must be carefully adjusted as between fch^e two problems,

otherwise it is quite within the range of possibility that the one object may be promoted at the expense o£ sacrificing the other. In .that way, the public, exchequer may ihe flagrantly abused, 6r, on the other hand, the policy of colonisation seriously retarded. The " great Liberal party," of whom the Greys, the Macandrews, and others of that' ilk, are mouthpieces, talk glibly of sacrificing everything to settlement — making free gifts of land, and other concessions, on the plea that the extra consumption of duty-paid goods occasioned by increased population, would serve to recoup the exchequer, has been exploded, and ■the more rational doctoine espoused, that while the policy ought to be made liberal, everything savouring of ruinous sacrifice must be avoided, otherwise the system, as a whole, cannot be adjusted on a sound basis. The problem is worked out by a Northern contemporary in this way : " There are at least two conceivable ends to be secured by the construction of State railways. They may be looked upon as a great national convenience and paid for as such. The Consolidated Fund might be called upon to furnish the interest on their cost, and the rates charged might be so fixed that no revenue would be derived from the traffic, beyond the working expenses, and, perhaps, a renewal fund. It is quite unnecessary to remark that New Zealand can afford to make no such experiment. It is pretty generally known, too, that we requh'e all the revenue we can get hold of in any shape, and are not in a position to make a gift of a few hundred thousand pounds to any class of the community, however deserving of such assistance some may think them to be." As we have said before, the question is one involving numerous difficulties, and the possibilities arcthat the rates fixed will, upon fuller acquaintance, be found to operate unfairly. Still, it bears evidence on its face of a desire on the part of the Government to meet the requirements of the grain market as an export question. Compared with the previous tariff, it shows considerable modifications. Up to the thirty-mile distance, the reduction is at the rate of sixpence per ton, and beyond that the saving becomes still more apparent. For the thirty-one-mile distance, it is Is 4d; ao sixty miles it is Is 9d; at seventy, and up to one hundred miles, it is Is Bd. These figures represent a reduction of from six to fourteen per cent, upon late rates, according to the distance, and is, as we have hinted, substantial concession in the interests of the colonial grain-grower, and one which we have no doubt will tend to foster the export trade.

Waikato has just lost a valuable settler in the person of Mr W. L. Martyn, who, with his family, has just left, c/i route for the Wairaate Plains, where he has bought one of the choicest of the sections lately put up for bale by the Government. Mr Mirtyn, is one of the oldest and rno-^t influential settlers in this district, having been one of that pioneer band which tackled the wilderness at a time when the quality of the land remained to be proved, and when settlement was attended with all the dangers and disadvantages consequent upon the unsettled state of the native mind. The condition of perfection to which Mr Martyn and his brother brought their magnificent estate at Peucarrow, a portion of which was recently sold to the Messrs Pearson, boars the strongest testimony to the practical qualities and to the energy and pluck of these gentlemen. Mr Martyn has always taken a prominent part in all matters affecting the welfare of the district, and has successively filled the office of Road Trustee, County Councillor and member of the South Auckland Cattle Board, besides taking a very active part as a member of the local racing clubs. In all ot these capacities he will be greatly missed. Although he has gone to reside in another part of the colony, it is satisfactory to know that it is from no want of faith in the future of the Waikato, where he still retains, and intends to retain, considerable property. We cordially wish Mr Martyn God-speed in his new home.

As will be seen by our R.M. Court report, the case against Mr Pearson, for alleged injury to the property of the Borough of Hamilton, has been dismissed.

The Annual Ball, under the auspices of the Waikato Turf Club, will take place on Monday, the 21st inst., at the Oddfellows' Hall, Hamilton. Members are requested to invite their friends.

Great complaints are made of the near proximity of pig-sties to the public streets in several parts of Hamilton. The authorities ought ty take some steps in the matter.

Members of the Hamilton Light Infantry Volunteer Corps, which is about to be disbanded, are reminded that all arms and accoutrements must be returned this evening, at the Oddfellows' Hall, Hamilton East.

We understand that the Waikato Turf Club hdve secured the services of the Hamilton Sand for their forthcoming meeting on the 17th and 18th inst.

A correspondent, signing himself "Expectant," writes, suggesting that the next session of the Hamilton Debating Club be further extended to, say the end of March, when perhaps cooler evenings will induce a large attendance. The hint is a valuable one.

The grain crops in various parts of the district are turning out fairly well. A farmer in the Kirikiriroa district has thrashed out nearly 40 bushels of oats to the acre.

A slight change in the weather was experienced yesterday. The air waa much cooler than it had been for manydaya, and one or two light showers of rain, fell in the morning. » - /

■ In the course of the discussion on the painting of the Hamilton Bridge, at the Council meeting the other night, Cr. Tippin drew attentien to the necessity for at once screwing up the structure. The late dry weather, he very justly said, had had anything but a good effect on the timber work. < , ■ ' '

At the R.M. Court Hamilton, yesterday Befote H. W. Nortbcroft, Esq., R.M., and His Worship the Mayor, John Burrows charged under the PuhKe Works Act, with toin£ dmk wb|}e |a '

■ ■ ' I , t ■ chartfe^of a team, of hordes v was convicted and fined 10j or in default to go to gaol for seven days.

Mr S. T. Seddon has intimated to the Borough Council of Hamilton, through his Solicitors, Messrs Heskefch and Rich!" mond, bhat lie is about to proceed in <in notion for tre^pais against them." '""1 "'

During the late trial of the reapers and binders, one of the American agents is ijepdrted to have said that twine has already supplanted wire in America. Besides being saf ar than wire, string can .j be made much cheaper ; and we think that by next sea-son colonial-made flaxcord will be so plentiful and cheap in the Colony that wire will be almost, if not entirely, abandoned.

It is understood that the Railway Department are about to take steps to olose the Hamilton Railway Station, and transfer the business to the junction, the former not being remunerative. Arrangements are being made to compensate the contractor for the carrying on the cxtenhion, Mr Kelly.

The prize for sewing and the good attendance certificate, in connection with the West Hamilton School, will bo presented at the school this af ternoon, at 3.30 o'clock. Parents and friends are invited to be present. Owinj* to the .shortness of time, these awards were not made at the examination at Christmas.

We are in a position to say definitely that the Native Lands Court for despatch of business will be opened at Cambridge on Monday. Judge Symonds, who presides, will leave Auckland for the Waikato to-morrow, and will remain in Hamilton until Friday. On Saturday he will formally open the Court, adjourning it till Monday, when the business will be proceeded with as stated above.

A grand moonlight excursion, in aid of the instrument fund of the Hamilton Band, will take place on Tuesday evening next, the 15th instant. TheoommodiouH stuamer Delta has been chartered for the occasion, and a vocal and instrumental concert, in which a number of leading amateurs will assist-, will be given. There will also b& the usual amount of dancing, and as Tuesday will be the day after the full moon, the trip should be a most enjoyable one. Should the weather not prove fine enough for the excursion — which is intended to start at half-past seven — a fl.ig will be hoisted at GrWynne's Hotel at 5 p. m.

We are glad to hear that the committee of the Waikato Turf Club have succeeded, through Mr F. A. Whitaker, M.H.R., in inducing the Railway Department to issue return tickets at pingle fare from Auckland and intermediate stations, available from Wednesday, the 16th, to Monday, the 2lst instant inclusive, in order to allow of visitors from Auckland and elsewhere being present at the race meeting on the 17th and 18th. Some difficulty has been experienced in securing this concession, but we feel certain that the Department will suffer no loss. The superior sport which is promised is sure to induce a large attendance of visitors from other parts of the province.

The ordinary meeting of the Waipa County Council was held at the Council Chambers, Ohaupo, on Tueaday. Present — Mensrs Aubin (chairman), Steele, Reynolds, Hadfield, Roche, Corboy, Wainwright, and Cunningham. After the usual preliminary business, Cr. Steele moved ' ' That the Council take steps to metal the Ohaupo road ; but after discussion, the motion was negatived, and the County funds ordered to bo distributed among the various Highway Boards." Several accounts having been passed for payment, the Council rose.

A meeting of the Tamahere Highway Board was held yesterday afternoon. Present: Me&srs Reynolds (chairman), Leslie, Wheeler, Wood, and Captain Rimciman. The,\Vaitoa Highway Board wrote reque&ting that certain repairs should be made on Whyte's bridge, as also upon the adjoining road. Messrs Leslie and Wheeler wero deputed to wait on the County Council relative to the same. The following tenders were then opened and accepted :— (/ravelling Piako Road; Coombes, 1 s Id per chain (accepted) ; Lovell, Is 1U1 ; Booth, Is 2Ad ; Walsh, Is 4UI. Hire of horse and dray : Walsh, 10s pnrday (accepted) ; Lovell, 12s ; Coombes, 14s. Deepening ditch and spreading stuff on Piako Road : Walsh, 9s per chain (accepted); Lovell, 13s; Haynes, 14s. Accounts lodged with the Board were passed for payment.

At the conclusion of the ordinary bu&mess at the meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council on Tuesday night, Or. Peat asked the Mayor by whose authority the roadway in Victoria-street was torn up, for the erection of the "what-you-may-call-it" arch, on the occasion of the Governor's visit. The Mayor said the permission of the Council had not been obtained, but, as he was on the Reception Committee, Mr Gwynne had probably taken it for granted that all was right. Cr. Peat thought they should take some action in the matter, or everybody would feel at liberty to tear up the streets. The Mayor thought the notice which Cr. Peat had taken would be sufficient to prevent any interference with the roads in future. Cr. McGrarrigle thought the less said about the matter of the Governor's reception, the better. The management of the affair had been coolly taken by certain individuals outside the Council, who had constituted themselves city fathers and city mothers, to the exclusion of the proper persons. He wished to state that that was the reason he and several of the other councillors had absented themselves from the ceremony.

A meeting of the trustees of the Public Library, Te Awamutu, was held on Friday last, at which the Rev. E. J. Phillips, Messrs J. W. Bridgman, G-. I). Hunter, "Walton and Benge were present. Mr Walton, having been voted to the chair, read the minutes of the annual meeting, and after some conversation thereon it was resolved "That the subscriptions for membership should remain the same as in 1880, viz., 5s per year or 2s 6d per half-year, with 2s 6d entrance fee to cover damage to books. That the condition of the books should be thoroughly inspected ' at the meetings in March, June, September and December, and all missing Dooks be looked after. That the Committee should meet on the first Tuesday in each month, at 7. 30 p.m. That as the subscriptions were now due, Mr Benge be requested to act as Treasurer. That a vote of thanks be given to Mr Duffos for his kindness in supplying a room gratuitously for the use of the Public Library for the past year." On the motion of the Rev. E. J. Phillips, Mr Walton was appointed chairman for the year.

A correspondent writes :—" In common with others throughout the district with whom I have conversed on the point, the projected trip to the Waikato Heads per Delta, fixed for Saturday, pleaaes me very much. It ia both cheap and novel, and (weather permitting) should be largely patronised. There is one point, however, conneote'd with the arrangement, which I think, admits of improvement, and, as I am well aware it would, suit the convenience of a number situated like myself ji. and consequently tend to promote the success of the affair, I will throw it out as a hint for consideration of the steamboat directors. Aooording to the advertised programme, the Delta leaves the Heads on Monday morn* ing,, completing the return trip that evening., , How, could, it noj; he as conveniently arranged that the return trip should be Commeßcei m §wfry erring, #, aiy

10 p.m. In that case the excursionists would reach their respective destinatkns at an early hour next day. Apart from other recommendations, the excursion would afford the additional novelty of a c moonlight trip, as wall. as a daylight trip ' on the river. Unless there be some objection to this change on the score of navigation, which, so far as I can learn, does not exist, I do think the bteamboat owners would do well to give this suggestion favourable consideration.*' We certainly do think there is something in the change proposed by our correspondent. Although things are not very brisk, two day's absence from business may not unreasonably be assumed to entail inconvenience ; and we feel convinced that, if some arrangement or another could be made for saving the Monday, or, at all events, a material portion thereof, it would have the effect of making the excursion more popular than it otherwise might be.

Fifteen officers of the Public Works Department of the Middle Island are now being dispensed with. This I makes between seventy and eighty who will have left since the end of the financial year. The reductions in the North Island are, according to a Southern contemporary on the same scale.

The "Bay of Plenty Times" has been shown a tobacco leat from one of the plants grown by Dr. Grinders this season, which is, we should think, of unusual .size for this district. It is perfectly free from any blemish, and measures 2ft 6in in length, and lit 2in in breadth. Dr. Grinders is experimenting with various kinds of the tobacco plant, to ccc ■which ia most suited to the climate, though, of course, he grows only for his own consumption. It will be satisfactory for the people here to know which plant is best adapted for the place, as it is to be hoped Government will some day withdraw their practical prohibition of the growing and manufacture of tobacco.

The San Francisco correspondent of the Otago Daily Times writes : — Mr George Vesey Stewart, informed me that the first issue of shares by the New Zealand Laud Corporation, which he recently founded in England, was responded to by L 65.000. This is very satisfactory, as the capital is only LIOO.OOO. It will enable the work of colonisation to be prosecuted vigorously in Kati Kati and the Tauranga district. Mr Stewart has visited some of our wine districts, and acquired a fund of valuable information, which he proposes to turn to practical account in New Zealand. As I have frequently written to you. there is no reason whatever why New Zealand should not be a great wine and fruit-producing country. There is money in it,

Dealing with the small bird pest, the ravages of which have been felt so severely in this and other northern districts, a contemporary writes: — '"The extermination of these pests is not very easy, owing to the length of the summer season inducing the birds to breed more freely than they would otherwise do in a colder climate. In England, where the winters are long and cold, the food supply is consequently curtailed, and an annual thinning out takes place, not only from this cause, but from the attacks of hawks, magpies, cats, and boys. Although sparrows, linnets, and larks have been common to the fields of Britain for centuries, still they are not now more numerous than they were at least within the memory of man, which may be assigned to the above causes ; but here, where they multiply twice a year, with nothing to kill them off, if some means are not quickly adopted they will eat our farmers out of house and home. It is really the duty of the Acclimatization Society to take the matter in hand, and offer rewards for the eggs of sparrows, linnets, or such small birds as the farmers are finding injurious to them ; also so much for '"heads." By this means in a year or two they would be thinned. Or farmers might organise themselves into 'Sparrow Clubs." and adopt a similarcour&e ; they would then see for them selves that the work of destruction was being cirried out.

The scandalous exhibition which took place at luvcrcargill on the occasion of a recent visit paid by two members of the Cabinet to that place, is alluded to by the I'reis (Chri&tchurch), as follows : — <% The mob who ah&embled ac the railwaystation to insult the unsuspecting 1 Ministers on their ai rival was not brought together by any exciting case, but came together deliberately, probably by pre-arraugo-ment, to give vent to their political feelings in the manner most natural to them. We are told that they made noises ' like a menagerie broken loose' — a description which, well intentionod as it may be, is, we think, rather severe upon the menagerie. The groaning, hooting, howling, and hissing of a pack of Greyites in full cry must surely be a great deal worse than the natural voice of any of the nobler beast". Not content with making- a hubbub at the railway station, which is stated to have been audible more than half a mile off, these exponents of • Liberal' principles mobbed the ministers all the way to the hotel, where they groaned for some time and threw bad eggs. The Ministers, however, reached the hotel in safety, though ' hard pressed' once or twice, and no personal violence was actually done. Two gentlemen, old colonists of the highest character' occupying an honorable and responsible office by the will of their fellow citizens as expressed by the Legislature of their connfcry, escaped from the streets of Invercargill withont having their limbs broken, their features disfigured, or even their clothes torn off their backs. Well, to that extent, the affair ia satisfactory to the public and creditable to the * Liberal' party — but only to that extent. It is, on the whole, unquestionably the most blackguardly business that has yet occurred in New Zealand politics. There is literally nothing to redeem its dtdl monotony of lciwness."

The Hamilton Borough Council invite applications lor leasing certain Borough endowments. Mr Robert "Waite, general carter and coat merchant, Hamilton, notifies that he will undertake cartage of every description, and deliver best Huntley coal in anypart of Hamilton. Mr W. H. Kelly notifies that he has taken over the coaHrade lately carried on by Mr McDonald, and will supply Huntley coal at current rates. The chairman of the Piako County Council makes an important announcement regarding the dog tax in another column. Tenders are invited by the secretary of the Hamilton Domain Board for drain-making and road formation. Members of the Waikato Tarf Club, who have not yet procured their tickets, are requested to do so as early as possible. 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 foods are marked low to ensure a rapid sale must c a great gainer. G. and C. sell their drapery millinary, and clothing at such prices for cash as gives the buyer the advantages of a shareholder in a. co-operative society, withoutthe risk of being called upon to bearaportion of the loss should the year's 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 they gain or lose the first year. Country buyers on remitting cashwith 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 put at our own factory, will be marked at tlie lowest remunerative gripes, and a discount ot five pcn 1 font, will be allowed to those tyho pay af the time of purchase. G. &C. having realised i the entire value of their stock during their late cash sale, the present stock js'^BW anb cheaply bought. An inspection is invited.* — Garuck and . Cranwkix, City HallFurnitfiing Arcade Queen-