Waikato Times. AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1417, 2 August 1881, Page 2

Waikato Times. AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatever state or persuasion, religious or political. Here shall the Press the People's right maintain Unawed by influence and unbribed by gain.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 1881.

The Alienation of Lands Bill, introduced into the Legislative Assembly by the Attorney-General, and which was read a second time and referred to a committee chosen by ballot from the members of that Chamber, is certainly one of the most sweeping reforms in the law affecting real property ever attempted in this, or perhaps any other legislature. The Hon. Mr Watekhouse, avlio has established no mean pretensions to the character of a law reformer, tells us in a kind of spasmodic way that its proposal had fairly taken away the breadth out of him, and that all those who had given even a moderate amount of attention to the remarks of the Attorney-General, on the motion for the second reading, must have been impressed with its thorough going-nature. The subjects dealt with by the bill are, the laws of entail, wills, and settlements. The Attorney-General's own statement on these points is as follows : "We are introducing no great novelty, but only one acted on for many years past by the Legislature of JNew Zealand, namely, to remove the restrictions that exist as to the transfer of real property, and also to get rid of the cumbersome mode in which it is dealt with." It is almost impossible to give anything like a complete insight into the extent and ramification of the excessive cumbersomeness in which these methods have come to be applied in the older countries like that of Great Britain. Joshua Williams, one of the first conveyancers in England, says, "In families where estates are kept up from one generation to another, settlements are made over years for this purpose. Thus, in the event of a marriage, the legal estate is given to the husband ; the wife's allowance is £300 for pin money during the marriage, and her rent charge on annuity by way of jointure for her life, in ease she survives her husband, subject to the payment of such sums as may be agreed upon for the portion of daughters and younger sons of the marriage. The eldest son who may be born after marriage is made by ! the settlement tenant entail. In the case of his decease without issue, it is provided that the second ,son and then the third shall in a like manner be tenant entail, and so on to the others, and in default of sons the estate usually goes lo daughters, not successively, however, but as tenants in common entail with cross remainder entail." "We have here twists and turns sufficient to bewilder the mind of any man short of that of the conventional Philadelphia lawyer. What follows is a little plainer, and shows the effect of this legal curvation " By that means," the above-named authority goes on to say, " estates are tied up until some tenant entail attains to the age of twenty-one years, when he is able, with the consent of his father, who is tenant for life, to bar the entail with all the remainders; the dominion is thus again acquired over the property, which dominion is easily exercised and the resentmpnt to the next generation of the property preserved in the family." The abuses arising out of the exercise of these rights are incalculable in the United Kingdom, where it is estimated that no less than 64 millions of acres are controlled by settlements and dispositions of this character, and although the power to sell is reserved to trustees, that power is invariably accompanied with instructions that the proceeds are to be invested in the purchase of other lands to be settled in like manner. It is also to be kept in mind that no portion of this vasfc landed estate, representing nearly four-fifths of Great Britain, can be sold upon default by the tenant entail at the suit of their creditors. In short, all consideration for the public interest in these lands is ignored. The land is supposed to be necessary to remain, in the possession of particular families for their aggrandisement and political influence, and .it has j been said with much truth that the tenant entail possesses little more than the J i4&ht of sporting over the land of which he, is ostensibly the owner. Such is the state of

-affairs 'this bill to grapple with. " THe pdwer to tie up estates," says the Attorney-General in his speech, " has operated very prejudicially jnT-England, and j.t—^ desjrdble,' wilhtfut waiting to get/ into similar difficulties in New Zealand, that we should take thetaatter in hand and endeavour as speedily as possible to have the subject put' upon a satisfactory footing. It is proposed that land should be placed in the same position a£ that in which other valuable property is dealt with undrr the English law. That landed property can be transferred from one man to another with equal facility, all property should be in the hands of some person who has the power of disposal over it. Why should land be kept apart altogether from the general law applicable to other property just as valuable? The funds of England and her ships are as valuable as land, or at all events they are exceedingly valuable, and there we have the principle which lies at the bottom of this bill." We have said it ought to show that a radical change is contemplated. Nothing has done more towards perpetuating the system of large landed estates acquired by individuals, and families, being preserved for their sole benefit and aggrandisement. It is the legal restriction by which they are thus hedged that keeps them intact, and once remove these legal restrictions by which vast wealth in real estate is provided for generations yet unborn, and not only do we pave the way for land to fulfil its legitimate purposes, but we deprive a certain class of the community of a great incentive to '' earth hungpr," the immoderate indulgence of which points to misery in the past and discontent in the present. These remarks would be palpably incom- ( plete were we not to say a word on behalf of the Government under whose auspices this measure has been devised, Contumely has been heaped on their heads by their bpponunts for alleged mal-practicps in dealing with the public estate. The accredited leader of the socalled "great Liberal party" has times without number charged them with nefarious practices for the acquisition of large landed estates for themselves and their friends, but we ask, in all earnestness, is there a man, woman, or child in New Zealand on whom a cry of this kind would in the slightest degree operate towaids convicting in the face of a measure of this kind, devised at the hands of a Government thus sought to be wilfully and perversely misrepresented 1 Furthermore, we ask did Sir George Grey, with all his loud voiced pretentions, ever at any time give practical evidence of liberal-minded legislation once to be compared with the measure in question ?

Will it be believed that there are those to be found who can depreciate the capabilities of this fair district of ours 1 We confess to having once or twice formed the audience to whom unsparing abuse of the Waikato Avas poured forth, but have never given up the belief that this was superinduced not so much by want of faith in the land as by a distaste for certain of those who live upon it. Mankind is exposed to so many influences of this character that expressions of individual opinion go for very little, and are oftener heard than heeded. Not very long ago a Waikato settler happened to be on a visit to the Waimate Plains, and in the course of his ramblings stumbled upon no inconsiderable number of his former neighbors, who had left Waikato and settled down there. He found moreover that a general opinion prevailed to the effect that if these good men and practical farmers were so ready to leave, Waikato must be a very poor place. This seems to be a settled convicoion, despite the fact that by tho same process of reasoning, Canterbury and Otago must be very wretched places indeed, because some of the earlier settlers have chosen to leave their homes in those provinces and migrate to the northern districts. In the case of these latter the impelling force may be a desire for more extended territory, though we might be excused for avowing that they come in search of better land; but with Waikato people, the older settlers — which are those who have migiated — we believe the love of adventure has something to do with their conduct. There is a class of people, growing less numerous every year, which might aptly be termed the pioneer, in contradistinction to the farming class. They are apparently actuated by a desire to evade the appz'oach of civilization, and continue to recede until retreat is no longer possible, when we suppose they drop into their place as " douce, dour," inhabitants of their Ultima Thule. Of this race were they, who, feeling the toes of settlement pressing on their heels in a more northerly part of this province, hailed with delight the opening of the Waikato plains and fled here incontinently, just as some of them — many have grown sober-r-have flown away again. The comings and goings of these people have as much , to do with the quality of the dis.tricts on which they light in their nomadic wanderings, as the sighing of the wind. They have a mission, ; which, often insensibly to themselves, if is ( theirs to fulfil. ( It is a noble one, truly', th|e transforming, of* the waste places of the earth into

blossom iug|ppicls^ sss gardens 1 aipid* orchardsj^hut their "freat a&Hghl ii^ in the task, and not in th« effects of that task : They love the means more than'bhe*en<|,«tuK^>ve inustmot, blame t^cmi. j *BH }\e must protest against tlie practice of taking their niovenients as an indication of ,the value of that which jthey held latest, 'and, perhaps, \vcre most loth to leave.

The amount of the to Is collected at the Hamilton Bridge during the month of Jnly was £(38.

A man named David Kelly was arrested at Cambridge yesterday on a charge of being of unsound mind. Mr Goodwin, assistant-Inspector of Schools, is at present «»x iiuim ig- rhe Hamilton schools in stHtidnwß On Thursday and Friday last he wuh occupied at the East school, and yes-tciday commenced his duties at Hamilton West. The examinations so far aie, wo understand, very favorable.

A gentleman hailing from the banks of the Waipa, and h close student of New Zealand politics was heard to remark yesterday, " Well I don't see that anything good has come out of Ormond's attempt to turn out the Ministry, except that it has afforded Re.ider Wood an opportunity to rat again."

At a meeting of the Vestry of S. Peter's Church, Hamilton, last night, it was resolved in deference to the desire of the Chairman of the Public Hall Trustees to postpone action in the matter of the erection of the proposed Sunday-school for a fortnight. It was also decided that if arrangements satisfactory to the Vestry were not fully completed within that time, to proceed with the erection of the school forthwith.

Mrs Juckes, of Ngaruawahia, met with an accident on Friday hist by being thrown from her horse, and fiactured her leg. Under the careful attendance of Dr. Beale, she is, however, progressing favourably towards recovery.

At a meeting of the Hamilton East School Committee, last night, the resignations of Messrs LeQuesne, Potter, ami Dr Beale were received and accepted, and the following householders were elected to fill the vacancies r—Messrs R. Harris, Dey, and Field.

We understand that some of the leading citizens of Auckland have taken the initiatory steps towards entertaining Tawhiao m that city. The people of Auckland are anxious to see the natives, and no effort will be spared to induce them to extend their visit to that place. Tawhiao is desirous of revisiting the place of his birth. Mangere, and there is not likely therefore to be much difficulty in the way.

At a special meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council last night it was agreed to call for new tenders for the repair of the culvert at the bottom of Grcintham-street, in accordance with specifications prepared and laid on the table. A few accounts were passed for payment. The members present were :—His Worship the Mayor, Crs. Hill, Peat, Vialou, McGarrigle, and Tippen.

The Hamilton Borough Council purpose taking steps to protect the river bank opposite the Waikato Brewery by planting willows. During the last few years a large area of land at this point has been carried away, and unless some measures such as that proposed bv the Council are taken the river will shortly encroach upon private propeity.

A football match between Waikato and Auckland is arranged to come off on the 20th inst., in Hamilton. The team has not yet been finally selected, but will include all the well known local cracks, who, for some time past, have been going in for practice. It is hoped that though our men are naturally placed at a disadvantage, owing to the difficulty experienced in getting even a small number of the players together for practice, that they will give a good account of themselves. The names of the players comprising the team will be made known in a few days.

The usual monthly meeting of the Hamilton Domain Board was held last night. Present: Messrs John Knox (Chairman), Vialou, McGarrigle, Peat, and Tippen. The minutes of the previous meeting wore confirmed. Mr Cummin? wrofcp again with reference to making 1 an outlet drain along lots 45 and 46. The land was unfit for use at present, owing to the water. Mr Tippen said there were other complaints about the inefficiency of the main drain for carrying off the water. Thero was a drain near Mr Cumminjj's land which he thought would carry the water off were it cleaned out. The letter was received, the Board resolving- to inBpect the land before next meeting. The Secretary reported having receiving certain rents amounting 1 to £29 ISs 9d. An account of 6s from J. Devitt. for labour, was passed for payment. This was all the business.

A special meeting of the Cambridge Town Board was held at Hewitt's Hotel, on Thursday last, for the purpose of receiving applications for the office of engineer, &c. There were present Messrs Wells, (chairman), Hewitt, Kirk wood, Johnson, and Nixon. There were three applications for the office of Town Engineer, viz., those of Messrs Hosking, Breakell, and Gwynnsth. The latter was accepted, the terms being 5 per cent, on the outlay during the year ; surveys, other than requisite for works in progress, at Government rates, or the Board finding the necessary assistance, two guineas per day. Mr G. • ollins' application for the office of ranger, was successful, and the tender of Mr R. Wright, (£27) for alterations to Town Board offices wa? accepted. The late engineer to the Board, Mr Hosking, wrote stating that he felt agrieved at the remarks which had fallen from Mr Johnson at the previous meeting of the Board. Subsequently, by request, Mr Hosking attended at the meeting, and after a very animated discussion between that gentleman and Mr Johnson, the Board resolved "That while acknowledging a portion of Mr Johnson's remarks re the extra expence incurred in the contract in Queen-street West, caused by an error of calculation on the part of the engineer, do not endorse the statements of Mr Johnson re Mr Hosking 1 s incompetency." There was no other business before the Board.

A meeting of the Tawhiao Reception Committde of Cambridge, was held in the Criterion Hotel on Saturday evening, when all accounts were settled. After a vote of thanks to the chairman and secretary, the chairman declared the committee dissolved.

Every woman cannot be beautiful, but sheoan be sweet-tempered; and asweet temper gives a loveliness to the face more attractive, in • the long run, than even < beauty. Have a smile and kind word for all, and you will be soon more admired — nay, loved—than any mere beauty. A sweet temper is, to the household what sunshine is to trees and flowers.'

We note that there has just been invented a patent seed and fruit pro* lector, in the shape of a metal representation of, a 'birxi of. j>rey on the, wingy for, susp&naiou in fields and,gardens, shaped and oolpnxedin plo^e imitation of a liWk hovering'py^y his,prey! 1 By'meani of v an .elasMo'sptihg or 'wire carried from one tree to another, or from a chimney to a

r tref,'ir respo&ds reujjilty fo the- motion of the"effigy. TJhe dovlcjj is s.iicl to be' jbxtrnordinarly efficacious in soaring birds. A parson writes to one of the English oluiioal papers suggesting the tricycle .jir m me ins of loi'omolinn.j TJeTHßysf.'— "a 1 buyo found it a gres{rc6rfl%fcand ple^ure; fiom st-ven to eiirht miles an hour ;b my H(K-ed, aua I car. do fifty miles per day. Icm iulu up any hill almost. It does , not f(illo\v that sime.may not be worth the'laboui of ridiriif, and pushing up be easier, but few hills in Wales, Devon, and Dor-ctshire (hilly part* of Juigland) have Lertt me. I carry my poi fmauteau with me, mid h five carried my boy, aged twelve, foi thii r.;' tour miles once. If I were in }i countiy |)laco and wished to save a home I should do so by keeping a tricycle. It wants no grooming, no corn, ho t.tx, no jrsites ; you can leave it at the door of a cott i jro' and want no one to hold it; aud, better than all, it has done my health (which' w.ib shattered abroad) mere good than all the physic I have swallowed ; ho I cordially recommend it to clergymen."

At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Cambridge, un Friday last, a man named Charles Biiirht was charged on the information of W. Flynn with assualting him by sti iking him eeveral times, in the vicinity of Kirwood's Duke of Cambridge Hotel, on the 20th July lust. The accused who did not appear was fined 40s and co^-tH, 295, or in default, one month's imprisonment. Iv the case Riley v. Hoy in which plaintiff summoned defendant for £7, bal.mce of wages aojount (£5O) Mr Beale, who appeared for the defendant, argued that His Worship had no jurisdiction, as the whole amount would have to be gone into. Mr Dyer on behalf of the plaintiff thought that as the amount sued for was only £7 tho case should be proceeded with. His Worship reserved his decision until next Court day so that he might look up authorities on the matter.

The building recently occupied by the Cambridge Fanners' CluD, and l.itely purchased by Mr Thomas Wells, of Cambiidge, for the sum of £1355 is now being completely renovated for residential purposes. The grounds adjoining will be converted iuto .i handsome garden, and the residence will be occupied by Mr Wells himself.

Mr J. C. Firth, a gentleman thoroughly conversant with the native question, which for so lonsr has agitated the minds of colonists, inside the Legislature and out, has written an able letter to an Auckland contemporary on the present condition of aft'aiis. After dilating upon the advantages which we in this province and the colony as a whole are likely to gain by the peaceable demonstrations now being made by Tawhiao, Mr Firth pays a well merited tribute to the worth of the services ren- i dered by Major Mair. He says: — " Whilst fully appreciating the effoits of Sir George Grey, Sir Donald McLean, Mr Sheehan, Mr Bryce, and Mr liolleston, I am neither afraid nor ashamed to avow my belief that this marvellous and happy change has been brought about, not so much by the wisdom of man, but by the influence of that unseen aud Most High Ruler who" Doeth according to Hi 3 will in the army of Heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth. The colonists of these islands of the sea may well give to Him their grateful thanks for the wonderful and happy change which is now, as far as human prescience can judge, being established in the relations between the two races inhabiting these islands. Believing, as I do, in the potential influence of the Sovereign Disposer of events, it would yet ill become me to fail to render my grateful thanks to Major Will-am Mair for the most valuable but unobtrusive services he has rendered in bringing about this happy change in our circumstances. And I greatly fail in my estimate of my fellow-coloniats if they do not generously appreciate Major Mairs services. Nor do I doubt that every true colonist will rejoice if Her Gracious Majesty should ba advised to confer upon Major Mair some signal mark of her approval of Ins most successful efforts to establish peace in this her colony of New Zealand."

The bill for the extension of the franchise to women, introduced by Dr Wallia, provides that every woman of the age of twenty-one years or upwards, having of her own right, and to her separate use, a freehold estate m possession, situate within any electoral district, of the value of £23, whether subject to incumbiances or not, and of or to which she has been seized for at least six calendar months next before the registration of her vote, is entitled to be roistered as an elector, and to vote at an election of members for such district for the House of Representatives. But no woman shall be entitled to be registered as an elector, or to vote at any such election, in respect of any other qualification. But no woman, although legistered as an elector under this Act, shall be qualified to be elected a member of the House of Representatives for any electoral district.

Steps are being taken for the establishment in London of a Theatrical Institution based upon the principal* of the Comedie Francaise. The scheme, according to one authority, is so far advanced that of a required sum of £20,000 no less than £14,000 has already been raised. The intention is to build a theatre, if possible, in the neighbourhood of the Strand, and form a commonwealth, in the profits of which the actors and actresses shall participate. The guiding light of the enterprise is Mr E. W. Godwin, F.S.A. One of the features of the new theatre is to be tho introduction of the American system of a moveable stage ; only in this instance there will be three stages instead of two.

The people of Seville have latelyhad the opportunity of witnessing a somewhat extraordinary spectacle. An Englishman staying at Seville, son of a London banker, after looking on at a bull fight, was roused to enthusiasm by the skill and courage of the gordtio, and obtained from him a number of lessons. Quite lately he took his place in the arena, and is said to have amazed the spectors by his skill in handling the cloak and throwing the banderilias, and above all by the coolness with which he faced one of the most savage of the bulls and killed it by a skilful stroke with the stabbing sword.

calf- in lorcingvKis Vay^through a hedge a6dafe^r,j«Mßlate'r trae'of his toes had, to bo amputated." By his first wife he had eighteen ohildiea in fifteen years ; when she died, ha married again at the age of 73^- and- a/jraiir "jbegnt a numerous progeny. What| mirprise'f us is'thafc all this ahould be known to the Oaulois, and that it should have escaped the notice of the inhabitants of the country where this battered and shattered Nmirod. lived, hunted, and died. '•

We would call the attention of farmers and gardeners to Messrs S.indes and Co.'s advertisement of prcsei\ed grain, for the destruction of small birds. Two notifications in bankruptcy appear in our advertising columns. Mr J. S. Bucklanrl will sell a valuable lot of horses at the National Hotel, Cambridge, on the r3th inst. Mr H. Mofflin requests that all accounts dvi» and against him bo sent in and settled. Mr J. S. Buckland will hold his next sale of cattle, etc., at Ohaupo, on Tuesday, the 9th inst. The quarterly meeting of the Licensing Com t for the districts of Raglan and Kawhia will be held at the Court House, Raglan, on Tuesday, the 6th ot September next. The quarterly meeting: of the Licensing Court for the districts of Hamilton and Kinkinroa will be held at the Court House, Hamilton, on Tuesday, the 6th September next, and that for the districts of Newcastle, Ranginri, and Whang.ipc on the same day at the Court House, Ngaruawahia. We beg to draw attention to an important announcement by Mr J. Moses in our advertising columns. Mr John Knox will hold an important sale of furniture, etc., at the residence ot Mr H .Mofflin , who is leaving Hamilton, on baturday, August 6th, at noon. The new pure cash system now being initiated^ by G. and C. will certainly prove a benefit to the public. It has been a groat success in Sydney and Melbourne, and when stnefly c.thicd 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 drapei) millinary, and clothing at such prices ior cash is gi\cs the buyer the advantages ot a shareholder of a co-opoi.itn c society, without the 1 lsk ol being called upon to bear a portion of the loss should the year's business pro\c unsatisfactory Gailick and Cranwell will aim to retain the confidence which the public have hitherto shown them, and ai c determined to give the pure cash system a fair trial; whether the) gain or lose the first jear. Country buvei-. nn remitting cash with order will be supplied with goods at co-operati\e prices , just the same as though they made a personal selection. Furnishing goods, such as carpets, floor cloths, bedsteads, bed '.Suip .mil gener.-u house turn'turo, the largest portion of which is turned out at our own factory, will be maiked at the lowest remunerative prices, and a discount of five per cent, will be allowed to those who pay at the time of purchase. G. &C. h.i\ing realised the entire value of their stock during their laic cash sale, the present stock is m w a\d chi.,\ply hough 1. An inspection is invited. — Gaiuigk avd Ckanwi 1 1 , City Ht.ll Furnishing Arcade Oueenstrret. Auckland