TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 1881.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1423, 16 August 1881, Page 2

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 1881.

In a foot note to an article in last issue it was stated that the third reading of the Timaru Harbor Endowment Bill had been carried. Those Auckland members who had pushed forward the measure to help Mr Turxbull, and assisted the bill through Committee on the understanding that it should be killed at the third reading, have been sold, and the great principle which Auckland has fought for through many tedious years has been established last session only to be broken now. At the risk of appearing tedious, we must refer again fco the principle just alluded to. It is this : That the land of the colony is the property of the colony, and cannot in justice be absorbed by localities for their own aggrandizement. It was the breach of this pi'inciple that rendered the famous compact of 1856 so unfair, and constituted it the battle ground between Worth and South through successive Parliaments. Million by million the half of the Land Fund grew less, as the public estate was alienated for local purposes, until at last all that was left- of the territorial revenue was diverted to its proper use, and became consolidated revenue, chargeable with the financial necessities of the colony. It will be remembered that many local bodies in the South of Canterbury had to their credit out of the proceeds of the land as much as £30,000 or £40,000, and this, after their country had been riddled with roads constructed with money obtained from thesame source. It was no wonder they fought hard to maintain a system which kept them rolling in wealth, whilst in struggling out-districts in other parts of the colony money was not obtainable for the first requisites of colonization. It was therefore by the casting vote of the Chairman only that the land fund was finally colonized, after a severe struggle, and now what is about to happen ? Unable to any longer devour the substance of the colony by direct attack, the large and powerful districts of the South have devised another measure of filling their insatiable maw. Unable to swallow the land wholesale, they are going to gulp it down in a series of separate meals, and the first bonne boicche is a nice fat little morsel of fifty thousand acres for the Timaru harbour. The Road Boards of Greraldine, Temuka, and Waimate, by the latest accounts ; had to their credit out of land a little balance of about £60,000, and these are the districts that are to be particularly benefited by the Timaru harbour ! Yet the cry is still " Give, give," and the rest of the colony must be bled to satisfy their almost insatiable rapacity. Then comes the Sales of Reserves Bill, with .the proceeds to be invested for the benefit of localities and endowment for schools and colleges, and expensive professors in high class Educational establishment's, until'the land fund is again absorded for the benefit of localities without even the semblance of the fairness of distribution which prevailed under the old system. Let us consider this question from one other ( pomt of view, in , order io shq.w r the uttter 'iniquity pf (the granting of an endow mentfotf the Tiiiiaru • har 1 -' 1 b'oufrvFifty thousand a'crik of laid' aretb be given', and yet no ini^niber of,the pouse-Htioii oven tlae .gentle-, man in charge of the bill— iisablri to' give an estima;fce,of jwfya^ the land i|* worth.' Tlier.eare no -plans, M&

d, osf>ven a description of •efore the House, It may be- wo_r£h, -^50,000, or it may be wortlx a quarter of a million, yet there it goes, a blind gift from a blind majority, to enrich still further fche.richest'district iifrNewiVZealand, aud thus are the --resources of the colony squandered while millions of acres of land do but require a little expenditure ]bo 'enable- them to support a population which alone can enable us to pay our debts.

The sum of £12,000 has been placed on the Public Works Estimates for expenditure on the Cambridge railway during the current year, out of a total vote proposed of £45,000. The first named sum will, we, understand, be about sufficient to complete the formation, As will be seen by a report in another column, a tender for the erection of a Public and Volunteer Hall in Hamilton has been accepted. Mr yialou has been appointed to superintend the erection of the building, and the work will be commenced with as little delay as possible. Latest advices from Adelaide state that wheat is firm at 08 per bushel. A cable message from Melbourne announces the death of Mr Justice Stephen, at the age of 75. Sunday was a very stormy day all over Waikato. Rain fell in torrents, and much low land has been flooded. Yesterday again the weather was genial, giving strong indications of the approach of spring. A letter similar to the one sent to His Worship the Mayor of Hamilton by King Tawhiao, which we published in our last issue, has been received by Mr Thos. Wells, Chairman of the Cambridge Town Board. The wording of the ' documents is almost identical, As Cambridge is not as yet provided with a water supply and is without fire-extinguishing apparatus, we would recommend those who are in the habit of burning piles of shaymgvS at the back of their premises to desist from doing so in future, so that the stock in trade of their neighbours might not be endangered by such an unwise proceeding. A meeting of S. Peter's Vestry, Hamilton, was held last night for the purpose of taking into consideration a letter from the Chairman of the Public Hall Site Trustees, intimating that a tender for the erection of hall had been accepted. It was resolved that a committee, consisting of the Rev. W. Calder and Messrs Sandes and Gaudin be empowered to consult with the Trustees in reference to details as to management, &c. The distribution of prizes to the children of S, Peter's Sunday School, took place on Sunday last. There were four classes of boys, and five classes of girls. Two prices were awarded to each class, together with two special prizes where children had been nearly equal in merit, making 20 prizes in all. The books were all really good ones, some valuable ones. We have received the first number of a new publication entitled, " The New Zealand Schoolmaster, a monthly Educational Journal and Review." It is published at Napier, and its aim as announced in the initial article is "to benefit this cause of Education." It contains a very large amount of matter interesting 1 to friends of Education, more especially teachers, and should prove a welcome addition to our periodical literature. The wet weather which we have experienced for the last week or so has done a great deal of damage to the roads in various parts of the district, more especially in the Piako. The bridge near Jenkins boundary on the HamiltonPiako road has been seriously damaged, the water having washed away the western approach and loosened the piles. The damage has, however, been promptly repaired by Mr Lovett, for the Board, and no hindrance to the traffic has been experiened. The complimentary concert to Mr Culpan, to be given in LeQuesne's Hall this evening should be well patronised, as much on account of its own merit as a compliment to a gentleman who has for many years been intimately associated with musical matters in Hamilton, and who has done excellent service in that regard. A varied and interesting programme, comprising selections by the best local amateurs, has been prepared, and a very enjoyable evening may be looked forward to. The performers had a very successful rehearsal last night. Not the least pleasing feature of the piogramme will be a series of selections by the Hamilton Band, the members of which have kindly tendered their services. The publication of the following incident may be of some benefit to a number of our readers, especially those who are interested in property in Cambridge. Some time ago Mr Reynolds built the shops now occupied by Messrs Sargent and Ruge, on his allotment in Duke-street, the building line being taken in accordance with the survey of Mr R. E. M. Campbell. About seven years after an official survey of the whole town was made' by Mr \V. A. Graham, which it was said was to be the recognised survey, and to be adopted by all parties in building operations, such as that under notice, in future. A few days ago Mr Clements agreed with Mr Madigan for the building of some premises on his allotment adjoining Mr Reynolds' property. When the contractor went to work at measuring his ground, he found that the ground upon which he was to build was some distance shorter than that which, according to his plans, he was to utilise. On Saturday morning Mr Clements got Mr Hosking to discover how the discrepancy existed, and on that gentlemen running his chain over the ground, it was found that Mr Reynolds' shops were fully four feet on Mr Clements' allotment. Mr Reynolds has expressed 1 his intention to Mr Clements of moving his premises immediately on to the legitimate boundary of his own allotment. The other buildings which will have to be removed are Mr McNeish'a property, Mr Ripley's, Mr Isaac's, and the offices of Messrs Whitaker and Sheehan, all being fully four feet over their boundary. We have seen the plans of a new building about •to be erected 'by Mr Madigan in Duke-street Cambridge, for Mr Clements of Auckland, The building which is to be erected on the >v,acant allotment opposite the Masonic Hotel, will consist of three large shops downstairs with a, roomy parlor or sitting-room attached to each, and three rooms upstairs. The entire buildfng will occupy 54ft. frpntage, by ic 3ofc. deep, having a right-of-way of 9 feet at, the back, 90 4f to provide a back entrance to each establishment. The building will also be provided with' a verandah extending along the entire front, and 'a brick partition will divide eadh' / tenement. It is • intended 4ha6 nothing but the' best material t will be used in the construction, and that each house will be well' finished. It \riljU therefore be seen that it is intended not" only 4 to provide extensive business ao« t comodation, but that Comfortable domestic 1 accomodation has' also received the oon- '

ralelratiojß^ yi-hiohf^i , deserts, "It is ex|if ted tjbfsb'uildiri&'jwill cost considerably cnftr ajffirdnjsattdjotomds. Messrs Margetts aiid Howe, assisted by a few airuteurs, entertained a number of Cambridge residents in the Public Hall on Saturday e^venyig last. Y§s;y7'fe'\% p "Vp&'6ple *were aware that a geffqrm^nco tyas to b^> given that evening, or doubtless it would have been much better patronised, there* being not more than 40 people present. Those who , attended ' seemed ;to enjoy '^heniselvds pretty well. The principle items of the programme , were Mr Kirby's ' Tim Flaherty," the "Mulligan Guards," by Messrs Flynn and Kirby, and the various other songs contributed by the two professional gentlemen. The evening was brought to a close by a boxing tournaby a local amateur, Mr Kirby, and an Auckland amateur, Mr Brown, and this incident was apparently the atti action of the evening. The New Zealand Order of Good Templars is steadily but surely progressing. It is now represented in the .Waikato by a healthy and prosperous lodge at'Te Awamutu, called " The Rose of Te Awamutu, No. «>." It has just commenced its third quarter with a goodly array of officers, whose names are a sufficient guarantee of success. The following is an extract from the secretary's minutes for the first night of this i quarter : — "The Lodge Deputy (Bro. James Rendell) installed the following members into their offices :— Bro. J. W, Bridgman, W.C.T. ; Bro. A. Smith, W.R.H.S; ; Bro. T. S. Potts, W.L.H.S.; Bro. ,W. P. Ford, W.V.T. ; Bio. J. Allen, W.S. } Bro. T. P. Judkins, W.A.S. • Bro. F. Gibson, W.F.S. ; Bro. E. Bridgman, W. 0 .; Bro. W. Massey, W.M. ; Bro. J. Roffey, W.D.M. ; Bro. T. Walker, W.I.G. ; Bro. J. Glass, P.W.C T. The elected W.T. (Bro. H. Bridgman) being absent was not installed. His office was left vacant.—(Communicated.) It is with deep regret that we record the death of Mr Samuel Williams, who passed away on Thursday 30th June, at about two o'clock in the afternoon, at his home in Oakland. He was for many years city editor of the Evening Bulletin, and probably bis death ia in the main due to his unremitting work on that paper. Wo can none of us do better than to die in the harness, with the pen scarcely missed from the hand and with the brain true and devoted to the interests of the paper that calla ns its own. It was the special fidelity of Mr Williams to his paper, his constant striving after the perfections of its every department that made him so useful and so invaluable to the San Francisco Evening Bulletin. He was a native of New York, fift,y-four years of age, and leaves a widow and one eon. Sometimes the compliments that are paid to; men after their death are the worst insults that could becloud their memory. In hu> caße it may be truly said that in the ship of life he was always on deck, ever at the helm, ready to steer, to work, to guide, advise and throw all the energy that a high-minded gentleman could exert for the benefit of hib particular journal, and while his loss will be long and bitterly felt by those who called him friend, we may all revently say of Mr Williams : "In memorta teterna critjttstiis : ab avdiUone malt non time bit." — S. F. Newi Letter. The Hon. Minister of Lands and Native Affairs made a very damaging admission in the House the other night. He is reported to have said that he never read the newspapers. Now, William Rolleston, if you do not read current literature dealing with the facts and figures of the day, what do you read ! Is it possible that you still confine yourself to the original Greek and classics generally ? That you find in Euripides and Sophocles, Ovid and Horace all the literary pabulum that your nature requires ? I can't quite believe it, and to the imputation of sneering at the newspaper Press. It is a way some men have, who don't know any better, to revile the Press. " D — n the papers, sir what's the good of 'em ; lot of d d lies." But then the creneral run of such people cotton to the Press at every opportunity, and shake in their shoes for fear of it. I don't class you in their category W.R., but amongst the many who can entertain an intelligent appreciation of all that is good and bad in newspapers, and have the ability to draw a fair balance between them. As a Minister of the Crown, W.R., you ought to read the papers. If you don't, you are not fit for your position. Pray bear in mind, and keep the fact ever before you, that the newspaper Press is a power that even you, W.R. cannot afford to flout. Don't attempt it, dear boy ; but take all the good you can from the Press and reject the evil. — " Asmodeus," in the y.Z. Mail. The " Shanghai Mercury," of May 24th, in speaking of China's hidden wealth, says: — '"On both banks of the Mm river, in Fokhein province, there are the unmistakable signs of mineral wealth in every direction. On one river alone two gold mines (one alluvial) one coal mine, one copper mine, and three iron mines, have beqn discovered. There is iron enough to build railways round the entire world, with coals close at hand to work them ; ' timber unlimited, for the cutting down ; and sufficient gold, if the ground is one tithe as rich as it appears to be, to pay for all the labor, not taking into consideration the value of all the other minerals which are Known to exist, notably copper ; together with a magnificent water-course which could be used for floating these treasures down to the port. It should be mentioned that this river could be made navigable, for steamers drawing five or six feet of water, ■ for upwards of two hundred miles, with the most ordinary engineering skill. It seems almost incredible that the Chinese Government know, of this great mineral wealth and that they will not allow it to be worked. "One awallow does not make a summer, " and, apparently (gays the N. Z. Timeb) neither does one ultra-radical measure suffice for a Parliamentary season. Sir George Grey's Law Practitioners Bill has been received as a lively joke by some, and by others an serieux. The following draft bill, picked up in the lobby of the House, shews thatpotne member, believing that '•imitation' is' the aincerest form of flattery," is humbly following in Sir George Grey's footsteps, either as a jokist or}moa;t,Btpadfaßt admirer.: — "Aißill ! to amend the Shipping and Seamen's Act,' 1877. (1.) The short title of this Act shall be the Shipping and Seamen's Act; 1877, Amendment ' Act, 1881.' (2.) Notwithstanding anything in*tbe said Act to the contrary, it i shall be lawful for the examiner) appointed thereunder to issue a certificate of competency as master, mate, or engineer of any sea-going vessel, to any person of good fame and reputation, who shall, pass the examination as in Sections 24, 25, and 26 of the said Act provided, and without requiring any certificate of service' or any evidence that such person has ever had any practical experience* an^ng shipping, or that he has ever been to sea." There is no mame attached to 1 -the dooument, and our readers must eurmise for themselres who the posBible parent may be. " 'lAiJnoaeus" writefc in tfte N.Z. Mail:— « One ;#, the' 'happiest bo>\ mU with whioh my" -Bar's were "cV«" regaled, was delivered inythe Hotuethe other day, . by 'that lively yot&K^arfymentarV'colt the member for Wafpa'/'AldebaW it matters not upon 1 was Jtfooebdin'g,

when the member for New 1 Plymouth, who certainly ha* a peculiar dialect, interrupted it with, " Mr Speaker, I ris&;to a pint of or<W,'' suiting the action to the word. Whereupon he of Waipa loudly whispered to his. friend and fellow colt, the mourner for Geraldine, " By Jove, then" Ware in foYmfiu'vaiskciuxß'rd'heui"'." Need it be said that there was general, but NiipprpH-ed, merriment in the immediate vicinity of the oolts, while I mentally resolved to present the wittito, I hope, a grateful, as well as an appreciative public." ' ' The " Bendigo Advertiser" publishes the following' prf.rticnl.ud concerning the finding of an 80 ox. nuggrt at Boor); : —"I have already informed you by telegram of the finding ot a nuggett on Monday by the children of a selector named Peterson, living near Lake Y.indo, about aix miles from the Boort township, on the main Kerang-road.' They hdd been .-.ent out nearly aa' usual by their parents to b.iing in the oows. After finding them they started homewards, and had hot proceeded far when one of the youngsters pspied something bright at the foot of a tree. He st,uted to dig it out, it being lirmli embedded in the gaound, and amongst the loots of the tree. After a while he extracted it, and found it was a lump of gold, with which he hurried home. Mr Peterson took the nugget to the National Bank at the township, and found it weighed 80 oz. How the treasure found its way to where it was found caunot be ascertained, as there is nothing in the exact neighborhood to lead anyone to believe that it is a gold-bearing locality. The soil is black and sticky, the surface being crab-holey and thickly timbered and generally level, the distance from Petersen's selection being about four or five miles west of the Loddon. Had it been found in the mallee little surprise would have been felt, as it is the opinion of many experienced miners who have settled in the district that gold abounds in the malee, requiring only energetic prospecting to discover it in payable quantities. The distance from the nearest diggings (Wedderburn) is nearly thirty miles. Many persons in the neighborhood think the nugget has been planted in the early days, or lost there, but this seems rather impiobable, as the locality is quite out of the track of where gold was likely to be carried, and probably the exaut spat had never been visited by white men until selection set in a few years asro. A few months since a quartz specimen showing gold was ploughed up by a selector at Mysia, about twelve miles from Petersen's, but in country of a similar character. This would lead one to believe that Peterson's nugget was found where nature had left it, and that there may be somewhere in the locality a rich goldfield yet to be opened. Great excitement was created in the Boort township when the find became known, and a crowd sooin assembled at King's Hotel, where the nugget was to be seen."

Mr Wells asks for tenders for ploughing a portion of the town belt, Cambridge. Mr Isaac Coates h,is a fine sample of Tuscan seed wheat, grown in Canterbury, for sale. Mr K. Hill will hold his usual weekly sale of furniture, etc., on Saturday. Parties having goods for sale arc requested to'in.iku then enti ios befoi c Wednesday. Mr K. Hill has on sale seed potatoes, oats, fencing' wire, etc. Mr J. S. Bucklancl will hold his next live stock sale at Ohaupo on Tuesday ne\t, the 23rd August. Mr A. Buckland will sell at the Drury Cattle Fair, to-morrow, 500 head quiet cattle of all kinds. Mr John Anderson, general blacksmith, of Kihikihi, advertises that all orders entrusted to him will be punctually attended to. Messrs W. J. Hunter and Co. will hold their usual horse sale .it Cambridge on Saturday, Scptcmbet 3rd. Messrs W. J. Hunter and Co. will hold their first spring sale at the Okete yards, Raglan, on Tuesday, September 20th, when fully 150 cattle will be yarded. Railway Hotel, Mercer. — I wish to express my sincere thanks to the AVaikato settlers for the kind and spirited way they have patronised my table during the last two years when travelling by rail to and from Auckland , and as the Government has again let their building on the platform, and given a license free to sell spiritous liquors, beer, etc., 60 iect from my door, I trust that all admirers of piivate enterprise who have not hitherto used my table will do so, and tell their friends when they tra\el by rail to step across to the hotel where they will be well served.— J. D. Dillon I.—[Advt.]1 .— [Advt.] 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 draper} millinery, and clothing at such prices for cash as gives the buyer the advantages of a shareholder 111 a co-operative society, without the risk of being called upon to bear aportionofthe 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 lair trial; whether they gain or lose the first year. Country buyers on remitting cash with order will be supplied with goods at co-operative pnres ; Just the same as though they made a personalseection. Furnishing goods, such as carpets, floor cloths, bedsteads, bed 'Suip and general house furniture, the largest portion of which is turned out at our own factory, will be marked at the lowest remunerate c prices, and a discount of five per cent, will be allowed to those who pay at the time of purchase. G. &C. having realised the entire value of their stock duiing their lafe cash sale, rhe present stock is ni.w and uihApr.Y dough l. An inspection is invited.— Garlick and Cranwhli., City Hall Furnishing Arcade Queenstreet, Auckland