SATURDAY, SEPT. 3, 1881.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1431, 3 September 1881, Page 2

SATURDAY, SEPT. 3, 1881.

In another column we publish a letter on the subject of sugar beet culture from the pen of a practical and successful farmer in the Te Awaniutu district. The subject is one of paramount importance to us in Waikato, and for the reasons, stated by our contributor it were well wore the attention of the agricultural community directed to it. We are apt to forget that as the surrounding country is brought under cultivation the production of beef and mutton is increasing, and almost doubling yearly, and that in consequence the price of these articles of consumption is jusi' as steadily on the decline. The supply, indeed, threatens at no very far-off date to exceed the demand, and when this comes about small farmers cannot hope to make a reasonable profit by stock-raising. We do not deny, and our correspondent has been careful to recognise this, that comfort may be taken from the success which has attended the attempt to transport fresh meat from the colonies to the thieklypcopled countries at the other side of the globe; but making all due allowance for this, it must be acknowledged that some better, more efficient, and more profitable method of feeding our stock must be had recourse to if anything like a living is to be made out of the product. Even were the high prices which were commanded eight or ten years ago obtainable now, our lands will not yield the same luxuriant growth of clover. We must then of necessity look to root crops. We are aware that for several years the attention of farmers has been turned in this direction, and that year by year turnip cultui'e is becoming .more and more a recognised factor in the raising of stock. It has been found that our Waikaro lands are peculiarly well adapted for the growth of Foots of all kinds, and it is this very fact, which, while it inspires meat producers with comfort, has given a new direction to the thoughts of those who have been seeking fresh outlets for our industry, which shall be at once suitlable to the climate and profitable. Hence the scheme of establishing a sugar producing industry , in our midst. ' The experiments which have been made with a view to test the suability of this district r for the procfacjao'n of sugar beet have been., successful .beyond '.even the sanguine expectations •• of 'Mr Graham. It has been found that ; we cap. grow roots, containing something like 15 per cent, of sugar,

Vwhile 10 ojj|F2 per cent, would pay, ahd^tjxa$ ;< not only can this quality be obtained, but that with ordinary care and skill a large yield per acre may witlj certainty be looked for. SSo ;%2alf is well. /W JCgrfyving the Crops Vould-'-seeWe^'k) ul tho production of.acom,niodity,.so much, in request in New Zealand as sugar, We. f h,ave" ; 'li'trtle I doubt 'thatj {$&] scheme would' have been embraced long ago. "Biib there is a "difHculFy", and a very scriouß*one % in the> way, The necessary mill with 1 machinery is estimated to cost -something like £30,000. and it is not possible that the farmers within the prescribed radius (of, say, three milt\s)will bej inclined to sul^cribe foii^fif ths (which is the amount required) of such sum. farmers, as a. rule have plenty of use for the capital at their command withoutgoingoutside their own' fences, and it is hopeless to expect tliem to engage in such an undertaking. And yet we find that no one doubts the ultimate success of the industry, if only it can be established. It cannot, be possible that capitalists would fight shy of it because the farmers are indisposed (unable, in most instances) to embark in it? We, do not find .such to be the case with woollen factories and flour mills, and there is no difference whatever between the one and the other. We have hopes — nay, we do not doubt — that before long the establishment of sugar manufac-, tories will be taken up warmly by the possessors of capital, and an industry firmly established which shall prove a source of profit as well to those who invest their money in it as those who devote their physical energies to its prosecution.

t A racy sketch of the parliamentary stonewallers, from our Wellington Cor- ■ respondent, valuable articles on poultry, sheep, and other matter of interest to countiy rialers will be found on the fourth page of this issue. The tplls collected at the Hamil- - ton bridge for the month of August amount to £66 Is 7d. The erection of the Hamilton West Publics and Volunteer Hall will be ' commenced without delay. A quantity ■ of timber was placed on the site ■ yesterday and a further instalment will ' anive to-day. ■ Owing to the smallness of the attendance, many members being un- ' avoidably absent, the usual weekly meet'- ' ing of the Hamilton Debating Club on Thursday was adjourned till next Timrs- ' day. Yesterday Mr T. G. Sandes laid off 1 the site. A correspondent writes:— Will - you please warn travellers that the cutting- near Stokes' is being filtered away on the farther side from Hamilton and those persons with conveyances stand . a chance of being 1 precipitated into the creek. At the annual meeting of the i members of the Hamilton Lawn Tennis I Club held on Thursday, Mr R. F. Sandes was elected Secretary, vice Mr Laishley resigned in conbequezice of his departure from the district. The other business was of a routine nature. At about 11 o'clock last night there was an alarm of fire in Hamilton East, but on enquiries being made it was dif,coveied that some thoughtless person had set file to a furze hedge near the residence of Sir Lees. Arrangements had been made by the juvenile footballers of Hamilton to play a mutch against Cambridge to-day, on Sydney Squat c, but at the last moment it was found that the Cambiidge boys could not get a team together, and the match has in consequence fallen through. The Hamilton (and Piako) correspondent of the Hextlrl, with Ins usual legard for veracity, states in yesterday's issue his belief that Mr Goulds estate at Waitoa has changed hands. Wei have Mr Goulds authority for elating that he knows nothing 1 about it. The effects of spring are nowhere more plainly discernible than in the fine district of Pukerimu. The grass lands are looking remarkably well for the time of the year, and the grain crops ar6 fresh and gieen. The stock of all kinds appear to be in a thriving condition, and altogether therp are many signs of increasing material prosperity, which in these dull times are very cheering. His Lordship the Bishop of Auckland and the Yen. Archdeacon Piitt were passengers to Auckland by yesterday morning's train. The " Rev. B. T. Dudley remains iv Cambridge, and will preach at S. Andrew's new Church tomorrow morning. The Rev. "William Calder will preach in the same Church in the evening. Lieut. Herman gave the last of his admirable ventrioquial entertainments in Hamilton in Le Quesiie's Hall on Thursday evening. There was a larger audience than on previous occasions, and the performance gave much genuine delight. A number of valuable prices were given away. Lasb night Lieut. Herman performed at Te Awamutu, and to-night he will appear in the Public Hall, Alexandra. Some of the useless curs which infest the neighbourhood of Hamilton have been makinsr depredations among the sheep belonging to Mr John Runciman and Capt. Steele. Yesterday two of these pests destroyed a couple of valuable ewea belonging to the former, and afterwards crossed over into Capt. Steele's paddock", where, fortunately, tney' were observed bv Mr Henry Steele, who followed them with a gun, and succeeded in putting a period to the lives of both. It is a pity that thp Dog Registration Act is not more stringently enforced. • We have received from the publisher.*, Messrs. Gardner and Stiodart, advertising 1 and commisßiom agents,' Auckland, a copy of a very useful little book, entitled ''The Auokland , Penny Timetable " for September. ' Besides containing the time-tables' for the railway, coaches, ferry boats, and all the steamers to and from Auckland, the book affords a considerable amount of" information of other kinds. It would be a 1 usefel adjunofc to the offices of bfcainess men, 1 and is particularly valuabla as a guide to visitors. ' ! '' The Karapiro Bridge is rapidly falling into ' a ntate of ' disrepair. The handrail on the sidenearest the.river has broken. N away in places, and „ altogether" the structure wears anything bat an air •of security. Whether, 'the local bodies will succeed in getting aid from Government xr -problematical, arid it is' wolf possible to undertake , all that, is necessary [ with the funds previded by, the> County, s , Butiw.ouldit nc,t be advisable ,tp, spend aj , few Pgunda jn the meantime, just to^ put- j the" bridge in a safer state than it is at, • .present?-! ,m - •' » • i <*'> 1$ ?, i At 1 the meeting' of Trustees- of * tthe 'Hamilton -Wesley an '■ChSuroh, held on Monday evening it was decided to have

the^wiftifig oHi« <' aJ?;ohtirulr is laid. As the* Wesleyans of Hamilton lu\ c helped other churches on such occasions, we have no doubt they in their tut n will i ceive kindness. The ■Wnflm «nff!ew Wch Mow <%d" fo?{!* anf\nff"J rt|onj|£s |j,m.,ej Jh&s,||iye ctTeTnony^ivnd' concert should take place. - - - -- - — — Mr J. 0, .G-rierson, captain of the ' Alexaildr-i* Football , 1 <k>f< Af rites; ?f^ii^ Your O\vh Correspondent, Te Awamtmi, -hns-mfide a mistake I~see, in "yesterday's ' issue ; he says OhaiiDp wou the football fnat^h^ played ,'hfeite last Saturday. t)n the contrary Alexandra won easily. _ We , had our adversaries penued -in theip»-25 yards the gi eater part of the time, forcing them to touch down in telf-defence many times, and eventually won by two tries, viz., 4 points. Morgan got one try for Alexandra and myself two tries, one of which was disputed"on the ground that I had not touched it down dead. Tl^ere being no umpire to decide the matter, I gave ,up the point. . Obaupp scored pne 'disputed try, ' disputed on account qf a cry of foul play, ,wh^ch all bur back players from attempting to stop^G. McFarlane, who had.^ropi his own goal to 'ours, a free course ' ill consequence. Understanding that you are anxious 1 to hear correct versions of 3itch reports., I take the. earliest opportunity , forwarding'y o " jpaWiculara, ' V .) V ,V s, j ' At the meeting of the Auckland Crown Lands Board on Thursday, the followmg' l biisines's' I re'lktlnp; to 'this district wa^i" transacted ;— Twenty-three settlers at Te"Aroha ; >wrpte, asking for a reserve for a recreation 'ground- and a cemetery. The proportions were "not defined, and it appeared that a portion of the reserve was intended for a racecourse. — It was agreed to allow five act;es for a cemetery, and the balance of the land applied for for recreation pu uposes. — Fourteen settlers at Ranginri petitioned for a metal reserve m the district. — Granted. — Mr Fitzpatrick, the Chairman of the Ngaruawahia Town Board, applied that when certain allotments were offered for sale a clause be inserted that the Board be allowed to lemove certain embankments without being liable for compensation. — The Chairman said the allotments • in question were not yet advertised for'sale. He had telegraphed to Mr Fitzpatrick asking whether the embankment could be cut away in six weeks, but had received no reply. The poor almond-eyed celestials ore genorally looked upon as a olasn ot humanity whose existence is merely tolerated, and who belong to a ditierent creation — and not the noble heroio individutil he is in his own estimation — but it is an indisputable fact that Jobn is endowed with human feelings, and develops an, extensive connubial propensity like the majority of his more preposses->-ing' " Eulopeal " neighbours. A few days ago a Chinaman fell in love with an eidely spinster at Auckland, who when at home lives at Cambridge. John made his nightly visits to the garden gate, aud in course of time popped the question. Having been duly accepted, he proceeded to make arrangements for the fatal day, but was horrified to learn that no parson had the courage to perform the ceremony. In disgust, the intended bride, cleared out to Cambridge. John, however, was not to be done ; he discovered' her ' whereabouts, scented her out. and with an air of triumph bore his loving p'ize back to Auckland, where it is hoped better fortune has overtaken both parties.