Waikato Times. THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1452, 22 October 1881, Page 2

Waikato Tim es. 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 Unaivcd by influence and unbribed by gain.

SATURDAY, OCT. 22, 1881.

The acceptance by Mr Bryce of the portfolio of Native and Defence Minister will, we think, be hailed with satisfaction by the country at large. His predecessor, Mr 80l-

leston, certainly possessed most of the qualities which are essential to a successful ad ministration in a crisis such ns at present exists upon (he West Co.ist of the v " or th Island, but the initiation of the policy which is now about to be forced to its legitimate issue was due to Mr Brycu, and the great amount of thought which he bestowed upon it during his previous term of office will bear fruit now which will prove; invaluable to the country. It will, of course, be fresh in the memory of our readers that Mr Bryce strongly advocated a march to Parihaka, and the breaking up of Te W urn's party and power in that locality. His colleagues, or the majority of them, did not agree with this view of matters, and the consequence was the resignation of the Native Minister. A t that time nearly 400 native prisonei's were acting as hostages to the public safety in the various gaols of the South Island, and the fighting power of the great Maori Prophet was paralysed. Yet the voice of the country generally was in favour of still greater moderation and leniency, and an opportunity, we fear, was lost which will yet cost the people of New Zealand a great deal of money and anxiety. We ourselves, at the time, strongly opposed Mr Bryce's proposed forward movement, but we fr.mkly admit that we, wore mistaken. The thing should have, been taken in hand then, and wo feel a satisfaction now in knowing that the man whose brain, conceived the project, and whose heart was big enough to dare to carry it out, is the man who will now have the opportunity of giving effect to it. Firmness with moderation, courage without bombast, sternness tempered by humanity — these are the characteristics of Jonx Bryce, to whose lot it has fallen as it does to few men in this world, to find himself recalled within the space of a few months to triumphantly vindicate the course of action ho advocated when it was condemned by the voice of the many. But there is yet another reason why we are glad that Mr Bryce is again installed in the office of Native and Defence Minister, and it is this : Lowering on the political horizon, we discern a dark constitutional cloud, as yet no bigger than a man's hand. We perceive the possibility of a conflict between Sir ArtiiurGordon and his responsible advisers — the possibility of the proclivities of an individual being brought into antagonism with the direct wishes and interests of Her Majesty's subjects in New Zealand. In such a contest, if such should unfortunately arise, the strength of will, the firmness, the moderation of John Bryok would be invaluable. We cannot co.sent to abandon our rights of self-reliance and self-defence, yet we must wish to conserve them with such courteous and respectful bearing towards the representative of our Queen, and through him towards our great English national parent, as will prevent any serious estrangement between us. The hour has found the man, and in our opinion whatever the result of this unhappy business may be, the honor, the dignity, and the humanity of the nation will be faithfully upheld by him.

Mr P. A. Whitaker will address the Hamilton portion of the Wai pa electors at the Courthouse, at 7.30 o'clock this evening.

At the R.M. Court Cambridge, yesterday, before Mr Northcroft, R.M., Mr Isaacs, storekeeper, of Cambridge, was fined £5 with costs, for having permitted liquor to be sold at his store at Oxford in small quantities to natives.

The civil action, J. A. Douglas v. the Cambridge Highway Board, will come on for hearing at the R.M. Court, Cambridge, this day.

We are given to understand that the negotiations between Messrs Maclean, Fergusson, Walker, Grice and others, and Tawhino, ha\'o resulted mo^t satisfactorily, and that the lands in dispute have now been firmly settled on those having the best claim upon them.

We are glad to learn that the important industry established in the district by Messrs Oirpeuter and Byron will not be allowed to fro into Aucklind Land*), but that some Waikato man will carry on the fellmongery.

The ladies and gentlemen who have kiudly promised to help afc the Wesley-tin concert, will hold the first meeting for practice on Monday, at 7- 30. in the Court House. It is hoped that a good start will be made.

A concert will foe given at TeAwamutu on Wednesday, October 26th, in aid of the family of tho lute Mr McKeon, who wis killed^ on fcho Kihikihi road. The excellence of the object, not to speak of the merit of the concert itself, which promises to be considerable, should secure a large bouse.

"Sport" sends us the following statistics in regard to Abbotts sweep :—: — ''Number of prizes in each thousand: First thousand, 27 prizes ; second, 25 ; third, 24 ; fourth, 23 ; fifth, 25 ; sixth, 23 ; seventh, 18 ; eighth, 23 ; ninth, 34 ; tenth, 28. With the exception of the seventh and ninth, it is noteworthy how close the figures run for the other

eight." The dwelling house on the farm of Mr John Ridlcr, near Hamilton, presently in the occupation of Mr Vincent, the lessee, was burned to the ground at about 2 p.m. on Thursday under somewhat curious circumstances. It appears that a fire, smouldering in a gully behind the steading, was fanned by the wind which sprung up after midday and blazing up communicated itself to a fowlhouse whence it was blown on to the roof of the house. Despite every effort put forth very little was 6aved, the house being consumed in a very short time. The building was insured for £100, and {the furniture for a like sum, both in the Colonial office.

The go-ahead Yankee, having whipped therehtof creation, is oow, tttra- 7 ing bis attention to Nature herself. We learn that in Now York they are Manufacturing artificial honeycombs, composed . of paraffin wax, the cells b)ing filled up' with glucose; a hot platois passed o?ev the top* whioh effectually «al» up tke

upeii ires of tho cell, aud the whole product i-* then Hold as the " be;-t clover honey.'" This i>, no duubt, magnificent, but it is ct-rtainlv not honey tomb U fuiit. —Fun.