WHATAWRATA.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1454, 27 October 1881, Page 3

WHATAWRATA.

Tfie nativesthatwere here are nowquieted down, and have diaperaed to their different homes to cool down the excitement caused by the money paid them by Mr Hmdle for some laud purchased by him from them. I always notice that a few of the younger natives are the cause of disturbances that take place at meetings of this or any other sort, and put the others up to mischief which they generally try to avoid themselves. An example should be made of these maori larrikins. I was very glad to see constable Wild quietly walking amongst some of the gentlemen, who subsided into their boots if they had any on. He was evidently liked and respected by them. The concert and ball last Friday night, for the benefit of Mrs McKeon, was not veiy well attended, owing to the very wet and stormy night. It is to be hoped on any other occasion of this kind the Whatawhata people will show to the front, and that they are not going to be behind other townships when a good object is in view. Some \ cry good songs were sung by Mr Brown, from Hamilton, who deserves thanks for the hearty manner in which he tried to make a success and agreeable evening. I must not forget Mr Hunter, who also contributed to the amusement of the evening, and who sang some excellent songs. Mr T. Trim and some other gentlemen assisted. The Misa Richards sang a duet " Still I love Thee" m good time and much taste. Some of our best \ocalists were absent through sickness. — (Own correspondent, October 26th.)

Tiie men who reviled Lonl Beaconsfield's Government for bestowing on the Queen the title "Empress of India," which everybody umlei stands, have created her " Suzerain of the Transvaal," which nobody understands. An old Ameiican farmer recommends as a cure for grub in the head of sheop the uso of diy air-slacked lime in fin powder. A quantity of this is put into small box: or dipper and applied to th sheep's no^o, so that poitip of the dnyt is inhaled into tho nostiils. This causes violent snpp/inor and the ejection of tho giubs. The lime may alho be used by scattering it on a barn floor for an inch in depth ,md diiving the .sheep thiough it, by which the du^t is laised and breathed and snrc/,ing pioducod.

Cost o*' Railway DißECTioy.— lt cannot be said, lcinaikt, a London contemporary, that the &y»tcm or the cost of lailway dncclion is satisfactorily arranged. The Viniiitioui in the payments, whether actual or in lcfoience to the ieceipts of the companies to the capital, or the dividends, is too great, and. it is also worthy of note that the mode of the division of the RIOS3 Mini voted for the payment of the directors is very diveihO. Of our jri oat railways, the London and North- Westoin pays £1537, half-yeaily for direction ; the Groat Western pays £3000 ; the Midland, £3500 ; the NoithEustein, £3750 , the Lancashire and York-hire, £2)00 ; the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, £1700; and the Metropolitan, £1800 ; and if it bo leinembeied that tho London and NorthWestern has a revenue of £5,011,000 in the half-year, aud the Mctiouolitau one of £280,133, it will be sern that it cost the gieat company £900 fnv the direction which yields £1,000,000 revenue, whilst tho small company payh over £6000 for direction jielding an equivalent leturn. Comparison is scucely po&siblo, for if the <yro«»s leveuue be taken, ihe time and tiouhlc may not be piopoitionate thereto; if the dividends, t'leio is diiferenco in the amount? received from sources other than tiaffio; and if the capital, the amount is not always a criterion of the difficulty in raising or over-seeing the distribution. But it may be said that not only is the pi csent system unsatisfactory, but that on the whole the sum spent is to some extent wasted, owing to the multiplicity of companies, and it would be well if for this, as well as for more weighty reasons, the number of small companies were reduced further by amalgamation.