The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1487, 14 January 1882, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Equal and exact justice to all men, Ot whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. Here shall the Press the People's right maintain, Ijn.iwed by influence and unbribed by gain.

SATURDAY, JAN. U h 1882.

A variety of arguments could be adduced in approval of the action projected by Cambridge in the matter of the " Town Districts Act 1881." The place itself has palpably outgrown the modest provisions enacted under the old Town Board system, and no one who recalls the progress of events within the last twelve or eighteen months can doubt but that its inherent powers for continued progress and improvement are of the most elastic order. Situated as it is, the urban centre of a large tract of pastoral and agricultural country, owned in many instances by wealthy firms and corporations desirous of promoting colonisation on advantageous terms, combined with the near prospect there is of communication by rail to connect it with the chief traffic systems of the colony, all point to the conclusion that the progress made in the past is little more than a forecast of what may be achieved in the future. These are all cogent reasons why incorporated powers, of a more extended character, should be secured,;' still they do not constitute themos.t' powerful incentive which ought to weigh in deliberating thereupon. On more than one occasion of late, it has been shown the provisions 1

made, in virtue of the powers of administration as they now exist, are perfectly inadequate to meet all the emergencies of the case. Only a few days ago, tho town \yas thrown into consternation by the outbreak of ' fire — that being simply a recurrence of similar alarms which have, of late, been of rather frequent occurrence. An effort, it is true, was made to provide against the danger by which the place is thus menaced. We need hardly say we allude to the proposals put forward, six or eight months since, for adopting the scheme propounded by the Navigation Company. That effort proved wholly ineffectual, and, whatever other causes may have been at work to burk the proposal, we are bound to assume the absence of incorporated powers, such as those provided for by the Town Districts Act, was primarily responsible for that result. On thafc ground alone, we oontend, the effort being made to bring the Act into operation, merits earnest consideration at the hands of all concerned. In the matter of providing a water supply, the Town Districts Act adopts part 11 of the Municipal Corporations Act, which inter alia provides that " For the purpose of constructing waterworks the council may borrow moneys by way of special loan in manner provided by the Act." To that end ample powers are given for taking land and streams, imposing water rates, and, in short, doing all that is requisite and necessary for carrying out an efficient water supply scheme. Furthermore, powers are given for fire prevention, and what in effect will meet the purposes of a project at present under consideration in Cambridge — the construction of gasworks and mamtenance of the same. With these facts before them we should imagine the residents of Cambridge will be strongly disposed to approach the question with earnestness, and that, profiting by past experience, they will not allow themselves to be overweighted by Uio winnings of a few, practically speaking, outside malcontents.

The present being the festive season of the year, which we take to include amongst other social and domestic intercourse, sporting and its pursuits, it may not be out of place to enumerate a few items of recent legislation of a prohibitory character thereanent. What is known to the " fraternity" as consolations" and " sweeps" are dealt with by the following clauses of the " Gaming and Lotteries Act" of la&t session. They are provided for as follows :—": — " No person, under any pretence, form, denomination, or description whatsoever, or by means of any device or contrivance whatsoever, shall sell or dispose of, or agree or promise, whether with or without consideration, to sell or dispose of any real or personal property whatsoever, to or among any persons whomsoever, by means of any game of chance, or of any other contrivance or device whatsoever, whereby any such real or personal property shall be sold or disposed of, or divided or allotted to or among any person or persons, by lottery or by chance, whether by the throwing or casting of any dice, or the drawing of any tickets, cards, lots, numbers or figures, or by means of any wheel, or otherwise howsoever. Any per&on who shall establish, commence, or be a partner in any lottery, in any scheme by which prizes, whether of money or any other matter or thing, are gained, drawn for, thrown or competed for, by lot, dice, or any other mode of chance, | or who shall sell or dispose of any tickets or other means by which permission or authority is gained or given to any person to throw for, compete or have any interest in any such lottery or scheme, and any person who shall manage or conduct, or assist in managing or conducting, any such lottery or scheme, shall for every such offence forfeit and pay a sum not exceeding two hundred pounds, and for any such offence, beside such penalty, shall be liable to imprisonment for any term not exceeding six months. Every transaction wherein any money or valuable thing is received as or for the consideration for any assurance, undertaking, promise, or agreement, expressed or implied to pay or give hereafter to or among any person or persons, by lottery or chance whether by the throwing or casting of any dice, or the drawing of any tickets, cards, lots, numbers, or figures, or by means of any wheel or otherwise howsoever, any money or valuable thing on any event or contingency of or relating to any horse race, or other race, fight, game, sport, or exercise, or as or for the consideratian for securing the paying or given by some other person of any money or valuable thing on any such event or contingency as aforesaid, and every scheme of the nature commonly known as a sweepstake shall be deemed to be a lottery within the meaning of this Act, and the provisions of this Act shall apply in respect thereto accordingly."

Forty-six horses have been entered for the Sydney Cup, to be run for in Easter week.

Most of the Auckland horses en* gaged in the Cambridge races went.home by train yesterday. The majority of the visitors also departed by the same train.

We are requested to make the' following additions to the names of the ladies who presided at tables at the soiree' on Wednesday :—Mesdames Home. and Salmon, and Miss Trewheellar.

We are ; plpased-to be able to state that under' the skilful c&re' of Dri Waddington, * Williams, the "rider of Sportsman, who met with feucU'ft Rwiws

In last issue we publised a list of subscriptions to the Raglan regatta sports, forwarded from this place. Jno. King, 21s, was a misprint for Mr John Knox, Mayor of Hamilton.

The children of Trinity Wesleyan Sunday School had their- annual gathering on Thursday, The afternoon was spent in games of various kinds. Prizes were to be had for the winning ones, and a, good tea was served by the teachers and a few friends to all the youngsters, who did ample justice to this part of the" work. The gathering took place in Mr Martin's paddock, which was kindly lent,

The question of the advisableness or otherwise of continuing to hold the Cambridge summer meeting so early in the year, was pretty freely debated on the days of the races, and will no doubt be fully considered by the club, before another season comes round. On the I one hand, it is urged that by holding the i meeting in the middle of harvest, as it were, seriously affects the attendance, and to a certain extent, inasmuch, as many meu employed in harvest work will attend, prejudicially affects the fanners, while on the other, it is argued that by no other arrangement could such good racing be provided, as by securing the horses engaged in the Auckland races a few days previously. The club is clearly between two stools, and we are not going to indicate which of the two it should rely on for support. Both good racing and a good attendance of the public is necessary to the thorough success of these meetings, and we cannot but hope that some compromise may be hit upon which, while it will not affect the former, will secure the latter.

Dealing with the Alienation of Lands Bill to which special allusions were made in last issue the Wangamti Herald writes ; — "The Bill is a step in the right direction and in the absence of anything better it ought to have passed. Another measure entitled Real Property Limitation was also shelved. The Bill limited the right to x'ecover land or rent within twelve years after the right of action had accrued, and doubtless would thus greatly restrict litigation in the future. It is interesting to mark the signs of the times. What the last Parliament was afraid to touch, the next and future Parliaments will boldly grapple with and accomplish. Reforms under the watchful eyes of the people, directed by and receiving their impetus from a growing intelligence, march rapidly and find their place on the statute book. The doubts of to-day will be the firm convictions of the morrow, and soon after the law of the land. The last Parliament may not have accomplished much, but we venture to think that what in many instances may have appeared idle discussion has prepared the way for reforms in future Parliaments which at present may be thought either impossible or impracticable."

A numerous and fashionable audience assembled in the Volunteer Hall on Thursday night, on the occasion of the concert given by Mr Gordon Gooch, Madame Murielle, and company. We regret that the space at our disposal will not allow of our giving anything like a full notice of the concert, which was one of the best Waikato people have had an opportunity of hearing tor along time. The singing of the two principals, who are artistes of acknowledged reputation, was worthy of all commendation. In the descriptive song "Man the Lifeboat/ Mr Gooch displayed his magnificent baas to great advantage, and secvired an unanimous encore, to which he responded with "The Midshipmite. " In the second part, lie gave a powerful rendering of the ballad "The Heart Bowed Down "' (Bohemian Girl). Madame Murielle delighted the audience by her singing of "Should he Upbraid," and, in the second part, the eavatina "Sing, Sweet Bird," both of which were rapturously redemanded. Miss Sykes "Beautiful Roses" and "Waiting," and Miss Tapper's "Eileen Allannah," were also charmingly rendered, and gave genuine delight. Mr Campbells tenor songs, "The Anchor 's Weighed,' and others, were well rendered, and also received their meed of applause. The part singing, more especially "The Huntsman's Chorus " and " Hush Thee, my Baby," were extremely good, the vocalisation being almost perfect. Mr Slater played the overtures and accompaniments with care and correctness, and deserves much credit. At the close of the concert, Mr Gooch, in thanking the I audience, took occasion to compliment the people of Hamilton in possessing such a fine hall. He had, he said, travelled professionally all over the Australasian colonies, and could speak with some degree of authority when he said the acoustic properties of the Volunteer Hall were exceptionally good. He also said he would probably visit the district again during the midwinter holidays, an announcement which was greeted with applause.