CORRESPONDENCE. HAMILTON PUBLIC AND VOLUNTEER HALL.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1491, 24 January 1882, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE. HAMILTON PUBLIC AND VOLUNTEER HALL.

TO THK KDITOR. Sib, — Owing to representations that have been made with reference to the above Hall the public were led to believe that it was erected for merely public purposes and was to be used free. I will ask the people of Hamilton if it is fair for the Government of a country to vote money for the purpose of damaging private enterprise. The Hamilton Public and Volunteer Hall has been placed in competition with other buildings which were built by private individuals, thereby 'encleavouring to take money out of the pockets ot private citizens who were large-hearted enough to invest their money in halls when the Government of the country would not advance a penny towards such an object. The three entertainments held in Hamilton since the Public Hall has been built have been held in it, for which a charge of 25s has been made each time. I would ask you how these funds are expended ? Are they ' ' Pro Bono Publieo, " or do they find their way into a private pocket ? Another thing I would bring before you, the gentlemen who have charge of the building, not satisfied witli soliciting strangers to use the Hall must run the Presbyterians out of their own church to hold their Soiree in the Hall to give eclat to a certain individual who resides not a hundred miles from it. Pity he could not bring the church beside the shop. — Yours &c, Citizen.

Messrs H. E. Cotton and Co. will sell the privileges at the forthcoming cricket match, England v. Waikfito, at their rooms, Cambridge, on Saturday next, at noon. A company has been formed in West Australia for the purpose of stocking a magnificent piece of country, 810,000 acres in extent, on the banks of the Fitzroy. Prom Darlington, N.S.W., we hear that the grasshoppers have put in an appearance, and have done an incredible amount of damage in a short time. " Scriptor," a writer in a late number of the Echo, says :—lt: — It was with a painful interest I read the obituary notice of the late respected Judge Chapman in the Otago Daily Times. It is plain from internal evidence that it had been written more than a year ago. When it was written Sir William Martin was alive, but the first Chief Justice of New Zealand pre-deceased hia former colleague, Judge Chapman. There are records of newspapers keeping obituary notices written, in case of emergency. One is apt to put it down to Press exaggeration. But clearly here is the case of an obituary notice written a long time before the deceased's death. I hear it was written by one, alas ! who departed, and who never | imagined that he, young and strong, would be removed before the old Judge. But so it was. He went first to the unknown country, and the Judge followed I him. Strange that -the writer of the obituary notice should have pre-deceased the person whose death.he 'was commenting on. This is, I believe, almost unparaJMed. in jourwU^in, ; !