The Waikato Times ANT THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1511, 11 March 1882, Page 2

The Waikato Times ANT THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Equal .md exact justice to all men, • Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political More shall the Press the People's right maintain, Unnwcil by influence and unbribed by gain.

SA TURD AY, MARCH II, IBB2.

"Perfect agriculture," the late Alderman Mcciii once wrote, "is the true foundation of all trade and industry ; it is the foundation of the riches of States." There have been in the past many reasons why this dictum, wise as it undoubtedly is, could not find full acceptance in this colony. " Perfect agriculture " we understand to mean a system of cropping and grazing carried out on something like scientific lines, and to adopt such a system with profit a fairly accessible market is a necessity. Herein has lain the great difficulty with which New Zealand farmers have had to contend ; the pi-actice of the agriculturist has been to adopt a sort of hand-to-mouth scheme, varying the chief articles of production as best he might, in accordance with the perplexing fluctuations in the market. Bad as that market has always been, late years have seen it growing worse and worse, until at one time we were almost threatened with its pi'actical extinction, so far as many products of the farm were concerned. We had little anxiety for wheat and some other grain crops, and "wool, because not being, in the ordinary sense of the word, perishable articles, we could always send these over seas ; the clanger which hung over us was in connection with our meat supply and the produce of our dairies. It was something, it is true, to have a ready market for our wheat and wool ', but to expect that we could go on for ever growing wheat is absurd, unless a mixed system of farming could be adopted, and this could only be done with profit to the farmer where a .market was available for the sale of alternative crops, or for that which, in the shape of beef and mutton and butter and , cheese, they produced. Now, the success which has attended the meat-freezing- project opens up a wide field for colonial enterprise, and one which we are glad ,to,seethe people <o£- New/ .Zealand thave not been slow to avail themselvefs of. i At-present this new* enterprise has 'in^its^ practice not extefidedVeyo6'^^li^|t4iO^p^gq,'", but t ;;(3anterbur'yji f /is entering the field: andAucfeland fosure -to .follow^ at no very- distant*^ date; pi >The / rapidijy^xijhi^

this pi'ovince is extending; points unmistakeably to the fact that before long our powers of production will be out of all proportion to those of consumption. Even now the disparity is painfully noticeable, but we may expect its results to be disastrous by and bye, unless we are in a position to avail ourselves of the means modern science has offered us. As compared with our Southern neighbors, we have always been at a disadvantage ; in this way: We have had to carry on our "operations upon a system the converse of that which obtained in Canterbury* and in some other pai'ts of the colony ; we have been obliged to grass our lands and produce meat first, while they have been able at the very outset to devote themselves to wheat growing. Under the new conditions the very evil under which we have been labouring will operate to our advantage. • This portion of the colony possesses the quality of a meat producing country in a high degree, both on account of its adaptability to the growth of clover and grasses, and also because of its partiality for root crops of all descriptions. With a market, therefore, for what we can raise upon grass and roots, the work of preparing the soil for grain will become a profitable speculation. Under favourable conditions we hare proof that wheat can be grown here, now, but, as we have often insisted, I not with a sufficient margin of profit. Waikato is preeminently a pastoral country, and it is in this branch of industry that we ought to take the lead. Uur soil and climate are essentially adapted to the requirements of dairy farming; we have exceptional facilities in the way of transport, and we have at our command one of the finest harbours in the Southern Hemisphere. But these advantages, of themselves, are of little use. Energy, determination, and skill must be brought into play ; and farmers must combine together for their common benefit. Dairying and meat freezing cannot, under any but extraordinary circumstances, be carried on by individual effort, and this will have to be recognised before an export trade con be created. We may refer to the American system of dairy factories in proof of what we here advance. Speaking of these, Mr Brydone, the president of the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Society says :—": — " When butter or cheese has to be sold in quantities, it is of the utmost consequence that the quality should be as even as possible all through, and that !is one strong reason why the Americans have gone into the factory system so extensively. They have also found that the quality is superior, as the best of skill and improved appliances are put into requisition in its manufacture. ... In America the factories are generally co-operative, and of sizes capable of manufacturing the milk of 300 to 1200 cows. One suitable for 500 cows can be erected, with all necessary plant at between £500 and £600, and care is taken to choose a site where there is a good supply of water, and convenient to the majority of its patrons. So perfect is their machinery, that all the operations of making butter or cheese are performed without the articles made being touched by hand." That these factories pay is a matter of notoriety ; that they would also prove profitable here is undeniable. Attempts to manufacture cheese on a somawhat similar model have been made in Waikato in times past ; why they were relinquished it would be well to know. Chiefly, we have no doubt, it was owing to the absence of a proper market, but, partly, it may also have been the result of defects inherent in the system as followed. But these drawbacks are susceptible of being removed, and care and foresight will soon accomplish the task.

The sanitary condition of small towns should receive as much attention and consideration as that of large urban centres. The germs of disease, if not so thickly sown in the one as in the other, may spread their fatal influences in the young settlement no less than in the thickly populated town. As a rule, the, proper precautions are taken in large towns which almost invariably possess an officer whose duty it is to suppress all nuisances* or causes which may tend to propogate disease, None of our country towns, gradually rising in importance arid population, , "boast of an officer ■whose special duty it is to look after the >healthy condition 1 of the place. . It may .perfect truth be argued that towns such, as Hamilton or Cambridge cannot afford to support an officer of the, kind, but ii such, be the case the local police officers should be invested with the necessary powers. The extra work involved would not be very serious, ' as the yery nature ,of their duties leads them almost everywhere. A few days ago our attentiop "was drawii to, a growing, nuisance, complained of, by a resident of Cambridge. His neighbour was ! in the habit of 'emptying slops and filth, under his house, and when he complained of ' the jdangerous nature of the family carelessness, was insolently ch"allengedjto r nght. 4 It is 1 -' df this J stfrfc yre would draw attention. \Th'e police should, m. the v apsense,QjD a proper, sanitary liness-faT 1 © Md ? £perj3oas;

who have reason to complain would then be able to lay their grievances before properly constituted authorities.

It will be seen by a telegram 4 in another column that the decision in the Wangauui election petition case has been given against the petitioners. Mr Watt therefore retains his seat.

At a special meeting of the Cambridge Licensing Bench held in the Court-house on Monday evening last, Major Wilson was unanimously appointed chairman. The first quarterly sitting was fixed to be held early in June.

Mr A. Clements of Auckland, has purchased the Oxford Royal Hotel from Mr B. Montague. Mr Clements is a gentleman of considerable enterprise, and doubtless he will see that, in future, travellers between Cambridge and Rotorua will be suitably accomodated.

We understand that Mr a. F. Sancles, Public Vaccinator, Hamilton, has received a supply of pure calf lymph from the Government Medical Officer at Wellington, Those desirous of having their children vacinated direct from the calf should attend at an early date.

A ball was given by a number of the members of the Armed Constabulary at present stationed at Cambridge, in the Public Hall, on Wednesday night last. There were very few ladies present. The music was provided by Mr J. Stuart.

At the Autumn meeting of the V.R.C. which commenced atFlemington, on Thursday, the Australian Cup, a handicap sweepstake of 20sovs. with 300 added, two miles and a quarter was won by Mr Livingstone's Pollio, with Wellington second, and Sweet William third. Time, 4min. and half-a-second.

A very painful accident happened to a son of Mr F. Gaudin, of the Waikato Hotel, Hamilton, yesterday morning. The young lad was getting over a fence, when by some means he knocked away the supports of a half -tin case of corrugated iron which was placed against the fence. The weight fell on his leg, inflicting a simple fracture. The patient is under the care of Dr Edgelow.

The hon. the Minister for Lands will shortly visit the A roha district, to inquire into matters affecting the settlers who have either boxxght or have taken land on deferred payments in that locality, in regard to drainage, etc. He will be accompanied by Mr McKerrow, Surveyor-General, who will also during his visit to the Waikato inspect the roads through the Government lands on the west bank of the Waikato river in the vicinity of Huntly and Churchill, with a view to opening up that country for settlement. Mr Rolleston, in his capacity of Minister of Mines, will pay a visit to the Aroha goldfield, and will enquire more fully than his colleagues have clone into the wants of that district.

The trustees of the Cambridge Public H all aye at present canvassing for a number of signatures as a guarantee for the cost of the additions and improvements about to be effected to the hall. Twenty signatures are wanted, and of these sixteen have already been obtained. When the full number is obtained work will be proceeded with.

An advertisement in another column indicates that the Government arc about to comply with the Avishes of the residents of Taupiri and the neighbourhood by placing a station-master, who will also be a telegraphist, in charge. The district engineer, Mr Hales, invite& tenders for enlarging the present station buildings, and erecting a residence for the station-master.

The '• Haw era Star" says :— Mr Alexander McDonald, who has been purchasing land on behalf of the Welling-ton-Manawatu Railway Company, paid over to the Moutoa Maoris the other day about £3000. The Foxton storekeepers are not, however, likely to gain much by this accession of wealth to the natives, as the majority of the Manawatu Maoris are clearing out to attend the forthcoming meeting convened by King Tawhiao in the north.

Our notice of Wednesday night's concert at the Volunteer Hall, Hamilton, was necessarily brief. It was, however, purely by inadvertence that no reference was made to what was unanimously set down as one of the gems of the evening — we mean the pianoforte solo " Fantasia on Irish Airs" Dy Miss Lizzie Wallnutt. The high character of this performance is an augury of future excellence. Speaking generally the concert was a thorough success, far above the average quality of such entertainments.

The Hamilton Borough Council ought to take some precaution for the prevention of accidents to foot passengers by putting either a fence or hand-rail along the edge of the footpath at the approach on the west, side of the bridge. As it is at present there is nothing to prevent any one falling over the embankment should they make a false step, and such an accident would be almost certain to be attended with serious results. They should remember that " a stitch in time saves nine."

A correspondent writes:— "Now that co-operation is getting all the rage in the Waikato, it might be desirable for the inhabitants of the different townships to club together and call for tenders for supplying them with provisions. This is suggestecl by the rate at which the Constabulary are getting their supplies done, viz., 7d per diem. They live well as a rule, and I do not suppose this will be any exception to the rule, but that is a much cheaper rate than they can supply themselves individually at, so club together, unity is strength, and the more the merrier."

Latest Auckland market quotations are : — Kauri Gum, is without much alteration. Recipts for March so far, about 50 tons. Fair ordinary, £33 to £34 ; good ordinary, £35 to £36 ; East Coast, £44 to £46. Fax per ton, £18 to £21 ; Tow, do., £7 to £9 j Fungus per per ' lb., 3d ; Manures. — Bon'e'dust, Sydney, £6 to £8, according to quality ; Auckland, £7 to £8 10s ; Peruvian guano, £17 to £18 ; Huon Guano, 1 small lots, £5 to £6, bags included ; Boneflour, £8 to £9 10s.

The 250 men of the Armed Constabulary now quartered at Cambridge, will be marched out to the scene of their future operations on the Rotorua road on Monday^ morning , next, and ,will commence work immediately, The arrangement made by the Government with the 1 natives in reference ,to the' construction of the road is, that the constabulary are to coatruct the road, a chain'wlde through the bush, and that the natives are to clear the ground a chain on either, side of the" road. We -believe the" natives are satisfied with -"the -arrangement. The A.C. hav,e been forbidden to take horses* out' to the camp, and..c6nsequently will have very few opportunities of visiting the town. No doubt' yhen the camp gets settled various amusemente^wUl^bejset on foot to entertain the* men during tbeir spare hours. 1j '■.•'";« ;Umi

A correspondent sigiiin^lii&self VYox Popmi" follows :-sWill vovi Ime space j^t|u^lS^%p6¥^|(|^|by 7

with the erection of a stage with the necessary fittings and scenery." I have not the slightest doubt but that they deemed it advisable, but I can positively state that they took no part in it whatever, either in the erection of stage, scenery, or the performance, neither have they any interest in the stage or scenery, all of which belongs exclusively to the Diamatic Club; and to Mr Cooper is due the credit ' ' if credit there be" who, assisted by a few others has been most indefatigable in his exertions, both in erecting the scenery and in carrying out the programme.

The arrangements for the establishing of a fellmongery company at Ngaruawahia are so far advanced that a meeting of the promoters aud those intested will probably take place during next week. A capital of £5000 in £1 shares is proposed ; of this over £1000 will be taken up in the neighbourhood, and the calls are so arranged that one-half for some time only will be required, and this payable at intervals during 12 months.

It seems strange that sugar, one of the main articles of consumption, should be charged at such a high rate of freight on the railway, namely, 38s per ton. The only explanation the merchants can give is that owing to the risk of damage to the sugar by coming in contact with kerosene, the charge has to be high. If this is the reason for the exorbitant freight, then at the best it is a very poor one. It reminds us of the story of the elderly party, who, finding the fire getting too warm'for him, sent for the bricklayer to have the fire-place moved away. Surely the Government are not so badly off for waggons that they cannot devote one for the freight of oil, so that there would be no danger of its coining in contact with other goods of a perishable nature. This being a matter that concerns not only the storekeepers, bub also the consumers, strong l'epresentations ought to be made to the Department. At the most the freight on sugar ought not to exceed that on flour, which is under 20s per ton. They are botli articles of daily consumption, and very important items in household expenditure.

On the subject of the Hamilton Post-office, a correspondent says: — "I notice an alteration has been made in the arrangements in order to obtain a little more breathing room. Where such an amount of postal business has to be done I think the Government ought to provide suitable accommodation. That the present is not sufficient, is visible to any one, in fact it is a wonder that efficient people can be got to remain in the place. Nearly all the postal business of the Waikato has to pass through this office, owing to its central position. The telegraph business lias also to be conducted in the same small room, and, of couise, telegraphic information must necessarily be under view of the messenger and any other employds, who may have to frequent the post-office. This ought to be sufficient to call the attention of the authorities to the necessity for enlargement, without ever considering the health of their officers, which cannot be looked on as of much consequence by their paternal Government, or it would not think of crowding three human beings into such a small space. Added to this there is not sufficient room for the public. You cannot write a telegram without everyone being able to see its contents, and there is not comfortable room for more than two or three at the utmost, who who may be coming to enquire for letters. This state of affairs calls for attention, and having plenty of ground space available, the cost would not be very great to provide the necessary additions."

Whenever a wreck occurs there is always a great outcry that the vesst Is are run too much to keep to the time tables -for the safety of the passengers. A few days since it appeared in our telegraphic columns that one of the U.S. S. Co's boats with an opera company on board could not, owing to bad weather, arrix c in time at one of the southern ports for the said opera company to open as advertised. A few days after we have wired to us that the U.S.S. Co. has been sued by the opera company for not landing them in time, and £70 damages are awarded*! Is not this offerinar a premium to risk life, when through taking what we may presume were ordinary precautions, the owners of the steamer get mulcted in the heavy penalty of £70. No doubt, had the master of the vessel pushed ahead in order to make up time, and had an accident happened, the same court would be first in its denunciation of the criminal conduct of the officers in charge in sacrificing safety to speed.

The Cambridge Town Board have now formed a considerable number of streets throughout the town. The low condition of the revenue at the disposal of the board, prevents it from undertaking many other works and improvements in the town which it is desirable should be carried out as soon as possible. As soon as the way is clear, these works will, no doubt, be undertaken also. It cannot be said, however, chat the money already spent on the formation of roads has been disbursed judiciously, inasmuch as the streets which should have been attended to first have been permitted to stand over, whilst those which are seldom or ever used have been formed. The property holders of Chapel-street, including two church committees, were we believe the first who petitioned to have their street formed, and taking this into consideration, together with the fact that Chapel-street is one of the principal streets in the town, it seems anomalous that their petition should be the last entertained. Now as the winter season is gradually approaching we hope the board will see its way clear to have the lower part of the street formed without further delay.

Speaking of the American wheat ■fields the New York Tribune says: — " What is their extent ? Can any other nation show a greater breadth in the golden grain ? Within three years a prominent statesman gave to France the leading position for wheat production, Yet the United States has ranked as the wheat T growjng nation of the world in quantity for half a dozen years ; in area, for a period twice as long. Thirty years, ago the area did not probably much exceed 9,000,000 acres, or the breadth of "wheat, now to be found in three leading States. Twenty years since the area had increased to nearly 15,000,000 acres, and in ten years more to about 20,000,000. The great advance has occurred within ten years, the most of it within five, under the stimulus of high prices caused by increase of a prosperous population and an extraordinary foreign demand."

A reward is offered for the recovery of a colt strayed from the Tamahere estate. ( , Notice is given that W. G. McCann, a bankrupt intends to apply for his discharge at the next sitting 'ot the District Court at Hamilton. Tenders are invited for the erection of statiomasters house and additions to the station atT>upiri. ," , ,^ -,< i >■ \ The.Tamahere' Highway Board invitetenders up 'to Saturday, iBtb,inst., forAvorks on" the'central and Victoria, roads. t ><J'i „ uu U '^ ' A .concert vcifl be held in the Alexandra • Pu^bli'crHall on T Monday, to^defrayVex--Senses ori"S.^Qseph'S|,Cathol^Church. ,' x ' > ' \ The programme of the Kihikihi Ang^al , ( Rac«,, r iV. published in- our. advertising columns l&-&XW*Jl&iiit&&&s k'^hurdle ; race , ofJ&fsovs, smaidem plafeofS'sovs, maiden 's^eeplechas*~of ielsoypa^djthe^SikiHi'GuiJ' xioMifkhvijSH^ f 44 l^^*liA£dicapaiorthe''iß[ihilalii^A < tKlettc'' |"Sports^tb'b"flield.ori'"S. Pafnck?s;iJ*yrapp©!try mmmmssmm