The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTH.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1552, 15 June 1882, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTH.

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

THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 1882.

The statement of the business of the Post Office Savings Bank in New Zealand from the date of its establishment to the end of last year is of the most encouraging character, and shows that, notwithstanding the great depression in trade so keenly felt recently, poverty is anything but prevalent. The returns as laid on the table of the House this session show unmistakeably that, generally speaking, the New Zealand colonists are not a poor lot. In the Auckland postal district the total amount of dejoosits received during the year ending 31st December, was £169,139 6s 7d; in Ohristchurch, £276,505 9s lid; in Dunedin, £223,746 17s 7d; and in Wellington, £150,840 15s Id. The withdrawals for the same period, were, respectively: Auckland, ,£118,133 4s 8d ; Christchurch, £205,266 5s lOdj Dunedin, £181,440 13s 8d ; and in Wellington, £118,254 17s 9d; thus leaving an excess of deposits over withdrawals of, for Auckland, £51,006 Is lid; Christchurch, .£71,239 4s Id ; Dunedin, £42,306 3s lid ; and for Wellington, £32,585 1 7s "4d. Notwithstanding the heavy depression which prevailed in Ohristchurch during 1880, when the unemployed cry was at its highest, and when soup kitchens had to be <i opened to enable the people to live, j the returns for this postal district during 1881 khpyf that it has a larger amount to its credit in the savings bank than any of the other large cities. '- ( The total amount standing to the credit of all open accounts,' inclusive of interest to the , close r of the year is, Auckland: £171,485 'Is I'd r Ohristchurch, £275,026 4s sd ; Dunedin, £228, 937 ' 15s; and Wellington,, £159,856 4s 3d. The only years during which the, withdrawals have exceeded the deposits since ihe establishment of the savings .bank were ,1875-76 and '79, the excess in the -latter year being, for the'sentire'colony, £63,781 7s 4d, It cannot be ( Said/ 'however, that ithe amount of wij&dfipwals; in-r» dicates/a'' cbrrespondmglHimdunjLfqf ' 'de'pr^ioni-i' - 'Money "is td6mesti<s%an^^ irequgitlv . en^^ll|^|pr6gress W^%arroM'e r deppMfqrr4r> - i

, His Excellency the; Governor has = l ' forwarded a' cheque for £20 as "his conr* tribution towards the Timaru wreck relief fund. The Cambridge Town Board have tl determined to improve the state of Vie- *" toria-stre'et in ,the vicinity of the postoffice and the reading-room. Owing to pressure on our space a t quantity of interesting matter including ' a paper by Mr Horace Walpole, is held over, and our local reports have had to be greatly condensed. The peal of bells for S. Andrew's Church, ' Cambridge, have arrived in Auckland by the ship Cambria from Londou. Mr D. Richardson expects to have them in their place in the tower in six week's time. The last of the wool sales at Ohrist- - church this reason was held on Tuesday ■> last.' The, highest prices were as follows: " —First combing, Is 8d ; cross-bred, 9sd ; 1 second combing and third combing, Is f 6d ; first clothing, Is 6£d ; second do. and s third do., Is 5Jd. The usual weekly meeting of the Hamilton Literary and Debating Society will be held at the Court-house this evening. The programme will consist of an essay on Sir Walter Scott by the Rev. ■ D. Fulton, with readings from the author's works by members. The society's meetings are open to the public, and visitors are cordially welcomed. At the first meeting of the Cambridge Town District Board, Mr T. Wells in thanking his colleagues for the honor conferred upon t him, in being elected chairman, said he felt pi oud at having all his former colleagues returned with him, a fact that , showed clearly, that after last year's " deliberation they had the confidence of the ratepayers by a largo majoiity. He felt confident they would woilc har- , moniously together, and assist him in bringing Cambridge foiward under the new act to be one of the first townships in the colony. Mr Edward J. Moffitt writes to us complaining, of the injustice caused by the Gaining and Lotteries Act in stopping sweeps. He urges that the Legislature should go to the loot of the evil and do away with horse-racing and book making, instead of interfering with sweeps, which are a most innocent means of recreation. He further says that the supi pression of sweeps or consultations in New Zealand has resulted in a large amount of money going to Melbourne and other places. A case of the most revolting cruelty was related to us last evening. It appears that when the Te Aroha coachman was driving down the road from the Eureka station towards Hamilton, he observed what he took to be a strip of linen hanging from the top of a flax-stalk, but on nearing it he discovered that the object was a cat suspended by its tail. It was in a most pitiable condition, and when released from its torture by some gentlemen passing, whose attention was arrested by the coachman, was scarcely able to stand. It is a great pity that the brute who perpetrated this piece of refined cruelty could not be discovered. A correspondent writes to us concerning a painfully unpleasant incident. The writer says : — "A most disgraceful scene was enacted at a certain cemetery not a hundred miles from Hamilton West the other day. The mortal remains of a Avoman were being conveyed to their last resting place ; in the procession were two men, both the worse for liquor, one of whom was maudlin, while the othei indulged in occasional blasphemy. Alter the coffin had been lowered into the earth the former of these two men (for I suppose I must call them men) staggered about and neaily fell into the grave. The horror and disgust which filled the bystanders can only be but faintly imagined." At the Police Court, Hamilton, on Tuesday, before Mr North croft, R.M., Thomas Wilson was charged by Elizabeth Hannah with using obscene and abusive language towards her in the public street on the previous day. Sergt. McGovern prosecuted, and Mr Hay appeared for the defence. The plaintiff and a witness named William McLeish deposed to the language, which was of a most filthy description, being used. On the application of the counsel for the defence, the case was adjourned for a fortnight, to see how the defendant behaves himself in the meantime. It appears that the parties cohabited for some years, and came to the colony as man and wife. They lived for some time at Waitetuna on a deferredpayment section which Wilson had taken up, but in consequence of some disagreement they separated, since which time the defendant has followed the plaintiff about, causing her considerable annoyance. By referring to our report of the Cambridge Town Board meeting held on Monday evening last, it will be seen that the chairman, (Mr Wells), made a somewhat surprising announcement in respect to the collection and appropriation of publican's ancl auctioneer's licenses, slaughterhouse licenses, impounding fees, dog taxes, etc., and that a resolution has been passed setting'forth that the treasurer of the board is the only person whose receipt is a sufficient discharge for the payment of such moneys. The following is the section (35) of the act upon which Mr Wells takes his stand :—: — "Every town district established under this act shall be deemed to be an incorporated town within the meaning of any enactment extending the definition of the term " borough" and every board shall have all the powers granted to a borough council by any enactment, relating to auctioneers, cattle trespass, cemeteries, dog nuisances, fencing, fire prevention, licensing publicans, municipal police, public pounds, roads or highways, and any other matter of * social economy." According to the same act, Cambridge still remains part of the country. The question which is a very important one, will have, to be referred to the proper authorities at Wellington. A correspondent of the "Herald" writes :— There is a rumour of a probable' fight between two hapus of the Ngapuhi tribej the one residing at a kianga, Pehiawhiri (near Ngunguru) and the other hapu living at' Euapekakeka. The casus belli is concerning some land at Ruapekapeka, Bay. of Islands, which is- claimed by both parties, and has been the subject of litigation in the Native Land Court. The Court, after a very impartial hearing v is said to have decided not to grant the land to either hapu as a whole, but to certain' individuals belonging to ,each — a wise decision. With, this decision the Ruapekapeka natives were satisfied, it is alleged, but not so the Pehiawhiri hapu. The latter considered they had a " grievance unredressed, and a.title to possess" as a whole, and therefore, as an ultima ratio, they proceeded to enforce, vi, et armis, their .alleged ancestral rights to , the land by interviewing theßuapekapeka hapu, and 'failing to get what they wanted they then proceeded toldestroy ttie waerenga (clearing for planting) and, fences of £b6 flatter as "uts; b£burnmg"them. 'Thefe^aref it is said, oilyUin rotod'jbwmb'elrs) t ipp fighting. W3OoTffiihtkg ■Ruapekapeka;" Botn^paritie^ are armed ! weapons ofa fiWtefo'ge^ousfehi&acte^firaninngiftomtEVj