The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1557, 27 June 1882, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Eqit.il and o\j.ot iustu i h> all mon, Ot wli.itsoc\pr st.ito or persua ion, religious or pohtic.il. Hero shall the Press the I'enpliA rijllit lll.llllt.un, Un.iwulbj innuciici- .mil unlmbed bj fj- 1 " 1 -

TOESDA V, JUNE 27, 188.1

Tju:ke it. ii Uodltliy tondciK-y iv the public mind at the present time in the direction of establishing local manufactories. Even in agricultural matters, as in the case of the Waikato and the Te Awamutu cheftSQ factories, and the fellmongury establishment at Ngaruawahia, the' Waikiito ha.s shown itself not behind the root of the provincial districts. There is, however, another industry which, though not directly a Waikato one, is so dependent upon Waikato support that we feel constrained to take up our pen iv its cause and urge upon the settlers of this district the desirability of energetic action in promoting it. As most of our readers are aware, at no great distance from Tauranga, there exists large deposits of siuplmr on Whakari or White Island. These deposits might be made far more profitable and publicly beneficial than they have been. It is not enough that sulphur in the crude state should be shipped away. What is wanted is the establishment of a manufactory for the making of sulphuric acid. Practical and experienced men with capital are not wanting 10 commence such an undertaking at Tauraiiga, but they ask somo guarantee that the article when produced (shall find a salo in the colony. This indeed is only reasonable. The cost of sulphuric acid in the English market and in Australia, where it is also manufactured, is £o 10s per ton. Before putI ting down a plant, they ask for a guarantee for tho salo of 100 tons at this price, being willing to give the purchasers the benefit of the difference between the first price at home or in Australia, and the highly increased cost of the article when imported. One Waikato settlers is willing to guarantee to take a fifth of this quantity, or 20 tons, and it is with the view of inducing others to enter into the scheme that we now write, for surely between Waikato and Tauranga settlers the purchase of tho remaining eighty tons might be guaranteed. But in what way, it will be asked by some, is Waikato interested in this matter? We have only to point to tho large consumption of bonedusfc in this district to answer the question. Given the sulphuric acid at a cheap rate, and the farmer will be able to more than double the value of the bonedust he uses, and procure a better and more immediate return for his outlay by converting it into superphosphate of lime before applying it to the soil. Nay, he can use the cheaper material of uncrushed bones, and thus still further reduce the cost of the manure. The process of reducing the bones with acid is one which any man of ordinary intelligence can undertake, and as the proportion of bones and acid used is as five of the former to one of the latter, it follows that by adding 1 cwt. of acid, at a cost of 5s 6d, to 5 cwt. of. bones, the farmer obtains 6 cwt. of superphosphate of lime. Where, he now uses the 5 cwt. of bonfe-' dust in its* raw state, 252 5 cwt.' of the converted superphosphate of ,. r|in^©j will produce the same results, ftor do many of our settlers need to be told that not only is superphosphate more valuable, weight for weight, than bonedusfc as an ordinary jEseder> to the crop, but ' that iit -■ forces the young plant in its ' earlier stages^ often (especially in case of -turnips) .securing, a 1 crop 3 .which," on account of dry i weather,*/ or-*flyy ior other causes, would nevpr but

for the early 'start thus given have been a-'crop at all. And Waikato is essentially a root-growing district. Both soil and climate are favourable, and, settlers are, beginning to find | .that a heavy crop pf turnips or niangolds consumed by cattle and sheep upon the ground secures, as -a. natural consequence, heavy following crops t of grain, , potatoes ,or grass: Ueef has been exceptionally low of late, and many will say th.3 necessity for I'aising turnips as cattle food is not so strong as it was. In this "we believe they are mistaken. A vory short time — another year at farthest — will see a , great change in the prospects of the .Waikato. ' And there are two reasons for saying this. ' The one is that the means of sending frozen meat to Europe, already commenced, will by that time be fully established in JDunedin and Christchurch, if not, indeed, further north, and this will divert the exportation of Napier and Wanganui beef southwards. The other is that the Wai- J mate surplus cattle will by that time have been disposed of. It is not the cattle raised in the Waikato that swamp the local markets. We grow none too much beef here for home and Auckland consumption. It is the cattle shipped to Auckland from the port of Waitara, the principal portion of which are from the Hawera district, that have of late brought down the price of beef. ! There however, the settlers have no longer the plains for use as cattle runs. Each man's land has to be fenced in, and the consequence is that not merely have they had to j get rid of the suiplus increase of the cattle, but a large proportion of the main stock itself. In addition to this, some 70,000 sheep have been introduced into the district within the last year, and this will materially lower the capacity of the country to carry so many horned cattle. There is therefore every prospect that before long Auckland will have again to draw her chief supplies of beef from her own settlements, and it behoves our settlers to take heart of grace, aud be prepared for the occasion. As we have before said, our root crops form a main feature and important item in our local husbandry, and therefore, to return to the subject matters of these remarks, the sulphuric acid factory, we should be glad to find "Waikato settlers giving a helping hand to an enterprise, the undertaking of which we would so materially assist them in the growth of what is now an important, and which at no distant day, will become the leading feature of Waikato fanning — the cultivation of root crops.

The peal of six bells for S. Andrew's Church, Cambridge, have been placed in the Public Hall, cleaned and ranged on the platform for exhibition at the social gathering this evening.

" Echoes from the Oafe" will be found on our fourth page. Letters to the Editor and other important items are unavoidably held over.

The Rev. Wm, Evans, of Cambridge, will hold a special service in the Presbyterian Church, Ngaruawahia, tomorrow evening, at 7 o'clock.

The Rev Herbert Maclean preached in S. Andrew's Church, Cambridge, on Sunday last, both morning and evening. The congregation at both services was large, and the sermons very impressive.

The Rev Mr Ruddock, of the Melanc&ian Mission, took the services, morning and evening, at S. Peter's Hamilton, on Sunday. He will remain in Hamilton over next Sunday, and will probably during the week deliver a lecture on the subject of the Mission.

The meeting convened by the Cambridge Duimatic Society for the purpose of considering whether or not it is advisable to organise in connection with their society a literary and debating society, will be hold in the Town Board oflice, Cambridge, to-morrow evening. The Rev. W. N. de L. Willis will occupy tlie chair.

The news from Wellington last night is not of a very startling nature. The Opposition continue to hold caucuses, but apparently the party is as far as ever from attaining cohesion. It is gratifying to hear that due attention is being given by the members for the district to our local requirements, and equally pleasing to know that the efforts put forth in this direction are productive of good results.

A football match between the boys of the Hamilton West school and the Union Juvenile Club, (Hamilton East) was played on Sydney Square on Saturday. The school team was captained by Master Robert Gwynne, and Master T. Boale was captain of the club's fifteen. The game which was very lively, resulted in a victory for the West boys by six points (three touchdowns). Breakell, H. Ewen and M. Jones distinguished themselves for the school, and Beale and W. Potter played a good game for the Union.

The condition of the Raglan road is not nearly so bad as has been reported. There are no slips of any consequence, and the only portion of the mountain road which may be at all accounted bad is that between the lime-kiln and the Waipa, on which, as onr readers are aware, there has been a large amount of traffic. Lime burning has, however, been suspended during the past few wefiks, and will not be resumed until the return of fine weather. ,Mr King, the contractor for repairing the road has carried out his duties faithfully and well, and on the other, side of the mountain there is little indeed to complain of.

The man Carn,, convicted at the Police Court, Hamilton, yesterday, «on •harges of drunkenness, for using filthy language, and for resisting the police, turns out to be a most un/iesirable cha-', racter. , It seems that for sojne time he ' has, though a strong, able-bodied mail, been going about' begeing. On Saturday morning he-jyen^.to a house'in Hamilton and demanded'money, and as the lady ttvo v whom he applied was alone she thought.it safestito comply with' his request;.,^ This money went; in drink,/ and the .condition induced-^y? the Jitter brought him'mto such with the| poUc^e:

un^ortunat^gontact Fourteeri. men ofthV^Ajmedf-Oan-. . stabulary, /;Force £3were t conveyed-;#pm., .Cambridge to s Alexandra ,by£coach, yes-; ,-^erdayV beingthl'firfet i'bat'c^J.oflr.AOljaeK' ,to be statibned^here.diirnig J;h& Jfre%fiinf ing%rite*! fabstihs^under X&pfr C#s.*'

Tftfcfirst^cgntingent v of seven '.menj with iSergt.~- t C|&oper, prd'ceeped iib*Kihikihi bytrain i)in Hamilton yesterday. There will be 15 men at this station under the command of Major Minnett. The^Native Lands Courts at f ,Wai- * tara have "gi^en -tlieir final judgment re the Mokauland," which is in f&vour of the resident section of the Ngatimaniapotos. 'Hie Judge said that Rewi only had .an inferior interest in the. land as a • chief of the tribe assisting in the conquest, lint this by no means enabled him to dispose of the land without the consent of the resident possessors, much less in opposition to their wishes.

A telegram dated Saturday informs us that in answer to Mr Macwdrew's assertion as to the Otago Harbour Board's operations not having improved the upper harbour, the Dunedin Star states that the barque Altaw, 400 tons, was towed up on Saturday by the Victoria Channel., She draws fourteen feet. There was a poor tide. The registering guage shows tide two feet under spring tide. The brig Wave, drawing 11 \ feet, Captain Christian, for Wellington, ,with cargo, sailed clown the Victoria Channel yesterday, to the port, in- two hours, without tug or pilot. Two years ago, in this channel there was only fouv feet at high water» and it wag actually dry ab fcliree-quarfc&ys and low water.

The session of Trinity Presbyterian Church, Cambridge, have made arrangements for holdingaservicemonthly on Sunday afternoons in the Scotchman's Valley district. There being no public building in the neighborhood, the services will be held at the house of MiThomas Russell, who has kindly placed his large room at disposal. The first ot such services will be conducted by the l!ev. W. Evans on Sunday next, 2nd July. The usual visits of the minister on Tuesday evenings, monthly, will also be continued.

Preparations are being made for the football match between a fifteen of the Armed Constabulary and a civilian fifteen of Waikato and Waipa, on .Saturday next. The civilian team will be chosen from the following gentlemen:--Messrs Grierson, Morgan, Mug, Cotton, Lang, Knight, Stubbing, Cnssen, Coleman," Richardson, Palmer, Byng, Barnett, Macf.irlane, Verity, Ormerod, Sheath, and McKinnon. Some of those who have been invited to play have not as yet sent in word to the secretary, Mr Cotton, so as to have the team properly oi'ganised before Saturday. We would recommend those who intend to play to communicate with the secretary at once.

The evangelistic services in connection with the Presbyterian Church, Hamilton, commenced last night, the Rev. Mr Whytock, Baptist minister, Cambridge, being the preacher. There was a veiy good attendance, and the greatest interest was manifested in the service. The preacher took for his text Mark x. chap., 17 to 22, and delivered an eloquent discourse The choir sang a nunber of Sankey's hymns. The services to-night, and probably to-morrow night, will be conducted by the Rev. Mr Whytock and Mr Bamtord. On Thursday and Friday the officiating ministers will be Messrs Dukes and Evans.respectively, Mr Evans also taking the service on Friday night. There will be a children's service on Saturday evening at 7 o'clock

The first quarterly meeting in connection with the Hamilton Wesleyan circuit was held yesterday afternoon, at three o'clock, in the Trinity Clniroh, Hamilton. There was a good attendance. The Rev J. Dukes presided. It being the first meeting in connection with the new circuit, great inteiest was taken in it. The balance-sheet was read, and showed that the ordinary expenses could be amply met, but there being extra expenses incun ed in the removal of the Rev J. Dukes to Hamilton theie was a slight deficiency, w hich was made up by special subscriptions,thereby enabling the stewards to present a satisfactory balancesheet. Several matters brought before the meeting a tteoting the circuit were fully discussed. After the meeting an excellent tea, provided by Mesdames Dukes, Crleeson, Meachem and French, m the adjoining schoolioom, was heaitily partaken oh A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the ladies for the kind manner in which the guests had been entertained, after which the closed.

meeting Our readers will see by an advertisement in another place that the veteran colonist, Capt. W. J. Barry is announced to lecture on his fifty years colonial experiences., and his memorable visit to England at Le Quesne's Hall, Hamilton, to-night and Thursday night. We have no doubt that large audiences will greet him on each occasion. We have had the pleasure of pursuing the captain's scrapbook, which is of an exceedingly interesting nature, and contains innumerable notices of the lectures, and the book "Up and Down" published by him, cut from the leading English papers. The notices are uniformly of the most flattering description, and fully warrant us in promising those who pay a visit to LeQuesne's Hall an excellent evening's entertainment. Captain Barry will also appear in Cambridge on Saturday night, and at Te Awamutu and Alexandra some time next week.

The following were the replies given by the Chaiiman of the Raglan County Council to the questions contained in the Colonial Treasurer's circular on the proposed measures re local government. (1.) That county chairmen should not be elected as mayors are. (2.) That power should be given to road districts to leave counties. (3.) That in some cases it would be advisable that the road districts in a county should form the ridings of such county. (4.) That highway boards should have increased powersconferred upon them, so as to enable them to compel absentee owners of property to pay for the making of new roads to their laud. (5.) That the right of altering existing road districts, or of creating new ones, should be in the hands of the ratepayers. (6.) The ratepayers themselves should also have the power to alter the divisions and number of the members of the road boards. (7.) That one body having the power to rate is sufficient, and counties should not have that power when it is already vested in the highway boards. (8.) That there should be a limit placed upon the rating powers possessed by road boards, say 2s in the £, and that the striking and fixing amount of rate should be the prerogative of the ratepayers. (9.) That the Counties Act, 1876,, should be repealed, and that increased powers should be given to highway boards. (10.) That road board trustees should be elected foy a longer term than they are, at present, say for three years. It would be advantageous if one-third of the members should retire -annually.. (1L) That the chairmen of roadl'boaVds should'riot be elected a3 mayors are. (12.) That road board elections should ■be by ballot. County councillors should be elected as at present. The Roads" Construction and Native Lands Rating Bill?as sketched in the circular r suit\,jyell in this county.; The; election-of, road board trustees should "take jplace during th| first week of April,, [„,.

; Mr Thom^^Magffarlan^rof. Auckland, ; has been appointed crea (tors' trustee in the banlc{jrupt.eslate. ot EdwiniVyiHiam Stewart,' of ,C» m ,r, ?,' 'Md%r^HeßkethrandjAitkih| F se"e^me^ f chants/r'Aucltland 'Awanjutn.i mak«|ian, ii s iAbdrtatit .^anffoun^e'&ent^in^ oUr xadv.e.rtuing. l