The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1576, 10 August 1882, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

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

THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 1882.

In estimating the cause of the difference in the amount of traffic carried by the railways of the two islands, Mr Johnston gives what is no doubt the principal reason, but there is another which undoubtedly injuriously affects the traffic on the Waikato line to a very largo extont. Wo rofer to tho series of sleep grades and sharp curves on tho .section between Tuakau and Pokeno, which have been a subject of wonder and comment to all travellers on this lino. When we consider the amount of coal alone which would bo carried from Huiitly to Auckland and Onohunga if it could be done at a reasonable rate, evon leaving out of present consideration the agricultural produce and requirements, we cannot but feel surprised at the commercial blindness which still retains such a wi etched piece of road on a line, othorwiso fairly passable throughout. Eepeatodrepresentations have been made to past Governments on this subject, the * incroased cost of carriage) over that short stretch, the, comparatively speaking, small cost of improving it, and still, though there is another loan on the board, there is to be no attempt at improvomont for at least three years to come, so far as we can gather from the appropriations sketched out in the Public Works Statement. Some years ago surveys were made, and it was estimated that a partial improvement could be made for £4000, though it was not considered that sum would be sufficient to give a satisfactory result ; but when it is remembered that it requires three engines to haul a freight of coal over this piece of line, such as one of the same engines could take from Huntly to Pokeno, and from Tuakau to Auckland, it will be readily conceded that if the cost was considerably more it would be fully justified, simply in a commercial point. Now the extra cost of carriage of coal plainly means that either a prohibitory tariff for that article must be put on, or else that it should bo carried at a loss to the rail way, i.e. the general revenue of the colony. It is not only the loss of power that is caused by these grades and curves, but there is also ibhe greatly increased wear and tear of engines and rolling stock, the increased number o£ the former which must be kept in working order to transport a given number of tons over that which would be required if the line had reasonable grades, &c, throughout. It is well known that' Waikato coal is one of the I ', mc&t cheaply produced in the colony, ,lju^ , lt ' t has the, disadvantage^ beingiabo.ut/ the farthest 'situated • from '„ the f-sea-J ports. ;It , therefore seemtf ~ C^s'ndJ. policy tp A ensure., that , the , t^^ns^of transport are .the best ,that/:eirj3li I % !

stances will admit of, to enable the coal to compete in the Auckland market with the produce of other mines more favourably situated. Other sea-borne. opals are daily being placed in a t better position to compete with our local product. ~ The Bay of Islands Coal Company, ak ready by their output supporting a thriving township, will in another' month or two have a railway to deep water, where vessels of large tonnage can load with every facility. We are very glad to see this company, which certainly deserves success from the way they have stuck to their enterprise for many years in the face of great difficulties, get their railway at last, but, still, considering their advance as it affects the Wai kato mines, it means further competition for our coal company to contend with, while they are in no 1 better position to compete than they were when the railway was first opened to Iluntly. Looking at it from a colonial point of view it shows a largely increased traffic over the seven miles of railway from Kawakawa to the deep water, with the risk of a decreased traffic over the sixty - five miles from Hunfcbr to Auckland, and a corresponding dewease of railway revenue under the heading of minerals. We are quite willing to admit that the coal may be carried at as low a rate as the state of the line permits, but still the section we refer to is beyond question not fit for heavy toaffic, and acts as a bar to the full utilisation of the whole of the rest of the line, besides hindering the development of a most important industry. We have referred chiefly to coal traffic because it is that which principally feels a high rate of freight, but there is also the cattle trade, which calls loudly for improvement in the line, not only on grounds of economy in transport so necessary to the farmers with the price of meat as it is at present, but also on the plea of humanity. We have been repeatedly informed of cattle trucks being left behind at Mercer because the engine could not take them up the incline, the cattle consequently being kept in trucks all night, causing them unnecessary suffering, and injuring the meat to some extent, besides the risk of losing a market. There is still the passenger traffic to be considered. We had thought that on the Waikato line we had reached the minimum of speed in railway travelling, when the 100 miles between Te Awamutu and Auckland could never be traversed within 6 hours, yet the last time-table shows that we are to go slower still. We might have been content so long as we did not actually retrograde in speed, in the hope that each change would be some improvement, be it ever so small, and we bore with the reduction from two trains each way per day to one train, because it was evidently a mistake to have two ; but when that one is still further reduced in speed, we think it is time to protest, or the next change may lengthen the journey to a whole day. Perhaps these unfortunate grades and curves are the cause of our slow rate of travelling, and if so, it adds another reason why no further delay should take place in making such improvements as would enable all classes of traffic to be carried with reasonable speed, and at the loAvest practicable cost. Outside of all the considerations of a commercial nature, there is the greatly increased risk of accidents on such grades and curves. It is true we have been very fortunate as yet, but it is not to be supposed that this immunity from danger will last always. A further development of the railway will require night travelling, and when it is completed to the Thames and Cambridge, and the line fenced throughout, it can hardly bo expected that the requirements of the traffic will be met without night trains, at any rate on the lower portion of the line, and an accident on the steep grades, perhaps involving lamentable loss of life, might cost the colony more than would remedy the evil complained of. Our readers have seen lately a good deal about the Jollimount railway accident which we believe cost the colony of Victoria somewhere about £30,000. Verb. so,]?. We know that Governments and public departments are hard to move, and especially in cases like that we refer to, the vis inertia is the great stumbling block ; but that is all the more reason for taking time by the forelock, and we trust the energetic members for Waipa and Waikato will give the r matter their serious consideration, and that before the end of the present session the first steps may be taken towards the removal of the great stumbling block in the way of the successful working of the Waikato railway.

Mr G. Ellis, formerly in business in Cambridge, is about starting again in connection with Mr Evans, late of the firm of Goodfellow and Evans, who have dissolved partnership. . We ; wish Mr Ellis as successful a career as he had when lie was in business before. The store and dwelling house in course of erection, at Tamahere for t Mr Rdbertshawjs just receiving tlie finishing , touches at the hand's of the builder, Mr, Etauis, ,'md' adds .a.'Verjr, considerable" feature to the future township 'of '.Tatria-' here, ? . ;" m ; We have been r«auested to state that tlieisehace T at;th6,a:ngh<?a*n ;oK^rph| v Oliaupo, on Sun,4#<next,>wiH^e 'in.* the, afternooii instead'of in tHe 'moroing^as aiinouuced on'Jihe occajiion /of ,vthe^lastsei'Yice., In.'lthe'absencejotthe plergfißtoJ

The-Gambridge Jockey Oliib, w< learn, have rtiacle Mr Fanthatn a''definit< offer of £15 an acre for his land, knowr as tho Cambridge racecourse. In tin event of no satisfactory arrangeineni being coino to it is probable an adjoining propel ty will be purchased, for wliich have been enterc<r into, an-1 are now peiuHng awaiting Mr F.uithum'E reply.

At a inaefciptf held on the sth oi August, the R.itighohia Highway. -District Board unanimously resolved thai the Weeds and Watercoiuse Act shall be string"ii!;!y enforced in the above dis trict. It w,i3 also resolved that all public roads (now closed) in Hie district must be opened for the public convenience. ' , ,

An Auckland contemporary repot ts that the Maoris have offered a reward of £ 1 000 oi- 5000 acres of land for the capture of Bat low, Wimata's nemesis. The story is probably as true as a good deal of the other native gossip which occasionally finds it way into some of the Auckland papers.

Breeders of pure-hred cattle and horses will be interested to know that at the next annual sale of the Auckland Agricultural Company, to be held at Penrose, in November, there will be submitted to public competiou, 150 purebred yearling bulls (Hereford, Shorthorn and Devon) and a number of imported Clydesdale colts, out of imported mares, prize-winners in Scotland. As at the first annual sale the lota will be .sold without reserve to the highest bidder.

The unfortunate girl Sarah Johnson, on bail, appeared before Colonel Lyon and Mr YVells, J.P., at the Police Court, Cambridge, yesterday, charged with having concealed the birth of her child. Constable Brennan prosecuted, and Mr Dyer appeared for the defence. The evidence adduced was substantially the same as that brought forward at the inquest, and need not, therefore, be recapitulated. The accused was formerly committed to take her trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court, Auckland, bail being allowed.

The wet, rough weather experienced for so many weeks past has ! been a sad hindrance to builders and contractors. The dwelling hou&c in course of erection for Mr J. S. Bnckknd, near Cambridge) should have been out of the contractor's hands by this time but for delay caused by bad weather. Another month will see the job completed, as only the painting and inside work has now to bo done, and when finished it will be the finest mansion in the district.

The cattle yards at the Hamilton Junction station are in a deploi ably bad condition, .and unless some steps arc token to improve them, a serious accident will occur. On Tuesday Mr J. Allwill, of Cambridge, had occasion to forward some very valuable cattle to Auckland, and one of the beasts got so firmly bogged in the soft mud that it was only with the gieatest difficulty that it could be extricated. We trust this hint will be sufficient for the Department.

I We would recommend to the Cambridge Town Board the advisability of erecting a notice in the vicinity of the hill at the foot of Dake-street, requesting the public to desist from destroying the young trees which have been planted on each side of the road for the safety of the embankment. For,some time past boys have been exercising their destructive propensity by stripping the tics of then branches, thus destroying then giowtli

It was announced some days ago that the Bishop of Auckland had received a telegram from his commissary in England that a Mr Walpole had been selected by him for the incumbency of S. Maiy's, Paniell. The Mr Walpole here referred to is the Rev George Henry Somerset Walpole, 8.A., Trinity College, Cambridge. He was in the first class of the theological Tripos in 1577, and is now at Truro, Cornwall The Rev. Mr Walpole, who, while at college was a distinguished athlete, is a brother of Mr Horace Walpole of Te Awainutu.

We have received a copy of the order of services to be used at the dedication of the hells of S. Andrews', Cambridge, on Sunday next. The service, has been printed for distribution amongst the congregation on the occasion. We are requested to state that there will be no Sunday School that afternoon. The bells will be chimed for service fro'n half-past two until five minutes to three. The service will begin at three. After the service the bells will be rung in rounds for a short time. The offertories will be in aid of the bells fund. The Bishop is announced to preach at this service, and also in the evening at halfpast six. A social gathering is announced to be held in the Public Hall on Monday evening, at which the Bishop will preside.

Some people have an extremely careless way of drawing up petitions to loccil bodies, asking their attention to particular works in the district over which they preside, and seem to- think that if the sense is conveyed nothing more is requisite, form and. style of address, being only secondary considerations. At a meeting of the Cambridge Town Board, held on Monday evening last, a petition was received from a number of ratepayers in Hall-street. The paper upon which the petition was written was little better than the back of a dirty hand-bill, and the style of writing looked as if it were specially conceived for the occasion, the writer apparently having exercised himself somewhat extensively with caligraphic recreations. In fact so unpresentable was this epistle that the chairman brought forward a motion to the effect that in future petitions of this kind not drawn up m a' proper manner should not beireceived.

The contractors for the cheese factory buildings at Te Awamutu are getting on very well with their work. The making room, office, and engine-room are finished with the exception of the windows and concrete floor, The brick walls of the curing room are now about five feet high, ,and wpuld have been in a much more advanced state but for the bad weather, which has seriously retarded the whole M'ork. Mr H. Waite, tin-worker, of Auckland, has been up, and has secured the contract for the carryiug-tins, his specimen tin, made after a pattern supplied by the manager, having given the greatest satisfaction. Mr Waite also paid a visit to Hamilton, and waited on the Cheese Factory Company there. He had with him a number of designs for all descriptions of articles required in the business. Of course nothing can be'done until Captain Runciman's return from America, but the, well' known ability of Mr Waite will no doubt secure him the patronage of the f Hamilton company as it has that of the company at Te Awamutu. While on this subject we might also draw attention ' of settlers to the fruit-preserving tins manufactured by Mr Waite, and which' secured a' first pr>ze at last year's, agricultural^ show "at BUerslie, as also a long list "otl* useful ' arUcles'made.by him,, "which appears in< our advertising columns. . . ,* ; , It will Ye seen on>rf ference, to pur/ advertising' columns^th'at-Mr H. ■ Robert*; sha%has'Conlmem^;l}usineJi& ! as a general s&reTfe'^pgjß/a^^ 'holtel,:! f^r>S^e]J^|l|^f^bj|ct <in|opett^

potatoes, grain, and anything that can be grown or made on' the farm. There is little doubt that such'a business concern as this will receive that amount of support which i«t its due. Mr Robertshaw will also combine with his business a dressnnkiug and millinery department;. We wish him every success in his venture.

A report of the last meeting of the Cambridge Town Board, in typo, is crowded out of this issue.

The usual weekly meeting of the Hamilton Lit jrary and Debating Society will be held at the Court-house thia evening.

The Australian Cricketers commenced a match against Kent at Canterbuay. The visitors went in first, and made 307. At the close of the day's play the Kent team had made 8 1 runs the loss of six wickets.

Cable news from Egypt, received on Tuesday, may be summarised thus :—: — Iv the Llouse of Commons, on Monday, Sir C. Dilke denied that the Government had delivered an ultimatum to the Porte to the effect that unless Arabi were pioclaimed a rebel steps would be taken to prevent the lauding of Turkish troops, but other information states that the Porte intends to proclaim Arabi a rebel before the expedition is landed. Sir Charles Dilke has also stated that the Conference at Constantinople had no control over any military action that may be taken by England iv the Suez Caual. The combined protection of the Canal is only regarded by England as a temporary measure, though it has been agreed to. Russia is mobilising her forces in case of war between England and Turkey. Desultory fighting has taken place at the outposts near Alexandria, and Arabi is preparing to make a stand at Ismailui. The Black Watch (42nd) have embarked at Poit&inouth for Egypt.

Mr G. Robson, chemist and druggist, hiving disposed of his business in Hamilton with ,1 view to settling at Te Aio'i.i, a munljci' of his friends took advantage of the occasion to entertain him at a, dinner, a& a niaik of the zespect and esteem in which he is held by them. The dinner e.uno off on Monday evening, and in point of cuisine was all that could be desired. The number present was nearly twenty, and included some of the principal business men of the town. The affair had been very hurredly got up, and in consequence many were absent who would otherwise have been glad to add their testimony to the universal goodwill entertained towards Mr K.ob'son. The usual toasts, including that of " Our Guest" were duly honored, and a very pleasant evening was spent, everyone present heartily wishing " C4od speed" to Mr Ilobson iv his new sphere of operations.

A meeting of the Hamilton Domain Board was held ou Monday night, Mr Knox in the chair. Mr Sccldon waited on the board, and explained that the contract for clearing out and improving the domain drain to which he had agreed to' contribute one-tnird of the cost, had not been carried out according to the specifications supplied by him at the lequest of the board. The chain, instead of being 2 feet 6 inches at the bottom was in many places under 2 feet, and was in hardly any part the required width at top. — Mr Sandes, the engmeor for the work, was present, and said Mr Seddon was laboring under a mistake. The drain was on an average 2 feet G niches at bottom, but owing to the soft nature of the ground it was impossible to make it the tull width at top. When passing the woik he had made a deduction of 15s on this account. The drain would pei form all that was required of it. — Mr Reddon said the drain was perfectly useless.— After some fmther argument a committee consisting of Messrs Jones Lovett and Tippcn was appointed to inspect the job next morning. —It was resolved to offer for sale by auction the laases of all the lands remaining in the hands of the board at the reduced upset price of 5s an acre. — [On Tuesday morning the committee referred to above met Mr Sedrlon and Mr Sandes at the domain drain, and after making the necessary examination, expressed their approval of the work. Mr Seddon, we understand, also agreed to pay his share. The drain was not the required dimensions all through, but it was decided that it would answer the purpose for which it was intended for the present.

In the Legislative Council on Tuesday, the Auckland College Bill was road a flvst time. The Small Birds Nuisance Bill was read a third time, and the following resolution moved by the lion. Mr Wilson was carried : — That in the opinion of this Council it is inexpedient that Justices of the Peace who Have become bankrupt or insolvent, should be retained on the commission of the peace, and that such justices should adjudicate in matters in criminal or civil. In the House, Montgomery gave notice that, on the motion for the second reading of the Loan Bills, he would move as an amendment, " That this House docs not approve of the loan proposals of the Government." Whereupon Major Atkinson moved the adjournment ot the House, stating that h; accordance with constitutional usage the Government could not proceed with any other business while a no confidence motion was pending. He would meet the Opposition at 2.30 p.m. next day, by placing the Loan Bills first on the Order Paper. He was sorry the Opposition had not taken this course sooner. Mr Montgomery said the reason action had not been taken earlier^ was that the loan proposals had not been brought down before. Major Atkinson characterised this as an excuse, as the bills had been before the .House three weeks, and the Financial Statement which disclosed the intentions of Government nearly three months. The motion for adjournment was then put and carried.

The Rangiaohia Highway Board notify that they intend at a meeting to be held on the 26th inst., to strike a rate of 9d in the £. Mr JsaajC Hodgson, Te Rore, pffers potatoes free on board at £% per' ton for small lots. I^rge quantifies as per agreement. ; Messrs Olark and Gang aro now opening up a choice lot of kitchen garden sends, ex Easter Hill, imported from a first-class London House. Mr J. S. Buckland will sell at the Ohaupo Yards, on Tuesday the 22nd inst., 150 head mixed stores, three-year-old steers, dairy cows, yearling steers, fat and store sheep, and a largo quantity of forest, ornamental, and fruit trees, shiubs, vegetable seeds, Bee, from Mr John Sharp's nursery (the last sale of the sealon.) The new pure cash system now being nitiated by G. and C. will certainly prove a benefit to the public. It has been a great success_ in Sydney and Melbourne, and when strictly carpiefi _ put tb,e customer who buys at an establishment where the goods are marked low to ensure a rapid sale must' be a great gainer. Q, and C. sell their drapery, millinery, arid clothing, at 'such p'riceVfor'cash as gives the buyer the advantages of a shareholder in a co-operative society, without the risk of being called upon to bear aportioa of the loss should the jeer's business prove .unsatisfactory; Garlick ,and Cranw'olJ will aim*tp~rotain> the confidence which the'public hays hitherto shown them, and are* determined to give {he' pure leash" system a 'fair trial; TJ^t^j^Bjrgaiqor lose the first year - Country buyers on remitting casji withordei will „ be ' supplied 1 "witbigoods<at co-pperatve, prices !' just the same as though they made aporsonalse-,. lection. .Furnishing gooas/ such ;as' 1 carpets! •*] 'fldor/Tcloths^bedsteads/'-bMdijjg ,and general vhoHs^^rnituVeVrtheJarges^piS^tiOH'of^hich is out at ) bur B pwn I fac|pry, J »w'illbe jSiailced at.^ -Hhelowest remunerative prices, and^aiscountof^ ffilg^r/cen^^lU be illowfe'fft^t^se^ho pay'afc,