The Waikato Times THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1596, 26 September 1882, Page 2

The Waikato Times THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

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.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 26, 1882.

A few days ago reference was made in this column to the proposal for establishing an Agricultural College in the Province of Auckland, and inter alia we quoted a letter written by Mr Maclvor, the eminent lecturer on agricultural chemistry, to the New Zealand Times. Our attention has since been drawn to a letter from the Rev 'William Jenner, called forth by the note of Mr Maclvor, and appearing in the same journal. Mr Jenner is a clergyman at Lawrence, Otago, but besides administering to the spiritual needs of his congregation he finds time to devote to the collection and dissemination of agricultural knowledge, with the very best resuits. He holds a certificate from the Science and Art Department, South Kensington, London, and is, therefore, in great measure entitled to speak on this subject. His contributions to some of our Southern contemporaries are as practical in their scope and object as the style in which they are written is lucid and direct, and his articles, on this account, have always found a warm welcome on the editor's table. "With, this explanation one may proceed to examine Mr Jeuner's views with, a confidence in their soundness. He is a warm advocate of Agricultural Colleges, for the reason, as he puts it, that "these institutions will "be the means of increasing 1 the productiveness of the land, and thus increase the nation's wealth." Eef erring to the success of the frozen meat experiment, he says : " Another offer has been made to the Dunedin Refrigerating Company by a Home firm to take, per steamship, a cargo of frozen sheep at 2gd per lb, an advance upon the former contract. But the sheep must be of a cortaiu weight (701b), and crossbred. This leads us to see that, if the anticipated prosperity is to bo reached, it must be attained by dehnito results. I The butter, the moat, the cheese, etc., must be of certain quality, and somewhat regular in quantity. The fanners must therefore work intelligently for a definite object. To do this they must be instructed." The question which naturally presents itself to his mind, as to that of everybody else who considers the subject is, How shall this instruction be given ? He recognises, as everyone must, that colleges cannot of themselves provide the means, for the simple and sufficient reason that only a very small proportion of the agricultural population could ever hope to attend these institutions. "The Home Government" he says, " has increased the standards in the day schools to seven, and the additional one includes the first principles of agriculture. Preparatory to the establishment of a general system of agriculture in the State of Pennsylvania (America), the local government voted a sum of money for a prize essay on the most effective methods by which the district school may be made to diffuse a knowledge of correct agricultural principlesand practice among the families of which the pupils are members. IntheHomeOountry there arc six or seven thousand pupils boing taught in evening classes at their own doors. The greatest difficulty is to find qualified teachers. This difficulty does not arise in America, because of the forty or fifty colleges and farms which already exist. This would be one of the difficulties if the subject was introduced into our day schools. We should at once establish colleges, so that the pupils may go forth to their several districts and practice the best methods of farming, and, if inclination and necessity arose, they might be encouraged to give technical instrucin evening clssses." Here, indeed, he points out the solution of the problem. As a matter of fact is in the common schools of the country that the first principles of scientific farming ought <to be" implanted in the minds, of ths young. If it be necessary ' that the children should acquire a knowledge of geography and history, and

we would not for a moment be suspected of denying this, surely it is essential that they should be encouraged to form clear conceptions of the occupation by which, many of them will, in after life, have to earn their daily bread.

The London "Times" strongly advocates the permanent occupation of Egypt by Great Britain. Mr Justice Gillies is at present on a visit to the Waikato. He arrived in Hamilton yesterday, having made the circuit of the district.

A public meeting of those interested in the pioposed Auckland Slaughtering aud Freezing Company will be held at Delaneys Hotel, Ohaupo, at noon to-day.

A scheme has been proposed by some French engineers for making Paris a seaport by deepening and widening the Seine. The work is estimated to cost 250,000,000 francs (£10,000,000).

To Mr Jesse Sage, of Alexandra, belongs the honor of-having driven the first wheeled vehicle to the Kopua. On Sunday last, he drove an express to fchat place from Alexandra, having on board the chief Rewi and Mr Grace.

The ship Mataura, which left Port Chalmers on June 12th, arrived in London on the 23rd inst. She has a cargo of frozen meat on board, but no mention was made of this in the cable message.

Mr Reader Wood, Capt. Colbeck. and Mr J. B. Brown, M.H.R., proceeded to Auckland yesterday. During their visit here they have journeyed all over the district, and are greatly pleased with the signs of prosperity and progress everywhere visible.

Mr Fantham has applied for summonses against twenty of those who took part in the hunt over his property near Cambridge, on a charge of trespass. The cases will be heard before the Resident Magistrate at Cambridge on Monday next.

The matter in dispute between the Cambridge Jockey Club .and Mr A. A. Fantham, with reference to the racecourse, still remains unsettled* Last week Mr Fantham snbmitted a definite proposal to the club, but at a meeting held on Saturday night nothing was done.

Another alteration has been made in the time-table of the Waikato-Auck-land railway. The morning train to Auckland from Mercer will leave the latter station at 6.15, instead of 6.20 as heretofore ; and all other stations up to, and including Otahuhu, five minutes earlier than the present time-table.

The inundations in the Tyrol have cansed the loss of fifty lireß, and a serious famine is imminent. The last of the suspects confined in Dublin has been released. Stanley, the African explorer, has arrived at Lisbon, and reports the expedition as having been most successful. Several stations have been established.

Commander Edwin telegrapked to Mr Logic, post-master at Hamilton, yesterday, at 2 p.m. :— " Expect bad weather between N.E. and N.W. Glass falling very soon and wind backing, and within 12 hours much rain, and indications are very bad." This prophecy was amply verified last night, very heavy rain falling heavily at between 8 and 9 p.m.

The residence of Mr S. McLaren, Paterangi, was burned to the ground on Saturday. All the contents, with the exception of a few articles of clothing, were destroyed. No particulars as to the cause of the fire have reached us. The house was only a small one, being temporarily occupied pending the erection of a new building.

Regarding the burning of some of the New Zealand mail bags on board the steamer Alaska, the following cable message has been received from the Agent-General, Sir F. D. Bell:—" All the New Zealand mails for London are safe, except a portion of the newspapers and books, but the mails for the country, including registered letters, are partly burned. The exact loss is not yet known."

The following are the names of the five different sorts of sugar beet imported by Mr W. A. Graham, and obtainable at Mr Le Quesue's :—l. Improved saccharine : Red crown, grown from Elite seed, Vilmorrin's a collet rose. 2. Pure white Silesian imperial. 3. Improved white, W.L. Wauzlebener imperial. 4. Improved white imperial. 5. Improved white saccharine, grown from Vilmorrin's Blanch A Melliora.

Captain Runciman's lecture on his American experiences will be delivered in the Public and Volunteer Hall, Hamilton on Monday, 2nd October, when the shareholders of the Waikato Cheese and Bacon Factory Company, and the public generally, are invited to attend. To all who are interested in the welfare of the Waikato cheese and bacon business, Captain Runciman's lecture should be an instructive and serviceable discourse.

The bazaar in aid of the Hamilton Presbyterian Church building fund, in the Public Hall, Hamilton, closed on Saturday evening. The attendance was faiily good through the day, but fell off towards night, and the auction was consequently not successful. Mr < Knox kindly gave his services as auctioneer. The total receipts of the bazaar amount to about £150, out fully one-half of the goods remain unsold. It is proposed to hold a second bazaar, the date of which has not yet been fixed.

The Government have not yet decided what they intend doing in regard to the completion of the Karapiro Bridge, at Cambridge, and as the majority of the Constabulary now engaged on the work leave the force at the end of the month, their time having expired, something definite will have to be done in the n>atter, as the work will then be brought to a standstill. Mr J. B. Whyte returns to Wellington next week, when he will ascertain what the Government intend in the matter.

doing The new store which is being erected in Cambridge for Messrs Lewis and Simpson, adjoining the National Hotel, promises, when finished, to be one of the finest in the district. Mv R. Wright, the contractor, is making good progress with the work, and expects to have it ready for businesslin a few weeks. The town board rooms'are being used as temporary premises, and the stock which this enterprising firm has already on exhibition there is well worthy of inspection.

Natives are fast gathering at Cambridge for the coming Land Court which has been gazetted for the 28th inst. Various tribes have come in to the various native settlements near the town so as to be able to move in on the dhortest notice. Numerous temporary premises have been erected by local storekeepers fortheaccomodation of their dusky customers, . and some of these buildings have already been taken posses-, sion of. Other indications of an approach- > ing Land Court are not wanting '"an' occasional tap-room ,haka being now *** again audible. m **>-. ' - >*' !. A want w,hicH Eagfor, 1 some 1, con-; si'derable'time jiast been' I 'experienced' in' Cambridge, and tho entire <Waikato- dis-' trict, the establishment of a cooperage; has at last been supplied by Mr Charles

Boyce, who has opened business in this' line at Cambridge. Heretofore, people residing in the Cambridge district h:\ve had either to Bend to Auckland for their churns, batter kegs, cheese vats,-,.tubs, &c, or else purchase the Auckland made article, upon which heavy freight has had to be paid, and coii&f(iuently at a high price at the local stores. But now that the industry has been started in jtheir midst they will be able to obtain these indispensable articles made to order, and at greatly reduced prices. Mr Boyce's premises are situate in Victoria-street, adjoining Messrs Young and Nixon's workshop, and being a good workman, we hope the originator"of the new industry ■will be encouraged by receiving public patronage.

Capt. Runciman met the directors of the Te Awamutu Cheese and Bacon Factory Company at Te Awamutu on Saturday evening, for the purpose of explaining what steps he had taken in their interest while in the United States. Much disappointment was expressed because the plant had been sent oy'way of New York instead of San Francisco, but Capt. Runciman said the enormous freight charges on the latter route had placed the bringing of the machinery that way out of the question. He also said that he was altogether unaware of the iact that the company had made such progress with their buildings, and was under the impression that if the plant arrived in December or January, it would meet their convenience. The directors expressed themselves satisfied with this explanation, but came to the conclusion that it would be necessary to obtain plant from Auckland, and in consequence of this resolution, Mr H. Walpole, the manager, proceeded to Auckland yesterday to make the necessary arrangements.