The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1620, 21 November 1882, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Equal and evict justice to all men, 01 whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. Here shall the Press the People's right maintain, Unawcd by influence and unbribed by gain.

TUESDAY, NOV. 21, 1882.

" The Hoads and Bridges Construction Act, 1882," which comes into force on the Ist clay of Jannary, 1883, is, we are pleased to see, about to be utilised to a considerable extent in the counties of Waikato, Piako, and Waipa, and as the ratepayers of each district where money is proposed to be borrowed will shortly be called upon to vote as to whether moneys be borrowed or not, we propose to explain for their benefit the working of said act. Taking main roads first : Government propose to advance moneys for the purpose of constructing main roads in two different ways. Firstly : If a county wishes for a grant, in aid of construction, say, of .£lOOO, they can obtain it on furnishing the necessary plans and estimates, on condition that a special rate be struck on all property in the district in which the work is to be done, sufficient to repay one-fourth, or ,£250, in ton equal yearly instalments of £25 each, the Colonial Treasurer finding the balance £750. Secondly : If the council find one-fourth of the moneys proposed to be expended out of their own revenue, tlie Government will give tlie remaining three-fourths without requiring any return, no special rate being 1 , therefore, necessary. For district roads (i.e. all roads not main or county roads), any local body can borrow moneys, which will have to be repaid at tho rate of nine per centum per annum for fifteen years on the amount of moneys borrowed. Thus if a board desires £1000 for district roads they will render themselves or their successors liable to a payment of £90 per annum for fifteen years in order to repay such grant. To most minds, the only objectionable feature in the scheme is the special rate which must be struck to repay tho Government advances; but in the large majority of cases the special rate need never be collected at all. Clause 60 of the act says : "In any case where a special rate is made hereunder, which is leviable over the whole of the district of the local body making* the same, if the local body prefers to do, so, it may pay out of Us ordinary revenue dug one or more of the debentnres?given by it hereunder, and which are secured on the special rate, an,d /is to, the year, in which suclr local > body [ shall ; dp,, ,pay such debentures, it may abstain from Jevying such speeialrfct&Ybuto without prejudice to all rights of levying the same in future years M the^defoptu,res/he nopsp so r pa|4 -ofprnfj^Vl ■potion referred. .to.", , $k~e, '.ordinary rates struck from > year..- to> year, by the various' highway'" boaniUr fcan,'* without' any strain^, oear iHtPpayT ment of^the^ interest on-, a papderatt* amount '6i bor*6wfed> moneys, land; borrowing „'underp./-K^ Boawtand; Bridge^ Q^k^^f^'%s^ t

ratepayers ar^Mt^r^nticipating a certain amqunt-o&their rates fyrtto. cejfain njinplr of |$ars, ten or fifteen,!^ $hej (topp nMy, bo. By haVing?Cthe\co'nimand sufficient rnojtiey,.to carry C; oiitT:9M works and bridges in a tfibrouglily permanent, manner, boards and councils will actually save a large expenditure in patching and repairs, ,and in this ! alone they will in most instances i save I'lerhaps* even more than they have to pay as interest on the advances, j

Newspaper statistics, published in the Victorian Press Manual and Advertising Guide for the present year, suggest some interesting reflections. The little book, which is a most valuable advertiser's companion, and which is published by Messrs Moore and Maclean, Collinsstreet, Melbourne, gives a complete list of the journals published in the Australasian colonies, with such particulars concerning each as are necessary to those consulting its pages. Taking the colonies in order, we find that Victoria, with a population at last census of 822,232 (the figures are those given by •Mr Hayter, Government statist of Victoria) has 185 newspapers, of which i 77 are published in Melbourne and the suburbs ; New South Wales, with a population of 781,265, has 175 papers, of which 33 are metropolitan ; Queensland, the popula- j tion of which is 220,960, has 60 i papers : South Australia, with 293,297 people, contains 41 papers ; Western Australia, with 32,359 souls, has only nine journals ; Tasmaina, with a population of 118,923, has fourteen, while New Zealand, with a population of 500,810, is the possessor of 157 newspaper periodicials. It is not, however, so much in the number, as in the quality of her journals that this colony compares favourably with her sisters over the water. In Victoria we find that a large proportion of the metropolitan journals are published at long intervals, and are devoted to limited interests. There j are, for instance, two papers dealing solely with bicycling news, a banking record, a monthly devoted to chemists, &c., beside a large number of religious magazines, while of the 154 provincial papers, more than | two thirds are weeklies, while the greater number of tho remainder are issued twice weekly. In Victoria there arc only seventeen daily papers altogether. In New South. Wales, too, the weekly journals largely jn <e( l oimila t e > the « total number of dailies being only twelve ; in Queensland there are only five daily publications ; in South Australia, four ; and in Tasmania, only two. Contrast with, these figures the numbers shown in New Zealand. Out of the total of 157, there are only 48 weekly publications, a few monthly magazines, a large number of tri- weekly journals, and no less than 46 dailies, or more than can be shown by all the other colonies put together. We do not wish to argue herefroni that New Zealand is in a higher state of intellectual development than the other colonies, and perhaps the disparity we have pointed out may be suscoptible of explanation on widely different grounds, but we merely bring the fact forward as one which possesses considerable interest. The statistics of Mr Hayter, to which reference has been made, are also pregnant with matter for thought, and we shall tako an early opportunity of reverting- to them.

A telegram received last night states that Col. Fraser has been elected Mayor of the Thames, unopposed.

The annual meetings of County Councils throughout the colony will be held to-morrow at noon.

Mr Bryce will arrive by the train from Auckland to-day, and proceed straight through to Cambridge on his way to Kotorua.

There was a very large attendance at Mr Knoxs sale of drapery, grocery, &c, at the Hamilton Auction Mart on Saturday, and fair prices were obtained for all the lots submitted.

There was not a quorum at the meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council last night, and the meeting consequently stands adjourned till Thursday evening.

Judge OBrien, of the Native Lands Court, arrived in Cambridge by coach on Saturday last from Auckland. He took his seat with Judge Williams in the Land Court yesterday morning.

The following tenders were received on Saturday for the erection of the factory building for the Waikato Cheese and Bacon Factory Company, (Limited) :— W. J. Pearson, £296 10s ; T. Evans, £264 10s ; Joseph Freer, £240 ; T. Vincent, £239 14s (accepted).

A son of Mr Gillett, proprietor of the National Hotel, Cambridge, met with an accident on Saturday last. A man named Burns was riding a horse out of Carter's when the boy ran across and was run over, receiving a few bruises on the body and head. The sufferer is now recovering.

The annual meeting of the Fiako County Council will be held at Cambridge to-morrow, when some important butiness will be disposed of. The tenders for the Te Aroha tramway will be opened and considered, and probably the most suitable will be accepted,

The new store which is being erected to the order of Mr Ellis, late of Aotea, at Kihikihi, is now almost completed, and when finished will be the largest building of its kind iv Kihikihi. It is built on a most convenient site near the Public Hall, and is estimated to cost about £300.

So far as can be gathered from the contractor,?, the following tenders have been sent in to the Auckland Agricultural Company for contracts No. 11 and 12, Waitoa drainage works. The' tendering for No. 12' is fairly close, but for the'other contract; No! 11,- the difference' between the lowest and tlie ope. next is very marked. Coatract No. 11. Grilnes, £10.800 ; Cbates, ' £10, 10 Q j ;Livingston, £8,979 : Proctor, <£6;633. No. 12. Livingston, £7,135 ; Coates,,£6,6oo ; Grimes, £5,999 jj/O'DqdoJiuiljwd^b;

We 'would draw attention to the" attractive .programme, published . ; itf -another, column, 'pi the mqsfical^ "'and literary enterjbajnijfient to^ be held tcp mflnrrow evening .the; Cambridge jPulilid" jJßa'll. , jThe.psofjeeojiij are » to r provjd,ej'f6^' ippoperty J» jP^espv^em^tt jf fL^grch^ and wortb^an^ooject, and po, exf ku ? T^pe^store\for;Mr?SlpaneJaf

almost completed, |mcl Mr Sloane expects -opening business shortly. The new buikftng whifih^^boiUtt!id;fiiiesyof its kiuil|| I t^dism^, h^fflmrOntag^pf^ 33 fe9t,j||d 52 81 t,%nd ocuir taius eignt giffere^ apa|miefij||. W shop is Ipnefrbomyiapartineut oi£29 feet x 10 feifa#is w#light|# Wi^ffii glass front To the left of the dividing I passage, leading to the private part of the building, is Mr Sloane's chemist shop of 10feetx?I2fcetfalso\i{ell lighted j>y ja. good glass front. Adjoininghischemioal department isausefulrodimfbrs^urgery^arid dentistry purposes. There are fonr' rooms, including a fine private sittingroom at the back for family purposes. In tact the new store is replete with every accommodation as far as room is concerned. The design and general <workmanship of the building reflects much credit .upon .the. JjjiUder and Mr Jas. Mandeno. The contract price ia £326.

The Government* have partly formed, the road between Waipa.and Mangiti, on the Cambridge-Taupo road, and are now about to complete the work between these two places. On this part of the road several culverts have been, open for some considerable time past, causing much.annoyance to travellers ia vehicles. For the proposed bridge across the Mangaharakeke creek, the timber is already on the ground. All who use the road, and who Jiave occasion to travel between Cambridge and Rotorua, complain of the site chosen by the Government engineer as most unsuitable, being fully a mile and a half too low down the stream, thus causing them to make an unnecessary detour of fully three miles. If the bridge were erected whura it has been suggested by travellers it should be, while not inconveniencing travellers going to Taupo, it would greatly assist those going to Kotorua. It is to be hoped the engineer before erecting the bridge will give due consideration to the objections raised to the proposed site. If this road were in proper order, the distance between Rotorua and Cambridge could be driven over in about twelve hours.

A very curious case was advanced a stage in Chambers at Wellington oii Saturday. Mr Edward Shaw moved, before Mr Justice Richmond, sitting in banco, for a rule nisi, calling upon a Maori named Winiata to show cause why he should riot deliver up to the custody of Miss Freebody her sister 'Annie Freebody, aged about nine years. About eight years ago the mother and the child came to the colony from England, where she had left her husband. Here 3he became acquainted with Winiata, a resident of the Taita district, who now lms possession of the little girl. Miss Freeboby, sister to the child, has now arrived from England empowered by the father to obtain possession, but Winiata refuses to give it up on the ground that he had adopted it. The rule nisi was granted, and yesterday Mr Buckiey appeared to show cause against it, Mr E. Shaw attending in support of it. After argument His Honor made the rule absolute, and a writ of habeas corpus has been issued for the surrender of the child to the Judge at eleven o'clock on Tuesday next. I

The following pointed notice appeared in a late issue of the Murmmburra Signal :—: — " Notice to Showmen.—From this date, all theatrical advertisements will be charged double rates ; and unless the companies are favourably known to us, the money will have to be put down in advance. Paragraphs, concerning the merits of entertainments, will have to be paid for the rate of three shillings an inch. This is purely a business notice. When the public wants to go to a show, ifc must put down its money for a start. When a show wants to go into this paper, it will for the future, commence by putting down the coiu. We trust respectable journalists in ofjher towns will copy this notice in their columns, and faithfully stick to its terms."

One of the West of England daily papers comments on the following Salvation Army announcement: — " Monday, at 2.30, in Barracks, Yankee Lass will sing and talk for Jesus, with other officers; C 30, soldiers meet at Barracks for Parvdl in Full Uxirouv, Red Handkerchiefs, White Aprons and Jackets. Great Doixgs all the week: Ti'rms 01 Pi.vce given fo all Rebels Of our King 1, by Male and Female Warriors. The Army Doctor will attend to the Wounded. By Order of King Jesus and Major Cadman." Our contemporary says :—"The sublime irreverence of the final phrase is something worse than we have yet seen. One gets over advertisements about " Happy Jack,' ' ''Saucy'" Sally,' and 'Converted Sue;' but this association of 'King Jesus and Major Cadman,' is almost blasphemous.

A Naturalists' Field Club has been formed in Auckland. The following were the rules adopted :—l.: —1. The name of the club shall be the " Auckland Naturalists' Field Club." 2. The object of the club shall be to encourage the study of natural history by means of excursions, evening meetings, &c. 3. Any subscriber of five shillings annually shall be a member of the club. 4. The annual subscription shall become due on the first day of October in each year. 5. Ladies are eligible for membership. 6. The club shall be governed by a president, secretary, and treasurer, and committee of five members (of whom three shall be a quorum), to be elected at the annual meetings of the club. 7. An annual meeting of the club shall be held in the month of September in each year. At this meeting the committee shall present a report of their proceedings during the year, and a statement, duly audited, of the receipts and expenditure, 8. The committee shall have power to appoint stated times for the excursions of the club and for the management thereof, and generally shall have the full conduct of the affairs of the club. 9. These rules may be added to or amended at any meeting of the club, provided that notice of any proposed alterations shall have been given at a previous meeting/ Dr Purchas was elected president, Mr Oheeseman secretary and treasurer; the committee is composed of the following gentlemen :—Messrs E. Bartley, C. Cooper, J. Martin, J. A. Pond, and Col. Hanltain. ,

Messrs W. J. Hunter and Co. will sell at the Ohaupo 3%irds on Thursday, December 7, on account of Mr W. A. Murray, Piako, 100 well-bred cattle. All important notification concerning the leasing of fresh sections in the Thermal Springs district, Rotorua, will be found in our advertising columns. A notice by the Warden of the Te Aroha goldfield appears in our business columns. Mr Knox will sell the balance of Mr Harris' stock on Saturday next at II o'clock. Mr T. Cox, boot and shoe , maker, ■ Duke street, notifies that he has removed to the shop formerly occupied by Mr Rhodes, bootmaker, and solicits a continuance of supportThe, programme of the concert to be given in the Hamilton East school on Tuesday incxt is published in this issue. Messrs B. Tonks.and Co.,' will sell on Wednesday, December 6th, by order of the .mortgagees,^ block of 1121 acres land at Manga-s;harc,-aeaf Cambridge. • / ' ' A general meeting of those interested ' in.the erection >of a. church at; Tamahere will be held this'day it Camp's ' Hotel. ' •'' Great changes are taking place in'Auckand, new business premises ofvarious kinds are rapidly improving the appearance of the city ; several firms are extending their premises, and the keen competitive spirit of the' Old'Cpuptry is now apparent amongst^the city tradesmen^; the .' wholesale ,"i warehousemen,^ ironmongers, and 'b^/aSg^Jfatitair, Ipft&friegfW- not Hhe f Wear 'industry establishments is the completionho£ a,large?cbn-t crtte jbuUdjng^hreß^tjOreys ihigh^ Jl^set'/ longi' »n"d 60 wide, erected l^Ldrne-streetjis'iicabjnSt* 1 'factory for'Messrs.^Garlick'' and^Granw^ll,^ who KaVe 'erected m&chln9ty I pyititlikpi\a.teit improve-,, ments, enabling^ the,t^ v i,^f|«rn^ bjjt.-jtljwrS.work' 'jeconomiealW .and;oitediUously.^;TOs-|rm^are { nbw givinWp ! 'th : eir'drapery sfM clbihingf business4hoinfurnit'ufe, i laluif'ic-ie^|>Ap/!e"dyctea^ncev» r *and?6lßthin|^ wicK^vnij^jbef^pld 3 (for-*c^H- Wily),"