The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1641, 11 January 1883, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Equal .md exact justice to all men, Ot wh.itsoiwr st.itc or persuasion, religious or piltlic.il. Here sh.ill the Press the People's rujht m.uut.un, Un.iwcd b> lnlluouce .mil unbiibcd by (,""»•

TUUMSDA V, JAN, 11, 1883.

♦ The Canterbury people held a jubilee on the 3rd iiiht. to celebrate the opening of the Lyttelton dry dock, and the occasion was made use of for the purpose of indulging in a little mutual admiration. Wo cannot lind it in our heart to cavil at the proceedings, because it is not every day a dock erected at a cost of nearly £100,000, and capable of holding the largest vessels afloat, is built in these lattitudes. The Canterbury folk may well congratulate themselves on the fruition of their exertions in the grand work of colonisation. But what we do take exception to is the conduct of a section of the Press. The LytUMon T'unrs, on the following morning, recognising, as it should, the great .significance of the event, dovotes half its space to a history of the port, an account of the progress of its harbour works, a report of the luncheon, and a leading article, in the well-know^ sledge hammer style, on the day's proceedings. In the latter it bestows merited praise on the founders of the province, dilates justly on the valuable services of such ur-m ns Mr William Sefton Moorhouse, -Mr Richardson, and others, and pays a high tribute to the genius and foresight of Sir Julius Vogel, who was present at the luncheon, and made an excellent speech. But our contemporary has not a single good word to say for the Minister of Lands, who also assisted at the celebration. Yet Mr Rolleston made a sound, practical speech, free from all political allusions, recommending as the greatest work which colonists had before them the settlement of the lands of the colony. Upon the merits of this speech tiie Times is silent, but it carps at the absence from it of any generous allusion to the lion, gentleman's political opponents, particularly Sir Julius Vogel, who, with a grace unknown to Mr Rolleston, was good enough to refer in complimentary terms to the latter. We confess that to us one of the best characteristics of Mr Rolleston's speech is the total lack of any of that fulsome adulation of others sitting round the banquet table which seems to have made up so large a proportion of the other addresses on this memorable occasion. Mr Richardson, in proposing the health of the visitors, which was practically that of Sir Julius Vogel, endeavoured to apotheosize the ex-Agent-General, and the latter in replying, did not forget to butter his apologist. This palpable scratching of bucks, performed by a gentleman revisiting the colony on a commercial mission, and a politician ont of \yater, affords our contemporary huge delight. He is not half so well pleased when Sir J ulius proceeds to commend those presently possessed of the conndenoe of the country, but he wisely conceals his displeasure, because it givos him a text on which to preach on the boorishness of the Minister of Lands. Moreover, our eon temporary, ,unco inpromising and irreconcilable ■ provincialist as hV is, also forgets in his hurry the fact that the man he eulogises slaughtered his pet lamb. But nobody ever expects the Lyttelton Times to be honest. Our contemporary tells us that Mr Rolleston's speech was the worst, in some respects, he has ever heard ; in other words we presume — since the Times finds no fault with what it did contain, as would assuredly have boen the case had there been the smallest loophole — it was incomplete, it was lacking in that literary finish which is a distinguishing feature in our contemporary's' own effusions — especially when they flow from a' vice-rega,! pen. According to the censor himself, it was beyond the bounds of possibility^ that anybody short of the Archangel Gabriel (whosetemper, we suppose^ ' ia incapable of being ruffled), cdujd^have* made a decent speech under * the circumstances. Turning , to the Rimes' report of the Luncheon^ we 1 find that when'Mr'Rolle'stonW'd'he felt that . the efforts of himself and his terial colleagues must fall far-short o£/>Vhat%v^/ek i De!cM;:o'£ tj*m,| he 'wasgreeted\vi'th hatwhenflfe ..proceeded! fco,,sayiitliat< no body 1 ;of;; of ; meii'-coulfr'^havei^niore strongly tit libarfrthie iiitei^este'p^ the .country, than, fiacV 1 $f 7fe whieh , hej had ijthe- hon£r v po, }^elong,; there was further "-Applause." 'and el-ies of '" Npr.aiid thai w]i&n/he (Ayeafc on;t^,sp,eakpf/r%>'gf^ itffyK

i*iv« at one conclusi fer: Either tlie seven hundred wli |sat down to non-politi||| efgract § worafW thd* | fjJ/t'tleUon^inml^ |j' coj|^d'|lthej report to fTif^it^pu'n \^rh^iililq| ends. It is apparently the mission* of our contemporary to hoot the? puesent Ministry, out z oi ofliuo, .but lie should r«t LOrii'iorp-thiitapjo-ngytlu^ low e<t roughs, the pvinciplo of "'fail* play"' is to some extent recognised, while it is the practice of rightminded Engl«s'in,en to accept it in its fullest significance ; and act' upon it.

To-morrow evening the ratepayeis of Hamilton will meet at the Public Hall to, discuss the drainage proposals to be laid 1 before tllem by the' 1 council. We trust the matter will be calmly- 'and considerately discussed, and that anything like party feeling will be eonSpioubus by its absence. The, subject is of the utmost importance, and rtfhdiild ' be regarded as such. To-morro>V* nightfs' meeting will not decide the question,, as it is necessary that a poll of the ratepayers shall be taken, but the, result of such poll will doubtless be largely governed by what j transpires at the meeting.

It will be seen that "the total amount of the Victorian four million loan subscribed on i the 9th was only £433,000j at prices ranging from £100 ,to £102', per cent. This discouraging result is no doubt in -great measure owing to the hostile tone which several of the English papers have lately adopted towards the colonies, iov whiit reason it is hard to eoncoho. The financial prospects of the Australias are brighter now than ever they weie, lint at the very worst the security they ofl'er is incomparably better than that of such clients as Tin key and Egypt, and the lotten South Ameiican u'.pulihcs. We ti not the New Zealand loan •will meet with a better reception in the London market.

Nkws travels fast, ;iiid, like a snowball, increases as it rolls. A shoil time ago a leport got abroad to the eub<;t .that the Hamilton railway bridge was minute, and would never boar the strain intruded to be put upon it. This pleasant little fiction grew «6 as'it ti availed abro.id that by the time it loachud To Aroha it aHirmed that the whole sstiuutu.'c of the bridge was lying at the bottom of the river. What the extent of the damage wonld have been, if the stoiy had kept on growing and had readied as far as Invercargill we cannot siiy. but in all probability it would amount to a statement that the cylinders had been was'ied out to sea at least. However, the bridge is light, and likely to remain so, long after the present genei ation of croakei t has passed away. Another illustration of tlie susceptibility of stories such as the above to improvement has come under oui notice dm ing the last day or two. As our readers arc aware, the breaking out of fires here and tliet c along the 'route has to some slight extent ■damaged the railway formation between Hamilton and Piako, but the injiny done recently has boon veiy little. It is a Jittle surprising, then, to re id in oui Thames m ning conteiupoiary tli.it " Considerable damage has been done to the Hamilton-Morrinsville section ot the Thames- Waikato Railway, by vwy extensive bush htcj fires on the swamp between Hamilton and Piako, and the Resident H!p'»ineei\ with a patty of men, have been engaged in doing what they could to save the woik."' ' We do not blame our conteiupoiary. The tale had grown when it reached the Thames, but it shows how necessary it is that reports of this kind should be thoroughly sifted befoic they are believed.

The bells of S. Andrew's Church, Cambridge, were rung yuoloid.iy for about, an hour in honoiu of the nuptials of Mr Francis Hicks and Miss M. Allen, of Alexandra.

The rehearing of the case, Fitzgerald v. E. C. Shepherd, for alledged wrongfully impounding of a cow off the Newcastle run, will take place tit tho R.M. Court, Hamilton, on Monday next, A meeting of settlers interested in the establishment <A a cheese and bacon factory between Oh.uipo and Hamilton, will be held at the giand btand on the Ohtuipo laeccoutsii tomorrow at 6 o'clock. Wo Ini ht to sue a largo ationdtiuuc, as tho subjei't to be discussed is one that deeply aftccts the welfare of every mdix idual farmer iv tlie district.

The Native Lands Court was formally re-opened at Cambridge yesterday befoie His Honor Chief Judge Maodonald, and re-adjourned till the 16th inst, when the unfinished business, or business already entered upon, will be taken up. The Wh.ikamaia rehearing has been further adjourned for a fortnight after the 16th inst.

The driver of the mail coach between Raglan and Hamilton reports ■several of the bridges unsafe between Waitetuna and Raglan. At the second bridge beyond Mr Suttons tim coach was npiir coming to grief. One of the hoises got his log through the rotten planking, and the driver had a good deal of trouble to get matters set right, no assistance being at hand.

A large amount of evidence was taken at the t?\aimnatioii of Mi s Hamilton and Pi iestly at the Police Court, Auckland, on Tuesday. The general tendency of it was to show that the intimacy between fcho accused h.xl hueii ulan improper diameter, and .il.-o t>> piove thatvPriestly was at the deceased'^ house on tlie night of the s.ul ocuimcucc, ssinee the explanations of his whereabout-* yiven by J the prisoner Were shown to he initi usfcworthy. Tlie accused were com.nitted for trial yesterday.

The hearing of the native ejectmenl ease was continued ! at (Jaminnl^e yestei'flay, .before tl^c R.ftf. and Mr Wells,'J.'P. The proscclition was closed, and Mr Hesketh addressed tlio (Joint at considerable length; contending that no case had been established. Eleven of the accused weVo discharged froni custody, there being no case against them. The l&nch,' after' heaving Mi* HesUeth, determined to hear his defence for the other accused, and the Court was adjourned till 10 o'clock this morniug.

Theimeinbers of the Comus Amateur Dramatic Club give their private performance to, -honorary members ,aml., their friends at the Oddfellow's Hall.Hamilion, this eveinngi»jThe!prj>gramine, to which we have already hiade reference, is a very good one, and, judging from rehearsals, the whole promises to go off smoothly. The stage fittings have been entirely re-, arranged, and, the whole of the scenery has been re-painted; An additional,' attraction in Ijofie Vs^ape of an orchestral band, uudeivtlic'Kadership of Mr TV A. HelL consisting pf vpiano, <three violins, violonSello 1 alidiflux6{-will ue presented. ,'We think^ we , can , safely promise, the-Mitl-le'liTOe? 1 c^ ! oin-4da"cters< who| are" either > h^j|J^ty€ ) B?i 1 ?]?? J r s or '"endd of ( such a real treat ibis evening, |

'^"W stated 'in* at<!preyi6tfa i§sue f'tliajt a^e&UjiiientwaS ♦likely to be; arrived atbetween tlie uativesoLfcubageilj'iiof the prosecutiou against Messrs E.\B. Walker, ,y ri<j*e.;Grace ,arid "bthergjV but 1 1; vr§tb ,then \juLblftKj^e/tH#ferqsß,fpfr S e|i^aerit"

JLn&il(s9rhaiiiißd Williann|flijiii6Ki new Kate ofTe Awaimitu, hifflpee^^^ itinjii into at f||»»brHJee^ j[fre«||t for||Buie tfne i m3t, Ki^nic^pfis |pe<|i|[ talung! smf f § j°[% m flfi was^f , h l»UFiof latephe hafi*l)eea%umcwhat ihlaip^y? in executing the jobs with wlTit'h ho has been favourctl. A man namctl John Mnllions, who gave him a. pdiir of trowsers to>meud some time n^o, -swoi'ejan mforniatiTiu against Kimierley, and had him avresteil* yesterchiy , ou ' the charge of larceny as a bailee. When questioned as to what he had done with ,t!ie unmentionables, lie said he had sold them, but could not say •who the un- , fortunate .purchaser. > „ Tluj missing S articles are descfibeil'as^a pair of browii twilled trowsers, and the police request thatvthe'.-ipresjßut owner, should return them immediately, before they are found in his ..possession. Kinuerley is now, locked up, and will be brought' bcfoVe the £!our£ ,tlii^ T morninij.

A lady correspondent of the Christchuroh Tcleijruph writes : — Tennis is still the favourite summer game here. I notice' that it is not 'only ladies -who have tennis costumes, but gentleman have the same. They are investing largely in those soft felt hats which are embroidered on one side with a sunflower, a poppy, or a lily. The same soft of hat, made on a somewhat larger scale, is coming into fashion for ladies hats ; coquettishly turned up on one side they are very becoming. But there is a still more wondetful and curiously made hat for ladies wear. I do not think there is one to be seen yet in "\ ew Zealand. It is called the "basket" hat bonnet, and is in shape like a workbasket turned upside dm\ n, and seems to be made of interlaced vine stems, about au inch aud a-half apart, and trimmed with fruit. I sliould hardly think it will bo much worn, tor it looks too had aud unphable to bear trimming becomingly. I hear th.it a bonnet called the "Shall" is gradually eclipsing the Princess. l (1 or tennis di esses nun's veiling and sateen leniain the fa\ourite materials. The bodices are nude to lit quite easily, so as to give plenty of freedom to the arms and chest,, hence the gathered bodice is the favouiite. Skirts are made shoit and wide, aud not encumbered -with too much trimming. Dust coats of cither (Jlunese bilk or beige are getting to be quite an indispcn.vble article of clothing. 1 am sure avc need them here badly. Was there ever such a place for dust as Clnistehureh ?, It 1 dine m an open conveyance to the afternoon party, I am bound to arrive covered with dust unless I have this veiy useful, if not exactly becoming, article of dress.

A correspondent writes from Cambridge as tollows :— '■ Some time ago, your readers will lemember, the Cambridge Town passed a resolution to the effect that Chapel-street, which was ! then in a most disgraceful plight, should have twenty odd pounds spent on it, and that coiibtabulcirly labour, which wns then available tor local works, should be employed, as by this more work was likely to be done than could ha\ c botu otfeeted by contiaet labour. The wnik, which, I might also add, was undertaken after, much wrangling and badgeiing, was partly commenced by a number of constabulary, who did the Government stroke on the street lor a few days, and then weie cleared away somewhere else, leaving the work worse than when they commenced, for during the lainy season which followed, the thotoughfaru could not possibly be utilised for even loot tiafiie. If lam not mistaken, they wore sent up to improve the property of two ot our woifchy nicmbeis, by funning footpaths in Grey-sheet, a thoionghfare hitherto almost unexplored by any person but by these two gentlemen who roll the log with the cluirmnn, and thus work the oracle. Anyhow, Chapel -sttect was left with a surface like a newly ploughed paddock, without either footpaths or gravel. A little gravel has since been spread to give a tone to the sui face, but of late the board, I notice, have been gathering all the available rubbish in the town, consisting of old tin-ware, streetdust, withered glass, and shop sweepings, and spreading it on the street. What they ltieau by tins piocecding I have not the slightest idea. There is one thing, however, I do know, and that is that the ratepayers and householders in Chajicl-street stiongly object to such a piactiee. They want a street like Hi ewery-street, and why not have it? Why not have footpaths in Chapel-street as \\ ell as in the unknown thoroughfare of Grey-street ? We want to know what has been done with the remainder of the £20 vote, and when the work will be earned out."