The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1645, 20 January 1883, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Equ.il and evict justice to all men, Of whdtsoe\or state or persuasion, religious or pclitic.il. Here shall the Press the People's right maintain, Unuwed by influence and unbribed by gain.

SATURDAY, JAN. JO, 1883.

The burgesses of Hamilton will have to decide, on Monday, whether the drainage schem e proposed for the town shall be carried out or not. To j udge by the attendance at the late public meeting, it would seem that they cared but little about the, matter, one way or the other. And yet this is, we believe, really far from being the case. Until quite recently there has been considerable opposition to the movement, but a reactionary feeling has set in, and people are beginning to ask one another whether it is wise to blindly veto a scheme which would do so much to improve the town,, and in so many "ways. (Sydney Square, in its unfenced, implanted and waste condition, forcibly reminds them of the folly of being led away by an unreasoning opposition to set their faces against improvements, fearing that those who propose them have f>ome axe to grind, borne selfish object to attain. Those who voted at the public meeting, nearly a year ago, against the fencing and planting of the Square, would now, if they only had the opportunity, be amongst the most forward in carry- 1 ing a contrary resolution by acclamation. It will be well for those who, without due consideration of the drainage scheme and its results, have made up their minds to vote against it, or even to refrain from voting at all, to reflect, whether, before the coming winter is over, they too may not as bitterly regret such a course of action as the opponents of the reclamation of Sydney Square now regret theirs. The chief arguments against the scheme are, that it is premature, and that it will not benefit the whole of the burgesses alike. That it is premature, is an argument thnt would be urged with less effect if the matter had been brought before the burgesses in the winter, rather than at a season such as we have experienced for the last few months ; but the necessity does not the less exist. When the weather breaks and rain falls, the heat and moisturo in the lower undmined portions of the town, especially on the west side, may at any time become a hot bed of malaria, generating disease and death. When the summer is gone and the winter rains set in, we all know for a certainty that miles of streets will become seriously cut up, and some scarcely passable, through the excess of water, which the present inefficient means of drainage will not permit to be carried away. We form and gravel streets and roads at considerable expense, to be thus rotted, and, by consequence, easily cut up by wheeled traffic, because we will not spend a little more and remove the primary cau&e of the cvil — the water which lies on them or so near the surface of them as to keep tliem soaked with wet and unable to withstand tho wear and tear of ordinary traffic. Tile drainage scheme proposed would not only onsure the health, of the town, but assist in the formation of miles of streets, and by preventing them from being destroyed in winter, save a large sum annually in repairs. Premature indeed! why even tlie condition of the streets themaelves, and of some hundreds of acres on both, sides of the river, which, form the gardens and back- j yards of the residents, sufficiently proclaim, that so far from being premature, such, a scheme should have been undertaken years ago. It will have to be entered upon j sooner or later, and the sooner it is j dono the sooner will the public begin to reap the benefit. "Why should the present generation of burgesses scrape, and save, and d6ny themselves the decencies and comforts of existence one year longer than they need do, and then a lew years hence, when they are positively driven to undertake the work, do it for the benefit and enjoyment of another generation, strangers perhaps, who have not borne with them any share in the heat and burden of the day. That the work will not benafit the whole of the borough alike, might be said as iairly^of every work undertaken, ancll is an argunsant as untenable as it is , selfish. ■ 1 The improvement thus, effected inj one par£V)f the borough cannot but be a public benefit,, shared more or less by all. /Xliafc nature' has. rendered drainage f una93eflsary^n J some parts of the borough is so i»ucfrthe aejf&ji* for ttte residents of siiSh p|rtiosi£ #f it-r^so ? niuch ; $h^ better) for, .the toifW^'a wnoiet.Tfiifii ' ,'it^'sayes -.the oost'iof/4 ' ttw*? •:comprehen>^v,e didiniag^^che'iA© # l! iise(i^^an

local self government such as we enjoy in this colony. Nor must it bo forgotten that in a sanitary point of viow\ the* dry and the> healthy portion is quite as much benefited as the wot "and low-lj'ing by tho drainage of the latter. Lot infectious dison.se break out in tho one, will tho other be safo? Tho sum required to complete the scheme "will not entail a heavy burden upon tho burg-osses. It has been estimated that, at most, a fourpenny rate will bo required to meet interest and sinking fund on the proposed loan. But as wo have said, a large amount in street repairs will be annually saved. Add to this tho fact that the increased value of tho property drained will fairly render it liable to a higher valuation, thus increasing the ordinary revenue of the borough, and the result will be that practically a much less rate than fourpence will be found sufficient. Strange to say, the chief opposition conies from those who pay the smallest rates, and yet would benefit more directly in the expenditure of the money — for £2,500 spent principally in labour during the next winter and spring, in Hamilton, is a matter of no ordinary moment, and there is no reason why the pipes themselves should not be made here, the order being large enough to warrant any extra outlay in machinery required to produce them. One word as to the polling, and we have done. An amendment act requires that the poll to validate, a special rate shall carry a majority of votes equal to one-half the burgesses on the roll. There are 239 such, and some 290 votes. One hundred and twenty votes will hive to be recorded in favor of the proposal to carry it, and, therefore, though many will be able to give more than one vote in its favor, it is clear to see, considering how many absentees there are who cannot vote at all, that not one who is desirous of seeing the scheme carried out should allow any obstacle to prevent him from attending the poll to record his vote, and in persuading others less zealous than himself to do the same.

Notwithstanding the fact that certain persons in high places have lent their countenance and sympathy to the Salvation Army, educated Anglo-Saxons the world over are inclined to hold the movement in contempt. The more we hear of General Booth and his officers, the le,ss we are disposed to believe in their sincerity, to say nothing of their usefulness. The temporal y (for we feel sure it will be biit temporary) reformation of such of the scum of the English cities as have listened to the voice of the enlisting sergeants, cannot compensate for the violence done to real religion by the disgusting spectacles daily supplied by the "Army." What must be the sensations of an earnestly religious man, imbued with a proper feeling of reverence for holy things, when he hears the Salvationist larrikin singing, to the tune of a popular song, For he's a jolly good Sa\ iour, Which nobody can deny. Here too is a sample of the street preaching :—": — " Suddenly the ranks break and form afresh into a circle. The crowd halts too. The people in the neighbouring' houses come out into the street, or throw open their windows to listen. A man steps forward into the middle of the ring, and addresses the by-standers : ' Friends,' he says, ' thank God, I'm trav'lin' on to Heaven above ;' ('Allelujah !' ejaculate his companions,) — ' but I ain't satisfied with getting there myself ; I wants you, everyone of you, to come along too ! Will ye go ? That's what I axe ye — will ye go ? You can ; the worst on ye ! (Cries of " Oh, yes, so we can ; praise the Lord !') ' A year ago I was as big a blackguard as anyone here. I used to be well nigh mad with the drink, but Jesus showed me the hell afore me, and what was better, He showed me His love, and has cleansed me in His blood, and saved me !' (Amen ! Allelujah !!) ' Oh, friends, let Him do the same for you now, tonight ! He's a longiu' to. Come right oft" to our mectin' and hear of His salvation.'" Such wretched ribalcly is surely not fitted to elevate mankind, fallen into depths however Jow ! Apart, however, from the injury which Salvationjs.m is calculated to inflict on religion, there is another aspect of the case towards which attention should be directed. A prominent English newspaper, The National Reformer^ deals with this in an article, published in August last, in these words:—^ A. very serious danger lies in the persecution of blasphemy, and the encouragement of Salvationism. The persecution in the law courts carried on by Christians of good social position, is already re-acting in persecution by rioting in the streets, carried on by the insane followers of General Booth. ] The Salvationists are of a type who tore Hypatia from her lecture room, and rent her limb from limb for the love of God. The criminal classes in their normal condition are bad enough, but the criniinar classes maddened by .religion, are $ far more serious danger to the community. The Queen and the Archbishop of Canterbury encourge their extravagances, and history will only' repeat itself if this mob of crazy fsmatics suddenly bursts aty bpnids, and breaks out into the most 'fur^us and bloddy excesses, MeijL and .women, awheel' in the blbpc^ of the Lamb, ' ara always reatiy tc-” fulfil" the promise, VThy, ieet shall be, dipped in { the blood, of thine enemies?! } «> The ?agan civilisation was overwhelmed under?uch Christian mobs, ..the Moorish, civilisation of Spain ?yas cruslies similar fanatics." fg-tg -tflj sep^nobler^^wider^civiliiajtjQn,! a jgrandqru^ndi.^eeperj: Culture, a, higher, K^nd, ' jgm^.hc(ge{^.(^ " man, b^the^modem , represent

risen in revolt against civilisation. ' If it conqueis now, as before, the world will> bn thrown back five 'hundred It should be clearly understood that tho type ' of Christianity here so ruthlessly condemned is- that presented by General Booth, and is happily quite distinct from the nobler forms of ,the religion of Christ which have been humbly embraced by the good and great of the past centuries.

A ukn'TLEMAX, who has just concluded a visit to different parts of Waikato, lias communicated to us some of the impressions he lias formed in his journeyings. He is a man ot considerable experience in different parts of the world, and is well acquainted with the other Australasian colonies. What has struck him most is, as he expresses it, "the dirty, slovenly way in which too many ofthe farmers go to work, The fences, for the most part, are deplorably bad, and tho roads are allowed to be overrun with fern and weeds to an extent which is hardly credible." He is pleased with the quality of the land so far as he has seen it, but is surprised that the pastures should present such a burnt-up appearance. He concludes his brief communication by expre&sing a belief that with better markets, better tanning will naturally commence, and capital now withheld will seek investment „iii the district, the future of which is destined to be a great one. It is at all times gratifying to have the opinions of outsiders upon those things which lie nearest to us, and when our critics are outspoken, as in this ca&e, the benefit is a double one. It is perhaps unfortunate that our correspondent should have visited the district at such an unusually dry season, b'lt it is better that the worst should be know n rather than that people should be induced to settle amongst us under false pretences to find out when too late that the boil .itter all only yields grain and grass and roots, and notnuggetb of gold.

A cable message informs us that Cetewayo, the Zulu king, has arrived at his home, and met with an enthusiastic lcception. The annual • meeting of the parishioners ot S. Andrew's, Cambridge, is called for Tuesday next. The bells will ring at 7.30 p.m. for half an hour. The poll to determine whether or not the Borough Council of Hamilton shall borrow the sum of £2,500 to carry out a scheme of drainage, will be taken on Monday next, at the Council Chambers, Hamilton West. School duties will be resumed at the Hamilton West School on Monday next, and at the Hamilton East School on the Monday following. A moonlight trip in the steamer Delta will take place on Tuesday evening next, under the auspices of the Hamilton Band. The steamer will leave Hamilton at 7, returning about 10 p.m. The quadrille band will play dance music on the trip. A fire has been burning for some days in the Rukuhia swamp. On Wednesday evening it caught a whare near the Kuknhia railway station, occupied by one of the surfacemen, and burned it down. The contents of the whare were saved.. From all parts of Otago, except in one or two small corners, the best news comes as to the anticipated yield of the harvest. Cutting has begun in the north, but it will be a week or more before it is general in the South. The crops of oats will be large. A cable message, dated Cairo, Januaiy 10th, says :— Earl Durt'enn has lecently had under consideration the question ot establishing a lesponsiblc lorm of self government in Egypt, and has now made a proposal to the Egyptian Council of Ministers for the establishment of Legislative Chambers. The annual meetings of householders in the various school districts throughout Waikato will be held on Monday next, at the times and places mentioned in the Board's advertisement. We shall esteem it a gieat favour if secretaries of committees in outlying districts will forward us reports of the pioceedings. The public of Cambridge are somewhat disconcerted over the action of Mr Fenton and Dr. Buller in urging the adjournment of a number of cases, which have been gazetted for the present Court at Cambridge, to Rotorua. Mr Sheehan opposed the application, which, however, was ultimately decided by the Court. A Dairy Factory Company has been successfully floated at Oamaru, and as soon as the necessary buildings can be erected operations will be commenced. The Oamaru Woollen Factory Company has accepted tenders for the erection of a suitable building, and it is anticipated that within six months the company will be able to pl'ice their manufactures in the market. Some excellent stone from the Provincial Claim, Waiorongomai goldfield, is now on exhibition in Mr Sargent's window, Duke-street, Cambridge. The stone has been examined by several experts, and the surface indications well tested. It is proclaimed the best seen in Waikato for some time, and is well worth inspection. Swamp fires have been raging in the Cambridge outlying districts for the past few clays with anything but pleasant results. During Thursday the atmosphere was so thick that it was almost impossible to see beyond the confines of the town. During the evening the smoke was almost suffocating, anil travellers, who had been into the oountry, complained of the unpleasautness experienced. The Hamilton Borough authorities, aware of the proclivities of the larrikins, have wisely boarded up the windows ot the late bridge toll house. We advise the authorities to take some means for securing the safety of the clock. It would be a pity to remove this, as it is a great comenience to the townspeople, and could easily be attended to by the borough workmen, ■ The case of perjury against Wakatufcij, jihe ISjgatykaiyhata native, a witness in tlfe ejection cage against Messrs "Walker, Qnce and others, will come on for hearing ai the Resident Magistrate;* Court, Cambridge, to-day. Mr Northcroft has been subpoenaed as a witness for the prosecution. Mr Hesketh has been retained for the prosecution, and Mr Hay for the defence. The Property-Tax Commissioner advertises that persons ' who omitted to send in their statements of property before the 20th December, are liable to be fined, persons owning land, however small the quantity, should at gnoe apply to the postmaster for a, form, and post \& statement; this is necessary whatever may be the value of their 4and, or whether they are liable to taxation or not., „„ '. .. - ' ' We would draw, .the attention of the Land Court authorities to a source of annoyance to persons who have business connected with the Court,- and who are obliged. £o attend its sittings daily. Iminedtattfy tlie'CMiyJ; qpens of a" mowing a munber of natives 1 whd .might be oontented with back seats make their way up to the front 1 of the Court, and 'occupy every available chair' set apart <fot{ the accommodation of counsel, clerks and interpreters,'\vh6 have generally; to content themselves with a -seat wherever they &n g§t! one. ' >' r lf the constables in charge 1 would exaroisft^thpniHejLvg*,, to prevent- a rush to the frontirpnje ( aiately the Court' opehsj muc^^TQnece^saryj'Jiiconvenience) and vexation would be averiiekl .

iriti.asit^seut. The Chief Postmaster h'as^cousentcd to the alteration, feeling "convinced, as everybody else was loug ago, that the time allowed for the trip was not enough. Mr Carter can now run his coach without feeling that he is in danger ot coining under the provisions of the Cruelty to Animals Act, an offence which the Department were very nearly forcing him to commit. The builders are making good progress with the new Baptist tabernacle at Cambridge. Most of the frames-work of the building has been put together, and, as the timber comes regularly to liacd, an early completion is anticipated. Our readers, particularly the Baptist fraternity, will regret to learn that Mr Wliytock, pastor of the Baptist Church, is about to take his departure from amongst us. Mr Whytock has been identified with the church ever since its opening in Waikato, and to his untiring zeal may be attributed the progress which the Baptists have made in the district, •which is amply demonstrated by the building for their use now in course of erection. A runaway, which, fortunately, was not attended with very unpleasant results, occurred at Cambridge on Thursdag morning last about ] 1 o'clock. Mr John Martyn (senr), had been transacting some business at the Steam Navigation Company's new wharf, when his horse, which is supposed to have been frightened by the noise of the machinery, bolted off with the trap, leaving the occupant behind. The runaway went up Duke-street, and turned up Victoriastreet in the direction of S. Andrew's Church at a good pace, keeping well in the centre ot the road. A number of persons tried in vain to stop the infuriated animal, but without avail. Having become exhausted, it fell into the hands of some person on the Hamilton road, who secured it and took it back to town. The heat in parts of the South Island has been most excessive during the past few days. A telegram from Timaru, dated Wedne&day, bay& ; — Several cases of sunstroke are reported, one being fatal, in one case a man named .Sullivan, belonging to Oamaru, was stricken down in the harvest field at Makikihi. He was brought into town by tram, and conveyed to the hospital, where he lies in an unconscious state. In the second case a young man named D. Hutchinson, working in a field at the Teko flat, was struck, and died in a few minutes. A number ot milder cases are also reported. The heat at one time to-day was 100 m the bun. A telegram received on Thursday also from Timaru says :— James Sullivan, who received a sunstroke at Otaio yesterday, died in the hospital last night. "One of the Staff " of the Yellow Ribbon Army writes to a London paper to explain its programme, '•moderate drinking," and invites its reddens to carry on "this gi eat work for the defence of our liberty and existence." The great work is the defence of England against the united forces of Geneial Booth, the United Kingdom Alliance, the Blue Ribbon Army, the Band ot Hope, and others, who, according to "One of the Staff," are about to boycott all who believe they have a right to drink what they please. This impending national disaster has aroused one General Hick& to be the saviour of society, and all moderate drinkers are requested to adopt at once the yellow ribbon, which can be worn outside or inside the coat-collai. What with the army, the volunteers, the Salvation Army, the Blue Ribbon Army, the Green Ribbon Army, and the Yellow Ribbon Army, England runs a risk of becoming the most military nation on the face of the globe. The '* Creswick Advertiser" gives the following account of messages fiom the 'lead, found in the drives of the Creswick mine : — "Two more of the unfortunate miners' billycans have been discovered, on which the departed ones sent messages bidding good-bye to their friends. On Benjamin Bellingliam's were scratched the words — 'My dear mother. My dear bt other. J.8." 'We art. all happy. 8.8.' The^e words must be a comtort to the young Iran's widowed mother. The following were scratched on Clifton's — ' Good-bye, dear mother, si&ters, and brothers.' Also Phillippa, my dear girl. Signed, 'John Tom Clifton.' Before the words Phillippa are three other words, but these aie rendered very indistinct from Thomas Chegwin having written his name very laigely over them; but from some reason the latter was unable to finish his name, and it now stands on the can ' Thomas Chegw.' Presumably the lights may have gone out, which prevented its completion. Mrs Clifton says that on the night of the fatal occuirence, she several times endeavoured to hurry her son off to work, he being accustomed to stay at home till the last minuto, when at last he said, "You seem to be in a hurry to get rid of me." This son has been her great support for a number of years, and by his cheerfulness always endeavoured to comfort her when downhearted. " A writer in the " Otago Witness" thus speaks of the Hon. Mr Bryce :— lt is a cold, dark, determined face, terribly careworn. If you had heard— as I have — old poldiers in Taumaki speak of John Bryco's coolness and courage during the last war, when he commanded the Kai Iwi Cavalry, you would quite understand it. Some years ago I hail a slight experience of this quality. Wo were together riding spirited horses across a narrow unprotected bridge, crossing a stream on the Wahnate Plains, when mine played up, aud cannoning against his, as nearly sent him to kingdom come as possible. Managing his animal coolly and with skill he passed it over «is a mere nothing, Gi anting the Native Minister these high qualities, I regret that he has not the discretion to always nroperly direct them ; and I predict tl^at his petulance — dotwiea the Scotch wquld call it — will ultimately do. as much to disintegrate the present Ministry as will any other adver&e influence. A somewhat peculiar question in marine insurance has (says the Lyttelton Thma>), arisen out of the circumstances attending the opening of the Lyttelton Graving Dock. The ship Hurunui, which was placed in the dock, had a portion of her cargo on board. A conconsignee of part of the goods raised the question as to whether the fact of placing the vessel in dock did not vitiate the insurance policy issued in London. Though the terms o| \\ys pqlicy stated that the goods were insured "until the game b,e there discharged and safely landed," it was thought the docking constituted a deviation from the implied contract. That this was, the case has been affirmed by the- opinion' of tlie manager of one of the' companies interested, who stated that he considered the policy did not cover any risks to which the igoods ' might be subject since the vessel was docked. Cigar-smokers in Hungary are in rather an anxious state since M.,. M^U er > of the town qf Imaged,, 1 found himself suddenly hurled on his back amongst the cinders on the hearth in the midst of quietly smoking his after-dinner weed. It transpired, on, examination, that the cigar had contained a ,tiny glass tube charged with dynamite, and that, there were many others amongst the stock on ]bhe shelves of the bw;cau ( dc tabac which were similarly prepared. The Austrian polices are s npw trying tg fmd put hp^*'^ ingenious Jwrftltfragfl' oquld' have', litp6n committed ; out, meanwhile, there is a decided, turn on the jart of smokers, in favour, of pipes^'the cigfir trade at Iza'ged especially foeiing weiruigli paralysed ! >l>f course we like to' hear of Socialistic designs ending ~in smoke, but noV in 'tobacco *' spoke. , That 'js ' gui t^e, a^qUjoy 'fie/ following: extract is from a Cairo"' 'paper^-^"The Bedouins Jl ' wefe jjreatiy; puzzled by the s grab' of 'the High* , Tap'dersi who, 2 they ttf'the^coMuV, 'liioi&wWnot sMiei^butftheJlwivea 61 HW^ldie^^Diltakdii'bf'courae^ren^dttr-,

men's faceSj cqvered-aSt I they,, were with veils. The Bcdonins noticed that the soldiers''women camped by themselves, and they resolved togodownaudspoil the infl'del soldiers of J.^tneiv tfives ; and a body of, them actually weu^j with a result which must ' have added to the wonderment of both, for the British harem turned otib with rifle and bayonet, and very speedily thirty or forty of the amorous Bedouins bit the dust. After this episode the soldiers' wives were not again attacked by Arab sheikhs wh6 wanted to replenish their harems with English moonf aces." The following business interesting to readers in this district was transacted at Thursday's meeting of the Auckland Crown Lands Board : — Kihikiki.—The Chairman said that in December last the Board of Education asked for a block of five acres m the town of Kihikihi as a school reserve. It was ascertained since that the land applied for was a municipal endowment for the town of Alexandra. The application was referred to the Government, and a reply was received that the Government had no objection to the reserve being made if the Alexandra Townßoarddidnotobject. The latter body wrote objecting to any change. It was agreed to report upon the objection made by the Alexandra Town Board. Kihikilu liccrcfftion Reserve. — Mr James Farrell, secretary of the Kihikihi Road Board, asked that the recreation reserve might be brought under the Domains Act and vested in trustees, who were named in the application. — The application was ordered to be forwarded to the Minister of Lands, with the suggestion that the board, as suggested, should be appointed.— -Crown Grants. — .James Squirrell, of Te Aroha, reported that he had completed his improvements, aud applied for his Crown grant. — It was agreed to lecommend the issue of the Crown grant on proof being furnished of the payment for the land. — An application from Charles G. Long (a late one), for a Crown grant, was granted. — Srttlcrb. — The Under-Secietary of Crown Lands wrote, stating that the Agent-General reported the departure of a number of emigrants by tho Mataura, Crowutiiorpe, and Brahmin ships, for Te Aroha special settlement, and transmitted the duplicate land orders for .several settlers.