AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XX, Issue 1667, 13 March 1883, Page 2

AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

I'.qu il .mil evirl iiisfu c to all men, Of \\liutsoc\u st.ito or persuasion, ichgious or ]K>litl( <11. Hen sli ill the I'icisthc J J copk 's i tj^li*- maintain, Umiwert bj inllucncc .met unbribcil by K« ml -

TUESDAY, MARCH 13, JSS3.

Nruiunt live of that useful publication tho Crown Lands Guide, issued last montli, lias just eomo to hand. Like the previous issues it contains a considerable amount of information in a very concise and readable form. The digest of our land laws is particularly well adapted to convey a just meaning of their scope and provisions 1 to ordinary minds not versed in the favourite technicalities of tho law, while the lists of lands open for sale or lease are full and ample. Thero is necessavily somo information in this number not contained in the last, which was issued in May, 1882, consequent on the changes effected by the legislation of last session. This refers to the deferred-payment system, and to the loasing of Crown lands with perpetual right of renewal. Last year it was stipulated that no person should be allowed to take up a deferred-payment allotment in more than one class, the classes being suburban, rural, agricultural and pastoral. In the current Guide this condition is qualified, by tho following :—": — " But any person who has for a peiiod of two years previously fulfilled all the conditions under which he took up a deferred-payment section, can acquire another section o£ deferred payment rural lands, and so on, so long as, for a period of two years prior to taking up another section, he has fulfilled all the conditions, and provided he does not become the selector of more than 320' acres." This, as selectors under the system will concede, is a valuable alteration, and one which i ought to have been made before. The term " substantial improvements of a permanent character" is also denned to mean and include, reclamation of swamps, clearing off bush or scrub, cultivation, planting with trees or live hedges, the laying out and cultivation of gardens, fencing, draining, making roads, and sinking wells, or water tanks, constructing water races, or in any way improving the character or fertility of ilia soil, or in the erection o£ any building. This definition api plies to all classes of land where improvoisueats , are required, by the Crown" as pavil of the contract. We have . already wade our- -readers acquainted with the 'system of leasing Crown lauds with p^rjpatuai rights of 'renewal, and it- -will be sufficient if we jusjb briefly sum^ marisp it' here, , By , tfr<f L , Land 'Actj Amendment of last session ;the .Go 1 vernor has 'authority to, set 'apart blocks for basing Jf-and Boards • not i greater iii area than one-third of thfe ' fl&ri^ulturaf. hni tlien open "for 6as,JV&s',^£,',tof district ; the leases are to W put 'tip f6r 'competition- 'at anr upset ]srice of riot l less ' than' • '5' pW^'ceift. » otf'the • -provision is. made for Celling link

not be capable.' of'lfecofhirig the lessee under morp than,, One, Sunless the, laiids comprised in the Several Jeases adjoin, each other,, provided thai W> one jiersbn who < owns the freehold of, or who holds a license or lease frohi tho Crown of land, which, together with the are-* of tho lands included in any lease applied for under, this- act, , comprises ja greater area than 640 acres. ( 'J his provision does not apply to >pers6ns l who vnay become lessees or sublessees by marriage, or under a will, or by virtue of an intestacy. Provision is mado for 1 the preparation,; cost, execution and registration of leases, as to term, payment of_ rent and taxes, transfrrs, sub-leases, and . salos by mortgage, residence, and improvements. These provisions appear to have been framed with a view to making them nh easy as possible to the lessee, who also has the right (provided the land be outside a procl. dmed goldfield) of acquiring the freehold of the land, if within a period of six years he shall have fulfilled all the conditions of improvement, at a price not less than the capital value on which he has paid rent at 5 per cent. The remaining provisions apply to the renewals of leases, which can be effected by the original lessee on I payment of a rental equal to 5 per cent, on the gross value of the land — as fixed by arbitration throe years before the end of the term for which the lease is granted — after deducting the value of the substantial improvements of a permanent character. In the event o£ the original ' lessee refusing or neglecting to accept a renewal, then a new valua- 1 tion of the improvements shall be made, and the land again submitted to public competition. If any other person than the lessee is declared the purchaser he shall pay the value of the improvements, which amount shall go to the original lessee. If the lease be not so sold the original lessee may remain in possession from year to year. It will bo seen from this that the perpetual leasing scheme is only, as it were, placed on its trial. Nor is it over likely to assume very great proportions, if it is not abolished altogether. So far as we in this part of the colony are concerned the system can be of little use ; the area of Crown lands suitable for the purpose is so small that it is very unlikely the experiment will over be tried. We regret this, not "because we Jiave any faith in the principle, but for tho reason that the scheme would have the effect of testing, to some extent at any rate, the value of the policy of land nationalisation, apolicy which has gained a large number of adherents during the past few years. ___^_^__

Growers of wheat in Waikato will rejoice to hear that there will be bi'isk competition for their wheat, although we fear it has come in a little late. Some worn justly apprehensive that the lack of 'buyers this year would place them at a great disadvantage in disposing of their grain, and they will be immensely relieved io know that another buyer has arisen in the Waikato Steam Navigation Company, and that, therefore, there will be a healthy competition. The company advertise that they will give the highest price, and as this naturally pi*e-supposes the existence of different prices, the farmers may reasonably take consolation.

Thk North Bnttbh AgncuUwist concludes an article on the prospects of farming in Scotland in $\\o followfng words :— " If rational reforms ai'B not rpsisted to an unbearable extent by the all poweiful land-owning class in Parliament, there is no reason to fear that the soil of this country will cease to be worth owning or occupying. That owners will ever have the ball at their foot so completely as they had for many years prior to ISSI, is impossible ; that tanners will have as good a time of it as they experienced for a considerable number of years prior to 1574 is very unlikely. Times have changed, ami we must all, not excluding territorial magnabes, move « ifch the force of events. The tendency of these events not naturally has been and is in favour of lower rents, more liberal conditions of cioppiog, and better security for tenants' outlay. But land: owners should l»e able to sp.ire all thafcis really required in this (Hrpotion, and still live by their estates. If uot, life sooner they reduce their acreage in the ordinary connneicial or legitimate way, the better not cmly for themselves but for all concerned."

The banks in Waikato will be closed on Saturday next, St. Patrick's Day. His Honour the Chief Judge of the Native Lands Court was a passenger to Auckland by Saturday's train. 'He re- , turned to Cambridge yesterday afternoon. Mr Milner Stepkftn does not appear to have succeeded in the .tniraoler , working business. It is stated in a Press' Association telegram from Chriatchurch , that proceedings for false pretences have . been taken out against him. In another column will be found a long list of town, suburban, and rural i lands in the counties of East Taupo, 1 Waipa, Waikato, Manukau, and Raglan to be offered for sale by piiblic auction at the. Crown Lands Office, Auckland, on the 2nd day of April, at 11 a.m. j The Native Lands Court, Cambridge, opened yesterday morning at 10 o'clock before Judge J?uckey and two! Assessors, ', and immediately , ad jourriod until this morning for Judge Mncdonald's 1 presence. The Whakamaru case comes) 1 before thfe Court this morning. ' ',; Mr Heaney, of Cambridge, is about' in abopt to erect a large hotel at LichnekUj the new township on the Patetere block.! Considering that this fine tract of 'coun-, j try is likely to be well settled shortfly,' we think the enterprise of Mr Heaney: is! very well timed, The i contract, has-.al-i ready been <let,' Messrs Macfariaue' and MiUer bgihg the successful tenderers.' I'°1 '° j A moyement is . on , foiot among jbhe priricij>ar'4totp%6Be / rV afiU business* jjdopie^of .GaiWbria^oMjolose t|Jelr>,sla(ae!| oi bigness at Q Q'clQC^dusingjtlie winter evenwgs. ;W? hope .the, proposal-jWiIL W ,gtW jefjfecj; ijo,' (jQngide^ringithat >\>y) 6 ' o'efopk, having started alb 8 in, th"c morn ing, eropldyeVh'ave wVto&'Jo hours, a •faipfepinple)»eniforjdneidsl.yi,' .Li, .'(( t Theio&n*eerjj:at7^ihjkini^naid of the CathottQ cfe«FS^ (tUg'rg- premises tp- bf -Vyei?y>nije£taintnjg %&&}, [hd^kinaW^pk obeerfjspared iby^the commiAefe' to secure >tH4 f -beBt. amateur : taleutiliil.'theji'diatribtt^ Amalieurs f roni Cambridge'hjiyeiCo'i^sen'feijl , (

What steps werafflecided upon at the meeting ou Saturday by the settlers of Whatawhata, we hayenot yet learned.* But we aVgrt^l&yp^sitipn tif -state' that' cheese of f'tne -highest ijsr being / produced in! that locality. Orf Saturday we tasted Jalehe'ese inacte by Mr C. .Day, of Kent Pamn*,near \Vhatawhata, v ' s whicb, 7 for excellency of flavour and manufacture, could scarcely be .surpassed. The remains of the late Mrs John Wilson were interred in -thc-,Canu bridge Cemetery on /Sunday. The f&ueraj ■ \yas the laigest ever seen in tUisi/lUitriut. The corlujc included more than' fifty vehicles, a hundred horsemen and alaige number., of people on foot, and was significant of the high esteem in which the- deceased -lady and Major Wilson sfere held' by the whole' com munity; ' Ahrost every di&trict in WaiUato Mas represented. The service at the grave was impressively said by the Yen. Archdeacon Willis, assisted by the Rev. Mr Pomaro, Maori Minister. It may interest our sporting readers to know thai Mr H. Norgrovo, who recently sold bis blood stock by auction at dm bridge, has purchased Mr .T. Allwill's blood stock, consisting of Fear Not, Victoria, and Victory. Fear Not, which is by Kuottiugly, out of Clipper, it will be remembered, competed in the last Cambiidge steeplechase, and made a ,good impression on the minds of all ' who witnessed the event. Victoria is by Feve out of Memento, and Victory is by Feve out of Clipper. Both Victory and Victoria are entered for the Mares' Produce Stakes, which comes off in. Auckland J iu April next. A correspondent, signing himself "Piako," writes as follows, complaining of the small ness of the Post-office lately erected at Morrinsville :— " This office is not th'c one required here at all. After the arrival of the mail coach from Hamilton it is crammed both inside and out. The sooner steps are taken to eiilarere it the better, for it would be a great boon to the settlers. You cannot sigu your name or write a few words without everyone seeing you. —At a public nicotine, held on Saturday evening, to laise hinds for the school, there being only tlnee committeemen present, it was decicbd to adjourn the meeting till the following Saturday, the 17th inst." Some few months ago we heard it was the intention of the Government to erect a new police station at Cambiidge for the accommodation of the local police officer and the public generally, but the idea now seems to have been forgotten, as of late we have heard nothing whatever of the matter. Such a building, we might say, is at piesent very much needed. As the Lands Court is sitting, the services of ihe local yeaee officer are vory often ro quired, ami it is exceedingly unpleasant for him that his private house should be the lesort of all who may be in tempolary tabulation. We hope the authorities have not overlooked their original intention, but will at once see that the town is provided with the accommodation refen ed to. Tne election of five licensing coinmi&sioners for the Pukekura district took place on Saturday last, the polling places being the school-house, PuUerimu, and I the school-house, Cambridge West. Theie ' ueie no less than nine candidates,, ot Avhom five were nominated by the paity in f.i\ our of an increase of licenses, and the remaining four by the advocates of temperanoe and others antagonistic to an increase of lioenses. Both parties worked haul dining the day, indeed, it may be said, they have been working for some eonsideiablo time past in the matter, and on Saturday voters weie driven between CambridguEast and the polling booth at intervals during the day. The result of the voting is considered a \ictory by the anti-liccnsing party, the following being elected :— Mcssis Allen, Fisher, Gane, R. Reynolds, and Capt. Owen. A numerously signed petition was going the rounds in Cambridge on Satin day last, the object of winch was to request \,he Town Board to form Chapcl-sticot bcfoie the winter sets in. The petition was signed by uitcpayers and residents in all parts of the town, winch shows that the formation of Chapel-street is not altogether a local desidei.itum, but a woik whioh the public geticially aie anxious should, be canicd out. Ceit.unly tlio sticet in its piesent , oowlitioii' is anything but pictnioque, and if the good wc.ithoi i&al- : lowed to pass over without something ( being done this much used thoioughfaie will not only be in a disgiaceful, but will also be vi an impassable condition throughout the winter. The petition was 'to be presented to the Town Board at its meeting last evening. j "A Subscriber" writes :— " A large number of Cambridge people seem to be under the impression that tho Government; ljaye agaii} been seized with a fit of Hbmality, ancj f,hat, consequently, they are to have , great improvements j effected to their post-office. I would, however, remind them that this is not the case— that the Government are not going to be £>o extravagant as they anticipate. The new additions and itm provements will not affect public accommodation in the least, but will merely tend to make more habitable that portion of .building set apart for the hou&e accommodation of the postmaster. Hither^ tbjfi part of the , building has been in a wretchedly bad oqndition t( the roof in some places being serviceable merely as a seive in wet weather. The woik winch is about to be carried out, therefore, lias for a long time past been very much needed, and I hope will be of a sufficiently substantial nature to do service until the Government are seized with another fit of liberality and erect a new b,uilding," The Canterbury diamonds appear , to be .very similar to tbp.se bailing frqm Raglan ; all but one have been found to be quartz crystals. An exchange says that Mr Jacobsen, of Christchurch, not being satisfied with Professor Bickerton's opinion concerning the supposed diamond discovery, wrote to Mr G. E. Button, from whom he received -the following letter :— " Dear Siv,— As you have, requested me to put in writing the result of my assay of the stones submitted to me to test whether or not the same were 'diamonds, J hare fa inform you that amongst the flrst lot you gavp» me ' therewas not one that stood the test; but. every one of them proved to be crystals of quartz,' Amongst the second lot brought by you ou Saturday last, numbering ffve altogether, one of them was most, undoubtedly a real diamond ; but all the, rest were quartz crystals like the former ones.' ■ If you are quite sure that the one gem which I found to be a .diamond really was found at' the place you refer, to, 1 and that no mistake has occurred' as to the identity of 'the stone, then I ainj sure that you have made a discovery of' lvalue.— Yours truly, C. E. Button.". Mr Jacobsen has applied to the Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands for protection] 'to cover prospecting over ' 600 acres 6fj land. ' ' ' j A somewhat amusing spectacle was witnessed in Cambridge on Saturday; evening last;, the locality being"* Victoriastreet in the vicinity ! of- the The natives at present attending thq Court werp pre^entgd with several 'bun-! fired loaves, a- few sheep, a bullock, 1 j I'several'b'ags of- sugar, boxes of biscuits,! ' ■sardines, 1 salmon)- &o:, l '&c i . I <''byf!sqme -of the European residents:' <The( -p'iesen^ •jv&a.arraaged in t#6 middle <of the^jiroadi avriyand yffa gixexHway ; jlumusrjn tt|»e, :i upuq;l w.ay.fiby A! Maori ■ sp'eSiiaUy&epute^ by *ho ,douqrs f i.^efor^ the presentation took place, ..h.oj}feYerj ' . AhetEuropean onlo r oke*&> wpce üby.a^ejjiivery anjuaiqg'iacidente jr^wjaigli faome^ iqebrjafceji snatiy? s iMin^/mkt ss M € f rttopkjpar^./iiapnp;pldgeiitlenjan,#ho l ,^k ft into bis hpad.,t,94NPPW e withMmulasj made Qfiyfi^&MhoUiMk^'n >^hen pursited^fhp Ja£ down on his ptfjifytgvla WUW n< se'/5 e '/ ? avi M secured/this* he returned several^ - times ,1*

a|smpaltfed by sundry "Ji^^nm? tipns, waved his tomaha^k'fronncrhis head and ,bid defrauttK to the;* mol#H An? elderly^ HjuU venerable femald—of vpre-'j posBcssii|g|figiii^^aiia appearance" having] taljen forcible f p'osspssion ]pV a h6x of bispuits.'cijowne^; with a bag;\of sugau; mj>unted_i her .prize t a /«/ Qilpin.i HeY huebandSlid sentry-go over ,the lot, with a tomahawk, bufc the lady's tongue, w would say, was in itself proof against invasion. r , „ A Special ine'eting of \ the Cambridge Highwajf BtartU was Jtold at "the Criterion Hotel, Ca'mbticlge; "on Saturday' evening last, for the purpose of opening and accepting tenders for the formation and gravelling of ceitain roads in the dis•ti iGt. The following are, thp contracts, with the imhies {rff; tlio succc'ssf^r tenderers : — "No. I contiact, eravelling about 110 chains and cutting, from Tamaheie boundary, tramway road to Runcim'an's &\\ amp -. Hamilton, gravel, Is 7d per yard, 1 cutting, ;£22 ; Ferguson /and Oiekctt, giavel, Is lOd, cutting, £35 ; Lovett. gravel, Is 4d,' cutting' £2~r(accepted). No. 2 contract, No I station load, liom Martyns corner to No. 3 cross load, ISO chains : Ferguson and Cnckett, gravel, 2s 2d, tilling -Cl 7 ; Lo\ett, gravel', Is' 10d,/fillmg,. €20 ; Hamilton, gravel, Is Sd, filling, XI 2 (accepted). No 3 contract,' No. 2 station i, road, to Hautapu statida ground, sections No. ]„ and 2, gravelling, No. I, 155' chains, No. 2, 112 chains : ;Wratt, No. I, 2s sd, No. 2, 2fs 4d ; Cootiibes, No.' 2 section, Is 8d ; Ferguson and'Crickett, 1 No. 1 section, Is lid (accepted) ; No. 2 section, Is lid, Lovett, sections No. 1 and ,2 together, Is 9d, .section , No. 2 alone Is ocl (accepted). Contract No. 4, gravelling road from Fen, Court to town belt, Mr ' Dillon :' Is 4jd (accepted). iNo. 5 contract, Mangakawa road : Norrish, forming, 6s 3d per chain, gravel. Is OAd per yard (accepted). The engineer was authorised to have a new bridge built at Runeiman's swamp, and to call for tenders for widening the road and deepening the drain alon^ Selby's between No. 1 and "2 cross loads. Tcndcis to be sent in on Friday, the 30th inst. Here is a pleasant little sketch of the suriounduigsol a New •Yoik editoi. Wiiting.of Mi. Huilbiub, editor of the New York World, Ihnpa't, Weekly says that " he is a bachelor, and li\es in tluco looms in the building ot the Univeisity of the City of New York. Few \isito:s enter his rooms. Their jpoi hal has no boll, no knocker, no knob ; only a slilfoi a Yale- lock key, and a lai^or slit fot j letters. But they are said to be furnished in a style of barbaric splendour. Trophies of travel hang thick ;ou the walls— rate paintings, china, glass, silver and gold aims and aivnour. The floors aio coveiecl with Oriental rugs and Arctic furs ; and there aremany choice souvenirs, suchasan autograph letter from the .Shah of Persia, the letter from the Khedive Tewfik gi\ ing the city of New York, through Mr Hiulburt, the famous obelisk, and many other similar tokens of Mr. Hutlburt's wide acquaintance among the notabilities of foreign lands. He goes to the World office late in the evening, and stays until very eaily next monung. At other times, he communicates with his lieutenants by a pii\ ate telephone line. He is a very handsome man, a highly cultured scholar, and is a charming companion and brilliant social star." When Englishmen, remarks the S.F- JS T ews letter, by the united efforts of the common sense, bone and sinew of the country obtained the light ot trial by liny, a giand step was made towards fieedom. In our time here in San Francisco it seems better to trust to onp capable Judge than twelve assinnic juiy.nen. The following is a case in point : A few days ago a well known sneakthief stole an undeishiit and pail of drawcis from a store on the corner of Merchant and Montgomery stiects. He was caught in the act by the proprietoi and one of his assistants, and, with the spoil fctill in his possession, was handed over to a policeman, The thief demanded a jury trial and the case was tiled bef oi e Judge Ferial on Wednesday. The piisoncr was acquitted by the tA\cl\e intelligent cifci/pns composing the jury. That is all light, but lu-ie is where thojoLe comes in. The Judge, after the trial was over, made out an ouloi to the piopoity cleik at the Police Conrl, tolling him to hand the underwear found in possession • of accused, to the piosccuting stoie keepers. ' Now, if the accused tlid,not steal the goods •found on him fiom the prosecutor, that prosecutor cettainly hat. no right to have them, and \ice veisa. • 'Truly we live in a cuiious age. ( • , ' : > In ,: regard to Parnell ,and Irish aft'aiisi' Tuiith/ i'W^.niakes the' following remarks : ' a l)oes Mr Parnell leally love the lush 1 We know that , Swift, the first; and greatest of Irish,' Patriots,' i^ his secret' heart. ' regarded 'bath the country and thy people with unujbteiable scorn, and that the one great 'chagrin of his life was his being compelled to, live amongst them. Mr Parnell's speech at; Cork was certainly' the utterauce of a man who felt for rather than with his audience. He set forth with frigid arithmetic the tangible benefits his agitation had won for them ; but no touch of living sympathy or pel son all emotion warmed the exposition. In truth, Mr Parnell has as little of the Irish traits in his character as' he hab 'of Juah blood In -hit* veins. Cool, calculating, business-like, without fancy and without passion, a Saxon ,iby race, and Yankeerby sympathy, ■ he iriesistibly leminds one, when performing with his^ ■wild liiah, troupe, of the liontamer' amongst his feline" ''Mentis." There is tin- same demonstration of playful familiarity blended with complete control ; but the observant eye may detect vigilant, not to say suspicions, glances arqund. an.cj possibly, there is the same, sigh of relief when the performance is ended. ' t It. is not entirely off the cards that should Mr Parnell manage to sell his Irish property, he may throw- up the game altogether, cultivate the society o,f ppople who wear clean linen, , and leave the organization of disturbapce in the unwashed hands of the 'enthusiastic' convjet, aided by the female fanatics who collect money for suspected assassins."