COMMENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1742, 4 September 1883, Page 2

COMMENTS.

" Replying to a question, the Government stated that contractors who failed to pay their men fortnightly' were liable to a fine cjf £50." This paragraph^which appeared 'in our Parliamentary gence on Saturday "last," will doubtless have attracted the atfcentipn and e*pij:ed the comment of many of our, readers/ particularly those ..^ho haye t had, any,, connection with works carried out under the Roads and.Bridgef Construction Act, We wonder when, the Governmnnt mad^e this'jve'ry encouraging jassettidli ' wKether khey were conscious ofhtfv'iyg themselves within the.past three rnpntb^^een guilty pf flagrant breabh'es 6f rfhw-kw o,ut;pf number ?~ Whether they, are>aware of>i|J.

highwaysand n^^^^^Mfending the money the Gov&ifinjjnt^st]'pu'|ated — and thjs the.. borro\\i|jP~pelfeeJfly underuwA yrokvoawnyn^mn would not pi|made3.tntil tne j|[pvern injii't engineer liatl visited ajid reported VWfr the work rod whiSl}itlio\inone^had||)Mn borrowed. it^as jiot%iuitil a^ldngHime after the work, or at leasc^tne^first section of it, had been completed that the said engineer put in his appearance, and passed what had been done. And then the n,nfoftifnateif coritractorsXreiason'ably ' thought tjiat the mjpneyh^ould^be coming Immfldiatdly,* aw that they' would be able to pay their labourers, and the latter the storekeepers who had kept them in supplies and tools, and who were now clamouring for payment. Their expectation? wore far- too. sanguine to 1 be realised, however, and so disappointment took the place of realised prospects. Weeks passed by, and still no money Mas forthcoming, notwithstanding the repeated urgent applications' of the boards, who were responsible to 'the contractors for the amount of the work done, and who, from their own internal financial embarrassments, were unable to make advances. Now, in this case — indeed there were cases out of number at intervals all over the district — the men had not been paid by the contractors for many weeks, and so in each individual instance the latter were liable to«o fine of £50. Now, supposing the law had ibeen enforced by the,, aggrieved labourers against their employers, would the Government, who were the real defaulters, and the fountain of the misfortune, nothave felt themselves 1 conscientiously bound' to relieve the contractors 'from $he -trouble in which they had got involved, throngh a fault not in any way theirs ? The Government, we think-, if they- intend to uphold the law which they have taken pains to announce, should exert themselves to show a better 'example, ' so that contractors in future may do what they do, 'as M'ell as'do what they tell them.

The biggest lion iv Hamilton just at present, is, of coursp, the new railway bridge ; and it is quite within the range of probability that before long it may fairly earn a reputation as a beast of prey. Timid travellers and accident insurance companies need not be alarmed by this assertion ; the bridge is perfectly safe for the purposes of legitimate locomotion, and though the Public Works Department are sparing no pains to impress upon the mind of the general public the instability of the structure — in hutheiance of which laudable design they are about to tie the bridge to the banks of the river — we do not entertain the ghost of a misgiving on the subject, and would cheerfully risk our neck in the strongest wind Waikato is capable of raising. But uiiilo we place such entire faith in the railway bridge, as such, we by no means concede that it meets all the requirements of a footbridge ; nor can it be claimed that it is eminently adapted for the purposes of a Sunday afternoon resort, where Sunday-school children may pleasantly and profitably while away the interval before tea, and where the larrikin element, who of course treat all such things as Sunday-schools with lofty disdain, may commune with Nature's heart. And yet it is for such purposes as these that the biiclge is requisitioned. It must be kept in mind that there is no provision whatever made for pedestrians, there is not even a plank laid between the track stringers, and it is on the latter that the adventurous youths of Hamilton, malo and female, risk their lives, running backwards and forwards on their eighteen inch roadway, liable at any moment, through a false step or a sudden fit of giddiness, to drop over into eternity. On Sunday last, wo are informed, scores of children, boys and girls, were playing about on the bridge, and our informant consideis that nothing sliort of a miracle prevented one or two fatal accidents. A little girl ran along the stringer, and when well over the middle of the western span, tiipped over the head of an iion bolt. How she recovered heisclf seems a mystery, but she did, and turning round, filing some jeering remarks at her playmates, who wero calling her back. * This kind of amusement, however jolly it may appear to the pure-bied larrikin and the less hardened children who follow his lead, can only have one ending. .Some Sunday evening a careless parent will find a ehau 1 vacant, and then some precautions will be taken to prc\ ent further calamities. But is it not possible to prevent such an occurrence ? As a matter of fact the public are not supposed to enter the station grounds at all, except on business. The prohibition hag ne\pr been insisted on, but it is about time that it was, It might be objected that it would entail expense. Well, we do not expect that the pestiferous larrikins and hoodlums who infest the borough will be deterred by notice boards, but a kindly hint or two from Sergt. McGovern might have a beneficial effect. The matter was brought before the borough council last night by the Mayor, and strongly commented on. It was resolved to invoke the aid of the police. We commend tho subject to the parents of Hamilton, as one deserving their earnest and immediate attention.

Our Wellington correspondent telegraphs that Parliament will probably be prorogued on Thursday. Parents and guardians are invited to attend at the Hamilton West School to-morrow, at half-past two, on the occasion of the presentation of certificates to the pupils. The nomination of candidates for the threa vacancies i» the Hamilton Borough Council will take place tomorrow. Nomination papers must be lodged with tho returning officer by noon. At a special meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council, last night, a new strpet, running parallel with., Seddon's drain, Hamilton East, was dedicated to the public, and named '•Seddon-street." At the Redwood Stud Farm, Cambridge, on Saturday last, Mr J, Allwill's chestnut mare " Clipper " had a filly foal to Sterlingworfch. Memento is in foal to the same horse. The Rev G. H. S. Walpole preached* at the morning and evening services at S. Andrew's, Cambridge, on Sunday last. There was a large attendance at both services. An inebriate named Walton, whose name has often been before the public in the same capacity, was brought before Captain Corbetfc, J.P., at Cambridge yesterday, for being drunk on Sunday, and fined ss, with costs. Our sporting, readers -will be glad to learn that a training stable has open established at Cambridge by the popular jockey Mr T. Hodson. Five' boxes are at present occupied by horses in work for" the coming meeting. In another column. Vill be found, the programme of the popular promenade concert to be given in the Hamilton Public Hall on Tuesday next in aid','of the funds of the Rowing Club. The entertainment is of a kind entirely new to Hamilton, and if only on that account, is likely to prove, very, successful. , , At the meeting ,pf the Auckland Board of pducati,ott ( o,n Friday, of, the examination of fj pupU < teachers, jwjere 'laid on ,the ',sable.', $able. ' , jTbo r following j pupils teachers ,j,n.';"W^aikatq ,of jibe/first year ' passed, (l and now. rank, as, pupil, teachers of the second. ; year :-yEHzabet ji ( 13, .giggs,; Hamilton /.fia^t 5 .Elizabeth D^yife, , fl.Bn.fly, ; $ rank HiggjnspV 9/M\ -A large) attendauoe of (members) and the. outside, publiojiiiiexpeffted/atithe jneejiiDg i&f/.the lOambridg^Mutualilniv plp,^eige»t (1( tyefci , 'tli^]idiMus^on^tQQlths^yenr ;^trch'3jBacon^

Saturday was she day appointed for the usual quafgily meeting of the the cotßj»itWM are Sot bounU to sit wfien there iffyo l3jf|inps|||therej»val*no' mpoing. Ink qsarterlra[neet«B;B aj^helcf&r < the pnppci§^w^req^ing^^^lije^ioijj^biMt transfers, ami for considering reports.

As Mr Buckland's lease for the grazing of .the-Cambndc;e»-i;acecourse -\y ill noy shortly e^ire,vtne owners, \|e leaVn, injbend calling for t|nder< at an |lrly date for the re-leasing of the " land, 124 acres. There is every probability of a plumpton being established on the ground, which is admirably adapted for -this purpose,- as visitor^ wot\ld be able io obtfaiji^splendiji'j^ie^Jo^lrfe cofiysje* from the standl - '' " '

.. A_ number ,of tie -Cambridge public were treated to a boxing"*exhibitipn in the< Cambridge -Public JElall on Saturday evening last. i Mr E. v l)6novan, the light weight champion of Auckland, and Pr&fessor Davis and Wl "Burns, also of Auckland, assisted by a number of local amateurs, contributed the programme of the. evening, which, it is needless to „ say/ _ very] much jenjpyed^by those present.

Though the , Cambridge ' Town Board is at present enforcing the law a'gairist cattle being.. allowed .<to pasture about the streets of the town, it is worthy of notice .that the Government .horses seem |tpJbe._exempt.from _.the_iestriction_ to which the cattle and horses of the general public are subjected. This is a state ,of things which the ratepayers, we think, will hardly tolerate ; -and indeed we see no just cause why-all Government horseß found running -about the streets of the tpwn at present should -noiT be impounded. " - -

The South Australian Jockey Club's meeting took "place at Adelaide op Saturday.' The ' South Australian Derby was won by Dirk Hatterick', with Sardius second, and Bis-Bis third. The! Austt'alian Jockey Club commenced their Spring Meeting at Sydney on the same day. , The Epsom Handicap resulted : Masquerade Ist, Ascot, 2nd, and Btotkdale 3rd. The Spring Stakes was won by First Demon, with Sardonyx second, and Pell Mell third, and the Derby was pulled off by Le Grand, with Kingsdale and Cbpra second and third, respectively."

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council was held last night. Present : His Worship the Mayor, Crs. Jones, Cochrane, Bradley, McDonald, Tippen and Peat. The Inspector of Nuisances reported, stating that as Mr llally had neglected to abate the nuisance on the Commercial Hotel premises complained of in a former report, he had laid an information against him, and the case would be heard on Wednesday, at the R. M. Court. The report of the Works Committee on works in progress was read and adopted. The Mayor reported that the overdtaft Was £749. — On the motion of the Mayor, seconded by Cr. Peat, it was resolved that the thunks of the councfl be accorded the retiring councillors, Msssrs Jones, Cochr-ane, and Tippen, for the attention they had; given to their duties dining their term of office. This was all the business.

In the Legislative Council on Saturday, the Land Acts Amendment Bill was read a second time on the casting vote of the Speaker. A number of other bills, including the Peace Preservation Bill,' and the General Assembly Members Expenses Bill were introduced and read a first time. In the House ou the same day, the Geneial Assembly Members Expenses Bill was carried. Mr Pyke gave notice to move on Tuesday that it is essontiil to have one or more local governments in each island, with power to legislate for and manage local affaii'3 and revenue. The Roads and Bridges Act Amendment Bill/was read a third time and passed. The bill piovides tnler alia that no local body. can apply for more than £5000. An amendment by Mr Shiitnskito make the. amount £1000 was lost by ,"51 to 2.

At the, Police Court, Hamilton, yesterday, baf ore-Mr Northcroffc, R. M., James Thomas Boon was charged, on the information of Constable Murray, with ha\ing, on Saturday night, been drunk and disorderly in a public place at Hamilton East j secondly, with refusing to leave a licensed house when requested to do so ; and, thirdly, with having committed a breach of the Assaults on Constables Act, by assaulting and resisting Constables Murray and Wild in the execution of their duty. The evidence of the police having been taken, the Magistrate held that the charges had been proved, and fined defendant as and costs in the first case, 10s and costs in the second, and 10s and costs, and 4s 6d damages, in the third, in default, one week's imprisonment. The money was forthcoming.

The following ." Specials." 'to the Press Association have been t received j dated London 31st. The official inquiry into the; circumstances connected with the sinking; of the steamer Austral in Port Jackson will commence on the 24th inst. — The St. James' Gazette warns ithe <j)ovprnmei)t nqt to' resist the "demands made by the Australian colonies respecting the Annexation of the Islands in the Pacific. -ThePeninsular and Oriental Company's steamer Ganges is ashore at Lake Limsas. The Mirzapore, another of the company's , steamers, will* proceed with the Australian mails and passengers. [A later telegram anribinices that the Ganges has been floated off uninjured.]— The Nineteenth Century pontgnds that it is the duty of the Liberals to avert the separation of the colonies.

The anniversary service in connection with S., Andrew's Church, Cambridge, was held oh Friday evening last. There was an' unusually large attendance. The Rev. R. O'C. Biggs (S. Peter's, Hamilton), Rev E. J. Phillips (S. John's, Te Awamutu), and the Rev. G. H» S. Wa'lpble (Si Mary's, Parnell), with the Yen. Archdeacon Willis, were present. The clergy entered the church, the > choir sjnging a processional, hymn. The | incumbenfc'read the prayers, the Rev. Mr Biggs the first lesson, and the R.ey. Mr Phulips tihe second lesson.. The anthem was taken from jthe collect of the ' thirteenth Sunday after Trinity, and was very well rendered by the combined choirs of the respective churches of the town. The .preacher, the Rev. Mr Walpole, delivered a very able sermon, taking for 1 his text, Genesis,' chapter 28,' verses 16 and 17. >( And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. And ,he was afraid, • and said, ,How dreadful' is this place; This t is none other f but the house of ■God, and this' is'' the gate of Heaven." ;In the course of his > sermon, he dwelt at length on the object for which they had 'assembled, hi 9 remarks beiug both impressive and instructive. The offertory, which was iv aid of the building fund, having been made, benediction was the pronounced, and the service closed

: Everyone (says^Hqme journal)', has a *iglft to his* own opinion 'on the question of the deceased wife's sister; but when a politician ,puti his,yjews on; legal grounds, he should be sure that his grounds are, legal. , >Mr,BrJght, in a letter recently published, pays :—": — " A man may have a legal wife.im $U.e -^ colonies, " and j another legakwi£B>in f j<3ng|a^d.; t He may , bring his Canadian "legal wife to England,' where, wh ( en,JBlie touches 'our shores, ' Jshe is not a legal i wife,'andwh'ere > lier^chilai > en bom here.are not legitimate., If you can 'jaMM,??* Fg ue amJ h ,*?«•. The statement may,or may^nqt.^ei^usti-; fied,_on the ground I th'at^weVare^not b,qund to alter our laws^to suit ithp^taste ; pf;tt^>hotvM|^^|^ f^y be'trayersed.uffia Qanaaiap, mamed^to. * in" Qanld 4™^

lithe plsfce where they fir£ffirssdsF&e-J Upends on his domicle at tttg tine |taof\hTs Chitty on the 18th hist, in " ifcMarch's Wiir." A testatrix, who died in the year 1883, by her will, made in the yeav •4880,- gave atyher r -pronerity to~a Jrtjsbaffil" knd wife aiid^thirdjperson. /His lordship held that having regard $of tjie jfew, act, which, since the decision of the late Master of the Rolls in " Hasluck r. Pedley," must be held to apply to an ante-dated will, the proper construction fcq; be put tigonr such? a gift ( was, that.it ;was a jpintlejlancy among" three persons.' Previously to the passing of the act the legal rule was, as.is, well^knowu, Jthat the J liusband'and" wife took* only a 'moiety," because they? were by^the scommon law but one period. Without 'venturing to dispute the wisdom of^ the new enacsnient, we would slibtnltlilfat its applicability to the construction of a will is open to question. A doubt as to the intention of a testator cannot be solved by refcrring^ to acts of Parliament j but when the intention of the testator has bjeen arrived at, ■thjeq; and then, only, is the act; of Parlianferit 'applicable. Takipg this view, and r applying the Married Women's Property Act, 1882, Sto the, case of a gift to a man and his wife and a third person, whilst the husband ikiidi wife would still take" a "mofety"6n|lyrthe! wife would, by virtue of ,the recent=act, take for her separate use a half share of the moiety. "- > '

The old tennis court at Versailles, where on Juns 20th, 1789, the '^tatesGeneral, excluded from the Menus Plaisirs, assembled and*solemnly swope not to separate until they had: voted a Consti-tnlionu-for the kingdom," was formally opened on .June 30th-; as a- kind of memorial "museum o£ - the Revolution. The building which' " lias ' been successively an artist's studio, a theatrical wardrobe, a carpenter's shop, and ■ a licensed gambling-house, has undergone no alteration in its exterior, but the interior has been entirely' renovated and, fitted np as a museum. There is a statue of Bailly, represented as reading the oath, and ranged alongside are busts of twenty of his -most distinguished colleagues. The names of the seven hundred who signed are also inscribed. The sketch of the scene" by David, known as " Le Serment dv Jen de Paume,'" drawn of full size, bub never completed in oils, has been placed there. Documentary and other relics of the Revolution are likewise exhibited: The opening ceremony was performed by M. Jules Ferry, who was accompanied by M. Waldeck -Rousseau and several senators and deputies. In the evening M. .Ferry attended the annual banquet in honour of General Hoche, and took in his speech a survey of the changes that have come over Franco since the Revolution of 1789, and contended that the existing Republic had not renounced traditions of the Revolution, but had outstripped them. It had not only effected equality in the form of universal suffrage, but recent measures on education had acquitted a large instalment of the debt due to the less prosperous classes, and something should now be done in the direction of liberty of association.

The usual monthly meeting of the Hamilton Domain Board was held last night. Present : Messrs Jno. Knox (chairman), Jones, Cpchrane, Bradley,McDonald, Tippen and Peat. A letter was read from the lion, secretary of the Waikato Rowing Club asking for permistion to erect a boat house on the domain laud on the shore of the Lake, and also requesting some assistance towards the orcction of the same. The writer submitted that the establishment of the club would add to the value ot the domain land as a recreation reserve. — Several members of the board said they did not see how they could afford, auy monetary assistance. — The chairman said he hoped the board would see their way to assist the club as far as they conld. It was patent to them all that on public holidays a large number of the residents of Hamilton went elsewhere to seek amusement, which was a great Joss to the place. If they could get up a regatta, for instance, plensure-scekers would be kept at home. Further than this, the club would provide healthful and manly recreation for the rising generation, and thus tend in some degree to diminish the larrikin nuisance.— Mr Peat thought if the board assisted to build a boat shed it should be available for any boats on the lake. — Mr Tippen said they could not expect the club to allow their shed to be used by the public— Mr Cochrane thought they could give the club some* assistance, though they could not expect to have a public shed. After some further discussion, during which opinions favourable to the club were generally expressed, it was resolved that the matter be left in, t lie hands of a committee, consisting of the chairn a-i, Messrs Peat and Bradley, with power to expend, a sum not exceding £25. — Ths t Secretary, read a telegram from Mr Cheeseman, stating thatrthe trout oya had arrived in Auckland by the steamer Wairapapa, and 2000 would be forwarded to Hamilton by Wednesday's, train. He also reported that the boxes wero quite ready, the gravel had been placed in them, and the water was flowing in them clear as crystal. — Permission was , given to Mr, Daley to transfer the leases ,of lpts 42, 43, 44, 45| and 46 to Messrs Crawford} Hines, Gelling, and another. This was all the business.

The following telegram, dated Chioago, July 20th, appears in the Ncu York Times of the following day. ;— » " Philip D Armour was asked to-day for his view regarding the tradeL in frozen meats, particularly in mutton, between Great Britain and lier Australiari'colonies, now going forward by regular service from New-Zealand to the mother country, Ten tho.usand sheep are carried in each vessel, but the shipping demand is double the capacity of every vessel in the trade. The chambers in which' themeat is stored are kept as 20°, "With ' a • consumption of 300 pounds of coal per hour. Mr Armour said |"I have no doubt that' 'they 'Will be able to make ' a great success 1 of the shipment ' of frozen ' sheep's > meat.' In canned beef they compete with us.' < A gentleman from New-Zealand, Mr Banks, of Banks < & Co., of Auckland, NewZealand, who have • had a large' house there, and have been established for 30 years, was here the other day 'and" told me of their success in sheep shipments. But we can beet them on canned beef, because we can dispose, of the fresh meats that we donjt put into the can at pretty cheap prices, while they have no way of marketing their outs, and have to put all into their cans. When it come 3 to marketing the entire j bullocks fresh, ;I would not be surprised if they could beat U 3 on that."

As a local illustration of the importance of the frozen meat industry, we (Bruce Herald) give the following instance : —Mr Walter Mftler, £f Roxburgh^tion, was requested some*, time^agofto Jend a number 'of average-sized* crossbred sheep to the Refrigerating Works at Burnside ,for ( export., He /selected 145 rather small-sized nugetty sheep, averaging .QSpb'fin ;weighf.'' The wli^l.tf /number passed the manager's inspection, and were as being in good order. For the skins Mr Miller^ obtained an average price -of 4a ,3c1,, 'and 'regeived from* Company, an advaifce upon the oonsign'i ment of 2Jd jjer t ib\, which gaye hin} ( a ca?h,;retum o'f^ather rapr^ t^at.l,B9 jperl sheep v Home r^ar^e,J," ( rs,\ main as at present when th'ecprsigmnent" .arrives, »cMrsMuler vi u iW l ill receive, another ,dividei}^;o@ft;|^»,a6 least. This "svill bnng,^p 'thfeTOtal-pf ' eaph^ sheep, to\ 29s. , Vyvi thofiMincjudiflgpthe i tallow; uppn >( nfttinil iQ f 1 Afi ' 'i V?"IM fl if HI T Fol* -^fl I tnmmrt -T/\l*> if ll*

obstruction at \ m^^^AUNGATAUTARI^ ! Ms|La|||ence Cussen and paftyjUire a| [ tffi^re^Mt time engaged surveyft^a Gog vemjtnjnferoad from Cambridge t^ougg| y&j&ngsftautat i to the Horahora Block. QM T?piday' evening, while Mr Cussen WcwT absent, the men ou tlie survey were informed by a party of natives that they wouldjaot allow _them^tq. proceed with |;h£ |'olk, thin^ing| that/the rbad which fjivas being laid 'off meant the up of tneirland, or some 'otlfer "^undesirable proceeding on the part of the Europeans. Mr Cussen went out to the scene of the obstruction on Saturday morning, and met the dissatisfied natives and explained i ,tp then} tjis objedt oij fthji j X4 r |^ ' was being carried' out" under ' ms charge. This explanation for so far seems to have had^a salutaty effect]" as active'oppbsitiSn^ was at once suspended. A number of the natives are, however, still dissatis; fied, and it appears are , somewhat (demonstrative intheirobstmotion- t6*'Ml' Cussen's party proceeding with tlie work. 1 Work has been suspended for a few days so as to arrange matters, and from what we can gather, there is little fear but that those who are at present persistent, in their obstruction will concede when* the purport of the survey is fully explained to them. j We have been given to understand, on| very*- good-.aU/thoYity,^ thjrt 'Should anyi further? ob^stpuc^tip/i^ bjl /offe%t^to the laying off lhe"roaa, the Armed Constabu- J lary at present stationed at Cambridge j will be sent out to assist the surveyors, j With this objectrtheyj have been) under order|. ,' i \' ," \ P >~'t