SATURDAY, JANUARY 5, 1884.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1794, 5 January 1884, Page 2

SATURDAY, JANUARY 5, 1884.

We hope the "Waikato farmers have nude up their minds to avail themselves of the benefits that are likely to accrue to them l>y the establishment of a farmer's co-opera-tive association. The project, like good wine, needs no bush, and very little canvassing ought to be necessary. But, unfortunately, it has come to be an established fact that the members of an agricultural community look little beyond the business of the dciy and their own homes, and are the last to band together for any mutual benefit. There is, however, in this projected business actually no room for local jealousy, and if it fails it will be from the sheer apathy of those who ought to make the small effort required. It is our firm belief, however, that the word " failure" will not be allowed to have any existence with those who have the establishment of the association at heart. A large beginning, though very good and mure likely to lead to large results in a shorcer time, is not absolutely necessary. The Rochdale Equitable Pioneer's Society, one of the greatest of successes in co-opera-tive association?, was commenced in 1814, with a capital of £28, and in 1872 the number of members was 6444; accumulated funds, £132,912; business done for that year, £267,577 ; showing a net profit of £33,6-10. There are numerous other associations of a like nature doing similarly large business, and conferring untold benefits on their fortunate shareholders. The history of the Civil Service Supply Association reads more like a romance than the dull records of a business transaction. Commenced by two Government Clerk?, buying a chest of tea wholesale and appreciating the benefit derivable therefrom, in the half year ending 1872, the sum turned over for goods sold amounted to £359,G27, and the profit to £96 ? 8Q4. An original share worth

ton shillings is now eargerly bought up at £150. Of course, we do not mean to say that the business of the Waikato Association will over attaiu to these proportions, but that the accumulated turnover of the various societies that will spring up in New Zealand during the next few years, will do so we have little doubt. We see by the above that these things can be made a success under advantageous circumstances. We also know they can be made a sue cess, as in Canterbury , under considerable disadvantages. Let us act on this knowledge, and, in the words of the chairman of the Canterbury A shociation, " thoroughly grasp its power, put our shoulders to the wheel, and work with single aim together." We shall recur to this subject at some future time and endeavour to show how farmers may reap a direct benefit from the establishment of the Association.

At the annual sale of Mr W. Walter's racing stock at Ellerslie on Thursday, a yearling colt. Musket— Slander, was knocked down to Mr Pilbiow for £270. The other lots offered were passed in. Mr Langstone, M.R.0.V.5.. was encaged spaying heifers at Gorton on Wednesday and Thursday, and during that time operated upon no less than 265 animals. The manager, Mr Hunt, was gieatly pleased with the manner in which Mr Langstone perfoimed his work. Mr Langstone is under engagement to spay about 3000 head of cattle in this district. Mr Biss, Chief Postmaster, returned to Auckland on Thursday, having visited Te Aioha with the object of satisfying himself as to what alterations are required in the mail service between that place and Hamilton. The difficulty of carrying out the present time-table was cleat ly demonstrated, and we hope the result of Mr Bisk's visit will be the adoption of some common sense airangonient by which the interests of Waikato and Te Aiolia may be equally served. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Kirikiriioa Road Boaid was held yesterday. There were present : Messrs Pinniose (chairman), Runcim.in, Thomas and Lovell. The clerk was instructed to wnto to Messis Biett and Mullinger, intimating that the board would agree to their taking eaith fioin the road-side neat Hamilton Kast l.ulway station, provided they leave the road and the roads over which they haul in order. Accounts amounting to about £00 weie passed for payment, and the board adjourned. The full programme of the concert to be held in celebi ation of the opening of the Hukanui Hall on the 10th inst. is published m this issue, and glancing over it we may lensonably assume that the entei tainmen t will be far above the average in meiit. The Hon. Mr Whitakor will be present and will deliver an opening adchess. Conveyances will be piovuled for the convenience of those who wish to attend, and as it will be a moonlight night we anticipate thei c will be a large audience. The weather for the past few days j has been thoroughly unseasonable. _ There j I ha\ c been frequent showers ot rain, with occasional hail storms, accompanied by cold, biting >vmd&. Altogether we seem to have di if ted once moie into winter. This condition of things is mobt inoppoitune, as neaily all the hay crops, and most of the grain crops are waiting to be cut, and will suifei material damage. As it is, indeed, a very consider ble amount of hay has been completely spoiled, the grass wherever thick lotting at the roots. The farmers are hoping almost against hope for a change v Inch will enable them to save the remnant of what might, under happier auspices, have been a bountiful hanosfc. A new exemption from serving on a coronet's juiy has just been discoveied by a Jewish tuidesma.il in London. He is neither o\eitheage of sixty, nor does he hold any office that would entitle him to lefuseto seive;buthe enteitanisa religious sciuple. In le^peot to the descendants of Aaron, the High Priest, the twenty-fust chaptei of Leviticus sa-ys, •' Neither shall he enter into any house wheie there is a dead body." Claiming to be a direct descendant of Aaion, Mr Lewis David Cohen put forwaid his conscientious objection, and declined to serve. For this he was fined by the coroner, and subsequently the matter came by way of appeal befoie the City of London Quarter Sessions. It was stated that Mr Cohen's objection was upheld by the Chief Rabbi, who on the occasion of fche Thanksgiving for the recovery of the Prince of Wales declined to attend the service in St Paul's on account of dead bodies being inteiied there. After some consultation the Couit l emitted the fine, and directed that for the future Mr Cohen should be excused fioiu serving on coroner's juries in the City. It was not shown in the e\idence bi ought forwaid, but it would ha-ve been inteiesting to learn, how Mr Cohen traces his " direct descent " from Aaron. A correspondent of the North Otago Times, who, fiom the general tone of his communication, is no admirer of Mr Shrimski, relates an incident about Mr Mitchelson's visit to the " white" city, in which the member for Oamaru, notwithstanding his usual smaitness, .appears to have come off second best. It is as follows :—" While the Ministerial party was at the Post Office a noteworthy incident occuircd. Mr Shrimski was buzzing about Mr Mitchelson, and whiffing very industiiously and extiavagautly at a very ordinary cigar, when lie was heard to obsoive, 'Pictty building this ' Call this a public building ? Ugh !' Whereupon Mr Mitchelson urbanely replied : ' Surely, Mr Shrnnski, the place is big enough for you, and you seem to be big enough for Oamaru. Could Mark Twain have said more ? And if Mr Mitchelson did not say this, should he not have said it ?' In answer to a request that he would invite the Transvaal delegates to the Guildhall banquet on Nov. 9, Mr Alderman Fowler, M.P.. Lord Mayor-elect, wrote to say: — "I ceitainly must express surprise that such a request should have been addiessed to one who flattered himself that he was tolerably well known as a member of the Aboiigines' Protection Society. I can only say that nothing will induce me to shake hands with the representatives of a Republic to which I have repeatedly applied in the House of Commons the words of Canning : ' Its infant lips were stained u ith blood ; its whole existence has been a series of rapacity, cruelty, and murder. " It was announced in a cable message in our last issue that troops had been despatched to Dromoie, County Down, with a view to prevent any conflict between the Parnellites and Oi angemen. A message, dated London, the 2nd, states :—": — " Great excitement has prevailed at Dromore, County Down, Ireland, in consequence of the Orange and Parnell meetings. The Orangemen, who numbered fully 20,000 men, attacked the Parnellites' gathering, but the strong foice of troops piesent prevented any serious collision betweeu the two factions." A Press Association message adds :— " In the riots between the Orangemen and the Catholics the troops fatally wounded three of the Orangemen." Messrs Alexander Brogden and Henry Brogden, the well-known railway contractors, of Wednesbury, have filed petitions of insolvency. The liability of each is set down at three-quarters of a million sterling. The failure is attributed to the rejection of their appeal to the Government of New Zealand for liquidation of claims in connection with colonial railway contracts, and to numerous minor failures in the iron trade. The Hawke's Bay Herald, writes : —It is not often that public bodies in New Zealand are seen advertising their willingness to lend money, the tenor of their ability and desires being generally in an opposite direction. The Education Board of the Wanganui district, however, is the exception to the rule, and is advertising money to lend on freehold security. It would be interesting to know how much this board received from the public funds during the last few years, and whether what it did receive could not have been better allotted to some of the education districts that are practically impecunious. It certainly seems a stupid arrangement that one district should have more than it can get rid of, and should need to advertise for borrowers, while other districts can hardly make the ends of receipts and expenditure meet. The following passage in a lecture by Mr Moncure D. Oonway in Sydney has occasioned a goqd deabof comment in Austria, Tfc bighon wfewd to w under*

stood to be Bishop MdVhouse The lecturer said:— "Even in Melbourne, with its free, independent Press, and its grand library of 100,000 splendid book's, costing £100,000, and put into a building almost as fine as the British Museum— even in that city, with its magnificent institutions, a combination of churches has turned into a coalition against freedom of speech, which is like to prove crushing machinery of intolerance in the future. — (Cheers.) When the eloquent Charles Strong— (loud applause)—has been driven forth, and when that good Bishop, one of the most brilliant in the Church— (cheers)— has followed him, as he probably will before long, then we may expect the advent of the Donnybrook slv'le of controversy — ' wherever you see a head hit it,' And when every hud th.it rises is laid low there will be lem* check upon persecutors in the Chuich." • A Home paper reports tliat on September 28th, Mr Martin Tupper, D.C.L., delivered a lecture "On flying," at the Westminster Aquarium, under the auspices of the Balloon Society. Cobnel Frederick Burnaby presided. Mr Tupper said he had felt a desire all through life to have the wings of a dove, and to fly away from the dross and the dust of eartli into i the blue expanse of the heavenly ether. The thing, he was convinced, was to be accomplished in these days of electricity and concentrated power— perhaps by some of the lighter gases, some condensed form of tamed dynamite, home lifting and motive power, aided by exquisite mechanism, either attached to the human foim, if the flyer was an athlete, or a \ chicle with flapping wings, impelled by electricity, in winch he might sit. Electricity and gabes, to be carried in the compass of a saveloy, might, he thought, be feo manipulated by our chemists as to bring forth <\n invention which would supeisede every other locomotion—human flight.