The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1816, 26 February 1884, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Equal and exact justice to all men, Ot whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or poiitii.il. Here shall the Press the People's right maintain, Unawed by influence and unbribed by gain.

TUESDA V, FEB. 26, ISS4.

♦ • Whvtuaio and his lieutenant Nalana, and the two unfortunate women whom they succeeded in making their dupes in obstructing Mr Don Stubbing in his survey opera ti ns on the Waotu South block, expiated their foolishness at the bar of the Re&idenfc Magistrate's Court, Cambridge, on Friday last. The tins inflicted were unexpectedly heavy ; but considering the nature of the offence, and the obstinate and persistent manner in which Nat.ma asserted his intention of continuing in his obstruction to the survey, the bench was fully warranted in showing the natives that the law was one thing, and that their idea of right and wrong a different thing entirely. The natives, in coining into court, were evidently impressed with the erroneous idea that it was one combining the functions of the land court with those of summary jurisdiction, and that instead of the presiding justices merely hearing the evidence as regards the obstruction and punishing them accordingly, the question of their title to the land would bo investigated. They very possibly thought that in this regard matters would go in their favour. Consequently they were much disappointed at the result, and having now discovered that the law is one of those things which cannot be tampered with they will not seek to come any more in contact with it. Judging from the subdued attitude of the natives after the seriousness of his Worship's judgment had been explained to them, we have every reason to believe that had .some well-disposed friend, whose word would have had weight with Whatuaio and his followers, gone amongst them and informed them of what their conduct in obstructing the surveyors would certainly lead to, they would have been so obtuse as to have continued in their foolish course. The natives, on learning that the circumstance of the Government surveyor going on to the land did not in any way interfere with their title thereto, and that Mr Smith, in writing to them as he did, treated them in the light of owners, and not as intruders, were quite willing that the survey should proceed unmolested. We have no doubt th.it, had this been demonstrated to them at the outset, the necessity of bringing them to Cambridge to be heavily fined before a court of justice would not have arisen. The fact tliat they have been persisting in an illegal course all along in going on to the land and ousting the rightful owners, has nothing whatever to do with the present case, nor do we think it in any way affected the punishment inflicted by the court. There is one thing evident, however : If Whatuaio and the people of Ngatingaronga desire to do any goud for themselves in regard to the W.ioLu South Block, they will have to select a better adviser than their present leader, Natana.

In Thursday's impression we drew attention to the necessity of a police office, in the district of Oxford, Pateterp, and Waotu. Knowing that unit ss these things are repre .sented in a strong light to those with whom the disposal of such matters rests we feel called upon to once more revert to the immediate necessity of such a concession ,on the part of the police authorities. For some time past, more particularly within the last month, several complaints have been made to us regarding the disgraceful and continuous disorder which prevails in the immediate vicinity of Oxford. At the present time there are about 150 navvies working on railway contracts in the district, and if current rumours are to bo relied upon the social life of the multitude is not conducive to the utmost felicity in the vicinity in which they sojourn. On certain occasions, generally pay-day, the drunken squabbles which ensue after the usual unlimited indulgence in " firo water " have of late given Oxford the reputation of a pandemonium of no mean standing, which to a great extent has caused the place to be shunned by respectable travellers who have occasion to pass that way. There are several causes to which this unsatisfactory state of things may be attributed ; some blame the hotelkeeper, but we think that in such places as Oxford a public-house keeper is almost entirely in the hands of the multitude, who are subjected to no restraint whatever — neither moral nor physical. Lichfiold is now springing into importance as the centre of an extensive inland district, and though, we are happy to say, nothing can be imputed to it in the way of disgraceful exhibitions, still the occasional presence of an officer of the law would not in any way be repulsive to the inhabitants. Again, as the navvies now working on the Lichfield contract are gradually nearing the town, a police constable in their midst might tend considerably to the peace and quietness of the men themselves, let alone the happiness of the residents. At Waotu there is a considerable native population, and two hotels where liquor oau be had a$ lib by

those who have got the wherewithal to purchase it; and tlu,ugh the natives in this district are an exceedingly law-abiding lot (if we except the Wh.ituaio family) still, as a saw-mill is about to be started in which a number of European hands will be employed, occasional little Saturday night embroilments may fairly be anticipated. Surely the police authorities, taking into consideration the circumstances just narrated, will agree with us that such a concession as that indicated is not only reasonable, but absolutely needful to the peace and quietness of the district named. Of course the constable in charge of the Cambridge district pays an occasional visit to the three centres named, but already the extent of this officer's duties is too considerable to enable him to do full justice to all. We hope therefore the matter will receive full and immediate consideration at the hands of the proper authorities.

We remind our readers that the Hamilton Orpheus Glee Club's conceit takes place at tho Public Hall this evening. There will be a special meeting of tho Kihikihi Town Board in the Star Hotel this evening, for the purpose of levying a rate of one-fifth of a penny in the £ to provide a fund for the Government loan of £200. Two well-known gentlemen in Hamilton were fortunate enough to secure Erues in A. Leo's consultation on the >unedin Cup : One drew the Poet (£l6 15s) and the other Siesta (£3 19s). The earth filling at Crawfords gully is rapidly approaching the culvert, and it will soon be covered. Traffic for horses is again open, and they can get across by going through tho creek at the upper end of the culvert. Our Te Aroha correspondent telegiaphs on Saturday :— Not much inteiost was taken in the election of Licensing Commissioners to-day, there being no division of interests concerned. The following gentlemen were elected :—: — Messrs Pavitt, La very, Adams, Lipsey and O'Halloran. A meeting of shopkeepers' assistants will be held in the Oddfellows' Hall, Cambridge, to-morrow evening, for the piupoae of considering a lequisition to employers on the matter of closing business premises in Cambridge at G o'clock in the evening, instead of 7as at present. A full attendance of iill concerned is requested. The Rev. William Calder. incumbent of All Saint's, Ponsonby, and formerly of S. Peter's, Hamilton, is at present on a. visit to the Waikato for the benefit of his health. Already, we are glad to see, the change of scene and air has been attended with satisfactory l esults. We would call our readers' attention to an advertisement in another column, caUuig a meeting of those interested in the formation of a Farmers' Co-operative Association. Mr Barton has called the meeting at Hamilton in compliance with the evpressed wish of ;i large proportion of those he has canvassed on the subject. As the harvest will be over and a good moon shining by the date fixed, we hope to see a large gathering of those interested. The chairman of the Cambridge School Committee has received the following telegram from the secietaiv of the Board of Education :— " The Education Board has decided to remove Messrs Stewart and Wright, and appoint a headmaster fully qualified to take charge of the High School, with an assistant-master for the Primary School under his supervision." This, we hope, is the finale of this most vexatious question, which has tumbled the minds of the Cambridge public for some months past. On Saturday morning last as Mr Henry Noi grove, butcher, Cambridge, was stepping into a spiing cait which he was driving, the hoi so mo\ed on, and he misaed his footing, and fell on to the ground in front of the wheel, which passed over one of his legs before he could locover himself. The cart was full of goods at the time. Mr Norgro\ c was soon picked up and com eyed home, when it was found that the accident was a senous one, his leg being badly injured, but fortunately not bioken. He was attended by I) i 1 Cushny, who dies&ed the injured limb. To the Editor.— Sir,— You say in this day's paper that I objected to the valuation of domain lands, and did not appeai at the Assessment Court held yesterday ; that I held the property at 16s per acre rent (quite true), and that the valuation was only 12b per acre. The notice sent me was at 48s per acre, hence my objection. I was in the court three (3) minutes before the tune adveitised for the court, when it had been closed from five to seven minutes by post-office time ; this I have three witnesses to prove. If you will insert this in your next issue you will oblige. — I am, &c, S. Alkord, Cambridge, 23id February, 1884. Up to the present, nothing has been heard as to the acceptance, or otherwise, of any tender for the erection of the bridge over the Kaniwhaniwha creek, although tenders closed on the 23rd of January, just thirty three days ago, and some four or five local contractors put in for the work. It seems extraordinary that such unwarrantable delay should take place, as it places the contractors in a very Qifficult position, they not caring to tender for other works that may be advertised for, until they know whether or not they may have been successful in this instance. It looks very much as if the P.W. Depart- \ ment were improving backwards, instead of going ahead as we had reason to think it would with a new Minister for Public Works and a new Under-Secretary like Mr O'Connor. By the ship Brenhilda, which arrived at Auckland from London on Sunday, the Auckland Stud Company have received a further valuable addition to their stock of pme sheep and bulls. The consignment consists of 35 ewes and 10 rams of the Shropshire Downs breed. A few days before tho arrival of the vessel this stock was added to in the shape of six lambs. In addition to the sheep there are alao throe Hereford and one Jersey bulls on board, the whole being to the order of the Auckland Stud Company. The animals have all arrived in the most perfect order possible, and without the loss of a head, a fact that reflects most highly upon Mr. Marshall, who had charge of the stock on the passage, and also upon the officers who rendered Mr Marshall every possible and most willing assistance. — Herald. The following special telegrams to the Press Association, dated London, February 21st and 22nd, have been published : —The Right Rev. Dr. R. A. Short, late Bishop of Adelaide, has bequeathed his valuable theological library to the Theological College at Adelaide. —The Victorian gunboats havearrived at Gibraltar.— Messrs Archibald Currie and Co.'s new steamer, intended for the Melbourne and Calcutta trade, has been launched at Barrow.— Messrs Saddington and Co., of Sydney, have been compelled to meet their home creditors. They hope to be able to arrange favourably. The insolvent firm is that of Saddington and Co., merchants and commission agents, of Coleman-street, London and Sydney. Their creditors have resolved to require them to assign their estate. — Baron de Lesseps has been elected a member of the French Academy.— The Tories will not oppose Mr A. W. Peel's nomination as Speaker of the House of Commons. —In the House of Lords, Lord Granard has given notice of his intention to ask Earl Granville whether the Government intend to submit the Australasian Federa. tion Bill to Parliament during the present session. — The French Government is now offering new terms to the authorities in Madagascar.— Mr J. Mayer's w and b dog Mineral Water has won the Waterloo Cup, beating Greentick. At the regular monthly meeting of the Waitoa Road Board on Saturday, held as usual at MorrinsviHe, all the members being present, it was resolved to pufc op men to finish Murphy's contract at Ngututnanga road, he having failed to complete the work up to time, according to specifications. Also, to inform Messrs T. RusselJ, D. Murphy and S. Burge that if their contracts are not completed by the end of March all deposits will be forfeited, and , severe penalties inflicted without fail. It was also resolved that in future all titnft penalties be enforced* This was rendered necessary on account of the poor progress KMI? lately by wwty &U tUo cyutraoViro tq

the board. The £400 granted under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act for work on the main road was allocated for various works; the major portion being placed beaween Waihou and Te Aroha. Great complaints were made as to the wretched way in which the railway contractors were carrying out the road diversions on their works, and it was resolved to write to the Government on the matter, it baing generally considered that, unless Rome improvement takes place at once, settlers will have as much difficulty as ever in getting through the mud next winter. The usual batch of accounts were passed for payment, and it was resolved to cad for tenders for main road works, tenders to be in by Saturday, the 15th of March.