COMMENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1817, 28 February 1884, Page 2

COMMENTS.

I.v almost every town, whether provincial or metropolitan, large or small, important or unimportant, there may be found a genus of self-appointed leaders or agitators who look upon themselves as the guardians of the rights of the people. Occasionally some of the more prominent members of the class become possessed of the idea of their unrivalled fitness to conduct the affairs of the community to which they belong ; they therefore conceive a desire for public lite, and becoming possessed of a few fads or quibbles, which, if allowed to go forth unrefuted, are sure to seize the ignorant mind, and secure a following in a particular quarter. In the geneiality of cases the types of humanity who thus seek to introduce themselves into public life and notoriety aie staunch believers in the fads they embrace, but there are stil a few, who exert themselves strenuously to prevent the carrying out of the good and beneficial designs of others. Judging from the proceedings in the Cambridge Public Hall on Saturday evening last, reported elsewhere in this issue, Cambridge possesses its quota of the genus referred to — those who obstruct the progress of the town. The proposition to borrow £600 for certain works within the town, submitted to the meeting on Saturday evening for discussion, was reasonable and commendable. The people of Cambridge have bad a precent made them in the ehitpe of H JPubHo

Hall and a libraiy building, together with the respective sites of <ac'i. The pteacnt is one of considerable *alue, fur which the townspeople of Cambridge have every reason to be thankful. Now, these bui'dings want improvement and enlaigp'iunt, and are badly in need of ropair generally, nnii the townspeople, to w lioni they belong, are called upon to go, as it weie, security for the cost of carrying out t he work. Those who are in a position to speak authoritatively on the matter, and whose statements can be relied upon, assert positively that the revenue of both the institutions, after deducting working expenses, &c, will be sufficient to pay the interest and sinking fund on the loan, and that the rate will not require to be collected at all. Should the levenuj fail to do all that is expected of it, it is as little as we can expect that it will pay a laige portion of the cost, lea\ ing only a part of the rate to be collected. In any case it is quite ceitain, the whole will not require to be called up. One gentleman alone lias offered to take over the liability on the hall, and pay interest and sinking fund and keep it in proper order and repair, in consideration of the revenue to be derived therefrom. The opposition offered by Mr Reid on Saturday evening was the only thing of the kind deserving of serious notice. And what did this amount to? In a sense it amounted to a direct approval of the proposition. Mr Reid unconsciously approved of that which he rose expressly to object to. It was quite evident Mr Stewarts opposition was more agninst the promoters of the proposition than the proposition itself. He spoke with the air of a man who knew nothing whatever about what he was talking, and labouring under injured feelings of a personal character, which, by-the-bye are never introduced into matters of this kind by men of selfrespect and dignity. He suited the subject to his purpose, which, there can be little doubt, was purely a peisonal one. Had he been actuated by a desire for the welfare of the place he would not have made the bald assertions he did, but would have endca- \ oured to have made himself m »ster of the facts of the case Mr Shaikey promises in time to rivnl the great G.irrard, but we fear he lacks the force of character and flow of rhetoric, though certainly not the style .adopted by that prince of agitators. Mr Master's statement that on an average only two people enter the library in a week is not in accordance with facts. The poll is fixed for the Sth Mai ch, when the friends of the proposition will require to exert themselves if they seek success. Thkiik are some tar-sighted individuals in the community determined to make an effot t to rid us of the sparrow nuisance, but they are not supported as enthusiastically as we could wish. How is this ? For yeais past the mischief done by the small birds in the Waikato distiicts h.ib been evident enough, surely ! Just when the crops nre in pi-ocess of ripening we aie treated to a chorus of complaints, but no sooner are the stacks th itched than people, m the innate goodness of their hearts?, begin tomventexcuses toi the poor sparrow. Only the other day, one ot our coneapondents, a well informed man too, claimed that, after all, the good service rendered by the sparrow in keeping down the caterpillar and insect pest would more than compensate tor the few ears of giain lie helped himself to on the sly. We confess we aie tired of heat ins pleadings in behalf of the most inveterate enemies the farmeis have to put up with. Many sceptical people liavp for long doubted whether the spanow served any useful purpose in the economy of agriculture, and the closest obsei vation ne\ er, so far as we are aware, brought to light any commendable trait in his character. It is quite true that the catei pillar has not been so conspicuous of late years, but as the craws of slaughtered sparrows are nexer, or very seldom, found to contain the grub, it is quite clear the diminution in the numbers of the latter must be traced to some other cause. Probably the change our climate has expeiieuced may have something to do with it. In the Manchester City News for the loth December last appears a letter which strongly bears out the theory of those sceptics to whom reference has just been made. The bird referred to by the writer is the Passer Domestic^, or house sparrow, the variety with which an enlightened acclimatisation council has blessed us. He commences by stating that it had been his intention to ask such of the leaders of the News as took an interest m the study of ornithology to give their experiences of I'atwr Domcsticiti, with a view of settling the point as to the value of this bird as a destroyer of insect pests. He then proceeds :—"I: — "I ha\e myself paid much attention to the subject, and have come to the conclusion that, if it is of any value to the farmer, the depredation it commits upon his corn crops far outweighs the service rendered. I am of opinion that it has increased in number the last few years in this locality. Some weeks sinuo I counted m the farmyard over one hundred feeding upon the ground at the same time, and there were many more upon the buildings around. They evidently prefer grain as food, and miss no opportunity of feeding upon it. •So when wu^ sue hundreds or even thousands of them investing a cornfield, we may imagine but cannot assess the amount of damage, E\ en this year I have seen hattocks of corn almost covered with sparrows. As soon as the corn is carried to stack or barn you will find Passer in vast multitudes in close proximity to the farmyard, and the impudent fellow snatches the grain from under the very beaks of Chanticleer and hia family. I have watched so long and so often for positive proof of its insectkilling propensity in vain, that I begin to doubt if it has such propensity. " I will cite an instance or two. You are aware that in the beautiful doughs in this locality the Oak grows in great abundance with its bright glossy beautiful foliage, but for some years now, in the summer, anyone would fancy that man}' of the leaves looked as if cut across, the Oak-roller being in such abundance that almost half of the leaves were rolled up into cradles for the young of the destroyer. Now had Passer Domesticus any fondness for insect food, what revelry and feasting might he not indulge in without robbing the farmeis' cornfields. Yet, although I have seen him having a bath in the brook that ripples at the bottom ot the clough, I never once found him attempting to feed upon the caterpillar of the Oak-roller. "Again, some two years ago my wife had ted the sparrows through the winter with such regularity that they had become a "settled institution; " and if from any cause she was a little late, there was such a wraugle amongst the sparrows upon the yard wall that her attention was at once drawn to the fact. Along one side of the yard was a small plot of soil in which a few flowers and a couple of rhododendrons grew. This offered facilities for testing the Sparrow's fondness for insect food, so I planted half a score of healthy ox cabbage plants. Ihesegrew wonderfully, and in a short time the green caterpillar of the Cabbage Butterfly made its appearance upon them, and soon dozens of them could be seen crawling over the leaves. But the sparrjws took no notice of them. Vi t often two or three pair of sparrows were within a few feet of them, and their " Chirr up, chirr, chee, chupp" could le heard almost continually. The caterpiller made sad havoc with the cabbage. Three of the plants was literally eaten up. Yet although the spairjw smietinie perched upon the rhododendrons, even within a few inches of the crawling pest, I did not once see one attempt to kill a caterpillar. " Again, during the last summer, within a few yards of the kitchen window grew a few shrubs— holly, elder, lilac, beech, and one, of some variety of willow, with long, narrow, bright green leaves. Over the window is a hole in which a pair of sparrow 8 reared two , b 'oods o' young. The pillow was attacked by a caterpillar «Mtr tp~ ftftft of tto C|ttW»t Jffpto-r

pO3sible identical. This voracious pest in a few weeks swarmed upon the bush until almost e\ery leaf was eaten. I found as many as five upon one leaf. These bushea were the regular resort of sparrows when flushed fiom the yard, ami the young ones were being fed within a few yards of theplant, yet I never saw a sparrow picking off these caterpillars as food for either itself or young. I must admit that I have seen a sparrow chase and capture a butterfly upon the wing, but this may not have been for food, as I have seen them chase a feather, and even a swallow. I once saw one chase a pigeon, whilst the latter nude three circuits to the yard and buildings." We have given the writer's accountofhisexperience in fullbecausethe subject is one about which, unfortunately very little is known. The popular belief, as we have said above, is that Master Passer, by devouring vast numbers of insects and their larvaj during summer, make amends for their plunder of the grain in the autumn. The writer we have quoted, Mr John Hoole, of Prest wich, has, we think, done something towards demolishing this charitable theory. In the same letter he makes allusion to a bird which would be of some use to us. He writes : — "A specimen of the cuckoo xvas given to me lately, It had been killed on August the 22nd in the neighbourhood of Saddleworth. It was a female, possibly of the previous year. These birds vary much in plumage during the lirst three or four years. Its stomach was full of the remains of insects, beetles, and caterpillars, and a mass that had the appearance of vegetable fibre, but I am unable to say from what plant obtained. However it was well filled, and as the bird was in good condition, it proves that there is plenty of suitable food for the cuckoo long after its charming voice is hushed, and we are fain to believe it has leturned upon its mysterious journey to southern chines. " Could not something be done to acclimatise the cuckoo here on a large scale ?

By our English telegrams we learn that the Right Hon. Thomas Milner Gibson h.is died at the ago of 77. Wo cull a few incidents in hi.s career from " Men of the Time." The right lion, gentleman commenced hit, political caieer in 1837 as Conservative member for Ipswich ; but, changing hib political opinions, he resigned, and unsuccessfully sought re-election. In LS4I ho was returned for Manchester, being in the meantime identified as one of the most successful oiators of the anti-corn-law agitation. In 1840 Lord John Russell, wishing to strengthen his Ministry by obtaining the sud of some of the leading members of the League, appointed Mi Gibson* as Vicepresident of the Hoard of Trade. In 1848 lie resigned and identified himself with the " Peace Parly," and during the struggle with Russia he was defeated for Manchester general election of 1857, but was shortly after re-olected fo.i Ashton, under Tyne. After a more or less busy political life, he retired permanently from public life in 18(58.

Sir James McOulloch, late Premier of Victoria, Lady McCulloch and Miss Inglis, neice of Sir James, passed tlunugh Hamilton yesteiday, en route to the L.ilces.

Mr Deasy, a Parnellite, has been elected tor Cork.

The Sultan has granted a firman for the cou^tiuction of the Joid.in Valley Can.il.

Robert McVeagh, of Cambridge, stoiekeoper, was adjudicated a b.inkiupton Tuesday upon his oh n petition by order of the Registiar of the Supreme Court.

No less than three accidents of a minor nature, in which nobody was hurt, occurred in Camhiidge on Tuesday. Two of these occuned to conveyance^, and one to a boy on hor&eback.

The clerk of the Piako County Council makes three important announcements in another column, under the Roads and Blidges Conduction Act, regarding the expending of certain money-, on works in the Taotaoroa, Te Aroha and Waitoa ridings.

Natives in many parts of the country still continue to collect money for Tawhiao's Hussion to England. The Mangatautari natives have subscribed a good round sum which will be forwarded to Tawhiao at Whatiwhatihoe, at an early date.

An inquest was held at Lichfield on Mmid.iy List on the body of Mr Robeit Moreton, who died suddenly at his residence on the previous Saturday morning. Mr Sear.uicke, dtetuct coroner, conducted the enquiry. A verdict that death had been theie^ult of natural cauie.s wa-i returned. Dr Waddington held the po^t-mortem e\ainin.ition.

For some time past the blacksmiths in the Cambridge district have been doing hor.»e shoeing at reduced prices. They now dibcover, however, that business does not pay at the rates at present charged, and have consequently mutually agieed to raise the prices on and after the Ist March. An advertisement on the matter appears in another column.

We are informed that, owing to the steamer in which Archdeacon Willis travelled to Melbourne being delayed a week at starting, ho will not bo back in Waikato in time to pay his quarterly visit to Matamata, Richmond and Morrinsville, of which notice had been given for March Oth.

The Cambridge business public are again looking forward to another sitting of the Native Land Court in their midst. The court is gazetted to ojjen on the Ist March, but the business will not be of a very material character. Wo understand that the Maung.itaittari case will not be heard at Cambridge, and that the court will adjourn to Kthlkihi immediately the Cambridge business is disposed of.

The following gentlemen were nominated on Tuesday last, at Ohaupo a-. Licencing Commissioners for the Pnkekur.i district : — Me&sr-. John Fisher, Joseph Gane, A. J. Hughes Henry Hyatt, Hemy Kusabs, Thomas Moiris, Henry Travels Owen, Charles Potterton, and Richaid Reynolds. Ab the number of candidates is in excess of the number required a poll will be taken on Tuesday, March 4th for the election of five members. There was considerable excitement over the nomination of candidates, and the election .also promises to be very warmly contested.

At the Police Court. Hamilton, on Tuesday, before his Worship the Mayor (Mr Peat), a first offender, charged with being unlawfully in a vacant house in Vic-toria-street, Hamilton, on Monday night, was discharged with a caution on his pi omising to go away and getwoik. George Pevenll, charged with the larceny of se\ eial blankets from the Star Hotel at Tamanga hi J anuary last, was, on the application of the police, remanded to Tauranga.

It has been decided by the Christ Church vestry, Kihikihi, to hold .an entertainment in the Public Hall, on the 17th of March, for the purpose of assisting in paying off the debt incurred by renovating and repairing the church. The programme will be dhided into three paits, first, vocal and instrumental, second, dramatic, to be followed by a screaming extuwaganza, the whole to conclude with a dance. Particular will appear in an advertisementin a futuie issue of this paper.

The Christchurch correspondent of the Herald telegraphed on Monday :— Reports, so far, do not show extensive damage to the harvest by the heavy ram on Saturday and Sunday, Some of the farmers persist in the bad practice of threshing from the atook, which brought ho many of them to grief last year, and wherever this is being done, loss must ensue. In their eagerness to get the harvest in while the weather is fine, a ciuantity of grain has been threshed before it was ready. Some of this has already reached town, and is so obvioufciy unfit for shipping, that the traders are refusing it.

A Mr George Thompson writes to iw, complaining of the action of the then R-M.^of Waikato and the police authorities in committing his two children to the Industrial Home at Auckland some "six years ago. We have made the fullest enquiry into the circumstances surrounding the case, and can come to no other conclusion than that the authorities took the only proper gourse open to them on the occasion to whiflh QPl' p<ft're«iponcjeiit refers. The matter received the attention of the Govern: ment at the time, and* the action of the police and the magistrate was approved. We must therefore decline to open our cqhunns for the disoiwa}on of our oorrespon. dent's faricied'grievan'ce. ' ' The following special, messages to" the Press Association, dated London, Feb. &4th, 25fch,and gOthj'haW .beta pub 1 - 1

New Zealand in the Tongariro. — Sir Arthur Blyth denies that he has any intention, of standing for Falmouth at the nsxt general election, as has been reported. — Sir Herry Parke-t, speaking at Glasgow, said that iNew South Wales would be able to render valuable assistance to the mother country in the event of war. — The Queen will visit Germany in April. — The death is announced of the Right Hon. Thomas Milner Gibson, aged 77.— The Mahdi is reported to be tampering with the Mussulmans of India, and the Nubian troops in Suakim threaten to join the rebels. — Colonel Coetlogan, with 2000 men of the Khartoum garrison, is on his way to Berber.

According to La France Militaire, the following is the number of field-pieces which, on the outbreak of war, the piincipal European Powers could place in line :—: — Germany, 2040 ; Austria, 1540 ; England, 342 ; France, 21G(! ; Russia (not counting the Asiatic batteries and those attached to the divisions of the Caucasus), 2258 ; Italy, !)84. Among these are not reckoned mountain guns. To the above figures must be added lor France 70 dep&t batteries the two batteries of the Marine Artillery, and the 194 batteries of the territoiial army, which raise the total number of field-pieces of France to 4222. For Russia mu^t be added 708 pieces of the Reserve Aifcillery, which brings up the total ot that Power to 302(5. Italy, after mobilising its miliita, and adding its Reserve Artillery, would possess 1080 pieces.

The London World says the real reason why Cardinal Manning as well as so many distinguished prelates from other countiies have been called to Rome, is that Leo XIII, wants to confer with them, in an informal manner, as to the best manner of ruling their respective churches, and yet remaining on good terms with the different Governments under which they live. The preaent Pope is utterly unlike Pope Pius IX. The latter seemed to think that the more animosity that existed between the Church and the secular authorities of all lands, the inure credit there was for the former. His successor is persuaded that the Church ought to assist the State in all matters in which her moral influence can do any good.

The following appears in the Pall Mall Gazette : — Since we directed public attention to the " Bitter Cry of Outcast London," it has beenne fashionable to make a pilgrimage of the slums A show slum is quite in demand in many ciicles, but the worst slums are avoided by all but official pilgiims. These heioic men pm.sue their researches with reckless disregard of all considerations but thuse of the public good, as they are rewarded for their pains by being compelled to pay tay and toll to the aboiiginr-s of the slums. In one l<,w district the Piesident of the Local (government Board was kindly relieved ot his cig.ir case, and in another his private secretary, aftei being specially warned of his danger, placed his pencil in a pocket of security, from which it was prompty removed with s.> much de\tenty by a denizen of the distiict Miat the victim did not discover his leah for some time. If the present fashion does not die out, some enterprising tailor will be bringing out a costume for the slums, in which case it is to be hoped he will fit his garments with thief proof pockets.

A resident of St Ives, one of the principal fishing districts in the we->t <>f England, whole over 4,000 fishcunen follow their calling, assures a contemporary " that there will be no difficulty in obtaining the men, providing bufHcient inducement is offered. Their life at home lsassinedly a hard and piecaiious one. Oftinies dining the winter months, they are weeks befoie they date risk their lives and nets in the furious gales and ground seas which roll in from the Atlantic on theii oa-,t ; whilst dining the summer months thry must eithei ht.ij r at lio:ne and engage in the pilchard tisheiy, '' which ha-, not paid for yeais," 01 else leave their home-, sailing through the Caledonian Canal to the North of Scotland, and many times letinning without even paying e\pen-<eh." It might be well to put some of these men under some favourable provision of the Immigration --ysteni and to stait what ceitamly must become one of our industries.

Atticus in the Melbourne Leader has the following :—": — " Great has been the consternation, especially in the .select circle^ of Tooiak, <>\er the resignation of oui (loveinor. No one doubts but that there will be national mourning' because of his depaituie. Under his legime Government House has become such a pleasant place. You need not ask Mrs De Trop her opinion about the hospitality of tin noblo loid, or inquire of young Howaid Theophihih Browne whether he ha-> any memoiies of the gubernatorial wine cellai : or cu.ss-exainine the local politician, the intelligent foieignei, the distinguished visitor, or even dull old Sheepskins, what aio the gloiies of our vice-regal feasts, and they will meiely .shrug shouldeis and look sad. The servile Jenkhii has already .shed his tribute of ink in acknowledgment o f past favor, and there will doubtles be much heavy faiewell dinner demonstration amongnt the T.illow Fat family. But I marvel that the noble lord did not, like the Earl Rosebory, observe a di->cie)t silence about the vessel in which he will leave. The secret being out the berths aie certain to be rushed, as those of the Parramatta were by the colonial Geoi#eus Midas type, who will make any sacrifice for the privilege of living six weeks in his enchanting society. '

A cable message announces the death of Mr John Hullah, Professor of Music. The following notice of the life of Ml" Hullah appears in Men of the Times :— He was a native of Worcester, where ho was bom in 1812. In 1825) he became a pupil of the late Mr Horsley, nnrl in 1832 studied under Crovelli, at the Royal Academy of Muklo. He first became known as the composer of the music to Mr C. Dickens'* opeia "The Village Coquettes." In 1840 he established his wellknown system of singing, and did inuoh to popul.iri.se the study of music among the middle clashes. St. Martin's Hall, built for him in 1847. was unfoitunately burnt in 1S(5O, on which occasion Mr Hullah 's friend* and pupil* piesented him with a handsome testinionialiiaani.uk of gratitude for his teaching and sympathy with his misfortune. He has been professor of vocal music and of harmony in King* College, Queen's College, and Bedford College, London, organist of Charterhouse, and conductor of the orchestra and chouis in the Royal Academy of Music. Mr Hullah was appointed Musical Inspector for the United Kingdom by the Committee of Council on Education in March, 1872. He is the author of "A Grammar of Harmony," " A Grammar of Counterpoint," of "The History of Modern Music," and "The Transition Period of Musical History," and of a largo number of detached essays on the history and science of music. He resigned the Professorship of Vocal Music at King's College, London, in 1874. The honorary degiee of L.L.D. whs confeired on him by the University of Edinbuigh in 1870, and in 1877 he was elected au honorary member of the Royal Academy of St. Cecilia, at Rome — the oldest musical institution in Europe.

The following, taken from the Pall Mall Gazette, shows the views of the English Government on the question of County Government : — " On the matter of Sir Charles Dilke's speech there is much to be said. Its chief importance, apart fiomthe declaration concerning Ireland and the franchise, liea in the light which it sheds on the county government of next session. It is to be a decentralising measure. The local government board will so far as possible transfer its powers of supervision and control to elective county authorities, who will be charged with the duty of keeping the district authorities up to the mark. While decentralising at head - quarters it will centralise in the localities The idea of its author is the destruction of all overleaping areas and conflcting jurisdictions. The new county parliament is not to be created until there can be simultaneously established distiict councils supplying unity of administration to consolidated areas. If we understand Sir Charles Dilke's remarks, the whole congeries of existing boards will be abolished, and in their place there will be established a bran new district council, wielding all the powers now enjoyed by the multiplicity of bodies which it will supersede. For all these district councils, as the head of a complete system, will be established a county council, directly elected by the ratepayers, local parliament wielding many of the powers of the local government board, and also discharging some of the dutie§*at present falling upon the Imperial Legislature. Subsidies in aid will be abolished, and some of the taxes at present levied by Government will be handed over to the Jogal authorities. We believe, although Sir Charles made no reference to the point,' that the new county council will also be armed with very; extended powers 'in doling, with the ligonatog 1 ' -> .V,. ( S^'U -<<«.' V