TE AWAMUTU.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1823, 13 March 1884, Page 2

TE AWAMUTU.

♦ A shout time ago the bailiff was sent on duty to Kopua to make a seizure of sheep under a distioss wanant. On <u living at Alexandra, lie .i-kcd for a constable to assist him in the execution of his duty, but, strange to say, he was refused. Who us lesponsible foi this? The act distinctly says, that all constables and peace olh'ceis shall assist any baihlf in the execution of his duty when called upon to do so, .vnd ixny one refusing shall b-3 liable to b u - lined or imprisoned. On the occasion refened to the bailiff was? compelled to go by himself, and though the natives protested he effected the seizure. Now it is just possible he might have been assaulted while performing his duty. Hvd such been the case, who would have been responsible '! One would imagine that the authoi ities>, of all people, should assist m caiiymg out the law. The caye, however, indicates that the natives have some respect foi the law of the conntiy. Had they been inclined to lesist, it would have been a veiy easy matter to have pre\entedthe baihfF pei forming his duty, but it is none the less evident he should have had assistance fioni the pioper autho1 ities. It must bo very gratifying to tho promoter of the co-opemtive association, to have met with such unqualified suppoit at tho meeting in Hamilton on the 10th mst. There is one mattei, however, to which the d'uectors should gi\ c theirgiavcst consideiation. I allude to the establishment of depots tlnoughout the distiict. Such a proposal is, I think, prematuie ; it would necessitate the erection of a number of expensive buildings with a manager lor each depot, thus involving the association in a gieatdeal of expense. Let there be one central stoic for the piesent, fiom which customer^ could draw their supplies, say at .some point on the railway. This would meet all lequirements for a year or two, and as the business 111ci eases— which it undoubtedly will— othei bi auches can be established. Some are in favour of dealing in groceries, diapery, &c, and cite instances of the success of societies in England dealing in such goods. That is all veiy well, but at home their customers can be counted by tens of thousands, while iv a compaiatively sparsely populated district like Waikato they could only be counted by bundled*. The association would be in no better position | than the letail deilers while the ciedit system obtains, which I fear will be the case for some time to come. In spite of tho unfavourable season fruit was grown in large quantities, in this district this year, the quality being excellent. Mr J. H." Scott, of Paterangi, grew some veiy fine plums, twelve of the variety known as Magnum Bonum taken promis- | cuou&ly from the tree, each turned the scale at three ounces and three quarters. It is remarkable that all should weigh the same. With such an example before them, farmers should give some attention to fruit growing. An orchard well stocked with trees such as the one in question would be the means of materially increasing their incomes. —(Own Correspondent).

A Test for Spirits.— The Hawkes Bay Herald saj's : — We ha\e seen a liquid sold in a Hawke's Bay inn for whisky, which, when ib was thrown on the fire, put the fire out. We weie not surprised to see, shortly afterwards, several men about that public-house in a state of semi- madness. The landlord must have neglected to post the usual warning, ''All spirits sold hero are reduced," and his customers got semi-mad at him for taking his apirita from the vasty deep without letting them into the secret. Messrs Dey and French and P. LeQuesne, Hamilton East, notify that on and after Monday next they will close their places of business at 6 p.m. (Saturdays excepted.) Messrs W.T. Hunter and Co. will sell at the Cambridge Yards on Thursday, the 20th inst., prime fat lambs, quiet heifers, two-year-old steers and heifers, fat cattle, etc. On Saturday, the 22nd, they will hold their usual horse sale at Cambridge. On Tuesday, the 25th, they will sell at the Ohaupo Yards, shorthorn bull bred by Mr B'anthara, and a Urge -number of cattle of dif-, ferent kinds, iat cattle, merino and Jjalf-brcd