AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1825, 18 March 1884, Page 2

AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. Here shall the Press the People's right maintain, Unawed by influence and unbnbed by grain.

time and harvest, and though at one time it was feared the latter would this year, prove anything but a propitious one, the weather suddenly cleared, and all but thp veriest laggard had amplo time and opportunity to gather in the harvest! and render it secure against the after rain, which might naturally have been looked for earlier than it came. Many, however, we are sorry to learn, have not done so, and the consequence has been that wheat cut and harvested from the field with much anxiety and labour, has been sacrificed in the stack -yard. When the steamer Triumph recently steamed safely across the world, and got wrecked in port, small pity and great blame were generally meted out to those in charge of her. Yet this is just the position of many of our farmers now. Many an anxious look to the weather was given while the crop was being cut and the harvest yet afield. Many a double watch, with toil and labour, was undergone in order to push forward the work. Reaping machines were kept working night and day, and all was bustle and excitement till the la&t load was carried to the stack. The >, in too many cases, all exertion was relaxed, and a couple of days' rain was allowed to undo all that had been clone. The ship was got securely into port, and in comparative safety allowed to be lost for want of the merest care and foresight. Such a state of tilings does not speak well for the enterprise and business acumen of our settlers. Agriculture can no more bo earned on with success now-a-days without systematic and careful consideration than can the intricate business concerns which tax tho energies of thoso who carry on large commercial undertaking's — nay, w e very much doubt whether of the two tho management of a large farm does not entail the greater amount of brain work and constant attention. It is then all the more surprising- that so obvious a blunder should be committed b} so many — to say nothing of c warning- of last yeai's similar loss. At Home the farmer looks to tho thatching as part and parcel of the harvest operations, without which all his labour is incomplete, and prepares oft on a year before hand the necessary material for the thatch. Tho best grown straw of the present year's wheat crop is, even in these days of machinery, threshed out by hand so as to leave it in the best possible condition for use and carefully stored away as thatch for next year's stacks. Some, again, find it to their advantage to lay out their money^inthe purchase of rickcloths, which are so placed upon uprights as to allow of the stack being built under them, being raised as the stack is carried up, the latter being as soon as finished permanently thatched, and the rick-cloths used for fresh stacks. The money .spent on such cloths is an expenditure of necessary capital, and many a farmer will this year certainly feel that he will have paid the price of such a cloth twice over in the shape of spoiled and unmarketable grain. At the present timo there is even less excuse for neglect in this matter than there was a few years ago, for ingenuity has invented a thatchmaking machine, so that not only is it possible for the farmer to provide the material against harvest time, but actually to have it made up in rolls ready for placing on the stacks with the least | ossible loss of time and labour. Yet, strange to siy, one of these machines has been for months owned by a number of farmers in Waikato. Stranger still, in at least one instance, is to be found amongst these a considerable loser by the damage done to the wheat in stack after the harvest weather broke. No man in any commercial business would expect, to escape loss if he neglected .so im portant a matter of detail as this. Why then the farmers? We write these linos in no carping spirit, with no wish to hold up settlers, either individually or as a class to censure or neglect, which brings with it, heaven knows, its own punishment severely enough, but in the, hope that by drawing attention to the matter a similar state of things may be avoided in the future. Farmers are far too heavily handicapped by the weather, insect pests, falling and uncertain markets, dear and unskilled labour, and a variety of other causes to be able to carry on their business by rule of thumb. As in other callings, the inevitable} result will be the survival of the fittest. And this is every day becoming more apparent and recognised not only here but in all parts of the world. Experience, intelligence, deep thought, minute attention to details, close observation and the study of what is going on in the world around them in connection with their own special pursuit, are every day becoming more and more necessary to the farmer's success.

The work of staying the Hamilton railway bridge with steel wires is now completed. The homeward mails via San Francisco fiom Auckland, [February sth, were delivered in London on March 14th. We understand that Messrs T. Wells and E. Hewitt, representatives of the Cambridge riding in the Waikato County Council, are about to resign their seats in that body. The Rev. Hatton Turner preached in the Presbyterian Church, Hamilton, yesterday evening, on the coming millennium. There was a large attendance, and the sermon was one of much interest. The man Wright, who, at the Police Court, Hamilton, on Friday, was ordered to find securities for si* months good behaviour for ill-treating his wife, gave bail on Saturday afternoon, and was released after forty-eight hours' imprisonment. We learn that it is now definitely arranged that a number of adult members of Mr Aldridge'u congregation at Hamilton will be baptised by immersion in the Waikato on the morning of Good Friday. Tidings from Mr F. Edgecumbe's survey party in the interior were received last week. The work is progressing very favourably and without any interference from the natives, and there is every pro»peot of this party- getting finished earfy in*

May. There seouis to brt a. difficulty in the commissariat,- as the bill of fare — "wild pork, honey, flour and tea)' — varies not. The structure known as the No. 1 bridge, near Hamilton, -and which of late has been in a state of disrepair, is now being attended to. Some little sensation was caused in Hamilton on Saturday, by tho presence of Te Kooti with about thirty followers. Tho party were on thoir way to the Thames, via Mercer, and their sojourn here was, in consequence, very short. A constabulary repairing partyare at present busily engaged attending to the repair of the Cambridge-Rotoi-ua road. The lull near the bush, regarding the condition of which home complaints have been made, is now being put in better repair by the Grovernment men under Mr Mayson. At the meeting of the Cambridge Road Board on Saturday last, it was agieed to notify owners of property near Hautapu to remove some acacia trees and other growth oveigrowing the main road there, and which is at present very unsightly. A large number of tourists arrived at Hamilton yesterday, en route to the Hot Lakes, and were met at the station by se\eral conveyances from Cambridge. This traffic continues to increase daily, and promises to assume still larger proportions before the close of the present season. The match Waikato County versus Otahuhu C.C. will be played at Hamilton on the 26th and 27th inst. Play to begin at 11 a.m. The following will represent Waikato: — Messrs Browning, Collins, Cotton, Forrest, Farquharbon, Hunt, Longbottom, Pilling, D. B. and M. Stubbing, yon Stunner and Wilson. A memorial is at present in course of signature amongst the settlers on the Waikato bide of the river at Hamilton, asking the railway authorities to erect a goods shed at East Hamilton railway station, as a large amount of traffic must necessarily come there. On Sunday last the Rev W. Slade preached his farewell sermons, at the morning and evening services at the Wesleyan Church, Hamilton, prior to leaving for Taurangd. The attendance at each service was unusually laige, many having come long distances to hear the rev. gentleman's valedictory address. The Yen. Archdeacon Willis has now resumed his niinistiations at S. Andrew's, Cambridge, having returned from his tour through the colonies much recruited in health. He conducted the services on Sunday last, when there was a lai ge attendance both morning and e\ ening. The adjourned sitting of the Land Couit will open at Cambridge this morning, when theie is every possibility of a further adjoin nment being made. Judge O'Biieu pioeoeded by coach to Cambridge yu^teiday evening, and will preside at the sitting ot the couit this nioininer. The cricket match between Cambiidge and Otahuhu will take place at Cambiidge on Monday and Tuesday next. The match has created considerable interest, and should attract a large gatheiing of spectators. Refreshments will be piovided on both evenings of the contest in the Oddfellows' Hall. The Waikato Timber Company ha=s pin chased the engine, boiler, and other machinery of the sawmill at Te Aroha, lately owned by Me»sis Carr and Son. Mr Fieeman has got the job of lemoving the plant to the Wuotu bu'hh, where it is to be utilised. The weight of the plant is fortyfive tons, which lepiesentsa lot of heavy caiting. Fortunately the roads aie good, which should materially facilitate transpoit.

On some of the back roads in the Cambiidgc Road Boaid district, the fui/e has been .allowed to encroach upon the road to a \ cry gieat extent. We think that proporty-holdei s should be sufficiently conscious o't their duty not to allow an overgrowth of furze in fiont of their property ; but it would seem that in the district refeiredto, the propei ty -holders, prefer waiting until compelled by the load board before they think of pioceeding to work. We hope the board at its next meeting will see that something is done in the matter. The railway authorities are at present carrying out extensive impio\»nients at Huntly. A large engine shed, which has been much lequired, id being erected. It is intended, as boon as the lines to Mornnsville and Cambridge are completed, to keep an engiue at Huntly for use on these lines in case of emergency. A new pumping station is being erected to pump the water from the Waikato river, and a large turntable is also being fitted up, which will enable engines and caniages to be turned here if necessary. Further particulars have been received by the s.s. Manapouri at the Bluff legaidin'g the man found dead by the telegraph line : — The man's name was Phillip Millaid. He passed Dalhousie's Springs about the Ist instant with two hor.sea, which were both found near the body. He was unacquainted with the countiy. It is supposed he took the line for a shoit cut. Millard burnt a pole do.vn to enable him to reach the wire, which he then broke. The by-road opposite Fanthams corner on the Cambridge-Hamilton road, the opening of which adjoins Mr J. S. Buckland s gate, has become a source of great nuisance to cattle drivers. The cattle invariably make their way up this road, and this being full of holes and leading into a piece of swamp land, it is impossible to head them. The matter was brought forward at the meeting of the Cambridge Road Board on Satin day last, when it was agreed that the board should provide the mateiial to erect a bariier across the road, the same to be erected by Mr Buckland. His Excellency the Governor and Lady Jervois airiyed at Onehunga on Saturday morning in the s.s. Hinemoa, after a pleat-ant passage. The Rev. W Jeivois, Miss A. Jervois, Miss A. Richmond and Major Ecclos, A.D.C., were also passengeis by the Hinemoa. During the trip the steamer called in at Kawhia, whore his Excellency landed and inspected the Armed Constabulary redoubt, and was much pleased with their noatness and order. The chiefs and people of Ngatihikairo, and some of the Ngatihaus interviewed his Excellency and expressed great pleasure at his visit. A new township, consisting of about 100 acres, it, about to be laid ofF at Huntly, on the property of Mrs Ralph. The surveyor, we believe, has already received instructions to proceed with' the work. The new township will be com venient to the railway station, and will be cut up into allotments of convenient sizes. Mrs Ralph, we understand, has expressed her intention of giving a suitable site for a Public Hall to the local body, which, we hope, will soon be constituted to look after the interests of Huntly as a township. It is the intention of the Taupiri Coalmining Company to erect a number of cottages for the accommodation of their miners, a good few of whom are at present without suitable house accommodation. On Sunday morning last a fire broke out on the premises in course of erection for Mr W. Or, Allen at Ponsonby, Auckland. The ironmongery premises of Mr Hynaiason and several dwelling-houeas were soon united in the conflagration. Some of the property and furniture belonging to the occupants was rescued and removed in safety from the fire. Some delay was experienced in getting the fire brigade on to the ground and started to work. The flre broke out about seven o'clock, and it was not until nine o'clock that it was got under. The disaster is supposed to have originated through the carelessness of tramps sleeping in the unfinished premises where the fire originated. The entire damage is estimated at £3000, and the insurances amount to over £2000.

The following tenders were received and opened for works on the Tjiotaoroa road diversion on Saturday at Cambridge. Accepted : A. Nicol, kauri timber (built in), 3(5s per 100 feet ; puriri, 52s ; 12inch pipes (laid), 3a 3d ; 15 inch, 4s 9d ; 18 inch 5s 3d per linial foot; earth over pipes. Is per yard ; head drains and outfalls 5d per yard ; falling bush, 11s 6d per chain. Declined : Forrest and Co., kauri, 42a ; puriri, 54s ; 12 inch pipes, 4s 3d j 15 inch, Ob (3d J }8 jngh. 8s Gd ; earthwork, Is ; drains sd. J. 6, aoofch, Jfauri, 36s 3d ; puriri, 45s 6d ; 12 inch pipes, 6p 9r. } 15 inch, 7s ; 18 inch, 10s 9d per foot ; earthwork, 9d ; drains, sd ; falling bush, 18s per chain. G. Wattam, falling bush, 18s per chain (informal). Work will be started at once. The total rote for the road this year is

£840. M? Lovett, the contractor for laying the perman/sni; fl^y of the Cambridge Branch Railway, is making J%ex» pected progress with the work. ' The pre : sent weather is exceedingly/favourable for such work, and materially assists the contractor in keeping well within his timo. Mf JJQYett, however, coroplww of w$

being able to gst an engine now that he requires one. He thinks that had he an engine at bis. disposal at the present time he'tyould-have the way laid to Cambridge iv about three weeks' time. When the hon. Mr'Mitchelsop was asked to shorten the the contract time for laying the permanent way, lie urged as an excuse against doing so, that, the contractor would not be able to finish His work in any shorter time than that originally specified, but the above fact shows that such is not the ea. c c, as, weie the contractor properly assisted by the railway authorities, there would bo no difficulty in shortening the time atf the Cambridge deputation suggested. Our Auckland correspondent wires last night :--The Star to-night says' vj?bis morning the Church of S. Sepulchres was the scene »f a wedding which excitedosonsiderable interest among those who na\e been long resident in Auckland. At the eaily hour of a quaiter t.) eight o'clock the Yen. Archdeacon Dudley, assisted by the Rev. Dr. Purchas, began, in the presence of a full choir, and large congregation of spectators, to celebrate the nuptials of Miss Connell and F. H. Templer, Esq. Miss Connell has for years been a regular and popular attendant at the services in connection with the church and parish of S. Sepulchre's. The bridegroom was also, previous to his recent promotion to Hamilton, noted for his energetic co-operation in ecclesiastical, musical, and literary circles. The bride, who looked charming in a dre&s of cream coloured Indian muslin, glo\ es of similar hue, graceful veil depended halfway down her figure, and the usual accompaniment of orange blossoms and bridal bouquets, was given away by her brother, Mr W. H. Connell, solicitor. The Misses Pierce acted as bridesmaids, being tastefully attired in blue cashmere, suitable to their age. The Yen. Archdeacon Dudley read the service most impressively, the choir sang psalms appropriate to the occasion, and at the close Mr Y. E. Rice played the party out of the .sacred edifice to the soul-stirring strains of Mendelssohn's " Wedding March." After a short adjournment at the house of the bride, the happy couple drove off, amid the congratulations of numberless fiiends, down Kyber Pa&s to Newmarket, which they left by the 9.45 train for their future home at Hamilton.

We have been informed that the railway authorities do not intend gh ing any assistance to the Cambiidge Town Board in carrying out the scheme for draining the flat in the vicinity of the Chinch of England into the Lake. It will be remembered that at a meeting of ths board held sometime ago, no suitable tender having been received for the work, it was agreed to allow the matter to stand over for a time until some arrangement should be made with the railway authorities, but the latter e\idently prefer working independently, and instead of assisting the board will mo^t probably -idd to the difficulty, by carrying out some superficial system of drainage, by which merely the line and not the \icinity will be benefitted. No contiactor seems to have the courage to undertake the contiact, and all look upon it in a very suspicious light, and as one of those undertakings in which piofit ( is not the _ most prominent fextiue. One thing i-i evident-, something requires to be done before the coming winter, for if the banks of the Lake are allowed to remain in, their piesent unprotected state, serious damage will be the result. The offer recently made the board by Mr Jas. Forrest is- one not at all to be ignoied, and we think, considering the present circumstances, they could not do better than give it then earnest consideration. Mr Forrest is a man of long experience in thp-o matteis, and being a practical man, and one who has been very successful in like undertakings, we feel certain that his scheme would be found effectual. It has now become evident to a large section of the Cambridge public that a railway line with a large unsightly post andrail barricade on each side running down one of the pnncipal, and ceitainly the most handsome thoroughfaie in the town, does not in any way add to the appearance of the vicinity about the church, and ceitainly is not likely to fall pleasantly upon the first view which the \isitor has of the town. It is generally thought that after all Henson's corner would have been the best site for the railway station, though possibly not the most com enient, and we think that those who most strenuously advoc ited the selection of Whitaker Terrace will in time come to think that it were better that the railway did not encroach so much upon the business thoroughfares of Cambridge Not only will the line militate against the appearance of the portion of the town through which it passes, though possibly it may enhance the value of property, but at times it will be found slightly inconenient. The question as to where crossings shall be made and in what direction they shall lie, will possibly bo a matter of difference between those concerned in the traffic of the district. Wo understand that it has already been decided to ask for a firstclass crossing opposite the Hamilton road, and another opposite Lake street, by which acce&s will be given to the goods department, which is to be on the Lake side of the line. In referring to Miis matter w e will not be understood, to be opposing what is already an established foot, and one which if faulty cannot now be remedied ; we aie simply drawing attention to the change of opinion which has become manifest since that which was so eageily sought for has now come to be realised. If the Cambridge people have made a bad selection it was a matter of their own choice, and doubtless they are fully prepared to abide any inconvenience which may accrue therefrom.

We clip the following Age specials, dated London, M.u'ch sth, from the Herald : -"The St. James Gazette .states that the British Government intend to prohibit the Mes-sagerips Maritiuics Company from despatching their steamers to Australian ports unless the Recidiyistes Bill is abandoned by tho lYenoh authorities. The Republique Franoais ridicules the threatened prohibition against the Mess.igcrien steamers visiting Australia. Le Pays, another journal published in Paris, discusses the matter in a similar strain, and says that the agitation is an amusing excuse on the part of England for annexation of tho New Hebredies on hei own account. The repot t of the proceedings of the tion Convention at Sydney htvs been published in a blue book, which also contains further papers relative to New Guinea and the French Recidh isles. —The difficulty which arose in connection with the Victorian gunboats, Victoria and Albert, on account of their being neither merchantmen nor men-of-war commissioned by the Imperial Government, has been lemoved by an Order-in-Council dealing with the matter.— Sir Hejcules Robinson, Governor of C.ipe Colony, whohahboenvisifcingEngland,. sailed from London to-day on his return to the Cape. London, March 8. — An inquiry has been held by the Board of Trade with reference to the collision which took place between the two ships City of Lucknow and Simla in the English Channel on the 25th of January last. It re»ul'tf;d in the captain and officers on duty on board the City of Lucknow at tho time of tha ctlllisiun, being adjudged blaineable. — The Board of Trade have held an enquiry into the cause of the fatal explosion which occuned near Gravesend on the night of the Ist March, on board the steamer Aberdeen, bound from London to Australia. The Board find that a consignment of explosives caused that fatality. Captain Mathiescn, the master of the Aberdeen, who was seriously injured by the explosion, died on the 4fca March. An inquest wan held, and a ver» diet of " accidental death "was returned.-^ Messrs Redmond have arrived at Queenstown, Ireland, on their return from their Australian and American tour. — The iron ship Timaru, of 1353 tons, which left Newcastle, New South Wales, on the Bth November, for London direct, has been disabled off the Lizard.— The Earl and Countess of Roseberry returned to London last night.— Messrs Redmond addressed a meeting of the Irish National Land League last night. In the course of their speeches both denied the statement that during their Australian tour they galled for cheeis for the Queen,-— The sculling Jl)atob for £200 a side took place on the Thames today, between Wallace Ross f (Canadian) and Bubear (London). Bubear received ten seconds' start, but was beaten by Ross by about fifteen lengths. — The latest advices from the Soudan state that numerous cases of sunstroke are occurring among the British troops, the heat being iutense. — The Bjitish Government disapprove, it is safd, qf fche nprninajjion of 55obehr as successor to the Mahdi.

Mr Maurice R. Keesing makes an important announcement regarding Mr R. Wrights liabilities. - Constable O'Connor has been appointed collector under the "Dog Nuisance Act," at Alexandra. ; All accounts against the late Robert Moreton, Esq , Lichfield, may be iorwarded for paj ment to A. J. Haicombe, Esq, f/jcb.Md.' ' ' Mr Wiljiam R. Bridgman, Junction Drapery .Warehouse,', Auckland, makes an important business wao^acetyenji j n VJOth^r 9olumn, -