The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1826, 20 March 1884, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Equal and e\act justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or politir.it. Here shrill the Press tho People's right maintain, Unawed by influence and unbubi-d by train

THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 2884. + It is understood that his Excellency the Governor's prosont trip in the Hinemoa is. in connection with the defences of the colony. The Bay of Plenty Times informs us that Tauranga is to bo included in the schemo of harbour defences, and our contemporary offeis some suggestions regarding the proposed fortifications at that port. We do not undervalue Sir William Jervois ability as a military engineer ; we indeed frankly admit that the people of the colony aro under great obligations to his Excellency for tlio intelligent and unflagging interest which he takes in our affairs, and especially those departments strictly unconnected with his official duties. If it should over becomo necessary to fortify our principal seaports there is probably no man better fitted to undertake the construction of the forts and batteries than Sir William Jervois, and when that time arrives the data which is now being acquired will undoubtedly be of great service. Put it may be questioned whether, after all, land fortifications are the things most needed. Ib seems to us that in the event of our becoming involved in war an enemy'? cruiser could inflict incalculable damage without entering any of our harbours at all. An armed vessel stationed just outside Tiritiri, or at the entrance to the ports of Wellington, Lyttelton, or Otago, could easily efft ct a blockade, which only the arrival of an English man-o-war could break. Should a European war break out we may be pretty sure of this, that it will be a general one, sufficient, at any rate, to keep the fleet of the Mother Country well engaged. England will not be able in such ca&e to aftbrd us much naval assistance at a time when help of this kind will be of the utmost value to us ; for, however much we may desire to koop Queen-street intact, we also desire to see the port kept open. A ship of war on our own side could attain both these objects, and the acquisition of a colonial fleet is therefore a matter of more pressing importance than the fortification of the chief towns along the seaboard. We do not suppose that New Zealand is able to invest in a fullyequipped navy of her D\vn, but the Australian colonies combined need not foar to incur the expense. Unlike the Imperial cruisers, our war ships need not always be kept on a war footing. In times of peace it would not be necessary to keep more men afloat than were sufficient to navigate the vessels, and meanwhile our naval brigades couJd be trained to serve on board when occasion required. The nucleus of a navy exists already in Victoria and New South Wales, and united action on the part of the colonies would soon render it fit to perform all that would be required of it.

Nominations for the office of councillor of the Boiough of Hamilton must bo delivered in the council chambers, before noon, to-morrow. The election, if necessary, will be taken on Friday, the 28th nifat.

At the District Court, Hamilton, on Tuesday, His Honour Judge Smith announced that, on the recommendation of Mr John L.iwson, the official assignee, Mr J. S. Edgecunibehad been appointed deputy assignee.

In another part of this issue we give the te\t <.f the petition against the Pukekvu a licensing election. An inquiry into the matter will be held at the K.M. Couit at Cambridge, befoie Mr Noithcroft, on Friday, the 2Sth hist., at 11 a.m.

The Native Lands Court opened again at Cambridge on Tuesday evening, and was immediately adjourned till tomoirow, when it is expected that Chief Judge Macdonald and Judge Puckey will sit.

Traffic has now been resumed over the Piaieii bridge on the Waotu road. The contractor had taken upon him.self to stop traffic without authority, but the matter has now been arranged.

The adjourned monthly meeting of the Piako County Council was held at Cambridge yesterday evening, when a considerable amount of bu&inesb was disposed of. A report of the proceedings appears in another column.

The proceeds of the recent Roman Catholic concert at Cambi idge amounted to over £35. The committee are desirous of thanking aM those ladies and gentlemen who kindly assisted on the occasion.

The members of the Piako CountyCouncil have received from the proprietors of the Te Aroha Battery, Messrs J. C. Firth and J. M. Clark, a series of handsomely framed photographic views of the Waiorongomai tramway and battery. Each councillor has received four pictures. At the meeting of the council last night it was agreed to acknowledge the handsome present of the above gentlemen, and thank them for the same.

The following special messages to the Press Association, dated London, March 17th and 18th, have been published: —The majority in the Cabinet, it is understood, desire to declare a protectorate over Egypt for a fixed period, but Mr Gladstone and Lord Derby are opposed to such a proceeding. The struggle between the two parties is said to be of an acute character. — The application for a new trial of the Belt v. Law s case has been refused-—A severe attack of small-pox has broken outsat Madras. A large number of cases are reported, and considerable alarm is felt at the spread of the disease.—Osraan Digna is reported to be camped nine miles from Tamaneb, trying to rer asemble his forces.

At a meeting of the Canterbury Chamber of Commer c held at Chiistihur h on Tuesday, at which there was a numerous attendance, including ten members of Parliament, resolutions were passed deprecating the changes in the railway tariff. It was resolved to call a public meeting to consider the advisableness or otherwise of taking steps to effect the tranfer of the management of the New Zealand railways from the Government t$ an independent and non-political boara, and fa /joflsider what other action should be taken in ordep to secureefficient railway jnanagejnent, a^d an equitable twin,

Mr Johnson made a good trip on his return from Ohinemutu on Saturday. His four-horse coach, with the Hon Messrs Kerford and Gillies on board, left Rotorua at 6.30, and arrived at Cambridge at 5.45 p. m., thus doing the journey in 11^ hours, including a stoppage of an hour to collect ferns, an hour and twenty minutes for lunch, and an hour for feeding the horses. The horses left Cambridge the same evening, and reached Hamilton at 8.50. Two of the horses performed the journey right through ; the others were changed at Cambridge.

It is to be regretted that the culvert at Crawfords Gully, Tamahere, has not pioyed so good a job as was anticipated. A certain amount of settlement haa taken place in the foundation, causing several bad cracks. The contractors, Measr* Wilson and Co., have had a consultation with th^ engineers. The damage was found to be not so great as at first reported, and it was decided to continue the filling operations. The fault evidently lies in the foundation, which is not sufficiently sound, a quantity of peat having been met with when laying the platform.

The Wellington correspondent of the Auckland Herald writes on Tuesday :-- By the gradual reductions which have been in progress some tune (vacancies not being filled upas they arose) the Armed Constabulary's numerical strength has diminished by the beginning of this month to 570 men. By reductions during the present month, the force will be further docreasod to 496, which will be the total number of all ranks on the firit day of the new financial year, which commences on the Ist proximo. The distribution of the remaining force will then be as follows : — Waikato (under Colonel Lyon and Sub-Inspectors Carjel, Gascoigne, aud Minnett), 129 men; Kawhia (under Inspector Tuke and Sub-Inspectors Morrison and Taylor), 84 ; Taranaki, including Panbaka (under Inspector Goring and Sub-Inspectors Messenger and Fortescue), 109 ; Patea, including Opunake, Manaia, and Waihi (under Colonel Roberta and Sub-Inspectors Powell and Gudgeon, (>7 ; Taupo (under Inspector Scannel), 36 ; Opotiki (under Inspector Swindley and Sub-Inspector Baker), 39 ; Wellington depot (Sub-Inspector Coleman), 32 ; total,

49(5. The Wellington Post says:- "As showing how the new railway tariff will work in compai ison with former rates we mcy instance the cost of conveying goods under Cla&s E. For carrying such goods 10 miles the new charge is 4d 4d per ton, as against 3s lid in 1883, 4s Gd in 1880, 4s 7d in 1878, the chaige under the old Canterbury provincial rate being as now, 4s 4d. For 20 miles the new charge is 3s, as against 4s 4d in 1883, but as against 7s in 1880, 6s 8d in 1878, and (is 4d the provincial scale. For 50 miles the new rate is 10s 2d, as against fis lOd in 1883, but as against 12s lid in 1878, and 11s lid under the provincial tariff. So that while there is a considerable increase over the ruinously low rates of last year, there has been no reveision to the higher rates of IS7B-80, and even the much-lauded provincial tariff of C.inteibury has not been fully reverted to. So there is no just ground of complaint on the score of excessive charges under the new scale."