The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1838, 17 April 1884, Page 2

The Waikato Times 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 rifeh f maintain, Unawed by influence and unbnbcd by gain. THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 1881 «. It must be very difficult for people in Great Britain with emigrating tendencies to determine which is the best of the many new countries in which to found a second home. New Zealand is so far away that our brethren hi the Old Country are not able to pop over to verify or disprove the romantic"- stories which are daily told abput us) your v our climate, ' our commerce, our socia^and moral

characteristics. They are foiced to relieve, or disbelieve, just as the 'fancy suits them, what the newspapers and the emigration agents choose to hay. The newspapers are, in nine y-nine cases out of a hundred, as ill-informed on the sublect as the would-be immigrants themselves, and the agents — well, to tell the truth, we have never been very fortunate in our choice of lgents. The gentlemen who have served the colony in that capacity have eith r been windbags like Mr Mr Clay den and ex Judge Bathgate, who have done a great deal to disgust honest folk with the country md all connected with it, or they have been incapabl. s, utterly unable to grasp tlio idea of an immigration agent's functions. In other words they have proved to "be either touts or noodles. Meantime other colonies have had "live" men at work, men who, while it is quite probable they are not a whit more, and very probably much less houest, than our own, tiro workers as well as talkers. AVo cannot commend their method, which consists in the judicious disparagement of every country under the sun save that in whose service they are engaged ; nor do we desire to see a New Zea-im.-d agent adopting their tactics, but we take leave to think that a groat deal more might be done then is done to correct the false impressions of New Zealand obtaining in the British Islands. A.t different times wo have seen almost everything 1 in the colony villified in print, except the c'imate, and there is no telling how long that may be suffered to escape. It is fortunate that statistics which are at everybody's elbow prove New Zealand to have been the healthiest military tation in the world; but when some of our kind-hearted friends have had time to publish their impressions of the last two or three (confessedly bad) seasons, we may expect to be told, in the words of a late American visitor, that we have no climate at all, only "an assortment oi samples." Let us not anticipate, however. According to the English correspondent of the Auckland Star, the Canadian and Manitoban 11 touts" are flooding the provincial dailies with letters warning people against coming here. It is a letter in one of these, the Middlcsboro' Daily Exchange, of February 14, which suggested this article. We quote fioin it as much to show the ingenuity of the writer as for any other reason :—": — " No one," he says, " should turn New Zealand farmer without well counting the cost. English farming may be bad enough just now ; but in forty years' experience of English rural districts, 1 never, says a recent correspondent, siw such unmitigated drudgery as I see in the average farm-house here. With all the sunshine and the material plenty, I miss what u^-ed to bd the charm of tho English homestead — a general sense of ease and q-det enjoyment of life. For one thing, there is more intellectual development in the colonies, and culture disagrees with toil. The old Tory objection to educating the labouring classes had more than a mere show of reason in it. New Zealand spends half-a-million sterling every year on educating its children, and one result is that it must look elsewhere for its ploughboys and dairymaids. Government offices, clerkships, schoolmasterships, arc in universal demand — anything but the farm." Observe how evenly the bxlancc is kept between impartiality and a determination to deter the British farmer from sailing hither. We have sunshine and material plenty, but we don't possess what used to be the charm of the English homestead — a general sense of ease and quiet enjoyment of life. There is nothing very wrong in this, though the words "used to" are somewhat significant. Ease and quiet enjoyment are not the kind of things to be found in a new country, where, above everything else, one hopes to secure free play for his energies. But the writer knows very well that the prospect of hay ing to rough it a little is not enough to°frighton the average Briton ; and he accordingly proceeds to prove that, owing to our peculiar views on education, there is no labour here. Wo do iv it suppose this particular letter will do us much harm. Tories and Tory notions are not remarkably popular just now, even in England, but the attempt to show that the schools dry up the labour market, and that everybody in New Zealand is educated above a taste for manual labour, is by no means a bad idea.

The dates on which the elections for tho Pukekuia, Newcastle and Waitoa Road Boaids will lie held, are notified in another column. At the bicycle races at Auckland, on Ka&ter Monday, the two-mile handicap (^old medal), and the one-mile tricycle handicap (trophy value £2) were won by Mr J. A. y tew ait, of Hamilton. As a desire has "been expressed to retain the Easter decorations of S. Peter's Church, Hamilton, over Sunday, the paiishioners are invited to furnish on Saturday an additional supply of flowers, especially white cln ysantheinuuis, to replace : those that are faded. j Horse-owners are reminded that to- Jay is the last day foi entiies for all handicaps for the Cambridge Races. Acceptances and general entrieb close with the secreUuy ov Mr Percival on Monday, 28th April. Messrs Grant and Crossan, the Auckland canvassers for the North New Zealand Fanners' Co-operative Association, aio meeting with gieat success in the I country districts. Mr Grant held meetings at Wairoa South on Friday and Saturday, and succeeded in disposing- of 175 shares, with a prospect of placing about 100 more. He will visit Bombay and Pukekoho this week. The Herald is informed that several impoztant changes are pending in the railway department, Mr A. Y. Macdonald, general manager at Auckland, is to be changed to Napier. Mr Hudson is to take the place of traffic manager here, and Mr Coom take 3 over the Locomotive Depart' ment with its present staff. Mr Hannay, sub-general manager, has been removed to Wellington, and will take general overcharge of the North Island railways. A large number of logs have been put in tha Waikato river at Waotu, by the Timber Company for transit to Cambridge, but as the river is at present very low, few have found their way to the boom at Cambridge. A. number have stuck about- the Amwhaniwa, bridge and in thq varlou^

eddies along the river ; but it in expected that the next heavy rain will bring dowu as much timber as will keep the proposed mill going for a considerable time. The District Judge, Mr H. G. Seth Smith, has given judgment for the plaintiff, with costs, in the case Millars v. J. and W. Smden, heard at the last sitting of the District Court at Hamilton. Mr O'Neill appeared for the plaintiff, and the defendant, W. Sinden, was represented by Mr Napier. The other defendant admitted his liability, but W. Sinden nought to escape by denying that he was in partnership with his brother when the timber, the cuise of action, was purchased. The members of the Comus Diamatic Club gave the second private performance of the season at the Oddfellow's Hall, Hamilton, on Tuesday evening. The piece selected for representation was the comedy entitled " A Widow Hunt." The choracteis, and especially the female character.^, were well sustained, and the performers' efforts weie rewarded with the he.uty appioval of the large and fashionable audience, consisting of honorary membeis and their friends. There were over 400 persons in the hall. The following special messages to the Pre i s Association dated London April 12th and 13th, have been published :— Mr Gladstone is suffering from a renewed cold. —Her Majesty the Queen proceeds to Darmstadt to-moirow.— Bishop Linton has declined to receive a present from his friends, preferring that they should give their assistance to creating a fund for the support of his diocese. — The death is announced of Mr Henry James Byron, actor and dramatist. An attemDt is now being made to settle the Pukekuia and Piuihoe land dispute without a further resort to the law couits, which we hope will be attended with success. A meeting of the natives inteiested, with Mr Alexander MacDonald, and Messrs Walker and Grice as representing the lessees at present in possession, was held at the Maungatautari settlement on Tuesday, for the purpose of corning to some amicable anangement if possible. There wns a considerable quantity of food to be disp ised of, and the remainder of the day WrtS taken up with the usual amount of talk. It is thought that the meeting will last for several days, but it is very doubtful if any satisfactory arrangement will be armed at, though we understand Mr Walker's offer is a very favourable one. Within the past few days a large number of fish known as the Pukarara have been seen in the Waikato river at Cambridge, and have attracted some attention. These fish ie>einble in appearance the common trout, with the exception of the red spot.-, on the side. They are supposed to be identical with the English grayling, and are veiy tendei eating. They always, visit the upper poitions of the liver to spawn from about November till February every year, and sometimes, if the depth of water is favourable, they pmetrate far up the Karapiro and other streams. The natives have often caught them in the Waipa creek, and at the lapids at Horahoia. Mi C. Chitty, at Cambridge, succeeded in fishing out a few the othei day with the fly and hook, and now that their presence is pietty geneially known, no doubt ni.my will take to angling during the season of their visit. They genentlly start lising about sunset, which ii the propel time to thtow the lme. The weight of the Pukaiara averages about Il,tb,I 1 , tb, bit some of them have been found to weigh as much as 3tb. Whatever the cause may be, the railway an angements at holiday times aie irnariably bad. Yesterday was the last day for which the E.ister return tickets weie available, and as might have been expected a laige number of Auckland people who had been spending their holidays in this di-tiict returned home. But no provision w.i-> m.ade for the extra number of passengeis When the train left Hamilton the four carriages piovided were inconveniently crowded, and as it is very piobable that a large number of people weie waiting at the different stations to take their passages, the journey must have been most uncomfoi table. To add to its delights, some thirty-six loaded cattle trucks were attached to the train, which was also half-an-hour late in starting. The English correspondent of the star wiites :— The fust genuine re\iew which the London dailies have vouchsafed to R,u&den's> " History of Austialia" appeared in last Saturday's " Pall Mall Gazette." It can scarcely bo called flattering. The writer says Rusden has " every qualification that a historian of Austialia could possibly need, save impartiality. He is qualified by long residence and intimate acquaintance with the southern continent to take a wide view of the entire field ; his diligence in the collection of facts and sifting of authorities is mo^t exemplary ; • his general knowledge of politics, economics, natural science, and anthropology is fully ' up to the level of the times ; and the com- ' pletene&b of his treatment in every depait- • nient leaves nothing to desiro. At the same time it should be distinclty under- ' stood that Mr Rusden 's tinea bulky volumes have but little literal y merit of style or > composition ; they belong rather to the ! class of memohes pour ssrvir than of histories propeily so-called. The book is ■ positively gigantic in proportion to the . lmpoitanceof its subject, and human life i& surely too shott for anybody outside ! Australia itself to devote the necessary • time for the perusal of some two thousand , pages to the local annals of a single group ' of young colonies. ' The many friends of the Rev. C. • Griffin, sometime Wesleyan Minister at Hamilton, will be glad to leirn that the many good qualities which endeared him 1 to them have also won him the regard of ; those amongst whom his lot has since been I cast. The Timaru Herald wiites -.—The f Rev. C. Gnffin's lemoval from Wai mate is ' regretted by all who knew him, as he has J , endeared himself to all by his kind and , courteous manner while carrying out the J work of his ministry during the two years • he has been here. Mr and Mrs Griffin will ? leave Waimate by the express train on Monday ne\t en route for Lawience, to which circuit the dictum of the lato Conferl encc assigns him for the continuance of his 1 ministerial labours. Not only in the chinch, but in connection with_ nio«t of the 1 means of social improvement in Waimate l and the district, will Mr Griffin be seriously missed. He has been a steady sup- " porter of the library, and a useful member r of the Committee, almost since his arrival. He was Treasuier and Chaplain of the Lodge St. Augustine, and the brethren of " Lodge will lose an efficient officer and I zealous bi other. Mr Gnffin was albo a f member of the Waimate High School Boaid, Vice-President of the Waimate B Blue Ribbon Tompqrance Branch, and he f Wk an active pai tin the working for the advancement of the Waimate Band of Hope. During his stay at Waimate he 0 fetai ted a Mutual Impiovement Society in connection with the Wesleyan church, but on such liberal principles as to invite and allow the privilege of membership to S members of any church, a privilege which a was taken advantage of by several mem[i bers of different congregations," The only case of public interest . heard at the R.M. Court, Hamilton, P yesterday, before the R.M., Mr Northe croft, was a civ il case in which Mr Bach, r the lessee of the Royal Hotel, Hamilton East, sued Hugh Kelly for £3 11s sd, for money lent, meals, and liquors taken off ■ the premises. Mr O'Neill appeared for 8 plaintiff and Mr Hay for defendant. It c will be remembered that some time ago plaintiff purchased a oow from defend mt ! " for £6, and that the latter failing payment 0 in cash resumed possession of the animal, which, however, he had to give up on the fc authority of an order from the court. II Kelly then sued Mr Bach for the value of '■' the cow, and the case can<e on for hearing c a fortnight ago. Mr Bach put in a get-off h foi more than the amount claimed. Kelly took advantage of the clause in the Licensg ing Act which precludes a publican suing lV for the prica of liquois consumed on the [ premises, and the particulars of the set-off c being held by the court to be not sufficiently ■ s explicit, Kelly got a judgment for the r value of the cow. On the application of i* Mr O'Neill, execution was stayed in order >' to allow of Mr Bach bringing a counteris ' action to recover the value of the goods sold to Kelly. The hearing of this crossacttoii eaing pp. yesterday. Plaintiff was ; " put in the box ana dspftßed that the items ,c, e in the bill, consisting of- cash, meals, beer ' and liquors (the two latter to take off frhe c premises), had been supplied to defendant. 0 Mr Hay claimed that the plaintiff's case :r: r mnsfc Ml, because he had neglected to *' produce his Ugense, Mr O'lfyill contended T > that it was not necessary to produce the 10 license, except in cases against pubhqans. • " The magistrate overruled Mr Hay's objection, remarking tbat if the plaintiff had no Q license the police would proceed against ie him. Mr Hay called the defendant, Hugh 3, Kelly, who disputed several items on the «r bill. He said he had worked for plaintiff i- up to about the 15th November, 1882, and ie that since that date he had never taken any yilW or spirits out of ths twwl

that he did not pay cash for. In cross-examination Kelly adhered to this statement, and Mr O'Neill asked that it be taken down, as it was probable, proceedings for perjury would be instituted. On plaintiffs bill, defendant was credited, among other things, with the pi ice of two pigs at 8s (id each, but in his evidence heswore that the price was to be 9s Cd. but no price was agreed on at the time the pigs were sold. On being pressed by Mr O'Neill, he said he was not sure about the price. Mrs Kelly was called and deposed that her husband was not in the habit of bringing home liquor that he did not pay for. She was n )t present when he purchased the liquor. After counsel had addressed the couit. His Worship gave judgment for the plaintiff for £2 7s sd, deducting the price of two bottles of beer of which the plaintiff could not swear to the delivery, with costs £1 2a (id. Mr Northcroft further s,iid that he was present at the sale of the pigs at Beauchamp'a farm and hear the plaintiff and defendant make a bargain abont the price. In answer to Mr O'Neill, His Worship said the present judgment would be set against that obtained by Kelly. Mr j O'Neill applied that execution in respect of the balance be stayed \mtil Mr Bach could bring a further action for breach of warranty. The cow, the original cause of these proceedings had been guaranteed to calve within a month. That month had now elapsed. The application was granted. The following interesting biographical sketch of Edmund Yates, the editor of The World, who was recently sent to gaol for four months for libelling the Earl of Lonsdale, appears in theTima.ru Herald -.—Edmund Yates has had an extraordinary career ; but it would have bean incomplete without some such episode as this which lias just occuned [i.e. his imprisonment]. The son of an actor at the Adelphi, he got an appointment when a mere boy in the General Post Office, and lose to be chief of the Missing Letter Department. But he had a soul above red tape, and when scarcely of acre he began to combine light literature with official ro\itine. Dm ing the eighteen years that he spent at the Post Office he produced no fewer than 15 books, mostly novels besides a number of plays, and a host of contributions to various papers and periodicals. He also contrived to edit the Temple Bar, and Tinsley's Magazine, and do a mass of work as a dramatic ciitie. In 1872 he retired from the public seivice and became a litterateur by profession, both .is lecturer and writer. Witli it all, however, he was not very successful, and we fancy he was in pi etty low water when m 1874 he con ceived the idea of publishing the Woild, a paper dealing familiarly and critically with the curient affaiis of the upper classes of society. The estimated cost of the venture was £4,000, and Yates inwtcd Aichibald Forbes to go halves with him in the risk and the profits Forbes, as it happened, was haid up, and perhaps inciedulons. He turned his hand to other things and has done as well on the whole, piob.ibly, as if he had accepted the offer. Yatea raised the neeesbary funds himself, started the World, and made his fortune. His nett income fiom his paper shoitly after its establishment was estimated at £4,000 a year, and it lias been steadily increasing evei since. Yates is now a lieh man, while the hteiarv and political influence, and the social consideration -which he enjoys as sole editor and piopiiotor of the World, aie no doubt woith more money than he lias earned. He is a man who knows how to m.ike the most of all of them, foi he is <i thoiough bon vivant, and though rather a coarse old fellow, lnrge-heaited, open-handed, and a whole-souled epicurean. His ments as a wnter are not by any means propoi tionate to his success as <i journalist. He composition is curiously slipshod, not to say vulgar, and his style is monotonous am and somewhat vapid. A» an author he never made any great mark, nor are his most ambitious efforts in the Wot Id at all remarkable from a literary point of view. The secret of his success from the beginning has lain in the skill with which he selected subjects which the public were anxious to read abont, and the unbounded effrontery with which he treated them. At first he set up as a censor morum, and boldly assailed the gins and follies of the aristocracy, very often, no doubt, attacking pei fectly innocent people and carrying pain and shame to many a gentle breast. Most of his sallies, however, were probably well directed, and whether or no, they hit the taste of the great mass of the all powerful lower middle class exactly. Yates, in fact, laid himself out to minister to that love of scandal which is the pievailing chaiacteiistic of multitudes of well-to-do English people. Later on, he dropped the caustic tone of his early numbers, and bocamc merely a chronicler of fashionable gossip, and the more the World gained favour in polite circles, the more it degenerated into toadyism. It is now, with scarcely an exception, the most snobbish paper in England ; and it is amusing to notice the air of superiority with which it takes its numerous imitatois to task, for performing its own oiiginal function of lashing the vices of the great.