COMMENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1848, 10 May 1884, Page 2

COMMENTS.

Tawhiao's example has been enthusiastically followed by the nathes, wlio, after long yeais of voluntary submission to the tyrant Waipiro, see n determined to emancipate themselves. Messrs C. 0. Davis and T. B. Hill, accompanied by Mr Graham Tawhai, a young native gentleman educated at the Three Kings College, are at present engaged on a temperance crusade in the " King Country. '' Their success must have astonished them, for we are told every chief to whom they have applied has, acting on behalf, of their people, signed a petition to Parliament, praying that the traffic in liquor may be prohibited in the native country. We hope they will achieve their object, unfoitunately for the Maori race, they cannot enjoy the good things of this world without abusing them ; like too many of their white brethren they cannot be merry and wise. If we are to presen c the remnant of an interesting race we must first make them sober. It h.is been said that men cannot be made sober by act of Pailiament but it is worth our while to test the truth of this, and as there are no vested interests in the " Kins Country," an opportunity is presented of trying the expeiimenfc on the cheap.

Sympathetic colonial ladies, who shudder involuntarily when they read of the hair-breadth 'scapes of the poor Emperor ot Russia : who give vent to their feelings in tender sighe when they hear that poor Queen Margherita oi Italy is growing thin with anxiety for h&t husband's safety : inwardly thank heaven tfcafc our own Royal Family, at any rate, are not exposed to any lurking danger. The following paragraph from a contemporary will /surprise these people:— "The Prince of Wales visited Bristol in the latter part of F#bjrijary, and was received with enthusiasts demonstrations of loyalty by crowds *of eityseuf ,' Most"ex-( " traotdin Ar y,. prcpa QtiQns *Ji ; - bswilT^fl ken' >

The Dublin police manifested considerable anxiety, and despatched an officer specially to Bristol to warn the authorities tobe on their guard, and among the detectives on duty were six from Dublin and two fiom London. The authorities at Scotland Yard aho telegraphed that there was a plot against the Prince to take effect daring his visit to Bristol, and suggested that he should not entei the city ; but if he did, the telegram iiid, " For God's sake don't lot him pass over the suspension hiidgc after daik." The Mayor received a uidely diawn .sketch of a Union Jack, on the back of which was tiaced a death's head, ciosshones and crossed swoids, and underneathweiethe woids, "Death to the Uoyal Family." A few days before a wellknown member of the Fenian organisation was seen to lea\ c London, and the fact was telegraphed to the local polic\ who kept him under sin vpillanee while at Bristol station, but as he had booked further down the line and did not break hib journey at the western city, he was not intcrfeied with. The suspension bridge was most carefully guarded night and day, and the Piince several times passed over it, but on each occasion he was guarded by mounted police, undei the command of the Chief Constable, whom the Prince personally thanked." To a prince who has enjoyed such a large measure of esteem, and who has grown stout on his popularity, the experience through which he is at present passing must be very painful. It is, pel haps, rendered moie uncomfoi table by the circumstance that the English people have never been more loyal than they ate now. Royalty does not make or mar the foi tunes of Englishmen in these days ; the oppressed can have no quurcl with the Ciown, whose influence is only exerted morally, and, let us be grateful for it, in the right diicction. How pleasant, theiefoie, it mu&t be to be compelled to place a line of policemen between one's self and the enthusiastic multitude, may be imagined. If the police ueie clad in burnished armour, and mounted on piancing steeds, the spectacle Mould he voted glouous, but there is \cry little poetry in Royalty \\hn\ it is half ohscuied by the blue coat ot <i bobby. Let us hope tor bettoi d.ijs. The now soi low winch li.is fallen om the Royal Household may piocaue foi its &ui\i\tng mem In'is a biiet season of immunity fiom tin eats and co\eit insults, but the times arc cluaily not piopitious lor Royally.

Some interesting items of mail new s will be found on the foiu fcli page of tin-, issue. The Tamahere school will be opened on Monday. The teichei is Mi lseniongei. Mr Spencer, Government Surveyor, is .it piescnt at Kavvhia, completing tlii' survey of the noithoin bonndaiy of Llie " King Conntiy." Th.3 Hamiiton-Cambridge road is tit piesi'ut veiy heavy for ti.iHic, having been recently giavelled with a my thick coo tins of h^ht giavcl 01 yancl. The Chairman of the Cambridge Town Board, Mr T. AVells, ha-, lotumedto Cambiidgo, evidently much nnpiovcd in health by hi-. tii|> thiough the South. A special message to the Press Association dated London, May 7th, s.iys • —Thomas Hugh HhoitUnd, an Austiaban barn^tei, has been anested .it Plymouth, chaiged with the nnndei of his wife, with whom he had been hung until a recent date. The people of Poverty Bay have presented the loyal chief, Major llopata, with an addiess of sympathy and legaid, and o\picssi\e of then disappiovnl of the action of the (.Toveinment in leducing the chicfb salary. His Excellency the Governor opened the new building of the -Vuckl.wd Saving-. Bank on ThuwJay in the piesence of a large assemblage. hi a vei y wtrrrstmg spjoch his Excellency gave an outline of'tho hiatoiy of s.urigs banks, and spoke wainily in their fay our. A number of othei speeches ueie made. The Secretary of the Cambridge Mutual Impio\ement Association notihe that the association w ill open tho ensuing session on Tuesday evening, when a full attendance of mombois is lequseted. The but-iness w ill be the election of officers and aiiangcment of piogranuno for the ensuing session. A meeting of the settlers in the Raglan di-itnct has been convened by the county chairman, to be held in the county chambeis, iiaglan, on the 17th nist., to con sider the advisability of instructing their county to move for the adoption of the County Act, 1871). The recenb Roman Catholic bazaar at Cambudge was a gioat success financially. As against the debt of £110 vlnch it was intended the ba/.aar should liquidate, £l.") 0 ha\o been leahsed. This -peaks well for the present state of the money maiket in the Cambridge disliict. We have been shown a very large onion giown m the garden of Mi E Cuny, Cunbiidge, which eclipses anything of the kind wo li iv c se^n tins season. It is of the Grant Hockor species, ine<i&uie-> 17\ inches in circuinfeience, and is 2'Jo^s. weight. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Wai pa County Council will be held »<n Tuesday ne\t, at tho council chamber, Ohaupo. The newly elected membeivs, Mi W. H. Gracj for Ruigiaohia Hiding, and Mr C.uboy for Newcastle Hiding will take their seats. Messrs Grant and Orossan, the Auckland agents of theNoith Kaw Zealand FannoiH* Co-operative Association, have been \eiy successful in then canvass at Warkwoith and other places up North, where they have placed 330 shaics, making a total of 1070 up to date, out of 2000 placed m their hands for disposal. A public meeting of the ratepayers of Hamilton will be held at the Public Hall on Wednesday evening ne\t to consider the advisability of boriovving -GiOO to liquidate the existing liability on the hall and to make such additions as will render it suitable foi offices of the council, public library. &c. The Cambridge footballers are somewhat behind this season, as beyond an attempt on the pait of the colts, nothing lias yet been done in the way of introducing the game for the season. We e\pect soon to hear of a meeting of the footballers of tliedistnct being called to an an ge tor practice and contents diuiug the coining season. If the Cambridge storekeepers who are dealing in the explosive line desire to have a suitable public maga/anc, they should now exert themselves in representing to the Government the advisability of handing the present magazine attached to tlie constabulary barracks over to the town. If the Government will not hand it over gratis, we think it could be had for a small figure, and it cannot be doubted that a magazine is badly needed, Our Kawhia correspondent writes ? — His Excellency the Governor having appointed Major Tuke, W. Duncan, J.P., and the chief Hone te One, commissioners for the licensing district of Kawhia, a meeting of the committee was held in the blockhouse, Kawhia, when Mr Duncan was elected chairman. A meeting of the committee will be held on June 7th to consider any applications for licences which may be brought before them. Messrs C O. Davis, T. B. Hill and Graham Tawhai, who have been travelling through the " King Country" on a temperance mission, are now at Kawhia, at which place they addressed a meeting of the natives on Thursday. Their object is to obtain the signatures of. the Maoris to a petition, praying Parliament to take such legislative measures as will prohibit the sale of intoxicating liquors in the " King Country." All the chiefs applied to so far haye signed the petition. It is s matter of much regret that no attempt h feeing made to bring together the Cambridge Pra^s and Reed band. At one time this was one of £he most successful musical institutions in the province, but recent attempts to resuscitate it through some cause or other— possibly the want of a competent and energetic le« 4«r — have not been successful. The remnants a? the band are still convenient, and would, iHha ffl&fcjber were but properly taken in hand, be only fcQQ Fgady to come together once more. A large number of sportsmen have been out this season in Waikato, but aa yet ..we bam heard of comparatively few large bags ,' having been secured.' Sqme

wild. Owing to the dry season the hards have be?n keeping to the swamps, but now that we are likely to bs favoured with a little ram no doubt they will soon show out plentifully. We would draw the attention ol thb authorities at Cambiidge to the fact that the caiease of a ballock. has been lying m the bend of the Waikato river iir-ide the boom for soim cUy.s past, and unless some steps are taken for its removal, it is not likely i.o pass on voluntarily. It is not only unsightly, but veiy daiigemu-, and h.ts become a source of much complaint by settlers passing to and fro. A meeting of the Tamahere Fanners' Club was held last night, the special business being the consideiation of the spanow nuisance. Theie w.i» .v good attendance of members and a number of vmfcoin, on whose account the meeting was made an open one. Aftei conbideiable discussion, it wasagieed, "That a rewaicl be oifeiod foi the dcstiuction of small bads and hawks otherwise than by poison, and that the county councils be asked to stuke a tate for cuiymg out this object." Home other business was transacted. An oxtended report of the mooting, which lasted until past 11 o'clock, will appear in our next. Mr 0. R, Johnson has made the fastest tup on iecord between Rotorua and Hamilton, the actual time occupied in travelling being sewn liouis and a-half. He left Ohinemutu at S.T> a.m. on Thm&day in a four-horse Cortland waggon, having as pisaengers Mr and Mrs Li. Biooke, of Auckland, changed holies at Oxford, and arnved m Hamilton at 5.40 p in. The vsuioub stoppages totted up to two hours' and ten minute's. The East and West Hamilton schools will try conclusions at football for the fhst time this season this afternoon on Sydney Squaie. Play will commence at 2 o'clock' sharp. Mr W. Yon Stunner has kindly consented to act as umpiic. After the school match a &ciatch game will be placed, for which all footballists aie requested to 101 l up not later than 4 o'clook. The season is getting on, and if Hamilton is to have <i team this season, her men had better bestn themselves. The watches offering for the last day oi two m Hamilton by the lcpiescnlatneof Messis .Stewart, Dawson and Co., the noted Lnoipool m mufactureii, aie undoubtedly maneis of cheapness. The firm explain tlie leason for the diffeionoe between then puces and tint usa illy c'uugod, by the fact th it they sell a single w xteh at tl)3 wholesale c u>h pi ice, v hic'i is a sa\ing to llie puieh.isJi of s.nno tift> r pev c?nt. To dly is tho list opportunity p.ntios m tins pait of the distiict w ill lia\o of obi umng a hist class watch guua.nterd tj keep in oidoi fiom one vivi to fi\e \eais ace >i ding to -\alu3. Moisis Stowait, Dawson and Go. open m Canibudge on Monday. We have seen a very handsome coach which has iu>t b>on tinned nut of the factoi> of Mr C. .Smith, Cambudge, for Mr W K. Gaiter, to ha used m the Cambiulge Ilotoiua tiado. Tlic new coach is of a veiy suitable pattern, is lightly built, and is exceedingly well finished. Lt is seated to accommodate nine passengois c.m>foit ibly, with tlie usual facilities foi c,u l ving luggago. it is a \eiy pleasin" nntter to lritice that Cambridge can produce woik of this kind, and that those requiting coaches need no longer send to Auckland oi elsewhoic for what they can have made to oi dci at the.i own door. Mi Caitei is veiy much pleaded with the new addition to his aluady extensive plant. Wo understand it is the intention of Mr Smith t>> fuither de\el>p this bianc'i of his buvne-s, and in doing so we wish him every success. This iiist pioduction is ceit.unly a ciedit to the capabilities of the establishment. The Tamahere Road Board yesterday leceived tendeis for on tho main load neai Kiuoka. For No 1 contiact (gravelling) the following tendeis weir lecehed James Coomb :-, gi.uol Is 2d per y.ird, drams', 2s (id poi chain, (accepted.) James Clouients, giavel Is 13d p-r yaid, (informal.) L. B. Ewcn, gruel, Is Id poi \.ud ; diauis 2s per chain, (infoim il owing to toudoiei making ceit.un pio visions ie giavd pit-..) L'Yiguson and Ci'ckett gruel, Is 5d drams, 2> ">'l ; Janr's Hainilt'on, gruel, Js 7d, di ira. 3s ud. Foi Ko 2. coutrict, the following tenders woip iocened, J.^TilloUm, founation, 5-, ."id p-n ehun; catting., Ss pei y.ud ; dtauis, I'd inn yaid ; gruel, 8d per yaid. ( \xceptul) Hamilton, i\ Is •!<], LOd, and Is bd, Ccssi.lv, d- (id, i)d, od and Is 3d. Claikin 7s <id, lid, lid and Is <>d. L. J). JOwen, 7s ()d. Bd, Bd, (informal.) J. Clements, 7s (id, 10,1, .Id and Is. In both ca^e^ tho woik h.i& been let at veiy cheap latcs. Or. Yon Stunner has given notice ti> mirti 1 at next uuoting of the II million TJ Jiough Council, "That that imliou of the cemeteiv revjivo, L'>fc2~)J, Kuikiiiun, fenced and hithcito occupied by tho Masonic body as a burial ground, bo sob apait foi their sole use and that the mmagonienl thoicot be left Lo the master and orficMi of Lodge Beta for tlie time being ' It u ill be ieineiubereclth.it, owing to the disgriceful state into which the public ce'ucteiy had fallen, the c mncil ap])hed to the Go\oinnicnl for the c^nitiol of the same, and the ••ujplication wat gruited in due couise That poitiou of tho cmetciy foncod off and occupied by tlie Masons has, howovei, alwa>s been m ell kept, and it was felt at the time that it would hi unwiio as w.'ll n^ unju.t to tike it from the crxfl. The coanoil therefoio dpcidcd to api»ly for thr cmtiol ol the ]mbhc poition of the cemetjiy, but tlnough some mwaiipu'hension they got the whole. The Masons, wo nuclei stand, intend to apply to Govern.n»nt foi th" cmti.il of then bin nil giound, which is only a very Minll poition of thn fifty-two acre rssone, and intend a,kinq the' borough coaucil to endoiso t'^oir a])pli cation, and in tho moantinij to cummin tlicui m occupation. We do not doubt that t.u; cmncil will .at once leeognibe the leason-ablenes-i of the request. Tfte committee of the Cambridge Rom vi Catholic Bazaar ga\o a, very enioy-ableono-Jitintho Oambudge Public H.ill on Wednesday evening last, and took advantage of tho occasion to dispose of tl.t goods left over fiom tho ba/, uir. NotwitliMtanciinof the qounter-attractions on the same evening, there \\.\-, a voiy good attendance. Mr J. S Buckland, \ei\ kindly put his services at tho dk.poso.l of the committeo for tho evening, opened the evening's pioceedings by offeiing foi bale the goods above referied to. These con sistod of a lot of voiv valuable and Useful articles, and though the competition was not exceedingly keen, still, through the psiscveiance of the auctioneer, few things ueio left on hand. Nearly £30 weie jexlised. Aftei the auction tho musical portion of the programme was brought on. Tho service of a°haip player had been secured to play the accompaniments, &c, for the occasion, and, it is needless to say, this was an attractive feature on the programme. Mis< Lorngan was well received on singing '•The blind giil to her harp.'' and responded to a vei-y determined encore by singing "Killarney." Mrs Brennan fay ; o.ired the audience with "Dream Faces,' which was well leceived. Mr Simms was very happy in his rendering of "When other lips," and "The niinstiel boy,"' and both songs receh eel their share of favour. Mr Moore sang his old favourite, "' Eileen Allanah." The concert realised about £5.