The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1850, 15 May 1884, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Enunl md exact mstif c to .ill men, Of \\l it nc i_r st.itc or pursu ision, religious or politic ll lit re sli ill tlic Piess the People's rijrlit maintain, Uii.iwcd h\ iii'luonco .mil unbribod by fj.un.

THURSDAY, MAY 15, ISSJ h

Tun Cambridge business public, who some time ago worked themselves up io a high pilch of excitement over a pioposal to light the tow n witlL gas instead of keiosono, and even Avcnb so far as to engage an expert to report upon the cost of. carrying out the proposal, have now a chance of securing all the- advantages of gas lighting. The opportunity is offered by Mr Mar^den, the inventor of the patent atmospheric gab generator, and the advantages will bo appaiont on perusal of his letter to the Cambridge Town Board, which appears in another part of this issue. Tt will be lemembored thai, Mr Marsden visited Cambridge some few weeks ago, and exhibited his invention in the store of Messrs Lewis and Simpson The exhibition was witnessed by a Lu-go number of people, and the result, as shown m these columns, was of a very satisfactory character. 'I ho principal business and other people of the town expressed themsohes so far satisfied with the gas that they endeavoured to come to term;-, "with Mr Marsdon for its introduction io Cambridge, but that gentleman's terms were of a character which made it impossible to entertain them. He lias since been induced, however, to reconsider the matter, and this reconsideration, we presume, has resulted m the very favourable on>r which he makes in his letter to the board. The board will not require to strike any special rate, they will not require to ldise a loan, they will not require to 150 to the trouble of laying down ni uns and purchasing the necessary plant, all this having been disposed of by the oiler of Mr Marsden. That gentleman will introduce his gas as a commercial commodity, and dispose of it at a certain price to those who wish to buy it. Of course, as will be spen by" his letter, he requires tho granting of certain conditions, such as a monopoly for fourteen yar.s, and the securing of certain prices for certain terms, and these the town board arc in a position to grant. lie does not ask for any guarantee of patronage, but, we presume, he is sufficiently awarn of the fact that where people see it is to their advantage to embrace a certain privilege they will not hesitate to do so, prejudices notwithstanding. Now that the opportunity has been offered, we hope it will not be neglected. The oiler will be discussed at a special meeting of the town board to lie held on Monday next, when, w e have little doubt, a satisfactory decision will be arrived at. Mr Marsden has written a similar letter to the Hamilton Borough Council, but in the absence of any data on which to base a comparison between the cost of the present method of lighting and gas, consideration of the .subject has been deferred. AVo can only nope that tho people of Hamilton will, if tho conditions are found to bo favourable, accept Mr Marsdon's offer. If Hamilton requires a public library to lighten its intellectual darkness, it wants something to illuminate its physical gloom equally badly. Hitherto the boon of gas lit rooms has been looked upon as something quite unattainable by small urban settlements such as we have in Waikato ; but if Mr Maidens invention will enable us to obtain such a blessing, at a cost approximating to that which city-dwellers have to pay, we ought to regard him as a public benefactor, deserving of, if not a monument, at least a 7iiouopoly.

There is a somewhat singular and .significant discrepancy in our last night's telegram from Dunedin. In the first place we are told that the Vigilance Committee has resolved to call a meeting to discuss resolutions urging the Government not to discontinue work on a certain line of r.iihvay, because by so doing it •will compel a number of men to join the ranks of the already numerous body of the unemployed walking the streets of Dunedin. In another paragraph it is said that the Aorangi, from England, has brought 157 immigrants for Otago and Southland, and that with the exception of two ftiamed couples, two single men and a fey swglo girls fche whole of them have found .employment. It is quite clear that these two state*

monts do not tally, and there must U« something behind the scenes of which wo know nothing. Wo are quite prepared to believe, indeed wo are in a position to know that there lias been and is serious commercial depression in the South Island ; but it is nevertheless a fact that, depression or no depression, there is almost certain to be a percentage of " unemployed." Considering the quality of some of the immigrants we have paid for, this is nothing 1 but natural. It is equally natural that Ofcago should, despite the outcry for economy of which wo have heard so much of late, do-iive a continuance of public expenditure, which, in the usual order of events, must drift into tlio cofFors of the over-stocked mercantile houses, where, it strikes us, the real "degression" exists.

The usual monthly meeting of the Hamilton Domain Board was hold <m Tnoiday e\emng, but the busiue-ib tians icted wiib puiely of a foinial oluuacter.

A grand concert and dramatic peifin-iHnuce will be given at the Alexandra l'nbhc Hall by tlie mombeis of the Alexandra Amateur Dramatic Club on the 23rd instant.

A general meeting of the shareholders of the Rukuhia Cheese and B.icon l*\ictory Company, will be held at The Waikato Times Buildings at 11 o'clock this. morning.

A number of Cambridge business people luvc opened at Kilnkilu. The now bianclies are possibly merely temporary, and will bo closed up after the pieieut Hitting of the Land Court.

According to Judge Ward (says the North Otago Tunes) the Bankruptcy Act not only meddles with what we hold it should not meddle with, but, contrary to popular belief, actually offcis a jjiemmm for fi.uid, and de.iK with bankrupts with a leniency that must surely be unique.

The following special messages to the ll J ies-> A -relation, dated London, May VI, h;i\c boon published : — Su Y. D. Bell pioceeds to I'aris to-moiiow . — Loid Dpi by has written to the (roxsiiior-j of tho vaiiou-> colomos Nt.itin^ th.it if the colonies will voti 1 u coi't.un sum tmvaids expenses the (.iiu'on will .issuuio iiuthoiity over the toasts of !Xe\v (luine.t.

At a meeting of the Cambridge School Coiiiirittoe on Monday nitflit, tuciity-two application-, wmo received for tlic po-.t of head-mantel and nine for that of .iv.i-.twt. It w.is decided to adjourn the meeting till next Monday, the members in the meantime to examine the testimonials of the candidates.

Mr Marsden the inventor of the patent at'no-,pheuc S as gcmn.itoi has wntten to the C.unbudtfo Town Bo.ud and the Hamilton Boiuugh Council ofioiing to hglit the town-, with g.is on coitnui trim-*. Tlie^e will he found on lefeience to the letter which appeals in another column. The piopn-uil h.i-> alnwdy lieen iecei\edwith much favour .it Canibi idge.

We trust that the new scheme winch has been conceived foi tlio diaina#e neat 1 the Lake at Cainbiidgc will be moie sucfe^fu] tli.m those previously c.uiied nut. A considerable portion of the levcnuo of the town and the domain has linen .ibsuibed hcie, without any .ipp.u out benefit beinj,' achieved. Much cue should be BvCicUed in cuiying out tin. 1 new iden, th.it it in.iy not ])io\c .iboitive, like the List.

An extraordinary meeting ot the sh.uolwlder* of tlio Noifch ~Sow Ze.il.md Fauni'io' Co-opcr.iUvc Association will be held at the Public H.ill, Hamilton, on Tuesday, the 27th ni^t, .it 11.30 n.iu., to clisen>s tho piopnuty «if .Ufcoiing- .irtirle 14 of tho .uticle^ of .i-3M)ci.itio)i, conciMiimj,' tho distiilmtioii of M)tni^ ])owiu'. Tho hiNt ineoting of to lecene tlio ii'poit of tho pioviMon.il duectoi-., I'loct diu'ctoiv and .uulitoi^, \mll be held niiincdi.itclv iiftoi w ,iuU.

"Observer" writes from Cambudge, objecting to the founation and gi .welling of wh.it he tei ins the pet street of certain coinmi'ssioncis. Ho s.iys th.it though othci -treets in tho town uheu> tiaihc is plentiful .ire badly in need of iep.ur, (hoy street, altogether unknown unless to tho gentlemen rcfoncd to, is now bemp made .\ (nst-cl.iss thoioughf.irc. ]Ie says that he objects to tho money of the iutep.iycis being squ.mdeied in enhancing the pioperty of nicmbms.

The anniversary services at the Chinch of S. Stephen the Maityr, Tamahcio, took pi. ico last evening. There was a l.u pe congregation, including many \i->itois fiom Hamilton and elsewheie. The Yen. Aichdeacon Willie officiated and intoned tho wince, which was choial thioughout. The united choirs of H. Ktephon s, >S. Peter's (Hamilton) and S. Andrew's (Cambiid^e) mimbevnig '27 voice-, under the conductoiship of Mr F. H. Temiiler, assisted. The anthem, "Loul of all Power and Might," was particularly good. The Ilev. K. O'C. 13igqs (S. Peter's) read the special lessons and preached an appropriate and impiewve burmou.

The feeling in Grisborneis strongly in favour of Su Julius Vogol'.s candidature. A couespondent of the Auckland Hei.ild, telegiaphmgon Tuesday, says:— The groat meeting- l.i^fc night wont unmistakably in favoui of Sir Julius, and meetings «veto bo immediately held at the snuillet centtCh, to conMdei the question. It is yet hoped that Mr lioes ju.iy be induced to withdiaw till the geneial election. In the face of the oifeis of the othei&, it ih as neaily ceitain as can bo that ho would not have .my chance whethci Sir Julius stood or not, because many who would otheuvne support him, would recent hit. making the inteie^t and fjeiieial wish of the district .subservient to his peiMinal ambition. It n also hoped that it may bo quickly decided what it is to be. Amount those who most strongly uiged Sir Julius' candidatine at last night'b meeting were Mr Gannon, one of candidates (who called for cheers for Sir Julius:), 2>Lr Chambers, county chairman, and Messrs Kennoy, .Smith, and Townley, niembeisof the Wough council. Only one spoke m favour of having a local man. The Mayoi also advocates Sir Julius. AH the strongest Mippoiteis of the late member ,ue in favoui of Sir Julius.

Arthur's Ferry, the place where Mr Kullestnn met with bib accident (remarks the Marlboumgh Express) is well known to all dweller iv tha Amuri country and North Can tei bury as one of the most dangeious fouls in New Zealand. The river Waiau coming down the Hannier Plains from the mountains of its source, here runs along deep and swift, having for its south .'m bank a deep teirace, some 20ffc above water, and through this an approach to the river has been cut, leading down stiaight into the water, at an angle of borne 43 degrees. The river here is seldom much less than sft deep, and upon each sido of the narrow ford aie dangerous pools and boulders sufficient to wreck any vehicle. The parsimoniov.s spirit of the owner of the Southern bank, in the hope of seclusion, has, it is said, hitherto prevented any other approach being cut to a less dangerous ford, in spite of the frequent complaints of the authorities, but now that the Minister ot Lands and the Surveyor-General have felt in a practical manner its dangers, perhaps something maybe done. Now that the pass of the Waiiau Gorge is made easy, this Aithur's Ferry is the only difficulty that evists in the road between Blenheim and Christchurch.

A visit to tne little town of Kilnkihi at the present time cannot_ tail to impress the mind with the growing importance and prosperity of that comparatively infantile centre. The evidences of prosperity are to be found on every hand; they are abundant and unmistakable. Kilnkihi has now the go-ahead appearance which Cambridge had two years ago, and we have no doubt that within a short time it will rival Cambridge in extent, importance and prosperity. Like Cambridge, too, the extent and quality of the agricultural an 4 pasfcoral lands in its vicinity ensure the permanency of its prosperity. The fact that about £7 a foot is asked for some of the sections m the town is sufficient evidetice of the confidence which property-holders and othera have in the place. And property-holders are assured in their confidence by the present demand for town holdings and the high prices given for the same. We trust that tho present progress of the town will be as permanent as it is rapid. But in feoing ahead as at present the people of Kimkini must not put too much faith in that source of ephemeral proaperity—the Land Court. Land Gourfcs do not qontmue for a, lifetime, pd, w) Wnfc ty qamfe WtW* tfafr

advantages are more apparent than real ; and sometime* they are found to bo the source of considerable disappointment. Let the people of Kihikihi depend upon the substance instead of the shadow ; let them look to the land instead, of the Land Court, and they will find matters will turn out bettor in the long run.

We are in receipt of Wiilamson and Co.'.s Imcstors' Guide, published monthly at Wellington. from the circular, winch contains much interesting information, we take the fo]swing :— " Money c.mi not be quoted, from a~ broker's point of \iew at least, otherwise than as plentiful ; theie is n deal of it at present seeking placement but buyers aio extremely fastidious in selecting stocks, and keen enquiry is made as to the character and applicability of lcsorve funds in the various financial institutions. It is ju&tly urged concerning reserves, so called, that the term is mostly misleading, for that, no arrangement of business nor adaptation of balance bheetsc.m satit-factoi ily be .substituted for securities in hands of responsible Trustees, instantly conveitible into sovereigns, to meet any ppeeial emergency. It is not to be assumed that reserves locked up in land or merged in the general business of any company may be made immediately realisable to face, for instance, a run on fixed deposits or clamorous demand for cash. Such occurrence are by no means unprecedented, nor even infrequent el.sewheie, and will have inevitably to be dealt with sooner or later in New Zealand. Shaieholdera surely may reasonably require that every financial statement issued by public companies should clearly ••how the exact nature of the securities and lesourcch of the reserve fund."

A correspondent, writing from Kilnkihi, fays : — Rewi certainly has not been very gracious in his treatment of the present made him by the Grey Government, and it is a matter Of much question if the Grey Government would have ha\e been so geneious had they thought he would have put his Kihikilri mansion at the disposal of a publican, to be used as a leseive lodging establishment for oidinary moitals. When the house at Kihikihi was elected, it was thought that Manga would abandon his old hut on the banks of the Puniu, and with tears of thankfulness in his eves, mako .1 triumphal entiv into Kilnluhi, and assume possession in the name of the Knight of Kawau. But ho did not shed teais, nor did he appear in the least thankful for the fa\our thus bestowed ; In? moid y said it was. \eiy well, and lie liked it voiy much, but gave ms couitiei i to undeisUnd that he prefeiiod lv ing where he was, among his o\\ n people, and on hU own land. Hi' looked on the house at Kihiiuhi foi son.c titni> as .imuip and a delusion ; he took that view of matters w Inch the law genoially take-> of the piuchasi> of a piece of laud— all propeity situate thereon at the tune of purchase belongs to the pin chaser. Though llowi did entei into asoit of formal possession, it can haidly be said he has made a lesidence of it. For instance, at the present time he derives a fair income from it. The publican to whom lie has leised it also makes a good thing out of it, lie having let it in instalments to families and others, who pay fair lontals. A \isit to the intenoi of this so-called mansion is not at all conducive to the belief that tidiness is a leading viitue with some of the occupants, but then natives aie not ovc'i-seiupulous about appeaiauces. The house and its suiloundings have of late fallen into a state of disiepan, but it is on the tapis that Kewi is about to have it whitewashed and other- \\ ise attended to as the Land Couit i.s likely to be sittidgfor some time, it would not be a bad speculation foi >oine ICiuopcan to get hold of it and couvoit it into a small boarding house foi Maori uuigatiras and native agents.

A visitor to Christclmrch. thus wiites in the Telegianh :— Not far from Lln> Cathedial 1 was shown a, spot which should be hticiud to the inhabitants of Ulnistclnueh, and to all ]over-> of br.no deed-, and unselfish heat ts. A little mu-e-gnl, cairying hei niistiess's child, was eiossing the htioot. A gentleman at the door of Warner's' Hotel hailed a c.ib upon the stand. Thedmcis of two vehicles, each anxious to secuie the "fare," obeyed the call, and dime s miewlut funously towaids the hotel. Tho gul saw the two lapidly duven cab-, appioach, and in one moment leahsed that theie wa-> no escape. Then, bright as the sun at noon-day, shone out the splendid unselfishness of a glouous soul. In the supiemc moment of danger, with death bcfoie her, her last thought, her last, conscious act w,is for another. She flung the child nuay. A few moments later it was picked up m safety, while the gal hoiself l,i y dead in the stioet. I could pas-, for e\er the statue of John Uodley unmoved, but J could never pass the spot wheie that young gnl died without tooling an impulse to kneel. Unselfish, biasehearted child, it is hearts and deeds like thine, not •' all the blood of all the Howaids" — which make a nation truly gieat, which make men like Gods. No matter how often a strangei \isits Chn.stelnuch, the n\er must still possess an attraction for him. In some places pietty houses nestle among the tiees on the bank, and so beautiful are dlic lawns, so bright the floweis. that it almost .seeing that such poetical-looking habitations can only be the abodes of the Nauula themselves. The poet, in hoaich of a lovely spot in which to seek nwpuatum from sunoundmg objects for pretty dieamy fancies wheiewith to gild his ihyii'ss, will travel far befoie he finds so "eligible a site as a h.ilf-mile 01 so along the nvei bank on the Cailton Mill road. And those untra\ellecl jjcisons who, like Orlando, have always been " rustically at home," and have had no practical experience of real English lanes, wheie lustic loveis woo, if they wish to behold a good imitation, will ha\e their wi.sh giatified by follow ing the old-fashioned roads and lanes which lead to piefcty Vend.tlton. And in sauntering along, if you .ire at all imaginative, you aie almost mho to meet, at least, Lady .Russell and Anne Elliot on their way to Bath, or Henry Tilucy coming to atone for his father's rudeness by offering his hand to Catherine Morland.

The Timaru Herald thus humourously vcfeis to Mi Rolle-iton'n visit to Cjntcibuiy :—"lf: — "If any man in New Zealand was pleased by the utter ion te of the Premier sit Christcinuch on Saturday night, we >entiue to say it was his colleague, tlie Minister of Lands. Up to tliat time Mr Rolleston ceitainly stood in » voiy painful and humiliating position, not only in 1 elation to his own constituente, but to the Ministry and their supporters, especially in the Notth Island. He was their Canterbury man, in whom they ti usted to keep this part of the colony in a propei state of subjection and attachment to them. Ho owed his place in the Cabinet mainly to the notion, which lie himself never lust an oppoitunity of encouraging, that he was the very embodiment of Canteibury interests and Canterbury sentiment*. So entirely did that notion pievail among the Ministry and their inner ciicle of supporters, that they never tumbled their head about Canteibuiy. They left Canterbury to Mr Rollcston. His voice was supreme in council with lespect to the affairs of Canterbury ; and on him devolved the duty and responsibility of guaranteeing the submission of Canterbuiy to the Government of whom he was. a member. When, therefore, it was rumoured abioad that Canterbury was going all astray, and that unless the Ministry were very careful they would lose the whole support of Canterbury, they naturally turned to Mr Rolleston to know what it all meant and what he was thinking of to let things get into such a state in his particular Provincial Distiict. What was the good of him in the Cabinet if he could not keep Canterbury in oider? He must at once go down to Canterbury and either suppress the rebellion by sheer awe of his person and prestige, or else pacify the rebels by that vast influence among the masses and that powerful connection among the aristocracy with which the northern imagination had invested him. He was to be the Gordon whom the Government despatched to our Soudan to counteract the evil doings of the Mahdi of Akaroa, and other turbulent leaders. As regards mere heroism ot character, perhaps, the comparison between General Gordon and Mr Rolleston is a little strained ; but in other respects it will serve well enough to illustrate our meaning. The only difference is that while General Gordon set out with his life in his hand, Mr Rolleston came down with his heart in hia moxith. H.e crossed the desert in a hansom cab and arrived safely at Papanui, unattended — for nobody seemed to care much for, his company—and unarmed except with an immense roll of papers. General Gordon took £50,000 in gold. Mr Rolleston carried nothing but notes. He intended to convert them into golden eloquence. . But he is not a Chrysostom at the best of times, and when he found himself surrounded by relentless and implacable foes, his notes proved worse than worthless. ' His inissio* was a total, a disastrous failure ; and he beat a precipitate retreat and left ' the enemy in undisputed possession of the field as fw as he vf as concerned,"