SATURDAY, JULY 19, 1884.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1878, 19 July 1884, Page 2

SATURDAY, JULY 19, 1884.

Some few months ago Mr Marsden wrote to the Cambridge Town Board making certain proposals in the matter of supplying the town with gas. The offer was to the effect that Mr Marsden, receiving a monopoly for a number of years, should' at his own expense erect the necessary works, supply the necessary plant, lay down the main? and provide everything after the fashion of gas companies. He was to charge a certain rate for the gas, the iatepaym'B to use it or reject it as they thought proper. The town board fa yon i ably entertained Mr Marsden's pioposals : in fact, thought themselves in for a "good thing," and so wrote to Mr Maisden, accepting his welcome offer under certain conditions. These conditions were merely of a formal nature, and so need not be recapitulated. But it would seem the noble inventor of the atmospheric patent did not mean to keep his word ; that he merely, in fact, wanted to see how the public were disposed towarJs his patent; and having ascertained this, and finding it to be of a perhaps unexpectedly favourable character he deemed it wise to lay in wait for better and more encouraging terms wherewith to introduce his patent to the world. Mr Marsden has written to the Hamilton Borough Council, to whom he made a similar offer, informing that body that he was unable to carry out his own proposal, but ho has never yet made up his mind as to the course he intends to pursue in the case of Cambridge. The board has now been waiting for a long time for the reply, which comcth not. Possibly it has dawned upon Mr Mars den that his proposal was not sufficiently well considered ioi himself, and that by acting up to it Cambridge would enjoy this modern blessing at his expense. He therefoie prefers to let the matter drop in as quiet a way as possible.

OUR article detailing the improvements which the Cambridge Domain Board contemplates carrying out at the suggestion of Mr Purdie, and which appeared in our last impvession, will have been lead with considerable interest by the residents of the Cambridge. To some it may seem that the board have been indulging in impracticable extravagance — have been, in fact, exciting undue expectations in the minds of the townspeople, only to disappoint them by not being able to carry out the work. But we do not think that the board has in any way been indulging in excravagance. It adopted a wise and commendable course in laying out as much of the work each year as> possible, or nmch as the money at their disposal would permit of. The board will have an income of over £200 a year therewith to cairy out the woik, and this sum, we consider, should be sufficient to carry out the programme of woiks laid down by Mr Purdie in the course of a comparatively few years. A large portion of the work will be disposed of within the ensuing two months. The work will be proceeded with by degrees, the board wotking to a geneial plan. When the whole is finished Cambridge will be in possession of one of the most attractive and pictnesque public rcsoits in the pro\ince. The domain board is deserving of every credit for the prompt and businesslike ininwei it has undertaken the work.

The next English mail via San Fiancisco will close at Hamilton on Monday at 10 a.m. This mail is due in London on 30th August. The road between Morrinsville and Waitoa will be closed for heavy tiaffic, for repairs, from the morning 1 of the 22i\t\ till the evening of the 23rd inst. A grand vocal and instrumental ccmcei t, in aid of the new Wesleyan Pai sonage Fund, Hamilton, will be held in the Public Hall on Thursday, the 7th August. Commander Edwin telegraphed at 12.13 p.m. yesteiday :— Expect bad weathei between north-west and west and south. Glass rise very .soon, and much colder weather. We understand that if possible Mr Lake will endeavour to be at Mercer on the day of the poll he not having had an opportunity of visiting that locality up to the present. An advertisement will be in Tuesday's issue re this matter. A preliminary announcement is made in another column of the annual social gathering held in connection wiHi S. Andrew's Church, Cambridge. Sunday, August 31, will be the anniversary of the consecration, when special services will be hold, the preacher being the Yen. Archdeacon Dudly. The social gathenng will bo held on the following Tuesday. The Rev. Percy Smallfield having kindly promised his services, it has been decided to give the children of S. Peter's Sunday-school, Hamilton, a winter evenings' enteitannnent on Tuesday, sth August, in the shape of a lime-light exhibition, diversified by a distribution of cake, and presentation of the Bishops prizes to the successful competitor-.. The public will be admitted on payment of a small fee. At the Police Court, Hamilton, yesterday, Jesse Cockhead, aged 17 years, an old offender, was charged with stealing an over-coat, value 5s (id, the property of Michael Head. Prisoner pleaded guilty. Sergt. McGovern read the previous convictions. TheK.M. said he was puzzled to know what to do with the offender. He would reserve his decision for some hours and consider the matter. The accused was subsequently sentenced to seven days' hard labour. We notice that Messrs W. J. Hunter and Co. have made considerable improvements in their yards at Ohaupo. A second gate has been brought into requisition in their selling yards, which facilitates the business of the sale very much. Although they had a great number of cattle on Tuesday last the sale was over a little after four o'clock, which gives ample time for farmers to remove cattle the same evening. We believe they also intend electing a large number of pens, their present accommodation being insufficient. To the Editor.— Sir,— My remarks at last Saturday's meeting were not meant to apply in any way to the electors who feigned the requisition, but to those who had called the electors together without making any preparation, or bringing any question of public importance for discussion. The whole thing looked like a practical joke, and under this impression I spoke. Had the convener of the meeting taken a little trouble to explain the matter, as he has since done, it would have saved much illfeeling and unpleasantness. — Yours, &c, W. Steelb. Hamilton, 18th July, 1884. To the Editor.— Sir,— ln your issue of the 12th inst., my name wa=t most prominently placed before the public (by your own correspondent), coupled with Mr D, Goldie, and. in your issue of the 15th inst., appeared a paragiaph of contradiction by Mr Kellow and Mr E. Fitzpatrick, which is not satisfactory to me, nor does it free me in the least of the questions I am charged with asking. Therefore I feel bound to vindicate my character, and do so by stating that I did not ask one or any of the questions mentioned. Neither did I name the words /G oldie" or "Roman Catholic," nor were either words used at the meeting, which Mr Lake, Mr E. Fitzpatrick, and others can prove. — I am, &c, Jos. H. Coombes,— Ngaruawahia, July 17fch, 1884. The following special messages to the Press Association, dated London, July 16th and 17th, have been published :— The assets of the Oriental Bank are realising hopefully. The payment of the call of £25 will be required by November, and it is expected that it will realise the sum of one, million and a-half.— All the - share 'capital in Mr Stewarts Ro tor ua railway has tbeen subscribed. — Lord Derby is ' endeavouring ,to modify iwaft reduce -td^a ;miniraunvthe promises .contained in his despatch to the >olqtiialf GoveHor%Cin- ? #foy T?las.^Th&; .Queensland torpedo boat has been launched. :

ation Enabling Bill, which mainly agrees with the resolutions! of the Sydney Conference, but ifc is impossible to introduce it until the Autumn session.— France is provoking serious disputes with the Finance Committee) of the Egyptian Conference. " Miss Carry Nelson's Comic Opera Company performed at LeQuesne's Hall, Hamilton, on Thursday night to a, very good house. The musical comedy, " The youth that never saw a woman,'' was most amusing, and the songs, character dances, &c, were thoroughly appreciated by the audience. Mr M'radyen's recitations were also a feature in the performance, and received well-merited applause. The company perform at Cambridge this evening, and at Ngaruawahia on Monday, and are well worth seeing.