AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1940, 11 December 1884, Page 2

AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE

Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. Hoie shall tho Press the People's ripht maintain, Unawcd by infliienrc and unbnbcd b)' g-.iin.

THVRSDA V, DEC. 11, 1884.

We are in receipt of a circular from Messrs Nelson Bros (Limited) of the Tomoano Meat Freezing Works, Napier, which possesses not a little interest for the graziers of this district. It brings two facts into great prominence. In the first place, it demonstrates that the prospects of the frozen meat trade are steadily improving, and, in the second, it points out that in order to complete success it is necessary that the supply should be at onco good in quality and regular throughout the year. It is shown tbr.t the •superiority of some of the late shipments of mutton has pot received the recognition due to, it owing to causes which are removable, and which producers will , do, well to aid in removing without delay. They are, £rst } , a temporary

glut in the market, secondly, inability of consignees to open Tip a provincial trade, owing to the intermittent supply, and, thirdly, the want of unanimity amongst con&ignees. The cure for the first and second difticultios, say Nelson Bros., rests with the sheep farmers on this side. They are aware that it is customary to clear off surplus stock at one season, md admit that some lit le difficulty stands in the way of acting otherwise, but they tell us that the advantages to be reaped by a . cgular .supply are 100 great to lie overlooked, and are worth an effort to obtain. Retailers at home ire constantly asking for a supply ,ill the year, [and contend that it is difficult to attempt to push the .sale of New Zealand mutton unless they can get it always. The result expected from a regular supply is ,m increa.se of Id per lb, or, say. Os Gd per carcase, and this is surely worth struggling for! The third difficulty is not so easily overcome, but Nelbon Bros, propose to get over it, so far as they are concerned, by establishing large stores in London, and thence supplying the retailers direct. This example might be followed by the representatives of other works in the colony with advantage, and the meat could thus be placed in the market as required, and not forced as at present. There is another point in the circular to ivhich too much attention cannot be paid. It has reference to the weight of the carca.se. The best weight is about 701bs, ; sheep weighing 53\bs f do not fetch anything like the price of the others, and can only compete with liiver Plate. It is announced that the shipping companies have reduced the rate of freight to the extent of nearly %d per lb., and the charges are set down as follows : — Freezing, shipping, &c, j Jd per lb., freight, l£d per lb, and 5 per cent, primage. These are of course exclusive of insurance, which from the nature of the freight is unavoidably high ; but at 6d per lb. there is a fair pnxsppct of the grazier receiving 3d a p )und for his meat, which, compared with what he has had to accept locally, will be a handsome return. The Messrs Nelson have done a great deal to popularise the New Zealand meat in England ; by the exercise of a little persistence they have advanced the price from 5d to Gd, at which figure they have done ,i large business in the country. The prejudices of English people against frozen meat are. being rapidly overcome, and the only fear which just now seems to be entertained is, that during the absense of a supply, inferior mutton may be foisted upon them. To keep up the supply should therefore bo the aim of the producers, and a little careful management is all that is required to meet the case. With a falling market for wheat and wool, it is to frozen lueat and the products of the dairy that we must look to keep the balance on the right side of the book, and we must strive to adapt ourselves to the new conditions under which we are in future to work. Instead of, as hitherto, devoting their eneigies and intelligence to the raising of fleeces and white crops, our farmers must address themselves to the production of roots and suitable carcasses of mutton.

The steamer Hannah Mokau was in the Raglan harbour when the mailman left for Hamilton. A Concert and dance, will be given in theßangiaohia. Public School on Fiiday next, the 12th inst., Messrs J. Newland, Ngaroto, and Y. J. Johnson, Rangnin, have been nude justices <>t tlie peace for the colony. An entertainment in aid of the Cambridge School fund-, will be held in the Public Hall, Cambridge, on Monday evening next. A vocal and instrumental concert will be, given by the pupils of the Ngaru.vwahia school, on Tuesday next. The flute and bidss bands will assist. The proceeds will go in aid of the school fund. Policy-holders interested in the election of members of the board of the N T ew Zealand (Government Association are directed to an advertisement which appears in another pai t of this ibsiie. Several culverts on the ranges between What.iwh.ita and llaglan are m a very dangerous condition. Mr Andrew, of Te Awamutu, was near losing a valuable hoise through the bi caking in of one of these culvert<. The children's entertainment in connection with the Cambiidge East School conies of in the Public Hall on Monday evening, and judging from the rehearsals a very enjoyable evening is promised. A final practice for the Christmas Festival takes place te-night at the Public Hall, Hamilton. Solo sintrers and orchestra are requested to meet at / "harp. On i Thutsday, 18th inst., full rehearsal will take place and final arrangements made. The anniversary services in connection with the Trinity Presbyterian chinch, Cambridge, will be held on Sunday next. The Rev. W. Evans will pi each in the morning, and the Rev. H. R. Dewsbury will preach in the evening. The annual soiree and musical entertainment will be held on Friday the 19th inst., Rather a painful accident happened to Mr Thomas Jones last Monday afternoon. He was riding on a sledge near No 1 bridge, Hamilton, when his foot caught against a ti-treo stump which twisted his fuot round, fractured the bone of his leg and sprained his ankle. Under the care of Dr Beale Mr Jones is progressing as well as can be expected. The Cambridge Domain Board paid a visit of inspection to the Te Koutu Lake Reserve on Monday, and examined the improvements that have been can ied out there. They were accompanied by Mr Pnrdie, who ha«s charge of the improvements. Mr Purdie made a number of suggestions, which were considered, and it was agreed to give effect to those approved of, and call for tenders at an early date. The following special messages to the Press Association, dated London, December 9th, have been published :— There is no truth in the report current that Sir W. D. Jervois, Governor of New Zealand, was to succeed Lord Augustus Loftus in the Governslnp of New South Wales.— Mr Woodward of the Trinity College, Melbourne, has won the Hereford College scholaiship.— At the Berlin Conference, it was decided that England should control the lower and France the upper portions of the Niger. A correspondent from Waitetuna writes :— Sir, It was with pleasure I read your leader of Saturday last, , and think with you it would be disastrous to this district to lose the benefit of the present coach mail service. In view of this Mr Sutton tendered for a continuation of the present system of mail service by coach, and received *a wire from the postal department, on Saturday Gth, that liia tender was accepted. 'It is certainly at a unremunera'tive figure, but, with a little additional : patronage it ,may' - pay. _1 > feel sure the settlers r^|deQts o7|bis>d|stncii

will feel thankful to you for expressing yourself in the way you have done in Saturday's issue. 1 There is such a thing as being too vigilant, and even good and faithful servants like the redoubtable Hanger of the Cambridge Town Board, in their anxiety to do their duty, are likely to do it just a little too well. A settler left his horse to be shod at a local smithy, and k trolled down the town to pafis the time until the job was finished. A. few minutes later the vitoran Murphy was to bo seen propelling the unfortunate animal with foal at foot in the direction of the pound, pursued in the hot haste by the blacksmith. The owner, however, was fortunately near by and had no difficulty in persuading Mr Ranger that his services wore jjot legitimately om ployed on that occasion. Pioniotion is highly merited, and such services cannot fail to come under the favourable notice of the board. On Tuesday the centres were taken out of Crawfords Gully culvert by Miv^his J. Wilson and Co., in the presence of the engineer to the Tamahore Road I Board, Mr T. G. Sandes. When stripped it was found that although the foundations had given way in the centre to some extent, and several breaks in the concrete had taken place, none of these were continuous, and the engineer is satisfied now as to the .stability of the structure. The necessity for piling the foundations is very clearly shown by the fact that the wing walls winch wore surrounded with sheet piling have stood without a shake, whilst the damage is where no piling was driven. The bulge in the roof of the culvert is abovt six inches in extent. The ratepayers of the district will be pleased to learn that all iw safe with the road at last. For some time past the want of a suitable gravel pit has been greatly felt by the people of Cambridge. The town board has had considerable difficulty in getting a supply for road purposes, and private individuals willing to pay a good price, have had much difficulty in getting an occasional load. A large pit of excellent material has been discovered on the foreshore of the Waikato river near the old wharf. The gravel is the best that has yet been unearthed in the district for road making purposes. Mr Ferguson, who intends entering into the concrete business, and who it may be stated discovered the new pit has made an offer to the board to lease it, but the board is more likely to retain the property and secure any advantage to themselves that may arise therefrom, A few days ago Mr A. T. Haultain, of Poverty Bay, left at the office f.f the Napier Telegraph, a leg of mutton preserved by a newly patented process discovered by Mr E. J. Bennett, of Ginborne. The sheep (remarks our contemporary) of which we wore shown the leg had been killed nine days, and was perfectly sweet. Mr Bennett has opened up a trade with Auckland, and Auckland has opened up one with Fiji, from whence comes the news that Gibborne killed mutton is sold at Suva in a condition that defies detection of having boon hung 45 days. Mr Bennetts disco\ cry opens up a wide field for intercolonial trade, which may be gathered from the fact that the freight on thirty carcisses of mutton and one of beef from Gisborne to Auckland is 30s, whereas the samo carried alive would be £7 10s. Of late the road across the hills to Matamata has been dangerously diverted in places. The owner of the land on the rigbt hand side has fenced in his property through small corners or angles of which the road has hitherto passed. A stranger riding or driving over the hills at nighr, unaware of the " impiovements" that have taken place, is likely to be the subject of a serious accident, by coming in contact with a barbed wire fence, not only in one place but in a number of places. Even in the daytime traffic is somewhat unsafe. Where the road has been fenced in, traffic is diverted at right angles, and the road is not even formed or levelled. Those who fenced acro.ss the road might well have formed a substitute, and indee.d we think the law requires that this should be done. However, we write this in the hope that tho Taotaoioa Road Board within whose jurisdiction we believe the road lies will see to the matter, by having the road properly formed. In connecting Matamata with Waiorongomai by telephone, Mr J. O. Firth not only supplied himself with a great private convenience, but the travelling public have derived a very great benefit through having this line generously put at their disposal. There are about a thousand messages annually despatched over the line, which shows that as a means of revenue to the telegraph department, it far exceeds many other public lines in the district. Nevertheless Mr Firth has to pay the very considerable sum of £25 a year for attendance of the Waiorongomai end. In consideration of this £25, the Government employ a boy— a very small boy too— with a voice like a tin whistle, which falls upon one'.s ears like the chirrups of a blackbird. This diminutive official is mostly engaged in outside work of the office, ahd very often is not '' on hand " when reqivred, and the postmaster being otherwise engaged, the attendance for which this sum is paid is very indifferent indeed. Considering that this wire has been erected by private enter pi lse, and that it is a considerable sourco of revenue to the department, and a very great con\enience to the general public, it is as littlo as tho Government can do to abandon their claim to such a contribution, and provide more suitable attendance.