The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1946, 25 December 1884, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Mr 0. W. A Hursthouse has about completed tbo working Burvey' of the portion of tho first section of the Trunk Railway alloted to him. It lies about midway between Te Awamutu and ' Otorohanga, at Kiokio. Mr Hursthouse has deviated Hlightly trom the line of the trial survey, and ho has thereby avoided a piece of swamp, and lessened tho cost of construction. : | i I | j |

Messrs Kay and Miller have completed their contract for building the Knniwhaniwa bridge on tho WhatawhataHarapepe road. The bad weather delayed the work for a long time, as owing to the flooded state of the creek the piles could not be driven. Mr D. M. Beere, Resident Engineer, inspected the bridge yesterday, previous to taking it over from the contractors.

We are informed that the headquarterh of the A.C. Force at Taupo are to be removed shortly to Tokano, on the western shores of the Lake. Opepe was abandoned about a month ago; and Tapuaeharuru will likewise be deserted about the beginning of January, when there will bo nearly 100 men at Tokano. Supplies now come up via Wangauui river and on pack-horses.

The milk supply at the Cambridge Cheese Factory is daily increasing, and the manager has every hope of about doubling the present supply before long. Shareholders should endeavour to assist the suppliers to increase their daily contributions, and also to increase the present number of suppliers. The directors of the Paterangi factory are about to pay a visit to the Cambridge factory for the purpose of Reeing the latest improvements there.

Policy - holders in Waikato received their voting papers, in connection with the election of the Board of Directors of the Government Life Insurance Association, yesterday. From all we can gather the candidates enjoying the largest share ot popularity in this part of the colony are Messrs G. S. Graham, the hon. Randall Johnson, M.L.C., and Mr H. Bell, solicitor, Wellington, and son of the present Agent-General, Sir Dillon Bell.

The usual monthly meeting of the Waitoa Road Board was held laat Thursday, there being present:—Messrs W. P. Chepmell, J. Turnbiill, R. Parr, and J. B. Smith. Tho engineer reported that Mr McCabe had finished his contract on the cemetery road, and that Mr Stanley had finished that on Murphy's road. A considerable number of tenders were received for the Ngutumnnga boundary road. For section No 2, the tenders ranged from £72 to £185. The tender of Mr T. Stanley was accepted at £72. For section No 1, the tenders, ranged from £35 to £SG, but no tender was accepted. Accounts amounting to £77 lls were passed for payment.—(Coirespondent.)

For the past fortnight traffic of all descriptions has been altogether stopped on fcbe Rotor.wgi swamp road. People unaware of the fact that the bridge had fallen in have ridden along the road and have had to turn back. This could have been avoided bv putting up a notice at the ciohs roads. The time that has elapsed since traffic on the road was closed should have enabled the council to have made some suitable temporary provision, and the delny is therefore most culpable. _ The engineer, Mr Armstrong, communicated with Mr E. B. Walker respecting a temporary road through his property, and that gentleman has kindly gianted permission. \ temporal y bridge will therefore be proceeded with without delay, and will cross the creek about two chains below the bite of the new In view of the threatening tendency of the break to widen, the j length of the new budge has been considerably increased.

Since our last intelligence has come to hand tending to confirm the report of tho German annexation of a portion of New Gviinea w ith the adjoining islands, ». Press Association message, dnted London, December 22nd, reads:—"Tho Standard states that Germany has notified to the Powers that bhe has annexed the following inlands in the Pacific :—New Biitain, New Ireland, New Hanover, Marshall, Enderbnry, Duke of Yoik, Admiralty, and also the northern portion of New Guinea. Dr. Fin^ch will probably act as administrator over tho above." Further information will be found in our telegraphic columns. Tho Victorian Premier has telegraphed to the other Colonial Govei nments, in vitingthem to unite in protesting against Germany's action. Tho Times consures Lord Derby's action in dealing with the Pacific question.

Equal and exact justice to .ill men, 01 \vhatsoe\er st.itc or persuasion, religious or political. Here shall the Press the People's, ritflit nnintam, Un.iwed by influence .md unbribed by Ram.

TIWRSDA V, DEC. fJo, 18S4- '

CnnisntAs comes but once a year, and were it not for the fact tliat the reading-world always expects to hear something new on the subject, tho journalist might possibly feel as jolly as most other people It is true that Christmas is a theme surpassing in richness all others of what kind soever. The first Christmas was the most important birthday this globe of ours has ever scon, or is ever likely to see until the coming of that day when the heavens shall burn up like a scroll ; and the lessons it teaches will never grow old. Other holidays have their special significance, which is variously estimated, but the twenty-fifth of December is everybody's festival, and everybody rnalu-s merry to-day. We use the word in its finest sense. It is a day of gladness, of thanksgiving, of peace. It is Sunday sublimated, and emancipated wholly from the incubus of Puritanism. In this very matter-of-fact world of ours, when to be sentimental is to be indiscreet, if not worse, it is a singular thing, and worthy of serious notice, that the spirit of the season is something that really docs exist, and is not imaginary. This must bo apparent to everybody who pauses to consider, and who at the same time ie> himself possessed of a little kindness of heart. Well, however these things be (and, afcer all, it is not our province to discuss them), we have got the glad season with us, and we suppose everybody is just now exercising his mind to cram as much pleasure as he can into as little time. '1 he French tell us that we take our pleasure sadly, which we take to mean that we attempt to grasp so much that we make a labour of it. A good illusj tration of this point is afforded Iby the people who on Coxing Day get up with the lark, take the train to Ellerslin, stand in the broiling sun half the day on the strength of getting a glimpse at a race, and then run the risk of permanently injuring the spinal cord by returning by " fast express" the tame night. But let it not be thought that we wish to rob anybody of hi 3 pleasure. Our sincere hope is that all may have enjoyment without stint. And animated by that hope, we cordially vt ish our readers all the compliments of the season.

The Cambridge Cricket Ciub intend playing the To Aroha club a* the latter place on Saturday. Messrs W. J. Hunter and Co. will sell the prn lieges of the Cambridge New Year Races on Saturday, at 2 o'clock. The many friends of Mrs Templer will be glad to learn that, under the care of Dr. Waddington, she is making very satisfactory progress towards recovery. The usual religious services for to-day are notified in another column. The various churches have been decorated very tastefully by the ladies of the congregations. A large number of people left Waikato and the Upper Thames for Auckland by train yesterday. The two ordinary and two special trains to Waikato aIRO brought up a, fair number of city folk who have come to spend their holidays in the country, The following special messages to the Press Association have been published : —The frozen meat ox steamer Blderslie is in excellent condition.— The Trust and Agency Company of Australia has authorised the issue of 25,000 additional shares. —Mr Michael Davitt has Btarted on a visit to Australia. I Last night Hamilton pnsented a very lively aijpearance. Most of the ! whops and business places were gaily decorated with evergreens, and at night were illuminated by .means of Chinese lanterns. Mr Knox had a profusion of the latter. Heavy rain fell during the afternoon, and gloomy anticipations wore indulged in^but as wo go to presß there is every prospect- of a fiu* QlirwtJßas,