COMMENTS

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1952, 10 January 1885, Page 2

COMMENTS

Fkw things afford better evidence of tho force of conaervat m in England than the survival of the Lord Mayor's Show, lint glittering pageant and gilded coach, trumpets, marshallo, and sword bearers are fast going the way of all flesh, and soon their place will know them no more. We may perhaps be moved te drop a regretful tear or two on their tomb, but on the whole their speedy demise is a thing to be desired. The annual procession from the Guildhall and back has long since ceased to have any real aigniHeanoe, and of late it has degenerated into the condition of a mere farce, utterly out of harmony with the government of a city like London. The ostensible object of the parade is to keep green in the memory of succeeding generations the glories of old London, but can any suggesttion of the days when 'prentices and traiu bands preserved the liberty of tho people be conveyed by mangy elephants and cameU, by awkward • looking •' crusaders" in chain armour and elastic-sidod boots, by " William the Conqueror," surrounded by a guard of mounted policemen in Nineteenth Century uniform? As well might we believe that the tawdrineas of the Carnival recalls the splendour of the days when Venice was the Queen of the Adriatic. Absurd and childish a3 the whole thing has been for years, it was reserved for the present Lord Mayor, Mr Alderman Nottage, to put on the finishing touch. He has not only lowered the dignity of the office in allowing his show to become an advertising medium for Sanger's circus but he has considerably put his foot in it in quite another direction. He has outraged the feelings of Liberal England in the most wanton way. It is part of a good English boy's creed to believe that Wat Tyler was a bloodthirsty scoundrel of whom the land was well rid when Lord Mnyor Walworth nicked him across the jugular with a sharp dagger. We used to believe this as implicitly as we did the beautiful story which represented Charles the First as a blessed martyr who suffered for the sins of his people. But, singularly enough, school history is not always reliable, and some of the English people, such of them at least as have learned their letters, have been taught that Wat Tyler was after all a very decent sort of fellow, who, under pressure of a desperate injury, led *' The Peasant Rovolt." Much of what these rebels demanded and sacrificed their lives in a vain attempt to secure we have long enjoyed, and it does Reem a little rough on tho proprieties that Lord Mayor Nottage should have introduced into his show a tableau described as •' Lord Mayor Walworth standing over the body of Wat Tyler, whom he hns just slain in drfni'liuij the Kiiiff." In the words of a London paper, " it can only be regarded as an insult to the enlightenment of the present day that London's Lord Mayor should have persisted in pushing his dummy glorification of a great historical crime through the capital." If it is any satisfaction to the ghost of the. gallant Walworth, the mob hooted him to their hearts' content, and fairly shrieked with deliirht when, by a sudden jolt of the enr, his "counterfeit presentment" collapsed in a most unheroic manner. We do not know precisely what constitute the functions of a Lord Miyor, except that on certain state occasions everyone expects him to give good dinners, to dress in gorgeous robes and look particularly wise ; nor do we know whether any special opportunity is provided whereby the occupant of the civic chair may make himself, as Sir (ieorge Grey would say, famous for all time. But if Mr Nottage has succeeded in disgusting the good people of London with Gog and Magog, with turtle soup (not forgetting the green fat), and with bumbledom generally, he will have made good his claim to have a monument of the most enduring brass. Ami, if Sir William Harcourt does not seize the present opportunity to put the ki-bosh on the Lord Mayor and his show, somebody else will do the business before long.

Nothing could be more supremely grotesque than the attitude assumed by the grave and reverend signiors of tho Auckland Press concerning the annexation of Samoa. Ever since the Hinemoa left Wellington on her " mysterious" cruise, carrying the New Zealand Army (fourarmed constables and nsergeant), our contemporaries have been working themselves into a perfect frenzy of excitement. The most trilling details connected with tho steamer's departure were solemnly chronicled. An extra cook's mate to make special invalid's food for Sir .Julius, and an additional bottle-washer or two to look after the Colonial-Secretary and Mr Cooper are engaged, and the special corlespondents immediately wire to theeffect that the Hinemoa's crew has been strengthened, aud the Herald and Star having found something, at once proceed to " make a note on it." Then, when the innocent navy of the colony steams into the Waitenvita, the sapient reporter tells his readers that she has a "rakish" appearance, that her brass popgun has been cleaned up, ready for action, and that there .ire actually sLrfre/i stand of arms aboard. Gracious powers ! can it be possible that New Zealand is going to bust the Pacific Squadron of his Imperial Gernnnic Majesty on tho high seas, seize the Navigators, nnd put tho inhabitants in chains? Nothing it would seem but some such emprise as this could warrant the extraordinary preparations made on board the Hincmoa, It is quite possible that the steamer may go to Samoa—though for the life of us we cannot imagine why she should as long as there arc war ships in Sydney harbour — but if she does, we are equally at a loss to know why so much fuss should be made about the matter, or why a sergeant's guard intended to run in any of the crow that might go on the booze, ashore, should be magnified into a militarj force bent on the conquest of the waste lands of the Pacific by force of arms. The whole thing is excessively funny, and would be very much funnier were it not that such bosh is likely to brine the colony into contempt and make ur a laughing stock for our neighbours over the water.

Ik the Claimant be Sir Roger Tidiborne, then he is a gentleman, but if ho ia a gentleman he certainly does not "behave aa sich." At any rate, ho has not adopted a very gentleman prnotice to make a living. Claimants, any more than ordi. nary people, cannot live on air, nor would they grow tat on a hundred a year, but surely their income might be augmented in some better way than by taking part in musichall performances. Yet tliie i.s what "Sir Roger " has had recourse to. We learn by a Home paper that the claimant appeared !it the Varieties Music Hall, Biagate, Leeds, and made a short speech at the middle of the ordinary entertainment for four nights, at a salary of £10 per night. The proprietor of an Edinburgh music hall lias made an arrangement with him to appear each evening for one week, the terms agreed upon being £'200 for the engagement. This may be lucrative, but really it ia not respectable. If the " unfortunate nohleinan" wants to mako money and retain his title to respectability, why docs he not write a book, or start a newspaper ?

injr, when a full attendance of moinlK.-rs is rerjuustod. Air Women's Suffrage Bill and Mr Alford's Education JJill, together with other business of a routine, character, will be brought forward.

It is now generally understood that tho Wiiikato Timber Company will soon proceed with the erection of liijir Hawmill at Cambridge.

The R.M. Court, Cambridge, was occupied with a nurnlvr of civil cr.si'K. Thy r>.Hs;n<>, case, Ann Webb and Mary Murphy discunsed. each party to pay her own costs.

A special telegram to the Press Association, dated London, the Oth inst., .status that New Zealand is pledged to only borrow an additional million and a half until April, lS.sc.

The prize Hereford and shorthorn oxen brod by Mr Richard Reynolds, I'iikeriinu, «nd exhibited at tho last Auckland .Show, were slaughtered by Mr Carter, butcher, Auckland, at tho New Year. The shorthorn weighed 13521b5., and tin: Hereford lMOlh*. There can be little doubt after this of the. capacity of Waikato pastures to turn otf beef.

Operations at the Cambridge Dairy Factory are proceeding satisfactorily. The only difficulty experienced so far arises out of the fact that the contractors are not abl , .: to supply as many milk cans as iire required. Many more farmers would gladly send milk to the factory, if only the cans were forthcoming.

A correspondent desires us to draw tho attention of tho police to the fact that of late in Cambridge a few men have, been in tho habit of following some women after dark. Several women complain of having been seriously frightened of late. Doubtless the matter will receive attention in the proper quarter.

The delegates of the various cheese factory companies met at Hamilton yesterday and formed a dairy association. The utmost unanimity prevailed, and the delegates evinced a strong disposition to work harmoniously together for tho common cause. There can bo no doubt that the association will do a vast amount of #>od. A report of the proceedings appears in another column.

We have to compliment the Postal Department upon its enterprise in ensconsing tho Cambridge postman in a new outfit of official habiliments. In this matter the department has hitherto been exceedingly backward, and the postman has been allowed to move about in the discharge of his nomadic functions like, one within the reach and ken of ordinary mortals. The only danger in this new departure is the possibility of an elopement, for which, no doubt, the department will be held responsible.

To the Editor—Sir.—l see by today's Times that the Waikato County Council has had another case in court, and lo.it it for want of knowing how to sue. This adds another to the long list of cases lost by the council and the Kirikiriroa board for the same reason. As n ratepayer, I protest a?ain«t the rates being squandered iv paying costs of unnecessary and unsuccessful lawsuits. I think it is time these local bodies stopped their otticinls making them a standing laughing stock iv the courts at the expense of the ratepayers.— I am, &c, 5.. T., Cambridge, January 8, 188."i

The fact that the Fen Court and Hai'tapu stations still retain their wrong names is a source of great annoyance ;md inconvenience, to travellers, particularly strangers. Strangers coming from Auckland frequently take passage for Hautapu. and instead of being dropped iv the Hautapu district they find thoiinelves at tho end of their journey several miles from their intended destination, and vice versa. The department pleads now that as all the time-tables have been printed and the names in their present order arranged on all official documents, the cost and trouble of tho change would be too great. But this excuse can hardly hold water when it is considered that as the matter at present stands the travelling public are tho unfortunate sufferers.

The following special messages to tho Press Association, dated January 7th and Bth, have been published:—The account of the Government of New Sonth Wales has been transferred from tho Bank of Now South Wales to the Associated Banks.—Mr Archibald Watson, the Senior Demonstrator of Anatomy at Charing Cross Hospital, will sail for Australia by tho steamer Pekin on the '2!) th. —The (ierinan residents in New Britain havo sent homo orders for tho construction of two steamers.—The resolutions of the African Annexation Conference propose that notice he given to the Powers to guarantee an adequate controlling authority over tho territory annexed. — Mr Thomas A. Walton, the official assignee iv the Oriental Bank Corporation Estate, anticipates that ho will probably be able to realise two and a-half million pounds, and that a dividend will bo declared directly certificates of claims are granted by tho court. —Prince Albert Victor, eldest son of tho Prince of Wales, attained his majority today. The festivities incidental to the occasion were conducted privately.

The usual monthly meeting of the Tamahero Road Board was hold yesterday at Tamahere. Present: Capt. Kuiicimun (chairman), Messrs Rhodes, Harugh and Wheeler. There wero five tenders for the formation of tho road from the Tamahere station to Wood's corner, and the lowest was accepted. A number of accounts were passed for payment. The engineer reported that he could not pass tho work on the. Central Uoad opposite Barugh's and Tinue's, it not being done nccordmg to specifications, and the board resolved that, as tho contractor had received notice in writing last month, requiring him to finish the work, and he had neglected to do so, the deposit (fc'3) together with the moneys in hand be forfeited. The grants in aid under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act were then considered, and it was resolved to proceed to work atomic on tho Central Road, the whole of the work amounting to £700 or more to be let in one big contract, for which tenders will he received on Monday, the2(sth inst. Tenders aro also to be called for gravelling on the Piako road, and earth cuttings &c, on the Tamahore Cambridge roud. The total amount received under the act is £1007.

Concerning the lung worm in shoep, Mr A. Buckland writes to the Auckland Herald :—A short time since I read that milk and turpentine was the medicine to be administered for the cure of the lung worm in young sheep. I have tried this, and the sheep received some benefit from it, but I havo found the following much more effectual :--Kqnal quantities of turoentine and linseed oil ; a tablespoonful is 11 dose, and it can rapidly be ndministere.d from an oil can with a nozzle or a bottle with a moderate sized neck. I recommend this to be given the lambs at weaning, and when weaned, they should be put, if possible, on new and young grass, or at least where sheep havo not previously been depastured for KortiH months. The diso.iKo, in my opinion, i.s propagated from the old pasture, where shcop are at all time kept, and if the lanib- aro kept on this it will constantly reappear, but I have known deaths toceaso where the", lambs wero taken from their tainted pasture and placed on pasture where sheep bad not for years been grazed, although no medicine was given, showing that tho disease is derived from their pasture ground, and can be avoided by judicious management.

The crops throughout the Waikato aro at present looking remarkably promising, end should the weather favour tho harvest operations, tho yield should come well up to tho avorago. Tho area this year in wl:.;at and oats is considerably less than that of last year, and this is accounted for by tho unreasonably low prices which last year's produce fetched, some producers realising a heavy loss instead of profit, About Pukerimu, and along the Hamilton Cambridge road many fine wheat crops are visible, and the oats could not possibly look more, healthy. The comparative smallness of this year's growth should bring about better prices. The fact that cattle havo been rising in value has induaed the fanners to revert largely to pasturing ; consequently an unusually largo nroa of turnips ie everywhere to be mot with. There is a very fair average of potatoes, aud some g_ood crops may bo seen in the Rangiaohia district, but in some places the potato growth is a little thinner than one might like to neo. Altogether, what with the enhanced value of cattle, tho now soureo of wealth which the many choose faotorios afford, tho Co-operative Association, and tho prospect for higher prices for grain, tho present agricultural outlook iv Waikato is very promising.