The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1962, 3 February 1885, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or periuasion, religious or political. Here shall the Press the People's right maintain, Unawed by influence and unbnbed by gain.

TUESDAY, FEB. 3, 1885.

If Lord Wolseley'* task be simply to rescue General Gordon from Khattoum his mission will soon be accompluhed. If he has been entrusted with the work of winning back the Soudan territory for the Khedive or the Sultnn, he has i\ long way to go before he is out of the wood. It is popularly believed that the rebellion in the Upper Nile country owed its origin simply to the Mahdi, and that the A rabs have spent their energies and their liv^s freely with the object of securing a temporal thione for the man who is to b« their spiritual Saviour. But this is far from being the case. Ever since the death of Meheniet AH, the conqueior of the countiy, the Soudanese have been in an unsettled state, chafing und^r the Khedival sway. Something, it is true, approaching a feeling of rontenfmen' actuated tb'*m during thf» period when Gordon Pasha iHd the post of Governor-General, but over since his departure the cr"y of the people has been " The Soudan for the Soud mese," and the advent of the Miihili was the opportunity thpy had longed for. Probably many, a large proportion, swallowed Mohamed Achmet's pretentions to divinity, but it was in the character of a leader in war, not a heavenly guide, that they welcomed him, and their faith in his Mahdi-ship grew with the success of bi» arms. To

what length the Arabs have been led by their faith (not nltogethor a blind faith either) has been shown by the result of General Gordon's ehillenge. to the Mahdi. If, .said the br.tvo Enulishnnn in hi.s chaiaoteristio stylo, the; Mahdi was a true, prophet he would dry up the Nile and come over to Khartoum, in which event the General would 'urronder. 'J he M.ihdi ac cop ted the challenge, and sent three thousand of his infatuated fnlloweis to accomplish the ticklish task set him by Gordon. Of these poor wretches only a few who were the last to enter were savrd. The spears of the others, which floated, were all that ever got to thp shore again. This is a rather trying experience, even for a Mahdi, but he seems to have survived the shock, and at latest accounts his army in the neighbourhood of El Matemin< h was receiving lurge reinforcements. |_This fact s'rongthens the opinion that it is not for the Mahdi, not for their religion, hut for themselves and for freedom from the Egyptian rule that the Soudanese aro lighting. As a "Mahdi" Mohamed is cooked. No decent Mahdi could do what he has done and keep a personal following. As a prophet he is a total failure, but as a general he is prob ibly the best man to hand, and so long as a chance of victory remains he will most likely continue to lead. If the rebellion be nothing but an uprising of religious fanatics, the Nile drying experiment, the battles of Gakdul and El Metammeh and the relief of Khartoum will overthrow it, but if, as wo assume, the people are fighting to pieserve national autonomy, the end of the trouble ia along way off yet. The dates upon which the various Assessments Courts in Waikato will be held appear in .in advertisement in another part of this i^suc. Very heavy showers of rain and hail fell in various parts of the district on Saturday and Sunday. The hailstones were in many places as big as marble-*. } MrJßalph Hood and company will give a grand concert at Hnkanui to nignt, in aid of the hall fund-.. Mr C. K. JohnJohnson his arranged to run .1 co »eh fioin Hamilton, leaving at (i. 20 p.m. shaip. Ameeting of the cemetery trustees vras held List night at tin* council chambers, Hamilton, but the buiine** tran-.ii.cted was of no public importance. We are requested to state that the Rev. H. 11. l)e\v-.bnry's class for nisti notion in music, at Cambudge, will not be held thii evening, as that gentleman " in Auckland for this w eek. The Cambridge Brass and Reed Band playod in front of the Public Hall on Saturday evening. They pta\pd a nnmbor of popular airs, and the execution afforded a dtriking proof of the tapid progress and growing proficiency of the member*. Miss Pritchard and Company will appear.it Ngaruawahia on Fi id iy night, and at Huntly on the following evening. The perfoi mince li-w been well spoken of in other places and will probably bo well patronised. The hon. John Ball an cc, Native Minuter, w.is a pi^sunger to Te Awamutu by yesteuliy's ti.un, en route for Alexandra. Mr J3.illince was accompanied by Mi T. W. Lewi-,, Undcr-SecreUrv, Mr W. J. Butler, Pnvate Secretary, and Major Te Wheoio. A meeting of th 3 Hamilton Domain Uoird w.v held U-t night at the council chamber-!, when it was rev»lved to lease allotments No. 19 and 20, Hamilton West, for a period of six months, as the grass crop is very luxuriant. Tho extent of these loti is 23 acies, and being conveniently situated should command attention. Mr R. T. Booth's engagements prevent him from visiting Waikato at piesent as wai expected. When he hat» finished in Auckland, he proceeds diiect to Nelion, and will, if possible, do Wellington. He then returns to Now South Wales to fulfil engagements he has made there, after which he will re-vi-qt New Zealand, and spend at least 12 months in the colony. Three youngsters named respectively Charles Norgrove, David Carnachan and C Pearson were brought brfoie Mr A. Clement*, J.P., at the K.M. Couit, Cambridge, on Friday last, chaiged with riding fuiionsly through the streets of the town. After being t>eveJely reprimanded, a fine of os each was inflicted, with 33a costs. On the 31st. ult. Mr W. Duncan, County Chairman of Raglan, had a long interview with the Hon. Native Minuter, in Auckland, with reference to some business connected with his county, and fiom what we have been able to learn, the result of the interview may bo productive of good to the Kaglan distnct. The manner in which the authorities permitted tho North Shore feny ; steamers to be over-crowded on the occasion of the Taknpuna races was simply scandalous. If more care j and restraint in not exercised in preventing a continuation of this offence, the people of Auckland u ill fume day have great leason to bo sorry for thn laxity now shown with regaid to it, and .i*ay one (Jay have a repetition of the FiiiiceHs Alice disaster. A special meeting of the Cambridge Road Board wan held at the Criterion Hotel, on Satuiday evening. Messis Taylor, (chairman) Allwill, and Forrest were piesent. The following tenders were accepted foi th>* works named : — Mr M. Dillon, Victoria Road ; Contract, forming 4s 10(1 ]>er chain, gravelling, Is pei y.ud. Mi A. J. Foirest, No. 1 Station Road Conttact, fouiniig Is lid per chain, gravelling Is 2d per ynrd, and Feneouit Road, Is per yard. Tlioie weie five other tenders ranging up to H-. for foiming road, and Is .xl for giav oiling. Numerous are the complaints at present being made with icgard to tho appioacherf of the Auckland railway htation. It is almost ankle deep with mud, and tho state which lady foot pa.ssengers or pyen inalen ,ue in when they arrive at the station may be more easily imagined than described. Tho whole thing is disgraceful, and reflects the greatest discredit upon our city or railway author'tieH. A person would be led to believe that they wero in luaguo with the cab proprietors, w hos« charged nro at tho present t imo highei than in any other colonial city. It is to bo hoped that every attention will be given to the matter. It is a source of astonishment to visitors to Auckland to find the price of fiuit ho high, and it does seem pa-oing strange that 111 .1 prov inco so well adapted for growing fiuit as this Is, it should be so deal to purchase. Tho supply j-* jjot »«'.i-ly up to tho demand. A largo quantity of fi mt is being consumed jn.st now 111 Auckland, and it i-j a. pity that farmer-, do not go in moie largely for its pioduction. No doubt it is difficult to carry sifely, but now that we arc having such tine steamers running on our eoa»t, mid railways foi land carnage, it in ji wonder inoje advantages is not taken of such a ready market for fruit. Settlers who aro troubled with fruit pilferers would do well to take ad. vantage of an idea conceived by a Pukekura nattier, and which, on being tried, has been ittendod with very successful icsiilts. This gentleman, whoso garden has been completely denuded for a number of years pn^t, Ins yeaily fiuit crop, vftlnud at about £100, having been cat lied off, displayed a number of fibli hooks at intervals along tho branuhou off some of hm best trees. Tho snare wan eminently mecennful. A fuw morning* after tho roguon camo in full force and turned their attention on a well laden Innh neaoh. The morning told a tala— t!u» fish hooks, some besmeared with blood and others can icd off, affording uninistakcnbln evidence of the success "f tho c\pi riment. The programme for Mr Ralph Hood* concerts 111 Hamilton and Cambridge, *|»im*iU' in our adveitiseinent columns, Mr It«lp)» Hood, the phenoincml going pianist, h.is oxtniordinnry powers of oxecutu>n h(-> touch ranj ing from tlio flofteifc pianiMimo to ;ho loude«t foite. He i» cjually at home in overy style ana

play* with the greatest brilliancy nnd expression. Ho will bo nuppnrted by Madaino Revitt, soprano ; Miss Stephen•um, mezzo soprano, and Air 8. R. Kocsing, baritone, Mii.s Donnvnn acting as accompanist. Judging from tho excellency of thn programmer, thi*e concert* »honld bo hnr'ily successful, as there will bo only one performance in »mc!i place*. The new s s. Gairloch which has lately boon built by Napier and (Jo of (il.isgow, to thi' nrdei oi th-* Noi thorn Steamship Cinnjwmv for tJi»* purpo c <>f hading i m thi* WV-t Ci>.i-t, .»nd which now Ikm along mdi* tho <Jii'*en Strict w li.irf, ha.s boon :vn object of much attraction during tho last week. She is a \ery handsome boat of 2">o ton burden, and her advent in tho West Co i*t tr.ulc should ]no\uaii immense benefit to such pnits .us Raglan and Kawhia, .md also W.ut ira, which .is yet have had no bo.it trading which was able to visit them if the weather was at all rough. She is of light draught, and should suit adnniably for the purpose, intended. An Auckland correspondent writes : — Major To Wheoro secins to ha\ebeen much unproved by Ins trip to Kngland. To Wheoro, however, regrets very much that he did not have the honour of an interview with Her Majesty (^ueen Victoria. His mind and intelligence appears to have been enlaiged, and it is als > worthy of note that he has ngidly adhered to his blue ribbon principles. It is to be hoped that he will now use the extra knowledge ho lias gained in fuither pi onmting the interests and welfare of his own people, and me his endea\<>uis to cement still more the good feeling now evicting between the Maoris and Euiopeans. It was unfortunate (says an Auckland correspondent) that the weather for tho regatta of IMC) w.u so unfavorable, and it prevented many people from beitijj spectators of perhaps the finest regatta winch has ever been held m Auckland. During the afternoon tho wind was moderate, but there wan still quite enough to allow «ome of the sailing races to be quickly disposed of. The Champion Five-oarod Whaleboat Race w.i*, however, the one in winch most interest was centred, eight crews competing, which, taken all round, would be a credit to any colony. The excitement was great when it was seen that tho Waitemata crew, No. 1, was likely to win, and as they passed the post first tho cheering wa* most hearty, it being easily seen that tho win wan both popular and merited. The display of bunting on the vessels m harbour was splendid, and much superior to what I saw at the Wellington regatta on the 22nd ult. Altogether the Regatta Committee are to be congratulated upon tho "ticccss of their efforts, and they, from all I can hear, deserve it, »* they have worked hard to biing matters to a successful issue. The following special messages to the Pre-^s Association dated London J.muaiy 30th and 31st h.ueb->en publiehed : — Speaking concerning the recent dynamite outrages, thi' Hmi. Mr Chuiiherlain sud they ought to be denounced by Mr rY.tnell and his party.— The .steamer Chilean, which went ashore at the Island of l'erim, in the Red Sea, h.-is l>een got off without sustaining any serious liijuiy. — Mr W. K. Foi-ter Mi«fg''«t-< tint a c ilonial confidence should be h"ld in London respecting Imperial defence. - It is expected that (ierin.tnv will shoitly make an ndditional annexation of islands in tho Pacific. — Mr Fred Humphries, emigration agent for Tasmania, hus b 'en enteitainen at a banquet, .md was al-o presented with a piece of plate. -The Rr.yal Colonial Institute has made repiessnt.itions to Lord Derby, urging him to prevent foieigners occupying any portion of New (Jninea. —Sir (ravin Duffy adviies the Tones to compiinnise with the Home Rule pirtj. — The Liquidator m the unt.-tteof the Oi lentil Bank his mule a f re -h offer for the settlement of the claim of the Victomn (Joy eminent. The following report was presented at tho annual nueting of tho shareholdeis of the Union Sash and Door Company, Auckland, on Sjtuidny :— The directors submit tho balance sheet and proht and loss account for the year ended 31st December, 1884. The amount available for appropiiation is £11,3f>2 (is Bd, of which has been distributed in inreiim div idend at 3Nt July la*t t'"i2"i!> (h, leaving a balance, available for dividend of £'1103 (X Sd. The directois lecoinmend a dividend at the rate of Is per fully pud up shaie, foi the six month-, ended 31-t December, lrtSJ, Jt .">'.) 1 1 Os 10d ; and cairyinK forwaid to cuirent year, fc'3lC>l 13s lOd ; total, £i»103 o.«d. During the term the directors have made a thorough investigation of tho company* propei ties and stocks. In propel ties and plant the result is very gratifying, and dts clo-es vast rcsonices which are daily be coming more valuable, and give the company a lai go capacity for profitable work, lv connection with timber stocks, the directors have ascei tamed tint a considerable deficiency exists. Tho extent of country covered by bu-h operations and tho ever- vary ing position of logs in the cieeks, makes it difficult to arnve at definite figuies, but tho direccms feel it piudent to recommend the wiiting off of £11,000, to cover a^cui tamed and possible deficiencies, and tho transfer of the amount from the reserve fund, which will then nt.\nd at £31,500. The dividend is payable on and from Fcbi v.v y o", 1885 The following account of the way things are done at tho Auckland Hospital, is from the pen of tho Auckland correspondent of the Otago Daily Times : —During the vinit of the Hon. Mr liuokley, the Colonial Kucret.uy, to Auckland, his time wrnt taken up in enquuing into the management of local iuntitutions, more especially the Hospital and charitable institutions. It is to Ijo hoped that his visit will result in some reform*, as the management of the hospital could scarcely lie worse than it is in y -oiu« n>pects. If tho iollowing is a sample of what local management loads to, the sooner it is abolished the better, ax nothing approaching it ever occurred m Di PhiUon's admin< istration under the old regime. The clay before last Anniversary Regatta, the master of . i cutter met with an internal injiny in fitting up his boat, Ik> was removed next morning from his residence to the hospital. Bomg a holiday, the regatta was up|H?rinost in Homo mindd— the home surgeon is ."aid to have boon on leave, or quasi leave, from the Hospital Committee— and the poor fellow lay till evoning, iiiffuriiifj from strangulated hernia, before Jin opi'iation was perfot ined. In some twenty-four hours or no thr poor fellow breathed hi« last, whatever chance of life he had being possibly lessened by the delay. Some tune afterwards a Volunteer shot himself, and hi* wound* being mottal, it was not advisable to rumovo him to the Hospital, but had ho been taken thrro tho housu surgeon was down the town lecturing, and tho man would hare been dead before his i-ervice* could havo been procured. A few inonthn later another man attempted to poison himself with " rough on rats," and beintr takon to the Hospital, it appeal -t to have been tho house burgeon's evening out, and the lady Hujionntoiidont had to tackle a* best she might, w ith the .stomach pump, an inebriated would bo-sui-cide. At the New Year races n man named P.ittoiHon received fatal injuries. On being taken to the Hospital it was found khat the houso surgeon was out in tho country, at Kemuera; tho lady *upeiiutendent away on loai'o for her holiday* ; and the Hospital porter apparently installed tempoiarily as medical ofHctn in charge, as he was master of tho hit nation when tho bearers of the wounded man laid him down m the Hospital singer y. Tlii* latter affair appears to havo exhausted the patience of a long-suffering public with Hcapjta) Committee management, and a warm Puns gnnti ov er.«y ensued. Two hoiitrt beforo poop Pattt'i'^on breathed hi* last tho house aurge.on proceeded on a water picnic and fishing exclusion, tho la«t moment* of the dying man being soothed t>y a young surgeon who came out in the Kaikuura. Mr John Knox will sell by auction at tlio H-imiliui) Auction Mirt on Saturday next at 2 n m , a larg" nunibrr «f V.ilu4ble books, cruet*, disi uit box, (ke, he, Mr Cecil Gardner's penny timr-t»blr for F< br nary is to hand This valuable and decidedly rbc ip } ■Mic^tion, rontaining a vast ijuantity of useful in. ormation compilfd in concise form, n (.tow int.' in popularity, and its prirp brings it within the reach oi ever>bod). A small pocket di%r> it t'lven with the time-table. lender* a/c called for by Mr T. (». Sandos on bihilf ot the Waikjto Comity Council, the I'liko County Counril, tI)C Caij(br|d({o Wo.jd Hoard, tho T.imahero Ko.id |loarrf f»f irioij"! road works in the different localities. Ihe particular' "f tlie works, and the tunes for me<itm£ rontr.vtors on the gronnd are specified in nur jii'.ertismc coluram. Mr J. Huckl.ind wHI &al! Nt Qhaiipo tn-tja), 300 hi'iiil of cittle, principally thortliorn '•Wars .md licifcrs. 10-morrow he v\ill hold his AV.uk.ito Sheep F.ur at Oliaupo, when a large number of sh< ep will bu submitted to auction, including drafts from the best flocks in tho. district. We dirrct attention to the list of entries. At the same time and phre In* vvp 1 -ejl a waggon witJi sh.iits, mare and hirnwss, single buggy apd harncis,