AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1965, 10 February 1885, Page 2

AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Kqual and exact jiutlcr to all men, Ot whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. Here «httl the Pre*i the People's nnht muntain. Uoawcd by influence and unbribed by gain.

TUESDAY, FEU. 10, ISSo.

The present attitude of the farmers towards the Beet-sugar scheme is not calculated to encourage the promoters. That the settlers of this district should manifest a disinclination to invest in shares in the proposed company is not, of course, very surprising. Generally speaking they are, like their hrethern in other parts of the colony, and in other countries, by no means extravagantly rich. That they should pause, therefore, before committing themselves to a liability of £30,000 or £40,000 is, if we admit that they are honest men, desirous of paying their just debts, not so very surprising. On the other hand, we are bound to believe that in thus holding back they are simply shrinking from shadows, that the difficulties they see standing out before them are imaginary and not real. But, to put aside the consideration of this subject for a moment, how is it that the area of roots guaranteed to be grown is so small I No such pecuniary considerations :\h are involved in the purchase of shares can influence the man who is asked to glow the law material. He is asked to give a guarantee that lie will raise ten, twenty, or thirty, or any given number of acres of roots, which means only a slight extension of his arable operations, and at the \ory worst he will be in as good si position as ho now occupies. Year after year, witli astonishing j,<.vsjo(o; fir, one fnrnuTs plant enormous areas of turnips, which in most cases are eaten by cnttle and sheep that do not return a profit, and large fields of wheat that seircely ever pay a fair percentage on the labour and capital employed in its production. Let anyone take the figures furnished by Messrs Graham, Swarbrick and Gillett, and on the basis of even a twelve ton crop of beet (which is ridiculously low) at His per ton, see whether wheat, oats or turnips will offer such a prospect of pi of it. But what need to go further '/ To suppose that the farmer does not see all this is to pay a very doubtful coinj>linient to his intelligence. As a matter of fart, fevr doubt th* mr-

rectness of the deductions drawn by the promoters, hut they reject the premisses. They are (mite willing to believe that, given a certain fixed sum for the roots, it would pay to grow th"in, but they are tilled with a fear that the sugar market is falling, and that in the faco of foreign competition no W.iikato factory could live and p-iy a remunerative price for the r.iw material. There arc croakers everywhere and always, and whether from interested inotive.s, or in an idle .spirit of mischief, the trib" line b.'gun to nuke their voite« heard on the sugar question. They point to th" discouraging reports of the iudustn in Europe, arising from overproduction, unmindhil of the fact that this very overproduction is owing to the facilities which e\i-«t for manufacturing beet-sugar, and that every condition favourable on the Continent is intensified here. Then they point to the decline of the cine industry in Queensland, and ask us, with a gleam of triumph in their eyes, whether we e\pect to do what Queensland has failed in doing, namely, keep the European article out of our markets 1 Answering objections such as these is weary work enough, but the importance of the subject demands that no false impressions should be allowed to maintain their existence. The answer to this particular query has been given often enough, and in detail, and it will lie sufficient for us just now to remark that the cane industry of Queensland lias been, and is, hampered by the labour question to an extent which few people would credit. The whole of the work has to be performed by natives, and the expense incurred in procuring the labour, and in the payment of it when it is obtained, largely outweighs its value. It is pretty generally accepted as a fact that since the abolition of slavery, which meant cheap labour and plenty of it, the sugar-cane's glory has been fading away. It is no wonder that in the circumstances German sugar should find its way into Queensland. But with us the case is totally different. We shall light the Continental product with quite another kind of weapon. Our sugar will be manufactiued from | similar material, and in the same manner, and if the Germans possess an advantage in respect of the price of labour (which they do) this i.s met by counter advantages on our side in the shape of a superior climate and soil for the growth of the beet, cheaper land, fewer taxes, and, lastly, of an import duty of .',d per pound. A great deal too much is made of the labour question. If it pays (and in the past it has) to grow and send wheat Home, to grow sheep and pay the I freight on fro/en mutton, and to milk cow-,, and make butter and cheese for the English markets, all of which industries involve the employment of labour, surely we can afford to grow sugar for our own use 1 If Waikato cheese can compete with Dutch cheese in London, surely Waikato sugar cm hold its own against the German article in Auckland / To return to the question of capital. We ha\ c not the slightest doubt that the money required will be forthcoming. lint it is necessary in their own interests as growers that farmers should have a voice in the direction of the industry. The amount of the capital may seem large, but it will not all be required for a very long time, if at all, and the prosperity derived from the industry as soon as it is fairly on its legs will make the payments easy to those shareholders who are also producers of roots. I3ut whether the fanner takes shares or not, let him at any rate givev c his support to the industry in other ways. If he cannot put his hand into hit* pocket, he can put his plough in the land, luk seed in the drills, and his hoisehoe between them, without having the bankruptcy court before him as an inevitable result. Let him, then, come forward and tell the promoters that he will grow the roots. There are plenty of people ready and even anxious to put their money into the project, and many of these are Auckland business men who are not in the habit of investing in uncertainties. Mr Osmond, one of these, is willing to take £.">OO worth of shares, and he is authorised by many others to use their names for a similar amount. Mr Graham and the other promoters are also prepared to back their opinions with their money. While there is ample time to set the industry on its feet befoie the coming season, there is none to throw away. Too much stress cannot be laid on the necessity for going to work at once. W.iikato is the first in the field, but if she lets the opportunity slip by, the South will undoubtedly take up the running, and we shall be, in sporting phrase, "out of it." The project has its detractors, but it has its f.ist and powerful friends as well. Mr Uallance is much impressed with its importance, and sees a prosperous future before it, and his opinion is shared by many tfiu'-Keeing men avlio have not given the subject half the study Mr Graham has bestowed upon it.

Major Tk Wjikoro'.s idea of an mdc pendent constitution for the Maoris under tlic sceptic of Tawhiao is not by my means a bad one— from the miijor'a point of view. The natural talent of the callant major lias from all appearances bet 11 largely developed during; bis sojourn at the antipodes, and the existing state of affairs across the bonier affords him ample scope for an indulgence of his patriotic cnpriocs. The major's present position is a peculiar one — one that requires unusual tact and an exercise of more than ordinary genius to sustain. For a long time he was trusted by his people as their represpntative in Parliament. The extent of his labours there and the success that attended them so far at concerned the affairs of the natives, are sufficiently well known in this part of the country, and call for little comment. His vote was pietty much at the disposal of those from whom he might expect most in the event of success ; for,

like mauy of our modern legislators, he had come to look upon Pirlinmentiwy life as a me>ins to an en 1, that end beinjj a f.iiily liberal incmnu. Bit the majoi's nature is not (ju escent. Hy scented much bijrgtr game. The unfortunate natives were dduded into contributing almost eveiy penny th<y pr>s-,e^sed or could borrow to defray the eo*t of the irreat M ion MNsioi to England. Tiwlnao w.n easily lnonglit uniler the nitsmeiic intlnenci* of Te Wheoro, w'io found 5 convenient helper in Meßeth, and the old man's imagination w.ii filed to mich an cstent by the pros pect of soti.il intercourse with the Queen, the recalling of the (Jmernor, tlie di->mis»nl of Parliament, the banding our of the coniUcitcd lands, and lilts own elevation to a lecogni-ed kingship, that lie w ilhngly consented to !>e the hendpitcc of what to his id visors was nothing short of a remarkably jolly outing, ostensibly on public business, and at public expense. Te Wheoro on his return was well aware of what was expected of the mission home, of which he was the cicerone : he was not blind to the fact that to him the Natives looked for some tangible u&nlt • and knowing that it devolved upon him to do something, or at least to make a pretence of doing something, he bethought himself of a distinct Maori constitution, the idea of which he promulgated at Friday's meeting. While the gallant gentleman was in Parliament he hid very little to say about a dual constitution for New Zealand. His contentment was then proverbial. He merely looked npon the Natives as a means of keeping him there, and had they not in their forgetfulness displaced him during his absence, his present iad would doubtless never have occurred to him. As an instance of the major's unselfishness and smcereity in this matter may be taken his action in respect to Mr Bryce's offer to Tawhiao. The icason that llewi and Wohanui give for inducing Tawhiao to reject Mr Bryje's offer is simply that, because Ie Wheoro interfered on behalf of Mr Bryce and endeavoured to induce Tiwhino to abandon any pietensioni he might have to nn unstable kingship, they became suspicions and cried off. Had Mr Bryce not invoked the nisUttncc of the sagacious major, success would have crowned his efforts. Te Wheoro is now in the position of the small hoy who having been to the theatre returns home and tues to woik up a little drama on his own account. The idea is not at all a bad one, major, especially if yon could only induce the Government to buy the copyright.

The Rev. H. R- Dewsbury contemplates another lecture ,it an early date.

The Native Land Court will sit nt Cambridge <>n Thursday fur the M.umgat uit.in rehearing.

It is proposed to hold a volunteer one.iinpiui'iit at Auckland, .itKister. Thp 'IV AwiJinutn Ca\.»lry are to hi> inwtt'd to be presi'nt.

The PM.S. City of Sidney, with the Entflwh and Aincncui nuilh \ii San Fr.incwco aim i'«l <it Auckland .it 10 .1.111. on Sunday. The Waik.ito pmtiou (if the iuaiK w.n dolnert-d yosteid.iy.

Mr Glassford. the gentleman who iccently purchased .1 liUtfi* e^t.it* 1 -.it Richmond, "Pinko, li.is piiicliftMid the leaie <>f Mr Timu I '-. propt'ity .<t T.un.ihi'ru, known as liriarlev, wheiu ho iiitt'iuU to reside foi the piesent.

The following gentlemen wera nomin tti'd yesterday f«»i the office of LiceiiMiigC'iiniiiitticmt'iifor the Horonghof Hamilton :—Mi->m-<: — Mi->m-< W. A. <Ji ili.un, (ii'o. Kdgcumk', A. Sett, <i.".. Wlnt.-, Win. ])i-y, .m<l R lV.it. Th" poll will he taken on Monday nt'\t, the H>tli in-.t.

The importation of frozen mutton into Kii^l.md h.i~> made pronto-.-* within the l.i-t f • >ni Vimi-, tlicfifjuro^lH-inir: —From New Ziul.tnd, in 1-SSI, nil ; in 1882, 8,810 ; in IX.S3, 75,7">4 : .md in IKSB, :«1K,«.V.1 ; frmn Au-tr 111.1, in 1 SSI, 13,771; m IS^J, .■)">,OS7; in ISS3, t)0,717; .uid m ISS4, 107,437 ; while in ISS4 tin 1 imp irtation fiom the Hiver Plate h.is Ixen .">4,3(i!t.

Intending competitors at the fi'itlici nning Tfoiticultiu.il Show for l.uge varieties in tin* cl.ws foi apple*, will h.iu* •totntxhfhciilty in heating Mr Vincent, of Hamilton K.ct. Hi' l**ffc with us, \e>terd.iy, two apples of the \.metv kn<>\Mi .is Kentish Fillh.ioket, th.it tuined tlie at throe pounds.

Mr S. Vaile. the well-known railway reformer, a\ ill lecture in fio Public Hall, Ohaupo, to-night, .it 8 o'clock. This will ghe the nettlois of that district an opportunity of hearing Mi Vailo c\poimd his principles on thi> wry important question. Thuie will doubtless be a laige attendance.

The first meeting of the Cambridge Lawn Tennis Club will lw held on tho Court on Thur-tdiiy afternoon at ii o'clock. A full attendance of member*, ladies and gentlemen. i-< expected. Tlie "uerel.iry, Mr Moore, li.is succeeded in getting the ground in very good condition, and the playing muteiul is now to hand.

The match between Mr Forrest's Phthisic ,uid Mr Rhodes' MisUke, for £'10 aside c.mie off on the Cambridge course on H.itur«'av mc rinnp at >e\en o'clock. There w.ii .1 f.m attendance, of spectator-. After a good r.ico Mi-t.ike won by •tboiit a length. Fred (loldsnnth rode Mistake, .iud Phthisic was ridden by younp Forrest.

Before leaving Cambridge on Saturday morning Mr li.illanco was shown d\cr ttio Ctinhridgi 1 L.tku roserve by the chairman of the domain hoard, Mr Wells. The Minister oxpreswd hltusulf highly plotted with the nipnnemenN th.it h.ul t.tkcii place and tlio--e coiitciupl.ited, .itid ■whu \Mill Hiiti->tiod with the in, inner in which tin- affair-* ot the doni.un b<mi'd were bi-ing .idnmiUtcrod.

The old house at the end of the C unbririgf ntation riouihN for many yearn occupied l>y Mr .Tas. ll.illy was destroyed by f;re on .Sunday morning la**t. The building h:iri been untcuunted for somo time, and had of late become almost a complete wreck. Some .itti lbute thectu->e of the tire to the heat, while others attiibutu it to larrikmiim.

From enquiries we have instituted we hud th it tliu r.iiluuy rjep.n tinunt Ims nothing to dn with tliu >-tntn of the *t ttlon approaches at Auckland. In the intcroHtn txitli (if tho «lep.utmi3iit mid tin- tr.u oiling pulili?, the dintuct malinger has lung ago directed the attention of the city anthori ties to this very midcsiiable state of things, but furtlici ho is pm>ciluss.

The anniversary sermons in aid <>f tin- C.unbiidtfo HaptUt >S iblutli^olioul will be preached in the T.ibernacle «n Stniday ne\t, morning and evening. The Rev. W. K. Rico, of the Welleslcy-stioet 13«ij>ti-*t Cljurcb, Auckland, will prt'.icli both HiTiiion*. In tin*, aftiTiioiin at throe o'clock ail address will bo delivered in the samo jil.ieu bv Mr It. T, H<ioth, tint wellknown blue libbon toinpei Alien atl\ nuat.u.

We have received from Mr William K>l\ ester Ptilford, Auckland, .1 copy of hi-, Newspaper Map And Dhectory of New Zealand. As its name implies, it gives a INt of tho towns in which newspapers are pr.blinhud, tlio names of such papers, and tho day* of jnililiuatioii, whijo tho map shows the position of tliM v.u'lkiih tnwn-.. The publicition should provn of gioat lino t<> enterprising business people in selecting proper tnedinms for ndvortisinp.

The following tenders were rerojved l>v Mr D. Richardson, nrrhitept, O.iriibi|dtf<», for the election of n liouso for Mr Win. HumoU :~OlKiltn<l-> aiul Young, t!47'» ; M.inndor niul Hoslook, W2') : r .mt and Lord, £415 l.Ksi)d ; Maddigaii, £401 l.'.s { ColliiH, £3HB 10s; Murphy, €3M'. l.^ ■ Hmordon. £38,") ; Carter, £X>B ; Hnpan, £358; WorthitiKton, £34.") ; Jarri'tt, £33 1 lHs lOd; Arnabolfh, £'AV>. One tender wliiuh orri^t-d by jxiat at (J.3"> was too Lite.

A few days ago the Tamahere Farniorn' Club received an ji)tjt)j,iti<>u from Mr A. Buckland to tho effect tli.it Jn> intended to coinmcncu Milling by real weight at »n o.nly d-»te, He nieutioncrl Tlin^day noxt a« tliu piob.ililit <j»v, but on H.itur<4.iy be tolo^rapht*} tl)<tt lII* Jrrnii(?iiii'i)nta are not sutlicioiitly advanced tv wll by that (Iny. Tho d.ito will bo duly .)d\«rti-crj, It i^ p\pcctcd that n number <>f our proiiunnnt nottlers will po to Auckland to bo present at the fir-.t s.ilo by real weight.

At a meeting of the Cambridge Jockey Club on .Saturd.iv nicjht the pioKr.unmo of the Autumn Meeting was somewhat alteieil. Thn pri/o foi the thst day'tf Hurdle i.ic« xvas inure.iHed to /jQ-iovj, and tho Selling' Muck wim reduced to I.*ik()\4. Tho Shoitt) H>UH]fc.ip wfth r.ii-cd to L'Shoim. A Rollinsr Hack Hurfllf r.tce for 15sovx, j was AcMed to the flnt day'"* programmd

Meiwra Allwill, Format, and Brown were appointed a committee to got the course in proper order.

On Saturday last we ware shown wmio veiy noticeable potatoes grown in the girdeii of Mr P. Le Quosne, Hamilton K.ist. Six potatoes weighing about three pounds, of the variety known Hi the Ann>rimii (ii.mt, were obtained by Mr L<; Qiu^no from Mr (Jeitrge Mason l.itt year. These were cut up into twonty-two t-et^, ami phntcil out. Seven of the-^e seU f.i.l.d, lint tlif n'ln.iininj? fifteen produuocl no Kms than '.)A\h of |mttit<» > - l tiiiui 1 woighing ol.ero 1 . er 'J!ti each, .md ne.»rlv «dl in.irkctitble. Six j> >tatoc-> of tho Smnv Flake \anety yielded 4nr>.

At a meeting of the Kirikiriroa Kmid Uoaul, held mi Saturday, tlio follow - nijj tender-* weio leccned fur m tin road lll.lllltlMlillCC • — WllOlllll ftlklJUll^l, t'llo 12-i ; Jas. (Jooinbm, No. I £7"», No. 2 £4."), t-t il £120. The b i.ml considered botli ti'iulurs too lii};h, iiiu] nistmuti'd thi> «mi»»iuoir to cill for frt'-^h tender--. The en<,'iue"i w.»s in-tmcted to nuke a thmough e\ainin.ition nf the T.itnahcrn bridge over the Muiig.ioiiua cieek, Hiiinilton-dimbrul^t' raid, with a \ie\v to s-ceing wliat rep.ui^, if any, are neresst>ry. It was stated at the meeting that the (J<>\ eminent was ab nit to call for tenders for widening and deepening the railway outfall dram at the Kuakura. Junction.

When the workmen employed by Mr Isaacs on thr contract for supplying telegiaph poles for the line between T.iupo and Cambridge were about to commence work they were stopped by some of the Ngatingnrong.v trilw, the same who, it will be remembered, obstructed the mirvey of the Waotu bush wmie tiiun ago. They thientenod to destroy any work th.it might be done. Mr Isaacs was noon on the ncene, and startoJ tho men to work again with instructions that they were to proceed in the face of opposition. The X.iti\e-< s.ud tho land h.vd been stolen frmn them by the Government. Finding that opposition w«w useless the Natives, who, i», appears, have no title to the land, ahook hands .ill round and cleared off.

The usual fortnightly meeting in connection with the Hamilton Wcsleyan IJ.ind of Hope, was held last nitfht. Mr (I. French presided, and there was .1 lar^e attendance. Mrs C>>\ presided .it tlie h.irmoniuni. Tlie following piotfrnimne was tfone thiomjh :— S iln, Kti/nb 'th Cornir.h ; r.'.ulin^, Wilhun Amir w ; riiliil'"!, Kdwm l)t\v; recitation, J. lines Tidd ; reidnivf, William D.i\is; chorus, Edith Co\, K.tte Siliaon. Kli/al>eth Gorni->h, Clurles Cox and William Andrew ; reading, Mrs Home; solo, Chailes Cox; solo, Miss Thompson ; reading, Miss Trewheollar. Tlie Htud .it piest'iit numbers 7'(. At the close of tho meeting seven adults signed the pledge .md "donned the blue."

The police have not yet been able to find :in owner fur tho horse stolen L>y th.it ardent di-teiple of Fra Diavolo, vounjj Hackett. The following is .1 description of the animal: -Colour, d.uk chestnut, with white stre.ik dow n tho faco, height, about 14 hands 2 inch, a#e 7 yeir«, brand HA on ofT ininp, ho is unshod. The, saddle .md bndlf used by the embyotic hiph\\.iyiiMii %vi-ro taken from a home the property of Mr W. J. Thompson, ;i uettler at Oh.iupo, between the hoins of S and 11 on Sntnrdny, the 31st, and were valued at t'3. The followuitf i~ .i description ofaw.iteh iji\en by II 'ckett to au 'hotel-keeper m this dihtritt in payment of an nccoiinb for boird and lodging, and which is now believed to ha\e l>een obtained by (juestionable in-Mtis :- \n open face (Jene\.i watch, NoL'lilM-l, with two b^ck c ise-, inside each of w Inch i-> written "T. D.i\ies."

To the Editor : Sir,— Touching the late Waipa K.ite Miotinjr, held on the 2!(th J.inutry, I, a-. a spectator, was surpiised to observe the loose manner in which some of the rue- of the club with c irnorl out. In reference to the joekej s, some lode in full uniform and piopt-r colonis, while miiui 1 rode in tioiiMT-*, --pnnn—idc bo<rt«(, &c. ; a niotU-y l»t they looked, but Iwis plad to iib-ciu 1 not onu of thriu rode smoking. Onr well known "-|>oit" entered and ian lih liorsi- under a wrontf nanic in one race, r.i*i him about List in sv field of nine, and immediately after the race olfered to run the winner for ±!"iO a -ide. Comment is needles-. Again, the handicapnintf done by the local anmtour-i was fsujuble. Never on a rac* cour.se diil I hear s ( > much ad\eisc criticism by the public. It is sincerely to bj hoped by the next meeting the committee will be aMe to rind local handicappiTi better qualified to fill the onerous office and <,'i\e satisfaction to the public at large.— l am, &c., OusKium.

The usual monthly meeting of the Hamilton Koad Hoard was held on Saturday. Present : Messrs Atkuiioii (chairman), HklKt .me] K\celby.— A lettei was lecoived from the Waikato County Council, making repeated application for pajment of thu hum of £4 14s, being the amount of the debenture redeemed by the council on the boaid's bohalf. It was intitn ited that uules- the amount v\eie paid at an eirly date tin* council would pioceed to collect the special rate levied on the district as security for thf rep»yment of the loan. After coiiMdmblo di-<ciH i 'i<in it was rowlived, " That the t'4 14s applied for by the W.iipa County Council be not piid, upon these grounds, namely : Th it othei lidm^s in the county having boirowed uinnejH under thu same Act, the council in 'etin,: the debentures out of the general funds of the count)', the Hamilton Road Hoard conMdiT it an injustice to expect them to piy these debentutcs out of their revenue w hen the money was expended entirely upon mam ro.id works." Some othor bu»inu>s of :\ routine nature was transacted and thi* board adjourned.

! The following special messages to the Press Attention, dated Lowlim, Febmaiy *>th and 7th, havelwen published : — The KecidivUtes. Hill has passed its second reading in the French Si i ii.it«\ M. Kosseiu contended thkt the recidmste.s wiiuld l»e an .iciimMtinu to the colonies. — J''l .ujuf mi.uiiiiKHH in firm. Hiding that the Convict Hill xhoiild bo relej;.vte«l. M. HereiiKer'-* -elji'ino, which wmihl h ive hugely supeineiled the present Hill, his b emi'jt eted. — The cathedral at J.icob»t.idt, <i town of Kunxia in Finland, has been dynamited. — Information has I men recened that four Portugese war vessel* liavo occupied the mouth of tho C<m^<i Ui\er.— Speaking at P.iddiugton Li^t night Sir Chailes Dilk.' -tated that Count .Minister, the ( ieiiuiin Ambassador in London, was on the 2tith January instiucted to convey the Hritish Uoseinment's piote-it apam«t the (ieiman annex. itiou in North New Ouuiei as being contiary to the promise made by the (ieiman (tovernment I'jiigliuul.

Mr M'Farland, the Oommisgioner(Jeiieril of the Amuilc.ui JLutid Oltiuu, wt.itn-. in his aimu.il report th.it 'Jr. 000.000 acres of laud were either .sold 01 given in pr.»ut-< during tlio financial jear IMB3 K4, and that the Fedeial Tio.iMiry received for them a sum <>f rj,7iS!t,ooo<lols., thus it-presenting .in iucro.isti uf **,101,000 acies nnd 1,073,31>4 dolw. ni-er tlio total of thu pluvious year, Mr M'F.irlaiid is «.f opinion Unit the hi;,'in. Litmn iitTuuting public l.iii<JM ie<|iiiroh to bo modified, as.it pie^ont it opt-iis the door to m.tuy ti.bu-.eM, and he recomnu-nds that all purchaser', should bo compelled to cultivate what they purchase, instead of keeping it for purp't.sesof h|ieculati<tn, This is sjn'ci.illy tho oaxo with foro>t laiid. iuid ho points out that inuoh of Ir, wort)) from liidols, to lOOdols. an acr», is soltl for a tenth of jts value to immigrants who are meiely acting on behalf of spfcul.itor.s. He further recommends tlie le atforestim^ uf the legion^ bordering upon the great rivers, which are n«>w ulnioit completely denuded of timbci. Hn aliti pj|ljs thp attoiitjon uf (ioveinment to the depnul.itioiu oonimittod in tho West upon the pubho lauds, a* Ihi estimntns that 4,431,'K50 acres have Ixien illfgally "on closed," principally in New Mexico, Colorado, and tho States or Territories of the South- West. Mr M'Farland terminates his repoit by stating tli.it 5,343,1."it acres hA\c been ceded to tho different Hallway Companies duimg tho past year, iw ujjuiiHt «,4'A B I K icips m 1««3 M,

We would draw tbe attention of those lokscos of the Cambridge Domtin linds who .lie behind with their icnts to an advertisement appearing in another pait (if thin issue Tlnough tin- perMstent apathy ■>f xome of the leKMiOh in this matter, (lit: Ijo.inJ has of lute been duftmg into pecuniaiy diHioultio*, their oveiJraft at presen!/ being iiljout tifJW), 'j'hi 1 * ii not \'eiy ple.is.int, .uid i>l| tl|ot,e who i|ru ji| .uieiirs sh'Mlhl lorte i)ii tune ii| coining forw.ud and ni.iKinfir good tlit, deficiency, Should they lint d« so liiiiuedliitojy, tho bo.ijd h.ive arrtiiiged t«» ment a^.iln no\t Hatnrd.iy to consider what courno they will adopt to compel pa.Miiont. During lih \isit to Cnnbri(Jgp, Afr liall.inLt* was interviewod by Mr Wells on tho matter. Mr WelN pointed out that the lessees had petitioned the (•oveiouient to reduce the rent-'. Tho ( ti>\ eminent had ■ eplied that they had no l)()\v(;r to do so. The boa id eoi^ideied the JoKsofiu vero siiffepng great h:ud«hip, and and. thought Jf at 4}] |)ii^ib.||> hoiiio rodction should be niado, Mr ballsmce ognjed. that

under the circumr-Uncefi a reduction was advis.iblo, but ho did not believe that the Government hud power to meet the request of the lessee < ; howewr, the board could make a fuithe.r recommendation, and ho would do his best to ghe effect to it.

It would be hard to surmise what reply the <Jo\ eminent will gi>e to the modest request of I'aturn to Tuhi, that the Hiiu'inoa lie placed at the di-tjioHiil of the u itives for tho big Match meeting at Whatiuh itihoe. We do not think th it the old chief could have l>een in earnest ; he was osidtnth puking fun at tlio Minister. In the firrtt place the steamer, if gianted, could Iv of little 01 no u«.e whatever. Hhe might pick up a few people about Wnnga.mil or Tar.maki, and laud them at K.iuln.i, from whieli jil.ice they would have to proceed on foot to the, --ci'iie of their delibeiation-. at Whitiwhatihoe. Indeed, there can l>e no doubt that every n.itne who lias got a horse, and who desires to take i>art in the proceedings will take th.it very populir mean*, of tianspoitmg himself aeros-. the country. In the next place, it is to be hoped 'the (Jorernnicnt have Rot mifficient louse -01 perhaps courage would bj a better word— to give a \ery poi«itivp negative to the request. To establish mich a precedent would create more mischief than to refuse, and indeed we are \ery much •surprised that Mr Bullance should ever for a single moment have serionyly entertained the matter.

The following particulars Concerning Germany's action m New (Jmnea are contained in .1 message to the Pres-, Ahdociiitioii, dated London, 1'Vl). 7th :—ln: — In August Prince Bismarck intimated to tin* Imjierial Government th.it Germ my would protest against the northern portion of New Guinea being annexed by (Jre.it Brit.un. To this mtiin.ition Karl Granvillo rephtd that the hunt of the British .I'incx.ition would only be the Houthern coast, and in September he informed Prince Bif-in.irck that, in consequence of pressure brought by the Australian colonies, the British Government decided to protect all unoccupied territory, except a small piece at the north of the island. Prince Bismarck objected to this, and in October Earl Granville reverted to the first intention of only annexing tho southern const. In December the Hon. Mr Meade, one of the Assist mt Under- Secretaries of tho Colonul Olhee, who h.h despatched ti Beilm by the Foieign Office, to make arrangement-, fur the meeting of a convention to adjudicate niton tin- n\.\l claims to the Pacific Island*, proposed at Berlin thit Great Britain should possess. exclusive pioteetionover New Guinea, and that Germany should lie recognised as having a protectorate of New Bntain, New Ireland, and York Isl mds. He also proposed to neutralise the rem lining unoccupied islands of the Paciti'", and specially refened to Samoa and Tonga. He fuithor suggested that England should olfer a simli concession m Africa to France, providing the Utter gave up all claim to the New Hebrides. Prince Bismarck refused to agree to this. Eirl Gianrille an->w»te<l that the propostd annexation of the northern portion of New Guinea by Germany would lead to strained relations with the colonies. Prince Bismarck replied that the internal policy would b" unaffected so far as Geunany was concerned, and he insisted on the fulfilment of the promises in October. In January, Eirl Gramille again protested against the Gcnnan annexation of the northern portion of New Guinea-, prior to the appointment of the proposed commission, and at the sunu time intimated that Kngl uid had now extended her protectorate as far as the Huon Gulf. He also charged Germany with intriguing for Simoa. — On receipt of this Prince Bismarck instantly wired that the pioposed a v tension to the Huon Gulf would probihly involve a collision of interests --Karl Gramille explained that he was unaware th it Germany desired any of the tertttory to the southward of the gulf named, and he also admitted th.it theie was a treaty which provided that neither England nor New Zetland must annex Samoa at present. -Another tele gram nays : — Pnnce Bistn irek contends that the recent annexation bv Kngland of a part of Northern New Gtiinei is at variance with the assurance given by Eul Grain ille. The latter replies th.it this «tcp was tendered nece-sary fioin a fear of hllibmtering.