COMMENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1967, 14 February 1885, Page 2

COMMENTS.

Mk Li nno\, bookseller, of Auckland and H.uiiilton, has ius>t published in p-imphlet foim .some Maon ti.iditinns fioin the facile pen of the lamented Judge Mailing. The stones are not new, but in their present form they will be welcomed by all who haxeiead the judge's inimitable "Old New Zealand." The little book befoie us contains the "Maori tradition of Creation," "The Maori Hercules,' " A M.IOM love story," and "The Maoii spiiitland." Of these the stoiy of the Maori Hercules is the bt-t. Tins gentleman who, l*y the way, was not a gentle man, but a demigod, bore the n line of Mam-tiki tiki a-Taianga, and in the com be of his career did some very wonder ful things. The Oieit Heicuies, who was rather a clever fellow too in his way, was nothing to M.uii— notaciiciimbUnce. Mani is the individual who fished up New Zealand (or some othei land, for authoii ties differ), from the depths ot the Pacific, but this was only a holiday fuat to him. It seems that in his tune the days used to be much shoiter than they usually are now, by re ison of the great speed of the sun ; and this, comnined with the tenific heat emitted by the solai body, made it impossible to woik. The people objected to the conduct of the sun veiy stiongly, but that wa-> about all they could do. But our friend Mani (if he will penmt us to call him such), was quite equal to the occasion. Accompanied by his biotheis, who weie aNo lathei ieinarkablc .specimens, he tia\clled to the spot w hei c the Mm 1 lses. and w lion Hm-bus, or w hatever he was called in those days, came up out of his hole, the bold Heicuies cast a rope snaie over him, and theie he was, held by the brotheis. While the sun was in this helpless condition, Mam. armed with the jaw bone of one of his ancebtois, knocked some of the stuffing out of him. In the picturesque symbolism of the Maori, the sun's shining locks weie divided, so that they now icacli the earth in acatteicd lay'i and not as of old in solid flames of file Another result of thf hammci ing received by the sun is that he now goes moie slowly, and the days are consequently longei than they were. Maui did lots of cle\er thing I',1 ', but this set, to with old Sol seems to ha\c been the thing his destcndents nicpioudchtot. But Mam was not always actuated by pure motives . he was just as fond of doing wrong as of doing light Judge Mailing leckons him veiy tcnely. "H« was," say 3 the judge. " a tlioiough laruUin, and a plague both to gods a.id men," which, considenny all tilings, is not unfair criticism. Those who" have known nothing heretofoie about Hinemoa and her lover, except their names, will be disenchanted by the story of their love as told in this little book. Theiew nothing very extiaoidinaiy in the fact that a Maori gill floated on four gourds (she did not swim) to the island of Mokoia, on Kotorua, in order to meet "the disturber of her hcait," Tutanekai, the tones of whose flute, lured her from the mainland. It is rather a joke, too, to call Kotorua a " sea," and to say that during the \oyage to Mokoia, Hinemoa was out of sight of land. If the gourds had sprung a leak, and so drowned the adventurous maiden, or if she had really pel formed tho passage by swimming, or if Trttanckai had fallen o\cr the cliffs and broken his neck just at the moment Hineinoa stepped aahoic, or it the island had disappeared about this time, or it something else had happened, the stoiy might have been interesting. It is lather surpiising that a people who can he so unblushingly about Maui should have been content with such a tame yarn a» this about "the

beauteous Hinemoa." The last sLetdi i-> in wise, and tells us how an<l in what manner tlie spu its of the defunct Maons got clown to tlie lower regions. The means of ingress niu provided by a rweru aomewheie near the Noith Cape Uneducated people laugh at tlie idea, lint the pioot ot the pudding is in tlio eating As they speed towards the cave, the deputing »piiit3 aie accustomed to tie tlie leaves of certain tiee-> in knot-, mil tlie leases are there to piose it. It is worthy of lem uk that nil the spu its appear to i;o down, a reflfetion which is not without a gleam of comfoit. These traditions liave their me in assisting the foi niation of an estimate of the Maoii eh.nactei, and in tracing tlie lace b.icU to its parent stock. On this gumnd we must be gintoftil to the meiiioiy of him who tianslated them, and who lias, un happily, pa»-.ed away. \V( ought to add that the book contains, liy way of a fiontiapioce, a \eiygood Itkeni>a3 of the author.

Thk Victorians have said and done a great many foolish things in refercuce to the annexation ot New Guinea. As a colony, Victona lias not acted in a \cry dignified way, and as individuals many of the colonists have cut astonishing capers. They seem now to have parsed thiough the angiy stage, and to be wadmg into the iionieal. By yesterday's post we received from the pubhsheis, Messrs Inglis and Co. Mtlhouinc, one of the silliest and most pointless cartoons it has even been our ill fortune to look upon. The scene is the sea shore of New Guinea, with Australia o\er the water. Lord Derby (we presume the artiat means the figure to represent Lord Derby) and Mr Gladstone (whom we can oi.ly recognise fioin the circumstance that be carnes an a\c in his coat pocket) have apparently only just landed. How they managed to do it is a my-tery, .is tlieie is no boat near, and only a couple of it onclads miles away. Likely enough they swam ashore. However, the Hist thing thfysccis a broken Hag-start, and upon the Union Jack, which I itely ltis>sed the brce/es from its summit, the German Chancellor leclme-. in giaccful attitude. This is only a figure of speech, however. Asa matter of fact, and, if the inles of peispective go for anything, Hisin.uck is sitting upon nothing at all hi paiticular, and looks as if he was anything but satisfied with his position. Why he should odor Mr Gladstone a souk tiling which looks like a biead plat Nt, or a piece of gingerbread, or anything else round and measuring about eight inches in diami'tei, and stamped "New Guinea :" or why the Bnti-.li Premier should look as if he wouldn't take the curious looking thing upon any consideration, (unless ho ap prehf tided dynamite) ; or why Bismarck should place his elbow on the map of the cotuitt y ;01 w liy t he supposed Lord Dei by should cany about half a, hunched weight of ice under his aim (unless he wants to wet his coat sleeve) or why a hiice kang.uoo, measniinitat least two miles tiom the end of his nose to the tip of his till, I judging by the size of the ironclads) should look down benignly on the pioeeeding* fiom the opposite coast, thiough a binocular ; 01 why the natives should put tlieii thumbs to their noses ; or what the aitist who ininuf.utuied the pictme meant anyhow — are questions more e.i-ily asked than answoied The most obvious construction to put upon the "pictuie' is that Bisnniek Inv ing demolished the British fl.igstifl (which does not jump with history) is lathci sony for what he has done, and probably not a little f tightened at the piospect of receiving .1 call fiom the healthy two mile kan«aioo over the way. In this frame ot mind lv- boirows a guinci fiom the natives in older to appease Mr Gladstone, but the lattei. astounded at the meanness of the offer, indignantly rejects it. The whole thing is a wretched tiavebty of a satue, but it is .juite characteristic of a people who went mj far as to lecoinmend the Queen to dismiss the Secietaiy of State for the Colonies.

Our Kihikihi correspondent's Icttri, and >e\i'ial otli'-i itt'im <>f local in teit>~t ,ni' cnmilt li out of tln> l^-in 1 .

Mr R- T. Booth will deliver his second to'inpi-Mimeo leutuie, in tin- Public Hall, Cainlmdge, at 8 )> in. t<i day.

The dates of the nominations ,ni(l polling fni tlit' \,mou> Litt li-inj,' ConnmttiH' I'k'itum-. m W.uk.ito will Ih 1 found ,ul\i'iti-i'd in <itn liwmiu's*. culuuiiis.

Nominations of candidates for licencing c<>iiinii>Moiiei*<, U.unbudge Town l)i>tnct, will be leueived .it the town bo ml oihco, Cuiilnidxi', "» «'i b'furo noun on S.itiud.tv, 21 -t msfr. An election, if iiccc>-.uy, will bo held oil Satin d.iy, 2Sth ni^t.

Adjourned meetings of houselluldci-. to fleet ichool conililttecH .tt M.m^M|iik<>. N^.ihniuiinun, I'uUt'iiiim, H.i'/l.m, .md W.utctim.i Mill In- lu'ld at tbo pi. «>•-. .nit! l>inu> an .uhi-iti^c-HH'llt 111 .Ul'itlliT Collllilll.

Yesterday was undoubtedly the hottest <l.i\ wt 1 hau* li.ul tln-> Miiniiior. At liiidd.iy the tin nmmirtrr stood ,it i>u>i SO in tln> sliidf, while at 15. oO p,ii> it 7.S . Tlie we.ulier h.is been \ny f.iMiui.iliKfi>i li.mot oin'i.itioiH, though lam li.i«,l>uen thio.ktuiiin^.

Mr Ashbury, with a couple of fi lend-, wlm .'iccomp.micd limifmui England, dime to A'evituh.i ye^teid.ix in out 1 of Mi (!. V\ John>mi\ >\.»},'p>'i-, fm tin 1 |hii|>om) of p.iyni^ .1 \isit t" T.iuln.in, whu when in iMltfl.llld \\.l-* tilt} tfIHM, fol ,1 slioit tllllL of Mi Vshbmj, .it UiiKlitiui.

The opening meeting of the CamI>ihlk« Liwn 'JVnni^ Club was hiM mi Tlnuvl.iy l.i-t. Tlieie was .1 \ei> f.in attendant c nf nii'iiil)ci->. Tli-if wuc also .1 nuiiiix'i of ladii's on tin 1 •riiMind, sc\inal (if whom jiont'il tin 1 clvl >. Tin' i inn t i> now opiMi .it all timi 1 -. fm liUMiibet ~. nn<l then fin-iiel-%

The cricket match, Hamilton v. C.inibiidtff, will l>c pl.iM-il "li tht 1 ui <>und «>f tin 1 fninu'i, Sidney .S<ju,uo, today. The following will coiiipiisi- tlio Hamilton tf.iiH :— Browning, rinpi'i, Uio«ne, StPM'iw, Fullest, KnK, Yon Stui mm, J. Kilge Liiinbo, Momiici, ('ontiolly, l'.uton. Knu-i gi-ncu -. : Coolu.uio .uid lvi'up. l'l.iy will coniiuenco at 11 J5O >li.u|).

Tenders were received at the nioi'tiiiK <>f the I'i.ikn County Council on Wednesday, 11th it»~«t , for wmks on Tao to.uoii main load, for which the sum of t'7.*>o was allocated under the, Hindi and Undges Coiistiuction Act. The following tendeis wiMO accepted, subject to the ap pKiv.il nf the Mhii»lim ii'spi'ctmjj the miiii allocated to the diffeicnt nding^ : Mi ()']>i>n»huc, No. '2, 11 and 4, at (id a\.nd. Tn rcfcienco to No. 1 cmtiact, it was <h> cidt'd to rivo Mr Hamilton tl»> lcfiwal, ln> havinp tcndcicd foi the whole of the coiitiact^. [nthcoxciit of Ins not choosing to take up No. 1 contiact, it v as decided to take up Mi Wattam s contiact.

The annual treat in connection with the H.innlton Wi>s],>\ an Sunday-school cunt' off yestetd.iy in Mi Campbells paddock, at Hamilton Wfst. Cnckct, football, and othei uaine-. won fiocly indulged in, aitti whioh !•" chtldiiMi "-.it down to tea. Aftiu full justice had boon done to tlio good tiling ])io\idcd, Daniel and nicinp, not the least amusing of which was ,i sack lace, wi'je rnjoyiMl till evening, the ]»<nty bieakliijr up alioitfc oiyrht o'clock witli choeM. Tli inks :ue due to Mi (Jainplti'll for tin 1 Use of the paddock, and to tin* ladies and tfcntlomen who piesided ivnd assisted to m.ike tin d.ij \ piocejdings thuioughly onjoyablo.

The usual monthly meeting of the T.unaheu) U<>ul lto.ud was hold yu>%tciday .iftonioon «it T.iiiiaheio, when tlio puncipal busiuos-, was tlio consideration i)f tendeis for u oiks on the Hannlton-Pi.iko ni.iin load, and the T.nn.iliere Cauibiidjjo mad. The following tundcr-. weio leceivcd : — No 1: J.h Clcniontx, gr.i\ el 11 Ul per yaul, formition Hi (!d per chain (accoptt'd) ; J. 0. Itontli, gunel 1h 3^d per yard, foiination G-> ild per chiiin : J. Casbcy, giavcl Is 3d por y.ud, formation 8s per chnin. No 2: J. Clement*, oarth Od, tiniboi 'M> • J. Shaw and (inj,'-.bv, i\utl) 10il, tnnbi'i li(i> ; J. CI. IJooth, c.uth Sd, tiinlici L'l'm ( icci'pti'd) ; J. Casbey, oaith lid, tnnbei :.'<><. Aft.-i the paying of Miiidry acconuti thu nicutmg adjourned.

According to the Wellington cor-ip-.|>i>j)clt'iit of the Hei.ild, iiiiiUi^eiiH'nts have Ihmmi ni.ido for tunning tho Hrst mid of tho Nmth Inl.ind Tiunk U.iilway. The dato of tho coremoiiy cannot bo ti\ed until

the touch-is .m 1 m and .icct'|ited. J>tit im tin-, c.iso two suds jut' to Ix 1 tinned ni-ti'.i'l of one, and both .it the saint) moment, although one is to Ik 1 1 500 inili'> distant fn»m the othei. How' It is tins u.i\ The (iint'iiim is to turn thci sod .it M.nton, and T.iwhi.io .it the olliur end. 'J'lic tele gi.iph is to bo put into re(jnis,tion ; tin* ( toMMiior \mll s.iv tn thf King " Vie v>>u vo.idy '! ' The A[.»on King will .uswi'i " Aye, madj," .md tlic tlim^ is done.

At a committee meeting of the inembei* i>f the Pi iko County Coum il and the en^im-iM, lu'ld on Wednesday aftei the oidinary meeting of the council, the follow nitf tendiii woie leceivcd for uoiks on flt,v»t.iouu dcsi.ttion : — ti. Wattfini, No 1, lliHd pei >.ud, No. 4, lOd ; .1. Wim-ih in, Xo-t 2, .{ .md 4, 7',d per yaid, tn>ilior, oJ> (id; M. O'Dmiojjiruo, No^. 2, 3 and 4, <>l per yaid, timlx'i, 32s (id ; Hynn and O.iin.i cli.m, No* 2, ii and 4, lOd per yard, timbci, 40-i ; .1. Hiimilton, Ntw. 1, 2, 3 ai.d 4, Md ppi yaid, tinilior, 30s; Kay and Mill.v, No. 1, Is, No. 2, 10U1, No. 3, Md, No », M per yaid, tmitior, 3Tn. The tcndoi of O'Donoffliuo was accepted f<;r No-. 2, 3 and I, and that for No. 1 was given to Hamilton, but in case he fails to take it up (!. Wittam would bo the next lmwst, and consequently entitled to the work. Various other matters in connection with the ioad-> weie discussed, but nothing fuither uadone.

At the sitting of the Native Land ("'mat at C.unbiidge, "ii Thuisday last, » somewhat simious chuge \\ih mule against mil" <>f the ofhceis of tin- pieMoiis cniiit. It will I" 1 lenu nibeied tli it aftt i decision in tlu v Maiingataut.ui c.bt' was gIMMI till' unsuccessful claimants. Wfle 11« >t .it ■ill sp.ning in then ,ispciMi»n-< .i^'inist tin' ciuiit, .md the a^o-xii, Tip.i, ill ii.iiticiil.il TllC .lsM'>-.()l, .1- 1> giMH'l.llh till 1 ClM\ \\ !•> tin 1 subii'ct nf Kic.it complaints 1»\ th'^f who li.id been "tlnowu out," .md niun li ud things were «s.iid about linn. On Tlim-.-d iv, while the application for the M.uni^'.itnit.ui le-lic.uing w.is ln-foie tlie coiut, H.iriy Syu onds, the well-known h.ilfuistis got up and stated that Tip.ih.ul Ihvh Imbed with a. gift of t"200 fiom one of the Euio|)uau agents to induce linn to |)ionounce in f.vumr of ccit.vin ]>.uties, ,uid that, theicfoie, the M.uin>?.it.mt,iii cisc had been won by tre.ichoiy. Tli ■ mittn h.is caused \er'y considerable coiuui> nt outside the coiut. and will doubtles, I. the subject of finthei nu|ini V- The jno cw«hngs aie lepoited eNewhei • Til' comt now -^t mils adjoin ned till Tin --(1 1\