The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1985, 28 March 1885, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

I ijiial and exart justicn to all men, Ot whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or politii al. Hero shall the Press the People s ri^ht maintain, L'nnweil b> intttienc c and unhrihed b\ Rim

SA2UIIDAV, MA HC II 28, 188 J.

A c.ood deal is just now being said nnd written about Mr Balance's land settlement schemes. The Native Minister is an enthusiast on the subject, and it is quite right that enthusiasts should be closely watched. They mean well, but they have a faculty for making .1 mess of things if they aie not kept under proper surveillance. Mr Ballance is a former upon what poor Artemus Ward would ha\ c called high-pres-sure principles. Many as are hi* good qualities (and we have never sought to ignore them), he is unfortunately one of those people who imagine that the world, society and mankind in general are all askew, and wantputting right, and th.it they are just the men to i\\ the business up. But if he does over-estimate himself a trifle— which is more than probable — he is at least as good as nine-tenths of his detractors, and would run the other tenth very closely. Great exception has been taken to the proposal for settling members of the Armed Constabulary along the Tiunk Railway line, and the scheme for providing homesteads for superannuated policemen has tickled the risible organs of our contemporaries to an alarming extent. To be frank, there is something funny in the idea of a policeman turning farmer ; but as everybody, from the members of the British Peerage down to the knife-grinders of Sheffield and the lace-makers of Nottingham, have taken a spell at farming at New Zealand, there is nr reason why the bobbies should not be allowed to show what sort oi stuff they are composed of. The life of a "guardian of the peace" is not a particularly pleasant one, and the force is not overpaid ; yet despite this fact, we have an admirable body of policemen, and if Mr Ballance 01 anybody else thinks that the pros pect of pissing the evening of life amid the calm delights of the conn try will in any way smc to main tain the efficiency of the f irco, we for our part, do not feel inclined te find fault. A very small proportion oi the men will ever avail themselve 1 of the privilege of taking up per petual leases, and if the majority di( they would probably prove to Ik fairly desirable tenants. This, however, is by the way The proposal to establish large military special settlements ii: various parts of the colony opens uj a much wider subject. In the rirsi place it brings to the front tin question, Are special settlement; in any shape good things Settlement is just one of thing' -which may be encouraged, but can not be forced. The Governmeni can throw open the lands, and it can offer inducements to people ii other parts of the world to seek oui shores, but the two must be allowec to come together and form ai alliance by natural means. Mci differ so much in character, tempera ment and disposition, and l.uu varies so much in quality, that tin attempt to chain one man to a cer tain area of soil would be about ai unsatisfactory as an endeavou; on the part of the Government t( I select our wives and husband; for us. Special settlements in Nev } Zealand have invariably experiencec disaster so long as the promoter! have clung to their original scheme To anyone who knows anything o public affairs it would besuperfluou to adduce examples. But this, after all, does not go t< prove that Mr Ballance's scheme i unsound, though it may demonstrat that its operations need to be care fully watched. We do not supposi that it is intended to rule off tin country into so many squares parallelograms, or triangles, an< plant A. here, B. there, and C. ii some other place. The exercise o this principle has wrecked mair brilliant settlement schemes in tin past, and if persisted in will neve permit success in the future. If wi interpret the policy of the Nativi Minister aright, we take it that cer tain portions of land are to be opei for selection, upon specified terms by such members of our presen military force as may incline to ward a country life. This is com mendable ; it is rational. For let it be understood that many o those now wearing the Queen's uniform are men born and bre( in the country, and possessed of : decent knowledge of its resources Many of them are married, witl families grown up. The proportioi of those belonging to the loafe and ne'er-do-weel classes is small and for them no provision need or will be made. One of tin weakest objections raised n gains the establishment of such " mili fcuy " statements as is proposed i that the principle was not success ful as applied to the Waikato " notwithstanding th<> many ad vantages it had," and it vtM no until the system " had been cleare< away that the district made pre gross." What the advantages wer

we cannot for the life 1 of us nuko out, unless a wholesome terror of the natives, shocking l>arl roads, and an abundance of poverty can be classed as such. With the disadv.mtages we have a much closer ncquamtance. We know that the vast majority of the men who gathered together to light were totally unlited by nature or training for rural persuits. They were slung around the country ma charmingly promiscuous manner, without regard to their fitness or untftness for any branch of agricultural or pastoral life ; they were unprovided with the means of decent Mibsistance, and, in short, they were simply labourers who could find nobody to employ them, and were too poor to employ themselves. The only good thing they ever did was to clear out and sell their holdings to the real, naturally selected settlers who soon flocked to the district. To compare such a scheme as this with that proposed by Mr Ballance is analagous to instituting a comparison between day and night, or between the moon and a green cheese. We ai c not extravagantly fond of special settlements, but there appears to be something sterling in Mr Ballance's proposal, which renders it worthy of respectful .consideration.

The Rev. John Dukes will preach f.irewoll sounons in tlu> Wesley.in Chmch, Hamilton, to-niorrtiw.

Mr W. K. Carter's Alaric has been accepted for the Auckland Steeple chase, and has been nominated for the Hurdle-.

A meeting of the Waikato County Council \\,i> l)tOil v >s to)il.iv, but tin 1 bu>«i IK'>h v.is \\l)i>Uv of ,\ liuilniu n itiue, .md of no public interr-.t.

In another column Will be found the Irtti-r of .1 now cmtnlnitoi, who wntes imdt'i ttii> mmiipw I). it fli^iiihcd noui de jilumic of '• l> lot-. The lotU'i lefots to bo\ui.il mattfii of cuaetit intoreut.

The proposal to borrow money midoi tin- K.uds .unl Bndivs Act, for w >rks m tin 1 W.utua ikliiir, Pitik" Ooiuitj, was carmvl hv a poll of tho lati'pnjt'ii on Wednesday, liy-cicii sotcs to nil.

The tender of Mr Gracie for re|)iinn£ the traclieiV u'Mik'tici', ami H.uinltmi K.ist Schcml, has hi'cn ucccptLM) Tinamount is £13, and the ii'p.uis to be I'lFcc tod consist chieHy of roiiu«ing the shingles.

Mr John Rees, pastor of the con<'iedition worshipping nt Lo Qiii'-nc's I^'H. ll.iniilton, will (lehwi ,i li'ctuio .it Tuiuh.uoon Weilni'sd.iy, tlio I^t \no\., .it 7 p.ni on "The Kiist .uid Sicmd Ad.un."

A special message to the Press Attention states tli.it M.ili<>im'(l.in uot.iules in Inrii.i h,v\c .i-kerl the UuKo of Onn.mglit to nr^i> the Suit in of Tin key to ally with Kugl.md .ig.mist Uih~-i.i.

The railway time-table for Good Fudiy will lie found in om ruheih-ing columns. The ordinary ti.un between W.ukato and Auckland will run on t*wit d,iy, but the £<><>d-> ti.un to Hamilton .uid back is cancelled.

Two abnormally large potatoes wore on mow at Mfv,i> \\'v\U and Nmittfi's btore, U.uiibrulK*-, \i'>U'i«l.»v. One weighed 31b 100/. .mil the otln>i '2\b V.i«/.. They were kidwii in tho g.irdc n of Mi McComwb.

An extraordinary general meeting of the sl.nroliolden of tlio N N.Z.F. Ciiopei.itive A^s"ci.»ttuii was I»'M »■*■ Hamilton >(Mteui.iv, win'" the n-)i>liitions ])i-siid at the sj.Miei.il iiictinj,' mi the (itli in.st., were formally confiimod.

A number of Hukanui natives gave an eniutt.immont, c<iuM->t\ug (if luikiw-, stip (lance-., .111(1 M.ioil indocile* .it thu Public Hall, Hamilton, last niglit. Th'.-ie was only -i morluwito attendance of the I goneial public.

A general meetiug of the shareImlden of tlic Cumbiulgi* D.nry l'miluco svnd Bacon K.ictxiv i-. cilliid foi Thursday no\t, Apul 2nd. Tho hiihincss to Im l.tid liofore the mooting will bo <>f .\n iiituieituig clifii.ictcr.

The athletic sports at Cambridge on Kriater Monday cannot fivil to attract .i large gathering <if people from the sui rounding district. The c-omnuttee intond getting tha Govoinincnt ]).ul(l<ick in <>rdci, and esery .in.mgonient will he nude to ensure it good d >y's H|>i>it. The piogianiine is .vd\eitised el-iewlieie.

Our cable messages to-day are Homowlmt interesting. It is evident that Kngl.uid >" pu'pared t>> can y liei ultini itiiin mi the hiihjett of the Atfgh.m frontier into clfect. The New South W.iles coiitin^tnt for the Smidan lias aimed safely at Aden.

A farewell tea meeting and conceit to the Res. J. l)uko«. uillbcKnen in tho Public Hall, Hamilton, on Tuesday next, tlic 31-t inst. Tho chair will bt> occupied by hi-, Worship the Mayor (Mr W. A. (rr.ih.vni), and addie^siw will Iw delnried bv tlio Roy. Slusarn Riiubuin, 13e\vsbuiy .md Dukes.

It will be seen on reference to an advertisement m another column th.it Mr 0. R Johnson, coach proprietor, bwiy.ind h.iit stables, (rWMine's Hotel, Hamilton, has .m.uipod a time-tabte in connection with the uriiv.il .uid departure of triinis. For the benefit of tlio>« regularly using the coaches he lias » educed the fares.

Arrangements are being made to pl.iy a cricket match tit Hnimlton botween the Auckland Cricket Club and a local tc.mi about Easter. The following playeis will piobably repiesent Auckland : -Messrs Beale (2), C<>v>n, 15.u ton, Ulan, Cheesoin.in (2), Hall (2), and Yon Ktutmet. Mi 151.ur mtends to >eside in this dutnct, and should pio\e an acquisition to ciickcting ureles.

A correspondent at Cambridge writes :— A paragraph appealed in the Herald to-day (Friday) t<> tho effect that the Auckland cricketeis had challenged the C.iuibndgß dub to a contort dining the Easter holidays, and that Cimbiidgo was ngieoble. The Cambiidge club know nothing of the matter.

A Press Association message d.itod Liindon the 2">th ni-t. -tile-> ; Ft h intended by the Indian (ioveinment ti> despatch 50,000 tioops to l'uslnn, near Cand.ih.n, in Affj,'h.uii>t.ui. (icnui.il Sir Doiwkl M. Stewait, bi'.ul of tlio uuliUiy depiutmcnt in India, will bo placed m cmnniand

The matter of selecting a new course comenient to the railway is now occupying considerable attention .it the hands of the C.unbridce Jockey Club. There cftu lw vuiy littlo doubt that tho non-success in point of attendance of lecent race meetings at Gwynnelnnds has been due to the inconvenient situation of the coinse, thore beitip only road communication. The matter will bn fully considcied after tho Autumn Meeting no\t month.

The Thames Advertiser thinks that if tho Pinko Block were cut up into 1,1 ucic sections, diained and settled by the families of the miners ; if good loads were Hindu round tho head of the gulf, the rueis bridged, the hot springs on the Miranda hide opened up, and a tramway built finni deep water on the Wiiihou up tho Piako Valloy, tho Thames would have a glorious future befoio it. Veiv likely, but would not the di*.co\ery of a scmo or ho of Caledonian^, or the advent of tho Alillemuin be better ?

The next sitting of the Cambridge Resident Alngisti.iton Court will bo hold on Thuridey ne^t, the next nroidiii.uy day being (lood Friday. The bench and the bar endeavoured to have the court adjourned for another fortnight in older that tho Mantel* holiday term might not bo interfered with. Mr Gwynneth, C.K., whodo cane with tho town board comes on for hearing sit tho Mint hitting objected to tho com t being postponed ns suggested, and jiH \m objection ih f.ital no (xMti'oiieinent will be made.

It will be remembered that a short time ago All W M. H.iy, solicitor, hi might an action against Mr .1. M Meinck, of Cambridge, foi €21 IK being Ins proporturn of a bill of costs amounting to £!)3, which had been guaranteed by Mr Mm rick and othnrn. At tho homing the Resident Magistrate di'dmod jiuisdiction on the ground that h<> would h-uo to adjudic.vto on a, larger amount than his jurisdiction pormittcd, Mr Hay then intimated his intention to appe.il, and wo aie informed the hist step wan taken yestwU.iy by serwng

Mr Mciiick with the pioci^s to .show cause why a wi it «>f mandamus should not issue, coiQin Hiding tin' Resident Ma^istiaXe to hoar the t isc, and why Mi Mcinclv should not p iy the costs of the canst 1 . The case \\ ill cmno on for Ihmi mg .it the banco fitting of the Supremo Court on Wednesday next.

A meeting of the committee of the Hamilton Jfublio Libraiy was held last night. The sccrotaiy, Mr (Jelling, reported th.it tho ln-titutnm w.is £2S Is to credit, and it w.h resolved to expend the sinn of aiO in the purcln&e of bonks, which .vie t<> bo selected at n. full meeting of the commiltee to be held on Thursday, the 2nd pro\. Notice was Riven th.it at the next meeting the following gentlemen be added to the comnnttco of management : — Mcsms W. A. (rrahani, J. A. Bradley, S. K. d. Smith, W l)ey, and Y. (iaudin. ltw.isreMihedtli.it as a number o\ jn.imixed iHb-cuptions had not beon p^id a general c.unass should again be instituted.

This afternoon the great sculling match between Hanlon and .Beach for tlio championship of the woild .md £500 a-side, takes platr cm the l\u am.itU championship oouise. It is stated tli.it both men aro in hr*t-cla«s condition, and the friends of Beach aie confident of success whilst the backer-, of Il.uil.in .lie equally sanguine as to the ret-ult. Be tlmt .is it may, the r.ico this afternoon will lw gamely contend from start to finish, and it is to bo hoped tli.it both men will h.n c an equal show. In the last i ace H.inl.iu complained of the steamers following too clote in the wake of his boat and owes his defeat to a spurt put on m order to clear one of the steamers. No doubt precaution will be taken upon this occasion to pievent a similar occurrence. The betting is about even.

Affairs in Bechuanaland are get ting a little mi\ed. A telegram dated Capo Town, Match 2oth, wiya .—lt li.<i transpired th-\t Sir Heieules Robinson, <Jo\ern«»r of Capo Colony, has iormally requested Colonel Sir Charles Warren to *.t,iy the action he is taking as Comm.uidcr of the British expedition in Bechuui.iland for the settlement of affairs in th.it distiict. Colonel Warren, however, declines to lecogmse the avithority of the (lovernment of the Cape, and has appealed to the Colonel Office to uphold his proceding-!, News has been received from Kechu.iua.land tint a number of BiitMi suixeyoi-* tluue have been arrested, and arc m custody by the Boers.

An extraordinary general meeting of sh ueholdeis r>f tlio Nun Zc.il.iml Native L iiid Colonisation Cd was hold at the cornpiny's oliicc, Foi t-stieet, Auckland, on Thursday. Mr John Ohamlieis whs voted t<> the chair. The Chairman s.ud .sh.uoliolders h.»d .ill receiwd nicuLu.s sUting the reason which c.ui><>d tlio company to tike the action now piopo-ed Mr Al.ischeld mined, and Mr C. C. Millan secmidi'd, the follow in},' lpiolution : — "Tluvt the Auckland Natiw Land Colimixation Company (Limited) ho wound up \olun tinly, and that l'V.uu Schciff he, and w heii'bv .ippointi'd, liquidator f<u the puipose of such winding «p " This lesolution was earned unanimously. '" — Hei.ild.

The Herald's Rotorua correspondent telegraphed on Thuiiday .— " A c.iso <>f Aladdin's lamp occuired m Wondeiland, l.vst night in thi; >-h.ipo of ;v new building found at daylight elected opposite the Palace Hotel, and in the middle nf tin* road. Aladdin m this case w Buiuiised to be a wily blacksmith, who hn-.attemptfd to cut the (ioidi.ui knot of Rotorua land complications by irnutting .sudilenly down with his establishment oinpleto in the centre of the public thoroughfare. The police are on the gui vi\e. Thedoveniment should not, however, pounce down on one solitary individual, but deal with j the whole question at once and for all, as theie an 1 several cases of road trespass of old st Hiding m this place."

The debate on the question of indemnifying tho New South Wall's (Jo \einment for their notion in despatching a military contingent to tho assistance of K'igl md in the Soudan was continued on tho 24tli. The division was taken c.uly in tlie mottling, with the result that Mr Henry Clarke'.-, amendment condt!uruu<r the (Jo- \ eminent wns rejected b> <>4 to 23 and tho AddiehS-iii-Hejily to the <J<ne»>v>r's Speech w.ih adopted by the House. The L.'Rislatne Assembly having ]>as«ed the liukmnity IJillodiitirmingtho action of the (ioxuninient regai ding t\w despatch of tho troops to the Sind.vn thiough all its stng-'s, and this bemtc the only hii-ines-, the Pai'iament was sumniiined to ti.msact, the pioro^ation took place yesteidav.