TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 1885.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1992, 14 April 1885, Page 2

TUESDA Y, APRIL 14, 1885.

TllK fable intf lligenee concerning the m.ittcis m dispute between Engl.inrl find Unsold, is unsatisfactory in the extreni". At this distance, and with the lnnitod knowledge at the thsposnl of colonists, it is not easy to deteiinim- with e v ar titude the iel.i tr» c pos'tions ofc th' ' • • i tifs .itidto ciitK isi* the artion ot tin; I>nlish (roveniiw nt, if it he not presumptuous, is at least lisky. It is apparent to the least obsen.int mind that veiy gi.ivo issues aie in\olvcd, and tint -t sitisfutoiy solution of the (hniculty is h\ no 1110,1ns e;is^ <>i accoinphshinent. At the .s.inie time, in view of our just expeiieine of liussi.ui di])lomacy (which 1-^ chiefly based on lyin<j), 110 one will be found to admit that the advises ot the C'aiv can be trusted ; and just in proportion as the British Cabinet displays an inclination to fall in \\"'ih the ide.is of the Russian Oo\ernniejit, so will it lose the confidence of the English people. Mr (iladstonc must know this as well as anybody. Fie cannot be ignorant of the fact that the existence of his Government depends upon the vigour and promptitude which .shall characterise his foreign policy. The fall of Khar-

touni sent the political barometer down to /oro, and a re\tM'se on the Afghan frontier wo aid inevitably result in the downfall of the present Cabinet. The English people have been called shopkeepeis, but There is such a thing as honour even , i moii" shopkeepers, and dearly as John Bull loves his money bags, he is \et more jealous of his national u puliition. Ftussi.i\ ami is unmistnkeable. Die poshes -.ion of India has been the dream of her Emperor-, .•ml her .state-men for many ,i loiii; year ; there has not Ik en a Russian General of repute within the present century who has itoi, among las other achievements, numbered an elaborate plan for the ■ onqix^t of our great Eastern Kmpire. Whether the project is destined to temain for ever in the lealm of dreamland, or whether it will ])eeonie a realit), it is for time to determine ; whether it shall be realised at the present or m the near future it is for the men of our own time to say. Piobably there never was a time vv hen British rule was more popular in India than it is now. Everything goes to prove this, and the loyal offers of money and men are only confirmations. In Affghauistan, too, the popularity of the British Government, thanks to the conciliatory policy of Lord Ripon, is assured. The Times correspondent with the Affghan Boundary Commission, writing on the 18th November, says : — Whether the lumouis as to the aggressive action of Russia are or are not true, we owe to them the marked change in the demeanourof the Aflghan oiHcials toward us. The Amir is seriously alarmed, and his feeling, as usual reacts on his officials. They see their country seriously menaced ; they know that England only can save them, and in our presence here t hey recognise the fact — is it a fact or a mirage / — that England means to sa\ c them. This feeling is not eon lined to the Amir or his officials ; it is shared by his subjects, cAen by those most unfriendly to us One of the pohtie.il advantages gained by our march is that the people of Afghanistan recognise it as evidence that we are willing as well is able to protect their independence. They have seen a large ex pedition march through their countiy without a single contretemps or misunderstanding ; and so excellent have been the conduct and discipline that there has not been a complaint against any one of the force, soldier or follower, by any olliLial or inhabitant of the country, md thus it has been proved that theie need be no danger in allowing a foice of English allies to march thiough Afghanistan, if, say, 1 lerat, or Candahar, were threatened by foreign invasion. Later on in his letter the same correspondent says :—": — " The march [i.e. of the commission] as a march has been very remarkable, and from a politic, al point of view it is distinctly a tnumph for Lord Ripon's policy. l>t us recall Afghanistan as it was ifter Lord DufFerin's predecessor took up the reins of power in 1880, and compare it with Affghanistan at the present day. At the time I speak of General Primrose was besieged in Candahar by Ay oub Khan, and the population, which the political olHcers had supposed to be burning with devotion to the British Government, and the old gentleman w horn he had set up to rule over them, had risen as one man and cut off all means of communication with Quettah and India. Cabul and the districts round were in a state of seething anarchy. We had destroyed the Government, such as it was, but had not the nerve or ability to set up another in its place. Only the country within the range of our guns war under our influence, and in all directions there were gangs of lobbcis and aimed gatherings of thp disali'ccted. Abdurrahman Khan had just then arrived in Cabul to i ule the lawless people who had for so long time enjoyed the license of anarchy, and who openly declared that they would soon dispose of the ruler who -ventured to laise taxes from them. Abdunahuuin Khan had with him no great army de\ oted to his person, nor had j he able lieutenants and influential fiiends. Nearly every sirdar or commander of birth or brains was on the other side, and in every upst.ut who had gained name and influence among the people by a successful or unsuccessful raid on us he found a foimidable rival. At this moment General Stewart was w ithdravving, Avith the most elaborate precautions, his force from Peshavvur, in the face of the excited mob of Cabul, and General Roberts was making his famous march in the air i to Candahar. For this march Lord Ripon has never been given the credit he deserves. It was he who ordered it to be made, in the teeth of the highest military opinions and of the advice of his own Council, j It was as grave a responsibility as Wellesley or Dalhousie undertook ; but Loid Ripon had confidence in the- genius of the great general whom he selected for the command, iind this well-placed confidence has enabled us to add a very bright and honourable page to the history of the British army. But to return to my comparison. The change; that has come to pass is evidently not appreciated or understood in England. Few, if any, know that Ahdut'iahman Khan is the most powerful ruler Afghanistan lias known for many years. JFis authority is resolute and unquestioned, and so long as his vigour of mind and body lasts, no fear need be eiitci tamed as to his ability to pieserve the peace and tranquility ot' any frontier which is likely to be given to him. I have already oxplained how the prejudices of the Allghan people are melting away at the spectre— not the reality — of Russian annexation advances closer to Herat, and now they begin to look to us as their guardians and

pi oteotors. In these facts there is, I think, a justification of the late Viceioy's Affghan policy." Something more than the spectre of Russian agression is on the iiontier ju-.tnow, and if Kngland (Issues to li'Uin i\w p rest iff c wliicli slip h.is acquired in the eyes of the AlVuflums - if, indoed, she desires to retain her Indian Ei.ipiiv, she must light the " re.ihty. ' Russia has doubt-1(>->s halloed before .she was out of the wood, and her sole purpose now is to gain time. But wo are not ijoinif to suppose that Mr filadstone is blind to the fact, and it may safely be anticipated that during the fortnight which will elapse before any tlefiuite information reaches England f 1 0111 tho banks of the Kushk, the British military authorities will not be idle. While Russia will be occupying the timo in pushing on her troops from the Caspian, the British forces will be advancing from Quettah.

Oxe of the most important events in the progressive policy of the Government of Now Zealand will take place to-morrow afternoon on the Puniu river, near To Awamutu, namely, the turning of the first sod of the North Island Main Trunk , Railway. The Hon. the Premier will be present at the ceremony, and a very large attendance of native dignataries may be looked for, Wahanui and others having .signified their intention to take part in the proceedings. A special train lias been laid on from Auckland, and a number of visitors aro expected to take advantage of the cheap faros. We must certainly congratulate the Government on the despatch displayed in the starting of this important work, they having kept faith with tho country when they promised that tenders should lie called for in March, ISB-"). As will be seen elsewhere, tenders have been accepted tor contracts at both ends of the line, and an immediate start will be made with the works. The time allowed for the completion of the present contracts is twelve months, but before these lengths are completed other tenders for formation will be called for. All arrangements have been made for the ceremony by the chairmen of the Te Awamutu, Kihikihi, and Alexandra Town Boards, and a large concourse of settlers may be expected to be present, notwithstanding the counter attraction of the races at Cambridge. We understand that the same wheelbarrow and spade used by Sir George Grey in the turning ot the <irstsod of the Thanips-W.iikato Railway, will be used on this occasion.

It is cunently lepoited that the gallant oilieei who commands the W.ukato cavaliy, Major J ickson, is alioat to biin» an action for libel acaiut-t the ruoprielors of the Auckiaiul Hetald. Upon those who haseseen the piotoiial illustrations of tin* I'apntoetoc encampment in Satm day's Herald, tlnspiei-e of nuns will not come as a suipiise. We have it on the best authority that the n.ajor ib hourly expecting ooinnnmicalions from the neighbouring colonies oflei ing him, on the '-trength of his equcstnan jiortrait in our contemporary, the post of hangman, and it is with the object of vimlit utuij,' his personal appearance, and not « lth a \ iow to making that he h.is sought, or is about to seek the asb'itance of Judge Gillies. We understand th.it thiee other officers, upon receipt of the paper in question, immediately committed suicide, while Colonel L)<m is h«iioii>iy thinking of going to the Soudan, and throwing away lut> life m battle with the Arabs.

Notifications in connection with the .inmi.il elections in tho 1! ui^'i mill i and Pukokur.i llo.uJ DiNtnoU .>]>j)tMi in oui business column-..

A poll to determine whether the number of licensee in the U.uigniu distnct m.iy or m.\y not be mcie.isud will bot.tk.i-n at the school houio, ILingiiin, on Wlclir-s-day, the 29th in-t.

A poll of the ratepayers of the Rangiaohia Licensing District to determine whetliei the number of licensee in ly or in.iy not be increased will be token on Thursday, the 30th inst., at the comt-house, To Aw.vmutii.

At the Auckland Amateur Athletic Club'h sports in tho Domain on Satiuday, thctumuilu Bicycle Race \\<t-> won by Mr J. A. Stewait, who thus become the champion of New Zealand. Mi Stewart id an engineer with the Public Works Depai tnient, and resided for some years in Hamilton.

As will be seen by our telegrams elsewheie, Mr Livingstone's tender for the Moninsville-Te Atoha, uection of the Thames- Waikato Railway is the lowest, Messia Wilkio and Co. of Wanganui being ne\t. The tendeis i.icei\ed \aiy considiuably, which we undeiatand is caused by the unceitninty svs to where ballast cm be obtained. Mr Livingstone stilts ■work almost 1 m mediately on his section, and good progress will doubtless he made.

The tenders for the construction of the fir«t sections of the Ninth Island Trunk Kailway were *>cnt in on Wednesday last, the Bth "mst., and that of Mr Isaac Cuntei, of Hamilton, is the lowest (Mr D. Fallun lying close up) for tho Puniu contiact, whilst the ]\>ie»va contract at the Marton end has been obtained by Mcims WilKie and Co., of Wang.inui. The respective prices are : For the Pimm contract, about £2!),000 ; for the Porewa, £27,500.

On Sunday last the Rev. J. Dellow, who has been «i|)[»)intcd to succeed the Rev. J. Dukes in the Hamilton Wesleyan Circuit, preached liis mitutory sermons in Tnnity Weslcyan Church. Good congregations assembled at both morning and e\ oning sorvicps, and the pieaclipr at once won the sympathy of Ins hearers by Ins earnest and effective discoiunes. Tn the afternoon the ie\. gentleman conducted divine service at Hukanui, and hen 1 , aKo, he was welcomed by a large congicg.ition.

At the RM. Court, Hamilton, vesteiday, Mi Noithcioft gi anted a ieliennngof tlif case W. (J. and S. Company \. Thomas (Jli'imny, claim tt odd, foi timber. Jiidgemt'iit was given fm plaintiffs by default on the <ith of M.iich, and defendant now s-ud he could not appear on that day, but claimed that ho was not mdobttd. On CMeinmy apieeing to lodge the amount of the judgment with costs in court, Mr D\n, for the pl.iintills, offeied no objection to the io-liodiiiig.

We learn by a telegram received on Saturday tli.it th(> ltu.ipohu w.i-j tugged off tlio mud bank on which she giounded in Wellington harbour at one, o'clock that day. Tin co steaineih, the Hiiioino.i, tho (Jrafton, .indthc Manawatu, woie employed in tugging, and vessels wero along-side leceiung hm c.ugo. Tho pngiiiPs of tho Kiiaprhu weio olko going " full speed astein." The success of tho operations w.as h.nlod with three cheers from tho men on tho big htiMiHor, and lOHpondod to by a Wgo conooiuao of pcop]o on shore. There is no reason to mippoho th<it she has mistiiined any injury. Tho Hun (i, M Waterhousc, the well-known nioinbot of tho Lecfislative Council, mid Mrs Waterhouso, aro paß«cnger« by tho l.ii.ipohu for England. Tho Ruaiwlui has a quantity of frozen mutton to take in nt Wellnißton, and it is hoped to get her away for London on Monday next.

The following special messages to the Tipss Association, dated London, April ltth and 12th, have been published ;—

The Aini'i jean Indians aw joining the leb-ls in the ie\olt amongst the ltxli hi half-uieo Is in Xoitli west Canad i. l'< inline tliu ii'-ult of tho |> 11 leymg nu this question, the Uanadi in Government ha\e dosp itched seven thousand mm to the scone — Intelligence fi oh i Noith- West Ameiica states that tho ltismrection fomented by the half-breed Hijl in Manitoba is growing in gi ivity. The Indi.ui tribes omiounded syxral on thing stations, and massacrod ii nutnbjr of white settlers at Frog Lake. — A shipment of bei'f, o\ the -teamcr Ligwi j has lv.ili/ed only 3W. Tho me.it airived in an unsatisfactory condition. The shipment e\ tliu Westuiinstei brought 4}d per Ib. Tlio wheat mai ket is excited, and pi ices aie unsettled. Apnl and May cargoes lia\ c been sold at Ms (id, and February shipments at 3<\s 3d ; holdeis, however, detn tnd a higliei price. Tho wool »inrki# is weaker, and is especially low m gieasy Milts. Since tlie commencement of the sile, 178,000 biles have been catalogued, of which number 25,000 were withdrawn.— Mr George Anderson, l>oputy Master of the Royal Muit, Melbourne, sails for Australia on May 7th.— Captain Alison procoeds to Sydney as aide-dc camp to Lord Camngton, the new Governor of New South Wales, and the Hon. Jocelino Amherst, a barrister, will be Private Secretary to his Excellency. The following additional particuhus relating to the recent action of Russia on the Affghan Frontier are contained in Pi ess Association specials dated London April Oth and 10th : — Reports received from .Sir Peter Lumsden, the English Ft on tier Commissioner, shows that tho Atfghans did not advance after the 17th, but the Russian troops still continued to advance, and invited the Atfghans to attack them by passing through their pickets.— Tin ee .British officers, who weie piesont, twice explained to the Russian commander on tho 14th March the nature of the agreement armed at between England and Russia. — Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Gladstone said ho considered the assault on the Affghans was entirely unprovoked. -"-It is expected that early communications in roeard to tho matter will be despatched to the Russian Government.— It is believed that seventy thousand Russians are advancing from Askabad, a fortified town beloning to Russia in Central Asia.— Russia has equipped nine cruisers m tho Gulf of Finl mi], and is also arranging for the pnrchi.se of thieo other* m America.— \. Russian uonelad and fugate ha\e left Colombo— Hip St. Petei b.ug Press advocates the icnouuceineutiii the Declaiation of Pan-. The following account of turf blacknmling, which occuired at Chiist chinch, is supplied l.y the H>rald's coirespondent at that place, wiiting on Fnday last :— Kubina, the winner of the Gn-at Autumn Handicap, was diawn in Rohm Hood's sweep by a well-known banihter of Chnstchuich. The Middonness with which this local .sweep has come into favour is extraoidmary, but theie is no doubt it is due to the principal prize on the Dunedin Cup having been drawn by a local man. Now that a similar thing has occi.i red again, the sweep is sure to be well filled always. Robin Hood's big consultation is having a serious effect on hoi soracing, which, sooner or later, will attract public attention forcibly, and compel action of some sort. The drawer of Rnbina was dehbeiately blackm uled to the extent of half the prize or thereabouts, which he was forced to sell under the mare being scratched. The man who drew Trenton is not known, and could not therefore be found, or possibly Rnhin.i might lia\e been scratched, and Tienton sent for it instead. When the starting of a horse depends up.m a big sweep, it is easy to see that the man who will bid highest will tret his hwrse started " Robin Hood " makes no secret that some owners went to him and demanded the n uno-. of persons who had diawn then animals, openly stating th it unless they could get a share of the pii/.e they would scritch them. " Robin Hood" refused; m f ict the piomoter does not always know who has gotalvnse, and in at least one instance an animal that was supposed to have a good chance was sciatched, and the owneis went and taunted "Robin Hood" foi losing his " hiend," as the fellow put it, all chances of tlu big money. These statements aie facts, obtained fiom the best s >urce, and .ire common talk. The substuica of them conies to this, that the big lace on Monday was prostituted to obtaining a chance of tho 1200 odd pounds winch formed the fiist pn/.e. The sweep leally became tliu nii/.0, not tho t'3oo of added money, which is p,illr\ bo 1 ide it. Hoisjlacmg is now a question of \"ho iin secuie the biggest puce for lacing hi* hoi so, and hencefoith sweep-i will bo promoted not foi the benefit of the lucky follows who di aw the tickets, but to fatten owneis of racehoises. If holdeis of tickets could keep tin n mouth shut, pait of the evil might be obviated, but many of them can t. A dancing class will be held in the Ohaupo Hall on FmJiy eyening. Mi Sibley's bind will bo in attendance.