The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2095, 10 December 1885, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Equ*l and exact justice to all men, Oi whatsoever state 01 persuasion, religions o political. Here shall the Pre« the People's ri*ht maintain, Unawed by influence and unbribcd by K»in.

THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 1885

The title of the Hospital and Charit- 1 able Aid Act of last session is a sad misnomer. TheLegislaturehasbeen guilty of a breach of the Mosaic law. Thou shall not yoke the horse ami the ox together. The Hospital act should have formed a separate and distinct measure, that could have ■worked freely, and not have been clogged with its objectionable and ill-assorted yokemate. The Legislature should have called a spade a spade, and the short title of the latter act should have been, for that is what it really and undeniably will fee found to be, " the New Zealand Poor Act." The Charitable Aid Act was a misnomer, for there can be no such thing as compulsory charity, and the contributions under the act for the cost of maintaining the poor are just as compulsory as a cast-iron statute and the ta\ collector can make them. The act itself is a mass of inconsistencies. It endeavours to unite principles entirely opposed to each other. It seeks to initiate tho principle of voluntary contributions, and at the same time to directly lax for the maintenance of the poor. It professes to be based on the principle that those who find the money shall have the spending of it, a most excellent principle in itself, butat the same time creates districts, as in the case of the Auckland district, where the money will be found* by one set of people and be spent by another; the local districts having simply the privilege of striking the rate and enforcing the local taxation, which will be spent by the board in Auckland. It is the n'rst of the 10-called local Government measures of the present Ministry, and its chief featnre is its centralising policy ! Waikato and Piako may raise tho funds, but Auckland and the Thames will control the expenditure of them. And bad as this system may be now, the evil will grow into monstrous proportions iv-i timo passes. If so much mischief is found iv the green branch, what may not be looked for in the dry wood. Tho Government at the present jnoHien 1 . proposes to subsidise these local rates, but who believes that such a condition will be continued 1 Two or three years will not have passed away before we shall have an attempt made to cast the whole burden of the cost of hospitals and the relief of the poor upon us, and, liko a cancer eating into the social and political body, this evil will grow and grow till, as in the old country, the land on which the chief burden will fall, will be unable to bear it, yielding less than the tax itself. In the main principle of tho act, (we refer to the second portion of it) the Legislature has made a great mistake. The time had not arrived, and is we I relieve, far distant, when a Poor Law was required for New Zealand. Voluntary subscriptions, aided by [übsidies, are all that were really leeded. It was time enough when Ihese failed to have had recourse to t poor rate. They never have failed and the poor, aye even the undeserving poor, have never yet wanted bread in this colony. Most of us will not have forgotten the noble reiponse made by the people

of New Zealand when the Kaitangata coal mine disaster occurred, .md hundreds of widows and orphans were thrown en the public charity. Most of us are familiar with scores ot other instances of lesser magnitude, coming within our own limited and locvl observation, in which the appeal to private oharity was as freely and as readily met. Jf the people of this colony err in the matter, they err on the ->ide of benevolence rather than of caution. But what will be the ffFcct of the present meisure? It ,vill dry up the well of individual oh.inty and benevolence. It will liarden the hearts of the wealthy t gainst the deserving poor, when exasperated by the irksomene.ss of hea\y and direct taxation drawn from them, as they will very certainly feel it to be, as much for the relief of the idler and the lo'ifer as for the relief of the involuntary poor. On the other hand it will create the very pauper class for the relief of which it is established. It will confirm every loafer and drunkard in his evil courses, for he will know full well that his family is provided for, whether he contributes to their support or not, and that when he breaks down at last he, too, will himself be comfortably cared for. It will encourage the improvident to be inort! thiiftless still, to spend and enjoy their earnings to the last farthing, knowing that when hard times come and work is scarce and they are penniless, the savings and accumulations of their more provident fellow settlers will be liable for their sup port. It will encourage the demand for higher wages than the commerce, the agriculture and the industries of the colony can afford to pay, for there will be the poor rate to fall back upon by the man who refuses to take a wage that the employer can afford to give, and prefers to become one of the unemployed because he cannot command a fancy standard ot wages. The act has been aptly styled " The Pauper Incubating Act," and this it really is. The system once introduced will grow and grow till it becomes a burden too heavy to be borne. It will demoralise the poor and dry up the fountain of charitable feeling in the hearts of the better off, who will not practice pri/ato benevolence while they are at the same time directly taxed through rates for contributions to charitable objects. We cannot wonder that some of our leading settlers are at present engaged in organising a scheme of reform, through the influence of the county councils of the colony, for the amendment of this act, and had space allowed us we had intended to have referred at some length to the character which, in our opinion, the remedial measures should take. We shall, however, return to the subject.

The milk supply of the Cambridge Cheese Factory has now risen to over l>oo gallons. j | I

Mr W. H. Grace has been appointed (>ov eminent N.itive Land l'urchaso agent f«r tho I'iako and Taupo districts.

The Hamilton Domain Board linn granted permission to the sports committee to charge for admission to Sydney Square on Monday, December 28.

At the sitting of the licensing bench at To Awamutu tho transfer of the liconseof the Commercial Hotel from James Udvm to William James wan granted,

The first ot the regular Hamilton horse sa'es to bo held by Messrs W. J. Hunter and Co., at the Commercial Hotel yards, ih advertised to take pl.ico on Wednesday, December 23rd.

The Native Land Court sat at Cambridge on Tuesday and yesterday, and disposed of a number of succession claims. There are in all about a hundied natives attending the court.

Huntly has made up its mind not to bo behind hand so f.ir an lmMday attractions aro concerned. The mnai annual races aie udvcrtised for December 2(Jth, and will doubtlcfs bo largely attended.

The following team have been elected to ropresent Cambridge in the tennis match with Hamilton on S.iturd.iy the 19th mst. :—Messrs Fit/.gornld, Hunt, Stubbing, Thomson, Edgar and Seddon.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Cambridge Town Board was held on Tuesday afternoon, when a large quantity of buHinesH wan disposed of. The report of the proceedings will be found m another column.

The Bay of Plenty Times has rcpublislied '" now chums" article on (Jeorgo Augustus S.ila and the people of Tauranga which appeared in this papei a few days ago. The article is lie.ided '* T.vuranga thiough W.uk.ito Spectacles."

The grain crops along the Hamilton Cambridge road at present present a very thriving appearance. Some of tho crops aro the finest we hare over seen in W.uk.ito, and the yield should bo well boyond tho average.

The following tenders have been received for the erection of a slaughterhouse for thr> Waiknto Cheese and Bacon Factory:— Elliott, £40 fw ; Phillip Munr i, 437 10s; Jan. ODea, AM."} 15s; Thos. Evans, £33. Tho tender of Thos. Evans was accepted.

There are three candidates in the field for the vacancy in tho Newcastle Road Board, viz., Messrs Edward Johns, William Skeates, and Edwin Shophord. Tho poll is fixed for Saturday first at the schoolhouse, Whitawhata. 'ihe contest promises to be both keon and interesting.

The re formation of Victoria Road, C imbridge, is about to be proceeded with. The tender of T. Ryan, of £7. r > 7s 4d, has been accepted for the work. Mr T. (}. Sandes ih tho engineer, and no doubt under bin able supervision tho road will bo put in passable condition.

At a meeting of the Hamilton Sports Committee held on Tuesday evening, it was decided to grant a family ticket to all parties subscribing to the fund a sum not loss than 2s Gd. Mr Somers naino was added to the general committee, nnd it wan arranged that another meeting should bo held on Tuoaday 15th.

Some of the residents, both of Hamilton and Cambridge, aro objecting vr-ry stiongly to their local bodies giving the Spoits Committees tho power to chargo for admission to the public recreation ground. Some intend making a poor man's question of it, and getting up a littlo agitation on their own account.

An Anglican Church is about to ho erectod .it To Arolm. Bishop Cowio was at To Aroha a few days ago, and inaugmalfd tho matter. His Lordship, it ih said, hurt purchased a site for a private residence in tho township, and is expected to titke up his abode there for » short period.

A meeting of the directors of the Cambudgu .lam Factory was to have been held at Cambridge last night. It is quito likely that tho factory buildings will bo immediately proceeded with, and fruit tinning commenced this season. Jam-making hns been abandoned for the present, as the *ra»on i* now too far advanced for that line.

We notice a very handsome assortment of Christinas and New Year cards on show at Mr J. S. Bond's stationary, Duke-streot. The variety is infinite both in price and quality, and with imch a selection, the most fastidious tanto nhould have no difficulty in getting satisfied,

The Cambridge Choral Society hold its miml weekly practice at the Public Hall on Tuesday evening, when theio was a largo attendance of niembors. Mr Hartly pre»idod an conductor with Inn usual efficiency. Tho members nro getting on most encouragingly, and the local public may therefore look forward to a in initial treat nt no very distant date.

The improvements which the Newcastle Roid Board contemplate carrying out al tin 1 *ully near Crawfords farm, Whatawhati, promiso to bo of a very durable charactei. The tenders forthc respoctivo works, which include carting, earthcutting, and laying of pipes, close on Saturday morning.

The Hamilton Borough Council should receive a Inige number of tenders for the supply of ui.iterials, dog collar*, &c., and for gravelling and cartage Son oral tenders, wo understand, will bo received from outsiders, who have got ,\n eyo to tho borough work. Tenders close on Wednesday, lGth inst.

A large number of civil cases are *et down for heiring at the «'tting of the Cambridge K. M. Court to morrow. Tho long standing case of Police v Wilson, for neglecting to provide for his children, comes on for hearing. Tho libel case, J. M. Fra7er versus Ngakura and others, will be called, but an application will be made for mi adjournment to the first court in January.

Quite a crowd of aboriginals gather daily round tho window of Mr Saigent's jewellery establishment at Cambridge, to hoc tho latest idoa in the way of clock pendulums. This pendulum takes the form of a small ball attached to a thin thread, and goes through a most interesting evolution. This, li#h ever, wo will not attempt to describe in detail, but lease to all who wish to see it, to do so.

Mr W. Johns, of Te Rahu, narrowly escaped a very serious accident last week, whilst working a disc harrow. Tho pole broke in turning, and Mr Johns was thrown forward, the disc passing over him. There was Home ti tieo growing whoro tho accident happened, wkich lifted tho harrows fr«tn the ground over Mr Johns. He was considerably bruised, however, the disc touching him but .slightly.

Whilst passing through Cambridge yesterday afternoon Mr Cooper, of tho Board of Education, was induced to pay a visit to the local public school. He wan accompanied by the Rev. H. R. Dewsbury and Mr E. Hewitt, who pointoi out to him tho urgent necessity of increahed school accommodat'on. Mr Cooper admitted that tho accommodation was altogether inadequate, and promtscd to support an application from tho committco for increaiod accommodation.

Mr Grillett, the popular host of the National Hotel at Cambridge, has been making extensive improvements for the accommodation of his many customers, especially country settleis, whose, bunnies* with horse and cattle sale* brings them in to town so frequently. For their accommodation ho has put at their disposal, free of charge, tho now stables just ercctod at the back of the hotel. Mr Gillett enumerates other arrangements in his advertisement, which cannot fail to bo duly apprecinted.

An enclosure for bathing purposes ii about to be constructed on the bank of the Waiknto river at Cainbudge, near tho town, for the convenience and safety of the juvenile public. There have been quite a number of narrow escapes from drowning tins season already. The enclosuio which it in proposed to construct is 3(i feet by 21 feet, and is to be made of wins on posts driven into the l>ed of the rivor. Tho estimated cost is £20. Tho town boaid has contributed £5 towards the cost of the work, and the remainder will bo raised by public subscription. A buitable dressinghouse will also be erected.

Some of the tenants of the Hamilton Domain Board seem to be behind hand with their rents. Tho board, like the private individual, having its schedulo of liabilities to look after, is naturally amious about the means wherewith to look after them, and tho members, therefore, havo tn.ido up their minds that their tenants shall not forget the conditions of their loase. All who are in arrear more than the half-year current are now liable for rjnuocution, and forfeiture of their holdings in terms of lease.

Cambridge looks quite itself again since tho opening of tho land court. Though there are comparatively few natives interested in the present proceedings, still the characteristic familiarity of the dusky females, tho harmless braggadocio of tho gentlemen as they strut through tho town, and the frequent outbursts of harmony from tho local taprooms all tend to warm the heart of tho old resident and recall to his mind tho happiness and pros perity of the past. Tho natives, however, neeiu to have very little money amongst them, but aro nevertheless very liberal with their patronage so long as they can got anything on credit.

However scarce work may be in Auckland, we m Waikato cannot complain of any great dearth so far as day labom is concerned. The Cambridge Town Board advorti-sed quite a number of local works, the tenders returnable at lant Tuesday's meeting: Only two tenders were received for the formation of Chapol-stieet, neither of which being eligible, it was agreed to call for fresh tenders. No tender at all was received for the clearing of Hall and William streets, nor for tho formation of tho Thornton road, and tho board havo m consequence been obliged to cull for fresh tenders.

The committee of the Waikato Horticultural Society at Cambridgo arc at present instituting a brisk canvass for members. The show will be held in March next, and no pains will be spared to make it tho greatest success of its kind that has over boon held in tho colony. Intending members can* forward their names and subscription at any time tomembersofthecommittee or to Mr (Jeorge Kdgecumbo the secretary of the society at Hamilton. A meeting in connection v» ith the matter was held at Cambridge on Monday ovening, a report of which will be found elsewheie.

The committee of the Cambridge Athletic Spoits, to be held on Boxing Day, have now almost completed their arrange ments. The programme, which is now published, is one of tho best of tho kind that has ever been published in the colony, and tho prizes, which arc most liberal, should bring competitors from Auckland, nnd fr»m n!l p..rtH of W.iik.ato. The C.nnbridge Cup, to be run in three stages, has a hist pri/.o of £20, a second pri/.e of £">, and a third prize of £2 lfK The prize* for tho otlur events are propoitionately if nod. The services of the Te Awamutu Cavalry Band have been secured for tho occasion. Tho committee havo communicated with tho Railway Departmont respecting mutable railway arrangements for tlio Te Awamutu, Moirinsville and Hamilton public.

Raglan, as a seaside resort, should bo largely patronised by tho Waikato public this season. Hitheito tho flow of pleasure seekers and holiday inakern in thm direction has boon comparatively thin, but thoHo who havo made a sojourn in this convenient seaside retreat speak very highly of its attractions, and their good accounts of the place should bo the means of making it more gonorally known and morn largely frequented. The driro to Raglan across tho mountain road in Bummer is boy on d doubt one of tho most onjoyablo and pleasant which it is possible for Wnikato settlers to take. The sconeiy is all that could be desired. Mr Sutton, popularly known in connection with tho waysi lo inn .it Waitetuna, has lately taken over the Raglan Hotol, which ho has completely rrnovated for tho reception of visitors, travellers, and thoso in search of hoalth and quietnesi.

On Tuesday evening on view of tho approaching marriage of Mr S. K. U. Smith, of the Waikato Times, a social gathering of his friends took place at tho Hamilton Hotel. When Mrs (iwynno was spoken to about tin necessary preparation* sho very generously asked to be allowed to provide all that was necessary for the occasion, it is, briefly, necessary to say th.it theie was nothing lacking, and the thirty gentlemen who took part in tho festive proceedings will bear ntnplo testimony to this statement; tho supper was in overy sonso an excellent ono. Mr J. B. Whyte occupied tho chair, and in his usual felicitous manner pioposod tho toast of the ovening, that of tho bridegroom, which was duly responded to as well *as c mid ho expected under the circumstances. Duiingthe evoninga veiy handsome maiblo clock was presented to Mr Smith, a gift from his bachelor friends. Mr T. (J. Handcs was entrusted with tho pleasant duty of making tho presentation, and in doing so introduced Homo excellent advice upon tho HeriouH stop their friend and guost was about to make. Tho evening wm concluded in tho usual Jovial manner, Tlio stock-in-trade of the Waikato Hotol »r« advertised for sale to-day bj Mr John Kno*.