The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2106, 7 January 1886, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Kqual and exact justice to all men, Ot \vh.iisnc\er state 01 persuasion, religious or political. Here shall the Press tlic People's right maintain, Unawrd by influence and unbribed by gain.

THURSDAY, JAN. 7, ISSG.

At the present moment "the weather " is the most prominent topic of conversation. The subject is, under ordinary circumstances, dull and uninteresting enough, but just now it presents a \ cry .serious aspect. What was dry weather a fortnight ago is fast ripening into a genuine drought, and great as the damage already inflicted amounts to, it will be greatly augmented unless rain comes speedily. In a district such as this all classes feel the evil effects ot a prolonged spell of dry weather. Not only does" the farmer bemoan the destruction, partial or total, of his crop, but the townsman shares with him the unpleasantness arising from the heat and the dust, and very often suffers in a greater degree from the want of a supply of pure water. When we talk of " droughts " in this country, we of course use the word in a modified sense. Such droughts as are only too common in some parts of Australia are happily strangers to New Zealand, and particularly so to Waikato. Such seasons as they appear to have endured in New South' Wales during the post two years are as different in degree from our so-called " droughts " as Niagara is from the falls at Okete. A summer that kills off, in that one colony, its thousands of horses and itsmillions of sheep and cattle is a visitor from whom a good Providence has so far spared us, and so long as the colony retains its present shape we are not likely to be subjected to such unwelcome influences. But though our neighbours' is greater, we feel our own trouble just as keenly. The effects of the dry weather have not so far been very dreadful, but they are the more acutely felt because it happens that the agricultural and pastoral industry has not, under the happiest natjural influences, been in a very nourishing state for some time past. And the worst of it is that such a season as this is apt to exercise a baneful effect upon the branch of rural industry which just now gives the greatest promise of succes. We mean, of course, dairying. The burning up of the pastures has seriously affected the supply of milk already, though not, we are glad to hear, to the extent which might reasonably have been anticipated. Unfortunately the long spell of sunshine has done more harm than this. It has, it is true, enabled the farmers to get in their hay crops in safely, and lias done good rather than harm to the wheat, but an immense amount of mischief has been caused to the turnip crop which cannot be undone. What, between the fly and the dry, hot weather, the swedes this year will be an almost complete failure, and though the season for sowing the softer kinds of turnip has not yet passed, yet these cannot take the place of their more substantial congeners. Graziers are pushing their cattle into the market at the present time because they have no food for them, and hundreds, or rather we should say thousands,, of imperfectly fatted beasts are finding their way into the butchers' hands, at, we may be sure, much less than their proper value. If this be the case now, we fear worse will ensue when the winter comes. The area of white crops and hay is not sufficiently large to afford us much consolation for the losses already experienced in grass and roots. A moist Christmas is not> of course, a thing to be desired, but if the only alternative is a dry December and January, we think we could bear to see a little rain during haymaking time. Our object in writing is not merely to catalogue our present nnd prospective misfortunes, but to again draw attention to a subject which we have often reforrod to. Those who have lived in the Waikato for the past ten or fifteen years know that the character of tho seasons has changed to a very appreciable extent Droughts (wo uso the term, but it is not quite applicable) W6re almost uuknown in those days,

while now n «lry summer is ;i thing looked for ns-a rii.it tor i>f course. Various theories, have been «T»-iir[o(V to nccount for the change, and it i-. if not genernlly admiitod, believed by many observant inch, that in the draining of the great swampb and the clearing of scrub and bush, the true cause is to be found. This is, at any r.vto, u reasonable conclu^ &ion, and it ought to impel us to adopt the most obvious means for supplying a substitute for the lost meteorological influence's. It is true that during the past few years 1 4^3s- acres* of trees of various kinds have been-planted, but afte\ all they are only a drop in the ocean. The Waikato is still an open, almost treeless plain. Here and there a patriot is found who, overlooking the present, has laid up treasures for the next generation, but there are many men in the heyday of life who might, if they were so minded, plant trees under the spreading arms of which they themselves might shelter long before they feach the Psalmist's span. We are not without hope also that the Government will some day awake to the importance of planting much of the otherwise woithlcss Crown lands •which lie around. ,the . Waikato basin wjth forest trees. They have commenced by appointing an officer whose duty it is to " conserve ' the forests we already have ; perhaps in the if*fai^ future an attempt will be made to raise up new forests.

Fourteen trucks of cattle and about ten of sheep weiit down to Auckland by yesterday's train. The ordinary monthly meeting of tlic Cambridge Town Hoard will be licld on next Tuesday afternoon. At the usual sitting of the Hamilton R.M. Court yesterday, before Mr Northcroft, -only two small undefended debt cases were heard. The usual fortnightly sitting of the Cambridge R.M. Court will be held to-morrow. Theie is a large list of ciril cases to dispose of, A correspondent of the Otago Daily Times states that the be*t remedyfor beestings is oil of any kind (vegetable), or, failing that, grea.se ot any sort. Sir Julius and Lady Vogel arrived at Waiwera on Tuesday in the Hinenoa. The Treasurer is repotted to be greatly improved in health. Notwithstanding the prevalent drought, the milk supply at the vat ions cheebe factories i-. keeping up pietty well. At the Cambridge factory the supply a fewdnysi ago reached 010 gallons. The telegram in reference to delayed telegrams, published in Tuesday's issue, should read:— "The Government have cancelled the order which authorised the transmission of delayed telegrams on Sunday." The lad Ryan, charged w* tn breaking into the hou«e of Maurice Kiely, Hamilton K.ist, and stealing therefrom a sum of money, was brought up at the Police Court on Tuesday, and remanded in order that the attendance of the prosecutor might bo secured. The case will be heard at the court this morning. The contractor, Mr Ryan, has now finished the reformation of Victoiii Koad, Cambridge, between* iH. Andrew's Church and the town -belt. The improvements were certainly much needed, and seem of a lasting character. The work of gravelling will bo immediately proceeded with. A meeting of S. Peter's Branch of the Church Society will be held in Miss Newell's schoolroom, Hamilton West, at 8 o'clock this evening, for the purpose of electing officer** nominating members and associates and receiving and coiihideinng', the draft By-laws prepared by the c»m-. mittce appointed for that purpose. The Native Land Court reopens at Cambridge to-morrow before his Honour Judge (Jill. The Maungatautari sub-diiv-sions will be proceeded with. There are still a number of succession claims to be disposed of. The natives are now gathering in from their respective settlements t> watch the proceedings and look after their interests. The revised catalogue for the Cambridge Public Library has now been published, and will shortly be on sale at the library. A reliable catalogue ha<* been badly wanted for some time past, sevfejal important additions having been made to the library within the past year or two. The Gazette of the 23rd December contaius an Order-in-Gouncil, Mating lot 10IJ, Hamilton Wiwt, in the Corporation of Hamilton as a site for a market. This allotment, which is situated between the railway station and the property recently acquired by Mr H. Bullock-Webster, has always been known as. "thcmaikut reserve," but the GruuTiiment up-to the present have retained it in their own hands. f Messrs W. J. Hunter and Co. are about to extend/ their yards at Ohaupo mi as to enable them to sell in pens, as i.s now done in most places. The present accomodation is not sufficient, and very extensive additions are to be made to meet the growing requirements of the firm's trade. The selling shed hitherto used will still be utilised for the sule of dairy cow's and oM, lots of stock, but the bulk of the cattle wm«henceforth, as soon as the new yards are completed, be sold in the pens. About four o'clock on Thursday some mean person broke into the dairy of Mr Crawford, of Whatawhnto, and deliberately upset the contents of four milk pain on to the dairy floor. The perforated zinc over the dairy window was stript off, the milk spilt, and the pans replaced on the shelves ; the tracks on the soil outside show that it was done by a man. .Such .dastardly conduct deserves recognition. It is evident that it was the outcome of spite, as nothing was taken away. The Rev- C. Bodington, Missioncr, preached to a large congregation at S. Andrew's, Cambridge, on Monday, on his return from the Lakes. The congrega--tion was a tfiorimghly representative.' *»<*,{ many having come long distances to hear Mr Bodington for the last time. The .=»er-~ inon was an extiemely able one, and forcibly delivered, dealing impressively with the desirableness of commencing the new year in a proper Christian spirit. The Rev. Dr Purchas said the prayers. Tlio Rev. G. E. Mason and R. O'C. Uig^s were also present, but did not take part in the 'service, v ' . „ The sale of racing stock atJUajor George's Wapiti estate, Epsom', on Tuesday, was not a success, the only sale effected out of Major George's stock being the Apremont filly Antelope, which was sold for 100 guineas. Nelson, the winner of the Auckland Cup and A.R.C. Handicap was offered, but there was no bidding for him ovgr the auctioneer's start of .~>oo guineas. Subsequently, however, an offer of 1200 guineas was made for the horse and not accepted. Wapiti was not bid for, and Mrs Lushington's lot failed to elicit a bid. Mr Redwood's trio, Capsize, Alpine Rose and Clogs, were on the ground, but as the owner did not turn up, they were not offered for sale. — Herald. " Everybody is calling out for water. Tanks are empty, wells have run dry, and even brooks- have ceasedito "tun on for ever." \t Cambridge cntfcera-^iro making money by filling tanks at the river and. selling the water at so much the bucket' through the town. Through Pukejcura and Pukerimu every" little stream or rivulet is completely dried up, and some settlers are actually drawing a supply from a swamp creek, which 'certainly cannot be very wholesome, especially for household use. Wtj, think, however, many ha\ c theinBcl\c.s to blame for 1 neglecting to provide their homesteads jvith go<Kl wells ? which certainly do not cost much to construct. Everywhere the pasture is being scorched up, and if the""vain 'keeps away much longer the result will be. simply disastrous. The Cambridge Jam Factory has already done a lot of work in the fruitproscrving lino. There are now about 1500 tins of gooseberries, almost ready for market. As the gooseberries are pretty well exhausted, the supply to .the factory has stopped, and the men are now waiting for the plum

season to re-commence ojwrations. People are complaining that the factory lias not yet aLtangsri its price-, and thnt when they " make cnqilii ies no one is able to toll them what they will got. They do not can* to brim? in their fruit before they know what they are going to get for it. Others complain that they have, been disappointed with what they have got for their berrioH, but at the siine time the fact must not be lost «ight of that there are others who are highly satisfied with the .price which they h.ivc re ceived .Some people expect to get .1 firstclass price for a second cl !>••» article, and f i tilt has bt>en brought t<« the factory which was far from' excellent. However, it is near time that the dhectors drew up a schedulo of pi ice-, f<n the \.irinui sort-- and ■ t c!n-scs of fruit, s<> tliiit Mipplier- might h< nhle to calculate .iccordingly. The Rev. G. E- Mason, the Mis.siorier,' arrived at Hamilton fmia Cum4iridffe on Tuesday morning, .md during the day was visitod by a large number of the parishioners of S. Peter's. In the evening Mr Mason prenched at S. Peter'R to' a large congregation. Kvening jmayer was said by the Key. li. O'C BiggH, Incumbent of tho parish, and the lcions were read by the Yen. Archdeacon of Waikato, (Rev. \V. X. de L. Willis). The Missioner took K>r his te\t S. Luke wii, v. 32, "Remembertiot's wife,"and preached nneloquentand stirring discourse, urging bin hearers to be .steadfast in the faith, ever mo\ing onward, never forgetting their privileges or their obligations and never looking back. He trusted they would make the Kew Year happy and memorable by dedicating themselves to Christ and to the work of his Church. A number of the congregation remained behind after the service to *pe.ik to the MisMoner, ■ iind to bid him "good bye." Yesterday, being the Festival of the Epiphany, Holy Communion was administered in S. Peter's at 7.30 a.m. The Incumbent wai celebrant, and there were thirty-five communicants The Rev. (i. *J4. Mason delivered an instructive and touching address on the Epiphany, and jdjuded in feeling language to the pleasant m sv^nin he had enjoyed at Hamilton, wheic he WriU-mfeke w> many dear fiirtnds. Mr Mason left for Auckland by the 10.40 train. The Missionera proceed to Taranaki on Fiiday to conduct a mission there. They will then go to Nelson on a short visit to Bishop Suter, returning to Auckland to be present at the opening of the <4eneral Synod. Thereaftei they will go to Chiistchurch to conduct a mission in that diocese. Mr Mason expects to be back in England about July.