ALEXANDRA GOSSIP.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2111, 19 January 1886, Page 2

ALEXANDRA GOSSIP.

-— ♦ TO THE EDITOR. Sir,— The weather— possibly the oldest of all subjects of gossip, is just now a fruitful theme, and our clerk of the weather, Cmntr.auder Edwin, is getting his full share of criticism. Yet, those who watch the changes in the sky which forecast the wind or portend tho storm, know that the weather-wise commander has not been far astray. Following each recent weather bulletin, we have had strong indication* that rain was at hand, although it came not. Like the enthusiastic angler, if we have caught no fish we still have had a "glorious nibble." To those who resort to aqua vitie as 'a comforter during the drought, and find the combined effects of whiskey and dust trying to the eyesight, 1 can recommend an old toper's advice, "that you must keep up the house if the windows do fall out." So far, we can hardly compare with the water f imine lately experienced in New South Wale*, where it is veraciously recorded ;\ family of eleven had for their daily ablutions one quart of water, said quirt after all had laved in it being of further sen ice to quench the thirst of one surviving cow. Educated by The Waikato Tunes, our farmers are much exercised on the evils of middlemen. From the various strong opinions expressed on that subject, I am reminded or the anecdote about an enobled, yet nondescript lady, who went to England in the wake of George 11. Hustled and hooted in the streets of London she cried out from her carnage, '• mem frients we came here for all your goots." "Yes, confound you, and for all our chattels too," was the reply from the mob. Now that Sala, the apostle of extravagance, has come and gone, can no apostle of economy arise. Is it not possible by stringent economy and combination to compel the purchaser to seek the producer? Something like this obtains in Britain, where markets and fairs are held locally for the sale of farm produce , where the buyer and the farmer make their own bargains. It is not only the farmer who utters curses loud and deep about middlemen. All classes of producers from Waikato to the North Cape echo the cry. The Scotch minister who noted the wondeful fact that all the " big rivers ran to the big toons" might now-a-days note that all the cash takes the Fame direction. 0 for a Lycurgus to re-enact for a time a law of barter only. Where 0 where' would the non-produc-ing, non-sweating middlemen be then ? Silly.

A fbeehold farm at Stoke Golding, Leicestershire, containing 38 acres, has been sold for £1630. Soaik 5i12 acres of arable land has been sold for £400 in Lincolnshire. The sarpe property cost £1010 in 1871. Small farm for sale at Ohaupo. We draw attention to the important advettisemenl of Mr W. R. Bridgman, Junction Drapery Warehouse Upper Ouern-street, Auckland, wbo is offering: great bargains. Mr J. S. Buckland bas been favoured wilh instructions from Mr J. C. Firth to sell at Matamata on Wednesday, the 17th February, 1200 rboice Lincoln ewes, 30 prime Shropshire Down rams, 30 pure ewes, same breed, and 25 colts and fillies. Good For Babies — " We are pleased to say ] that our baby was permanently cured of a serious protracted irregularity of the bowels by tbe use of American Co's Hop Ritters by its raofhar wbich at the same time restored her to prrfect btslth and itren^b,"— Th* Pajixntb. See.