SATURDAY, APRIL 24 1886.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2152, 24 April 1886, Page 2

SATURDAY, APRIL 24 1886.

Tun action of the Native Minister, the hon. John Ballance, in the matter of the obstruction 1 to the survey of the Maungatautari sub-divi-sion cannot be too highly commended, and the readiness 1 displayed ty Inspector Kiely, of the Police Force; in at once assisting to put down agression on the part of the natives, is also deserving of a meed of praise. Although, perhaps, a small thing in itself, this difficulty with the natives might, under other circumstances, havu been but the forerunner of heavier trouble, as, encouraged by success on the part of others, any dissatisfied natives might at any moment have taken upon themselves to order off the various survey parties that are bound to bo at work for some time

to come in this part of tho country. Mr Ballance was communicated with late on Monday evening, and on Tuosday morning his dopart:nent had requested the Inspector •>f Police to at once stop, with u strong and determined hand, any opposition offered to the carrying out of the survey, which, we may mention, was being made by order of the Lands Court. This little ppisode, which will be reported throughout Maoridom, must serve to sbow the natives that the present Minister really means to insist on carrying out his expressed intention of allowing no interference with Government work, even if being prosecuted in the so-called King Country. A pity it is that this line of conduct was not adopted long since, as it would have been much better for the natives themselves, and would have saved them a great deal of useless expense and trouble in the past, in causing delays to work which in the end was bound to be carried out. The settlers in the neighbour' ing district, who have had long years of experiences in Maori matters, not at all satisfactory to thetnselves, are quite pleased o^ver the matter, and look forward to,' being able to deal with their aboriginal friends much morfc satisfactorily than heretofore. We understand that the natives have taken their defeat in the best possible spirit, and by keeping entirely aloof from the surveyors whilst at work, show that they are accepting the position, if not with a good grace, at least peacefully and quietly. It seems that the obstructors at first professed to be acting in Tawhiao's interests, but that chief, we are credibly informed, entirely denies that such was the case, and had not the measures taken by the surveyor aud the police beeu so immediately successful, he would have sent an emissary over from Whatiwhatihoe to state that such was the case. He says that he told them not to put tho land through the court in the 'first instance, but that they disobeyed him, and therefore as soon as it was adjudicated upon it was entirely beyond his control. It may also be noted that' when it came to the final pinch the natives did not mention Tawhiao at all as being concerned in the matter, which shows that his version of the affair is the correct one, and that they were acting on their own responsibility in the matter. The real cause of the trouble is that each and every native who is a grantee wants for himself the best land in the block, which naturally makes things a little mixed. However, they will now see that they may not with impunity take the law into their own hands.

From the explanation given by Mr Lake at the meeting at Hamilton on Thursday, the resolution passed by the Hospital Board does not mean very much. It simply amounts to a recommendation to the Government to alter the schedule of the Act next session so as to make Waikato a separate district. So far so good. This recommendation will be of material assistance to our members when the question is raised in the House, and will no doubt give them the victory. But what will happen in the meantime ? By the time Parliament opens we shall be, on the basis of their own assessment, pretty deep in the Board's debt, and the question we have to consider, amongst others, is, ought we to wipe out what we cannot for a moment admit is a reas'ouable 01 just liability? We quite agree with Mr Lake that our first duty is to endearour by all means in our power to cut the painter and separate from the Auckland district. When this has been accomplished, it will be quite time to think about a local hospital, to say nothing about the selection of a site. When it is finally decided to erect an institution of this kind, very little doubt will exist on the subject of site, but for the present it can conveniently be put aside. We trust the local bodies in all parts of Waikato will speedily make their views known. We hop* also that the Piako Couaty Council will heartily join in the crusade. Piako ought novel* to li«.ve l>een separated from the other counties in this part of the colony, and if its inhabitants make their voices heard, we do not think the House would turn a deaf ear to their prayer.

Various Road Board notifications, in reference to the holding of animal meotinga w ill be found in this issued

The Wealeyan Annivertutry Soiree at Cambridge West parted off vrey successfully, and gave groat satisfaction to all concerned.

A .grand entertainment will be held' hi the Ngarunwahia schoolroom <)n Monday night. Visitor* to the raceu who may be desirous of attending can return home by tho late train from Auckland.

Yesterday was observed as a holiday at thn Post and Telegraph offices', pnd wo are in consequence without our mu'al telegrams, correspondents' letters, etc.

A special message to the Press Association dated London, April 21, says it is believed that an attack on the Turks by the Greeks is imminent, and that Russia in doing her best to hamper the Powers.

' The country around Hautapn, Vencnurt, and Tamahore, in looking well. The gnu* seemK plentiful, and there are to be seen a, number of force fields of turnips. Ploughing, however, does not appear to have commenced yet.

Messrs Gk E. Clark, Jas. Forrest, S. S. Graham, Jahn Martyn, jimr., J. J. Smith, J. Taylor and J. P. Thornton have been nominated as mombers of the Cambridge Road Board. The poll will be taken on the Ist day of Mny.

We are requested to remind those who intend to give contributions of flowers,' etc., towards decorating S. Peter's Church, that they should bo left at the church an early an possible to-day. The decorators are requested to meet in the afternoon.

Yesterday, Good Friday, the usual services were held at the various Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches in the district. Service w«n also held iv the morning at the Presbyterian Church, Hamilton. The day was, of course, obflerved *s m clme holiday.

A large number of people were passengers to Waikato and Te Aroha by VMterdfty'H excursion train from Auckland. When the train, consinting of eleven bogie carrureti, reached Hamilton, there were fully WO on board, Of th«M about 50 or 60

remained at Hamilton, while the greater portion of tho balance proceeded to Te Aruha.

At Thursday's meeting of the Auckland Crown Land* Board, Messrs T.iylor and Thaxter, deferred-payment electors, Te Aroha, were granted relief under Land Act, 1885, ni they were unable t-i complete the purchase^ of section 9, block 11, containing 292 lores 3 mods 2ti porclns. The A«sistanjt Surveyor-General forwarded reports upon town section* Nos. 151 to IUB, To Awamutu, having a total area of one. acre fifteen perches. Ordered tote offered for sale.

We learn from yesterday's Herald that at the meeting of creditors in the estate of Mr N. G. Lennox held on Thnrsdny two tenders for the stock-in-trade were received, one from » Wellington firm offering £750 under certain conditions, and the other that of Mr E. Wayte, £1000. Thi* includes the stationary nnd bookselling business in Auckland and Hvmilton, and it was accepted. The business will be carried on by Mr B. Wnyto, with the assistance of nis son, who is at present in .Sydney.

The following special messages to the Press Association, dated London, April 22nd, have been published :— ln connection with the recent Crawford-Dilke divorce case, Sir A. K. Stephenson, the Queen* Proctor, hns applied for the Appearance of Sir Charles Dilke.— The Canadian Government have informed Sir Alexander Stuart that the Dominion is prepared to grant a subsidy in equal proportion to that Riven by Australia for the construction and maintenance of * cable to the colonies. The Earl of Granville expresses himself at generally favourable to the scheme.— The French Chamber of Deputies have sanctioned the holding of an exhibition in Paris.— The meeting of the electors of a successor to Bishop Moorhouse, of Melbourne, takes places on the 4th May.— The •bipment of grapes by the John Elder ha* proved a faihire from the same cause as before— narawy, that of packing in sawdust. The remainder of the fruit by the same vessel is in splendid condition. . . .. .

A correspondent from itmuam writes as follows re the water running oft the main rotd into Mrs Corboy'« property : —To the Editor, Sir,— l see by the report of the last meeting of the Waipa County Council that the Engineer recommends cutting down Havelock-streot opposite to the Alpha Hotel at a cost of £10, in order to prevent the water running into Mrs Corbey's property, and he says that the road is 18in. or 2ft. too high. This expenditure leetns to many here a direct waste of money. The road certainly it about lOin. higher than it was supposed to be, the contractor having filled in too much originally, and the gravel being put on by the town board before the work was pasted it was not thought advisable to lift the gravel to lower the ciov/n of the road again as winter was approaching, but the whole difficulty came from the fact of the occupieru of the property filling in thn water-table along the frontage of the hotel and Rtorc, and so allowing water to flow over into the back. If the water-table b« re-f'«rmed «nd the footpath raised to its proper level, tlie difficulty would be at an end and this is certainly what should be done. To lower the road now and break up what is really, a hard permanent roadway would be to create a quagmire for the ensuing winter. I think that for less than £10 the watertable could be made, the footpath raised, and wooden curbing put in nil along the front of the allotment, then the evil would be at an end for ever. I strongly advise the local councillors to see to this. I notice that Cr. Teasdale saw it in the same light.—! am, &c, Contractor.

The text of the petition to Parliamentdrawn up by Mr Vails, and a copy of which lifts ready for signature* at thin office, ii as follow* :— " To the Honourable the House of Representitivea of New Zealand in Parliament assembled :— The j)etition of the undersigned inhabitants of the colony of New Zealand humbly showeth : —That the present system of managing the railways of the colony has proved most unsatisfactory in every respect. Tbat it entails » very were financial loss, which increases year by year. That the arrangement of the «cale of fares, rates, and charges causes great dissatisfaction. That, in the opinion of your petitioners, a complete change h.is become necessary. Your petitioners therefore pray that a commission may be appointed to inquire into and report upon the management of our working railways. That no railway boaids or commission may be appointed until this inquiry has bonn held. That it may be a ■pecinl instruction to the coinmn-unii to inquire into and report upon the system of levying faro* and charges proposed by Mr Samuel Vaile, of Auckland. That, as the arrangement of the tariff is mainly a coin, tnercial and financial matter, your peti tioners pray that the commission may consist of the Minister for Public Works, the Under-Secretary for Public Works, the General Manager of the New Zealand Railways, and other commissioners, to be ■elected— one by each of the Chambers of Commerce in New Zealand, but, in districts where there are Agricultural or Pastoral Association!, one of thfse to be joined with the Chambers of Commerce in ,tbe selection of the commissioner lor that district. And your petitioners. ,».<> in duty bound, will ever pray.

The Hon. the Premier addressed 'a meeting at Napier on Wednesday night. In the course ofnis speech he said he attri. btrted the defeat of the first Stout-Vogel Mfnistry to the fact that the Liberals in the House were not true to their principles and condemned the practice of voting agnin«t Ministries because their members were selected from particular districts. No statesman is a politician who held such \iews, or was fit to be a statesman. He considered the conduct of certain members ill the House last session disgraceful and dishonourable in requesting the Government to retain their seats after the rejection of the Customs tariff. He was ready and willing to tender his resignation, auu was now firmly convinced the Government should have resigned. He defended the Government in respect to their taxing proposals, and contended that the present Government had introduced what was prncticall> a land t.vx, but were defeated mi it. He dof ended the land administration of the Government, find said they had an enormous territory" vet left to administer — some l"ort> million- of ,uu». He considered the chH'f opposition to tlio Ministry was owing to their attitude on the [native land question. The Government projtosed that alt native lands should bo put on a level and sold through projierly constituted boards. He contrasted tho attitujio of the Maoris to tho piesent Government with that adopted' to their predecessors, and considered it was must favourable) to the former. He said if the Government were allowed to go on as they were doing for two <>r three months they would have obtained hundreds of thousands of acres from the Maoris for the North Island Trunk Railway at a reasonable price. Ho defended the measure bmnght in last session, and sajd the Government had laid tho foundation of a true liberal policy. Referring to Captain Russell's motion, he said that motion really meant to prevent the Government from entering into any fresh contracts. Whatever was said agniunt Sir Julius Vogel, he had placed the finances of the colony in a sound position, and he would m>w state for the first time that, notwithstanding depression jtll over the world, the Government, he believed, would meet Parliament with a surplus of £37,000. Tho future policy of the Government as to public works would be to proceed cautiously, but at the same time to extend the lines as much as practicable. He wishod to see local government extended, and thought the counties xhnuld lie united instead of split up. He intended, if possible, to introduce a new Municipal Act and new Counties Act next session. He would also like to see many social reforms carried out, but those must como gradually.