The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2162, 18 May 1886, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

„'■? £qual and exact justice to all men, & Of whatsoever state or persuasion, roliftiom or /, : political. .• „ Here shall the Press the People's n«lit maintain, ' • 'Uhawed by influence and unbribed by gain.

. &AY 18, ISB6.

Mr Firth has. been writing a good ' deal about land for the people lately, but he evidently does not inttind to stop at that. It is easy enough to theorise on the subjeot, easy Enough, as everybody must feelrfrho reads the papers, to talk a great'deal of arrant nonsonse about it, -:> It' is much more difficult to do something, but Mr Firth is going to make an essay. His method of procedure is set forth at length in an advertisement which appears in this issue. He proposes to let farms at Mataraata, with right of purchase, at an average price of £5 per acre. { ,' Thejtcma^t jvill be required to pay a rent equal to five j>or coat., of five shillings per acre, and nf ter the first year ten shillings per week to go towards the purchase mom-y, interest being allowed upon this at the rate' of four per cent. The land has Ijeen,, cultivated, is kid down r in graw and clover, and is contiguous toa railway station. This in itself, is something more thau'a fair Offer,

hut Mr Firth goes further. H« is willing to let the tenant cows at the rate ot fifteen shillings a head per annum for the firgt two years, and to advance money, still at five per cent., for the erection of a modest dwelling. He will, moreover, erect a cheese factory and purchase milk from the tenants at the current rate. In short, the tenant, without the aid of capital, is given not only the means of earning a decent livelihood, but of gradually acquiring a freehold. Apparently Mr Firth does not' contemplate giving any tenant more than fifty acres, which he doubtless thinks, and rightly, is a sufficiently large area for the class of people he has'in his eye. He aims at the creatfon of a small farm settlement, and that only. We do not doubt that more failures in farming, not only in New Zealand but all over the world, are traceable to land hunger, to the desire to hold more l;md than can be cultivated, than to; bad-, seasons, bad markets, or any dthercause. Fifty acres is not too much, bufrit is quite enough for a man without means, and this is the man Mr Firth offers to make provision for.. There has been a tremendous cry about the absorption of the country in large estates, to the exclusiqn'.cl 1 the people, but in Che face "of th 9 terms offered by the owner of Matamata, the tone oi the dlamour ought to be modified. Land dan be ;I gqt,t rom tne government upon the most reasonable terms, there are companies who will let their land, and good land too, at a rental of a shilling an acre with the right of purchase at a very small figure, but good as these offers are, they do not meet the necessities of the case as Mr Firth proposes to meet them. It is a mockery to offer virgin land, however good and however cheap, miles away from a market, to a man without the means to buy a spade or a plough, . to say nothing of cattle and sheep, but Mr Firth not only promises cheap land on a line of railway, but he otfers cultivated land, ready for, use. and stocked. Unless there are' conditions hidden away somewhere which will greatly qualify the value of the offer, it is certainly one of the most generous we have come face to face with for many years. Perhaps, Mr Firth would esteem it a'iiigher compliment if, instead of calling him a philanthropist, we were to characterise his action as that of level-headed, fav-sightsd man Qf business. Matamata is a big place. ; the soil in many portions of it' is rich and grateful, and were its good qualities demonstrated in some unmistakeable way, it would doubtless show up well in the marltet. That the settlement and thorough cultivation of a goodly slice of the estate would enhance the value of the balance, there can {>c no reasonable doubt, and in that way, Mr Firth would reap his reward, a reward which nobody, we' think, would grudge him. It is eminently gratifying- to find that; such a large number Have come forward to accept t Mr Firth's offer. In the light of an experiment merely the new settlement will be keenly watched. It is the first attempt to solve in a practical manner in this country whether cooperation in cultivating the soil will pay.

We referred the other day in this column <?o the efforts put forth by residents in the Upper Waipa districts to put down the rabbit pest. We inadvertently omitted to add that the increased activity in this direction is ,due in a great measure i/O the pressure brought to bear by Mr Oldham, who holds the joint post, of sheep <$nd , rabbit inspector., The Colonial Secretary, whose departme.nt?hA3 the direction .-of these matters, was apprised some time agoiof the increase of rabbits in this part of the colony, and he has consequently issued instructions^ to Chief Inspector Lewis to use his best endeavours to eradicate the pest. Hence- Mr Oldham has been busy of late in those parts of the district indicated by us in a previous issue. It is very unfortunate, from the settler's point of view, that 'the supply should have overtaken the demand. From all we can learn, there appears to be now only one wholesale customer in Auckland, while the local market is too small to be depended on. Hence the proSts to be derived from rabbit hunting are very small, and those "who formerly devoted their energies to the pursuit are now beginning to lag. But rabbits are not like potatoes : we cannot knock off raising them when the price sinks below the 'payable level : and though it may be distasteful to those on whose land the nuisance thrives, they cannot relax their efforts without running the risk of incurring the penalties imposed by the Act of 1882. It goes sorely against the grain to do anything' tor nothing, we know, but on the other hand land-owners •must see that it will never do to allow the rabbit- to increase. In their, pwn interests, therefore, we trust they will do their utmost to get rid of thfc pest by actively exerting themselves; and by giving such' information to the inspector as .'will enable iim the bett.er to perform his task in respect of; unoccupied lands. When rabbits exist on Crown lands provision is made in jthfe Act for payment of the cost of eradication out of the Consolidated iFund, and this provision, we preIsume, will extend to the native jcountry over the Puniu, where the pest is said to be rapidly spreading. Mr Hargravp, an expert in the business, has been sent to Waikato, and is at present in" the " King" country. He will make a thorough inspection, and report to the Government. It is more than probable that ou receipt of his report the Government will issue special instructions to carry out the strict letter of the law, although for that matter the inspectors are now required $o enforce the provisions of

the Act "on all occasions, without respect of persons or fear of any consequences." As wo said before, there is uo reason to suppose — unless nil precautions are studiously negledted— that the pest will ever attain in this district the proportions it has usuufod in other parts of the colony. At the same time it is much too important to treat lightly and without regard to consequences. If the danger be tackled promptly and heartily it will no doubt, speedily disappear. A great deal more can be done by the voluntary efforts of the settlers than by all the elaborate machinery of the Act, and a great deal of heart burning will be saved if this course be adopted. In the case of Crown and native lands the Government ought, and of course will bear the expense, and where large areas of privately owned unoccupied are concerned the owners must, if accessible, be made to pay ; when they cannot be got at, the land should be made to provide the wherewithal. The Act contemplates such cases, and power to sell, similar to that in the Road Boards Act, is provided. We are quite certain that if the crusade is gone about systematically the nuisance, can be effectually put down in the' aourse of a few mopths, if not weeks.

The Mauritius suiar crop if rr , ported t» be good. The yield it expected; to be 150,000 tons. Ike season of the Cambridge Skating Rink Club will open in the Public Hall to-morrow evening.

Mr Hornibrook. the prospector, has met with no succour in his search for auriferous country around Cambridge.

Mr Kerr is making great progress with the now class-rooms at tho Cambridge District School. There was a complete change in the weather during tho last week. Sharp frosts «Vid cold rtina wore experienced throughout the Waikato.

An exciting game of football was played at Cambridge, on Saturday afternoon, between the Cambridge Football Club and a local scratch team. No score was kept.

Oapt. Owen it about again. Hii Ixxly was well peppered with shot from Mr Chitty's gun. The charge entered both thighs and loin*, bat none of the ihot h»ve been extracted.

The Cambridge Choral Society will ro3iuno regular practice) this evening. A new 1 quarter Jilso commence* ; therefore, person's desirous of beoominß member** should be in attendance to night.

The 150 yards foot-race for £10 A side, which was arranged to come off at Cambridge on Saturday, between J. McNeiah, the local man. and Tierney, of Te Arolnv, did not eventuate, as the latter did not put in an appearance.

Heavy floods are reported from Chri-tclmrcli. The Avon rose four feet abnvo tho oidinary flood level, and many of the lower parts of tho city wore flooded, the inhabitants having to be removed in carts.

Another of those injured at Borsboom's fire at Auckland on Thursday morn* iuj?, a man named Frosdyke, has died at the hospital. The reuiaiindor are making fair progress. Tho body of the first victim '• Charley." has not been identified.

In another column Mr Vaile explains the reason of his non-appearance at Hamilton on Friday last. In aacther part of this issue it in announced that the lecture on Railway Reform will be delivered at LeQuesne's Hall on Friday evening next. The chair will be taken by the chairman of the Waikato County Council.

Mr H Oldhara, Sheep Inspector, left at our office yesterday an Irish Peach applo, and a Vermont Damson plum, bcinj? a portion of a second crop of fruit grown by Mr George Ramsay, Puikuku, njar Rangiaohia. The apple, which ia not at all n V>»d specimen, is fully fivo inches in circumference, while the plum was almost ripe.

In this issue appears the full list of prize money etc., to be coraj>ot«d for on • the Queen's Birthday, (Monday next) at Cambridge. For the Cambridge Cuu, tht first prize in £5 and second £1. Tho time for receiving entries 'has been extended until Wednesday evening the 19th U^fGiven fine weather the sports should proyo •nccessful.

The following special message^ to the Press Association, dated London^ Msy >18th, havo b«en published ;-rf-<ft the request of Mr Bosito (of Victoria) and, Sir Saul Samuel, the Prince of Wales wijl visit the Oval on this occasion of the cricket match, Australian* v. Surrey, next week.— All ihe Wolshipments which haver arrived tip to the present will be available for the third •eric* of tales.; ; :' 1 '

Mr John Ridler hayinir retired from the contest; Mr U. P. McPheraon hai boen eltcted to fill the one extraordinary vacancy in the Hamilton Road Board. Messrs Ridler, J. Atkinson, T. Maunder, and T. ; Rothwoll are oandidtitex fur 'the three extraordinary vacancies in the name board, and the poll will be taken at Hendersons cottage, Franktoc, on ' Monday

next, 'the 24th mat. , x A section of the Nftatiharua liviug at Maungatautari, under the old chief Piripi, have recently put up several nosy slab whares on a piece of rising ground which they call Haterti pa, ,or Saturday town. This hns probably.Riven rise to the late rumour of a dispute between Te Puke and others over th'n boundary line of a subdivision at Mannkatutahi. We- know t>f no one of the name of Te Puke hiving' re< ceived any award from the Lind Court. The Pnkekura Road Board we in a most enviable position. Unlike othor local bodies in Waikato they have actually got more money than they know what, to do with. They bay* already £60 at fixed deposit in the bank, and when they met the ratepayers the othor day the balancesheet!showed that they had not expended' much more than half the revenue. They now propose t<i put a further sum of £300 at fixed deposit for six month*.

A notice appears in this issue from the Native Committee of Maungatautari, warning prospectors from proceeding over the land* in that block to look for gold. The chiefs wish it to be understood that they do not take this action in any unfriendly spirit, but that they object to unknown persons going over their properties, and that they will prosecute for trespass any one they may find doing i>o without Jheir consent. They say sjome have lately been about Maungatautari, who when requested to retire told the natives they did not care for them.

Victoria is still making strenuous endeavours to prevent France obtaining possession of the New Hebrides. From the answers gi\euby the British Government there was reason to believe that England had implicdly if not directly promised to recognise the claim of France upon certain conditions, but we learn that the Government have now finally reiojvnd not to allow the annexation, It is riraificant that throughout the negotiations the altered position of the Australasian colonies is distinctly recoguised. '

The Rev. Percy Smallfield. of Bombay, Diocesean Inspector of Sundayschool*, preached at both service* at S. Peter's, Hamilton, on Sunday. In th.o morning his subject was futntly Worship,, nnd in the evening he discounted upon thehigher life. Both sermons were Admirable specimens of extempore preaching, and were listened to with deep interest. In the afternoon Mr Siuallfiold inspected the Sunday-school. Unfortunately, owing to the bad weather, there was a rery. small attendance of pupils. He will forward a report in the course of a few days.

At an extra meeting of the Timahere Road Board held on Saturday list the following tenders were received for work on the Junction road :— J. Clements, gravelling per yard, 9|d ; forming per chain, 4« ; J. Conrabes, gravelling piryard, Is ; forming per chain, 7s Cd ; J. Hamilton, gcavellingper yard Is 3d ; forming per chain, lOh ; -R..W. Carter, gravelling per yard lO^d ; forming per diiun 12* ; Y. Clarkin, graveUinir per yard Is : tofiifing per chain 7» ; 3. Fvrrest, gravelliog per

yard 1« 2d ; forming per chain 13a Od. Mr Clement*'* tender was accepted. There was no other business done.