AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2198, 10 August 1886, Page 2

AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Fqual ami exact justice to ,i)l men, Ot \sna^oe\er st.ito or persuasion, rcliejious or politu.il. __

TUESDAY, AUG. 10, 1886.

Only six-and-forty years have elapsed since Governor Hobson, by his own extraordinary personal exertions and the active and intelligpnt assistance of the Europeans then in the country, peacefully es taUishod the Queen's sovereignty in these islands. To secure tlu* adhesion of the natives to the Treaty of Waitangi was no easy matter, and yet with the aid of Her Majesty's ship Herald, the task was accomplished in a remarkably short time. Despite the hostilityoperating often in hidden channels — of the convicts, the company's emigrants, and the gentleman whom Captain Hoi. son referred to as the French Bishop, the Union Jack •wsis soon hoisted in every part of the colony. It might easily have been foreseen that to take the country under our wing, so to speak, was a performance of uo great difficulty in comparison with

the work of maintaining the good relationship between the brown and the white man, which the new Governor had so happily suco^ede<^> in establishing. And yet (f thia had been acknowledged,' as it doubtless was, by the. principal actors fo that important historical drajorta %t> Waitangi, they could not have imagined that the "Native Question " would assume so many and such different phases during their own lifetime. Some of them are yet living. Dr. Shortland is one, and Dr. Maunsell is another, with several /younger men. ' They have lived through experiences the like of which it is not given to many men to enjoy or to endure. " | We have not space to recount the numerous chances and changes which have befallen the colony aucl its aboriginal inhabitants, tempting as the subject is. We have just a few words to offer concerning the change in the relative positions occupied by the old and ,the, Hew denizens of these islands, suggested by a perusal of the annual reports from native districts, extracts fnam which will be found in another part of this issue. Half a century ago the Maori popula tion probably numbered a hundred thousand, while the Europeans consisted of a score of missionaries and a few whalers, with some others of a nondescript character, part respectable and part not. The interval has witnessed an appalling diminution in the one race, and an increase, not perhaps so extraordinary, in , the other. The natives do not now, we dare affirm, amount to more, than thirty thousand, while as, we all know from the census returns, the Europeans number over half a million. Internecine strife,, war against the- Government, immorality, bad houses, bad food, and worse drink have operated to produce this decrease in the Maori race, though, as has often been pointed out, it seems to be a ; pn,rt of Nature's plan that the dark skins sfra'll 1 disappea r before the white. This, however, is a question, which involves many knotty etymological and philological' points. Atiother thing which strilres us very forcibly in looking through these reports is the change in the methods of the Native Office which has taken place of late years. In the place of the old secrecy and mystery, the reports breathe a most refreshing candour. Native chiefs and native politics are dealt with in the freest and most open manner. It is quite apparent that there are now no secrets left to be locked up in the safe and sacred repository of the Native Minister's bosom. ' For this excellent reform we are mainly indebted to Mr Bryce, of whom it is not too much to say that he abhorred the ancient Maoridoctor system ; and he has found an ardent disciple in Mr Ballance. These reports demonstrate nothing so plainly as that the Native "Difficulty/ that bogie which has thrown its dar shadow over this fair colony for so many years, which caused the loss of so many valuable Jives and so seriously retarded settlement, is now no more. Here and there the shadow, like that of Uie girl in Owen Meredith's enchanting lyric, may rest, but the biibstance has perished.

The other day the fact was trumpete I abroad that the town of Auckland, as shown by the census returns, had a . population of over sixty thousand, that it was the largest city in New* Zealand, and the third in Australasia, and so forth, and so forth. Now \ instead of miking this the occasion for gushing gratulationp, the press of the Northern metiopolis ought to have put on sack-cloth and ashes. It is just this abnormal gro.wth of the towns and the drain of inhabitants from the rural districts that .is causing the depresSidn of which' we 'hear so much. The available capital of the colony, which might be profitably utilised in the developement of our agricultural and pastoral industries, is squandered on bricks and mortar and sluiced away by innumerable bogus companies promoted in the < urban centres. The consequence, us might have been foreseen, is a dearth of employment, which, after diverting a portion of the revenues of the colony to illegitimate purposes, now threatens to culminate in dangerous agitation. The unemployed in Auckland have been growling for some time past, and their tone increases in significance at each succeeding meeting. At the last meeting on Saturday, a person named Payne gave expression -'to his sentiments on these terms : — He had not come there to speak of land, but of his stomach, and the necessities of his wife and children. Ho had not hitherto taken part in these meetings, as he had a wife who was ill in bed and six children to see to, that kept him at home. They should press on the Government that if they did not provide employment for them by winch they could make an honest livelihood for themselves and their families they would have to use other means. He proposed the following resolution, (which w.is subsequently carried). "That this meeting feels hurt at the apathy our members have .shown in our distress, and in order to sa\e trouble from men in great want they do at once open works without delay, or we shall ha\e to take some steps for ouiselves which will cause haun and tionble at Urge." He wished to be lawabiding, but if they did not get work outride the Government would have to find work for them in Mount Eden, and provide for their wives .md children as well. The Government should remember that poverty led to crime. He instanced the case of a man having to take a blanket off his sick wife's bed and sell it to buy her food, and a iked whether in London, with all the talk of the great di->tres-. therp, such a thing as that could happen. "U'oik they must have, md th.it soon, or th<>n* would be tioublc. Well-fed, law-abiding citizens may raise their hands and wonder why such a man is allowed to remain at large, and we are bound to admit thai the kngungp employed is seditious; but cinpping him in gaol will not solve the problem, even though that is the consummation he wishes for. The Government must endeavour to find a better remedy than that.

It will bck seen thatiJhe second attempt .{fcade t>y Mr J. %• Whyte to separate the County of- Piafify from the Thames Hospital District, has been unsuccessful. The Premier^ threatened to drop this bill if |he amendment, with others, was nt)s withdrawn, and they were withdrawn accordingly. -

i .the Wellington footballers derived ar Auckland on Sunday. The in&tch between the visitor* and the Auckland representatives will come off to-mor-row. An effort was made yesterday to got :i sjjoQinl .train j>ut on to enable the laver.s of the gaiAe in'iWaikato to present), but Mr Hudson replied that the|noti<*| wfcs tjoo | short to enable him to make the necessary i arrangements.

Intelligence was received in Hamilton yesterday of the death of Mr T. A. Bell, formerly and for many years ttjabber of singing' in the Governmentschools in this district. The painful nature of his malady was knoVn to our readers, and though it hud been pronounced incurable, there aie none among those .who knew him who will not hear of his demine with regret. During his residence in the Waikaio Mr Bell was closely identified with its musical institutions, and he was ever ready "aWd willing to sacrifice his leisure in the cause of chanty and benevolence. He leaves a widow and a number of young children to mourn his untimely loss. '

| We are glad to hear that the newly formed Athletic Club at Hamilton is likely to be popular and successful. About twenty members have joined up to the present, and the first practice will takq place at Le Quesne's Hall on Saturday I night, under the direction of Mr D. Lees, who has been appointed instructor. Those 1 wishing to join should attend at the hall. Mr Lees is a gentleman ' well qualified to undertake the duties of instructor, having, during a residence of some years in Australia, given much attention to athletic pursuits. We trust that the club will enjoy a I long life, as <meh an institution is very much required. i -

A man named Samuel Oardwell had a narrow escape from death on Saturday; at Ngaruawahia. Constable Murray, of Hamilton, was on the r platform of the railway station waiting for the South train, which was just coming in, when he saw Card well, who was carrying a swag, and was perceptibly under the influence of liquor, staggering about, and had it not been for his prompt assistance the unfortunate man would in all probability have, fallen' under the wheels of the carriages. Cardwell was taken in charge, and yesterday he was brought up at the Hamilton Police Court, before Mr T. B. Lewis, J. P., a,rid fined 5s and costs.

A correspondent writes :— About eleven o'clock on Saturday morning) a hailstorm of unusual severity passed over Tauwhare. It Listed abput thieo minutes, and passed rapidly towards the north-east. Hailstones, or rather ice-balls, the size of ordinary marbles, fell in, countless numbers, and lumps of ice over an inch in length and half an inch iv diameter were seen nil over the ground when the storm hijd passed, (iiuirter-of-iin-liour after the storm, hailstones might have been gathered, a double handful at .1 timte, from the sides of buildings and small hillocks. The storm was far from t>pent when it left here, for distant peals of ihunder were hoard for a long time after. ' ■

We would remind our Cambridge readers that Mr Reids limelight panorama of Scotch sceneiy will be exhibited at the ' Public Hall to-night. To those in search of a genuine evening's entertainment we can unreservedly recommend Mr Reids exhibition. The views (photograph) are beautifully coloured, and the descriptive lecture is'at once graphic and pithy. In addition to the attractions of the panorama an excellent programme "of vocal and instrumental music, contributed by some of the leading lady and gentlemen amateurs of Hamilton, will be provided. Mr Reid himself will sing some of his characteristic Scotch songs, so that altogether a very pleasant and profitable evening is in store for those who patronise the entertainment.

A joke, which is too good to be lost, is told in connection with the proposed presentation of, a silver cradle to the Mayoiess of Hamilton. An irascible old lady, who lives iv the neighbourhood of No. 1 Bridge, had occasion to go into the borough council offices the other day for the purpose of having a "fling at the Town Clerk in regard to some greivance. Seeing the borough engineer there she commenced to lecture both gentlemen on the wasteful evtravagence of the council. *' U& poor people " cried the excited gentlewoman, " are made to pay a rate of a shilling in the pound, and yet you are going to give the Mayor's .wife a silver cradle to rock her baby in while we have to n-»e wicker ones." It was in vain that the. Tiwn Clerk tried to explain, the indignant daiqe said she knew what she was-talking about. Her husband had enquired the cost of a silver cradle, and had hejn told that it would only take about 300 or (500 ounces of silver at 27s Od an ounce ! No wonder she said, au .she took her departure, that the borough was low in funds.

The following petition has baen presented to the Chairman of the Newcastle Road District:—Dear Sir,—We the undersigned ratepayers in the Newcastle Roar! District having heard with surprise that tho works on the road between Crawfords and Mr McCutohen*.s farm, lately advertised and tender*, called for, in order to connect the two county roads for some altered reason, are not to bo proceeded with. We would beg to remind you that a few years ago a petition signed by settlers residing between 1 Whatawhnta and Lower Wai pa was presented to the board, asking that, the road in question be opened, at the aarne time offering a subsidy. The work was delayed, on the ground that the board had no funds at the time. As it wou|d appear these facts have not been kept in view we would now respectfully ask you to 1 call 9. meeting of ratepayers at as early a date as possible to consider the alleged cause why a road so urgently required by settlers and ratepayers is, to be kept stopped. [Here follow the,'signatures.] It will be seen by advertisement that Mr Corboy has convened a meeting for the 14th inst.

The usual monthly meeting of the Hamilton Road Board waa held on Saturday. Present : MesHrs Maunder (chairman), Atkinson, Rothwell, and Mcl'herson. Messrs Rothwell and Mcl'hurson reported that they had found a considerable quantity of furze growing on the road* adjoining the fanny of Messrs Jolly, Castleton, Carey, Harker, Livingstone, and Del Hear, and Messrs Atkinson and Way repoited that the furze on the roads adjoining Molars Raynes» and Gribble's farms amounted to a nuisance. It was resolved to send notices to the persons concerned. It was resolved to invite tenders for constructing a culvert of concrete with brick arch at Stokes' Gully, tenders to be in by the 4th September. It was resolved to offer the land included in the roads closed on Mr Jollyls farm to that gentleman at Mr Knoxs valuation, £10 per acre, >It was decided to instruct Mr T. G. S.indes to prepare specifications and call for tenders for clearing and forming road between Raynes' and Bell's, and the chairman and Mr Atkinson were authorised to open and deal with the tenders. Several accounts were passed for payment, and the board rose.

Mr T. W. Glover occupied the pulpit at St. Paul's Wesleyan Church, Cambridge, on Sunday evening, and delivered an earnest and impressive sermon on the dangers attending the practice of drinking intoxicating liquors. He chose as his text the words " Where are the nine," and stated that it was alleged that nine out of every ten Sunday scholars were lost to the chinch, the principal cause being strong drink. He urged church members and religious people to give up their moderate drinking, as their example was calculated to load away the young. It was not the example of the wretched and degraded drunkard that was likely to lead young people to drink, but the example of the I hoaiy hoaded saint, who would take liquor in moderation, and give thanks for it as a good creature of God. Some Christian people say they cannot give it up ; they don't feel so well without it, and it would be inconvenient for them to abstain, and yet these weie the people who sang at the top of their voices " Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were an offering far too small. Love so amazing, so divine demands my life, my soul, my all !" and still they would not exercise a little, self denial by abstaining from that which might cause a brother to offend. The preacher concluded an eloquent discourse by urging on tho«,o prespnt the necessity of, by their example ,-vnd influence, shielding the young from the dangers of strong drink. Owing to the wretched weather, there was only a small congregation.

An adjourned meeting of the Hamilton Domain Board was held at the council chamber* last nijfht. Present: Messrs W. A Graham (chairman), Jones,

Burton, Scott, Bell and Edgecumbe. The following tenders welre received for drain on county road, Hamilton'Ea.st, from Lots 45 and 4(> ;— Parkinson, £27 ; Keen, 4jd per yard; Crawford, £13 4i tidj 1 Martin, £14 lls Bd>^on the recommendation of the engineer} it was decided not to accept any tender, djfrthe grouni that when the drainage of ttyftjAgricuitu^al College reserve was taken iijji^nd the work could bo done in conjunction therewith, at a much cheaper rate and more effectively. For the Foxstreet drain, the following tenders were opened ;— B. Martin, £21 11^-1 (accepted) ; TjiGondson, £2g ; Keep, £27, With reference to the proponed drainage pi Lot 453, Hamilton Weht, &c., it wns rerfolvod to defer the matter till next meeting. The Chairman moved that application be made to the Borough Council for a loan of £1000 at 9 per cent, for domain workn. This was by vMr Edgecnmbe and carried. The Engineer was instructed to call for' tenders for fencing material for the domain allotments now being improved. Mr VV. Downing applied to have Lots 200 and 210, Hamilton Bast, put up for lenae by auction for a term of 14 years. The application was granted, and Messrs Tipi»en and Dey were appointed a committee to value the improvements. This was all the business.