The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2201, 17 August 1886, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Equal and cx>ict justice to all men, Ot whatsoever state 01 persuasion, religious or political.

TUESDAY, AUG. 17, 1880.

The session is now practically over, i We shall hear it called profitless and barren, and doubtless it has failed to do a great deal that was j expected of it, but so far as we in this district are concerned it has not been without its strong points. Canterbury, too may rejoice that it has given her that long coreted and long withheld prize, the Midland Railway. Waikato had nothing off this kind to hope for, nor so far as we know are we any the worse of on that account, but she has laboured under a grievous disability which the session in its dying moments has relieved her of. We are no longer to be dragged at the chariot wheels of the Auckland Hospital Board, and our escape from that unpleasant, though not invidious position, is something to be truly grateful for. For this we have to thank our members, and Piako owes an e;xtra ounce of gratitude to the member for Waikato for the persistency which ho has displayed, though the quality is by no means new to him. Then we have seen that a Parliamentary Committee, against the strongest inducements to do otherwise, have reported, taking things by and large as Mark Twain says, favourably upon Mr Vaile's scheme | of railway reform, and even going ko far as to recommend that it be accorded a practical trial. We could have wished that the recommendation of the committee had been embodied in a bill and passed through the Legislature, which is the course that must be followed before our hopes of reform shall arrive at the period of fruition. But meantime ,a decisive victory has beeu gained which must be followed up. The opponents of the present per- ! nicious system are strong enough and fresh enough to take advantage of what has been gained, and this they must now sot about doing without loss of time. As we have said, we have no objection to accept the conditions laid down by the committee. Our reason for this is clear and simple. If the country believes in the value of Mr Vaile's . system, if it believes that progress ; of settlement' and progress of com- ! merce would follow upon its adoption, then it ought not to object to give a guarantee. Were the system to break down utterly the amount to be paid under the guarantee could not be more, and would in all probability be a great deal less than what we are now called upon to disburse in freight and fares, so that at the worst no new burdens would be cast upon us. If a deficiency has to be met, we may just as well pay it in meal as in malt ; in the shape of a rate as in the form of customs duties or property tax.

Mr John Parr, of the Hamilton House, has let his farm at Hautapu to Mr Daniel Tribe, of Canterbury, who has taken ! i

pos>ebstontM^Wi The football match between Hawke's Bay and Wellington was played at Napier on Saturday, and resulted in a, vie tory for the visitors by 8 points to nil.

A case of cruelty to a horse will come before the Hamilton Police Court to-morrow. The charge has been laid by the police at the instance of the .Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

A service of song, in aid of the Auckland Benevolent Society, was given in the Jewish synagogue on Sunday afternoon, and realised £30. When the Government subsidy i« added, the amount accruing to the aociety will be £<K>.

A concert in aid of the Tauwhare school funds will bo held in the schoolroom on Friday evening next, under the auspices of the Tauwhare Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association. An excellent programme has been arranged, and at the conclusion of the concert a dance will follow.

Business is assuming a somewhat lively appeai'HUCO at Ovford, more especially in the storekeeping line. Mr W. Kincaid ha 3 n»ade extensive improve- [ ments to his store, stabling, and a bakers' j oven is just about completed for him where Mr C. Collins expects to turn out his first batch next week. Hotel businesH is somewhat quiet, but the tourist traffic which is expected to be sweater than ever this year, will soon make things more lively.

The Incumbent of S- Peters, Hamilton, delivered on Sunday evening the fir&t of a series of discourses by the Lord Bishop of Peterboro' and De.vi of of Norwich on the detcnce of the faith. The subject of the first wan " Christianity and Freethought. There whs a very large congregation. The remaining discourses will be delivered at the evening service on the nevt eu.suim? five .Sunday^.

Cambridge will very shortly be proclaimed a borough. The necessary time having expired .si))co the petition of ratepayers was forwarded to Wellington, Mr G. W. Russell, one of the promoters, telegraphed to the Colonial Secretary on the subject, and has received the following reply :— " Wellington, August 14, 188 C. Borough will be proclaimed as soon as new Act a^entcd to. Will be in Gazette next Thursday, if passible ; if not, Thursday following.— G. ft. Cooim n.''

A meeting of the Executive Committee of the New Zealand Railway Reform League will bo hold ;\t the Borough Council Ch.wuber.s Hamilton, at 2 p.m. to-day, for the pmpo»e of devising means for suitably recognising the services rendered by Mr Vaile to the c.iu«»e of reform, anil for other business. We trust there will bo a full attendance, as the sooner the advantage now gained is followed up the bettor.

We are pleased to state that at last the railway authorities have taken steps to put a htup absolutely to the practice of u-ing the Hamilton railway brides as a footbridge. Sooner or later, if people

are nlhiwed tp cj'QjW^h^y^lho structure, loss of li^-iiniHtenW^'* I nd«V«f|- th(mo who have found the tmdgo most must experience it senfl© of relief at being prohibited, M om running any, risk in the future. • ' .'*■ „ The Waikato Horse Bftgaar, Cam bridge, presented a very lively and businesslike appiirancoljßst Saturday, when Mr J. MpNicukfar Mosiiflj A.'Buckland and Co., disposed uy auction of a large quantity of produoe, horse feed, hams and bacon, poultry, and other sundries, besidos horses, etc., including 'the waggons and tenms lately used on the roads by Mr A. Jsaaos. There was an unusually largo attendance of buyers, despite the miserable weather, and the bidding was brisk and spirited. On the day when the glad tidings of the rise in wool reachad Melbourne (Buys " vEgles") an acquaintance of mine was amongst thd first who received the Inform uiation. In a genial way he said to two Scotch pastoralists— " Have you hoard the news ? Wool is up 25 per cent. !" The g«ntlemen looked I ** »aoh othßr-*-thore was a pleasant relaxation of the facial muscles— but even in their excitement their inherent thrift asserted itself. Said one to the other, " Let ua go and take a drink" but they did not ask their informant to go with them. The footpath on the south side of Duke-street, Cambridge, is in a disgraceful condition, being uneven, and worn into a number of hollows, where, during the late wet weather, the water has lodged to the great discomfort of pedestrians ; and on the north side of the street, between the Masonic Hotel and Chapel-street, the sidewalk is nearly as muddy as the roadway. Mr Clements has at his own expense had a number of loads ofgra\el spread on the footpath in front of his own property, but surely the town board can afford some gravel, and the labour of the aurfaoeman for a few days in the principal business Btreet of the town. Walter G. Murphy, for some time ranger to the Cambridge Town Board, died at half-pa>t four on Saturday morning. The •Id man, he was in his sixty-fourth year, was a familiar sight in Cambridge, where he carried out the duties of his office in an energetic manner, while at the same time he wai never harsh with his poorer neighbours, who often had to thank him for overlooking the trespass of thoir cattle. Murphy waa ailing some time ago, during the severe weather in the early part of the winter, but recovered sufficiently to resume his duties. The exposure to which he wna •übjected, added to hi* bachelor stylo of living, proved, however, too muoh for him, and though he was removed to Mrs P. Murphy's, Brewery-street,- and every attention paid him, he succumbed as stated above. In the House on Saturday the Premier said a» there. was no chance of the Conference agreeing in the Local Bodies Loan Bill, he would move that the amendment made by the Legislative Council be agreed to, in order that the load boards might be able to avail themselves of the provisions of the Bill. Sir Julius Vogel said the amend- i inent was pernicious, as dead peisons and absentees could vote on a poll for a loan. After some di«ci«sMon, the motion was agreed to. In Committee of Supply the Treasury v »tt> was recommitted, and the salary of tho Secretary to the Treasury increased from £700 to £800 and that of the Assistant-Secretary from £500 to £550. The Committee also carried the vote of £10,000 for tho Hinemoa, which was struck out when tho estimates were previously | under consideration. The Committee tjien proceeded to deal with the Supplementary estimates until midnight when the adjourn- ] ment took place. 41 Our Boys," Mr H J. Byron's clever three-act comedy will comprise the programme of the dramatic entertainment to be given in the Oddfellows' Hall, Hamilton, this evening, in aid of the funds of S. Mary's Roman Catholic Church. The comedy is full of amusing situations and crisp sparklincr dialogue. The plot turns on the disagreement between fathers and sons. The former flatter themselves that their respective " systems " are successful, and that with thoii' boys their word is law, but in this they find themselves grievously mistaken. The young men object to the matrimonial phns laid down for thoir direction, defy the old gentlemen, and are accordingly turned out. Upon this plot hang*, a.s may bo supposed, a series of very interesting incidents. Not only do the "boys" hiiffer all sorts of hardships, but they also lose the confidence of their betrothed. The only one who stick* to them through thick and thin is "Aunt CUnasa," though Belinda, the "slavey," is their devoted friend and guards their interests like a dragon. Her manner of relating the .story of Talbot's and Charlie's privations completely overwhelm i the baronet and the butterumn, whose | determination to act the part of " Roman j fathers " is completely upset when the lioys i announce their intention to emigrate. Bxplanations follow ; the girls, having been convinced that the lady visitor to the lodgiughouse wa.s none other than kind Aunt Clarissa, return, and the comedy ends, as it .should, to the satisfaction of everybody. Pains have been taken to -.tige the piece suitably, and we do not doubt that it will go off creditably. Miss Missen will play the overture and the musical interludes, so that nothing will be wanting on that score. In the Legislative Council on Saturday, aever.il bills were pushed on a .stage. Referring to the Special Powers and Contracts Bill, the Wellington correspondent of the Herald writes:— Sir F. Whitaker made a .speech thi- evening which brought the members of the Hou*e of Representatives in groups into the Lords Gallery. A few evenings since the Speaker of the Coutrcil described "the Bill as a bundle of local Bills. Sir Frederick traced the history of these bills from ,1877-, when the Grey Government brought in the first one to enable the Governor to ment unfulfilled engagements, Those were reasonable provisions. The Bill contained four pages —two ' clauses and twenty-three cases. This Bill contained 39 pages, 18 clauses, and 70 cases. He (Sir Frederick) had been a party to such Bill* in his time, but to nothing as bad as this. In this Bill were fehown all sorts of things, many of them most important matters, several of them requiring: separate legislation. He said ii bad habit of this kind had gone far enough, and ought not to be allowed to proceed further. A Bill of this kind was contrary to the Royal instructions, which ; require that each separate matter that required legislation should have a separate Act. He, therefore, moved that the Bill should be set aside, and then that the subjects of it might be considered seriatim. The Hon. Dr. Pollen described it " as a Bill ot 100 ayes. The Hon. Mr McLean said that power was sought to give effect to what had been the subject of private a,nd local Bills. The epithets "reckless," "moat improper," were applied to the Bill. There was all but unanimity in the determination to set the Bill aside. "Sir Frederick's speech has given the Bill and future Bills of the kind the coup de grace.

At the next meeting: of the Hamilton Borough Council His Worship tho Mayor, will move the following resolutions: — (1.) That the triangle reserve at junction of Wharf-street, Knox-street, and Victoriastreet be neatly fenced and planted with New Zealand forest trees and shrubs, interspersed with foreign flowering shrubs, together with English o.ik and Spanish chestnut trees. (2.) That Garden Place be neatly fenced and a suitable gateway and entrance be provided, and that the said Garden Place be planted with New Zealand and foreign trees and flowering shrubs, the matter to be left m the hands of the Improvement Committee to decide upon style of fencing, &c, and to .see the work .'carried out, including ' the calling fur tenders for the work. (3) That on behalf of the burgesses of the Borough- of Hamilton, and at the request I of certain Waikato country settlers this council resolve to send by wire to the Hon. the Minister for Lands their solemn protest against the importation or setting at large of ferrets, weasels, stoats, or other such class of dangerous vermin | pests, ahd request him to bring his influence to bear upon the Government and the House I to prevent such a plague from taking place. i (4). That application be made to the Governor for that portion of land within the Borough of Hamilton, situated immediately behind and contiguous to the Hamilton West Railway Station, to be vestod in the Borough Council for the purpose of erecting thereon Abattoirs and Stock and Produce Markets for Waikato. And that a committee of the whole council be appointed to meet and determine upon the best method for estabhbhing public abattoirs, cattle yards, to include weighing scales, and produce market for Waikato, three to form a quorum. The committee to bring up their repoitas soon as practicable, it being an instruction to the committee to consult with and ascertain so far as possible the views of the fanners and settlers in the sm rounding counties upon the matter. In future Messrs Alfred Buckland and Co., will hold produce sales at Cambridge, on Saturdays alternating with cattle and borsc sales.