The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2207, 31 August 1886, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

1- qu.il Ami c\..ict justict- to .ill men, Of whosoever state or persuasion, relipfious or politit.il.

TUESDAY, AUG. 3U 1886.

Tun extracts which we have been enabled to give in our last two issues from the evidence taken before the Parliamentary Committee appointed to consider Mr Vaile's railway reform scheme, should carry conviction to every impartial mind that the scheme itself, is worthy of a trial.' With the exception of those directly interested in upholding the present system of management, the railway policy of the colony has been condemned. The report of the committee states unhesitatingly not only "that it may be inferred, ; from the numerous, petitions on the 'subject referred to the committee, that a great, deal of discontent and desire for change exists* iu;the colony in regard to the present system of railway jnaimgonifMir," but states t.oldly as its own opinion that "it is not satisfactory as a system." For more than three years now Mr Voile's proposed system has been before the conn try, and' though mauy have assailed it," none have responded ,to ]tfr Yaile's challenge to' jJrodnce a better; and more recently, before the Parliamentary Committee of last session, sitting on 27 cbys. o\er a pe.iorl of two' months, the ndv^rsnries of the scheme, bringing the whole forr-e of tlie .Department to bc.ir against it, were unable to prove a flaw iv it. The common-sense view of the case would be that its \aluo or otherwise should bo taken beyond the boundaries of conjecture

and be finally settled l»y the test of actual experiment. For our own part, we should only too gladly see the respousibSttfcwoJ ni&wg ufiftt n 3ft possible deikuft^cyJpe^ef^ tl^ rrfr| eeipts of the Wesßt an $3 t\\espv<$ t posed systcifS taken ljgpn shoulders by V^topajfjjfrs qp' tH^ Auckland Provincial ' District, on the Hue from Helensville to Liohfield, for a iixed term of three or live years' trial of 1 the proposed system, because we j can clearly see that any possible deficiency which could fall upon the distnfcl.ia inake up-would be repaid twenty fold in " tJHß : increased value of property, thus making this part of New Zealand the centre of attraction to intending < colomsfcs,' ««dmore directly in the money saved tcr each individual settler, to' eacli storekeeper and. consumer, in passenger fares and goods freight alone. Perhaps the enemies of the scheme who! sat. upon the committee, wcll,.Jsne v \v, when they uoosei^tsd to the thWtiotr'of I'the1 'the guarantee pro\ision ifrt-'i&eir a import, that it would virtually annul all possibility of a practical trial ; that it would be impossible to get the consent of a variety of local bodies, say, as on this Hue, from Helonsyillo to the further Waikato and Piako, to voluntarily tax themselves for a purpese of this kind. They probably thought that even if ninotentHs of the ratepayers we're in favour of the scheme, such is the general impatience of taxation, that the very disparity of interests involved would alone prevent a common arrangement being - come to. It has, too, been very justly said, Why should any ono district be singled out to try at its own risk an experiment, which if successful, would be adopted by the colony from one end to the other % And this naturally leads to the question, What, after all, are the risks involved if it were tried over the whole colony ? A little reflection «n the matter will show that these are not great, that indeed they are as nothing compared with the general benefit to the colony that would follow from the adoption or 1 the scheme, altogether outside the question of financial success or loss, such as the increased valuo given to property by affording facilities for its occupation, by increased customs duties, stamp and other duties, and by the general impetus given to business of every kind in town and country, caused by the increased wealth drawn from the land by its settlement and cultivation, and the ' establishment of local industries of a variety of kinds. When Sir Julius (then Mr) Vogel in 1870 inaugurated what may be aptly described as his heroic policy of colonisation, which in a few years raised New Zealand from a third-rate to that of, a, firsfe-rate colonial dependency of the Crown, the great element- of his public works and immigration scheme was the settlement of ths; country through the facilities afforded by railway communication. That it did much in this matter all must admit; that it did not do more is clue to infiuencies which the genius of no one man could counteract, • that scrambles for local expenditure which resulted in the building of miles .upon miles of political rail way. % and in the vicious system under which the policy of the management of thos.e lines which could have been made to pay directly and indirectly, has been carried out by succeeding Governments. That system ,has now been condemned by the voice of popular opinion and by a Parliamentary committee. Another, and, it is believed, a better system an every way, has been '- propounded, which recognises the distinqtian between railways which, are, natioual property as ours ,ars,. and -tfyose; which, as at Home,** are^tfie property of private coißpanies. of shareholders ;' which admits, that the ultimate -end of working these latter is to screw the last penny by 'differential rating and high fares out of the public, but sees in New Zealand railways but another and higher class of public roads and highways. To utilise this system, to make ie what it really would be the coping stone of his great public works policy would be .worthy of the genius and energy of such a statesman as Sir Julius Yogel. Nor could the Government of the day assume a more popular policy. The opportunity is before them, the ball is at their feet. We speak quite apart from the financial aspect of the scheme. Whether, as Mr Yaile believes, it will result in a direct increase of revenue to the tuue of from £200,000 to £300,000 a year, or whether, as the experts examined by the iCommittee in , opposition to it assume, in a financial loss of 2o per cent., let it, we say, ho tried not upon "one but ' upon all the railways in the colony. And now to count the cost. The gross revenue of tho passenger traffic for the last year , was roughly speaking £400,000 and of freight traffic £G40,000. We may fairly take the past workingexpenses as the standard, for if the cost for additional rolling stock is greater under the new system it can only be because the traffic will have enormously increased. We know, thon» that if a loss of 25 percent, is really sustained, as tho opponents to Mr A T aile's system aver will be the case, that the groatest loss lookf-d for will be no more ? rhiin X'2.)0,0(;0 per nnntira. Now, it might be justly said that this sum would be more than recouped to the colony in the impetus given to all kinds of settlement, to the growth of industries, and to the general briskness of trade, and the" increase of customs duties consequent upon the circulation of wealth, not taken out of one pocket to be put into the other, but drawn from the agricultural and mineral wealth of the soil, the result of increased settle-

ment. -.To khjfs&Sligfok we sa y> the Go^rni^p^HH^ook ns more than couuijerbakinotng the i possible jdiirect-'lo^ B^t We urge \\aji' thdgfoss by ; ajjjj! pos|p|le falling opn i' {^ vrt ]|f rot^tjfts cqß^fequent on I ™0t adp|tiOTA of %% e jfofe w scheme fcn W a #^ bo^^jypiip^proni another ! source liltogetherf 'leaving to the colony and to the general taxpayer the benefit pfithißse qpidvregt iproiits of a elie^p railvluy. v sj[steft|. ,The burde*n\ ft afty, ShotikT fall "direct upon the land, which, as the committee's report admits, must be enormously increased in value by the<aabptioni<tf Mr V&ale's system.' It is the land which will at once receive the direct and most permftnenkbenefifyfrom fche-cifcy and town lot to the sheep run in the interior, and, therefore, in all fairx v n%ss,itu9 B by a property, tax that any direct loss. of revenue incurred in the proposed change in the working of our railways should be made up. Every sixteenth of a penny in the £ of the property tax raises a sum of £2-1,000. Allowing then,' as the opposing party claim will be the case, there should be a falling off of 25 per cent on the present gross receipts the sum required to make up the Joss would be £250,0Q0, and it will be equal to a property tax of 'a trifle over five-eighths of a penny in the £. Now, does any body suppose , that property would not be benefited to a far larger extent than this tax represents. The large landowner and the smaller one alike would find that their property had acquired a fixed market price, which it now has not got ; that it would become saleable, which it now in nine cases out of ten is not except at a sacrifice ; and simply because cheap railwayrates and charges had afforded facilities, for settlement and occupation, which, now do not exist. Why, not a small farmer, not a thousandaore man but would more than save his yearly property tax in the difference between railway charges as now and as then ! Not for a moment that we believe Mr Vaile's system would entail loss. On the contrary, it seems, in the opinion, of those best able to judge, that it would largely increase the returns, indirectly benefit the general revenue, and promote the settlement of the colony, and thereby assist in developing the vast latent wealth yet io be husbanded in s grain, wool, and ore from the lands of New Zealand.

The weather has taken a decided turn for the better. Yesterday was bright and genial.

The next meeting of the Piako County Council will be held at the Borough Council Chambers at 10.30 a.m. to-morrow.

The dwelling house of Mrs McCabe, near Ohaupo, was destroyed by fire at an early hour on Sunday morning, but no particulars have as yet come to hand.

In consequence of the Public Hall being otherwise occupied this evening, the Hamilton Choral Society will meet for practice in LoQuesne's Hall at 7.30 sharp. A full attendance is particularly requested.

An election of five commissioners for the Te Awamutn Town Board will take place on the 15th September. The 6th la the day fixed for receiving nominations of candidates.

A meeting of those who purpose taking part in the Fancy Fair at Christmas,' in aid of S. Peter's Church, will be hold in^ the Public Hall, Hamilton, to-mono w evening, at 8 o'clock, for the purpose of arranging the programme, and for other important' business. , J

Owing to Mr Knoxs indisposition, Mr Carter conducted Saturday's sale at the Hamilton Auction Mart on Saturday. Mr Carter handled the hammer in a htyle which showed him to be a born auctioneer, and a worthy {substitute for the gentleman who hah so long occupied, and who will, we trust, long continue to occupy, the rostrum.

The following tenders for clearing and ploughing three acres, Hamilton Went, were received b\ Mr li. Edwards on Saturday :— Richd. Del Hear, 18s Kd per acre ; John Deegan, £2 3s 4d ; H. P. McPheraon, 18-, (id : Thos. Moore, £1 12s ; Alf. Bennett, £1 5s ; Robt. Waite, 18s M ; Ja-«. and \V. H. Goodwin (accepted), 10s ud; F. Crawford, £2 os.

A man named George Anderson, employed on the railway, was charged at Te Aroha on Saturday, with assaulting and resisting the police on the previous days. The evidence showed that Anderson hud grossly misconducted himself, and the bench sentenced him to a month's imprisonment, with hard, labdur,' in Mount Jiden Gaol.

The annual meeting Of , the memberb of the Hamilton Lawn Tennis Club was held at the Commercial Hotel 'last night. -There was a fair attendance and Mr K. F. Sandes occupied the chair. The balance-sheet, which showed the club to be in a satisfactory finnnci.il condition, was rpad and adopted. Mr .T. 15. Whyte, M.H.R., was, re-elected president, and Mosis J. S. Kdgecumbej McLernon and Yon ; Stunner were elected a committee. Mr T. Walnutt was re-elected secretary. It was decided to open the season on Saturdry, 18th September.

We regret to state that Mr William Gussen, of Hamilton, who has been for some tiiuo past engaged in surveying a large block of native land at Taupo, met with a serious accident on Saturday I evening. Mr Laurence Cussw, District Surveyor, who is at present in Hamilton, received a telegram .yesterday morning from Major Scannell, informing him that his brother had broken his leer, but giving no particulars, He however stated that Dr. Ginders, of Rotorua, had been sent for, but was unable to attend. The patient was on his way to Hamilton, and would probably reach Lichfield yesterday.

Equestrians cannot be too careful when riding alongside strange horses, or they may chance to receive a severe kick when least expected. Mr Breakell had to shoot his well-known hack Jo last week, Jo having been kicked by a horse which was being ridden alongside of him by a gentlom.m who was accompanying Mr Breakell. The injury was done more than a fortnight ago, and although the horse's leg was deeply cut, and it was only lately found that the leg was badly broken, and that Jo would have to be shot. Mr Bivakell had a nanow escape, as from the potsitiou the horses ware in, his leg could not have been three inches from the line of the kick.

The following cure for apple blight is supplied by a correnpondent of the Sydney "Mail": "I mixed clay with water till it was of such a consistency that it could be put on to the injured part of the tree, either with a mason's trowel or with a painter's brush. I then applied it to the diseased places of the tree, and it soon smothered every bug (cocas adonidom.) A second coat upon the first filled up every crack wiiich showed itself when the clay had become dry, and this resisted for a sufficient length of time the effects of sun and rain. The Hickly parts, now effectually freed from the enemy which had been preyinj? on their vitals, were placed in a state to be cured by the healing process of Nature and that Nature has done her duty my apple-trees amply testify.

" Liberals were appealed to in the name of liberty and justice. Let them bo just— be ganenms even— but let them remember that they were tlio heirs of a groat inheritance, the trustees of a mighty Knipire ; tb.it their fathers toiled and svifftued to build up that glory for them ; and th.it it was their duty to hand down untarnished and undimined the lustre of that power to their children and their childion's children. Let them Rive to Ireland all that they

asked for themsolves-—give to her all that Irishmen could in ju«Wco and in reason ddmand ; but let themvnot bo tempted in a moment of irritation 1 f>v of woaiiness to barter away, the inheritance of tb^ir hugcessors fdr^a«few tfynttientM of ignoble peace." wo, lstyid rodder; tfota i* .n°t an excerpt f#sbi a Speech by Lord Salisbury, or an election, addreas by Lord ft. ChurchilK^m- a, inanife«to by liOrd Hurting* ton. It is cullfed f roih a spnobh delivered Jin Birmingham by Mr Austen Chatnborlani, son of the Right Hon. Joseph, Mr Gladstone's bitterest foe. —Exchange.

tie intercolonial football match, ey v. Auqkland; wat played hn the Metropolitan ground, Dilwortn h paddock, on Saturday last, and resulted in a victory for the homo team by three tries to nil. Tho game nil through was hardly fought, the Sydney men contesting the ground i frith tliQ utmostvs|{ill and pluck, and it was owing $o 'the' Superior weight of the Aucklanders th»t they lost, as their passing was the thoini of general admiration. The day was showery and the ground soft and * nttrddyr -yet, notwithstanding thin, there were about 5000 visitor* on the field. At tine, conclusion of the watch the Mayor of Auckland, on bohalf of the Mayoress, presented tho, Avicklajid men with, a banner. In the evening both teams, with thei" friends, fiat down to an inform.il dinner at the Imperial Hotel, und a smoke concert followed. .The visitors were taken to Waiwera by special iteamer yesterday, and leaVe for the South to-day.

The Colorado Minstrels have been delighting Cambridge audiences for the last few nights, and have succeeded in drawing very fair houses. The company, though small, is a first class one, and the entertainment they provide, is one of the bust that has ever reached the town. Tin first part of the proßnvnitno is occupied by the usual chair business; with Mins Amy Vaughan an interlocutress, and Messrs Devereux aud" Redforn as '£ Bones" and " Tambo," and a capital selection of songs and choruses ip „ givon, the cornel Won being excruciatingly" funny, and the jokes, gags, etc., being forthe most part new and good and an agreeable change from the venerable fossilised specimens that too often do duty. The character s<»ngs and sketches of Mis 1 * Vaughan were greatly relished, and the ballad singing of Mian Connio Vere, aud also that of Miss Montrose were much appreciated, the fair vociilit.tsh.ivin>? to respond to encore* each time they appeared. The double dances of the Norton Bro.v were remarkably good, and elicited loud applaune, and the comic sketch which constitutes the invariable finale to a minstrel performance, was considerably above the aver.tge.

The Wellington correspondent of the Herald wires :— It will be lecollected that the Select Committee recommended a trial of Mr Vaile's system on an isolated section of existing railway, provided the district in whk'h the trial should bo mad« would be ir a sufficient rate to recoup the cost of the experiment. It is said that this experiment is impracticable. The recommendation of the Solect Committee was agreed to as a counter proposal to a resolution moved by the Minister of Public Works, and negatived, to the effect that, as Mr Vaile had not made any proposal as regards goods traffic, which yields twothirds of tho revenue, and as the evidence was not conclusive as regards passenger traffic under his. system, the (Jovernment should appoint some thoroughly qualified person, either from within or without the cobnj. to visit the several railways, to heaVcomplaints as to management and rates of charge, and report to the Government whether there are reasonable grounds for the same. It is stated that the Government will act upon the proposal mada by the Minister of Public Works.

Says "-ffigles" in the Austin* lasian :—" A prosperous woolgrower, who sold out bofore tho drought, made h voyage to the old country.^ His better half was a worthy person of limited education, considerable ambition, and usually arrayed in such gorraousniw* pf colour as was not Soloman^when. thfe Queen of Sheba called upon, him. Affcfer seeing Europe, the pair settlii down-'l|in good house in a fashionable ttnndnti square. Almost immediately the lady was waited upon by a fow of the members of the committee of "the society for the conversion to Christianity of mankind (which would probably include in its scope tho Melbourne Presbytery.") She received tbedepatation graciously, and thus they were emboldened to ask her to enter her name as an annual subscriber. She said she had no objection to give something now—but would not promise anything in future, •'•because Mr Snuffle, you must understand I am only a Bird of Paradise ?" And as she beamed on them in all the gaudiinvs.s of her raiment the deputation believed her implicitly."