AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2248, 4 December 1886, Page 2

AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Equal and exact justice to all men, Ot whaf soever state 01 persuasion, religious or political.

SATURDAY, DEC. 4, 1886. ♦

His LorctehiD Bishop Luck will preach at thu Roman Church, Kihikihi, to-morrow morning and evening.

Mr M H. Pickering has been elected a member »<t the Cambridge Town Board in tho placa of Mr S. S. Graham, resigned.

Members of the Hamilton Eleven and substitutes .ire reminded that play ' n the match with tho Tuhik.aramea C.C. will commence to-day at 10 o'clock.

Mr W. Lankham, the well-known cricketer, died at his father's residence, North Shore, Auckland, on Thursday, of consumption, at the early age of 25.

Mr T- E. Jones will preach in tho Wesleyan Church, To Awaintitu, on Sunday, and on Monday will deliver a lecture on " Christmas Evam. the one-eyed pr^cher 01 Wild Wales."

la our supplement of this day will b* found the second of a wies <>f \ery i-ituiesting articles written by Mr J. C. Firth, wh<> Ins jutu t raturnod from >\ trip to AnvMica, entitled "Our Kin Acmss the Sea."

The Fisk Jubilee Singers will «ivo onft dI their unique i\w\ inimitable concerts in the Public Hall, Hamilton, on Monday, December 13th.

The twenty-third annual Alexandra sports will take placo on Monday, 27th December. The programme includes foot and horse races.

Mr T- E- Jones is announced to deliver a lecture in tho VVesleyan Church, Te Awamtitu, on Monday e\ening, on " Christmas Evans : The One eyed Preacher of Wild Wales." Musical selections will be given during the evening.

It will be seen by advertisement m our columns that the apar« land of the Hamilton Kast Cemetery has been withdrawn from sale, but the matter will be further considered by the trustees, and a^ain otferod upon conditions more suitable to the occupier.

To morrow Anniversary services will be lield in connection with the Hamilton Wealeyan Sftnday School, the children of which will f/nn the choir. The Rev. Mr Dellow will p/oi\ch sermons, the times and subjects of which are announced by advertisement in/ this issue.

The following tenders were received by the Wai pa County Council for grading at MeFarlane's :— D. Bartels, cutting 5d per yard, formation 3s 6d per chain, laying pipes Is per lineal yard (accepted) ; A. LigerUood, cutting s£d, pipes Is bd ; C. S. McCallum, cutting H<*, pipes Is, and formation 2s.

The Rev. Mr Rishworth drove up to the Cambridge railway station yesterday morning, and left his horse and buggy outside. When tho train started the horse bolted and made "good time" between there'and the rev. gentleman's residence, skilfully avoiding all impediments.

The efficacy of the Te Aroha springs in cuse3 of rheumatism is every day being testified to in all directions. Mr Noble, of Whatawhata, who was suffering greatly from rheumatism in the arms and hands, lately visited the springs for two or three days, using No. 2 bath. He returned quite relieved from all swelling and free from pain.

A family man writes :— ll How is it that the bakers have raised the price of bread a halfpenny per loaf, seeing that flour has only Rone up £1 per ton ? They now get a clear profit of 30s or more, after allowing for the increase in the price of flour. Surely things must be looking up in Waikato amongst the vendors of the staff of life."

The Cambridge Sports Committee met on Wednesday evening: at the Masonic Hotel, when a quantity of important business was transacted. It was decided to let the refreshments at the sports and ball by auction. Mr Gillett gave notice that at the next meeting of the committee, to bo held at the Duke of Cambridge Hotel on Wednesday next, he would move that the resolution relating to advertising passed at the laat meeting be rescinded.

The following notices of motion have been tabled for the next meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council on Monday. O. Knox to move:— l. That resolutions Nos. 9 to 12 of the 4th October last be rescinded, and that the council elect a works committee, a finance committee, and a legal committee, consisting of three members etch, and appoint chairmen for same. The Mayor to move, "That immediate steps be tvken to provide for public bathing places for th« borough, and that a committee of three members be elected by the council to report upon the best sites and measures for establishing same."

Under the heading of "The New Zealand Earthquake," the Chicago Tribune says :— "The harm caused by the volcanic disturbances in New Zealand has now been pretty accurately ascertained. An area of 2000 square miles is covered 3in deep with volcanic dm>t, for 400 square miles the country is Wholly destroyed, and 1000 miles are much damaged." These are pretty (?«x>d for " accurate " figures. As to the facts, we wonder whether it would surprise the Chicipo Tribune to learn that the country disturbed by the "earthquake" wanted manuring badly, and that the volcanic dust has turned out to be exactly what the doctor ordered. — Press.

In reference to the alleged breaches of good manners by Australian visitors now d >ing the grand in England, we (Post) understand that a well-known New Zealand colonist write from Home naying that, although some of the stories are greatly exaggerated, there can be no doubt that a number of the Australians have seriously misconducted themselves, and brought ridicule and obloquy on the colonies. The writes adds that he is glad to state that none of the New Zealand colonists have in any way misbehaved, and they are all very anxious to keep separate and distinct from the Australian section, and to preserve their distinctive character as New Zealanders.

Many residents of Hamilton and the neighbourhood will hear with regret of the decease of Mr G. K. Townsond, a young gentleman who came out to the colony for the sake of his health two years ago, and settled in Hamilton. His complaint, consumption, was too far advanced to afford any hope of recovery, and after much suffering Mr Townsend passed away on Thursday at the age of 29. Durinpr his residence in Hamilton the deceased gentleman, who waa an accomplished violinist, was ever ready to assist all charitable objects, and he was, only a month or t-.vo ago, looking forward with pleasure to taking part fn the musical portion of the Christmas carnival. He leaves a widow and two children. The funeral will leave the residence of deceased, Hamilton East, this afternoon, for the Hamilton East Cemetery.

A meeting of the Hamilton West School Committee was held yesterday at the Hamilton Auction Mart. Present : Messrs Hume (chairman), Edgecumbe, Graham, Scott, Tucker, Campbell and Knox. It was proposed by Mr Knox, seconded by Mr W. A. Graham, "That this committee record their high appreciation of Mrs Murray's services while teacher in the school, and regret that the rule laid down by the Board of Education should cause the loss of a valuable servant, and that the chairman, Mr Ed«?ec:imbis, and the mover be appointed a committee to draw up a letter thanking her for p.v*t services." This was carried unanimously. It wasiesolved that the holidays, owing to the teachers' examination commencing on the 14th inst., commence on the 13ch inst. Application was ordered to be made to the Central Board, re painting the school and teacher's residence. This was all the business.

Says "Puff " in the Evening Press. —"Kicked np stairs!" "Sir R. G. C. Hamilton, Under Secretary for Ireland, turned out of his billet for his Nationalist tendencies, and promoted to be Governor of Tasmania!" "Is that promotion ?' " Decidedly, I should say ! A much snugger birth, with a screw of £0000 a year instead oi £2500 ! No responsibility, nothing to do, and no boss !" " Who is this R. C. Hamilton ! I mean which of the twelve tribes of Hamilton does he belong to?" "None of them as it happens! He^t an outsider, a countryman of Stout's 1" "How do yon make that out? Tell us all about him !" " Robert George Crookshank Hamilton ! He's thp son of an old Shetland minister, Dr. Zachary Macaulay Hamilton, of Bre«ssar. and hi-; mother was an Orkney woman, daughter of George Crookshank !'' "What's his age ! How did he get the handle to his name ?" "He must be about oO ! Anyhow he took his B.A. at Aberdeen in 1851 and M.A. in 1855! The Macaulay relationship got him into the War Office when quite a youth, and once in, he wanted no helping!" "Trust a Shetlander to help himself ! "He went through the War Office, Office of Works, Education Office, Board of Trado and Admirality, and when Mr Bonrko was killed bv the Invincibles, in 1882, he was made Under Secretary for Ireland !" "Plucky chap to take such a berth at that time !" *' Oh bleas you, he wasn't afraid ! He knew the odds were 100 to 1 against two Undpr-Secretaries for Ireland being killed in a century !" "Ayp, that's true ! How did he shape?" "Uncommonly well ! He did his duty fearlessly, but yet contrived to make 'The Castle' popular, and in 1884 he was created K.C.B !"

The Defence Department has received a specimen of the now Martini-En-field rifle adopted for the English Army, a number of which have recently been ordered by the New Zealand Government. This weapon, though aomowhat similar in appearance to the Martini-Henri rifle, has many improvement* over tho latter. The bore is smaller with better grooving, and the bullet is loncrer than those used in the Martini-Henri, The new weapon has

better facilities for discharging empty cartridge cases, which aro thrown out by nio.inn of a spring ; and another improveuitmt is that a .small magazine, capable of holding six c.u-tridi;es, can bo attached to the lock .of the gun, thus providing fur a rapid firing when repulsing a charge or attacking fortified position**. For the MiUtini-Knliolds it is claimed that they aro not so likely to get out of order as did the Martini-Henri's during the Soudan war by being choked with sand in the beach. Protection is also given against the heating of the barrel, as the spot where the hand is usually resting is cased with wood. Another novelty in cmnection with this weapon is that by the manipulation of a mii a 11 flango attached to the lock the accidental firing off of the gun i* safely guarded against. There is practically only one sight for all distances up to 400 yards. Beyond that it is sighted in the usual way, with this difference that the buck sight also acts ns a wind gauge. The range is 2000 yard p. ______________