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Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2262, 8 January 1887, Page 2

The building trade is looking up in Hamilton. Several new houses are in course of construction. Tourists from Taupo state that the geysers at Waiarakei are playing up grandly. The incoming mail steamer Zealandia from San Francisco and Honolulu is expected to arrive in Auckland to-day with the English and American mails. Major General Whitmore has resigned the Commissionership of Police, and Major Gudgeon has been appointed in his stead. Mr John Thomson, of Cambridge, has been appointed superintendent collector of agricultural statistics for Waikato, Waipa, Raglan and Kawhia. A coroner's investigation into the circumstances of the recent fire in Hobsonstreet, Auckland, is likely to be held. The detectives have the matter in hand. In paying one of the dividends at the Awahuri races, Mr Abrahams had the misfortune to pay_ away £5 notes instead of £1 notes to the winner, and was not able to, trace the persons to whom he paid them. A striking coincidence in connection with Hall, the poisoner's trial, ie that it is set down for hearing on his birthday, January 24th, wheu he will be 39 years of age. A series of swimming matches for youths, under the patronage of the Mayor of Hamilton, will take place on the 29th, on the anniversary of the colony. Valuable prizes have been subscribed, and a full programme will appear in a future issue. A Fancy Dress Ball, in compliment to the ladies who took part in the recent Christmas Carnival, will be held in tho Oddfellows' Hall, Hamilton, on Tuesday evening next. A strong . committee have the affair in hand, and promise to make it a great success. The cricket match. England v. Australia, played at Melbourne, .has resulted in a draw, time not permitting the match to be finished. The Englishmen required 220 runs to win, and when the stumps were drawn had lost four wickets for 123 runs. There must be a good deal of building going on in the district, as Messrs Fawkes and Foxhall's timber mill, near Whatawhata, has been kept going for some time past executing orders, and the output is from 15,000 to 18,000 feet per week. The dry weather still continues, and is doing a great deal of damage. The. water supply is getting short in Hamilton. Commander Edwin has been promising rain for some time past, but his predictions remain unverified so far as Waikato is concerned, though welcome showers have fallen in other parts of the colony. We have been asked to remind the ladies of S. Andrew's congregation, Cambridge, that the meeting for the appointment of a permanent committee for the reduction of the Church debt will be held in the schoolroom on Wednesday next at 4 p.m. The Phoenix Foundry Company, Ballarat, are the successful tenderers for the supply of twenty passenger locomotive* for the Victorian Government. A foundry of the same description is badly wanted in New Zealand, so that capital could be kept in the country instead of sending it to England and America. General Sir George Whitmore. accompanied by Lieut.-Colonel Shepherd and Capt. Schmitt, A.D.C., arrived at Hamilton by last night's train, and at once proceeded to Te Awamutu in one of Mr Caldervvood's conveyances. General Whitmore will inspect the To Awamutu Cavalry to-day. Our attention has been drawn to the very bad state of the great South road at Alexander's hill, Pukete. If something be not done at once, a serious Accident

must inevitably occur, as it is absolutely dangerous to drive over this part of tho road aftor dark. We have referred to this mutter several times already. Notice of motion has been given in the Auckland City Council to the effect that the Council is of opinion that the legalising of the use of the totalizator is projudical to the best interests of the progress of Auckland, and that a petitioli be forwarded to tho Government, praying that that portion of the Gaming Act authorising its use may be repealed. The committee of the Hamilton Domain Board appointed for the purpose met on Thursday to open tenders for painting &c. Tho following tenders A'erexent in: —For painting 25 gates on the Domain lands, labour only—Philip Munro, £7 7s ; George Fielding, £5 ; K. Deliear (accepted) £3 8s 9d. The tender of J, Dickinson for erecting 15 chaius of fencing from Welling-ton-street to Coate's landing, labour only, (£2 18s 6d), was accepted. On Sunday last a painful accident happened to Mr A. Tayler, the well-known Auckland vocalist, while on a visit to the homestead of Mr T. H. White, architect, Taupiri, Whilst in the act of picking cherries from a top branch of a large tree, the limb suddenly gave way and he was precipated to the ground, injuring himself about the loins and getting badly bruised. On Thursday he was sufficiently recovered as to be able to proceed to Auckland. Orders have been received from the Government by Mr Blythe, to clear the old Wairoa road, and render,it passable for buggies as quickly as possible. A gentleman who vinited Tβ Wairoa, states that Mrs Graham's old house is being renovated, and the rooms-are ready for occupation. Sophia's whare is turned into a sleeping compartment for the chief conk. Vegetation is showing on the top of the mud. It is stated that the defunct Musket had 22 splendid representatives equal in breeding and appearance to anything in the world at the annual sale on Wednesday. Major Waliusley recoi ved the warm congratulations of the visitors for the great care he had shown to his charges, Mr N. Goold of the Australasian staff, was present at the sal«, and purchased as commissioner for Mr Chirnside and the Hon. W. Pearson. A meeting of the Baths Committee of the Hamilton Borough Council was held on Thursday, for the purpose of opening tenders for the erection of the public baths. The following were received :—E. L. Smith, £418 ; Thomas Chappell, £292 ; Worthington, £250; J. C. Booth (accepted), £220; E. C. Martin, £149 (for one bath only). The contract time allowed is six weeks. It is not expected that a charge for bathing will be made, as the expense of a caretaker will be too great, but measures will be taken to ensure, as far as possible, that no damage is done to the bath buildings. In our obituary column is recorded the death of Lieut. Daly, of the Central India Horse, a brother of Captain Daly, Hautapu, who himself belonged to the same regiment. He was killed in a collision at the Polo tournament at Bombay on the 21st October. The Central India Horse had beaten, several teams from other cavalry regiments, and were playing the Poona Horse when the lamentaole occurrence took place. The deceased was a very promising young officer and his death is deeply regretted. A.case of base ingratitude came before the Auckland bench on Thursday, when a young man named William Anderson, who is in the last stages of consumption, was charged with the larcency -of a valuable gold watch and chain belonging to a young lady who befriended him during his stay at the hospital. After leaving the hospital he went to reside at Mount Eden, and borrowed the young lady's watch till, as he said, his sister arrived by the mail steamer, so that he might take his medicine regularly. In the meantime he sold the watch to a pawnbroker and cleared off to Kawhia, where he was arrested by Detective Hughes. The accused was committed for trial.

At yesterday's meeting of the Kirikiriroa Road Board the clerk. Captain McPherson, suggested that Mr Steele should move in the direction of linking representations to the Waikato County Council that they should take certain portions of land in Hinton's crully (pirt of which belonged to the clerk) on which the public road encroached. He thought the present roads should be leagalised, so that they should not have a repetition of a great public pcandal such as existed in another part of the county (Ewen's), where the owner of a farm of 800 aere* was prevented from getting access to his farm except by going several miles round. The Chairman said the county could not move in the matter until a survey had been made. He suggested that Captain McPherson should get a survey made. Captain McPhersou objected. He had no interest in making a survey, and he would be doing a great public good in giving his ,land for nothing. The Chairman further said that the mad was a district road, and the council had nothing to do with it. After some further discussion Captain McPherson said he had no interest in the matter further than to remove what might at some future time be the means of doinjr a great public wrong, such as that other he had referred to. Ho would bring the matter to a head by fencing in the road. The Chairman said Captain McPherson was free to do what he pleased, but he should be careful that he did nothing illegally, or he might land himself in a big difficulty. Captain McPherson said he was quite prepared to accept the full responsibility of his act. The matter then dropped.

The following is taken from the Auckland " Leader":—ln one of the Anglican Churches last Sunday night two clergymen officiated, and at the conclusion of toe service, the congregation being a crowded one, these two clergymen might have been seen slowly proceeding down one of the aisles to the vestry, hemmed in by the crowd as it surged .towards the door of exit from the church. The 'sight was not an edifying one, and it was an example' of the rudeness and want ot respect which is crrowing to be more and more characteristic of colonial people In England it is customary for the congregation to remain seated after the service until the clergy leave

the chancel, and then to stand erect in their pews till the clergy have retired. Here, no soonor is the Benediction pronounced than there in a scramble for hats and coats, and the majority of the gupgregation make a rush as if to see who can get out soonest. There is a lack of reverance for the sacred edifice, and a lack of respect for the officiating ministers. To people accustomed to see things done differently, this unseemly haste to get away is painful. It is the same at concerts. While the last number is being rendered—it may be an exquisite piece of music—some people will be sure to leave and make for the door, utterly inconsiderate as to the annoyance they cause. A slip of printed paper placed in every pew, a line printed at the end of every programme, requesting the congregation or audience to remain seated until the minister proceeds tothe vestry, qr. lnitjl the performance is concluded, as the case may be, might in a short time work a much to be desired reformation. The usual monthly meeting of Kirikiriroa Road Board was held yesterday at the Waikato County Chambers, Hamilton. Present, Messrs A. Primrose (chairman), Thomas, Lovell and Steele. Mr B. J. Maclean, the newly elected member in the roooni of Mr T. S. Runciman, was present and took his reat. The Clerk reported that the balance at the bank was £142 4s Id. The Engineer reported that the contracts were not proceeding satisfactorily. Go. id win, he believed, had thrown up Ins contract for making a ditch alongside fho railway, near Ngaruawahia. It appeared that | the railway survey was wrong, and the ditch which was laid out according to it was found to encroach on the railway. The inspector, Mr Peon, had ctoppnd thp contractor. He (the engineer) had visited the work since to lay it out afresh, but Goodwin, though nitificd, did not attend. It was resolved to call for fresh tenders at once, in the event of Goodwin refusing to go on with the job. The Chairman was of opinion that Goodwin had some ground for compl.-tjnt, and thought this deposit should be returned to hjin. The members concurred with this. Tha Engineer reported on the proposed road to open communication between Taupjri and Mount Pleasant. Mr Maclean, pointed out the position of the road on the map, and the boarc} having decided that the work was necessary, as it opened up a large tract of fine country, the chairman and Meßsrs Maclean and Lovell were appointed a committee to visit the spot in company with the engineer on Thursday next. A nutr.ber of acponnta were passed for payment, and the board rose,