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Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2420, 14 January 1888, Page 2

The Califocnian or Canadian thistle (cirsium arvense) has made its appearance at Ohinemuri. Hamilton is surrounded on all sides with thick smoke, issuing from numerous swamp tires. An anti-Chinese League is agitating in Melbourne against the Chinese selling tea. Mr C- M- Newson, of Auckland, is the successful tenderer for the erection of the new Custom house and offices in that oity. The weather for the past two or three days has been very close and oppressive, the thermometer boing over 90" in the shade. A meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council will be held on Monday 10th inst., to consider the valuation roll for the year. The men who stole the yacht Dido from Wellington were two brothers named James and Richard White with Etta, wife of the former. The Auckland Municipal 5 per ccut loan of £2.3,000 has been placed on the London market, tho minimum being fixed at £102. Tenders will be opened on the 17th inst. Miss Georgia Smithson and her Maccabe Company gave their celebrated entertainment at tho Public Hall, Cambridge on Thursday evening aud again last night. The audience on both occasions was very thin, the Christmas festivities having evidently "scooped the pool." Mr F. W. Cooke, the indefatigable Secretary of the Cambridge Lawn Tennis Club, has arranged with Mr lilyth, the Secretary of Jthe Mount Eden Club, for a match, to be played at Cambridge on tlie 30th inst. A tournament will be started at once to decide who of the Cambridge members will take part in it. We regret to learn that a plague of caterpillars, similar to those that a few years ago played such havoc with the crops iu Waikato, has broken out on several farms at i'ukorimu. The grain crops are, we think, too far advanced towards maturity to receive much injury, but a quantity of pasturage will be devastated. • What appeared very like a case of perjury occurred yesterday at Cambridge, as will bo seen on reference to our report of the Resident Magistrate's Court at that place, when a well-dre.-sjd young man positively swore that ho had left a situation at £1 per week and found, to go to a place where ho received no remuneration but his food. This seems hardly probable, and unless he can prove it by producing his employer, he would be safer with a little Pacific water between him and New Zealand.

Mr T. B. Somerset has bsen appointed secretary to the Raglan County Council. Our Supplement tbis morning contains the continuation of Hawley Smarts interesting mJvel, " Tie and Trick," several nice stories for the children, Our Paris letter; "A Forbidden Dance;" Sydney 1 Stock markets; "Experience Docet," in- j testing to wives; an article comparing , Paris and London, and other readable matter. It is said that John L. Sullivan 1 was terribly seasick while crossing the ocean, and bellowed like a calf, thinking ho wasgoingtodie. That would have boon agood time for some newsboy to have pitched on to John and whipped him. Imagine the great big duffer, curled up in a state-room, sick as a dog, and tlio life half frightened out of hinf. On Tuesday last the parishioners of S. Peter's Church, Hamilton, sent a farewell telegram to Bishop Cowie on the occasion of his leaving Auckland to attend the Pan-Anglican Conference at Lambeth. When at Russell the next morning His Lordship sent the following reply to the Rev. R. O'C. Biggs, Hamilton: —"Just leaving the diocese. Many thanks to you all." We wish His Lordship a voyage and a safe return. Mrs Alexander, of Pukete, has called upon us to say that the subscriptions she collected towards the harmonium fund did not appear correctly in the report furnished by our correspondent. She has, therefore requested us to insert the following, which is the full list obtained by her : — Rev. R. O'C Biggs, 10s ; Mr Barton, 10s; Mr <t. Edgecumbe, ss; Mrs McLernon, 3s ; Messrs French, Gelling, Cox, Sloper, Ricketts, Hops and Ratvick, 2s Gd each ; Mrs Graham, 2s fid; Messrs Logie aud Wait, 2s cftch. Total, £2, 12s. A Cambridge resident, who has just returned from Lichfield, informs us that the young grass and turnips put in this season by Mr Rich, are looking splendid. The young grass is quite equal to any of the same age in Waikato. The swedes are really grand, and from the way both grass and turnips are shaping promise to repay well the good way the land has been worked and sown. All the cattle and sheep on the estate are looking well and healthy, many of the sheep being fat on the tussock. We understand that Mr W. A. Graham, whoso zeal in the sugar-beet industry is famous, has received proposals from a German Company to find half the necessary capital to start a factory ill the Waikato if the other half is raised locally, and the necessary quantity of beet is guaranteed by growers. The establishment of such an important business under the operations of a powerful company supplied with the requisite capital would be productive of the greatest benefits to this district. We sincerely trust the Waikato farmers will give the subject the earnest consideration it deserves, and offer sufficient p-ncouragement to Mr Grahair to prosecute the proposed scheme to a successful issue. We are glad to hear that the attendance at the Hamilton Public Baths is steadily increasing, there being a daily average of 50 bathers during the last fortnight, notwithstanding that many Hamiltonians, with their families, are away holiday-mak-ing at the seaside and elsewhere. The baths, we find, are well patronised by strangers visiting this township, who invariably express satisfaction, and pronounce them and the management most creditable to the Borough. From what wo hear of the fresh-water baths in Auckland, we compare most favourably in regard to the chief element: that is, water. Though indifferent swimmers may find the current somewhat difHcult to contend with, they have the assurance that all impurities at once pass away from the baths. It is a great pity that the platform in front of the dressing boxes was not widened when the extension was made, as children are continually being crowded into the water and often when fully dressed. Professor Paunell has several young men aud boys in activc swimming for the coming gala on the 30th inst. Very marked improvement is observable_ in the style and speed of the bathers using the bath. We would urge parents not to miss the opportunity now afforded them of having their children pat in a position to take care of themselves should they by any mishap get into the water. The professor has several pupils who travel quite a distance for the benefit of his tuition—from Tamahere and the out-districts.