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Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2469, 8 May 1888, Page 2

Mount Etna is in an active state of eruption. There is no news of Stanley, the explorer, and groat anxiety is felt for his safety. Mr W. O'Brien, the agitator, has been sentenced to three month's imprisonment for addressing a proclaimed meeting. A banquet is to be given to Mr C. A. Oornes, at Te Aroha, on Thursday, m recognition °f his successful efforts in opening up the Tui Goldtields. Referring to his interview with Mr Parnell on Homo Rule, Lord Carnarvon reproached himself for not conducting it in the presence of witnesses. The meeting of school teachers at Hamilton, on Saturday, was very poorly attended. It was decided to adjourn the meeting to Cambridge, where it is hoped a better attendance will be obtained, and a branch of the Teachers' Association established in the Waikato. We are requested by Mr J. SAuckland to intimate that in consequence of the death of his brother-in-law, Mr Joseph Banks, tho sale at Ohaupo to-day will be conducted by Mr J. Mc.lscol, wno has kindly consented to fill Mr liucklands place on tho occasion. The General Government have offered £500 to the Waitemata County Council for the purpose of tinding work for the unemployed, the money to be used for the construction ot certain roads, and the wages to be 4s (id a day for married men and 3s for singlo men. Tho offer has been accepted by the Council, though the rato of wages caused some laughter. A labouring man named Jones was admitted into the District Hospital from Te Awamutu, on Saturday with a broken leg. The accident happened in a very simple mariner. Mr Jones was entering his house when his foot slipped on the door-step and ha fell to the ground, causing a simple fracture of the leg below the knee. The injured limb was sot by Dr. Puirman,

Mr J. C. Anierson, M.H.R- for Bruce, will piss through Hamilton to-day, from Auckland, on route for Wellington.

Mr Brodia. Mayor of Thamss, has been consulting with Mr K. Firth, with respect to lighting the Thames with electricity.

The Hamilton Saleyard3 are completed, with the exception of the covered way, an 1 wili lu quite ready for tho reception of stock to-morrow.

There is an impression that yard tees will be charged for horses entered for sale in the Hamilton saieyards. We are requested to state that no fees are chargeable on any beast whatever.

Mr Panneil. of Hamilton, has made an offer to the Railway Department to guarantee a train to run a Waikato excursion to Auckland on the day of the football match, England v. Auckland.

The three young men who were charged with horse-stealing a few days ago, and were since locked up at Hamilton, were escorted to the Hamilton West Station last night by Constables Murray and Wild, and conveyed back again to Cambridge to be brought before the local bench.

The men employed on the Waiteti railway contract have sent down a third contribution to the "Waikato Hospital, amounting to the handsome sum of £37. This generous conduct is much to be commended, and is in striking contrast to the men on Mr Fallon's contract on the Rotorua line, who have n»t yet contributed anything to the hospital.

The death is announced of Mr Joseph Banks, managing director of the New Zealand Frozen Meat and Storage Company, Auckland. Mr Banks was well known in the early days of the Waikato and was engaged in cattle dealing and meat contracts during the war, and was associated with Mr Alfred Buckland's business at the Thames. Ho had been ailing for a considerable time, a victim to consumption, and died at the age of 48 years, leaving a widow and nine children. He was married to a daughter of Mr A. Buckland.

The Wellington Press opines that the Bank of New Zealand will have to write off deficiency on certain securities, and raise whatever additional capital may be required ; and adds This is what it must come to, and the sooner the better. Not only the bank, but all the money lending companies, who at present hold a groat proportion of tho agricultural and pastoral lauds of New Zealand, will have to do that, and nothing short of it, before very Jong. When tfiey do it, and not until then, New Zealand will begin to regain her former prosperity. A 'boom' or any sort of genuine revival is impossible in the present situation of affairs."

The present Khedive of Egypt is a monogamist, living peaceably with his young and beautiful wife and her children at his palace at Ismaila. His wife is about twenty-six; she has lustrous dark eyes, a brilliantly fair complexion, which owes nothing to extraneous art, pearly teeth, and a lovely mouth. She is attired in trailing robes of white silk, richly embroidered, and sparkling with geins. She wears a miniature of her consort set with diamonds, which also glisten on her arms and in her dark hair.

In the paragraph in Saturdays issue referring to the purchase of a 100-acre farm bv Mr Davis, the land was the property of Mr Henry Steele, and not a portion of Captain Steele's farm as stated. In addition to enquiries for land, indications are not wanting of an improvement in the tone of business generally. In commercial circles in Auckland a marked improvement has set in. The present time offers great facilities for acquiring land at a price which will give a good return either as an investment or for the purpose of settlement.

We have received a copy of the first issue of The Aroha Gazette, a new weekly journal published at Tta Aroha, and whose appearance has been expected for some time. It is fairly printed, and contains a full quantity of latest local and general news and other reiding matter, with two excellent leading articles which have been favourably received. There is room for improvement in the get-up of the Gazette, which no doubt, Mr Smithyman, the proprietor, will lose 110 time in effecting, as soon as he has got over the difficulties which are met with in starting a new paper. We wish him every success in his venture.

The New Zealand Times says "Mr Frederick Hill, formerly in business as a photographer, in Wellington, but now livin" at Huntervillc, 011 the central route of the North Island Trunk Railway, is now in town, and gives a most encouraging account of tho quality of the land in that neighbourhood. Mr Hill .states that the soil is of unusual richness, in proof ot which he has brought with him a rare collodion of vegetables grown on his land." The Hawera Star plaintively adds " If Mr Frederick Hill is the person who was recently in business in Hawora, as a photographer, we and others should bo glad if he would bring his produce up this way. Miss Dolling, upon whom devolves tho principal share in tho onerous and responsible task of nursing tho Emperor of Germany, is an Irish lady. She is the sister of a clergyman—the Rev. R. Dolling — who formerly laboured very hard among the poor of the East End, where he was deservedly popular. She herself was not less devoted. Her gifts are not confined to tho sick room, where she is highlyqualitied surgical nurse, but she is also a very clever linguist, and a very cultured, well-read woman. Those who know her speak of her as eminently fitted for her important task, and quite equal to any difficulties that she may encounter in its discharge.

According to the latest intelligence from St. Petersburg, the Czar has directed tho preparation of an historical memorandum for the purpose of rectifying the misstatements alleged to be contained in Prince Bismarck's famous speech before tho Reichstag with respect to the past relations of Germany and Russia. This document is intended to show that the misunderstanding between them dates as far back as 1872, and that Prince Gortchakoff, perceiving tho German Chancellor's Austrian proclivities, brought the two Emperors together in Berlin, and their first alliance with the late Emperor was thon and there concluded. This triumph of the Russian diplomatist is said to have irritated Prince Bismarck, who thenceforward ceased to support the policy of Russia in the East.

Two pieces of sea beach have been rented by the Tar.inaki Harbour Board to Messrs Old Held and Haslett. The final paragraph of Mr Oldfield's tender runs as follows :—" I tender subject to the condition that at least £2000 be expanded by me in efforts to manufacture or procure iron, steel, ore, petroleum oil, or shale, within a period of two years from the date of the lease to be granted ; and the sum of £200 is delivered to the secretary of the board in terms of the condition with tlds tender." The final paragraph of Mr Haslett's tender runs as follows: —"I tender subject to the condition that at least £1000 be expended by me in efforts to manufacture or procure iron, steel, oil, or other products of ironsand ore and petroleum nil within two years from the date of the lease to be granted. The sum of £300 is delivered to the secretary of the board in terms of tho conditions with this tender."

We are intormed by a gentleman, a well-known surveyor, that people who speak in favour of the adoption of the Stratford route to connect Auckland and Taranaki can have very little conception of the nature of the country on that line. Ho is familiar with the proposed deviation, and says that the country is quite inaccessible, and that owing to the high grado the line would have to take it would be impossible to tap even the limited areas of good land that are situated in that direction, such as the small Mokau flats. When the costly survey, which is being prepared by the Government, is completed, it will be found to be condemnatory of the Stratford line. So fur as the trade between Auckland anJ Taranaki is concerned, the cost of two, or at most three, miles of the railway .would iirovido two suitable steamers amply sufficient to do all the trade between the two places. The only reasonable view of the IVtain Trunk Railway question is that taken from tho outset by this journal, namely, tliat the position of tin colony does not warrant any further expenditwre on it at all, and that all works should cease with tho termination of tho present contracts. The money already spent is a absolute waste of public money. Our informant further agruos with us that the construction of a line of railway through the centre of this island is, at least, a quarter of a century in advance of the time for it.