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Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2592, 21 February 1889, Page 2

The next meeting of the Raglan G'»unty Council will be held on the 27th inst. The date of the garden fete in connection with S. Andrew's Church, (Jamhridgtl., lias been fixed tor Thursday, nth March, At a meeting of tlie committee of tin: Hll nll y Jockey Club, cm Saturday last, it was decided 111 postpone their nice meetins till March .'SOLIi. A very good programnio of sports hits been prepared. A meeting of the committee of the S'.uUi Auckland U icing Club will be held in Tin; Waikato Tunis building on Saturday tii^lit, '22nd, nt K p.m., to complete the autumn programme, and make all other arrangements for the meeting. The first annual meeting of the Civil Service Supply Association of Now Zealand, will be held in the largo rot.m of the New Zealand Insurance Company's Buildings at 3 o'clock on Thursday, 28th inst. Messrs David Combes, P. Kay, H.T. Saulbrey, C. Starr, jnnr., D. Thonisnn, K. G. Taylor and A. Williams have been nominated as candidates for election to the o'tice of licensing commissioners for the Ngaruawahia licensing district. A poll will be held on Tuesday, February 20th, Messrs Gsorge Edgecumbe, J. SKdgecumbe, >J. Parr, H. M. Salmon and R. F. Sandcs, being the only five persons nominated as licensing commissioners for the Borough of Hamilton, have been declaro'l duly elected. A meeting will be held on Saturday, 2nd March, for the purpose of electing a chairman. Mr Keep hag called on us to complain of neglect 0,1 the part of the railway officials between Hamilton and Te Aroha. He forwarded a kit of plums to a friend at the latter place some day last week, and it did not reach its destination for five days afterwards and in a perished condition. Naturally Mr Keep is much annoye i at such carelessness.

" Catholicus" writes from Cambridge in very eulogistic terms of l)i. Hooper, and, ill view of his approaching departuro from the district, strorgly proposes that the residents should in some way " recognise the abilities and sterling wm'tfi of one whose stay in their midst, though short, lias nevertheless endeared him to >11 classes alike without distinction of creed." Visitors to Raglan this season will have remaiked many improvements mi the road and others in process. The fencing substantially at some of the awkward corners on the precipitous sides of the mountain road wmild iclieee many aijualin ~f nervous traveller.-. The w.-rk need not to an expensive mio, as suitable limber ernws alongside, and it would ceitainly present a serious accident which some day or ntlier will sure to happen.

The two Auckland papers give a brief reference to the proposed new timetable on the Waikato railways. The hours mentioned by our contemporaries appear to be eneiieotis, and not in accordance with the views put forward by the deputntion that interviewed .Mr Maxwell at Hamilton. We have telegraphed to the District Manager for information on the matter, and hops to be in a position to give a correct Mtnim iry of the amended time-table in our next issue.

The success of introducing the brown trout into tho rivers running into the Ri'Man Harbour lias been clearly settled, as a few days ago the Messro Wilson Bros, in cleaning ont an old mill race on the Wliainßaroa River came across large minibp rs of voung fLh two or three inches in length, evidently tho increase of fish placed in these v/atois a few years back. Tho followers of lsaak Walton will now have a further inducement to visit the celebrated Hot Springs at Whaingaroa, Messrs Goldsbrough Mort and Co.'s monthly wool report, states that during the month of wool exports from Victoria were -Hi,057, the decrease since Ist July being 22.008 bales; New Smith Wales'exported :">(!,increase to d.ite, H0,91 iI ; South Australia, exports, 'VltiO, decrease, 22,1)97; Queensland, exports, '2,024, increase, I',-iOS; West Australia, exports, 8,052, decrease. 2,854 ; New Zealand, 48,423, decrease, 0,!K)0. The total shipments since Ist July, from all the, colonies were 1,005,'.>27, being an increase of 10,052 bales.

A shocking accident occurred at Cppcr llelmont, Hutt district. A little boy ol ten, son of Mr John .Straten, was in the house alone with his sister Maud (if 111110. He gut his father's liHe from tho bedroom, and cartridge from a shelf, and mu-t have loaded the rifle, as he says it was at full cock, am! he accidentally touched tho trigger, blowing the top of his sister's head otf and scattering her brains about. The girl fell down dead, and the boy ran to tell hi.i father, who was working in a field, lhe mother was away in Wellington.

The Ashburton Woollen Company is to be wound up voluntarily. Tha directors lind they want i'looo to koep the builift out, as much more to buy wool, and more for wages to carry on, and they cannot get the money. The factory has been offered to the Kaiapoi and Mosgiol companies but neither was inclined to take it over. It was stated that if the liquidators can sell at £7000, depositors can be paid in full, and shareholders get about os in the £. The cause of the trouble ia the common one— the company started with too little capital.

New Zealand mutton sells in the colony at about a penny a pound, mid costs, transported to Kugland in refrigerator whips and placed on the market, about Id per lb. Tlie Panama Star and Herald says that Xew Zealand mutton would find .steady salt: at good prices oil the Isthmus, together with uny other fresh incut, guuiG, fish, vegetables, fruit, etc., that could be foiwarded in this manner. It it? suggested that eoal would form a profitable ballast for tho cargo and that a big business could be established between tho countries.— Australasian and South America. A Plymouth Rock cockerel, ten months old, ha« recently besn imported by Mr Gresham, of Te Awamutu, and promises to eclipse the celebrated birds Victor and Wales. By those competent to judge, this new arrival is pronounced the beat of his class ever brought to the colony. It was especially selected and purchased for Mv Gresham by 111- Corn well, of Aitckland, under whose foster'uift' oare the of Sussex was chaperoned. Tha bird, which is in Rplcndid condition, notwithstanding the long voyage, is of very dark colour, while its beak and legs are of the much -desired golden hue. A correspondant, who has been on a visit to the Wairarapa district, writes to the New Zealand Times as follows f lie harvest prospects from one end ofthe valley to the other are excellent. The season has been exceptionally good, except in a few cases of late crops. Harvest is generally concluded all over the valley. A good few ricks arc seen, but not so many as might be expected, owing to so many of the farmers threshing early on account of the present high rated obtained for grain in Australia. Nearly every sottlor expresses l)ii))e»lf satisfied at the present aild future prospects of fanning in the locality. Not a single complaint is heard, and everyone wears a cheorful aspect and is hopeful for the future. The late rains did an immense lot of good to the pa-lures, It lias given a good start to tho undergrowth. u»d a decided change in the colour was is now showing a bright green tlng6.''

In " Colonial and Indian Gossip " in tlio " Colonies and India " the following parurpl'lJ appears " Talking of wagering 'in kind' rsipinds me of an advonture T once Iwd m' iha V/aikato country. I stopped 0110 night ir. & Village on the W iipi and, as the amusement ot tBIUiIJJ wonderful at Jiioa about Uritish prowess to fit) natives and of listening to equally wonflt'i'fui. of Maori warriors grew nionotoii'tiiA V.o Started playing cards. I played cut-tliriat ii-.i,el»'o witif two young rangatiras - -first [or iiiorjoy. i-ill »as all gone, then for tobacco, fcnivps, stijds, a;;d ,-i)>gs, and almost every removable tijnfS v™ carried. I. carried, I should perhaps say, Then, when [ was stumped one of my omv'al Maori friends suggested that I still had a Ijor.v, and saddle, why not play for those ? ' But pvould r r ot * plunge, that far, si} 4«Q W #°. t0 ff do a y*7 Tnorn,nß ' ft sadder »ra} ffi&F W!ly

The Government are about to offer for settlement under tho pastoral loase system two runs in the Auckland Island consisting of 138,000 acres ; also, under the small farms settlement scheme, seven small grazing runs at the Kermadecs, varying in area from 930 to 720 acres.

We think we need hardly remind our readers of the dramatic performance, to be given to-night by the Comus Drauiatic Club, in tho Oddfellows' Hall, Hamilton Ea°t. The first piece will be " Helping Hands," by James Taylor, an exceedingly umusiug domestic drama in two acts, in which several gentlemen and lady amateurs will make their first appearance on the boards. The second piece is the popular one " The Area Belle," a sidesplitting farce, in which soma well-known performers will take part. The performers have been dovoting themselves very hard to constant practice for some time past, and many improvements have been made in the scenic arrangements of the stage. We, therefore, feel confident the public will be given a groat treat to-night.

Evidently there are other settlers in the colony besides those of Waikato who are dissatisfied with the management of our railways. An exchange says :—Uegg Bros., of Greenfield, Tuapeka, have drayed their wool to Port Chalmers, in preference to railing it, finding it more economical to adopt tho former course. A Waitahuna settler this season sent 11-1 trucks of chaff to Dunedin at different times, paying at per truck. One hundred and oight trucks were under the official maximum load, of four tons, soino of them by several hundred weight. Six wore over tho weight, and he was fined an extra half rate for them. Mr Smith, of Greenfield, sends large numbers of Bheep to Dunedin. He offered the Department 4.'d a head for railage, what he considers it costs for driving ; lid a head for expenses, and 3d for loss of" weight—but the Department, refused it. Drivers and guards riding ahead and atail of half empty trains see the sheep jogging along tho road beside them.

Two of the Wellington papers have been debating the property tax and income tax question, as a result of which one, according to the version of the other, has "arrived at length at the bewildering conclusion that a man with an income of £12,000 a year, living in New Zealand and spending his income 011 'pictures aild other luxuries,' would, under the property tax, pay the Treasury no less than £10,000 iu 20 years, or at the rate of £525 a year. This, of course, is, in addition to other taxes, direct or indirect. But Customs duties and primage alone <11 £12,000 worth of pictures and other luxuries would amount to more than £4000 a year, while stamp duties and other charges upon such large operations would probably bring it up to £3,470. Add to this the tTrJo for property tax, and we find this poor wretch paying 110 le.'.s a sum than £4000 a year in taxes, [t can easily be imagined how many men ot independent income would live in New Zealand 011 these terms." —Lxchauge.

It is an old, but very true saying, that men who travel see many strange tilings, It is equally true Lhat most traveller's yarns must be taken cum grano salis. This applies to Captain Sutter, ex-M.H.R. for Gladstone, who returned by the s.s. Kaikoura, anil who has been giving his impressions of the Old Country to the Timaiu Herald. The gallant captain, speaking of tho cheapness of living in the. Old Country, says : In Oxford-street, .London, a bespoke suit of men's wearing apparel may b.i obtained for £2 10s, the cost of which would be £l! 10s in the colonies." This statement is a direct libel 011 this Colony, and one which will tend to do us harm. There are plenty of clothiers in New Zealand who are ready and willing to make as many suits as they can got orders for at £2 10s, and made, of good sound colonial tweed of wool shorn from colonial sheep,, and made by colonial labour, and colonial suits at that price will compare favourably with those at the same price in England. When an ex-M.H.R. blazons out to the world that it costs £(i 10s to dress here as well as a man can in England for £2 10s, it is quite time the gallant captain should be informed of his mistake. It is by these inaccurate representations that our Colony is damaged in the eyes of people in the Old Country.—New Zealand Times.