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Waikato Times, Volume 2611, Issue 2611, 6 April 1889, Page 2

The brigantine Clansman, pf Auckland, lias gone ashore in a gale at Ciisborne. The Garrison officers have confirmed the resolution to hold the Easter Encampment at Hamilton. A consignment of butter sent to England by Messrs H. Reynolds and Co. realised the top prieo ruling for best Danish, £5 His per cwt. We would remind intending competitors that the rifle match for Mr Knclean's medal will begin sharp at 11 o'clock this morning. The Thames County Council and Borough Council propose to press the (Government to proceed with the railway extension to Te Arolia. A notification in the Gazette from the Kailway Commissioners placcs flax, native, dresued or screw-pressed, underclass E., otherwise to be charged rate and a half. Mr J. B. Whyte is reported to have stated that he ia not ambitious for office, and in fact will not accept it as he is strongly opposed to Bomo of thfc Premier's views,

Cherry Farm, at Clarkesville, North Canterbury, of 248 acres, was offered at auction at Kaiapoi and passed in at £11. Sections from Nos. 160 to 165 inclusive, Newcastle South, Waipa, and section 17Ga parish of Whangamarino, Waikato, will be offered for cash sale at tho Crown Lands Office, Auckland, on 30th inst. Mr Collier, assistant telegraphist at the Hamilton Post - Office, is laid up with a severe cold and tonsilitis. Dr. Murch is attending him. Mr Forrest from Auckland arrived yesterday to take over Mr Collier's duties during his illness. Mr Gilmour, who met with the severe accident on the Whatawhata road, was brought to the district Hospital on Thursday afternocm by Constable Murray. Wo are glad to hear that the patient has recovered consciousness, and is progressing favourably. We understand that it has, after all, been arranged that Col. Forbes will deliver his lecture on "Cawnpore in the Public Hall, Hamilton, on Easter. Monday night. The Comus Club will repeat the excellent drama, "Helping Hands," on the previous Saturday night. In our Supplement to-day appears a very interesting description of some of the magnificent caves of the King Country, written by our special reporter, who has paid them a viait. It will be seen that this part of the province promises to become famous as a veritable wonderland, abounding in natural sights of a different order to those in tho Lake regions. Although the price of New Zealand flax is quoted in London at from t«>7 to £40 per ton, there is every probability of prices ranging higher owing to the anticipated failure of the manilla crop this season. The Waikato Land Association have a large area of good flax growing near their Hillside station, which would give work for an extensive plant and is well worth inspection by parties desiring to embark in this industry. We have received a long letter from Mr James McGuirk, of Harapipi, on the local squabble with reference to the schoolmaster against whom he repeats the charges denied by our Correspondent in a previous issue. As this matter has been discussed in this journal to as great a length as the general public of the Waikato and other districts care to appreciate, we must close our columns to any further cjnj trovers? on the subje t.

The Minister of Education, Hon. Mr Fisher has drafted a New Education Bill, which contains special provisions for technical education, and further facilities for religious instruction in public schools, without any interference with their secular character. It proposes to classify schools as well as teachers ; to place the inspection of schools nnderthe Education Department; to abolish both Education Boards and school committees as at present constituted, and to substitute School Boards, a kind of intermediate body between the two at present existing. A gentleman named Young, a son of the proprietor of a large area of land in the Ilaugiiiri district upon which a considerable extent of forest planting has been carried on during the hist few years, has lately arrived from Glasgow, and is now on a visit of inspection of land between Agaruawahia and Whaingaroa, with the view of taking up five thousand acres suitable for tree planting on belia f ot a Glasgow syndicate. We shall be glad to hear that he has been suited, as no doubt a considerable expenditure would ensue, which would provide employment for a number of village settlers iti that locality. Many people besides farmers (says the Timaru Herald) take a lively interest in the orice of wheat. It must be admitted that this year the price ought to be guaged by the Sydney market, and to enable anyone to reckon what wheat should be worth here, it is necessary to allow for shipping and sale charges. These, an expert says, amount to about fcid per bushel. 1 his morning Now Zealand wheat is quoted in Sydney at 5s 2d, and in Titnaru at 4s. Now, 4s for wheat and 8d for carriage and sale are only 4s 8d ; what has bscoine of the other fad . If the expert is right as to the cost of shipping wheat to Sydney, our farmers ought to 4s Od per bnshel. In those districts where there are extensive potato crops, and where the weather has not been too dry to check the growth of the tubers, the recent rains are exercising a most beneficial effect, which it is hoped will not be marred by frosts. Grass crops everywhere show a wonderful improvement, and upon the up-countiy stations the rapid growth of herbage upon the apparently bare soil has to be seen to be fully realised. The scarcity of water in the weliandsomeof the river beds has been amply supplied. As the majority of the country roads had been quite loose, causing locomotion to bo both difficult and unpleasant, the late rains have effected a wonderful change in consolidating the surface, besides laying the dust.—Christchuich Press.

An interesting spectacle was to lie seen yesterday morning on tho Waipa River, near Whatawhata. A large number of lvingite liathes, about two hundred, who had camped on the previous evening about one mile above Whatawhata, passed through that township early in the morning ill six large canoes, whilst a number m charge of about sixty horses belonging to the party, rode along the river bank. Iho morning was a fine one, and as the natives paddled over the sparkling waters ot the river, singing songs, to the music of which they kept time with their paddles, anyone could obtain a very good impression of the many similar scenes on the same river that were no doubt of a common occurrence before the country had been opened up by the Europeans. The party in question were on their way to Mercer, where Tawhiao has now taken up his quarters. The following appears in the Tasmanian Mail of Saturday last:—Messrs C. E. Knight and Co. have received the following cable message from Messrs Thomas Patterson and Co., of Dunedin : — " Stop shipping fruit fortho present. .Market overstocked. 'Publish this telegram in Mercury." If (id per lb for apples, pears and plums, Ud to Ul each for bananas, and 3d each for lemons are the ruling prices for an overstocked market, we would like to ask what the prices would be if tho supply were short. Our local fruiterers say that oven these prices barely pay them. If such be the case, then who gets the profits, as the highest prices quoted in Hobart tor cases of 40lbs are : For apples, from 2s fad to 4s Od ; pears, from 4s to Bs. When we state that 2s per case is charged as freight, Ad per lb has to go as duty, and that the middle man has to get his profit, it is easy to see why the consumer has to pay so dearly for his fruit here.—Oamaru Mail.

Sir Robert Stout, who has been Judge Rawson's advocate before the Commission in New Plymouth, appears to have been acting on the unpopular side, lhe Wanganui Herald says:—"Tho iSew Plymouth people have boen showing their lack of manners and at the same time their appreciation of legal talent when too strong for them. They hooted Sir Robert Stout as he left the Court yesterday ! An English actor said the most genuine applause he ever had was being hissed when he played lago in America." The New Plymouth people appear to hava such a dislike for Judge Rawson that they would have had him condemned without allowing him any opportunity for defending himself against his accusers. The Judge may be at fault, but the investigation has elicited facts that are the reverse of creditable to those arrayed against him. A public man is responsible for his public acts, but he ought not to be held to be neglectful or corrupt simply because interested or spiteful cliques say that he is.

The new dress regulations of the New Zealand Volutittfei' l'ovce, wlncli, it lias been announced, are to be strictly observed, have now buen published. xhey do not present any very startling alterations from tho old regulations, but the uniforms of the various ranks ami branches of the service aro more precisely described, and some changes have been made. Among these we notice that officers of IS aval Artillery Volunteers are to wear gold lace instead of silver. The Commanders of Naval Corps aro styled Lieutenant-Com-manders instead of Captains. One of the best features of the new regulations is tho provision for '"efficiency badges," All volunteers who have been returned efficient for three consecutive years will wear a silken star on the sleeve, just above the Austrian knot of the culf. Volunteers who have been returned as efficient for an additional consecutive three years will wear a second star. Volunteers who have been returned efficient nine times, which need not be consecutive or in the same corps, for the last six times returned will wear a silver star on the right arm above the elbow. Any volunteer who is in possession of the efficiency badge or badges, and who h returned as non-efficient for two consecutive yoais, will forfeit his badgo or badges,—JSxelmge.

A meeting of the committee of the South Auckland Racing Club is called for Wednesday evening next, at The Waikato Tijibs buildings. On the application of Captain Roid, the exclusive use of Sydney Square has been granted to the voluuteera for Saturday, April 20th. We regret to have to record the death of Mrs Brown, mother to Mrs E. B. Walker and Mrs li. Reynolds, which took place yesterday morning, at Monavale. The old lady had reached the ripe age of 78. The funeral will leave Mr Walker's rosidence to-morrow at 2 p.m. Mr Poad, the Government analyst, lias been telling a Herald reporter some nasty truths about the water supplied to the Auckland people for domestic purposes. His description of the lively liquid is enough to drive the temperance people to despair and fill the hearts of the publicans with delight. Mr Griffiths, the pastor of the Baptist Tabernacle, Cambridge, is not going to leave Cambridge for a little time, the Auckland authorities having deputed liiin to continue the services until they have made an investigation into the affairs of the Cambridge branch. We are pleased to know that there is even yet a probability of Mr Griffiths remaining in Cambridge, where he has done much good.

A correspondent writes There is an interesting circumstance attached to the late disaster at Samoa, which may be worth relating. The U.S.S. Monangahela, which was due in Apia a few days after the hurricane, would be met by a scene on entering the harbour that would recall a similar experience which occurred to herself in the West Indies twenty-two years ago. It was during the hurricane, earthquake and tidal wave of 18(57. The Monangahela, then in active servico, was riding at anchor in the roadstead at St. Croix, a Danish Island 40 miles south of St. Thomas. The great shock was immediately followed by a receding of the sea, which left the c irvette aground on an even keel. As she was swaying on the balance, the sea returned in the nick o' time in the form of a gigantic breaker. The huge wave lifted her up, tore her from her moorings and carried her like a straw over sheds and streets into the town which lined the shore. She was neatly deposited in the centre of the market place of Cliristiansted and remained there for ovei three months like a fish out of water, but with her crew going through the usual routine of duties, until appliances had been received from the States, and she was again restored to her natural element.

We learn that Mr W. S. Stewart. 8.A., head master of the Cambridge school, has been appointed to the head mastership of the Greymouth District High School. Mr Stewart is to be congratulated on his appointment, as the Greymouth School is very much larger than his present one, and the salary will be in proportion; yet wo cannot help giving expression to the feeling that in this change what is his gain is a very great loss to Cambridge. During his stay in the district Mr Stewart has taken such a lively and intelligent interest in everything connected with its moral progress and w-)lfure, that his place, when he leaves, will be very hard to till. Not only in the district school, which he has raised to a high position amongst the schools „r the province, but in church and literary circles, the Sunday-School, the cricket field, and ali athletic gatherings, his familiar face will be greitly missed, whilst his rational and temperate advocacy of the temperance ciuse is well known. It is true, of course, that no matter how necessary a man may seem to bo thwro is always someone to take his place when he is gone ; but, it ever a case occurred in which this rule did not apply, it will be to Mr Stewart's c inunction with the General Gordon Lodge of Good Templars and the l-cal temperance people. Socially, Mr and Mrs Stewart have made many friends in and around Cambridge, and they will leave without an enemy.

A southern contemporary says : —At last we have apparently authentic news of the veritable " tauiwhathis time from North Wairarapa. It appears that a short time back a shepherd was going

along the bank of the river Whareania, where there is a deep pool, when to his surprise and astonishment ho saw a large fish chasing other fish in the liver. The fish was not an eel, and swam with an immense mouth open and head and shoulders out of water. It was duly described by the observer, on getting to the station, and, as usual. the yarn was discredited. However, by ari accident, a Mr Walker was riding along by the same pool later in the day, and he saw and described the same fish as behaving in the same manner as the pre-

vious witness. He first heard a great splash in the river, which lie thought must bti caused by a stray or wild pig, ar.d, on going to look, noticed the taniwha. Information was taken to the station of the Rev. J. Andrew, on the river, who that ovoning baited a cunningly devised triangle of shark hooks with the carcase of a newly killed rabbit, and attached the bait to the stern of a pout in the river, Next morning the bait was found to have been torn off the hooks, hut the taniwha was not to he seen. It is suggested that the fish might be a largo sea fish, which had locked in during the summer months, as the pool m que.-tion is only some three or four miles above tidal influence in the river.

J. Jessop, a " Village S°ttler at Pahiatua, in the north of Wellington province, writes to the Wairarapa Star an ac- « milt of his doings, and his opinion on the. village settlement system, lie says:—l am pleased to give yen the return from my small farm this season. I have got everytiiing stored except the_ tobacco and potatoes. I took six tons of hay off the place, also half ton of oats and hay and S2slbs. Timothy seed. The seed was taken off two acres. I have sold 189lbs. of this at (id per lb. A 1001b. flour bag filled with the seed weighed S7lbs., so you may judge of the quality. I shall have sufficient potatoes for my own use and seed for next season, besides a ton for sale. I estimate I shall have a return of £31) !)s and have my seed to the good. The following is my calculation :—Si.< tons hav at £24; 3201b5. Timothy seed lid per lb., £S 2s (id ; half ton of oats and hay, £2; one ton of potatoes, £(>. Total, £10 2s (id. The above quotations is the market price procurable in this district for the produce. I do not wish it to be understood that this is all I have got. I have had my grazing as well ; at the present time five head of milch cows, one bull and a horse, and you may cxpeet to hear from me in the way of pork and bacon, for which there is a ready market. I assert that in growing crops the leading purpose is to make a living. A man must first, make a living before he can make extra money. Hence it is a point of the utmost importance for farmers to grow their family supplies without having to buy them. The man who raises nearly everything needed for home consumption is independent, and with a variety of small crops he is ab.-olutely protected against total failure. The farmer whose first object is to make a living on his small firm, works for himself and family, while the "all eotton" man works for speculators and gamblers, and they always beat him. Banks may fail, stocks may vanish into air, and panics may bring desolution and ruin to the merchant, mechanic and speculator, but the farmer who farms for a living is safe. He has no doubts, no mortgages to disturb his rest, his food is at home, his barns are his storehouse. The man who farms for a living works by the rule of good common sense; the farmer who tries to mako money before he makes a living, works by the rules of some kind of sense. A little more common sense mixed with ordinary industry will make farmers the most prosperous and happy people in the colony. Fanners have worked long enough for speculators and shylocks ; they ought to turn their attention to home, wife, children and country. I trust my fellow colonists will think this the richt way to proceed, specially those in the Village Settlements, but it is rather premature to do anything in a large way, especially as their holding are bush lands. 1 maintain that in the course of three or four years we shall be able to be thoroughly independent; that wo shall be self-supporting. I don't mean to say wo shall all be able to take a trip to England or America to do the grand.