The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. THURSDAY, DEC. 20, 1890.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 2879, 25 December 1890, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. THURSDAY, DEC. 20, 1890.

The Christian religion has exercised a more powerful influence on tho destinies of the world than any other movement, in either ancient or modem times. The history of Christianity from the time of its foundation lias been stirring; and eventful. The bitter opposition with which the hist teachers of tho faith were confronted, the persecution and deaths of many of its first converts, from a world" steeped in paganism and vice, are facts known to every student of history, and yet in spite of every opposition whether rf violont persecution or death, ov in more modern times, that of scepticism, infidelity and doubt, the growth and spread of Christianity lias been marvellous. From the small band of unlearned and inexperienced men, to whom the first germs of faith were entrusted, has arisen a mighty army, embracing within its arms all nations of the earth,and uniting within its brotherhood all sorts and conditions of men. The blessings and advantages enjoyed by nations professing Christianity have been witnessed in their rapid advancement in education, trade, commerce and woalth generally. The nations in which the ethics of Christ are most strictly observed are conspicuous for their prosperity and contentment, lu the work of colonisation the missionary has almost invariably preceded even the most adventurous pioneer spirits, and where the Christian religion has once taken hold on the native mind, the work of settlement is pursued without hindrance. It is, therefore, natural that Christian nations should commemorate in a fitting manner the birth of the Great Founder of the Faith.

The manner in which the Christmas festival is celebrated in the different countries varies according to the climate and the national temperament of the people. In all, it is regarded as a time of universal rejoicing. To the Anglo-Saxon mind, the season prescnts an opportunity ot relaxation from work, and one and all enjoy a holiday, which by immemorial custom, is regarded as tho birthright of tho people.

And now once more the p;raud old season, with its hallowed recollections and joyous surrouudiugs, id present with us, The long-looked-for oi' ehildreu, tho over-welcome of those who work, is this season of Christmastide. Young mid old, rich aud poor, give themselves up to tho spirit of tho hour, itnd tho cares and anxieties incidental to our artificial state of existence, are, fur the time being, laid aside. Aud it is well to remember in our merriment making and pleasure seeking, the higher lessons of which the festival speaks. It is of all others the time that tells of peace. The time when injuries are forgiven, old grudges forgotten, and enemies reconciled. Let the spirit of goodwill and charity have full course amongst us, abovo all let us remember with thankfulness Him, who from the manger bed of Jjothlehem has continually worked in the hearts of men in all corners of the earth, spreading peace and contentment, under his beueficient rule, over all those who bend the knee to do Him reverence.

We heartily wish our readers a full measure of happiness and pleasure at this joyous season. If in our efforts to promote the common good, wo have at any time unintentionally wounded tho susceptibilities of anyone or given reason of ull'enco, wo trust it may not only bo forgiven but also forgotten, ami to nil those whoso eyes may chance to rend (Ida column whuivver this journal circulates wo cordially oiler the Skamo.w's Gkekx--INCIS.

Tlie Mormons have secured vast tr.icti of country situated in Northern Mexico.

Butter, ex Aorangi, from New Zealand, is selling from 108s to 112s per cwt. ; cheese, &'l.

The English money market is unlikely to be favottrahle for colonial borrowing until March or April.

Lord Carrrington has been appointed a member of the Organising Committee of the Imperial Institute.

The Government of Hongkong have passed a law to prevent the surreptitious emigration of Chinese to Australia.

It is impossible that judgment in the Victorian appeal case. Ah Foy v. Musgrave, will be delivered before tho end of February.

Notwithstanding the fact of the Hamilton Brass Band being the highest tender they have been engaged to play at the Wbatawhata Races on New Year's Day.

It will be seen the Waikato Bony and Trotting Club will hold a meeting on Gwynnelands course on .January I'ltth. The programme will be published in a future issue.

Definite intelligence has been received that Mr W. S. Allen, M.H.R. for To Aroliu, with the members of his family, are now ou their way out to New Zealand, by the s.s. Arawa, due the first week in February.

Bear-Admiral Sir Charles Scott has appealed to the Admirality and Lord Knutsfuid, the Secretary of Stale for the Colonies, to definitely settle the question of precedence of the Admiral on the Australian Station.

Ihe only busine.-u aonn n.t the monthly meeting of the Hamilton Domain lluiudou Tuobdayeieiimg wi., to instruct the Sue-rotary to write to Mr Roach to the oliuct that ho must have (.ho furze on the boundary of his Domain lands cleared away.

Tho ]iost and telegraph offices lliroiifdmni, the iliiu.rirt will obsorvo to-day as a strict holiday. All mulls to morrow l)iy)rlo»:eaf: i;.:ii) a.m. The telegraph olliee'will be open from !i a.m. to 10 a.m. The San Francisco mail closes on Saturday at I) a.m.

The well in the Hamilton borough Kaleyards has been completed. Water was got at a depth of 35 feet, considerably deeper than was anticipated, and owing to this a somewhat larger sum than was expected will have to be spent on this work, it being necessary to have a fores pump to rai>e the water, whieh is now ten feat deep.

We were pleased to hear yesterday afternoon that Mr James Clements, who was knocked over on the racecourse on Saturday, is prngtessing very favourably. Dr. Kenny expects to have his patient upon his legs in a few days. The Hamilton Brass Band (Bandmaster Mottam) will play a miscellaneous programme this afternoon at three o'clock, on the hill above S. Peter's Church. It was intended to play at the Hospital, but owing to the condition of several of the patients Dr. Kenny thought it inadvisable. To-morrow, Boxing-Day, holiday keepers will find amusements provided in tho shape of athletic sports, on Sydney Square, Hamilton, horse races at Alexandra, anrl the summer meeting of the Auckland Itnoinp Club, at Kllerslie, to which an excursion train will convey visitors from Waikato.

The well-known firm of Garrett Br >s., who have for many years carried on an extensive boot manufacturing business in Auckland, filed a petition of insolvency on Tuesday. Liabilities. Secured eredi tors, £7,000; unsecured, £8,141. The assets are estimated at £23,293, showing a credit balance of over £8000.

A striking illustration of the fertility of the Whatawhata soil, has been left at our office, m the shape of some broad bean pods. Though not mature, these are over a foot in length. They were grown by Mr W. W. Higginsoii, whose li»ld crops are also verj good this season. One piece of oats in particular, for colour, height and clouseness, we have rarely seen equalled. The train service in Waikato will be entirely suspended to-day. Tomorrow, Hoxing Day, an excursion train will run to the Auckland Races, leaving Te Aroha at 5.40 a.m.. Cambringe at 1i.25 a.m., Te Awamutn at 0.2-3 a.m., and Hamilton West at 7.20 a.m., arriving at the racecourse platform about noon. This will be the only down train on that day, but the up train will run as usual.

Nominations for the Anniversary Stakes to be run at the Summer Meeting of the Takapuna Jockey Club in 181)2, and also for the Takapuna Stakes to be run at the Summer Meeting of the same club in 18113 close on Friday, January 9th, with tho secretary of the club (Mr E. Wynyard), Devonport, or at Mr W. Adams' office, Durham-street, Auckland. Full particulars are advertised in this issue.

At the meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council, on Tuesday night, a letter wis received from Mr W. J. Hunter, suggesting that the Boiough saleyards be enlarged, by erecting another row of big pens in the large yaid. and dividing the present large pens. We think that before long this will be necessary, as the number of cattle at every sale is increasing, and there was not sufficient room at the last sale to accomodate them. At presuut, perhaps the cost may stand in tho way a little bit, but we quite agree with Cr. Scott that £100 spent on the yards would be money put to good use.

Great preparations are being made among the Maoris for the approaching Christinas festivities at Waitetuna. Christmas day will be devoted to feasting. Among the items set down for consumption is tho trifling one of three tons of flour backed up .with pigs, bullocks, etc. On Boxing Day tho Waitetuna horse races will come off. The Maoris have had a good time of it lately between tho flax-mills, which are largely worked by them, and the high price of kauri gum, they have been able to collect sufficient funds for a good turn out. We wish them a merry Christinas and a prosperous New Year.

The Maori is not usually far behind his white brother in the ordinary run of business, but hitherto he has left that branch of it, connected with the travelling of stud horses to the pakeha. Recently, however, we have observed a native making periodical trips in the Waipa district, leading a horse which by courtesy muy be termed a draught. Upon making some enquiries, his keeper, glancing with tho customary pride at his charge, replied : "Age. name Naket (Nugget), utu one pound." We give this as a hint to our Clydesdale breeders, and certainly the fee, which may be termed "the million prices "in the horse line, might perhaps be more general than it is.

For many years past a leading stock-owner in Hawke's Bay has been devoting his attention to raising a stud flock of what may be called across between tha Merino and Lincoln. A ram of this particular breed of the fourth generation was exhibited at tho late Auckland Show, by Mr McNicol, who had been made a present of it by the owner At. the show so much interest was evinced in this sheep, having in the wool all tho desirable characteristics of fineness, strength and silky quality of the Merinos, combined with a carcase of suitable weight for freezing, that Mr.7. McNicol arranged to have the fleece, which weighed Io.V lus, sent to England to be specially reported upon by expert*. Yesterday Mr B. Ewen left ot this office a sample of wool from a hogget bred in much the same way; the sire wns the off-opnng of a Mirino ram and Lincoln ewe, the dam was brod the reverse way —Lincoln sire, Merino dam. The wool was shown to an expert and without any hesitation he said that it would roalize a shilling per pound in the London markets. Such a difference in the value of wool as between this and the ordinary prico ranging say about eightpence per pound is well worthy the attention and investigation of Hock owners. Mr Ewen's hoggetts clipped an average this year of exactly thirteen pounds ; this should be considered sitisfacUry.

The usual Christmas decorations were conspicuous by their absence in Hamilton yesterday. It is the first time we ever remember seeing the different butchers'shops and other business places without tfieir dressings of evergreens. Have the proprietors been too busy, or has Christmas come upon them more suddenly than usual ? Wo should hope this explanation is u true one rather than that all their former energy lias 'gone out of them. A visit to the shops of Mr in Victoriastreut, and to Mr Cassidy's, in Greystreet, Hamilton, revealed olio very .satisfactory fact, that whatever else had boon forgotten tfiese gentlemen had not failed to provido a plentiful supply of primo beef, veal, lamb, etc., for the Christmas dinners. Mr bullocks, we learnt, came from Mr C. J. Storey, Rangiaohia, and the ono we were asked to look at weighed about 11001b.. a grand shorthorn it was, the meat beautifully mottled and the fat evenly distributed over the whole carcase, Tho mutton and lamb was of excellent quality and a finer veal calf than hung along side the beef has rarely been seen in Hamilton. In Mr Cassidy's shop a grand carcase of beef was hanging, one out of a draft from the farm of Mr John Fisher, Bukerimu, which averaged over 10001b. ; veal calf, of excellent quality, from Mr McNicol, and lambs, weighing 301b., from Mr Coates. At Ohaupn, Mr J. Cassidy had another carcase of beef out of the lot purchased from Mr John Fisher, fully equal in quality to the ono referred to above ; veal and lamb from Mr McNicol and a choice collection of fat poultry from the surrounding settlers.

We remind our readers of S. Andrew's Christmas fete which opens at Cambridge to-morrow in the Public Hall at 12 o'clock. No pains are being spared by tho management to make it a success in all respects. The fitting up of the stalls, etc., has beon going on since Monday. Each stall is being surmounted with an arched canopy, and on the centre of the arch will be the appropriate sign. The sign of "The Boar's Head," the "The Bee Hive," etc, have beon designed and drawn by the Rev. Philip Walsh, of Waimato, Bay of Islands, and are boing mounted on coloured grounds by Mr T. 11. W. Yale. Contributions for the work stalls aro still coming in from far as well as near, and some very handaomo donations have been made by Auckland friends. There will be a great variety of goods not only in fancy work, but in electro plate, Indian ware, toys of all kinds, etc., something 'suitable for everybody, no mattor of what ago or condition. The refreshment tables also will be liberally supplied. An excellent dinner will be provided between l'J and 2 o'clock, at which fowl, ham. beef, tongue, lamb, etc., can be had ad libitum. The general manager has also deeided that to make it a genuine dinner, thorn must Ijri abundance of new potatoes, which are now at their bust. The tea also is to lie of I he best l.hrit can he supplied and mad", and no simple "make shift." l'u fact wo are informed that it is literally true, and no mere figure of speech that no pains are being spared to do tho thing well. The public we are assured will be abundantly pleased with tho provision made for their entertainment, and so we hope they will do their part to make it a success by attending, one and nil, from far as well as from near. The eiforts of all are needed ta make tho fund for tho enlargement of the parsonage up to what is required. Tho evening programme will Ijep[inat7 o'clock,

Our advertising columns contain the date of Messis Buckland and Sons'third wool sale for this season. The first and second, held on the 10th and 17th instants, respectively, were the most successful ever held in Auckland. Over 1,000 bales were catalogued, and the competition throughout was of a very spirited nature. The third sale will take place on Wednesday. January 1-lth, at 10 a.m., and this early notice will allow our wool-growers ample time to consign late clips. It would not appear as if work were sence just now in Waikato, a road-making contract in the Newcastle riding, for which the Waipa County engineer had recently called tenders, has had no bid made for it. Everyone appears to be busy. We are glad to see it, but it is annoying to hear at the same time, that New Zealand is going to the dogs, and about the superior advantages of Australia, where, by the way, thousands of working men are unemployed at the present time. It is acknowledged on all hands that no painter can portray the Maori so true to life as Lindaner. Those who have not had an opportunity of judging asto the merits of his work, should pay a visit to the fete that will be held in the Cambridge Public Hall to-morrow, where they will see many fine specimens of his handiwork that have kindly been lent by Major Wilson and other friends. Amongst the number wilt be found the following:—"Heni, of the Thames; a woman with a child on her back." This picture is well-known, many copies having been taken, but this is the original. Another is a fine old chief clothed in a kiwi mat and carrying a poananm mere. He belonged to the Ngapuhi tribe and was one of the first to sign the treaty of Waitangi. The Hon. Wi Tako Ngatata, M.L.C., chief of the Ngatiawa, is represented clothed in one of the ancient native dog-skin mats, in one picture, and in another in European costume. This chief was uncle to the late Mrs Wilson ; he died about four years ago and was buried at the Hutt. His funeral was attended by over 0,000 Maoris and Europeans, and was perhaps the largest ever held in New Zealand. Te Ngakan, better known as Tntua, was for a considerable time King's secretary. He was one of the best Maoti debaters. He appears clothed as a European. A very pretty picture is a Hawke's Bay girl, who is carrying a calabash, and is clothed in a very peculiar native mat. Ngarere, of Maungatautari, is remarkably good. She is playing with a poi (a ball made of ran do) and singing to it. Hitiri te Paerata, chief of the Ngatiraukavva, is well-known in Waikato, and was at the Land Court at Cambridge that has just adjourned. He saved Mr Auckland's lifo at Taupo during the Kereopa scare. He is in native costume. • Karawhira (Mrs W. Moon) and a native girl are both painted, in European costume. Major Wilson has lent three native mats, the korowai, kiwi, and kaitaka. The last mentioned was the mantle of the prophet Te Whiti. He has also lent a small clock that will attract much attention. It goes for 100 days without being re-wound, and is yet very simple in construction. It must be a state occasion when this clock is wound. We have known families in which such a clock-winding night will have been held with the christening of each new baby.