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Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3052, 6 February 1892, Page 2

During the past few days, swamp fires have been burning in all directions. General Booth characterises New Zealand as a garden for emigrants. It is officially stated that the Italian navy is in a position to mobilise in two days. Frozen meat from the River Plate is selling freely in London, but only a few days' supplies are available. The hearing of the evidence in the sheep-worrying case—Teas v. lliomas— was finished on Thursday, and the K.ft'l. reserved judgment until next Court day. We understand that on and after Monday next, Bth inst., the post-office at Tamahere will be at the school-house, and it is likely that the telephone station will be re-opened.

Th« sale of cattle, horses, sheep, &c, advertised by Mr W. J. Hunter, under instructions from the trustees of the late Mr James Gribble, for Wednesday next, has been postponed until further notice.

There is to be a meeting of the general committee appointed to carry out the Waikato Agricultural Show 1892, at Ohaupo, on Tuesday next. It is to be hoped there will be a goad attendance of tho committee as impirtant business will be brought forward, notably the consideration of the prize schedule.

On Thursday a fire which was burning fiercely in Fawkes and FoxaUs swamp, caught the large wooden culvert on the Hamilton-Whatawhata road, lortunately Master John Fitzgerald was riding through and seeing the danger, rode oft to procure assistance. Mr Mawhinney was soon on the spot, and with the lad, managed to extinguish the tire with buckets of water. From a gentleman just returned from Auckland we learn that the farming districts down country are in a bad way for want of rain. The grass everywhere is parched and white, with little or no nutriment left in it. The scarcity of water for stock is also becoming a serious matter near Auckland. In many cases, stock have to be driven several miles a day to get water.

Wβ notice that Mr W. Taylor, tinsmith, Hamilton, has commenced the erection of his new shop on the allotment which he purchased some time ago, adjoiriin" the Waikato Times Buildings. Mr l>. T Davey also contemplates erecting a ahop on the half of the same section, adjoining the Union Bank property. With tenders to close for Mr Howden's new shop on the 10th instant, there will be a boom in the building trade in Hamilton for a. short W During a trip of our travelling correspondent through the Pukerimu and Cambridge districts, he remarked on the almost total absence of any potato crops of any area. Air Hibbs, on the Ohaupo road, will, to some extent, supply this deficiency, as he has a fine plot of nearly thirty aares under potatoes this season, and to all appearances he is going to have a good crop. We trust prices will keep up, and that he will obtain a good return for the labour and expense he has gone to. At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Cambridße, yesterday, before Captain Jackson, the only case heard was A. Wallace v. B. Lockley, claim £3 18s 7d, and in which Mr R. W. Dyer appeared for ulauititf. Iu this case the defendaut had been working with a thrashing machine owned by plaintiff and had overdrawn his account. After the whole of the accounts connected with the transaction had been carefully examined, judgment was (riven for plaintiff for £2 3s lid and 16a Gd costs. The weather has set in dry a«ain, and the effect of the recent rains are scarcely observable. This kind of weather telle seriously upon the milk supply at the creameries. With respect to these establishments, we are informed that the milk supply at most of them has been less this season, than it was during the last one. Various causes are assigned for this falling off, but we have no doubt that the large ! profits made out of sheep, have had something to do with it. Many of our old settlers have a strong belief in the value of rape for carrying eheep along, either through the winter frosts or summer droughts. An instance of its value in the latter case was given this summer in one of Mr Jolly's hill paddocks at Frankton. The rape was sown broadcast, with very little manure, in the spring, and having had about six weeks cf a start, has earned a considerable number of sheep ever since. These sheep are now being sold off in good condition, and rape paddock will have a couple of months' rent, when the owner estimates that another lot of valuable feed will be got nff it. Con-

:ddering that rape costs less than turnips to grow, and, in farmers' parlanco, is a much surer take, settlers might do worse than sow a paddock with it in epring and autumn.

We have been requested to state, for the information of those who may have to acquaint the VViiikato Hospital authorities of the transmission of a patient to that institution, three points that should be particularly mentioned in the communication :—First, the Hex of the patient; second, tho nature of the ; and third, the probable time of arrival. If these points are Woe in mind, it will save the staff a considerable amount of inconvenience, and will also conduce to the more speedy relief of the patient. In connection with the race from Paeroa to Tauranga, which took place on the 28th January, and resulted in the death of the horse driven by Harlny, we learn that informations have beon laid by the police againsfboth Kennedy and Harley for cruelty to animals, and the case will be heard at Tauranga, on the 15th inst. A number of witnesses have been subpoenaed, and no effort will be spared to secure a conviction, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to animals having offered to provide a lawyer to proscute if necessary. The team to represent the Cambridge Cricket Club against the Paterangi Cl'ib, at Paterangi, to-day, will be picked from the following;—Mossrs Park, Case, Pilling. Shaw, Mears, Kusabs, Scott, Gnrland. Longbottom, Brunskill, Arnaboldi, and Dr. Cheeseman.—The team to represent Hamilton in their match with Tuhikaramea, at Hamilton, to-day, will be picked from the following :—Messrs Brownnig, Barton, von (captain), Finlder, Palairet, Smith, Stevens, Rowden, Hunt, O'Gara, Nickisson, Sandes, Peacock, and Hume.

Wβ are pleased to learn that thi quail, which afford such gom shooting and, we may add, such capita eating, seem to be having a good breedini season. From all quarters we hear of tni younß broods beinc seen out along tin roads, the chicks both numerous and strong The pheasant—that kinK of birds-ha nnver increased as r.ipidly as might havi been expected, not even in those secludei districts where it was comparatively safj from the sportsman's Run. But the quai lias come to stay, and the sharp whirr o their wings wilt liven up our young shuot ists during many a future sporting seas >n. A very successful outdoor dril was held by the Hamilton Light Infantr Volunteers on Thursday evening. Then was a good muster of 43. under Captair Keid and Lieuts. Kirk and Dyer. Afte the company had been put through a num ber of evolutions, which were executed 11 first-class style, they marched out througl Victoria-street, headed oy the drum am fife band, under Bandmaster McKanzie who is to be complimented on the efficien state to which he has brought this band u so short a time. At the parade on Thurs day evening next the prizes won at tin shooting competition held on New Year Day will bo presented, and should thi weather prove favourable the company wil again innreh out. There is no doubt tha if morn outdoor drill could be obtained to the men it would do much to popularise the company, and we feel sure that 1 would tend also to create a wider lntarea in the company among the townspeople. At the Chris.tchurch Residen Magistrate's Court a man named Willian Scarlett was fined £20 and wars, thi accused beinf, charged with ill trentini thirty one sheep by driving a horße and tra] into the mob as they were being dnvei along the Riccarton road by one Jame Barr on Dec. 8. From the evidence it Wa shown that Scarlett, at a good hard trot deliberately drove twico through a mob o 500 sheep. About forty sheep were badl; injured—one so badly that it had to be dee troyed. In delivering his decision thi Magistrate said that a more disgraceful anc cruel business he had not heard of tor i long while. He did not think that drunken ness was an excuse for such conduct ; bu if he was not sure that defendant wa rfrunk at the time he would have sent hin to goal without the option of a fine. As i was, the defendant wonld be find thi maximum penalty of £20 and coats. A body of carpenters in the em ployment of the Victoriau Goverument hav had recnntly a rathbr distressing, albei amusing, experience. They looked upoi their week's routine of work of forty-si: hours as excessive, and finding that ther colleagues in another Government depart ment were working only forty-four and i half hours, applied to the Public Servio Board to have the anomaly removed bv i reduction ail round to the lower scale, lhi Government, however, were prompted ti make inquiries as to what was the rule o bhe trade outside the official ranks, and oi implication to the local Trades' Hall foun< that forty-eight hour 3 per week was thi rule of the trade. As the result, there fore, an edict has gone forth establwhini this as the uniform rate for carpenters em l>lnyed in all Government decartments The petitioners have thus found themselve hoist with their own petard, while then Fellow-iabourars who have participated u the increase of working hours per weel jurdially bless them for their interference. H. M. Stanley related an amus ing yarn of the experience of Mr Ward me of the Emin Bey rescue party in th jouwe of a conversation about colonial lite [t appears, that Mr Ward when qniti young, was knocking about New Zeulani looking tor something to do, when a ferine )flered him a job, and asked him if hi jould plough. Ward did not like to con [ess himself beaten, and foolishly ?aid h ;onld. The farmer accordingly took hin ;o a Held, gave him a plough and a pair o inrses, and after showing him the lengtl >f the furrow departed. Ward determine! ;o make a desperate attempt, and startei ;he horses off. He found it quite enougl ;o keep the plough on the ground, withou miding the horses, and the result was tha ,vhen the farmer returned the furrew wa iboutas crooked as it could be. His rage wa ilmost ungovernable, and when Ward founi ie had gone after a big stick to attack hin nrith, he left without saying farewell, an< eels that he would sooner brave thi iangere of the African desert, than the ir. >f that farmer at the deception practisec in him. We may mention (says the Nortl DtagoTimes) as a grain of comfort tothosi vho have made up their minds that capita s to be banished from the colony, that on if the large financial institutions of Oamari ias neceived instructions to forward to Lon lon the sum of £7500, which has teen on in mortgage in this district. The mort -aze fell due the other day, and had to b jaid up, the mortgagee, no doubt, having tj )ay a higher rate of interest for the frail nortgaae. The same company has also re leived instructions not to invest anothe JSOOO which was sent to it, but to hold i n hand till it is de6nitely ascertain* whether the taxation proposals of the Govern nent are to be enforced. The misguidec iwners of these sums give as their reasoi or their determination the policy of tht wesent Government. Let us hurry on the ■ood time when there shall be no money in he colony but that which is held by memmrsofthe Ministry and the few others vho are fortunate enough to have it to lend, t is said by papers friendly to the Governnent th»t capital has been leaving the colmv during the past three years. This is lot quite correct, but under one Governnent it could be nothing worse than a rereat; under the present it is a positivo out. .