TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 1882.

It was remarked in our hearing not many clays ago, thai the sooner beef came down to five shillings the hundred the better it would be for the farmers in this part of the colony and all concerned. The argument may seem somewhat paradoxical, but it is nevertheless intelligible, and for this reason : The fall in the price of meat, however sure, is gradual, and producers, while they growl, get accustomed to it, the consequence being that they make little or no effort to extricate themselves from a position, which is fast becoming untenable. The farmer and grazier can never hope to make their occupations profitable until they are assured of a certain minimum market price for their produce. No matter how low it may be, it is a standard by which they can guide their operations, with the certainty that any rise in value means so much clear profit. In Canterbury, we are told, grain growing, now the chief business (with wool raising) of the people of that province, was a most precarious, and often disastrous undertaking, until the successful exportation of wheat to England established a reasonably firm' market rate upon which the farmer could calculate and base his operations. The same .thing, has haprjened with regard to cattle and slieep, and the same ( remedy .can, it: 'has been pretty conclusively < shown, be applied. The sale of the trial shipment of mutton which, was sent home in .the 1 ship/ " Duned^n," some months ago, lias determined, to some' extent 'M ■lea&t/^'t'he -Value df^'she'ep"*- in the' 'eblo'n'y.- '"When jmeat lias .developed into »a steady, business,! fn u Qtogo, j the farmer and ,j the^runliolder will 1 1 'Ms; 'mjL^^^m ' -f e'teH^aW' sheep^' ( breeding' and'' 'grazing, instead of being the hazardous imdertalriifg

it 1 now ' is, -will become a steady business, in which the profits and losses may be calculated with all necossary exactitude. By-and-bye tKe, * markets* may be* extended; there seems no reason for believing that they will be confined to England, and as scientific research * advances, thp methods 1 of preserving the ' earoasfes' during 1 the voyage will be not- only improved, -but rendered very much cheaper as well. At present a very fair proportion of the sixpence per pound obtained in London goes into the pockets of the producer, but there is good reason for believing that this amount will be considerably increased. The London Times reports a lecture delivered by Prolessor Bab.fi?, at a meeting of the Society of Arts on the 29th of March last, and from this wej gather that the professor has discovered an antiseptic which promises to supersede the freezing! process presently embraced :—Professor Bauff, after referring to labours extonding over some years,, stated that lie turned his attention to the employment of boracic acid, which was already known to have antiseptic qualities, difficult, however, of application, owing to its insolubility in water. By heating boracic acid with glycerine a substitution product was obtained, in which glycerino united with boracic acid forming a glyceride analagous in composition to natural fats. This substance forms a glacial mass, soluble in water, and having powerful antiseptic qualities. It is not necessary here to describe the method of preparation. It will be sufficient to give some of the results. The innocuousness of the compound had, continues the report, been proved by the fact that milk treated with it had been used at a college near London, containing 300 persons, during the whole of the summer months last year without anyone suspecting the presence of anything unusual. The milk kept perfectly sweet during the whole of that ppriod. A lady had taken cream prepared with it every morning for a year and a half. The small cost of the boro-glycerine, which is the name given to the new compound, is greatly in its favor, while the method of using it is simplicity itself. The meat to be preserved has merely to be covered by the liquid, which can be used over and over again. The practical success of the system was made manifest by numerous specimens, including oysters, turtle, pigeon, meat of various kinds, and cream— all of which had been kept for periods varying from a few weeks to three months. The professor also explained how meat could be kept in private houses, or exported from South America or Australia at a small cost, and in proof of what he advanced he exhibited some mutton from the Falkland Isles, which had been forwarded so long ago as August of last year. This mutton was cooked, and pronounced excellent by those present at the lecture. Letters were also read from persons abroad who had received cream and other articles of food from Professor Bakff, all expressing much satisfaction. The Times, in a leading article on the subject, anticipates that much good will flow from the discovery, more especially in regard to the facilities which it will afford for the exportation of meat from the colonies. Much of course remains to be clone, the matter being, as The Times puts it, only in a scientific, and not in a commercial stage of development. But the result of the experiments up to the present are sufficient to indicate that a very pleasant prospect is opening up to the farmers of Australia and New Zealand.

People are apt to imagine that larrikinism is an excrescence on society peculiar to large centres of population, but they are wrong: there is at present as much of this commodity, of an offensively mischievous type too, in Hamilton as anyone Could well desire. The nuisance, it is true, has only lately discovered itself, but it is astonishing to find with what rapidity it developes when it enjoys an immunity from interference of any kind. Hamilton now boasts an organised band of larrikins and hoodlums, whose sole delight is to loaf about after dark for the purpose of annoying such of Her Majesty's subjects as may unhappily chance to fall in with them. Sunday night is in special favor with this juvenile banditti. Not many weeks ago several people returning from evening service at S. Peter's Church %vere tripped up by cords which had been stretched across the footpath, and which ,,w,ere, of course, invisible in the'darkness. But this species,; of annoyance is mild r -by others of which, '.we; have personal knowledge. It is no uncommon thing — indeed, 'it is now the invari-, able* practice of a number } of lads, whose ages range from twelve to twenty, and perhaps beyond; the latter'' 'number, to stand' <in the vicinity, of the bridge, or' at some of" the corners .on" Sunday evenings, and insult -in the most disgusting and . ribald < language r the passers-by. So bold haveTthey/be- ! jCom^^at they Weii" cbi^eg'ate at tibie very cnurchfgatgSffor.tne^sameobiectiiKSuch^minor enjoytfients as« f riMfSing;p'4ssing ' HprSgs^'ho^tjnig dp|s,'^|*d^ar| r.esdrted'io JsjjJJ /ttpjlpare' hpurSj butVthereai talent of .the! J&s^Scialiion' l( lifeB jft^'bl&plifmfy/ ami "use'sS strong'ianguage, "but we I

"cajpinot help' it*. The evil has grown to such dimensions as to be no longer bearable, and, so far as we can, we intend to crush it out of existence. "' , ' ' ' " J "V" V A

The Pukekura Highway Board ! notify that Walker's Gully bridge is in a jdangerous state. •

The members of 'the' 1 0" Troop (Hamilton). .Ayaikuto , Cavalry are requested to meet for sword drill and single-stick practice, at the Public and 'Volunteer Hall on Saturday evening next, at 7 o'clock.

An unfortunate man named Row ell, well-known to the people of Hamilton from his excentric habits, was brought before the Resident Magistrate, on Saturday, charged with drunkenness, and discharged with a caution. k

On Thursday, the 18th May, at Arrowtown, Mi' William Hume, of the Bank of N^ew Zealand, who is about leaving to take charge of the Clinton Branch, was entertained at a supper by a number of the leading citizens, and presented with a gold watch. The presentation was made by Mr H. Graham, Mayor of Arrowtown. — Otago Daily Turns.

The concert to be given under the auspices of the Cambridge Musical Union and the Cambridge String Band will take place at the Public and Volunteer Hall, Hamilton West, 'to-night. The success which has invariably attended the efforts of the Musical Union is a guarantee that the entertainment to-night, will be an enjoyable one, and we have no doubt the music-loving portion of the residents of Hamilton v ill accord it their patronage. The programme appears in another column.

The steward of Sir Wilfrid Lawson, M.P., having repotted that one of his farms in Cumberland had been ie-let on a ten yeais' lease at an mci eased rental of iSO per annum, the hon. baionet inquired who was responsible for the improvement, and on being told that it had been effected by the tenant, Sir Wilfrid immediately directed his steward to write out a cheque for i'SOO and forward it to the tenant.

The ordinary fortnightly meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council was held last night. Present : His Worship the Mayor, Crs. Gaudin, McGarrigle, Tippen and Lovett. Mr Robson, the newly-elected member of the council, having been duly sworn in, the council, on the motion of the Mayor, adjourned till Wednesday evening, in order to give absent councillors an opportunity to be present.

The Te Aroha coachman reports the road beyond Morrinsville as all but impassable, more particulai'ly that part between Murray's fence and the Waitoa busli, where the contractors for deepening the drain are at work. He was delayed some time yesterday helping to get the road clear of two waggons and a dray that had come to grief there, and but for " Billy's" forethought in providing himself with a spade or two, he would probably not have got through with the mail. At this season the only chance of keeping such a road open after it gets into the state this is in, is by fascining ; and the local body should see to this at once, or all traffic will shortly be at a standstill.

A correspondent of the " Herald " telegraphs from Tauranga :— " The largest and most influential meeting ever held here took place on Saturday evening. All parts oi Bay of Plenty were represented. It was decided unanimously to form a company to construct a railway fvom Tauranga to Rotorua, via Taheke, with a capital of £250,000, in £1 shares, 50,000 being promoters'. 5000 are already taken up. A resolution was unanimously carried, calling on Captain Morris to ask the Government to bring in a bill enabling the company to start ; failing their doing so, calling on him to bring in a bill himself. Other matters affecting the district were also exhaustively entered into, the meeting lasting four hours.

A meeting of the ratepayers of the Waipa County was held at Ohaupo, on Thursday.for the purpose of nominating a Domain Board for the Ngaroto timber reserve. The meeting only nominated five ratepayers instead of ten as desired by the council. The following are the names of those nominated :— Messrs Kusabs, J. T. Edwards, McLaren, John Wood and James Harper. With reference to our remarks on Tuesday last, it was stated at the meeting that a mistake had been committed in bringing the reserve under the Domains Act, as the revenue raised from the land could only be used upon it. This is true enough, and we would suggest that representations be made to the Government, through the member for the district, with a view to some arrangement by which, if the revenue could not be diverted for such a purpose as we suggested, the reserve might be handed over to the county aa an endowment.

A correspondent signing himself " Sport," writes to the Editor :—" At the annual meeting of the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club, held recently, the'statement of accounts submitted showed the receipts of the past year to have considerably exceeded any previous season, amounting to £3079, and although the expenditure was proportionately large, the club will have a balance in hand. At the same meeting a motion was passed empowering the committee to spend a sum not exceeding £500 on the purchase of totalisators. Now, as the "Waikato Jockey Club are somewhat embarrassed as to raising funds, would it not be advisable if the members were to put their shoulders to the wheel during the winter season and see if they could not devise some means to get out of debt, increase the value of the stakes, and make their spring and autumn meetings financially successful. It is a well-known fact that at' every up country meeting the " betting fraternity" is largely represented, and in nine cases out of ten, they succeed in netting a considerable sum over and above their expenses, thus 'leaving the sporting public, who love the grand old pastime, losers. The totalisator^in, the' South worked by the ' clubs ' have acted admirably, and, whilst giving_the public every satisfadtiqn, have been the means of increasing the clubs' revenue. A -great many persons look on the working of the totalisator ( by private individuals with suspicion, •but on the other hand, if the clubs had the cOtttrdl of these* machines, they would be more extensively'^patronised. All ,doubt,as. to manipulation* would be cast aside, and' the public,. knowing that they would, receive a full share of , the profits, would enter extensiv^ely-m'the " game of chance, "-whilst the percentage deducted by the clubfor,expenses would materially aid^iti e' 'committee jn ' producing a better ' bill of fare'!" •• '' v ''

Some of .the ; Chambers of Commerce in England' are~crying out against the excessive charge^ leyied on 1 vessels passing through, the _ Suez Canal. At a .meeting o^.the 'Plymouth .Chamber there <.was a \ discussion on > the , jmlbject, in. the Jcourfle of /y?Hiph r< the .chairman Remarked f ,thjtj}, yery,Js|rQn^l { A naeasures' t adopted inLoti'do^a and^elsewhe^in'regara j^uez iGpPpf i^f * : hlocKedv nirie/ltimes ,the, .andntHi of ■» /It , f had «"Ij3een A /pompletely* blockedisbyjsome large stopstgroundintf.-f been held m'Joondon, * anothei?;in f Liyer|iool,^and. - a^ third .ip, 7

Glasgow, for the purpose of, bringing measures to bear on the matter. Another speaker said he regarded the Canal as a waterway for all nations, and they should take care that no company should have the-monopoly of using it to the obstruction of commerce. It was unfortunate, after what had been expended, that there should be such an insufficiency of scourilg as to be unable to keep a clear channel. Finally, the Chamber adopted a clear resolution protesting against the excessive clues, and expressing their opinion that they should be reduced.

The death is announced of Mr. John Francis, which took place a few weeks ago, in the 81st year of his age, and after a connection with the newspaper press since 1824. In that year he was apprenticed to Mr. Marlborough, of A A r e Maria-lane, London, and, having completed his term on the 4th of October, 1831, he became publisher of the "Athenceum " journal, which position he has occupied until his death.

"Warrior," the sporting contributor to the Otago IFitiicsi writes : — "Every true sportsman both here and in New Zealand will regret to hear that Mr John Tait, better known as " Honest John," lias signified his intention of retiring from the turf. Twenty-two years ago the yellow-and-black was first past the post for the second-Champion Race of the Colonies, held at Sydney. The following year Queensland was the spot where the fchiid Champion was fought out, and. Mr Tait was again successful with the same horse (Zoe). Of the 25 Champion three-mile races competed for, John Tait has won five. Besides these, he has had the hononr of winning four Melbourne Cups, two Sydney Cups, three Great Metropolitan Stakes, three Sydney Dcrbys, four Melbourne Derbys, two Sydney Legers, two Melbourne Legers, V.11.C. Oaks twice, B.illarat Cup once, Hawkesbury Handicap once (with Goldsbrough), and the Hawkesbury Guineas and Derby twice in succession, Y. R.C. Town Plate twice, the A.J.C. Champagne Stakes twice, Sires' Produce Stakes once, and A. J. C. Queen's Plate once. ' ' Honr&t John " had some good cattle in his day. We have never had a horse like the Bai'b. Then again, he owned Volunteer, who ran a dead heat with Mr Town's Tarragon for the Champion Race of 1866. Many hundieds present expiessed theii views on the judge's decision in a very forcible manner. Fire- works and G lencoe filled up the coffers of Mr Tait, for these two horses alone must have won him in stakes a potful of gold. Mr Lord, of Tasmania, made a present of The Quack to old John, and after running third in TattersalPs Cup and the Metropolitan Stakes (1872) he won the Melbourne Cup. Since that time the yellow-and-black lias been fading year by year until it has ceased to shine any longer. Jimmy Ash worth, now cleik of the Sydney course, Avas Mr Taits best jockey ; and in days gone by the mount Ash worth had was generally backed. We all know how Jimmy, when riding Volunteer in the Launceston (Tasmania) Queen's Plate, beat Nimblefoot on the post. The annals of racing will never foiget that little affair. Mr Tait possesses a very handsome residence at Randwick, overlooking the ocean. When I saw him la&t he was looking well, for a man nearly threescore and ten. It can be said of this gentleman that during the whole length of his racing career, fully 36 years, no man can point out a dishonourable actiou committed by Mr Tait. In talcing leave of him, we wish him long life and happiness."

Tenders are required by Mr Beauelm mp, Piako road, for splitting slabs and rails. Tenders are invited by the trustee in the bankrupt estate of A. Graham, Cambridge, for the jnu chase of the book debts. Mr F. D. R. Smale, Maungakawa, offers a reward for the recovery of a giey hlly, lost from Richmond, Piako. Mr Olsen, Tokoroa, advertises for the owners of two horses caught by him on the Tokoroa Plains. It is notified that Capt. Lindsay, of of Nganuiwahia, has been appointed creditors' trustee in the bankrupt estate of Harry Mullions, Hamilton A meeting of the ratepayers, of the Pirongia Highway District, will be held at the school-house, Harapepe, on Saturday, 24th inst , to consider certain road closing proposals. Messrs W. J. Hunter and Co. will sell at the Ohaiipo Yards, on Thuisd.iy, 15th inst., 100 large framed wethers, store and fat cattle, dairy ccms, horses, pigs, fat sheep, S.c,