WAIKATO NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 7, 9 January 1889, Page 2

WAIKATO NOTES.

(From Odr Own Correspondent. )

Hamilton, this day. HOLIDAYS.

Our holidays are at last over, and after a regular jubilee all round, everyone is at •work again. Judging by the manner in which people seemed to enjoy themselves, and the numbers attending the different

race meesings, sports, etc., etc., it looks as if times were a bit better than last year. Race meetings were held at Morrinsviile, combined also with foot sports, on the •22nd of December, at Matamata: on the 24th Cambridge, Alexandra on tho 26th, Hamilton on the 29th, and Whutawhata on the Ist of January ; and foot sports at Hamilton and Alexandra on the 2dth, Kihikihion the Ist of January, wliil-t the number of Sunday-school picnic-, held all over the district have been simply enormous. THE WEATHER. The weather has been excessively hob, the glass on New Year's Day registering 120 degrees of heat in tho sun. Several other days it ha? been up to and over 110. This, after ail the cold weather, has caused a little sickness, but fortunately not so much as might have bjen expected. It ha 3 pushed the corn ahead, bub rain was badly wanted for potatoes, etc. On Saturday evening and night we had a slight rain-fall, general throughout the district, nice warm genial rain, too, which must have done a lob of good, but. we did not get enough of it. However, we are thankful for small mercies, liar vesting has commenced all round. Hay is being got in— oats for hay and chaff aie being cut, and in most instances I am afraid that the crops will be lighter than our usual average.

I saw for the lirsfc time one of the "Low Down Buckeye" reapers and binders at work the other day. Mr Teas, of Kirikiriroa, braughb it up, and is running it round. It certainly beats anything yet Been here. With two ILjht draught horses only ifc cut down 3_ or 6% acres of a very food crop of oats for chaff in 2<; hour.- 5 exactly, and the horses were never distressed. The ground, too, was a bit sideling and uneven, but the machine seemed to adapt itself to the inequalities in a wonderful manner. The sheaves were tied loosely on purpose, the oats,being just a trifle green, so as to avoid sweating, bufc they showed us that fchey could tio as tightly as ifc was possible fco do with any machii c yet seen. Above all, only the drivir is required to tnana.o the machine. Tho sheaves aro thrown out sideways clear of the machine, and nothing remains to be done butthestooking. Mr D. Henry, who has undertaken to run the machine, was agreeably surprised and delighted, and as he has for years been working other sorts, he knows what be is talking about. I will watch the working during the season and get from him some of his big day's work to see what advantage, if any, can bo claimed for the machine as to the number of acres per diom it is capable of cutting down.

THE AGRICULTURAL RESERVE. Tenders have been let for clearing the 137 acre Agricultural Reserve near Hamilton, where it is proposed at some early date to establish a School of Agriculture for "Waikato. The land will be fenced, and in the meantime leased from year to year, until the school can be started. Such an institution will, if properly managed, be of immense benefit to the district, as ib would give us some means of teaching our boys practical farming in their own climate, which we have not the chance of doing now. They would also learn something of the science of farming, about.-which so many now know nothing. The promoters of this object have had and still have a hard light to carry out their ideas, so many saying that it is «'ibsurd and unnecessary, but they are gradually crawling on, and will presently be able bo get up and walk, or indeed ran. I wish them all success. HOSPITAL AFFAIRS. The new Waikato Hospital fever ward and refuge are now accomplished facts, and although the buildings are anything bufc beautiful to look afc, being of a style of architecture entirely new and original, or else so ancient as to be unknown, they are well built, and the internal arrangements as good as they can be made, everything being carried oufc on the most modernandapprovod principles. The Hospital is a sixteen-bed institution, with the old building to fall back on in case of dire extremity. Great opposition is being made to the intention of the Government to make tlie Charitable Aid Board care for indigent Maoris in their districts. Tauranga has taken the initiative, and sent round circulars asking for combined action by the Boards to resist this iniquitous imposition. Natives cannot bo taxed or made to pay, and. yet we are to support their poor, where, as is wellknown, they collectively, if not always individually, are owners of land, and also how is anyone to tell, when a poor native has been foisted on the board, that he has nofc been imported from a district, perhaps, where no Charitable Aid Board exists. In my opinion, ib would open the door to no end of trouble. The .Government certainly have amended their ideas slightly by saying that if the burden became too great in any district; they would assist, bub to what extent they did not say. SWIMMING. The annual Anniversary Swimming Races are to be held in tlie Hamilton Lake on Tuesday, the 28th, and a strong and influential committee has been formed to carry bhem out. Last year they proved an immense success and no doubt they will be well patronised again. There will be amongst, other races a quarter mile amateur championship for Waikato only. Also a half miie race for the championship of Auckland or perhaps it may be called for New Zealand. All prizes are to be trophies, no money prizes being given. A model yacht race will be held also for local boats only. ' FRUIT. The big gooseberry season has started, Mr Mason, ofClaudolande, comes outwith 23 gooseberries weighing 17oz. Then Mr Wells, of Cambridge, tops him with 23 weighing 18oz. Mr Mason's were Farmer's Glory, Mr Wells' Hero of the Nile. If anybody can beat these fchey may send me the gooseberries and I will weigh them, vouch for the weight in due course, and then probably eat them. So send some along, orchardists.

The growing of grapes is receiving- more attention oi late, and several of our nurserymen have had glass houses built. 1 saw one a day or two ago at Hamilton, or rather two erected by Messrs W. Wood and Harry. The building is 50 feet long and 12 feet wide, and has an area of 800 square feet glass. Forty-eight vines are planted, each vine being 2 feet apart from its neighbour, and tlie main stem is grown straight up tiie side and up the roof of the apex and allowed to spread only a couple of feet. The grape being grown here is the Hampton Court Black Hamburg, aud the bunches are very fair sized ones — larger, a _ood deal, than the same vine bears in England. The vines here aro oi course young;, the vinery having onlybeen recently started, but the yield on the two-year-old wood is very heavy. Nex; year there should be a splendid show of fruit. They are also building a house 50ft long and 14ft wide, which will be glassed In for next season, and a cucumber house, and intend erecting a boiier and steam pipes to heat them. The cucumbers will be%jrown in tho same manner as the grapes, no the glass roof on wires, und no doubt ihould give large yields when so carefully tended These nurserymen haYS also quan-

tities of the usual hotbeds, &c, and produce a large quantity of vegetables of all description!:. They make a large quantity of their own manures by burning vegetable matter of different kinds and getting blood from the slaughter houses, pour ib over the burnt ashes and let ib soak in. The value of this manure is amply demonstrated by the fine show of vegetables in the garden. Mr Harry has started to grow red currants, and lie assures me that he can make a success of bhem with proper management. We shall see. Mr Mason, of Chitidelands, has a fine vinery also, but I have not time this letter to write about it, bub will do so anon.

At tlie horse sales lately horses have been very dull of sale; in fact, there is no market just now for this stock. Cabbie, boo. are dull of sale. Sheep: The market for these is expected to be bristle shortly, and sortie large sales may bo lookedfor.

Ib is reported that a large totara bush ab Waotu, or ncr there, is on lire. I have not yet learned the particulars but will do so if possible.