The Bruce Herald. " Nemo me impune lacesset." TOKOMAIRIRO, JUNE 18, 1886.

Bruce Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 1759, 18 June 1886, Page 2

The Bruce Herald. " Nemo me impune lacesset." TOKOMAIRIRO, JUNE 18, 1886.

We have before us three paragraphs, from as many different sources, relating to agricultural societies. Erom the first we learn that the Victorian Q-overnment propose to endow agricultural societies to the extent of £21,818, to be distributed in the proportion of £1 for every 13s 6d raised by the societies. Having some little knowledge of what such societies are in Victoria, and how they are managed, the action of the Grovernment meets with our hearty approval. But the question arises whether the New Zealand Grovernmejit would be justified in making similar grants. "We cannot, it is true, speak for all the Farmers' Clubs and Agricultural Societies in the Colony, but judging from those we are acquainted with, must admit that the money would not be well bestowed. To allocate public money for the sole purpose of holding annual shows, which for all practical purposes are next to useless, could not be justified, while to devote such money to the maintenance of a series of paltry little shows within a stone's throw of each other, and where tha same stock is exhibited at half a dozen in succession, would be tantamount to throwing the money away. At the same time, and on the general principle of encouraging agricultural and pastoral operations, we think the Grovernment could not do better than materially assist in the direction indicated. Before, however, pleading for an allocation of public money to Farmers' Clubs and Agricultural Societies, we should insist that such institutions should be what their names indicate, and should exert themselves in other ways than getting up shows and ploughing matches. The second paragraph before us relates to the formation of a Farmers' Club at Ulladulla, in New South Wales. That has laid for itself a grand foundation. A resolution unanimously adopted sets forth the programme of the Club. It does not say a word about shows and matches, but, which is far better, embraces a long catalogue of useful things. The objects of the Club, as set forth m the resolution referred to, are, "to promote and encourage by lectures, essays, readings and discussions — and by such other means and methods as the executive committee may from time to time approve of — an intelligent knowledge of agriculture, horticulture, and dairying, the rearing and management of stock, the causes and cures of diseases in plants and animals, the introduction of improved fruits, vegetables, grasses, and fodder plants, and to illustrate by plans, models, and diagrams, improved farming implements, machine and other labor saving appliances, and also in every legitimate way to zealously watch and guard the interests of the farmers and promote the prosperity of the district in general." The third paragraph to which we desire to draw attention is extracted from the annual report of the Oamaru Farmers' Club, which states that during the year the following papers were read and discussed by those present at the meetings : — (1) " The past year of the Farmers' Club," (2) " Sheep in paddocks, their management, diseases, and treatment;" (3) "Wool;" (4) "Observations extending over 20 years in North Otago on cropping and tillage ; " (5) " Discussion on the importance of the Farmers' Club to the general community," (6) " Finance." It will be seen from the above that it is possible to make the meetings and operations of such Clubs and Associations practically useful. Let it be understood that we have not a word to say against shows and ploughing matches. They are well enough as far as they go. Of the former, however, it may be said that they are too numerous to be good, and of the latter that as a rule the work aimed at is more fanciful than useful. But when the show and the ploughing-match have been successfully negotiated we contend that only the lighter work, what may be called the recreation of the Association, has been accomplished. The valuable practical work has then to be done, and its nature is well set forth in the objects of the Ulladulla, and the re- ! port of the Oamaru Clubs.

Rabbit poisoning in the Colac district, Victoria, has been so successful that one Preserving Factory has ceased operations, and the other iB ezpeoted to close shortly. The settlers in the Woodville (Hawke's Bay) district reckon to have made an average ef £7 from the milk sent to the looal Factory during the last season. Thk Lawrence Borough Council have re- ■ lived to call a public meeting at an early date to discuss the question of establishing a fire brigade. When will the Milton Council take similar action T A NEWSPAPER reporter interviewed Bishop Moorhouse upon his arrival at Dover from Melbourne. When writing np the interview for the journal- he represented, he described the Bishop as looking "as clean as a fresh rnn salmon." The services in the Wesleyan Church will be conducted next Sunday by the Rev. R. Taylor. Morning subject, "The Precious Word," this being the first of a series on the " Precious things of the Bible " ; evening subject, " The Tarawera Eruption." The hull of the Lyttelton as she lies in Timaru harbor, with machines and coals, has been Bold by auction for £125 to a syndicate, which will try and raise the vessel. The 9000 carcases of mutton aboard only realised £11, wool rabbit and sheep skins £400. Thi meeting of the Mutual Improvement Society on Tuesday evening was well at- , tended. Mr A. E. Stewart read a carefully ! prepared essay on the " History of British Commerce," which wa3 followed by an unusually good and animated discussion. At the meeting of the Land Board on Wednesday, Ranger Hughan reported, with reference to August Orlowski's application to purchase 50 acres bush reserve, section 53, block 1., Clarendon district, that there was good firewood and land, and recommended that the application be declined. The Ranger's recommendation wa3 agreed to. Wa gather from a letter In the Wellington •Post ' that it is customary to use the heavy guns in the batteries for saluting purposes. This is wanton extravagance, and sheer waste of powder. Old smooth-bore 24---•pounders have to do duty for that purpose at Portsmouth, and make noise enough. Snrely there is some old stock of that description in the Colony which could be brought into requisition. The Supreme Court Jury haa awarded the expressman £50 damages against the Dunedin Corporation for tbe injury he sustained In the Dowling-street accident. The Jury, after a long retirement, came back to ask questions, which clearly Indicated that they were anxious to make the Government responsible, but tbe Judge ruled that the Corporation and not the Government was liable. The damages sued for were £500. The difficulties in the way of establishing the industry of cartridge making at Auckland have been surmounted, and the proprietors have commenced delivery at the Government store. As an illustration of the quality of the cartridges turned out, it may be said that Captain Whitney made with them at the 500 yards' range a score of 6 bullseyes and 5 centres, or 50 points out of a possible 60. An approximate return of the Native population of the Colony shows that the Native population in 1881 was 43,973— North Island, 41,912, and South Island, 2061 ; and in 1886 it is 41,332— N0rth Island, 39,287, and South Island, 2045. Thus the total decrease in five years is 2641. This return is not complete, the Hawkes Bay returns having yet to come in, and it is exclusive of the Chatham Islands. The Tapanui Licensing Committee has this yesr only granted 10 o'clock licenses instead of 11 o'clock aB heretofore. The local piper is very indignant and charges the Committee with lowering the value of hotel property by about 25 per cent. The publiesns will hardly be grateful for such an advocacy of their interests as it is tantamount to an assertion that they do onefourth of their business between 10 and 11 o'clock at night. Aw Order-in-Council has been issued to the effect that 5 per cent, rebate will be allowed on the lives of all ministers of religion issured in the Government Insurance office. All estimates of the probable duration of the lives of various classes and occupations give clergymen first place, while doctors are a good second. Brewera, publicans and aU persons engaged in the manufacture and sale of intoxicating drinks are lowest down on the list of any. At the Education Board meeting yesterday It was decided that works at Fairfax, recommended by the Clerk of Works, be carried out. A letter was received from the Rev. Mr Hall, chairman of the public meeting at Waihola at which the lccal School Committee was elected, with reference to alleged illegal voting at that meeting. It was resolved that, until further information was obtained by the Board, they would ■ot interfere in tbe matter. Among town improvements, and Milton can afford to make improvements even in these dull times, we notice that Messrs J, A. Dnthie and Co. have recently added to their already extensive grain store an extension which nearly doubles its size and capacity. At the South end of the town, a roomy and substantial residence has recently been erected by Messrs Littlejohn Bros, for Ulr J. M. Bryce. The Church of England parsonage Is also well forward, and when completed will not only be a great convenienco, but add much to the already attractive appearance of the Church property. Mr Hollick Is contractor for the parsonage, aud also for the works at Messrs Dnthie's. Steam machinery is again in use at the Milton Pottery, which may be regarded as another indication of the steady progress being made by the industry nnder the present management. Steam iB supplied from a portable boiler erected outside the works to an engine in the moulding joom. From this an endless belt connects with all the lathes, thus saving enormously in both labor

and time. Among new goods being turned out, we notice some very neat door plates, and pretty vases for chimney ornaments, which are to be glazed in blue and black. Since our last issue matters have been comparatively quiet in the region of the volcanic disturbances. Dr Hector is of opinion that the eruption may possibly continue for v some time yet. The Pink aud White Terraces are blown up, and where Lake Rotomahana was are seven active volcanoes. Waiaroa is to be abandoned ;Dr Hector pronounces it to be a death-trap. The Natives have been warned to move j Europeans are leaving, and all vehicles and persons are warned away. The following are the estimated losses by Europeans : — M'Rae, £4000 ; Humphrey, £2000 ; Rodgers, £500{: Captain Way, £200 ; W. Bird, £100; M'Rae is insured in the Union Company, but they refuse at present to pay. However, they promise to consider the matter. A case of some importance to newspaper subscribers has been recently tried in Queanbeyan. Mr Gale, proprietor of the 'Age,' sued a subscriber as a test case, under the following conditions : — The party in question ordered his paper to be stopped, but did not pay up. The paper was continued, and the full amount sued for. The defendant urged that on notice of discontinuance an account ought to bave been rendered to the end of the current quarter, but his honor ruled that it was the subscriber's duty to pay up at the time of the countermand to relieve himself of liability, and gave a verdict for the amount claimed . Thomas Raine died the other day at Geraldine after drinking a quantity of spirit !of wine. He was employed by a cordial manufacturer, who, in giving evidence at the inquest, said that he was in the habit of using spirit of wine, or alcohol, in the manufacture of cordials. Cordials are supposed to be innocent drinks, suitable for the use of teetotallers, bat &s a fact tbey contain alcohol, and are more or less intoxicating. The alcohol they contain is not the same as that evolved in the ordinary processes of brewing and distilling, but the alcohol of commerce, made from potatoes and all manner of things, and in the state eupplied for commercial purposes infinitely more injurious than that contained in honestly manufactured intoxicating drinks. The ' Age's ' Perth correspondent has telegraphed from Kimberley :— •' The finance committee met the other day, and set asiie a sum of £10.000 for the construction of a tramway from the jetty in Amur Pool, at Derby, to what is known as the Plindan, the erection of a large bonded warehouse at terminus, and generally for improvements at port." The ' Gundagai Times' ' Adelong correspondent, writing under date May 31, says that at Perkins Brothers' claim, at the Kangaroo Ground, 21 tons, crushed at the Reefer Battery, yielded only 16£ ounces gold. Wilson and Ritchie report having crusted 11£ tons for Shaw and party of the North Victoria mine, tha yield being 22 ounces, a return that will pay splendid wages. Messrs Bosco and party got 2 ounces 16dwt. from 3£ tons, and Messrs Perkins', Gibraltar claim, crushed 5£ tons for 2 ounces 17dwt. In the House the other day Mr Wakefield spoke strongly in favor of the small birds, and condemned the practice of using every possible means to exterminate them. "It was" he said " to the birds that New Zealand owed the possibility of the fine crops, which are the finest in the world. In all countries where the birds were destroyed, the crops failed. The crop 3 the birds left were the finest evidence of the value of the birds. When we saw crops of 60, 70, 80, and 100 bushels of oats in districts where the birds darkened the air, it was a proof of the good the birds did against the insect pests." "The birds take their share, Sir," he said ; " but they earn it. If we go on poisoning in all directions, as we are doing, there is no knowing where the mischief will stop. Our very existence, Sir, will be poisoned." The six-hundredth anniversary of the death of Alexander 111., King of Scotland, came off on March 19 at Kinghorn, in Fifeshire, at which place it has been resolved to erect a statue to his memory. We respectfully suggest that the Bums' statue, which Dunedin is not likely to want, be slightly altered and touched up, and offered to the Kinghorn people at a reduced price. It is not likely any living person will remember Alexander, so if it is not just the image of him no harm will be done. We wonder, by the way, whether this Alexander was any relative of Alexander the Great, or of that Alexander the coppersmith, who so troubled the Apostle Paul. He is described as the third ; perhaps the gentlemen mentioned were first and second. We are a trifle shady on very ancient history, and should like to have this matter cleared up. An old Victorian, Mr Howard Spensley, now M.P. for Fiosbury, is about to bring forward a Bill in the House of Commons to pay Members £300 a year, the money, some £70,000 a year to come out of County and Borough rates. We aro sure no House of Commons will ever adopt such a measure. A Home paper very sensibly says : — "Under any circumstances, the accounts we receive from the self-governing colonies of the bad effects which result from the practice of paying members of the Legislature are such that it would require a good deal to Induce Englishmen to adopt the practice in this country. Moreover, the very fact of the existence of the Corrupt Practices and other Bribery at Election Acts is a sufficiently strong proof that no payment of members is necessary, and that men are willing to pay to get into the House of Commons instead of requiring to be induced by payment to do so. The Mudgee constituency in New South Wales has set an example which we are confident will b 3 followed throughout the colonies, and especially in New Zealand. Upon the return of their representative from Parliament, nearly 4000 persons assembled at the railway station to welcome him. " The rush to greet him," Bays the reporter, " was indescribable." Flags and banners waved in all directions, and bands of music

made the air melodious. His residence was decorated with wreaths of flowers and ferns, while over the doorway was hung the motto 41 Welcome home." In the evening, a torchlight procession conducted him to the Town Hall, where he received a grand ovation. There were bonfires, and heaven knows what besides. Now that is what we call the proper thing to do. If all constituencies in New Zealand would treat their members to ovations of a similar character, they would exert themselves far more than they do to get big lumps cf public money spent in their own districts. Remember American Co.'s Hop Bitters never does harm but good, to the smallest ohild, always and continually. See and read.