AUCKLAND

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7147, 27 April 1885, Page 4

AUCKLAND

(fhom our o\vs correspondent.) April 23rd, 1885. The New Zealand Former for April has an article deprecating the proposed sugar beet entorpiisH in the Waikato, with which I entirely concur. In my letter which yon published on the S'.h ins 1 -. I mentioned, tlmt tho manufacture of susar from beet woubl be a very doubtful speculation, and I am glad to Qnd that the editor of the Farmer takes the same view, and sets out at considerable length his reasons for it. It sppearp, however^ that the farmers of the Waikato are unwilling to enter into engagements to supply the raw material on the terms proposed to them, and as the promoters of the company did not see their way to the manufacture of beetroot sugar without beet, it is likely we shall have to stick to the sugarcane for onr saccharine supplies, unless the Eussians contrive to cut off our imports from Fiji, Mauritius, Java, &c. ; then we should have to look about for home supplies. It was, if I mistake not, war between England and France that gavo the first start to the beet sugar manufacture in the latter country, Napoleon I. having fost.pred it. for the sake of iujuringEngland's West India possessions, and also of obtaining a supply not liable to be cut short by the English fleet. It appears that the promoters of the proposed Waikato Company wished to obtain a guaranteed supply of the roots from the farmers at 10s per ton. This might probably have been an inducement to growers, but for the proviso that the beets must yield 12 per cent, of saccharine matter. In the absence of a series of experiments it would have been a risky venture to grow roots under such a guarantee. Ido not know enough of the Waikato to express an opinion as to the quality of the roots that could be grown there, but I know that small roots of two to three pounds weight are preferred for thia purpose, and I think the climate of the North Island, certainly that portion of it from Auckland northwards, would tend to produce larger roots of inferior saccharine quality. But as both soil and climate vary so much over thia island, it would bo very haphazard work to go into that branch of farming without careful experiments first made. And then what security would tho farmers possess, that the company could make it pay even if the roots yielded the required 12 per cent. Another very strong point in the argument of the paper I have quoted is this, Fiji can grow and provide us with raw sugar more advantageously than we can obtain it from beet. " We profess to want to secure and encourage the Island trade, but the trade is simply a matter of exchange. Wherever Fiji can sell most of her goods there she will naturally buy most." Here in fact wo have a case in which the principle of free trade fits exactly. The climate and other circumstances enable Fiji to grow sugar better and cheaper than we can, also many kinds of fruit ; we take these rather than grow them at a disadvantage, and give in exchange various productions, auch as flour, Bawn timber, &c, which employ our people moro advantageously than in attempting to make our sugar from an inferior raw material, and losing a market for our other productions. I will not pass from this subject without a word of congratulation to the publisher of the Neio Zealand Farmer on the development of that enlarged and useful publication from tho North Neio Zealand Settler. I think there is plenty of scope for the Farmer in its expanded farm, now that it seeks the whole farming community of the colony as its constituents rather than those of one provincial district. But if I may be allowed to make a suggestion calculated to enhance the permanent utility of this rural journal, it would I think be desirable to regard it as a magazine to ' bo bound and preserved, rather than j as an ephemeral production to be read and then relegated to the waste paper basket. To this end I would plead that those unsightly advertisements, displayed in jobbing type, some with crude wood cuts, should be confined to the outer sheets, and not so interwoven with the reading matter that the result is quite foreign to that artistic harmony which few persons are altogether unable to appreciate. I had occasion some weeks ago to comment on the remarks of " Index," one of the literary Btaff of the Neio Zealand Herald, in relation to your harbor. "Index" has now been giving his opinion on the war scare, and is greatly alarmed at tho cost of fortifications and other defensive preparations. Ho thinks that his Excellency the Governor and Major Cautley don't quite understand the caBC, so he comes to the rescue to enlighten them, a3 in hi 3 opinion they regard the matter with a professional eye, and are too apt to consider that " there is nothing like leather." This writer is of opinion that " even if England and Russia do go to war nothing very dreadful will in all likelihood occur. We shall settle down to everyday life, and perhaps by and by get to think the war rather a bore." Now what does he mean ? He cannot be so simple as to suppose that a contest between two of the most powerful nations on earth will be child's play. He cannot, I should think, intend that it would be better for the colonies to be helpless and have to purchase Russian forbearance at the cost of giving up all that is worth taking, and humbly submitting to every indignity rather than spend on defences— a large sum certainly— but not bo large as wasvoted in the last session for works which many thousands of colonists regard as mere jobbery, with little prospect of any real advantage to the colony. I can only put one interpretation on " Index's " remarks, and it is, that if England and Russia go to war nothing very dreadful will perhaps happen to us, because England's navy will protect ua against that of Russia, and therefore we should eat, drink and be merry, make money and spend it, but leave England to defend us. I did not believe in the Soudan fever which passed over tho colonies a couple of months ago, and I gave my reasons fully in your columns ; but I abhor the creed promulgated by " Index," that we Englishmen are to be passive spectators, not only not helping our Mother Country abroad, but, resting our security at home on the hazard that she will provide adequately for our defence, or that tit the worst we might not find the Russians such bad masters if they arrived here and found us helpless, but in any case that we should spend no money in providing for our own defence. I mentioned in my last the opening of the annual exhibition of the Auckland Society of Arts. I have since examined the pictures at leisure. There arellß in oil, and 64 in water colors, besides upwards of 100 entered for competition in several classes, but not bearing numbers. There are some excellent pictures in oils, and a few in water colors, but I notice that if we select one-third of the beat oil paintings they are the work of about half a dozen artists. There is a good deal of excessively crude work in both styles ; some of this, but not all of it, is the work of very young students. I think, however, it is not desirable to encourage these to become exhibitors until they have acquired a certain degree of proficiency ; it is not gooS, I think, for pupils, that their very crude attempts should be displayed in public, unless they could be subjected to judicious criticism ; nor do I think it is desirable that a public exhibition should contain so many specimens of very bad work. Surely it would be better for the managing committee to have authority to reject in such cases ; or must we resort to #J9rplan adopted at Madame Tussaud's waxworks, and establish a separate chamber of horrors for those with strong nerves. Whilßt protesting in general terms against the admission of mere daubs, lam glad to find that the exhibition as a whole is in advance of former

years. The society is doing good, for I may remark that young amateurs in the colonies are at a great disadvantage, and occasional access to and study of the work of others is essential to progress. I observe that notwithstanding the recent sod-turning the further progress of the North Island trunk railway is to be dependent on the state of the money market. lam not surprised at that, but I do hope that some of the other schemes projected last session will be abandoned, or take a back place.

Enjoy Life. — What a truly beautilul world we live in ! We can desire no better when in good health ; but how often do the majority of people feel like giving it up disheartened, discouraged and worried out with disease, when there is no occasion for this feeling. Green's August Flower will make them as free from disease as when born. Dyspepsia and liver complaint are the direct cause of soventy-five per cent of such maladieß as biliousness, indigestion, sick neadache, coßtiveness, nervous prostration, dizziness of the head, palpitation of tie heart, and other distressing symptoms Three doses of August Flower will prove its wonderful effect. Sold by all Druggists at 3s 6d per bottle. Sample bottles, 3d. Try it. 93 A Wise Deacon.— 11 Deacon Wilder, I want you to toll me how you kept yourself and family so well the past season, when all the rest of us have been sick so much, and have > have had the doctors running to us so often." " Brother Taylor, the anßwer is very easy. I used Hop Bitters in time, and kept my family well, and saved large doctor's bill*. Four shillings' worth of it kept us all well and able to work all the time, and I will warrant it has cost you and most of tho neighbors £10 to £100 apiece to Wp pick \ the same time. I fancy you'll take my / medicine hereafter." See. 04 We believe that if everyone would übo American Co.'s Hop Bitters freely thore would be much less sickness and misery in the world, and people are fast finding^ this out, whole families keeping well at a trilling coßt by its use. We advise all to try it. Read. 95 "Rough on Corns." — Ask for Wells " Rough on Corns." Quick relief, complete, j permanent cure. Corns, warts, bunions. | JTolton, Grimwade & Co., Agents, Wellington, I 96 American Co.'s Hop Bitters are the Purest and Best Bitters Ever Made.— They are compounded from Hops, Malt, Buchu, Mandrake, and Dandelion, — the oldest, best, and most valuable medicines in the world, and contain all the best and most curative properties of all other remedies, being the greatest Blood Purifier, Liver Regulator, and Life and Health Restoring Agent on earth. No disease or ill-health can possibly long exist ■where they are used, so varied and perfect are their operations. They give new life and vigor to the aged and infirm. To 'ill wliobo employments cause irregularity of the bowels or urinary organs, or who require an Appetizer, Tonic and mild Stimulant, American Co.'s Hop Bitters are invaluable, being highly curative, tonic and stimulating, without intoxicating. No matter what your feelings or symptoms are, what the disease or ailment is, use Hop Bitters. Don't wait until you are sick, but if you only feel bad or miserable, use Hop Bitters at once. Ifc may save >oiu' life. Hundreds have been Bayed by bo doing. £500 will be paid for a case they will not cure or help. Do not suffer or let your friends suffer, but use and urge them to use American Hop Bitters. Remember, American Hop Bitters is no vile, drugged, drunken nostrum, but the Purest and Best Medicine ever made. Try the Bitters today. Get at Chemists or Druggists. Beware ! of imitations. Genuine has Dr Soule's name blown in bottle. 97"