WAIKATO NOTES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 162, 7 June 1909, Page 5

WAIKATO NOTES.

The weather continues fine, if dull, bot we muat soon expect the rain to act in, and bring one of the most remarkable seasons Wstkato has ever experienced, to a close. An accident, with nearly fatal r*>solts, occurred on Tuesday last, when Alexander Scott, a labourer working oo the excavations intended to be used in supplying earth for the approaches to the new traffic bridge, was buried under a fail of clay of folly half a ton weight. He was extricated, and thought to be dead. Dr Brew is was sent for and the man was taken to the Waikato Hospitat, where his spine and ribs were found to be fractured, and his condition very seriou ?. He is a married man, with a wife and three children, and great sympathy is expressed for the family. Mr Scott bad only commenced work the previous day. At the time of writing his condition is slightly improved and his recovery is hoped for. The Hamilton Library Bait showed a profit of £36 1 Is, constituting a record in net receipts. The £IO,OOO recently voted by the Government to complete the new Frankton station buildings and siding* i» hailed with general satisfaction. When completed Frankton wilt be the largest junction in the Dominion. The growth of the district is perfectly amazing, and the building of houses and workshops is going on all sides. Land has reached high prices at Frankton, , even residential sites changing hands r at £6OO an acre in certain localities.

The Glasgow boneless meat case lias ended in a victory for the defendants.

Messrs Caldwell Bros., who had only one case condemned out of 488 cases. . The Court held that the evidence given was very conflicting, but it had not been proved that the meat was unsound. 11 was thought that the action of the British Government, in prohibiting the importation of such •meat after January Ist last, was influenced by pressure from Glasgow. A writer, referring to the case, thinks that the prosecution wilt do New Zealand harm. aa "English people as a rule do not discriminate between boneless meat and New Zealand mutton." I hardly agree with him. New Zealand mott>n, bones intact, is appreciated very generally in England, and a growing t» te for New Zeialand lamb and mutton is a very marked feature there. I know certain small towns and large cities in England where people regularly a-4k for. and see that they get. New Zealand mutton and lamb. However, no further boneless meat prosecutions can now arise, as importations had finished. It means a great loss to a nomber of New Zealand exporters, but the position has to be faced and we must urge our Government to press srepresentations upon the British Government, so that the law there may be relaxed in our favour. An important gathering of farmers took place on Thursday, to discuss the recent land valuation proceedings, and to take some steps to have the objections re-beard. Mr Allen Bell was in the chair, aod was supported by Mr U. J. CwenthJrte, HP. Tbaeniel point

brought out by the Chairman was that the fair way to valoe land was to value it whan sold /or cash or when a reasonable amount of mosey was paid down. Waikato lands Sad increased in valoe because the settlers bad stent time and money in improving them. A number of farmers spoke in condemnatory terms of the system of valuation*. Mr E. C. Shepherd, one of the Assessors at the recent Court, also spoke, saying that the present system gave nothing but trouble, and that the vainer had a most difficult task, fie thought the only way was for the person interested on go roond with the valuer when the valoation was being made. A resolution proposed by the Matamata branch of the Fanners' Union. "That the system of valuing adopted by the Government is wrong in principle, i.e.. valoating land on selling values, and that M's.P. be asked to bring the question before the House with a view to having the valuing done on a more equitable basts. | Also that practical valuers be appoin-1 ted who have a thorough knowledge of farming, and have lived a long period in the district." was carried, on being pot to the meeting. Mr Grecnslade said he bad received numerous letters from farmers expressing dissatisfaction with the increased in their capital values. There were many different opinions on the matter. Some were against an increase on the capital value and others against the raising of the unimproved valoe. It was certainly the duty of the Government to accept any properties offered to it at its valuation. Me would do his best to amend Che Act. The question, however, was a very intricate one. He was a farmer himself, and felt the pinch as much as any of them. The assessor.* had been appointed, one by thepconple—Mr Follerten—and the other by the Government —Mr Shepherd and it was n* use bickering over the matter. Mr Das field said he had no wish to cast any reflection on the assessors. The chairman said no resolution asking for a re-hearing had been carried, out of deference to the Minister of Justice, whose reply they had not yet received to the message of last week. They had no wish to be discourteous by forcing matters.

1 see that Mr James Mullan.the wool cxpert,wbo attended the recent Auckland Winter Show, is to be asked to attend the Waikato Show. This should prove valuable to all wool growers, who are able to visit Hamilton as he can give many valuable hints on methods of packing and classing wools