The Thames Advertiser. SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 1879.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XII, Issue 3292, 5 April 1879, Page 2

The Thames Advertiser. SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 1879.

o — Captain Morris, M.H.K., has recently appeared before his Tauranga constituents, and gained a vote of confidence without opposition, notwithstanding his strong anti-Ministerial professions. The advent of the Grey administration was hailed with ringing cheers in the Bay of Plenty district as the birth of a new era in the history of that isolatedspot, so long' down-trodden by former Governments. But what do we find now, judging from the applause which greeted Captain Morris's condemnation of the Premier 1 It is truo the Tauranga residents are fickle and vacillating, as we explained in our last, but it was scarcely to bo expected that the idol of yesterday would so speedily become despised and rejected. Captain Morris is evidently a practical, hardheaded settler, who believes in common sense versus sentiment, for he condemns the exuberance of the latter in the professions and conduct of the Premier. He tells us that he does not find fault with the policy he originally set out with, nor does he consider any constituency seriously to blame for applauding the same, but he does complain that faith has not been kept with the people, and that sentiment has usurped the place of common

sense in the administration of a policy so generally upheld. As an instance ho quotes a local example, He tells us that when the Premier was last in Tauranga lie informed an admiring auditory that when he next visited their district it would be in a coach from the Thames, and he made (Mr Morris believes) a distinct promise about the Thames road. Capt, Morris adds:—"Nothing has been done yet, but I hope something will be shortly, and that a coach will bo running." Now this may be all very true, so far as the road from Tauranga is concerned, but it is not true of the "Thames road," because in a few weeks £1,500 will have been spent upon it, agS a good passable road completed tfrtho boundary of the Thames County. If the people of Tauranga want the road pushing through they have the same claims, and the same facilities for urging those claims, as the Thames County, go long, however, as Tauranga wraps itself up in its own importance—and prefers to isolate itself from the rest of the provincial district —we do not think it should complain. We contend that if any effort had been made the road in question would long ere this have been passable for vehicles, and Sir George, if he wished, ought to be able to travel by coach from the Thames to Tauranga, But that is not what the residents of the latter place want. One of their number told the people assembled at a public meeting on the raihvay question, when a line between the Thames and Tauranga was spoken of, that by so doing they would "send away all their country trade, and they were a lot of fools to do so, for it would leave the place a desert." If the Tauranga people desired roads to open up communication with markets for the produce of the Katikati and other lands they would not, surely, applaud such nonsense as this. They will assuredly discover that such a policy of isolation will only serve to retard their progress in the future as it has done in the past. It may suit half-a-dozen half-starved storekeepers to argue in this way, but we are surprised that men of common sense, such as Capt. Morris, and others, should allow themselves to be dictated to by persons exhibiting such narrow, selfish views; on the other hand Capt. Morris has no right to tell his audience that "Sir George Grey's distinct promise about the Thames road" lias been disregarded when the people themselves take no steps to ensure its being carried into effect;, and when the Thames has faithfully done its part of the work, with the assistance of votes of the Assembly for that purpose. If Captain Morris desired to keep the Premier to his pledge it was his duty to have done so in the Assembly, when the estimates were under discussion, instead of coming before his constituents now and throwing the onus on the Premier. So long as little or no effort is made to secure the construction of the road, it is scarcely fair to make political capital out of, alleged unfulfilled promises, especially when the proceedings at the, railway meeting show that such com. muuication is opposed by a section of the community as calculated to «leave the place a desert." Captain Morris tells his hearers, "We cannot succeed if, while others are fostered, we are neglected, nor can we compete with them on the road to fortune." If such' fostering is likely to "leave the place.a desert,"'then we agree with the sapient Kedmond that "they are a lot of fools" to ask for it; but is it fair, after that, to.tell us they "cannot succeed because they are neglected?" Let us have something approaching consistency in this matter. If the people of Tauranga want the fostering care of a paternal Government let them take steps to secure it, instead of abusing those who are likely to lend them a helping hand, and prove friendly co-workers in the opening ,up of their splendid country by means of roads and rail. ways.

A meeting of Justices of the Peace was held at the Court House yesterday, at aoon, for tha purpose of revising the jury list for the district of Gmhamstown, There were no objections, and the list was affirmed, Captaiu Skene occupied the chair, The 'Rotomahina' was delayed nearly Wo hours on her passage to the Thames on Thursday afternoon, through one of the nuts of the slide valve_ taring worked off, putting out the machinery, Mr Brown, the engineer, with the aid of his assistants, immediately set to work, and succeeded in repairing the damage in the time above mentioned, enabling the vessel Aj complete her voyage, J|» A match will be played in the Parawai*rfip» dens, this afternoon, between an eleven of tho Thames Ciicket Club and fifteen of the Union Cricket, Masters Baxter and H, Grigg have made a successful application for cadetships in the '• elegraph Department, and will leave for Weilington (when they will learn the art of tele* graphy) on Saturday next. From Auckland, the head of the Department received no less than 20 applications from youths desirous of becoming cadets. . The grand stand bar for the Auckland au« tumn meeting realised £117. Thirty Armed Constabulary from Taupo have arrived in Wellington en route for Waimate Plains, It is expected that Mr James Mackay will report formally by telegraph to the Governmenton the Waimate Plains difficulty. It is also understood that government have received an almost positive assurance that the Maoris will themselves put the surveyors' instruments back where takcu from, and that no further trouble will arise. R, J. Duncan, an old and well-known Wei- ' lington auctioneer, the gentleman who sold the reclaimed land recently for the Government, and who is to sell the next lot, has called a private meeting of his creditors for Saturday next, The Improvement Oommissioners have decided to apply to the Government for the immediate delivery of the new police court-house; they also intend to charge interest since the time possession should have been given. Dr. Norton, of Dargaville, fell from his horse, and sustained a compound fracture of the leg, At the Wellington City Council on Thursday it was decided that it was inexpedient at the present time to increase the Mayor's salary, The Council also decided by a majority of one that a poll of ratepayers should be taken to decide which drainage scheme should be adopted,

The 'Adab,'ketch, anived last night with general cargo from Auckland, and the barge 'Lake Ft, Clare,' with a threshing machine and engines for the Upper Thames. The T.S.V, Cadets are summoned to atlend at the Grcdham Hall this evening and on Monday evening with their rifles. Members of the Thames Scottish Mta' ; on are requested lo attend a meeting ot importance, to be held this evening, at seven o'clock, What are the,wholesale grocers of the Thames about to allow the retail dealers of Katikati to push them out of the market in the matter of supplies for the surveyors at Te Aroha. A paragraph in the Tauranga paper, which our contemporary apparently copied in qood faith, makes the strange announcement that supplies can be sold cheaper by the round-about process of Katikati dealers than direct from the Thames. We reply simply that the thing is preposterous, In the first place, the goods retailed by Clarke tiros, of Rereatukahia, Katikat' are obtained rom Auckland by steamer, transhipped at Tauranga to another steamer for Uretara, and then packed a distance of five miles through a new country without decent roads. If conveyed by cutter they must be landed in punts at Kauri Point, and punted nine miles, and then packed the five mile journey; or tney may be packed from Tauranga, some 20 miles distant. Are we to believe that goods conveyed at such expense can be packed some 30 or 40 miles further through the bush, without roads, and sold as cheaply as thoy can be conveyed by steamer direct from the Thames or Auckland to Te Aroha ? Surely some person must have been hoaxing our contemporary. The following is the paragraph referred to :—''We learn that Messrs Clarke, of Hereatukahia, Katikati, are making arrangements to supply the surveyors on the Te Aroha block on the opposite side of the range with goods The goods can be packed on the Waikato track, and delivered far cheaper than they can be got through by the Thames. This speaks volumes for the natural position of Katikati; and if the Government would only form a good road through the range, which could be done at a very molerate cost, a large traffic would certainly open. At all events a decent pack track is urgently, wanted to e tablisb communication bttween the settle* roent of Katikati and the Waikato districts, and no time should be lost in getting it done before bad weather sets in," Why do the municipal authorities refuse to follow the excellent example of the County and let all their works by public contract. By so doing they would get work done cheaper, and give greater satisfaction to the burgesses, A great outcry at a meeting on municipal affairs held at the Academy of Music arose in consequence of a desire to Eee this system carried out, i and some members were returned pledged to advocate it, and yet we find that a work sanctioned at a meeting of the Water Supply Committee held this week has been commenced without any such preliminary as that of calling for tenders for the same. We refer to the extension of the large fire main along Queenstreet to the Government Buildings, For this work Government appear to have promised £50, and a further sum was offered by Messrs Mennie and Dey towards the extension of the same to their premises, We contend, therefore, that it was the duty of the authorities to call for tenders for the work at per yard, in order to arrive at a correct estimate of the cost of the same from building to building, instead of setting one man to work to fritter away funds intended for this special object, and keep the street open for an indefinite period, lo the Jnconvenienoe of pedestrians, and danger to the limbs of her Majesty's liege subjects who are compelled to pass that way after sun» down. The Okyo Daily limes, dealing with the Waimate Plains crisis, says:—That difficulty, though serious, does not assume as yet the appearance of pressing danger. It is of the utmost importance that the Ministry should be ngreed amODg themselves at this crisis, and we regard the presence of Sir George Grey at the deliberations of the Cabinet as absolutely ind's.. pensable, We inve no doubt Sir HercuH Bobinson wi'l claim a'so to have some voin h the question of peace or war, at least ro fpt ?s to demand that the advice tendered biro stall 13 that of a united Cabinet, We may (emporse indeed with native", hut there should bo a d;stinct object in view, or we may drift gradua'ly into such a position that the sword alone can cut the knot, We think Iho probabilities of the c?se ?re all in favour of the matter being settled amicably, and it is certainly a time when the personal influence of Sir Grey should tell in favour of peace. If tho Native Minister and Sir George Grey do not in reality pull together, then it is time for Mr Sheehan to retire and a'low Sir G< irge Grey to assume the full responsibility; but we beliave the reports to this effect have been to say the least, considerably exaggerated, and made use of for party purpos-.«. It is quite in accordance with what we should expect of Colonel Whitmore, as a military man of undoubted courage, that he should be almost eagor for a figqt, and quite willing "to go. to the front," but the colony does not want war, and would consent to almost anything short of absolute humiliation to avoid this. There are two main questions to be settled—the surrender of Hiroki, and the reinstatement of thesurveyors. We don't seethat the Government can well give way upon either, but the first demand might be postponed till the last be obtained. The Ministers have just four months till the meeting of Parliament to vindicate their native policy by a wise settlement of the present difficulty, and of the larger questions pending with Tawhaio and Kewi. If they fail in both, we fear the verdict of Parliament will be against them. If they succeed in this difficult task they may well deserve the gratitude of all who have the real welfare of the colony at heart, The very leost in this interval they are entitled to is forbearance in virtue of the task which they have in hand, The Medical Journal supplies a sure cure for cold feet and sleeplessness, It consists in first driving the blood-vessels into firm contraction, after which secondary dilatation follows. See the snow-baller's hands. The first contact of the snow makes the hands terribly cold, for the Small arteries are driven thereby into firm contraction, and the nerve-endings of the finger-tips feel the low temperature very keenly. But as the snowballer perseveres, his hands commence to glow; the blood-vessels lave become secondarily dilated, and the rush of warm arterial blood is felt agreeably by the peripheral nerve-endings. This is the plan to adopt with cold feet; they should be dipped in cold water for a brief period; often just to immerse them, and no more, is sufficient; and then they should be rubbed •with a pair of hair flesh-gloves, or a rough Turkish towel, till they glow, immediately beforge getting into bed. After this, a hot water bottle will be successful enough in maintaining the temperature. of the feet, though, without this preliminary, it is important to do so. Disagreeable as the plan at first sight may appear, it is efficient; and those who have once fairly tried it, continue it, and find that they have put an end to their bad nights and eold feet, Pillr, potions, lozenges, "night-caps," all narcotics, fail to enable the Bufferer to woo sleep successfully; get rid of the cold feet, and then sleep will come of itself. Dr Tyrrell, Bishop of Newcastle, N.S.W., who died recently, h?s left the whole of his station property, valued at £500,000, to the Church, A r «ta, a hlgh-ctaed scientific journal, published in England, has a very eulogistic obituary notice of the late Mr Charles Robert Thatcher, who will be well remembered as a vocalist on the Australian diggings and through New Zealand, fter referring to his discovery of an entirely new genus of shell, which Mr & I Angas named 'Thatchfc mirabihs,' fie notice conludes:—" There kno greater loss to conchological science than this gentleman's death, as he was undoubtedly th» most successful i ,i)lec!or of his day." The cost of the ]<A war on the Russian side ia estimated by the' Prawda' at two milliards of roubles, to which enormous sum must be added about 800,000,000 roubles, spent in liquidation of the outstanding contracts, and the expenses necessitated by the occupation of Turkish territories.

The OhincmuiiPchool Committee met yesterday afternoon, and amongst other business opened tenders for repairs and additions to the teacher's residence at Puriri. Six perrons tendered, and Mr Stevenson's tender at £li being the lowest, was accepted, The Schwartz arson case in Christchurch was eontiuued yesterday, Evidence was brought to ■ f'iow the stock was valued at £1,000. Before | the (ire the insurance amounted to £1,700, A good deal of evidence was taken, and Schwartz was committed to take his trial at the Supreme Court, bail being allowed—accused in £600 aud two sureties in £300 each. | At a- meeting of Volunteer officers held in Auckland, Major Den'om stated ihat ,-he Irst part "f the business to he considered was the provision for the wife uf the lafe Major Gordon and her family, who were in rather low circumstances. Mr Buckland had offered a suitable cottage at Onehunga for £250. If this house was purchased for her, an allowance which Mrs Gordon received would support herself and family. Mr J, C. Firth had kindly given £20 for the purpose. Captain Anderson said the list of subscriptions collected by the Rev Mr Hamer was very large, and he understood that that gentleman had taken the responsibility of purchasing the house for Mrs Gordon. In answer to a question, Major Derrom said that he had received no intimation of what the Thames Volunteers were going to do in the matter. Major Derrom said he had not received any intimation that the Auckland Volunteer Companies should take part in the review at Waikalo. It was resolved to have a review of the Volunteers on the Queen's Birthday. The ladies of Sydney have presented Lady Robinson with a gold and diamond bracelet in recognition of thcunvarjing kindness she lias shown them during her residence in New South Wales, The bracelet, says the Morning Herald is massive, containing over 3oz of fine gold, and has a depth of two inches; on the front her ladyship's initials, N.'fl., in raised gold ornamental cipher, studded with thirty brilliants in gipsy star, burnished settings. The gold under each stone being left open adds considerably to the lustie of the gems; the lower half has the inscription "Sydney, Ist March, 1879," nicely engraved on its iuner side. The bracelet has been atted into a very choice crystal casket, with nickel silver mount, and rests upon a bed of red velvet, The official result of the smelting of the D'Urville Island copper ore has at last been received from Sydney. C. Vale, assistantmanager of the Kngland and Australian Copper Company's works, at Waratah, Newcastle, where the ore was sent to be smelted, says :— "It was seen at once on the bags boing opened that one half the quantity was composed of simply the ground accompanying the ore, and that no attempt whatever had been made to sort or dress the ore. It is a great pity that some one was not on the ground to attend to this matter, as the consequences are most disastrous, Out of the 37 tons actually weighed, only about 15 tons should have been sent, The worst part of the business is, that the ore is so easily selected that a blind man could almost undertake to sort it by weight alone. With a view of determining the actual value of the ore, I have had a fair sample taken out, such as if I were in charge would have been sent for sale. I made two assays thereon,' which gave 29} per cent. This is not so good as the appearance of the ore indicales, I therefore subjected it to a critical examination, and find that although the ore in the lode is unquestionably good, yet it is mixed up with a large quantity of specular iron which cannot be got rid of by dressing, However, I have no hesitation in saying that the ore can and should be brought up to 30 per cent., which even at the present price of copper would pay well, 1 may further say that it is my opinion that the ore will change at no great depth below the present workings. Considering the easy shipment of the ore, the mine appears most promising, and will shew good results with—proper, I was going to say,—management by an experienced person," The London correspondent of the Ohistckirch Qlobe says:—" The agitation among the farm labourers of Kent has assumed considerable proportions, and, as I mentioned in my letter, steps have been taken to send a large number of them to New Zealand, whither T am told many of them have already emigrated, much to theic own advantage. But during the past month the contest between employers and employed has been fought out very bitterly, and the law has been appealed to in order'to enforce the eviction of the labourers from the cottages that some of them had occupied for long years. Yesterday nearly four hundred men, women, and children, but principally, 1 am told, young agricultural labourers, came up from Maidstone, and are to-day on their, road to Plymouth, whence they will set sail for your colony. I have not a very hopeful feeling asjto the result either for them or for you, and I am still kss sanguine about the success of their especial object, viz., to cultivate tho Kentish hop in New Zealand, Hops do not grow everywhere ; in fact no one knows really why they will only grow in the favoured Counties of Kngland, and not at all in Ireland or Scotland. If New Zealand can grow even passable hops, not to say first rate ones, there is a fine opening for consumption at home, for the brewers of bitter ales are doing an increasing trade, not only at home, but ail over the Continent of Europe. Now New Zealand can grow not only "passable hops," but also "first-rate ones." Consignments have been sent for several years to the English market uy Mr Thomas Harley, of Nelson, the largest hop grower in New Zealand, and they have realised prices equal to the ; best Kentish. The Spectator says:—On January 14th the Norwich Onion Fire Insurance Society declared a dividend for 1874 of £25 per share. £30 has been paid up on each share, A similar dividend of £25 per share wn declared for 1877. A writer in the Taianaki Herald says:— "The prophet Te Whiti appears to be the moving spirit at Parihaka. The natives, who are extremely superstitious, having placed implicit belief in his statements that he would restore to them their confiscated lands'at Waimate in March, and more wonderful still, he would enact the miracle of raising the dead to life. One Maori, who bad lost his wahine, fully believing in the proposed resurrection, look with him a full wardrobe for his wife, so that she should not appear in purisnalnrdibus> The subtle craft of Te Whiti was equal to the occasion—there were other Marches, and he urged them to exercise patience." The political air was yesterday thick with rumours as to little differences of opinion between the Premier and most of his colleagues with regard to the appointment of Mr. D. M, Luckie to a high position in the Civil Service. There have been skirmishings for a month past, but it is understood a great contest has occurred this week, in which Sir George completely routed the rebel forces, composed of all the other members of the Cabinet, : The gallant manner in which the Premier hit out is said to have excited the admiration of all save those with whom he came into contact, not excepting, poor Mr Luckie j but the unfortunates who found themselves vanquished threatened desperate things, It is said they even went so far as to threaten to resign, and would have done so "ght oil had not i-ir George unconcernedly remarked that Mr Tole would make a verygood Attorney-Qeueral, Mr Eees an excellent •treasurer, while Mr Dignau was the taut ideal of a loader in the Council, This made the rebels a little quieter, and latest intelligence reports them more submissive. These were the rumors afloat, but it is needless to say we do not vouch fo™BWfcy.otsaeh improbable stories.— IV. Z, Times, It is a hopeful siga that some of our contemporaries are beginning to acknowledge that the exceptionally flourishing state oi the Volunteer Force the moment there seemed any chance of England being engaged in war, was very siguifi. c nt, The Bu'y 'Ickgraph called attention to the matter in a sub-leader last week, and the kmrninsr of last Saturday followed'in a similar strain. There is very little doubt that the returns of the year just expiring will show greater numbers and greater efficiency among i -he Volunteer* than have ever ureyioi <-Iy been I shown, i