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Waikato Argus, Volume IX, Issue 767, 29 September 1900, Page 2

Our travelling correspondent recently visited the Woodlands and Freshfield Estates. An interesting account of what he saw appears on our fourth page. Church notices will be found in the usual columnThe estate of the late W. R Wilson, of Victoria, is valued at £63,584. The agricultural and pastoral statistics are to be collected between October 15th and November 10th. The annual meeting of the Hamilton Cricket Association is convened for Tuesday next iu the Wcsleyan schoolroom. The monthly meeting of the Tamahere brauch of the Waikato Farmers' Club will be held on Wednesday next. It is stated that an interesting conjunction of the moon aud the planet Jupiter will occur to-night shortly after 10 o'clock. Messrs McNicol and Co. will hold their spring cattle sale iu thcßangiriri Yards on Wednesday. 31st October, for which entries are solicited. It was elicited at a recent meeting of the Egmont Farmers' Co-operative Society that lOOib of butter from the churn averages 1121 b when it is finished with. By advertisement in another column it will be seen that a church parade of the No 1. Company of the Waikato Mounted Rifles will be held on Sunrtay, October 14th. The company will fall in at Sydney Square as usual at J 0.30 a.m. On Monday next Mr W. J. Hunter will sell at Pirongia on behalf of Mr J. Doudican (who has sold his farm), the whole of his stock, implements, furniture, etc. The detailed list will be found inMr Hunter's usual column, and the sale will start at noon. Mr W. J. Hunter has a large number of horses entered for his annual sale at Ohaupo on Thursday aud Friday, lyth aud 10th Coluber, comprising heavy uud medium eolts aud rillies, heavy and medium draughts, and useful coach horses and hacks. As will be seen from the list advertised, entries have been received from most of the leading breeders iu the district, aud with the unsatisfied demaud which has prevailed for good horses, prices should be satisfactory to vendor*.

The necessary plant for the njanufacture of lyddite shells iu the Indian arsenals is beiua sent out from Woolwich, so that the gaus in several Presidencies may bo provided with this new projectile, which has been so favourably reported upou during the war in South Africa.

" I have often been asked," says Donald Macdonald, the war correspondent, "what I thought of the British soldier as a fighting man. When you have seen him as I did you might sometimes doubt his wisdom but never his bravery. With all his affectations the young British officer was declared to be a brave man, over ready to lead his men to certain death. Until they were stopped the British officers in Ladysmith were committing suicide by scores. And if the British officer will lead men anywhere Tommy Atkins will follow." Some at least of the people about Cussilis (New South Wales) entertain none too high an opinion of the skill which is being exercised by the police iu endeavouring to capture the black murderers (the Governor ge.ng). Mr J. C. L. Fitzpatriok, M.L.A., received two telegrams from his constituents. The first of these stated :— " Blacks weary ; travelling six miles a day ; suggested all members of the House assist in the search." The second message rau : " Governor brothers offer capture all police if Government offer sufficient reward. Please attend to this."

A very glaring instance of anomalies iu the Customs tariff has just come to light. The Canterbury Frozen Meat Company imported by the Rangatira a wool scouring machine, to add to its felhnongery plant at Belfast. As do mention of such a machine is made in the tariff, it had to be brought in under the heading of " machinery not otherwise enumerated," and, as such, was subject to 20 per cent, duty, plus 10 per cent, ou the actual cost. The machiue cost £586, and, with 10 per cent, added, the total amount on which duty had to be paid whr £645, thus the impost the company was called upon to pay to the Customs was £129. Had the machine been .imported as a portion of the plant of the Woollen Manufacturing Company, it would have come in at 5 per cent, duty, and thus only £32 would have been collected.—N.Z. Times.

Thibet has at this time a very special interest tor us, in vtaw of the imminent disintegration in China. Its gold mines, which are probably the richest in the world, should alone make it of commercial importance, though most of these riches lie in regions almost as inhospitable as Kloudyke. Much of the country, however, is habitable, and has many promising resources undeveloped And with an English protectorate over Thibet, replacing the Chinese shadowy suzerainty over that country, and the rich vailey of the Yangktse up to the border of Eastern Thibet secured within the •' English sphere of interest," England would not only prevent a possible Russian wedge being interposed between her Indian, Burmese, and Chinese pos sessions, but she would consolidate her position from the Indian Ocean to the Northern Pacific, and gain thereby the paramount position throughout Asia.Mijor Waddell in " Among the Himalayas."

An amusing story comes from South Africa, and is told iu a letter received from one of the Cape Mounted Rifles.. Alluding to the Imperial Yeomanry, the writer says: " They give us a good deal of trouble by their wcakuess to see the country. They wander off in twos and threes aud lose themselves, which necessitates search parties. The other day five of them went off in this manner, and in the course of their ride came across four armed Dutchmen, who, on seeing them, immediately surrendered. By this time, however, the worthy Yeomen didu't know where they were. They appealed to the Dutchman, but they confessed their ignorance. After some aimless wandering the Yeomen sighted a farmhouse, which they approashed, and confided to the owner their dilemma. He immediately offered his services as guide, for which, at the time, they, were most thankful. The guide, whether from ignorance or not, took them to the wroug camp, aud the four Dutchmen are no longer prisoners ; but the Yeomeu are."