The Waikato Argus [PUBLISHED DAILY.] A Guaranteed Circulation of Over 7500 Weekly. THURSDAY, JULY 26, 1906.

Waikato Argus, Volume XXI, Issue 3240, 26 July 1906, Page 2

The Waikato Argus [PUBLISHED DAILY.] A Guaranteed Circulation of Over 7500 Weekly. THURSDAY, JULY 26, 1906.

What should prove a very interesting conference, even if the results from it are inconsiderable, is being held in London. The object of the conference is to provide an international organisation for the promotion of arbitration as the means to settle differences between nations. It is said, with truth, that the constant dropping of water will wear away the hardest granite; but the process is a very slow one. Peace conferences in one form or another have been held frequently of late, but wars and lumours of wars are nearly as frequent as they were half a century back. There is a tribunal in existence which meets at the Hague, but so far it has nob been able to induce the nations to reduce their armaments and relieve their populations from the grinding taxation which the large armed forces necessitate. The people of all nations—those at any rate who have been brought into contact with what is termed modern civilisation—have a thin veneer which disguises the savagedom which is at the root of their natures; but once excite their passions or titillate their cupidity, and the veneer disappears, and the savage becomes as palpably a savage as he has ever been during past centuries. The Hague tribunal was sob up very much at the instigation of the Czar; yet Russia forced a war upon Japan and absolutely refused to submit the differences between the two countries to the arbitration of the court their ruler had set up. The evils of large armaments do not stop with the cost to the people, and the risk of war consequent on their existence—one of the greatest, perhaps the greatest—is that the army is used by the rulers of countries, which do not enjoy the free institutions which exist under the British flag, to keep the people in subjection, and prevent their attaining their just rights. Hopeless as the accomplishment of the task which the six hundred members of Parliaments who are now assembled in London may appear, it is impossible nob to appreciate their good intentions. It would be difficult to find a sane man who, when in a calm state of mind, would not advo cate arbitration and the abolition of armies and navies had he the smallest hope that the proposition is capable of being given effect to; but this cannot be until there is unanimity amongst all nations. But that, so far as man can judge, never will bo.

In (another column the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company advertise for a man with knowledge of horses and implements for station work. Particulars may be had at the office of the company.

A meeting of those desirous of becoming members of the Hamilton Tennis Club will be held in the office of the N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Co. on Saturday evening next, at 7.45. A large attendance is anticipated.

With regard to the proposals for taking cadets to Christchurch at Exhibition time, the Board of Education has decided to oifer no opposition to the scheme,' Mr Peacocke said control of the boys was an important matter, and nothing was said about officials going with them. The Chairman said that was provided for in the circular.

Some eight or nine members of the Auckland Golf Club will arrive in Hamilton on Friday night, and on the following day will play matches against a like number of local players on the Claudelands links. The following players will represent the Hamilton Club:—H. T. Gillies, J. A. Sellars, J. S. Richardson, J. G. Bell, B. Blakeley, Dr. Douglas, H. S. Elgood. W. H. Worsley, and A. G. Shand.

It is reported that splendid indications of petroleum have been discovered at Waireka Gully, near Omata, a few miles out of New Plymouth, The Waireka stream runs through several properties on which the indications are favourable, notably, Mr J. G. Gilbert’s and Mr S. Hill’s farms. The gas burns freely wherever afforded an outlet, and a party of prospectors out a few days ago tried the usual surface tests with most satisfactory results. Good samples of oil were obtained, and these have since been analysed by Mr Teed, of New Plymouth, who reports them “ right.” It is understood that a Melbourne syndicate is interested in oil development in that locality. It is stated on the best authority that options of sale of the freeholds of these properties have been secured at a satisfactory figure.

It is just six months ago since the Druids’ Lodge was formed in Hamilton, and it is satisfactory to note that the membership is now fifty strong. The young men of the town appear to be thoroughly alive to the advantages of Druidism, for almost every Lodge night since the Lodge has been opened new members have been initiated, and at the present rate of progress the order promises to be over 100 strong. About six Druids’ Lodges in the Auckland district have combined together and intend, holding a gala day every year. The first will be held in Hamilton on Steele Park in November next, when there will be sports of various kinds. This promises to be a huge success, as all arrangements are being made by a strong committee.

An important case involving the validity of title to animals purchased from a public pound was recently heard at Masterton. It appears that the plaintiff lost a valuable horse, which defendant subsequently purchased out of a pound some miles away. The plaintiff alleges that the horse was stolen before it was impounded, and it was impossible, therefore, for the defendant to secure a good title to what was virtually stolen property, and he claimed the return of the animal or, as an alternative, the sum of £6O, its value and damages for its detention. The magistrate gave judgment against the plaintiff, giving fully his reasons for doing so. He regretted, however, that under the circumstances defendant had not agreed to an offer made by plaintiff and returned the horse in consideration of his disbursements being recouped. Defendant stated that plaintiff had called upon him accompanied by a solicitor’s clerk and a constable. This had evidently inflamed his ire and induced him to stand up for his legal rights, as ho inferred that had he been approached in a friendly spirit he would have given up the horse. Notice of appeal was given.

Mr A. Primrose bas resigned bis position as chairman of the Waikato County Council.

Messrs Davis and Co. are pub lishing in their advertising column that they have received what is interesting to many.

Mr R. Roche, late of the Auckland Farmers’ Supply Company, is now in the district representing the firm of Messrs W. S. Laurie and Co., manure and seed agents.

We wish to draw our readers attention to the fact that the ball in connection with the Hamilton Library takes place to-night. The children’s ball will be held to-morrow night, and they are invited to come in either plain or fancy dress.

According to the Government Gazette of 19th inst, a duty of Is 2d per lb has been levied on sukrina, which is stated to be imported apparently as a substitute for sugar, the latter being dutiable. This duty_ is equivalent to the proportion in which sukrina is a substitute for sugar.

A number of caddies are wanted on the Golf Links Claudelauds, on Saturday morning and afternoon. Those requiring engagement are requested to call on Mr J Smith, of the New Zealond Loan and Mercantile Agency Co , to-day or to-morrow afternoon, and be on the ground at the time advertised in another column.

On Saturday the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. hold their annual dairy stock sale at Te Awamutu. Among the dairy stock are 16 choice cows from Mr G. D. Massey, to calve in August or September ; also cows and heifers close to profit from various vendors. There will also be offered store cattle, pigs, horses, poultry, and sundries. The sale starts at 12 o’clock sharp. One of the severest losses sus tained by the Gisborne floods was that of Mr Knight, of Putatahi. Two of his paddocks, comprising 40 acres, are covered by a foot of silt, and he lost 286 sheep, one valuable draught filly valued at £SO, and 41 cows. Four of his draught horses managed to keep their heads above water through the night, or until they were rescued by boat.

During the past few days Dr R. H. Makgill, Wellington district Health Officer and Bacteriologist to the Health Department accompanied by Mr C. A. Schauer, chief sanitary inspector of Wellington, has been visiting eleven hotels. Their visit is the outcome of a discrepancy between the committeee’s resolution and the local inspector’s report. Nothing further is likely to be heard of the matter until the September meeting of the Licensing Committee.

Gas from cocoanuts is the latest ijluminant. The coal of the Philippines has been found unsuitable for gas-mak-ng purposes. The Government, therefore, has been experimenting in the laboratories, and has found that a gas of great illuminating power may be produced by a very simple method from cocoanut oil. The oil is slowly fed into retorts which are already red hot. Here it volatilises very rapidly, leaving a small residue of tar. Bulk for bulk, the oil has a much greater productiveness in gas than coal, and for this reason it is expected that if the supply can be made to meet the demand, it will be greatly used where cocoanuts are abundant.

A house without a chimney, and not needing one, is one of the curiosities of New York. It has been built, probobly as an advertisement, for a prominent official in one of the large electric companies. All the heat and light required are supplied by electricity. The cooking is done by electricity ; and there are many novel electric devices in use in the kitchen. The water laid on to the bathroom is electrically heated, and the laundry is dependent on heat from a similar source. There is the usual equipment of electric bells, and a locked door swinge open automatically when appreached from the inside. The visitor may even light his cigar by an electric incandescent wire.

In the course of an interview at Oamaru, the Hon. T. Y. Duncan (Minister for Lands) said it was unlikely that any Minister would meet Sir J. G. Ward on his arrival at Auckland. Questioned as to the possibility of there being a vacancy in the representation of Oamaru soon, Mr Duncan stated that, whether in the Cabinet or out of it, he would not desert the constituency while his constituents want him, or while his health permits him to sit in the House. Mr Duncan’s amendment of the Act providing for the erection of abattoirs by all municipalities is now ready. It gives the Government power to erect abattoirs where local bodies have not done so. Provision will be made for another Act for preventing any person from selling milk after partially skimming it. The Chief Chemist to the Dement of Agriculture (Mr B. C. Ashton) has just issued a Bulletin (No. 1) on the subject of “ Phosphate in New Zealand,” which is particularly interesting in view of the department’s renewed offer of a bonus for the discovery and working of mineral phosphate. Mr Ashton states the deposits at Clarendon (Otago) occur in limestone pockets. Search should, therefore, be made in districts where limestone occurs either as pure compact limestone or as calcareous sandstone. Deposits of coprolites, or phosphatic nodules having a corrugated surface and often black in colour, may be looked for in greensands. A Hamilton resident declares that he has known of the existence of phosphate rock in good quantities in Waikato for some time, but the difficulty of transit renders it unworkable at present. The Very Rev. Father Hays, the apostle of temperance, arrived in Liverpool on Wednesday night, June 13, in the Cuuard R.M.S. Carmania. After completing his crusade in Australia and New Zealand, Father Hays visited China and Japan, and preached in Canada and the United States, bringing up his total number of pledges to 325,890. On the eve of his departure from the States, the Catholic Total Abstinence Union of America, which has a membership of 80,000, tendered him a public official reception in the Grand Opera House, Philadelphia, where the- Roman Catholic Bishop presided over a representative gathering of 5,000 citizens of all creeds. On arrival at Queenstown, Father Hays was the recipient of an address of welcome from the Roman Catholic temperance people in Ireland, while at Liverpool there was a great public reception on the landing stage. Two thousand persons were present, and these included soma of the leading public men in the city. Father Hays has expressed himself delighted with his visit to the colonies, and highly satisfied with its results. Repeatedly be has spoken of New Zealand as “the ideal country ” for settlement for the working man.