The Waikato Argus, [PUBLISHED DAILY.] A Guaranteed Circulation of over 8500 Weekly. FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 1911.

Waikato Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 4773, 11 August 1911, Page 2

The Waikato Argus, [PUBLISHED DAILY.] A Guaranteed Circulation of over 8500 Weekly. FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 1911.

The people of this Dominion have become so accustomed to hearing extraordinary proposals and opinions from the mouths of those who claim to belong to the great Liberal party that they are almost past being astonished, no matter how imprac" ticable or silly they may be. The latest, however, by Mr McGowan, who is for the time being the representative of the Administration in the Legislative Council, is calculated to he the proverbial exception to the rule we have laid down. Speaking to the Address-in-Reply, in dealing with the land question, he is reported to have said: “Every farmer should be compelled to set aside a portion of land for the use of the man, and that should go against his wages. A man, if he had a family and secured an interest in the land, would work that land to the best advantage. If a man were employed, say, for live years, it would he no hardship to give him a portion of that land.” Wc take it that the owner of the land would strongly object to any such compulsion, more particularly if the area were limited and he had children whom he wished to follow in his footsteps. Such a law would, under these conditions, rob the sons of their birthright to which they, in most cases, would have done their share tn create. In the case of a man employing more than one man does Mr McGowan suggests that, if they stopped fur live years in his service, each shoiffd claim a slice, We opine nothing of tme sort would happen; the owner of the land, no matter how much he valued his man’s services, would cease to employ him before the term giving compulsory partition was reached. Mr McGowan does not suggest that a farmer should he compelled to em ploy the man in order to confer a right to a section of the property. It is one of the principal articles of faith of the political party to which Mr McGowan belongs that the rights of a landowner are to he restricted to the utmost. One of Mr McGowan s political predecessors termed landowners “social pests.” and the Liberal party, as it claims to be, is prepared to act on any and every occasion as if the saying expressed an axiom. Mr McGowan’s suggestion is in keeping with their policy, hut it is a little more silly and glaringly unjust than has been customary since the leasehold flag was struck.

The Hamilton Library Committee contemplate some improvements which include the laying down of linoleum in the book room at a cost of £27. The council last night voted a sum of £l2 towards the work. Mr T. Samson, late of Tuhikarameu, and now of Bulla. Rangitikei, has just forwarded and liberated on the Hamilton Lake two black swans. At a meeting of the Borough Council last evening, on the motion of the Mayor, the clerk was instructed to convey the beat thanks of the council for the gift. The Hamilton Borough Council are apparently in deadly earnest regarding their determination to open a quarry of their own, owing to the uncertainty of the supplies of limestone from Te Kuiti. At last night’s meeting several samples of metal were produced from various sources, and it was decided that the council as a whole visit the different sites to investigate mutters. A Hamilton tradesman put in an application last evening to be allowed to erect a hanging signboard in Victoria street. The council did not see any valid reason why he should he treated any differently to any of the other business men, hut it was decided to inform him that a bylaw was being framed to provide for the removal of all such signboards. The only impediment in the way was the law's delay, and while this was being removed he might take advantage of the privilege.

A system of electing all members of education boards by the direct vote of the people, which was urged upon the Government by Mr McLaren. Wellington East, has been described by the Minister fur Education as

“virtually impracticable.” Mr Fuwlds has explained that as the boundaries of education districts and school districts do not coincide with those of boroughs or uf electoral districts special rolls would have to he prepared each year, so that the cost of the elections might be as much us £IO.OOO to £12,000 a year.

The public appreciation of moving picture entertainments is growing, and while the promoters of this form of entertainment continue to provide the class of programme such as was screened lust night by the People’s Picture Company at the Volunteer Hull they cun rest assured of the continued support of the public. A good house greeted the company and frequent applause marked the audience’s appreciation. Tonight the same programme will be presented fur the last lime, and tomorrow afternoon at the matinee and to-morrow night the new programme will be presented.

The position regarding the claims made by Maori war veterans, and recently investigated by stipendiary magistrates has been explained by the Hon. G. Fowlds. He states that the majority of the recommendations from the magistrates have reached the Government, and are being classified. Claims for the New Zealand war medals to the number of 70 have been allowed and medals issued. A number of veterans petitioned Parliament for a special military pension of 10s per week in lieu of the pen-

sion under the Old Age Pensions Act, but the Government was unable to entertain the proposal. The provision of hoarding establishments in connection with secondary schools meets with the hearty approval of the Minister for Education. His answer to a question on the

suoject by Mr Taylor, Thames, embodies an expression of his opinion that every secondary school which has a considerable area of agricultural or pastoral land around it should have recognised hoarding houses where the pupils could be lodged under proper supervision at reasonable rates. The Minister suggests that the system of boarding scholarships given by the secondary schools might be extended. lie estimates that the number of qualified country pupils left unprovided for would not be greater than 150, and the cost of providing board scholarships would not exceed £6OOO a year. At last night’s meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council Messrs G. E. Clarke and Sons asked for permission to put in a weighbridge in a right-of-way adjoining their premises. They proposed to allow it to be used by the public at a small figure. Cr Burton said he was glad this matter had come up, as for some years he had been advocating a municipal weighbridge, which should be iii the main street. They should have had one years ago. With a weighbridge a man who bought a ton of coal, a ton of chalf or a cord of firewood knew that he was paying for exactly what he got—not for what he didn’t get. He had no objection to permission being given to Messrs Cl irk and Sons to put in a weighbridge for themselves, but the

council should certainly loao no time in installing one. The Mayor and other councillors took a similar view, and the works committee were empowered to interview the applicants upon the question of site.

There will be u celebration ot the holy communion at St. Paul's, Whatawhata, at 11 a.m.. on Sunday, The Acting - Post mas ter-General has informed Mr W. H. Herries that plans and specifications for the new post oflico at Matarnata have been prepared, and the question of inviting tenders is’ under consideration. Instructions have also been issued to prepare plans and specifications for the new post office at Waihou. and when these are ready the question of inviting lenders for the building will he considered.

The executive of South Canterbury Farmers’ Union, recently, decided to reply to the Farm Labourers’ Unions request for a conference on its demands, that, not being an industrial union, the Union could not do so, hut would be glad to consider grievances if these were stated. A committee was set up to report on the question of introducing immigration of domestics for country homes. It was decided to affiliate with the Employers' Federation.

According to the Buenos Ayres Standard, cattle in the south of Santa Fe and the north of Buenos Ayres have been dying from some unknown disease, and veterinary authorities from the Ministry of Agriculture have been deputed to investigate the nature of the malady. The mortality among cattle and sheep caused by the great inundation recently noticed appears to have been very heavy, though the extent of it was not known when the last mail left.

A settler residing in the vicinity, informed a Wairurapa Daily Times r, porter recently, that the (lie which swept along the lower Tnrarua ranges about three years ago, and caused what was at the time considered a large amount of damage, has proved an unmixed blessing in the long run, and has, in his case, at any rate, increased the value of property to a surprising degree by clearing it of logs, scrub, weeds, etc. The country is now being utilised for dairying purposes, and has been found to he splendid grazing land for dairy cuttle.

Mr VV. H. Herrica, member for Tauranga, has been informed by the Minister for Public Works that as regards the item “Kakepuku Improved Farms Settlement (£800),” authority for this expenditure has been issued to the District Engineer gome months ago, and at present about £2OO of the amount has been expended, and contracts for the expenditure uf the balance are now in progress. Regarding the item “Kakepuku (£230),” the authority for this expenditure is in the hands of the district engineer, and 1 am informed that the work is in hand. As regards the itemi “ Bunin Bridge (£150),” authority for the expenditure of this money was offered to the local authority some time ago,but, so far, no proposals for its expenditure have been made, and the local body will he notified that the authority will he cancelled and issued to the Government engineer.

The frigorifico on the Venezuelan coast is closed down for a couple of months for enlargement. So far, foi (nightly shipments have been made by the mail steamers, 250 tons of meat per boat. The beef is small and not well adapted for London, though some is sent there from Southampton, where it is landed; the beef goes chiefly to Manchester. Liverpool and Glasgow, and Italy and Switzerland have been customers for it, as the grades for weight and quality suit that trade. This Venezuelan beef is palatable, sound stuff, but it does not recommend itself to the retailers accustomed to handle large fat beef, and its appearance is not in its favour. The present price for Venezuelan beef is Is 9d a stone, sides. Evidently the cattle will have to he improved before much will conn) of this venture. Of more than average interest to stockbreeders in the United King dora, is the announcement that a new market may, in the near future, be opened up for pedigree cattle in Rhodesia, the great territory at present awaiting that development which its founder, Mr Cecil Rhodes, foresaw for it. Cattle there are in plenty in Rhodesia, but they are of the usual native type, and of little use, except as a foundation, until improvement baa been effected by the introduction of new blood. The fanners are keen to commence this grading-up process, but they have always found great* difficulty in obtaining the bulla necessary for the purpose. But the British South Africa Company has just now come to their assistance, and has just despatched the largest consignment of Shorthorn, Hereford, and Sussex hulls ever shipped to that region. These will be distributed amongst the farmers at cost price, and are hound to he hailed by them with delight. The consignment numbered 62. and all were bulla hut two.

“One day in lust April,” says a writer in i!:e Magazine of Natural History. “I observed a young lamb entangled among the briars. It bad struggled for liberty till it was exhausted The mother then attempted to release it, both with her head and her feet, hut all in vain. Finding the task was too much for her, she turned round and ran away, bua-ing with all her might. She went across two or three fields and through their hedges, till she came to a flock of sheep. In about live minutes sne returned, bringing with her a large ram, whose horns gave just the help that was wanted. They went together to the poor lamb, and the ram immediately set about the work of releasing it, dragging away the briars with his horns.” Sheepowners in New Zealand would, no doubt, like to sea a similar trait developed in their sheep, in order that animals tangled up in “lawyers” might he freed. Such a trait, on the other hand, might lead to there being more victims when it came to tackling the tenacious “lawyer.”

“Mr Shelton, representing Mr Lysnar’s producers' committee, has

arrived,” says the London correspondent of the “ Pastoralists’ Review,” "and has taken an office at 14 King street, West Smilhiield. He has started on his engagement by looking round Smilhiield purlieus. Ur. Robinson, representing the associated meat companies of the North Island - those concerns that have no London office—will sail for New Zealand in the autumn to confer with his principals. I presume that the mission of both these gentlemen is to look into matters with the object of seeing if anything cun be done to minimise the damage that may take place between the discharge of meat from the vessels and its arrival at the retailers’ shops. By the way, would it not he desirable and convenient, in order to make their inquiries as effective as possible, for these two gentlemen t > work together? Their great difficulty lies in the fact that New Zealand meat arriving here is mostly the properly of English buyers, who, when they take up their bills of lading, of course, do with the meat what they like. Shipowners, storekeepers and niarketrnen take their instructions from the owners of the meat. The two gentlemen referred to will have to exercise a great deal of tact and diplomacy in order to carry out their mission successfully. ihere some problems have been tackled many times. Mr IL C. Cameron, New Zealand Produce Commissioner, reported over ten years ago on most of the points in the frozen produce trade on which friction takes place, and the New Zealand Agricultural bureaux must be full of his reports and recommendations. The position is infinitely better now than it was then; the vessels were very imperfect in carrying meat in those days, 1 remember one case wherein the stevedores had to separate the sheep with pickaxes. There had been a leakage on the mutton, which was refrozen into a solid mass.”

TIT BITS ! Little Bits left over must be sold. Bits of Lace, Ribbon, Trimmings, Dresses, Blousings, Silks, Velveteens, etc., etc., at less than half-price, some at exactly half-price, and seme at 23 per tent, off usual price. GEORGE COURT’S Last Two Weeks of the Sale at Hamilton.

The territorials'' registered to August 5 number 28,325. and senior cadets 30,164, besides which there are 2862 territorials over 21 who desire to continue to serve. A few registi aliens are still being made.

As compared with October, 1908, the agricultural general census is as follows, the 1908 figures being given last - Horses, 404,281-363,259; cattle. 2,020,171-1,773,326; pigs. 348,754-245,092; sheep, 23,754,58524,269,620.

A large number of ladies interested in the hoy scout movement met at Frankton Junction on Wednesday afternoon. It was decided to do all in their power to assist at the forthcoming bazaar, and to hold regular guild meetings, commencing next week.

Dr. Rogers delivered his third lecture of the series to the Frankton Railway Ambulance Class last evening, taking as his subject “Hemorrhage, burns, scalds, etc.” There was an excellent attendance, and the lecturer was attentively listened to. A number of questions were asked and answered.

A meeting of the Frankton Bowling Club was held last evening, when there was a fair attendance of members. Various matters in connection with the club were discussed. Messrs Bull, McKenzie and Hackett were appointed a green committee, and were directed to go into the question of the appointment of a caretaker and to report at next meeting. It was decided to hold a social on Friday, Ist September, and a committee was appointed to make the necessary arrangements.

The fillowing analysis of a sample of New Zealand grown timothy recently offered for sale and examined by the biologist gives a good indication of how noxious weeds may be spread through the use of impure seed (says the New Zealand Times.) The sample contained by numbers 5.7 per cent, of seeds other than timothy. They consist of:—(1) Ragwort; (2) mouse-eared chick weed; (3) Yorkshire fog; (4) smooth stalked meadow grass; (5) curled dock; (6) sow thistle; (7) Californian thistle. If the sample were a true index of the bulk, Ilb of the latter would contain the following impurities by number:

Ragwort, 41,374 seeds; Yorkshire fog, 9513 seeds: chickvveed, 9060 seeds; smooth stalked meadow grass, 2416 seeds; dock, 453 seeds; sow thistle. 453 seeds; Californian thistle. 151 seeds; total, 63,430 seeds.

Sheep and sheep country are evidently cheaper in North Queensland than in any other part of the colonies. Some buyers have plunged in to close for shorn two-tooth wethers at 7s fid, and some ewes offered at is to 5s off shears have been snapped, and one big line (38,000) off Elderslie were brought by the C.Q.M.E. Company. So far the northern factories have not offered for wethers. Good fleecy wethers of 501b sell readily at 12s to 13s to butchers. Good breed ing ewes cannot be bought under 7s to Bs. Of course there are lines of gummy stuff that no one wants, and if by a chance a trader makes an offer, he's always afraid he’s going to get them. There are new holdings opening up all the time to abort) decent ewes and young sheep. The Lands Office works hard to make land available, and very soon there will he choice areas open. It may be doubted if any country offers a better chance for young men with stock knowledge and a taste that way than North Queensland does at the present time, writes the “Pastoralists’ Review’s” correspondent. From much of our country, where rents run from Jd to 2d per acre, the wool returns reach 12d to 13d, and the capacity is often up to a sheep to 1J acre. More particularly is this the case on the eastern and high portions of the sheep lands. This month the Government threw open for lease big areas of this so-called “desert”—of ill-fame, for poison bush, in the past - but it is really proving excellent woolgrowing country. One of the best blocks, known as Moocha, realised 24s per mile for 142 miles. This fronts the railway and is within 160 miles of the port of Townsville.

F. Currie, Hamilton—Farms for sale. General help wanted.

Tenders fur carriage of cream Waikato Co-operative Dairy Association. Land Transfer Act notice. Rethybridge and Few—Tomorrow’s sale entries. King and Co —Tree and general ale tomorrow.