THE Waikato Independent. TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1907.

Waikato Independent, Volume V, Issue 327, 22 January 1907, Page 4

THE Waikato Independent. TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1907.

The alteration of the electoral boundaries is exciting keen opposition in some of the electorates, especially in the South Island. In this district the cutting-up process has been received with equanimity, apparently under the belief that Cambridge -will in the end benefit more materially than it did when it formed part of the Waikato electorate. "But," in the words of Kipling, " that is another story," and it is not our intention to refer further to it on this occasion. At the meeting of the .Representation Commissioners, at Christchurch on Friday, deputations from five electorates were present and voiced their grievances and no doubt, although it is not reported, a good many written objections to the proposed alterations were received. The objections voiced by the deputation were mainly in the direction that community of interest had been ignored, in altering the boundaries of their respective electorates. In the Geraldine electorate there is a distinct hardship, as the incorporation of the town of Geralddine with Ashburton, a No-License district, will wipe out the licenses of six hotelkeepers. It is a startling commentary on the justice of our laws that hotels can be wiped out of existence by a scratch of the penagain st the previously expressed wish of the majority as recorded at the poll. It is unfair from every point of view—from that of the electors, from that of the publicans and from that of the No-License' Party. The first two are self-evident, but the third is not so obvious.' For example, it is unfair to the No-License Party because the cases might be reversed. At any time part of a No-license area might be thrown into a License area, and probably this has already taken place. Now where the population has increased in such an area to a certain extent, the number of licenses may be increased by petition of electors, subject to the sanction of the licensing committee. Such a thing as turning the tables is therefore not only possible; but probable. But this is by the way. It appears that the Commission's order of reference expressly excludes licensing matters, and instructs them'to make population the basis of the readjustment of boundaries rather than consideration of community of interest. So that the injustice of the Geraldine alteration of boundaries, and the want of community of interest so much in evidence, are matters which our lawmakers are responsible for. It is also clear that if community of interest is to be ignored in altering boundaries of electorates, one of the chief reasons for their existence is destroyed, and the time is coming when the benefits of having single electorates will have to be reconsidered. In the face of the older of reference, as stated above, it is difficult to see what use there is in objecting to the alterations of electoral boundaries, or how the Commission can reconsider them.

The Borough Council will hold its monthly meeting on Thursday evening

A number of subscriptions were received yesterday hi aid of the Cambridge chiming-cloek fund. The amount promised so far tota's £'lsß 12s.

•Judge Edger has been relieved of the Under-Secretaryshii) of Native Affairs,

A test of the firebell hung recently at the corner of Victoria and Queen streets will be made during the week, so residents need not be perturbed when the bell is rung. To-morrow the Cambridge Co-operative Dairy Co. will rail fifteen tons of butter from their Hautapu factory to Thames, from which place it will be shipped to Auckland. This route has been selected owing to the dislocation of traffic on the Auckland-Waikato line. The North Island Boundary Commissioners have concluded their sittings to hear objections to the new electoral boundaries. No alteration has been made so far as Waikato is concerned in the boundaries as recently published, andthe new Tauranga electorate also remains the same. Two steel tapes, one measuring 300 ft., and the other 50ft., arrived at Auckland by the 'Frisco mail, from the U.S.S. Export and Product Co., to the order of Mr J. E. Pulton, the engineer for the high level bridge. The tapes will be used in connection with the fixing of'the measurements of the bridge. The return tennis match Cambridge v. Hamilton, will be played on Saturday afternoon. Play will commence immediately upon the arrival of the Hamilton team by brake at 2 p.m. The ladies of local Tennis Club are requested to provide afternoon tea. The following "will represent Cambridge :—Mrs Isherwood, Mrs Major, Miss Cox, Miss Wright, and Messrs L. Isherwood, C. P. Stone, Cox and-Payze. Representations have recently been made throughout the Thames Valley District to induce Mr J. A. Young, dentist, of Hamilton, to become a candidate for the new Tauranga electorate. Mr Young has been visiting Walton, Waharoa, and Matamata, on his way to Te Puke, Tauranga, and Katikati localities, so as to ascertain the feeling on the other side of the range, before giving his final reply. It is reported that Mr Allan Bell, of Hamilton, who is organising the Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Company, will contest the Waikato seat with Mr H. J. Greenslade, M.H.R. A smash-up occurred in Duke-street yesterday afternoon, as the result of a horse attached to a trap taking fright at a motor car driven by Mr H. Ferguson. The latter gentleman observing thab the horse was spirited, brought the car to a standstill in front of the Independent office. Immediately he pulled up, the horse became greatiy startled, and made a big bound on to the footpath. One side of the vehicle collided with the verandah post and was considerably damaged. Bystanders immediately unharnessed the animal and averted further disaster. The turnout was in charge of Mr Alf. Jane, of Cambridge West, who was transacting some business in a shop when the accident happened. Practically all lines south of Frankton are now open and the regular time-table from Frankton to Taumaranui, Cambridge, Rotorua, and Thames is being observed. The line is also now open as far north as Huntly, and the junction with the steamer service is being made at this point. The express service from Rotorua runs as far north as Huntly, but there is'no steamer connection with this service. It is not anticipated that the line will be open for through goods traffic from Auckland for at least a week, but goods can now be brought round via Paeroa. In regard to the arrival and departure of mails at the Cambridge post office, there has been no alteration in the ordinary time-table, except that the mails from Auckland are brought on here over-night. Yesterday's mail from Auckland reached Cambridge at 7.40 last evening.

Owing to the dislocation of railway traffic a bread famine was threatened in Hamilton on Saturday. Nearly all the bakers and storekeepers had made serious inroads on their stock of flour, and as far as is known, only two bakers had enough supplies to last for a week, and these were besieged by others anxious to beg, borrow or otherwise acquire some. The fact that many strangers were flood-bound in the town caused an unusual demand for bread, consequently the batches baked that morning were exhausted early in the afternoon, and in order to relieve the situation bread was baked and delivered on Sunday. Yesterday morning the matter was causing some anxiety, when the welcome announcement was made that railway communication had been established with the Thames, so that even should the Auckland line be blocked, flour can be shipped from town to Paeroa and thence railed to the Waikato —One Hamilton baker on Saturday was dismayed to find that the Eailway Department was returning to him several sacks of bread he had forwarded some days before to certain stations to the north. The bread had not passed Ngaruawhia and accumulated there until to stale for use. "Why spend money at Eotorua and other thermal springs when Ehkumo will quickly cure you of rheumatism, gout, sciatica or lumbago. Chemists and stores 2/6 and 4/6.

Valuable prizes for exhibits of dairy produce will be given at the winter show to be held in Auckland on May 22nd. A meeting of those interested in a winter show for the Waikato will be held in Hamilton this week. The following members of the Cambridge Fire Brigade have been requested to go into training for the Exhibition Demonstration at Christchurch in March: Branchman H. Plescher, Firemen E. Armer, F. D. Armer, B. Mullins, and Secretary C. Huge. A man named Neilsen was brought before Messrs' E. J. Wilkinson and J. Lundon, J's.P., yesterday, and charged with drunkenness, and also with damaging a window at the Criterion Hotel. The first charge was dismissed, but on the second charge defendant was fined 10s and ordered to pay costs 10s, in default 48 hours'. The other night a well-known Cambridge resident was invited by his wife to come out and look at the crescent moon. The lady said "Do you notice anything peculiar about it." He, after peering at the moon for some time, replied in the negative. She said, " Don't you see the shape of a cross on the moon ?" The gentleman looked again but failed to notice any cross. The wife, disgusted, remarked, " Well you must be blind." This constant reiteration in the end partially hypnotised the husband, who began to think he did see a miraculous cross on the moon, and commenting on the glory and wonder of it the husband and wife passed in doors. But, although his wife was delighted at her discovery, the husband was sceptical, so he went out again to investigate and no sign of the cross was to be seen ! He called out to his wife and asked her to look again. Once more she saw the sign of the cross. Then, being a practical man, he said " Put up your veil and look again." She did so, and 10, the sign of the cross had vanished. N.B. The illusion was caused by a spot on the lady's veil. And the husband chortles.