The Waikato Times. "OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA" TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1873.

Waikato Times, 7 January 1873, Page 2

The Waikato Times. "OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA" TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1873.

J)ukin«j the American civil. war the English Go- I vernnient appointed a ( Jommission to take evidence uud report us to the best placeb in the world lor tho growth of tho rotton plant. After taking very voluminous evidence, the) arrived at the conclusion tbat the Northern portion of the Islands of New Zt-alaud was peculiarly calculated to produce col.ton Tery successfully. Great ..care was taken by the Commissioners to obtain tho best possible information ; careftil enquiry was made as to the character-i-,tics of the best cot ton- bearing districts in America, the nature of the land, tho variation in the temperatme, average rainfall, average heat, &c. "When this was ascertained, they looked about the- world for the couutrh'R that naoßt nearly approached the gtundaid they bud set up for themselves. After cHrofully comparing- the meteorological statistics of the cotton districts of America with those of tlit Northern parb of tire North Island of this Colony, they arrived at the conclusion we have gi^en above. 'I ho übovo are facts well worthy tho attention of our settlers. The Colonists of New Zealand have always shown an antipathy to al tempting to grow any crops with which thoy wero not familiar in the old country. Deficiency of capital no doubi has Leu 1 th'" principal cjulc ( .'f this apparent vant <>f

entorjiriso. They bad not, as a rale, mouey to expend on experimental farming, or any industry which the experience of others had not taught them was tolerably certain to yiold, at any rate, ft moderate profit. The case is different now; capital is flowing into the country, and there are many wealthy colonists who are seeking employment for money. These men aro not afraid to risk a little for the sake of a prospective large profit ; and we believe that the growth of cotton would prove an investment of the description they require. We believe so because, in the first place : The Com. missiooers reported that it would grosv well hero ; in the second : if our first hypothesis is correct, a large piofit would ensue to every roan who entered into the busiues3, because cotton m one of the greatest profit-yielding crops that can be grown The return per acre averages iv America liom. £00 to JE32. We shall return to this subject after wo have collected the necessary facts as to the mode of planting, the seasons eu tube, <uid un^ other information that we can ascertain. We bhal! be thankful for communications on the subject from any person who bus had practical cxperieucd.

A thunderstorm passed orer a portion of this district jesterday. It wan particularly heavy in the neighbourhood i of Ngaruawalna. W e are glad tv relate that rain set in last night and promises to last for some time. Wet wa< very much wanted not only for the crops but also to make our two rivers naugable. Quick's coacli passed over on the punt at Ngaruawahia yeiterday for the first time. Unfortunately the punt and approaches are so constructed, that during the exceptionally low state of the river, it is impossible to drive on board, and biped labour had to be substituted for the ordinary motive power. We trust some steps will be taken to remedy the existing inconvenience. We notice by advertisement that Dr T. H. Goodsir is about to commence practice in the Waikato, also that his btad-quartcrs will be at Hamilton. We, of course, know nothing of the antecedents of this gentleman beyond tlio following from the Otago Times : " The ship Timaru was the cleanest that has entered this port for a length of time All the immigrants laided in good health ; no deaths occurred during the voyage, and tho sanitary condition of the ship reflects great credit on the medical officer, Dr T. H Goodsir." On Saturday Mr Shaw met with an accident of a serious nature while engaged with his machine, reaping Mr Burgess' wheat. It appears that Mr Shaw, who was on the machine, had his foot tightly strapped to the platform on which the btufF falls when cut, and one of the bolts got loose and came out letting it go free, dragging his leg back and throwing Jam out of his scat with hi» hands in front of the knife. The left hand got entangled and was considerably lacerated. ho much so, that it is not known whether he may not lose the use of some of his fingers. Had the horses not stopped almost instantaneously an accident of a very serious character ! would have to be lecorded. Wheat harvest is just begun here, (writes our Hamilton eorreipondent) and the grain as a rule is plump, while cropi will in most eases bo a good average. Oats as a rulo are a light crop, mere particularly thoso iate sow u. It is a fact getting more fully recognised each succeeding year that oats are as a rule a better crop if sown before August. The Evening Star of Saturday last, in support of a " wrong that neods lesistance," has an article on bohalf of the debtors in Mount Eden Gaol, and calls upon Mr Gillie?, who passes in the Southern provinces as the champion of th? debtors, to remo\e the stain from the province of making a traffic in the fee paid for tho debtors' maintenance — twelve shillings per week -and that actually incurred by the Government. Formetly tue amount v,\ia handed over to the debtor, to be expended by him as he thought fit ; but on the advent to olfice of Mr Gillies he, in keeping with many of his cheese-paring schemes, gave an order that prison rations wero to be supplied, anil the •utteuanco money paid to the authorities. There can be no question that an illegal act \h committed in thus appropriating tho money, and w e have little doubt that Sir George. Grey will givo a favourable ear to the memorul of the petitioners. We notice by our Auckland contemporaries that rather a singular accident happened to a publican named Galbniit' , who was btruck in the eye by a cork from a ginger beer bottle. Tho con' u^ion received at the time was not rc\ ere, l but it has since assumed such a serious a»pect a3 to luive | deprived him of sight of both eyes, and necessitated medical advice. The symptoms developed are of an alarming nature, the eyes beuitf much swollen, accompanied with pain and discoloration. The Right Rev Dr Cowie proceeds on a pastoral visit to Waikato next month. The weather in Auckland during the past week appears to have been intensely hot, the heat being almost unendurable except in the shade. Several cases of sun-stroke have occurred one of which, that of a boy eight years of ngc, unfortunately terminated fatally. Tho poor little fellow on Thursday morning last was playing in front of his father's shop when j he was taken ill, and lingered in an unconscious state until night, when he expired. The unsettled condition of the labouring classes of England culminating frequently in strikes and lock-outs, affords a capital opportunity to Emigration Agents to push the advantages to be obtained by emigration, and of which Dr Fcatherstono, Agent-Gerioral for the colony secnu to be fully aware. By the labt mail advices slate that he has secured 400 single and married men, chiefly agricultural labourers for New Zealand. Messrs Brogden also have secured another batch for their railw ay works The loss of the cutter Victoria is reported in tho Star. While tailing up the harbour with a cargo of firewood she « truck on a sunken rock on the shoal surrounding Bean Rock Lighthouse, and sustained injuries which induced tho captain at once to Hteer for the southern shore. Endeavours meanwhile wero made to keep tho water under, but it gained upon the vessel, and she suddenly filled while oil* Kohiniarama, and sank. The men had barely time to escape in the dingy as she went down. The cutter belonged to Mr Anthony Martin, and had only lutely undergone, considerable repairs. The following paragraph appeared lately in one of our local contemporaries "A f,ii'at deal has been said and written about sericulture, and the Colonial Government has paid, by votes of tho Legislature, a \ery considerable sum of monet to a gentleman uear Prison for the projytgution of the white mulberry, and tho rearing of silk worms; but wo fear the money has been wasted. At all events we arc aware that the money has been paid, and the result is~— m{. If tins Nelson experiment had been successful, doubtless the mulberry and silkworm would have been distributed over the colony, and been of great advantage to the ssttlers; but it has not succeeded." The Nelson Examiner contradicts the assertions in the following terms: — "The writer of the above is entirely wrong. The 'Nelson experiment' has sueeeejed. It has established beyond all doubt the two important fact*, that the mulberrj — the food of the silkworm, grows well m Ncl-on, and that the worms thrive lure and produce heavy cocoons of excellent quality of silk. The result of the expenditure of a couple of hundred pounds or so of public- money has bfou to introduce, and get planted out in nil paitsofthc province, some hundreds of mulberry trees, but beforo the industry can attain a condition to bo beneficially felt, two or three years more must elapse to enable tho trees to grow to such a size as to admit of their leaves being stripped. Until food can be grown in sufficient quantity, it is idle to roar large numbers of worn uto be btaned. The planting of mulberry trees has steadily progressed, and we hope will continue to progress in Nelson, and meantime experience mi tho business of sericulture w being obtained by tho^c who hereafter will be ablo to turn it to practical account. To complain of the want of any present result in sericulture ot a profitable character, is as senseless as it would bo to designate the planting of seedling apple trees, with a view to cider-making, a failure, because at the expiration of a couple of 3 ears no eider had been supplied for sale." We arc ple.i-od to hear («.»}« the Olago Dtrity Tnvs of a late date) that the experiment initiated by Mr Colman Burke of growing hops in this province i* likely to prove ■very hi^bl} successful. Mr Begg, who has charge of the plauloti'Mi, informs u- that the plant j which vcrc grown

from cuttings received from Nelson, hnrc, since the 24th of last September, gained a height of nn feet eight inches, and are now climbing the poles at the rato of three inches per daj. Mr Begg, who has a good deal of experience of the hop in Worceiteriliire, England, informs us that lie has never seen plants do better, and that although it 11 not usual to hare a crop until the second or third year, he has no doubt but these vine* will bear during the present season. To show the importance which hop-culture has attained m Tasmania, it inuy be mentioned that according to the agricultural returns published in the statistics of Tasmania, 652 acres were planted with hop vines in that year, and the value of hops exported had increased from £1)306 in 1857, to £26,230 in 1870, and £23,200 in 1871. The total Talue of. hop* imported into Now Zealand in 1871 was £21,468. Tho London Gazette it not generally considered says the City Press to be a humourous paper, but, from a journalist's point of view, it u irresistibly comic — except, indeed, when one wants to get together quickly all the announcements of a similar character, aud tlitm it is simply aggravating. There is but the smallest possible attempt at, classification, and if one Hunts to see, say, what firms have dissolved partnership, or hare become bankrupt, or whose affairs arc about to be submitted to tie 1 'lU'daLng process, one has to look through the whole of th.- txazette , for th>. >o notifications are scattered all oror the paper, and, appareuth to save trouble, a blank page is occasionally thrown m Would it be too tnuc'a to suggeit to the gentleman who u paid a very liberal salary for " editing" ('/ the Oasette that a little arrangement is a good tlnng, and that au oiticial journal, even though belonging to the Government, need not liccevjarily bo behind, m this respect, the meanest print issued by private enterprnc ? [Tne name remarks wjuld apply very well to our much lc->s important publication that flourishes under tno na'ua of tho ff. Z. Oa*ttte.—Eu. W. F.]