The Waikato Times. "OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 1873.

Waikato Times, Volume IV, Issue 197, 14 August 1873, Page 2

The Waikato Times. "OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 1873.

TS'o man who lias lived in any portion of her Maje>t)\s dominions will deny that the excessive drinking of intoxicating liquor is nearly, if not the gtcatest, evil of our day. This fact being admitted, we should admire the pertinacity of Mr Fox and his followers, if any good was likely to result from their efforts. They must bo perfectly aware, however, lh.it to get their Act passed is an impossibility. In the first place, hecuase there is too much money imesteil in the liquor trade and too many jM'oplc engaged in it ; >m<i m the second, because to allow two-Hurds of a p »pn!uhon arbitrary powers only to be eqnnlled hv the most; despotic governments, is contrary to the nature of the British public, excepting those only wlio, like Mr Fox, are carrie I nw.iy by their Iteou sense of the evils that arise fiom drinking. We may fairly venture the (.piri'on that not one of t\w*p persons who are H'lt-atin"- for a Permissive Mill would listen for n i oment to any nun who proposed tint the 'amp powor should be givui t) tw.> thirds of the people to interfere with the romiiind^r in any other matter ])uri'if» n rooput (Mnia <^i <\ sirr'ilar bill in the llou c p of ( 'omnions J\ir lit-rnal Osborne asked:

What would Us h.ud i( iwu-tiniu.s of n u niiiuunity being 1 Protestants objected to the Catholics citing fish ?" There is nothing so lidiculous that you cannot get up a body of men to propose it; for real faun-ties in liquor and religion seem equal to anything. Even in Ihe States of America, in which iho sale of intoxicating- drinks is absolutely prohibited by law, we arc told that in some cases us many as 300 different kinds of wine are to be found on the wine lists of the hotels. Wo tiust sincerely thnfc wo shall hear no more of a bill that can never become an Act, and if it did, could never be enforced. If Mr Fox would bring his ability and perseverance to bear to educate and find amusement for the people he would, without donbt, effect rouch good. Ignorance is, we believe, the primary cause of drunkenness. What can we expert for instance from the man who cannot read, bub that, after the labours of the day are over, he will go to the public house to converse* and associate with his on mis. Drnnkenuess is a disease that is gradua X brought on : no man becomes an? habitual dnmkaid in a year or two years. He has to pass thiongh several stages be lore ho comes to the state of that miserable being the dipso-maniac. Ignorance, however, is not the only cause ; want of reading rooms and rational amusement brings mony men under the dominion of strong drink. Every nian\ mind thirsts for excitement, and when not procurable in any other manner weak natures seek it in the public houses. 1 he money and energy that have been expended in the fruitless attempt- to get a bill such as- is asked through the house, would have provided many a reading Iroom, and ere this would doubtless have e&cted good. We should be inclined to go with the party if they would introduce a bill to confine habitual drunkards for two 3 ears at the very least in an asylum to be provided by the colony. We ieel confident that I his would not entail much if any cost ; the work of tlie inmates would more than pay the expenses of keep and attendance. If this course weie pursued many a family would be relieved from ninny tlays of misery, and eventually have leturned to them a reformed man or woman capable oi bec<m«ng a useful member of society, in place of being an animal several degrees lower than those we usually call beasts.

We (Cross) hine leeeived fiom MrE. lloskin, of Waiuku, another*proof of the rapid extension of manufacturing industries m our midst. In former times all tho corn brooms u-pd here were imported from Amencn. In the future tin 9 import will, in nil piobabihty, soon cia^e. Lust jeur ill* grew about ono and a-linlf acres of millet or broom corn. Some of it did not tio very well, but upon tbo whole he obtained what he considered a satisfactory return. That area of ground produced nearly a ton of well-ripened seed, .iv>d tli» btimw Inw been manulactured into broom*. He has the necessary machinery for turmng; handles, &c, fitted up upon his premises. By this about 30 dozen handles can bo niiidu m a day,, and the mounting of four dozen brooms can be accomplished by himself nnd alal in eight hours. From Ins acre and a-half he obtained sufficient straw to manufacture 55 dozen brooms, all of which have been sold. The other day he brought 44. dozen into town, all of which were purchased by Messrs T. andS. Mornn at satisfactory prices. Mr Moskin is feeding his pigs, horses, and poultry with, the millet seed, and finds it very useful for that purpose. During the coming season he intends to put in a considerable breadth ot millet crop, and if neighboring settlers would also grow lenia amd sell their straw to Mr Hoskms in a very short time he would be able to provide the Auekhukl mavkct with a full supply of brooms. It is also aatisfactoiy to know that some of our leading merchants are thus encouraging local efforts to supply our own wants,, purchasing the articles produced in a wholesale manner at satisfactory prices from the manufacturer. Even this practice generally carried out by all our merchants much good would result, and tho struggling industries of to-day would soon becomo large and important manufacturing establishments. Efforts are being made in Auckland to establish a reformatory for juveniles. Great credit i« due to those who have taken (he matter in hand, and we with that success will result from their efforts. It is of the most vital importance 4 bat juvenile criminals should if possible be brought to a tense of the error of their ways by other means than incarceration in the common gaol. The majority of people refrain from prosecuting juvenile criminals from the knowledge that if they are consigned to one of our gaols they are nearly certain to come cut confirmed criminals instead of repentant children. Tv« »e*ult#"of the recent examinations- for the New Zealand University scholarships have become known. The candidates were 20 ; but only three attained to the standaid qualifying them for holding a scholarship. Of the three successful applicants two are pupils of Christ's College, Christchuich, and one of Nelson College. The scholarships aw aided are each of the value of £45 a-year, the £70 seholai ships being withheld for want of qualified candidates. It is rumored that the Auckland candidates were placed in the lowest purt of tlie list, and that they were considered to be especially deficient in mathematical attainments. We should be very glad to bo put in a position to enable us to contradict such statements. The examinations weie held simultaneously in the various parts of the colony by means of papers transmitted from Wellington. — Cross. Tho Napier Telegraph says : — "The reward offered by tho Provincial Government for the destruction of hawks has resulted in the capture and death of 993 birds, during the year ending *30th June, last. The reward first offered was 5s a, dozen, or 5d per head, but for that sum few persons were found who would take the trouble to kill a hawk, the price was therefore raised to one shilling per pair of feet — the feet being more easily preserved than heads— and then no hank win safe; us mnny as 333 were brought into the TrcaMiry office in one day. I) ashmen and shepherds amuse themselves in snaring, poisoning, and shooting these hawks, the feet are cut off nnd dried in I he sun, and when sufficient numbers, to mako it worth while, are accumulated, they are forwarded to tho Provincial Treasurer to bo converted into a cheque. We hcKr that there is a marked diminution in the number of hawks 1% those districts in which they formerly n bounded ; probably, many hare flown to havens of rest whore foreign birds are not protected." — We trust that our provincial authorities will act upon the above suggestion ; the hawks in this district being very destructive. The Olar/o Daily Times in an article on railway construction says :—": — " Tho fact is — nnd there is no use in disguising it— if our partnership with the North Island continues, we shall spend every shilling we can gel 'so long as the credit of the colony lus.ts.' It is na question of utility or reproduclivcness, but simply of expenditure in subserviency to the imperious demands of party strife and tho neccssitiei of political power. Let us get n stendy stream of immigration, aud let us get rid of tho incubus of t ho North Island province*, and there will be nothing, almost, wllicil Will retard the rapid progress which is now being made by the Middle Island." Messrs W. & Or. Heslop have sold their thoroughbred horse Ake Ake to Mr M'Gce, of Auckland, for the sum of ono hundred guir,ei<-. Mr McGe>, we (Napier Telegraph), understand, intends to tako hit valuable purchase overland. While wo congratulate the purchaser upon his bargain, we cannot but deplore the loss tnis province sustains by the side. Ake Ake is a sure foal getter, and a well brod horse ; lie leaves some splendid young stock behind, of which tho public will probably hear more hliouKl our annual race meetings ever be revived.