The Waikato Times.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1241, 12 June 1880, Page 2

The Waikato Times.

Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatever state or persuasion, religious or political. Here shall the Press the People's rijfht maintain, Unawed by influence and unbribed by gain.

SATURDAY, JUNE 12 t 1880.

We understand that it is the intention of the South Auckland Cattle Board to hold a meeting to-day for the purpose, we imagine, of taking into consideration the question of removing the present restrictions on certain parts of the district. We hope we are correct in surmising such to lie the case, as we are of opinion that the time has now arrived when the stringent measures adopted by the Board might with safety be relaxed. When the necessity for a repressive course existed, the Board could not have found any warmer seconders than ourselves and were the necessity again to arise, we trust that we shall be found pursuing a similar line of action. When, in the course of human events — to borrow a phrase from the celebrated Declaration of Independence — this necessity has ceased to exist, we think we are only doing our duty to the public in asking for the remission of restrictions which bear with severity upon the cattle owners which they affect. We wish it to be understood that our remarks have reference only to those places where the disease of pleuro pneumonia, if it ever did exist, has had ample time to develope, and has failed to show itself. In the' Cambridge Highway District there has not, so far as we know, been any appearance of the pleuro, and the same might be said regarding a largo portion, tf %>

Kirikiriroa District. In the Tamahere District there are certainly a few suspected native cattle, but as they have never advanced beyond the stage of suspicion we think little danger would result from declaring this district free also. But after all none of the settlers in these districts have suffered to anything like the extent that others have done. By simply getting a permit from the Inspector they have been able to drive their fat cattle to market, and have not been debarred the privilege of removing stock from one paddock to another, when the economy of the farm rendered such a disposition necessary. They have certainly been prevented from removing from one farm to another, or selling, store cattle, but this was the sum total of their disabilities, except perhaps that their stock has deteriorated in value, as it was only natural that it should. But in the other cases we have hinted at the hardship has been felt in its most oppressive aspect ; we mean in the cases of Messrs Burke and McNicol. Of course there can be no doubt that the disease did exist on the farm of the former at Te Awamutu, but beyond the fact that some cattle from his farm at Pukerimu were slaughtered and found to have diseased lungs, there is not a tittle of evidence to prove that the animals at that place have had pleuro. However strong Mr Burke may consider his claim for consideration to be, we look upon that of Mr McNicol as possessing far more potency. In the case of the latter there has really been no specific grounds upon which to base the action of the Board in retaining for such a length of time the restrictions imposed upon the cattle on his farm. We do not wish to blame anybody on account of the nature of the measures first taken ; we consider them to have been necessary : no amount of caution in reason could have been too much. But we think there has been a want of decision, or, what is much the same thing, a want of unanimity on the part of the Board when the time came for drawing a just conclusion on the merits of this particular case. Mr McNicol, we cannot help thinking, has been dealt with in an unduly harsh manner. Not only has he been prevented removing his cattle off the farm, which under the circumstances would not have been so bad, but he has been restrained from changing them from one part of the farm to another. The consequence is that owing to the unfavourable nature of the weather and the consequent scarcity of grass, the cattle have lowered in condition, while a splendid field of turnips intended for their winter fare is fast going to waste. We think that Mr McNicol is entitled to the favourable consideration of the Board, and we hope that at the meeting this morning such measures may be adopted as will fully meet the case. Whatever lapses the Board have been guilty of, they have always aimed at doing what they considered to be for the best for the whole district, and whatever may be the result of today's deliberations, we trust they will be guided by the same principle.

A movement is about to be made in Hamilton to set afoot a " Debating and Chess Club," and we hope it will meet with cordial support. While such an institution would provide the purest and healthiest recreation, it would not be altogether without practical utility, and it is on this account that we would recommend it. The present age is too utilitarian, too money getting, to permit of our engaging to any extent in amusements pure and simple ; we are so apt now-a-days to look everywhere for the practical, and to reject whatever to us seems devoid of this quality. It is a spirit to be deplored, but it is not our business to mourn over it. We ought rather to minister to it, with a view to turning it to the best account ; and the movement we allude to is, we think, a step in the right direction. There is a growing desire on the part of mankind to enter into the discussion of public affairs ; to become members of this and that public body, but the usefulness of this class in the present generation is marred — we are sorry to have to say it — by a want of education, which is equally observable in the Parliament of the colony and in the most insignificant Road Boards. We do not mean the education which enables a man to read his newspaper, or provides him with the means of checking his neighbor's dishonesty, but that rare kind, by and through which he is rendered capable of giving expression to his thoughts and sentiments, so that whatever good may be in them may have its due weight in the world. According to Pascal all our dignity consists in thought, and without, therefore, the ability to express ourselves, the most dignified portion of our nature remains hid. The rising generation, while it gives promise of being an improvement upon the reigning 'one in some things, has made no appreciable advance in the direction indicated above. So far as we are capable of judging our boys will never learn elocution in school ; they may imbibe a good deal of precocity, which is sometimes mistaken by fond parents for talent, but very little more. It is the youth and young men who, when they shall have had a fair grounding in the elements of knowledge, should be taken iv han.d> awl we rejoice fa

think that at length in Hamilton the subject is once more to be raised.

A few days ago, at the ordinary meeting, the members of the Waipa County Council discussed the subject of dividing the money which has accrued from the sale of Crown lands, and arrived at a determination to distribute a certain portion — about three-fourths — equally among all Highway Boards in the County. Cr. Wainwright had previously moved that the money should be expended in the district in which the land sold was situated, and this had been warmly supported by the other Rangiaohia member, Mr Cunningham. The argument of these two was simply this : That in their own particular district the Highway Board had for years been put to the expense of making and keeping in repair roads, which, for the greater part of their length run through Government land, upon which no rates were paid ; that now certain of these lands have been sold and 20 per cent, of the money received for them handed over to the County, this money ought in fairness to become the property of the Highway District referred to. On the other hand Cr. Germann, said that there were Crown lands in other districts which would shortly be brought to the hammer, and the farest way in all cases was to divide the money .equally among all districts. Each of these proposals would seem to breathe a spirit of fairness, but we think all the circumstances should have been narrowly examined before arriving at any conclusion, and the Council in judging the matter so hastily discovers a raischivous tendency to rush things through, to give sentence without hearing the evidence. The question as to how the proportion of the land fund returnable, under the present law, to Counties, shall be dealt with, is one demanding something more than the perfunctory discussion with which it was honored. If it could be shown that the extent of Crown lands was larger in some districts than in others, and that the Boards, as is alleged regarding the Rangiaohia Board, have been compelled to make roads through and along these lands, then such bodies clearly have a claim to so much of the fund as will cover the cost of making such roads. If, on the other hand, the amount of Crown land is of the same value or extent in all the Highway Districts and the present system of dealing with the fund accruing therefrom is likely to be perpetuated, then there can of course be no objection in the world to the decision which the Council have come to on the question. What we should like to have seen done, and what ouyht to have been done by the members of the Council, was to have thoroughly satisfied themselves upon these points. There could be no possible excuse for hurry — unless they were afraid the money would be spent upon, county works. The submission of the whole question to a committee would have elucidated the information which we consider it necessary to have obtained, and the resolution of the Council would then have rested upon the soundest foundation, and would not, as may now be the case, have to be reconsidered. This habit of hastily dealing with subjects of importance, and when the determinations so arrived at result in trouble or inconvenience rescinding them, is rapidly growing upon some of our local bodies. It is most pernicious in its effects, and should be carefully rooted out.

A telegram from Wellington informs us that the member for Waikato (Mr J. B. Whyte) on Thursday gave notice that in Committee he should move that — The following subscription be added to clause 74, Hospitals, &c., Charitable Institutions' Bill, " Alsoin cases where the settlers are unable to avail themselves of any existing hospital, and where the local bodies may desirt to establish one : and that, where a new district has not been declared, a sum equal to two pounds for every pound of grants by contributory local bodies, subscriptions, receipts, or donations received, may be paid during the first five years following the establishment of such an hospital." Mr Whyte's object is to give new hospitals a start in comparatively poor and sparcely populated districts. Not having yet received a draft of the proposed Bill, we are unable to enter into the merits of the case.