Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1321, 16 December 1880, Page 2

Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

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

THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 1880.

The Borough Council of Hamilton have during the past twelve months played about as many fantastic tricks as could possibly lie within the range of any similar body of men similarly circumstanced. We need not enter upon a retrospect of the farces which have been acted, of the jack-in-the-box tricks which have been played, during the past year ; to do so would be neither profitable nor pleasant, and all who have an interest in the welfare of the town have reasons all too painful to keep them in remembrance. But we cannot pass by the latest grotesque exhibition which a section of the Councillors had made without expressing our strongest disapprobation of their conduct. We have from time to time noticed some of their peculiarities, but we have overlooked a great many more. Extraordinary as many of them have been in their way, it remained for yesterday to see them entirely eclipsed. It will be fresh in the recollection of our Hamilton readers that Councillor Knox was, a few days ago, elected to fill the office of Mayor for the ensuing year. Yesterday was the day upon which he was to have been installed ; our local columns will afford a concise account of what happened. Out of eight Councillors in town, only three attended at noon, and only four at seven o'clock, His Worship, the retiring Mayor, failing to attend at the latter hour. Of course, it is possible that business, ill-health, and a hundred other things might have kept Councillors away, did we not know that these reasons had nothing at all to do with the case, and the guiding principle was antipathy towards the citizen who has been unaifimously elected to the office of Mayor by the Burgesses. How long this little game of hide-and-seek can hold out, we do not know, but, as like many other pastimes, it is one at which two can play, it is probable it may last a considerable time. But if the ratepayers are going to stand idly by and see it, then they are a more patient class than we have ever given them credit for being. Such a childish display of wantonness we have never before witnessed, and we hope such a culpable disregard of manliness will not go unrewarded.

Chief Inspector Lewis and Intpector Shag), have just concluded a second inspection of the cattle on the Waikato Land Associations Property, and have found everything in a satisfactory state. i

The Native Minister may be expected to come to Auckland shortly.

The Tauranga people claim that some of the most promising reefs at Te Aroha are in the Tauranga county, and are taking steps to claim their share of the gold revenue. The summit of Te Aroha mountain is the meeting point of the boundary lines of three counties, so i that, unless a change is made, there will be some difficulty in apportioning any revenue which may arise on the new goldfield.

The " Bay of Plenty Times" states that Captain Morris, late M.H.R. for the East Coast, has been articled to Mr. 0. M. Quintal, solicitor.

At the R.M. Court, Ngaruawama, on Tuesday, before H. W. Northcroft Esq., R.M., judgment for the plaintiff with costs was given in the following civil cases : — Friar and Davies, v. Moore, olaim£3 14s 6d; Gilmour md Co., v. Geodwin, claim £1 15s 3d.

Master T. Dawson, eldest son of Captain Dawson, met with rather a nasty accident on Monday evening. He and Master Gwynne were carrying a tin of fruit between them on horseback, when the former' 8 horse shied, the weight of the tin drawing him off, and causing a fracture of the wrist. The injury waB promptly attended to by Dr. Sandes, and uo danger is apprehended.

An active canvass is just now being made in Cambridge with the view of securing support for a rival steamboat about to commence plying between Cambridge and the lower Waikato. The parties interested appear well satisfied with the encouragement thny am getting.

Complaints are frequently and [ very justly made of the useless nature of much that is taught in our national schools. Wo question very much \\ licthci* Mr Squecrs, ot Dotheboya flail, had not a batter knowledge of what Mas necessity to the social \\ ell-doing of his pupils than some of the .Education Boards of to-day. The practical application of the knowledge from spelling such words as "winder" and garden, by an adjournment to clean the one and weed the other, would certainly be as productive of good as the solution of the following problems set to the candidates for scholarships by a certain New Zealand Education Board : — Make a list of the New Zealand lakes, giving the locality of each. Account, if you <«», for the absence of taken in other districts ! What are the chief circumstances which influence climate? (jive an illustration of the force of each, using a New Zealand illustration when yon can ? The following notification frequently appears in the papers : — 'The time-ball may be used to-day for rating ships' chronometers. A chronometer, true on Greenwich time, would show 12 hours 30 minutes when the ball drops.' Explain this fully ? A merchant wishes to bottle off 15gals. T.Vpts. of sherry, 29£ gals, port, and ldgals. lpt. of claret into equal sized bottles ; what is the largest sized bottle he can employ to exactly measure the whole ?"

There is an excellent opening just now for au enterprising man in Hamilton. The tonsorial artist who for many years past has ministered to the polls of Hamilton aristocrats, seized with the now almost universal passion for gold, has taken up his bed and gone to the diggings. Thus, unless some benignant being deigns to take up the task, the citizens of the Waikato borough will go about unkempt and unshaven, objects for the derision of their neighbors, and of the pity of their friends.

It appears "says our Taranaki contemporary " that the Te Namu lmirderer is to plead "not guilty," and that he is to be defended by a lawyer paid by the Government, who, no doubt, will do his best to earn his fee by endeavouring to prove that when the cowardly crime was committed the prisoner was not responsible for his acts. Such a plea scarcely requires consideration, and we do not propose to seriously discuss it. But the procedure of pleading not guilty, advisedly, of course, and the defence by one lawyer paid by the Colony, and the prosecution by another Lawyer, also paid by the Colony, appears on tha face of it, after a deliberate confession of guilt, somewhat incomprehensible to all persons who are not initiated into the mysteries of the learned profession. Tuhiata has been tried by the Coroner's Court, the Grand Jury of the Supreme Court, and •will be tried finally by the Petty Jury. The prisoner might well exclaim " Why all this fuss ; I did the deed, kill me as payment and have done with it." But we must proceed more deliberately than that. Wnile in gaol onr officers will carefully watch that no injury is done him by himself or others. We will not take the slightest notice of his confession of guilt, we will do our best to convict him by circumstantial evidence, and at the same time do all we can to prove that he ought not to suffer the penalty of the crime. The miserably ignorant prisoner would gladly snbmit to a more summary process, but no, the ancient formula of the law must be gone through, the natives will be impressed with our sense of justice, and our unshaken deliberation in arriving at a verdict according to evidence; the Majesty of the law will have been duly upheld, and the profession will t not go empty away.

At the R.M. Court yesterday, before H. W. Northcroft, Esq., J. D. Wiokham was charged on the information of the police with furious riding over the Hamilton bridge and through certain streets in the Borough ; also with a breach of the Borough By-laws in riding over the bridge at other than a walkingpace.—Sergeant McGovern prosecuted, and the defendant was represented by Mr O'Neill, who pleaded guilty. — The Bench inflicted a fine of 10s and coats on the firbt charge ; the second charge was dismissed with a caution, defendant to pay costs, 9s. — The following civil cases were disposed of: — B. and J. Coleman v. Gr. Green, claim £9 0s 7d. — Judgment for plaintiff and costs, to pay £1 per month ; K. K. Davis v. H. Ray, amount £1 3s 2d. Plaintiff was nonsuited.

The usual monthly meeting of the Cambridge Town Board was held in the Board's office on Tuesday. Present: — Messrs J. P. Campbell (chairman), Pearson, "Wells, and Johnston. — The Chairman reported that the GoYerument subsidy, amounting to £107 4s 2d, had been lodged in the Bank of New Zealand to the credit of the Board. — On the application of Mr Raynes, permission was granted for erection of horse posts in frout of the National Hotel, posts to be made from 6awn timber and painted white. — It was resolved that intimation be given to ratepayers, by advertisement in the various newspapers circulating in the district, that proceedings -were about to be taken for recovery of rates still unpaid. — On the application of Messrs Thomas and Graham, an extension of time was granted for completion of their Vic-toria-street contract. — It -was also resolved that the Boaid defray one-fourth of the cost incurred for checking the Domain survey.

The Bishop of Auckland repeated his lecture on Afghanistan in the Public Hall, Cambridge, on Monday evening, the proceeds being devoted in aid of the building fund of the local church. The lecture was listened to with deep interest, and was greeted with repeated applause. Major Wilson presided, and at the close of the proceedings a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the lecturer.

In consequence of other engagements, the monthly meeting of the Farmers' Club, fixed for Monday evening at Cambridge, wan postponed. Mr G. E. Clark had arranged to read a paper on the culture of the turnip crop. The paper in question, which deals with a subject of considerable importance to the agriculture interest of this locality, will be read and discussed at the next meeting of the Club. Only ten members put in an appearance at the meeting. At the Police Court, Hamilton, on Tuesday, two inebriates were brought uj and dealt with in the usual way.

The examination of the children attending the Hamilton East school took place on Tuesday and yesterday, and the distribution of prizes will be made at the entertainment to be given at the school this evening. The examiners were the Rev, Mr Fulton. Messr* Cumming, Yon Stunner, Gelling, and Smith, and the testa put to the children were more or less severe in all classes. The results are on the whole very satisfactory. In writing and transcription great proficiency was shown both in the higher and lower standards, while in the other branches the children gave evidence of having received careful instruction. Every assistance v, as rendered to the examiners by Mr and Mrs Field and Miss Hauton the teacher. The concert to take place this evening will consist of singing and rectitation, the children adults will be charged one shilling for admission ; children attending the school will be admitted free.

At the Quarterly Licensing Court Ngaruawahia on Tuesday a transfer of the Railway Hotel Rangirin, from Mr Quick to Mr Oibßon, was granted.

An entertainment will be given iaije Quesne's Hall this evening by the Bijou Minstrels— a company of -lauiilton amateurs, and, so far as we can gather from a perusal of the published programme, a good evening's amusement will be afforded. The entertainment will take the foim of the " Christy Minstrels, '' and will include comic and sentimental songs, negro dances, and farces. The musical arrangements will be under the direction of Mr Bell. At the conclusion of the performance, the hall will be cleared, and holders of front seat tickets will be admitted to a select dance. The proceeds of the entertainment will be given in aid of the Catholic Church Fund.

Yesterday, the 15th, was the day appointed for the an mill meeting of the Hamilton Borough Bounril, and the installation of the Mayor-elect. At the hour appointed, noon, a number of the bnrgesses were present, together with the following members of the Council : — The Mayor (Mr Beale), Crs. Knox, (3\fay/irelect), Hill, and McG-arrigle. After waiting for half an hour no other Crs. put in an appearance, and on the motion of Cr, Knox an adjournment was made till 7 p.m. Those preaent, at the invitation of the incoming Mayor, then partook of refreBhmerts. At 7 o'clock only Crs. Hill and Knox turned up, Cr. McGarrigle coming about half an hour later, followed shortly afterwards by Cr. Peat, who had been prevented by his business engagements from attending at midday* No other Councillor appeariug, the Council was again, on the motion of Cr. Knox, adjourned till noon to-day. Tenders are invited by H. J. Paten, Esq., for clearing 1 100 acres of ti-trce land at Hautapu. A medical officer is wanted for tha "VVaikato Hranch Hibrnian-Australasian Catholic Benefit Society.

Mr J. S. Backhand will hold a special sale at Kihikihi, on Wednesday ne\t, at Andersons Hotel, of 8,000 feet lirst-class sawn timber.

Mr J. Buckland will sell 500 puriri posts and a quantity of timber, coriugatcd iron, &c, at Te Awamutu, on Monday.

Mr H. Smith, fruiter, of Hamilton, has opened a general store at Te Aroha, and announces through our advertising columns that he has a dining-room in connection with it, where good meals can be obtained at all hours. He solicits the patronage of hh Waikato friends.

Mr F. J. Lawrence, well-known to our Cambridge readers, has started a boarding-house at Te Aroha, and is doing a large business, which he well des>cn es both for moderate terms and quality of refreshments .supplied.

We beg to draw attention to the advertisement of Messrs Farrell Jiros., builders, To Aroh.'i. This firm is well known .it the Th.imcs for their faithful and workmanlike manner of executing contracts, and are already doing a large business on the new township, o\ex 20 men being employed. They advertise all kinds ot builders' material on hand. The new pure cash system now being initiated by G. and C. will certainly pro\c a benefit to the public. It has been a great success in Sydney and Melbourne, <md when strictly carried out the customer who buys at an establishment where the goods are marked low to ensure a rapid sale must be a great gainer. G. and C. sell their drapery millinary, and clothing at such prices for cash as gives the buyer the advantages of a .shareholder in a co-oper.iti%*e society, without the risk of being called upon to bear a portion of thelossshould the year's business pro\c unsatisfactory. Garlick and Cr.mwell will aim to retain the confidence which the public ha\e hitherto shown them, and are determined to give the pure cash system a lair trial; whether they gain or lose the first year. Country buyers on remitting ca.sh with order will be supplied with goods at co-operative prices ; just the same as though they made a person. il selection. Furnishing goods, such as carpets, floor cloths, bedsteads, bedding, and general house furniture, the largest portion of which is turned out at our own factor}', will be marked at the lowest remunerative prices, and a discount of five per cent, will be allowed to those who pay at the time of purchase. G. &C. ha\ ing realised the entire value of their stock during their late cash sale, the present stock is ni.w A\n Uih -U'l.y hough r. An inspection is invited. — Gaki.ick ako Cr \nwi:i I-, City Hall Furnishing Arcade Queenstreet, Auckland.