Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1325, 25 December 1880, Page 2

W aikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Equal .and exact justice to all men, Of whatever state or persuasion, religious o political. Here sh.ill the I'iess t^cPeoplo's right maintain Unawed by influence and unbribed by gain.

SATURDAY, DEC. 25, 1880.

With heads and hearts however full of such a theme as Christmas, how can unfortunate Editors hope to do it justice? When brush of artist and quill of poot are alike baffled by the grand simplicity of the subject, how shall we hope to write even the fewest lines that will not weary our readers ? We can only claim for ourselves the benevolence supposed to be universal at this season, which, in the Old Country, makes one .forgive even the odious grinning street-boy, who dashes triumphantly down a slide, which a moment before caused ourselves such an undignified collapse ; and that other boy, equally odious, who knocks at your front door before five on a Christmas morning, demanding a gratuity (?) in exchange for his good wishes that you may have a " pocket full of money, and a cellar full of beer !" The subject seems more easily treated where the ! surroundings are ice, snow, blazing fires, glowing shop windows, frozen ponds, and last, but certainly not least, merry peals of Church bellSj and happy family gatherings with "those awful boys" home from school. But, and thank God for it, in its best and highest aspect Christmas comes alike to us all whatever our surroundings a"nd wherever our home. The "sweet story of old,'' has but One HERO and but One FINIS ; let it be our's to profit by its countless lessons. We spoke of benevolence just now; though this is not demanded of us here, in this land of comparative plenty, in the same sense as it is at home, though we are not called upon to " Clothe the naked, the hungry fill, For it's Christmas, the time of Sweet Peaoe and Good-will ; yet is there a broad field to be watered by the " milk of human kindness," many little differences to

be , healed up, and little acts of gentle kindliness done on behalf of our fellows — especially the little ones. Sad i(f is that there shxfuld be any s>rrowful side to this * season j sad for those who miss a little face from the family group, and know it to be " gone from them for ever," though, it may be to a " fairer region," living still in the hearts left behind. As there is nothing new to be said on the subject, «o we have this morning no new greetings for our readers. We wish them one and all a very HAPPY CHRISTMAS and a GLAD and BRIGHT NEW YEAR.

Sunday Hours will be observed at the Post and Telegraph Offices, on Saturday, (Christmas Bay), and Monday, (Boxing Day.)

The sentence of death passed on Tubi, the native who murdered Miss Dobie, will be oarried into effect on Tuesday next.

There will be no early trains from Waikato to Auckland on the race days at the latter place. Robert Salmon, formerly a resident of Hamilton, met with a serious accident a day ot two ago, while working on one of the Waihou bridges, on the Rotorua road, he cut his leg with an adze, very badly, but is now looking well.

The cricket match between Te Awamutu and Kihikihi, which was to have been played on Thursday, did not come off, the Te Awamutu Club not being able to get a team together. The Kihikihi cricketers, however, played a scratch match. Towards evening rain fell and put a stop to the day's enjoyment.

The children attending the Kihikihi cchool were entertained at a picnic on Thursday, in a paddock kindly placed at their disposal by Mr Qualtrough. Mr and Mrs Matheson, the teachers were ably assisted by a number of ladies and gentlemen, and the children had a very enjoyable outing.

We are glad to observe that the Hamilton Borough workman is now engaged in repairing the footway cutting on the east side of the bridge, and trust that' the present authorities will not, as did the'lafe Mayor, interfere to prevent the completion of the job in a satisfactory manner.

Mr Camp's hotel, Narrows Road, the license for which was granted on Thursday, will be opened on the first of January. The building contract is now almost complete and the work of furnishing and stocking will be proceeded with at once.

Mr Samuel Brown, the owner of very extensive freehold property in Short* land-street, Fort-street, and other parts of Auckland, was arrested on a charge of stealing from the premises of Mr Waite, tinsmith, a number of tin utensils. The circumstances are most extraordinary. Mr. Brown is an old man, about 75 years of age, and is an old colonist and citizen.

It is reported that the natives the other day obstructed the operations of those engaged on the Rotorua Bond, by refusing to allow of certain deviations being carried out. We have not learned the particulars,

In accordance with the usual custom Gwynne's Hotel.Hamilton, yesterday underwent the process of being profusely decorated with pungaa and evergreens, the whole giving quite a holiday appearance to the building. The Royal Hotel, Hamilton East, has also been nicely decorated by Mr Johnston.

A large number of Waikato people were passengers to Auckland yesterday to spend their Christmas holidays from home, and a correspondingly large number arrived in Hamilton last night bent on a similar object.

We have to acknowledge the receipt, from the publisher, of ** Brett's Auckland Almanac and Strangers Verde mecttm" for 1881. The book like it* many predecessors is exceedingly "well got up, ani teems with information concerning the Provincial district, of a kind calculated to prove of interest and profit no less to colonists than to strangers. It is pleasing to note that this year no space has been wasted in giving the portraits of Auckland fossils, the only illustrations being some well executed woodcuts of New Zealand scenery.

Mr Gresham's dwelling-house at Te Awamutu, narrowly escaped being burnt on Thursday evening. Returning to his store-room, where he had been two minutes previously with a lighted candle, Mr Greaham found the place in a blaze. He immediately threw himself on the burning articles, and succeeded in subduing the fire. Had a longer period elapsed between the commencement and the discovery of the fire, the flames would have obtained such hold of the premises that would have rendered it almost impossible to extinguish them.

A Cambridge correspondent writes: — " Had your looal reporter been a trifle better acquainted with the " run of the ropes" he would not ha*e penned the paragraph which appeared in your last issuv. re the paucity of Christmas sports. The fact ia that the Annual Jockey Club's Summer race meeting takes place in a few days hence, and, any prudent man can see it la much better to make one good event than two or three failures. Such being the case it is considered wiss to "bottle up" the local sporting proclivities for the races."

A Bench of Licensing Commissioners sat at the Court-House Cambridge on Thursday, Consisting of Messrs Northcroft (chairman), Wilson and Runciman, Mr. Bealmade an application on behalf of James Thomas Camp for a license for a large hotel consisting of eleven rooms and stabling situated at the junction of the Hamilton-road and Narrows bridge. The application was granted, the certificate to issue from the Ist proximo or auch date, as the house was furnished to the satisfaction of the court.

A meeting of the non-com-missioned officers of the Cambridge Cavalry Troop was held on Wednesday, evening at whioh all were present, to discuss matters regarding the proposed Review to be held in Waikato at Easter. Sergt. Major Fisher, and Corporal Runciraan were appointed to meet the delegates from the other Troops to make the necessary airangements for the reception of the Thames Volunteers.

It has "been suggested, in view of the approaching visit of the Thames Volunteers to the "Waikato, that the settiers should make an effort to provide means for bringing them overland instead of allowing them to go by way of Auckland. As many of the Thames men belonging to' the different "Volunteer companies reside at the Aroha such a plan would .be very desirable. This is a matter which the delegates of the Cavalry Troop might take into consideration.

During the last two days says the Aroha Miner of Saturday members of the various religibus denominations have been engaged selecting- sites for the erection of places of worship on the land kindly

granted for church pifrjioses bjr Messin, Lipsey and Mokenu Hou and family. The Anglican Church site in at Lipsey's paddock ; the We&leyjm on the western boundary of the Hiirh School reserve; the Bap'tiSl near": t hot creek' running past ! O'Halloran's ; and the an<fr Congregationalwt near Stafford's (daughterhouHe. We have not yet heard if our Roman Catholic friends hare yet picked o.ut a section, though one in open J6r theiti', and we have no doubt that they will not be behind hand.

The Hamilton West School Committee, at a. meeting- held yesterday, came to a decision regarding 1 the prizes for singing. At the late examination the pupils were examined by Mrs McG-arrigl 0 , who, after reducing the number of likely ones down to four, could not make any further reduction, and recommended that a prize be given to oach. As only one prize, ft handsome book of songs, had been apportioned, Mr McGarrijrle suggested that it be sold and the proceeds devoted to the purchase of four other suitable articles. He further proposed to take the book himself and provide the four. Ac cordingly he submitted for the approval of the committee four music books in paper covers, but the committee not considering that they represented the value of the original prize, decided to return them ; and as there itill remains two other prizes unallotted, they came to the conclusion to purchase a fourth, the pupils to draw lots for choice. The successful candidates are : — Lillie Culpan, Susan Murray, Bessie Murray, and Thomas Beale.

In novels the hero asks the heroine to become his wife in moat romantic and flowery language. In real life the request is made in very halting words, and often in a very common-place manner. The following id the quaintest method of making a proposal which has ever come to my knowledge : — A gentleman had been long paying attention to a young lady whom ho was very anxious to marry, but could not screw his courage to the Rticking-point. At last he resolved to take the first opportunity which presented itself of asking the momentous question. No sooner however had he formed this resolution than fortune seemed to desert him. He often met the fair one, but never could get a chance of speaking to her alone. Driven to desperation, he one day succeeded in accomplishing his purpose at a dinner-party, I may here remark that it is very easy to hold converse with the person who tats next you at a large dinner-party, provided you do not look at that person, speak in an even tone, and abstain from mentioning names. In fact, I do not know a better opportunity for a proposal. But it is of course indispensable that the lady should sit next you. In the case to which I refer the lady was on the opposite side of the table. He waH however equal to the occasion, and tearing out a leaf from his pocket-book, wrote on it, under cover of the table, " Will you be my wife ? Write Yes or No at the foot of this." Calling a servant, he whispered to him to take the note — which he of course folded up — to " the lady in blue opposite." The servant did as he was directed, and the gentleman, in an agony of suspense, watched him give it to the lady, and fixed his eyes, with badly-disguised eagerness to try and judge from her expression how the quaintly- made offer was received. He had forgotten one thing — namely, that ladies seldom carry pencils about them at a dinner-party. His love was however not to be baffled by ko trifling an obstacle, and, after reading the note calmly, the lady turned to the messenger i and said, " Tell the gentleman. Yes." They were married in due course.

The Union Bank of Australia (Limited) \ will be closed on Monday, 3rd January, throughout tho Colony, The Sons of Ulster, No. 9, L.0.L., are invited to meet on Tuesday c\ening next, at halfpast seven, to receive the R.W.G.M. Brother JJarton. A meeting of ratepayers of the Kirikiriroa Highway District is convened at the Royal Hotel, Hamilton, on Saturday, 15th proximo, at 3 p.m. Mesirs W. J. Hunter and Co.'s next Oliaupo Cattle Sale takes place on Thursday, 6th proximo. A meeting of the ladies and gentlemen who ha\e promised to assist at the concert to be given in aid of the Roman Catholic Church will be held at the Court-house, Hamilton, on "Wednesday next, to arrange the programme and other details in connection therewith. The new pure cash system now being initiated by Or. and C. will certainly prove a benefit to the public. It has been a great success in Sydney and Melbourne, and 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 ro-operative society, without tho risk of being called upon to bcaraportionofthe loss should the year's business prove unsatisfactory. Garlick and Cranwell will aim to retain the confidence which the public have hitherto shown them, and arc determined to give the pure cash system a fair trial ; whether they g.iin or lose the first year. Country buyers on remitting cash with order will be supplied with goods at co-operative prires ; just the same as though they made a personal 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 factory, will be marked at the lowest remunerate c prices, and a discount of five per cent, will be allowed to those who pay at the time of purchase. G. &C. having realised the entire value of their stock during their late cash sale, the present stock is nkw and chh.U'LY bought. An inspection is invited. — Garlick \nd C*\N\vi.rj,, City Hall Furnishing Arcade Queen - street, Auckland.