Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1331, 11 January 1881, Page 2

Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

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

TUESDAY, JAN. 11, 1881,

Within the next week or so an opportunity will be afforded, for receiving vice-regal authority in our midst. We have no wish to see the event magnified into all the pomp and plaudit which once, and, to some extent still, greets royalty and its immediate surroundings. That, however, is no reason why we should seek to deprive it of its significance far less ignore it altogether. His Excellency visits us pursuant to an arrangement for making a tour of inspection of the Colony as a whole, in order that in his dealings with questions of government and polity, lie may be the better enabled to understand their import and bearing. Looked at in that light the event becomes one of considerable importance, in relation to the many vexed questions envolved from partypolitics. Such being the case, it is oar duty as well as our interest, to render such an account of the district as will best tend to promote the object in view. Jt will be at once conceded that, the opening up and settlement of the vast tracts of Native territory in this island, is one of the more important questions of the day. Successive Governments have fully recognised the fact, and during the last ton years a variety of expedients havw been adopted to overcome the attendant ditliculties. Acting upon a fantastic idea that the Native owner lacked the capacity for looking after his own vested rights in the land, Government constituted itself a sort of Curator Bonus in all transactions connected with the sale and disposal thereof. Further acquaintance with the native character has tended to dispel that impression. .Not only has the native shown himself to be equal to the occasion, but in this " dry-nursing" process of a paternal Government, the child has proved himself in many respects father to the man. At all events, he is known to have " bested" his wouldbe p.itrons and protectors, and even Government itself now admits the transaction has yielded nothing but trouble and expense. Such being the case, it is not at all surprising they should have thrown up their "guardianship" in disgust, leaving the native owner, as seller, to transact direct with the European buyer. Sir Arthur Goi'don is said to have some whimsical notions about the special protection requiring to be extended to aboriginal races. If so, the history and experience of Native land purchases in New Zealand shou Id go far to modify his views. Th us far the course elected to be pursued by Governin.-nt in relation to native lands, is in itself simple enough. The native if hechoses may sell and the European may buy, ajid experience has shosvn the one is as well able as the other to look after his own interests. Here, however, a fresh difficulty has been interposed, and as it is one which is designed to operate somewhat seriously upon the interests of this particular district, we hope the facts of tho case will be calmly and dispassionately -weighed. In bringing these lands into occupation, it is requisite that their sale should be negotiated in large blocks. That is rendered absolutely necessary by the intricacy with which tribal and inter-tribal interests are woven into and intersected by each other. The conventional search for the needle in the hay-stack is the best illustration we can give of any attempt to define individual rights apart from that of the tribal right. Based on that fact, the cry has gone forth, that the lands of the colony are in danger of being monopolised by capitalists, to the prejudice of the masses. This cry which origi nated, with a few make-weight patriots, has been considered plausible enough to be taken up and re-echoed by a section of the public, and there is reason to suppose, still further efforts will be made to compromise Government in connection therewith. To this- subject we hope His Excellency's attention will be specially directed,, and that in es|imatin]» the difficulty thus created , care will be taken to tying aJI tfce surround-

ing circumstances into view. Special settlements, as promoted by private persons and companies, are well worthy of attention. These settlements have been instrumental in planting some of the most flourishing communities, both urban and rural in the colony. Take Vesey Stewarts settlements in tiie Tauranga district, or the Mataura plains in the South, and we Jind that with all the diverseconditions, such as soil and climate, which must of necessity prevail as between these two extreme points, the one happy result has been attained in every instance. Then again, if we compare these settlements with the deferred payment settlements promoted by Government, what do we find 1 We have mentioned the Southland Land Company on the Mataura Plains. The conterminous blocks are, to a large extent, settled on the Government deferred payment principle ; and while the one thrives satisfactorily, the other is in a most languishing condition — in fact, imploring Government in most abject terms to relieve them from the burden of their periodical payments, or else compensate them for what improvements they have effected, and allow them to throw up their holdings. These special settlements are entirely the result of lai-ge blocks of land acquired by pi'ivate companies and individuals, and prove conclusively that, in the hands of such, the land can be settled on a much more satisfactory footing than can possibly be done by Government. Some of our more unctious political orators have talked about' the "great burning questions of the day." We claim this as one of them, and hope that His Excellency's tour of observation will have the effect of opening his eyes to the true facts of the ca&e.

The glory of the Moth-r Country lias been its character for industry. No other nation in history has ever made such gigantic strides in commerce and manufacture as England. Since the thirteenth, or, at latest, the sixteenth century, her progress has been continuous, until she stands at this day head and shoulders above all her rivals. It is not too much to advance, then, that a character for industry comes to a Briton as one of his birthrights ! — not, however, merely a reputation for work, but also for that much rarer quality of self-reliance, a dependance upon his own personal exertions rather than upon the aid of others. What else but this could have carried the manufactures of England into the heart of foreign countries, keeping marketsathouie meanwhile? Nothing but this could have planted infant empires all round the globe. JBut it remaius very much a matter to be questioned whether the people of these colonies have had transmitted to them the qualities which made our forefathers take the lead in the world's march of civilisation. Looking at the extreme youth of this colony, it were unfair to judge it by any severe standard, as it is impossible to say what a decade may biing forth. There can, however, be little doubt of this, that nothing but the apathy, not to siy the indolence, of the people, pi events the establish1 ment of numerous industries which in themselves would be profitable, and which would have an immense influence upon the material welfare of the colony. An imaginary bar to enterprises of this kind has been discovered in the absence of a protective tariff', and many have been quit'-i content to harp upon this .string "\\ ho have never seriously considered the matter at all. How long were we told that woollen manufacture could not be engaged in until the imported article should have been kept out of the colony by means of a high impost ? And yet we see that at least three weaving industries have grown up and flourished under this upas tree of free trade. The evil can be traced in lesser things — in the nianufac turo, for instance, of such articles of daily use as broom, fork, and axe handles. It is useless to say that local manufacturers could not with profit cut out the imported article oven were wages higher here than they are at the present; but before they can attempt it protection is wanted. Protection, forsooth, to the timber which grows so lavishly at our very doors. It was our privilege a few days ago to visit the pottery works of Mr"" James Wright, on the Ngaruawahia road, an industry which has been unostentatiously planted in our midst, and as unostentatiously grown to importance, until the proprietor finds he cannot meet the demand which exists for his wares. Steadily and surely steps have been taken to include in the catalogue of articles turned out at these works all the more necessary kinds of crockery and earthenware, such as teapots, cups and saucers, plates, jugs, and the like, all of which can be made of a quality and at a figure which will exclude the English article altogether, and that without the aid of protection. Mr Wright tell us that the quality of the clay obtainable here is quite the equal of any in England, and that flints eminently suitable lie here in abundance. Coal is also to hand: nothing, in short, is wanting but enterprise. Let but'^aonie of, the capital which is daily lavished' upon questionable ventures find an outlet in the direction of f ojjjering" su,ch j industries as this— l^tS?tHoughtful men but direct ,BOHae,#£, ,-&eir^tten- . tion to the- subject, .«.£$ r we | need have little doufclt .of 'their .-ultimate 'Success. . < l - "Vi'*-'* "• ,

The, following racehorses arrived in Hamilton by train last evening, and are located in Mr Mofflin's commodious loose-boxes at. the sUbltM attached to the Commercial Hotel : Rifleman, King Quail, "Ratcatcher, and Venn*. They proceed today to Cambridge to take part in tomorrow's and Thursday's racing. Foul Play, Lone Hand, and Vampire are expected to auive this evenina:. Advantage was taken of the meeting held at le Aroha on the evening of Friday, particulars of which will be found in another column, to discuss the question of road-making throughout the district. Messrs H. E. Wh! taker and Adam Porter were named delegates to urge on the Piako County Council the iuipoitance of proceeding at once with the pro-ecution of these works. In accoidance with that delegation, ihese gentlemen attended a meeting of the Council held the folio wing 1 dny. The question was discussed at some length, and resulted in arrangements being made by the Council to appiopriate a sum of £200 for the works indicated, and tenders for the work to be invited up to the 21st mutant. With the view of concerting joint arrangements on the part of the two counties, Thames and Piako, relative to the biidge question, the adjustment of county boundaries and various other matters affecting the welfare of both districts, a joint meeting of the two County Councils has been fixed *o take place at Te Aroha, on Saturday next, at noon. Dr. Edgelow, a gentleman recently from England, has arrived in Hamilton, where lie has taken over the practice of Dr. Sandes. Dr. Edgelow has successively held the appointments of house surgeon at the Kent, Wrexham, and West Norfolk hospitals. We learn that Mr J. McCartney, of Cambridge, is the successful tenderei for the ploughing contract for the Waikato Land Association, near Emeka. We are again requested by the Registrar of Dogs for W aikato to remind | our readers that owners of unregistered dogs after the 14th instant will be liable to a penalty of £o. A meeting of the Piako County Council was held at Cambridge on Saturday, Sth January. Present : R. H. D. Fergussou, (chairman), Chepmell, Hunt and Campbell. It was resolved that the chanman be requested to obtain, before next meeting, the gazette containing the boundaries of the various ridings, and that he be empowered to call a special meeting for the purpose of altering and determining the boundaries of the same and deciding upon the number of members to be returned by each. It was icsolved that the members for Matamata riding be written to asking them to attend the meetings of the Council, as their nonattendance might be productive of inconvenience. Mr Fergusson was appointed Treasui er. Messrs. Williams and Campbell to countcisign cheques. The Bank of New Zealand, Cambridge, -was appointed the bank foi the county tund account. Mr Fergusson's clerk was temporarily appointed clcik to the County at a salary of £15 per annum. The chairman was requested to appoint a dog registiar for the County, and make arrangements for persons to take names of owners in the various ridings. A deputation, consistmg of Messrs A. Porter, H. E. Whitakei ami T. (i. Sandes, watted on the Council with reference to roads at the Aroha. They stated that the Warden had £300 on hand collected irom various &oincub, and that it would be hande"d o\ er to the Council as soon as desired. It wa-s resolved that a sum of £200 be expended in making the main road at the Aroha, and that Mr Sandes be instructed to call for tenders for its construction f oi tlnv ith. Resolved : " Tnat the chairman, and Messis Hunt and Chepmell, be appointed a deputation to meet three memlleia ot the Thames County Council, the meeting to take place at the Aroha, on the 18th, at 11 a.m., to discuss the question ol a bridge over the Waihou riser, iix a site for the same, &c. To-morrow evening a grand complimentary concert v, ill be given for the benefit ot Mr C. D. Mackintosh, in the Public Hall, Cambridge. Mr Mackintosh is a gentleman who for a long series ot years lias contributed largely towards the pleasure ami amusement of the people of Cambridge, and the concert to-monow night will be, it is hoped, a fitting acknowledgment of the debt they owe 'him. The selections have been caiefully made, and, regaided merely as a musical entertainment, it will no doubt attract a large audience. Intelligence was received in Hamilton yesterday that the Bonauza claim, Te Aroha, has struck gold heavily. No particulars are to hand. The members of the Cambridge Amateur Dramatic ."Society a\ ill give a performance on Thursday evening, repeating, at the particular request of a large number of people, the charming comedietta, entitled "The Little Sentinel," which was so successfully put upon the boards a week or two ago. As we then pointed out, the acting of the two lady amateurs, and no less that of Messrs Kcesing and Sanders, was of a really high order, and we hope this time to see the Society patronized more liberally. The other piece selected for repieseutation is ' ' Dreadfully Alarming. " The following has been dropped into our letter box : — Rough Draft of on address to be presented to Sir Arthur Gordon, on hid arrival in Hamilton. — " To .Sir Arthur Gordon, Governor of Now Zealand, &c, &c. On behalf of the inhabitants of this, the premier inland city of the North Island, and of the leading settlers of New Zealand generally, I wish heartily to welcome your Excellency to Hamilton, i.e., Waikato. We sincerely hope that yon may enjoy your visit ; that you may succeed in making a' favorable impression, and if so, that you and Lady Gordon will reside amongst us during a comiderable part of each year, in which case I venture to think that we will be able to find you a suitable residence cheap. I have also been requested to state that we quite recognise thefact that the first duty ot all Colonial Governors is to consider the interests of themselves and families,' ' therefore we shall not expect you to spend more than one-third of the income which this generous, although impecunious country, has voted you. We also hope that you may at the end of your term of office be able to carry ofl sufficient colonial capital to profide for your old age. For your encouragement I may state that this has been done before. This object havingbeen attained, we do not doubt that the interests of the colony will be attended to by you. This we firmly believe. In conclusion, I can simply add that your welcome will be moat enthusiastic at all the hotels, and the charges as reasonable as ever. — (Signed) The , Mayoe, Town Clebk."

W. J. Hunter and Co. will hold their next cattle sale at the i'rankton yards, Hamilton, on Monday^e^t, at one o'clock. • The prospectus of the Te Aroha Quartz Crushing Company (Limited), appears in our advertising columns. The steamer Delta will run between Ngaruawahia, Hamilton, and the Cambridge, Racecourse landing 1 , to-morrow and Thursday,' ■carrying pfc»senger§, to tberaces. , James Gartsidp Culpan, Build,or, t of Hamilton,' has^filbd his^schedulo. 'The' fii-st meet-, jngof Creditors 'jto beheld ip tho.C v purt Jtfovse, Hamilton, on Monday next, at u a,in. t >,' f '■: