TUESDAY, JULY 29, 1884.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1882, 29 July 1884, Page 2

TUESDAY, JULY 29, 1884.

The culture of fruit scarcely enters so much as could be wished into the business of our Waikato settlers. And yet there are special reasons J< why this should be otherwise. Soil and climate are both in its' favour, producing in "VVaikato apples far Jn, quaHty those grown, ili&jjJje-tNorfch, near Auckland, while ' in-^Wcase of the gooseberry it iis -4)Jolejil^ t9.,a;rpw thera;;at, all T nqrth-

of this district. In the case of apples, so superior is th« quality of those grown in Waikato, that in the Auckland market they not only take preference of the more locilly grown, hut of the best imported varieties from America and Tasmania. Then, again, in Auckland we have a large and steadily increasing markec, and, beyond, the fact that it' other countries can malce fruit a profitable export, s*j can we. Oar apple crop matures at a season when, allowing a couple of months for transport, it would reach homo and the iiuropean markets in the early summer months, when apples must necessarily be scarcest. But we have another outlet nearer home, which needs but developing to give us a market for all the fruit, and more, espeei illy the smaller fruits, that can be grown by our settlers for many years to come, and that is the establishment amongst us of jam factories. The value of the import into New Zealand of preserved fruit amounts to little less than £1-0,000 a y^ar, the whole of which sum, and much mire, should go into the pockets of New Zealand settlers. In Nelson, which, like Auckland, is a great fruit-growing district, a fruit preserving factory is being worked with eminent sue cess, and now, in Auckland, a .similar institution is being established by Mr Gelston, late of Hamilton, and others, to take our locallyl y gi on * n produce. Growers of fruit will now find it worth while to specially turn their attention to the smaller kinds of fruits required for the manufacture of jams. Strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, Ac, will n.ect with a re.ul) sale, not by the Ib, but by the ton. Greengages, purplegages, Orleans and golden drop plums, and quinces also, should be largely grown, as owing to the scarcity of smaller fruit they must form the staple for jam making. Still, however, small fruits have the advantage of giving- an early return to the growers and can be produced with advantage in orchards of not too old a growth, either between the trees, in the rows, or in rows alternating with them. In the ease of the several fruits, too, such as plums and strawberries, when required for jam, the fact that they iui»hfc be more or less bruised in the carriage to the factory would cause little or no deterioration in value. The opening of the jam factory in Customhousestreet next season will also bring the fruit grower into direct communication with the manufacturer, and thus do away with the large profits of the middleman. Altogether our fruit growers have a prospect before them that should give a larg.^ impetus to the industry, find, perhaps, what is of quite as much consequence, cause tho.se who have already orchards planted to give more care and attention to them — for fruit growing, like everything else, to be made a profit, must be diligently cared for. There is no more profitable purpose to which an acre of ground may be put to that to the growth of fruit, and many in Waikato are beginning to realise this fact. Sums of Jl'2o, A.3'o, ,£4O, and in one case over £50 were paid for last season's crops to individual owners of only small, and in some cases indifferently kept oichaids, for fruit sold fur them in the Hamilton Auction Mart. A late writer in the Sydney Herald, referring to the profits of culture, states that under favourable circumstances on good, well drained soil, tho profits are found to amount to from .£IOO to £150 per acre after deducting interest on original outlay and all other expenditure. He recommended, however, the .setting apart of a portion of every orchard for tho production of the more cho co kinds for the home market, which if skillfully conducted would, he thinks, greatly increase the profits of the %\ hole concern, and that £300 or £400 would be made per acre by giowing to a limited extent a few of the most esteemed dessert varieties which require special culture — special as to soil, but not materially so as to expenditure- -and which cannot be transported under any known system of packing to any considerable distance without suffer.ng very great deterioration in flavour and appearance, and a corresponding reduction in price. Now is the season for tree planting, and we therefore commend the matter to tho immediate attention of our farmers and others. Tho chief requisites to be considered in selecting apples for a general crop is to procure sorts which unite, as much as possible, the following characteristics: Resistance to blight, free production, and good keeping qualities, and where richness of flavour and good showy appearance can be added to the first three qualities so much the better. In the case of plums the season of ripening must be considered, and the sorts should include early, late and medium, but for preserving it will be a mistake to consider that any sort will do. The more luscious the plum the richer flavoured the pi'eserve, and Mr Gelston. himself informs us that the preference would be given to a rich, luscious sample of plums somewhat bruised in the carriage to the factory over the inferior plum in sound condition. In Waikato, however, our settlers have an unlimited variety of fruit trees of all kinds to choose from in the gardens of our local nurserymen. Mr Forrest had some eleven thousand young trees this season to dispose of, the plums, mostly root grafted upon peach, which secure an early fruitirg and free growth of wood, and Mr Sharp, of Cambridge, whose trees have attained a local celebrity, has fully as lai'ge a supply. Both nurseries have such a variety of all kinds of fruit trees, more especially-of apples, as leaves the purchaser intending,' to plant only a small oi'char'di^l.ari^ acre or* so "in, a;4j.u^h*daryjfti|^.Qfc / , J^Ap^ing^^whi^hJ^WcKoj^^^^

there are so many varieties, all possessed of so many excellencies. It is more than probable that luring the next session of Parliament a move will be taken in the lirection of fostering local industries such as the preserving of fruits, and this will render the ndustry a more proh'tal le one as • e,nding to give a fixed value and a ready market for whatever our -.ettlers may supply. This is indeed what the New Zealand producer generally needs. Theje is no difficulty in production, no limit practically to the extent the production of ill kinds could be pushed, if we were only sure of a market. In the matter of fruit, even competing as we have had 10 do with America and Tasmania, our orchard ists havo had little cause of complaint, and if, by the establishment of preserving factories amongst us, a still further demand for this- particular kind of produce is created, there is no reason but to believe fruit growing will for a long time to come prove a very important item in the. annual production of the farm.

Amongst the through passengers in the mail steamei Zaalandifi to Sydney wore Geneial G. A. Sheridan and Gerald Massey, the poet. At the Police Court, Hamilton, on Saturday, an offendei charged with diunkenness was fined the usual amount. Mr C H- Smith has been elected a member of the Kiiikiriroa Road Board, \ ice Mr J. McNicol resigned. We are in receipt of the current number of that very useful publication, the New Zealand Country Journal, which contains a large number of articles interest ing to agricultural readeis. The R.M. ss Zeala,ndia arrived at Auckland on Sunday afternoon, with the English and Ameiican mail-*, the Waikato poition of whieli was delivered j'e»teiday. The Pakuranga Hounds arrived at Hamilton, yesteiday, in chaige of the huntsman, Mr T. Brown. The meet takes place at Hamilton at 11 a m. to-day, and the field of opeiatinns will probably be .somewhere on the Hukanui road. The adjourned meeting of the VV.iipa County Council takos place to-day at Ohaupo, and the ordinal y monthly meeting of the Pi.iko County Council at Cambndge, to moirow, at 5 p.m. Commander Edwin wired at 1 46 p.m. yesteulay :— Expect bad weather and heavy gale between -west and south and south-east within 12 homo, with glas>> use. and exceptionally t^eie cold weather. Mr A. Dawson notifies that having pui chased the Whatawhata Hotel, he is now piepaied to offer supenor accommodation to tra\elleis and others who may favour him with then patronage. A miscellaneous concert in aid of the new We»leyan Paisonage fund will be gncn in the Public Hall, Hamilton, on Thm sday, the 7th August. The programme will appeal in a futuie issue. The standard examinations .at Hamilton East commenced yesterday, and will be continued to-day. The pupils of the West school are now enjoying a short holiday. The Rev. Geo. Thorpe, of St. Paul's, Wellington, conducted divine service, morning and evening, at St. Andrew's, Cambridge, on Sunday. The Yon. the Aichdeacon conducted service at Lichfield. The Kirikiriroa Road Board have withdiawn the work on Humney's Flat for a time, as owing to the unsettled state of the weather, the neceesaiy held work has not been completed. The two contracts at Hinton's Gully -will, however, be canied out. A football match between the Thames and Te Aioha Mas played at the latter place on Satuiday, and after a haul fought content, resulted in favour of the local team by nine points to nothing. The visitor woie entertained at dinner in the ov ening at the British Hotel. Notwithstanding the very ba*d state of the Cambiidge-liotorua load, Mr \V. K. C-iter still continues to inn his coacli between both places. The coach inns twice a week as usual, but as the rouust season is now over it is not very laigety patronised. A number of the settlers about Lichfield aie at piesent exerting themselves in the diiection of opening a school for the education of the several families of childien at pie^ent living in this newly settled vicimtj. The return football match between Hamilton Eiist and West was played on Sydney S niaro on Saturday afternoon. The game was closely fought, and some very fair play was exhibited on both sides. The result was a draw, each having obtained a touchdown. Hamilton West got a second touch down, which, however, was disputed and abandoned. Mr Duncan Clark, of Patetere, whilst udmg between Lichfield and his own losidence yesteiday morning, was accidental tin own fioni Ins hoise, and sustained a severe fracture of the collai-bone. A messenger was despatched for Dr. Cushuey, who proceeded at once to the assistance of the sufieier. A good muster of the district footballeis tinned out to the piactice in the Government paddock, Cambridge, on Satuiday, and some %cry good play was made. Cambridge, though deprived of se\eialofits best men since last season, piomises to be able to turn out a strong team agaiu.st Hamilton next Satuiday. The following tenders have been accepted by the Hamilton Cemeteries Trustees : — For reforming footpaths (West) : — £3 ; fencing, 5s (5d per chain (labour only), John Hall. East : cleaning and ploughing, 18s per acre, Jas Coombes : clearing bank and ditch, 2s per chain ; fencing, Is 9d per chain, S. G. Coombes. The Roads and Bridges Construction Act moneys applied for on the 30th June have, we understand, been appropriated, and whilst bridare moneys are given in full, other woi Its. will receive about onefifth of the amounts asked for. The proportion seems small, but the Waikato and VVaipa Counties will receive a fair share of money. The official return of the polling for tho Waipa election shows that there weie eleven informal votes, while no less than eight were disallowed on the counting and comparing rolls. There must, therefore, have been seveial cases of impersonation, regarding which action may yet be taken. Of these four weie polled at NEfaruawahia, one at Te Awamutu, and three at Raglan. Of the informal votes, one was polled at Hamilton,* two at Ngaruawahia, thiee at Te Awamutu, two at Alexandra, two at Ohaupo, and one at Whatawhata. The usual fortnightly meeting of the Wesleyan Band of Hope was held in the school-room, Hamilton East, last night: | There was a good attendance considering the stormy weather, and Mr Geo. French presided. The following programme was gone through : — Recitation, Geo. Cornish ; dialogue, Chas. Young and Chas. Cox ; riddles, Sarah Dent ; recitation, Reuben Saunders ; duet, Mrs Salmon and Mies Salmon ; reading, Edith Cox ; solo, Elizabeth Cornish ; riddles, Grace Young ; tno, Chas. Cox, Edith Cox, Kate Davy ; reading, Wm. Andrew. A number of settlers in the Cambridge district are at present considering the question of the establishment of a cheese factory. A meeting, it appears, was called for last Saturday at 4 o'clock, but as the meeting was not advertised, no one, with the exception of the one or two gentlemen immediately concerned in the matter, knew anything of it. As will be seen by advertisement in another column, the meeting has now been fixed for next Saturday at the Criterion Hotel at 4 o'clock, when all who are interested in this important matter are expected to be present. There are few districts in Waikato better able to carry on a cheese factory than the district about Cambridge and Pukerimu'. The proposed removal of the old Hautapu school-house a few miles nearer Cambridge has given rise* to the* "question. Were it not ' better^ that 'the' < boara should proceed to erect a- new- building, >as J - the present structureMs ponsidered^unfibto^ 4 JQtirn^j^^mjitjpr'eaefltJeQregit; :

new locality, as many of the children at present attending the Cambridge school would take advantage of the more convenient establishment. Representations will doubtless be madu by those concerned in the proper quarter, and if shown that a new and larger school would be an advantage, we have no doubt that the board will give the matter their favourable consideration. The election of a committee for the new school will shortly be proceeded with. His Majesty King Tawhiao appears, if we may believe the letters received by the mail, to be having a particularly gay time ot it in London. He has been a constant visitor at the opera house-, theatres and other placps of amusement, and under the guidance of his many friend* and admirer* he had at the time the mail left managed to *cc moat of the lions of the metropolis. Tawhiao has also given audience to a number of celebrities, including the Rev. C. H. Spurgeon, Mr (ror.st, M.P., Bishop Hadfield and many old colonials now in England. It is conceded on all hands that though the resultb of the trip may be pleasurable and profitable, inasmuch as the king will have received an insight into English life, the mission in a political sense will be a total failure. Mr Samuel Vaile will deliver his promised address on the subject of Railway Management at the Lome-street Hall, Auckland, this evening. Wilting on the subject in yesterday's Herald, Mr Vaile hays :— As showing the vast importance of the subject on which I am to speak on Tuesday evening at the Lorne-stteet Hall, I may mention the fact that, if the same style of management is to bo indulged in during the ensuing four years that has been pursued during the four just past, then the loss on the railway*, for the year ending 31st March, 1888, will reach the enormous sum of two and a-half millions of pounds sterling (£2,1500,000). Ido not mean the accumulated loss, but £2,500,000 for the single year from the 31st March, 1887, to to 31st March, 1888. This is railway management with a vengeance. It is not time that some one had a "fad" or "hobby," or sense of duty m this matter? I trust that our representatives and gentiemen having technical knowledge of railway matters will attend the meeting, and that if they can detect any errors in my statements or calculations, they will be good enough to point them out, as my only obiecti.s to ehcil the tmth. The following special messages to the Piess Association, dated London, July 2(ith, Juwe been published : — News from Madagascar states that twelve hundied of the French ti oops attacked the Hovas on Juno 28, and after two horns' fighting letired. — The M.uqnis of Haitington has intimated that the Government hardly anticipate an autumn campaign in the Soudan — The French have agieed to allow China until Thuisday to reply to the demand made for an indemnity in connection with theLangson outrage. — A huge business has been transacted dming the past week in Australian wheat ; cargoes at at average of 3!)s.— The Queensland torpedo boat, on her trial trip, averaged a speed of 17*21 knots. — The Thames Valley-llotoma Railway Company are applying foi £100,000 by means of debenture*, nt !)">. — A captain of a I Spanish gunboat has boon aricsted at Jamaica by the captain of H.M.S. Flamingo fo" firing upon a Butish .-.loop. — The capital for the Western Australian Land Agency Company is subaciibing slowly. — The capital of the new Oiicsnt.nl Bank Company is being fieely subscubed. Fiom Sydney alone £100,000 has been applied for, and the total amount subscribed for as yet is £850,000. Many of the depositors in the old Bank are converting their deposits into .shares. — In the House of Louis, Lord Kimberley stated that the British flag had been hoisted over Stellaland, but was pulled down by the inhabitants. Mr H. H. Smith will exhibit his colossal minor of New Zealand in the Public Hall, Hamilton West, at 4 o'clock this afternoon, and also in the evening, and at the Oddfellows' Hall, Hamilton East, tomorrow, at the same hours. Owing to the holidays, tickets for the .school children, which it was intended to distribute in the schools, may be had at the hall at ten o'clock this moi mug, and at half-past three p.m. The charge for children it sixpence. An Auckland contemporary thus lefers to the enteitainment : — "Mr H. H. Smith ga\e a pauni.imic exhibition at the Albeit Hall on Mo iday evening last to a good audience, who 'voie much pleased with tho views of old and new L.mdon, Palis, Ireland and Amnica; also, views of Now Zealand, Auckland, 30 years ag.;, and at the piesent time, the Thames, Whangaiei, Bay of Island, also a tout from Auckland to the Hot Lakes, \iaTamanga, Ohinemutu and the Rotomahana Lake, and pink and white teiiaces. These views are really beautiful, being photographed by Mr Smith, and showing the boiling pools, waterfalls, hot baths, and vaiious sections of the terraces. Those persons who cannot spare the time to go to them should go and see Mr Smith's views. He has also just received from Dunedin tho photos of the New Zealand Alps, showing Geoige Sound, Milfoi d Sound, the ice bridges and glacieis, which giye a good idea of Naw Zealand in both hot and cold climates, a portrait of Tawhiao (the Maoii King), the chiefs Paul, Rewi, and other natives. Several comic views were interspersed dining the evening for the benefit of the younger portion of the audience. The teal wateifall, with various coloured lime lights, showing sunset, moonlight, and suniise, also the rainbow was a very pretty and effective piece of mechanism, and bi ought a capital evening's amusement to a close, the audience departing for their homes well pleased. Mr Smith w ill lepeat his entertainment shortly, when those persons who have not seen it wili do well to do .so." A number of Hamilton views will also be exhibited. Mr Holloway's Band will play selections dm ing the performance.