IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS

Waikato Times, Volume 87, Issue 13269, 26 August 1916, Page 9

IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS

WAIKATO IN THE 70's. flipped ;m<l (Jompiled from our Hack Files.) WKKK KXDI.Xi; Al'iU'ST 2(5, 1870. Hamilton Bridge.—The agitation for the erection of a bridge at Hamilton was bein.u persistently maintained. The (iovernment appeared to be Jukewarin on the matter, ami stated that the oust would probably amount to £II,OOO. The settlers, however, wen; not to be denied, ami decided to prosecute the campaign with renewed vig-

Whatawhata Road.—The awful condition of the Whatawha'ta road was repeatedly referred to, and many and various schemes were propounded far the purpose of effecting a much-needed improvement, but none was put into practice, and the quagmire continued. The Hospital.—Although the. Waikato Hospital, established at Ngaruawaliia, was supposed to be open for the reception of patients, it was not being largely availed of, and it was necessary to impress upon the public that it was a public institution for admission to which Urn only qualification was the

need of treatment. Political.—There was something in Hie nature of a crisis in political circles. Sir (ieo. (irey, who occupied the position of Leader of the Opposition, did not give undiluted satisfaction to the Auckland members of the party, and they therefore requested him to resign. This Sir Ueorge refused to do. and at a meeting of the Auckland oppositionists it was decided to ask Mr (afterwards Sir) Frederick Whitaker, member for Waikato, to assume the leadership of the Auckland'party, tfut up to the end of the week no solution of the difficulty had been arrived at. A "Perfumery" Case. —A case which occasioned considerable interest was ventilated in the Hamilton Court, when the police proceeded against John Woods for causing a nuisance by leaving certain offensive matter in the town of Hamilton East. The defendant, a butcher, it was alleged, caused animal matter to be carted on to his section in the township to be used as manure, where it became an offence to all the neighbours and passers-by. Evidence was given by police, auctioneers, I professional men, neighbours, and others, who all told the same horrible story and corroborated the testimony of one who averred that it was "real knock-me-down stuff." For the defence it was alleged that no animal matter was contained in the manure. The Bench, decided that there was, and to show that they considered it a serious case they imposed the full penalty (£5 and costs).