THE

HAMILTON & DISTRICT H IS’pgl^A^SOCI ET Y

presented to tbe Subscribers of tbe “tbamilton Spectator.”

HAMILTON

PRINTED AT THE “ SPECTATOR ” OFFICE,

GRAY STREET.

First Month.    JANUARY.    x-xxi Days.

This month, in Australia, is generally too hot and dry for cropping operations ; but there will be plenty to do in turning up vacant ground, eartliing-up potatoes, budding fruit and other trees, and getting rid of insects. The soil should be loosened where it has become much crusted. Take advantage of favourable weather to sow oabbages,cauliflowers,andBrusselssprouts, shading the beds, and mulching with short decayed dung ; plant out the strongest of those already up, and water daily. Turnips, onions, and carrots may also be sown. Ho* amongst growing crops,especi

ally mangold wurzeland Swedes; sorghum and millet will be ready for a second cutting ; these afford splendid nourishment for milch oattle. Take up all ripe flower bulbs, for store ; remove weeds from borders, lay pinks and carnations on the first rain, protect climbing roses from hot winds, remove imperfect buds from dahlias, thin the shoots of exuberant chrysanthemums, &c.

Hardship is the native soil of manhood and self-reliance.

POSTAL REGULATIONS.

The Hamilton Post Office isopen daily (Sundays excepted) from 9 a.m. till 6 p.m. First delivery by letter carriers at 8 a.m.; second delivery at 12.30 p.m.; third delivery at 6 p.m. No second or third delivery by letter carriers on Saturday. The Telegraph Office is open from 9 a.m. till 6 p.m., and from 9.30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays.

RATES OF POSTAGE.

COMMONWEALTH.    s. ».

Letters—For every half ounce, or fraction thei’eof......... 0    1

Letter Cards—Single, each ...    ......... .....0 1

„    ,, Reply, each half..................0 1

Postcards—Single........................0    1

,, Reply, each half ...     0    1

Printed Papers, as prescribed, per 2 oz. or part of 2    oz....... 0    (A

Books (printed outside Australia), 4 oz. or part of 4    oz....... 0    0|

,, (printed in Australia), 8 oz. or part of 8 oz.......... 0    04

Magazines, that is to say (a), Magazines, Reviews, Serials and other similar publications printed and published in Australia in numbers at intervals not exceeding three months,

per 8 oz. or part of 8 oz. ...    ...    ...    ...    ...... 0

(b) Magazines, Reviews, Serials and other similar publications (including Newspapers) printed and published outside Australia in numbers at intervals not exceeding three

months, per 4 oz. or part of 4 oz. ............0    O    J

Hansard, that is, reports of Parliamentary debates printed and published by the authority of the Commonwealth or

State, per 12 oz. or part of 12 oz. ............0

Commercial Papers, Patterns, Samples and Merchandise, as prescribed, per 2 oz. or part of 2 oz. ...    ...    ...... 0 1

Newspapers (published and registered in the Commonwealth)—

For every newspaper, up to ten ounces    ...    ...    ...    0

Bulk parcels of Newspapers, posted by a registered newspaper proprietor or newsvendor, twenty ounces ...    ...    0 1

*Packets—Commercial papers, for every two ounces or fraction

thereof up to 51bs.    ...    ............... ... 0 1

Packets or Circulars containing printed matter only (the address may be in writing on the exterior of the packet), for every two ounces or fraction thereof up to 51bs.    ...    ...    ...    0    0$

Book Packets—Books printed and published in Australia, eight

ounces, or part of eight ounces ...    ...    ...    ...    ...    0 0^

Books printed and published outside Australia, four ounces, or

part four ounces ...    ...    ...    ...    ...    ••• 9 0^

Registration Fee ...    ...... ...    ............0 3

Circulars or other matter not printed in ordinary type, if at least 20 copies, absolutely identical, and endorsed “20 posted ” (to be verified at the Post Office) be posted at the same time, for every two ounces or fraction thereof ...    ...    •••    9 0^

! Catalogues, wholly set up and printed in Australia, for delivery

within the Commonwealth, four ounces or fraction thereof 0 0,^ Postage on large quantities of letters and packets (amounting to not less than £1) may be prepaid in cash.

* Packets containing articles of a saleable value must be sent to Queensland by parcel post.

February is the dryest mouth of the year in Australia; before its close harvest operations are pretty well over. Attention will be required throughout the month to all kinds of ripening seeds, saving only the finest of each for future sowing. Loosen the soil amongst growing crops, take I up early varieties of potatoes as they become ripe, thin out Swedes aud hoe those sown last month. The rcr.ts of the plants and shrubs must be kept moist by watering and mulching ; prune straggling shoots, remove decayed flower stems, tie up annuals, screen carnations, picotees, and the like, from the violence of hot winds. Unless means for watering exist,

INTERCOLONIAL.

To New Zealand, Fiji, and British New Guinea.

Letters—For every half-ounce, or fraction thereof ...    ...    0    1

Newspapers (published in the Commonwealth), under ten ounces 0 0^ Bulk parcels of Newspapers posted by a registered newspaper

proprietor or newsvendor, per pound or fraction thereof... 0 1 Newspapers and Magazines (not published in the Commonwealth)

8 ounces or under ...    ...    ...    ...    ...    0    1

Every additional 4 ounces or fraction thereof ...    ...    0    0£

Packets— For every two ounces, or fraction thereof ...    ...    0    1

Book Packets—For every 4 ounces, or fraction thereof up to 51bs. ... 0 1 Postcards ...    ...    ...    ...    ...    ...    ... 0 1

UNITED KINGDOM AND FOREIGN.

Letters, per half-ounce, to all British Possessions, Ceylon, Canada, Fiji, Hong Kong and British Agencies in China, India, Lord Howe Island, Natal, Orange River Colony, Straits Settlements, British New Guinea (Papua), United Kingdom,Transvaal, Egypt, Rhodesia, British Central Africa Protectorate. East Africa Protectorate, Gambia, Jamaica, Labuan,

Malta, Seychelles, Southern Nigeria, Tristan da Cunha, Wei-hai-wei, Gibraltar, Northern Nigeria,

Sierra Leone, Cyprus, Gold Coast, Falkland Islands,

Turks’Island and Cayman Islands, Leeward Islands,

St Helena, Somaliland, Trinidad, Tobago, Uganda, Windward Islands, Mauritius, British Guiana, Bahamas, British Honduras, Bermuda, Barbadoes, per half-ounce    ...    ...    ...    ...    ...    0    1

Letters, Foreign rate ...    ...    ...    ...    ... 0

Post Cards to Hong Kong and British Agencies in China,

Natal, Ceylon, Canada, Orange River Colony, Egypt, Transvaal    ...    ...    ...    ...    ...    0    1

Post Cards, Foreign rate    ...    ...    ...    ...    ...    0    1£

Reply Post Cards    ...    ...    ...    ...    ...    0    3

Newspapers, 4 ounces or under    ...    ...    ...    ...    0    1

Every additional 2 ounces    ...    .i.    ...    ...    0    0^

To United Kingdom, via Naples and Brindisi—

Not exceeding 8oz.    ...    ...    ...    ...    0    1

Additional 4oz.    ...    ...    ...    ...    0    1

Every additional 2oz.    ...    ...    ...    0 0^

To United Kingdom, wholly by sea—

Every 16oz., or fraction thereof    ...    ...    0    1

'a)    Commercial Papers, not exceeding 2 ounces    ...    ...    0    3

Exceeding 2 ounces,    but not exceeding 4 ounces    ...    0    3^

Exceeding 4 ounces,    but not exceeding 6 ounces    ...    0    4

Exceeding 0 ounces,    but not exceeding 8 ounces    ...    0    4|

Exceeding 8 ounces,    but not exceeding 10 ounces    ...    0    5

Every additional 2 ounces, up to 51bs ...    ...    ...    0    1

(b)    Printed Matter (other than newspapers), every 2oz. up to 51bs    0    1

Foreign and British possessions, as above, limit 12oz. 0 1

(c) Patterns and Samples, every 2 ounces up to 5Us. ...    ... 0 1

Registration Fee . .    ...    ...    ...    ••• 9 3

Acknowledgment of Delivery of a Registered Article ...    0 24

(a) Commercial Papers, under which are comprised all papers or documents written or drawn wholly or partly by hand (except letters or

communications in the nature of letters, or other papers or documents having the character of an actual and personal conespondence, documents of legal procedure, deeds drawn up by pubi c functionaries, copies or extracts from deeds under private seal written on stamped or unstamped paper, way-bills, bills of lading, invoices and other documents of a mer-• ^{6 C}^^arac^^er) documents of insurance and other public companies, all kinds of manuscript music, the manuscript of books and other literary works forwarded separately, pupils’ exercises with corrections but without any comment on the work. Packets of commercial papers may not exceed 51bs. in weight, and shall be subject as regards form and conditions of transmission to the regulations prescribed for printed papers, and other papers of a similar description.

Printed Matter includes periodical works, books stitched or bound, pamphlets, printed sheets of music, machine music for pianola, visiting cards, address cards, proofs of printing, pictures, drawings, plans, maps, catalogues, prospectuses, announcements, circulars, notices, engravings, panoramic cards, photographs, papers impressed for the use of the blind, or cardboard drawing models stamped in relief, and notices of various kinds, whether printed, engraved, lithograph< d or autographed, and in general all impressions or copies obtained upon paper, parchment, or cardboard by means of printing, lithography, autography, or any other mechanical process easy to recognise, except the copying-press and the typewriter, and anything usually attached or appurtenant to any of the before-mentioned articles in the way of binding, mounting, or otherwise, and anything convenient for their safe transmission by post may also pass at the rate applicable to such articles provided it is contained in the same packet; also printed, engraved, or lithographed circulars, notwithstanding that sucli circulars may be letters or communications in the nature of a letter. Stamps for repayment, whether obliterated or not, and all printed articles constituting the sign of a monetary value, are, however, excluded from transmission by Book Post to countries of the Postal Union.

(c) Patterns and Samples.—The Pattern and Sample Post to United Kingdom and Foreign Countries is restricted to bona fide trade patterns or samples of merchandise. Packets containing goods for sale, or in execution of an ord^r (however small the quantity), or any articles from one private individual to another which are not actually patterns or samples, cannot be forwarded by Pattern Post. No article liable to Customs Duties can be sent as a Sample or Pattern.

Dimensions.—The limits of size for packets of Commercial Papers or Printed Matter are 18 inches in length by 1 foot in width or depth, or, in the form of a roll, length 2ft. 6in., diameter 4in. The limit of weight is 51bs.

MONEY ORDERS-

Money Orders may be obtained and made payable at the principal Post Offices in the Commonwealth, at the following rates :—

For any sum not exceeding £5 ...    ...

Exceeding £5, bur not exceeding £10 ... Exceeding £10, but not exceeding £15... Exceeding £15, but not exceeding £20 ...

New Zealand and Fiji.

For any sum not exceeding £2    .........Os. 6d.

Exceeding £2, but not exceeding £5........Is. Od.

Exceeding £5, but not exceeding £7...... ... Is. 6d.

Exceeding £7, but not exceeding £10    ...... 2s. Od.

Exceeding £10, but not exceeding £12    ...... 2s. Gd.

Exceeding £12, but not exceeding £15    ...    ... 3s. Od.

Exceeding £15, but not exceeding £17    ...    ... 3s. 6d.

Exceeding £17, but not exceeding £20    .....4s. Od.

United Kingdom, India, Cape of Good Hope, United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, China, etc. :—

For any sum not exceeding £2    ...    ...    ... Os. 6d.

Every additional £1 or fraction thereof, up to £20 ... Os. 3d.

TELEGRAPH MONEY ORDERS-

Telegraph Money Orders are issued and paid at all Money Order Offices where there are Telegraph Offices. Money can be remitted by telegraph to any Money Older Office (which is also a telegraph office) in the Commonwealth upon payment of the charge for a message of 16 words, or to the neighbouring States upon payment of the charge for a telegram of 16 words, in addition to the ysual rate of commission. Such orders must be accompanied by a telegram to the payee.

PREPAYMENT OF LETTERS.

Letters and packets' addressed to any 'place, bearing no postage or insufficient postage, are forwarded, but'thvy a're taxed with double the amount of unpaid or insufficiently paid postage, which will be charged on delivery. Books and newspapers must bear some postage or they will not be forwarded.

POSTAL NOTES.

Postal Notes may be obtained at any Post Office in the Commonwealth during the hours the offices are open for the transaction of business, and are payable at all postal note offices during business hours.

The following are the denominations of the Notes, and the poundage, or price charged for them:— 6d., kl.; Is., kb; Is. Gd., id.; 2s., Id.; 2s. 6d., Id.; 3s., Id.; 3s. 6d., Id.; 4s., ld.;4s. 6cb, Id.; os., lid.; 7s. 6d., 2d.; 10s.,3d.; 10s. 6d., 3d.; 15s., 3d.; 20s., 3d.

Should it be desired to transmit broken sums of pence, unobliterated postage stamps, not exceeding in value 5d., may be affixed to the face of a Note, and the amount of the note and the stamps will be paid. Should the space in a Postal Note, for name of payee and paying office, be not filled up, the note will be payable to the bearer at any Money Order or Postal Note Office in the State. There is no objection *o the insertion of the word “bearer” in the space appointed for name of payee. If the sender wishes the Note paid to any specified person, at any specified office, the name of the person and office should be written in the proper places. After these particulars are once filled in, they must not be altered. _ If a Postal Note be payable to any specified person, that person must sign the rsoeipt, and if a person other than the payee presents the Note, the person

Close Season for Trout begins. Bank Suspensions of Payment 1893 3rd Sunday after Easter Dr. Livingstone died at Itala 1873 1295 immigrants arr. Melb. 1912 Duke& D’ch’ss York arr. Melb. ’01 Edward VII. died    1910

Bank of N.S.W established 1817 Op. 1st Com. Pari, of Aust. 1901 4th Sunday after Easter Indian Mutiny    1857

Governor Arthur arrived 1824 St. Kilda Railway opened 1857 Sydney Mint opened    1855

Rail ^ay Strike ended    1903

Capt.Cook disc. MoretonBay 1770 Rogation Sunday Mafeking relieved    1900

BurraCopper M ines(S. A. )cpd. 1844 Robbery £5000 Ascension Day SirJobnFrankHn SttUEtmaatroj First Parliament, r,) a lens land 860 1st Sunday after Ascension Ararat-Stawell railway op. 1876 Mitchell arr. Mt. Dispersion 1836 John Calvin died    1564

Great flood at Melbourne 1848 Johannesburg taken    1900

Batman arrived Port Phillip 1835 Whit Sunday.

who present-! it must also endorse the Note. Postal Notes may be crossed (like cheques), when they will only be paid through a bank. Postal Notes containing alterations or erasures, or cut, defaced or mutilated, will not be paid in ordinary course. Special application on the subject must be made to the Postmaster-General. Postal Notes are payable for six months after date of issue. Fresh poundage (the same as that originally charged) must be paid in stamps for every additional six months, or portion thereof, that have elapsed after issue, and before presentation for payment. After once paying a Postal Note, all liability on the part of the Department ceases. Every person to whom a Postal Note is issued should keep a record of the number, date, and name of office of issue, to facilitate inquiry if the order should be lost.

VICTORIAN INLAND PARCEL POST.

Postage—lib. or under, Gd.; each additional lb., 3d.

Limit of weight—11 lbs.

Limit of size—3ft. bin. in length, or 6ft. in length and girth combined.

Undelivered parcels will be retained for delivery one calendar month from date of receipt, and after the expiration of that time they will be forwarded to the Parcel Office, Melbourne, whence they will be returned to the senders as early as practicable, on payment of an additional fee of 6d. each parcel.    .

No parcel may contain a letter or money (coin or bank note), nor consist of two or more parcels addressed to different persons, but the enclosure of invoices, printed circulars, particulars of contents of or receipted account for such parcel is not prohibited. Live animals, reptiles, game, fish, eggs, butter, or anything likely to do injury to persons or parcels, will not be forwarded. Parcels containing fruit, liquids, or semi-liquids, such as jellies, pickles, varnish, paint, medicines, &c.. will be accepted conditionally upon their being so securely packed that the contents cannot escape, and the vessels in which they are contained are sufficiently strong to prevent breakage in transmission.

INTERCOLONIAL AND FOREIGN PARCELS POST.

Limit of weight—lllbs. Limit of size—3ft. 6in. in length, or girth and length combined.    „

Postage (to be prepaid by Stamps)—

New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, Queensland, and New Zealand—lib. or under

Each additional lib. .........

United Kingdom, lib. or under ...    ...    • ••

Each additional lib.    .........

Canada, India, Ceylon, China, Aden, Burmah, lib. or under Each additional lib................

THE ENGLISH MAIL.

A weekly mail, closing on Wednesdays and Thursdays, alternately, is now established between Victoria and Great Britain (by the P. and O. and Orient Companies’ steamers alternately), via Brindisi. Time between Hamilton and London, 35 days. The times for closing at the Hamilton Post Office are as follows : —

Money Orders, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, alternately, •> p.m.

Parcels, Tuesdays and Wednesdays alternately, 5 p.m.

Registered Letters, Wednesdays and Thursdays alternately, 5.10 p.m.

Ordinary Letters and Newspapers, Wednesdays and Thursdays alternately, 5.40 p.m,

H. M.

12 18m

1    24

2    32

3    33

4    56

6 11

7    25

8    32

9    31 10 19

10    58

11    31

11    58m

12    23a 12 46

i 11

1    36

2    2

2    33

3    10

3    54

4    46

5    45

6    50

7    57 9 4

10 11 11 17a

The wealth of the United States in 1906 was equal to that of England and France combined, viz.. £23,600,000,0: 0.

The pressure of theatmoephere on a man of average size is about 15 tons.

Signatures in lead pencil are good in law

MAIL ARRANGEMENTS.

MAIL ARRANGEMENTS (continued).

BOX AND PILLAR CLEARANCE.

Evening.

G G

G Sat. excepted. .

G Sat. excepted.

4.5 p.m., Tues. and

Thurs., Sat., 9.30 a.m. 5.20 p.m.

ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Commonwealth—Ordinary telegraph rates including address and signature, not exceeding 16 words (town and suburban, within prescribed limits, or within 15 miles of sending station), 6d., additional words, Id. each ; other places within state (except town and suburban), 16 words, 9d. additional words. Id. each, name and address included.

Interstate Telegrams, not exceeding 16 words, Is., each additional word, Id. Double rates to all places on Sunday, and for urgent telegrams.

New Zealand—4id. for each word. Address and signature charged for. All messages must be prepaid.

Great Britain—3s. per word. Address and signature charged for as part of message.

Wireless Telegrams.

Wireless Telegraph Stations are available in each State for the transmission of telegrams to or from vessels at sea. These telegrams may be handed in at any Telegiaph Office in the Commonwealth. Rate—lOd. per word, plus ordinary Telegraph charges within the Commonwealth,

Rates for Telegrams to Europe.

The rate for Telegrams to the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, N'lway, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland is 3s. per word.

Lettergrams.

Lettergrams, that is telegrams to be transmitted by telegraph during the night to the place of destination, where they are to be delivered as ordinary letters, by first delivery, or despatched by mail, may be lodged

When the ground is in a friable state, advancing crops should be hoed amongst, the weeds being dug in where admissable. Potato-plauting may be continued, and seeds of the general kitchen vegetables sown for the main supply. Make up hotbeds for early cucumbers, melons, vegetable marrows, etc. Tomatoes may be sown in pots in a frame for planting out early in October ; onions for late keeping may be sown in low’ situations, and a few of former sowings transplanted for large bulbs. Mangold wurtzel, both for field and garden culture, may be sown

largely ; and a few vegetable marrows in frame, for an early out door crop. Thin out the slender shoots of roses, and cut back straggling and old flowering ones; put a few’ tubers of choice dahlias in a little bottom heat, for propagating, and plant out a few for early flowering, in row* four or five feet apart, or promiscuously in shrubbery border*. Finish planting fruit trees this month.

Copper coin is not a legal tender beyond Is., or silver beyond 20s. ; but gold may be tendered to any amount.

between the hours of 7 p.xn. and midnight, at offices which are open for the acceptance of ordinary telegrams between those hours, addressed to offices which are open for ordinary or Press business after 7 p.'m. Rate—40 words, Is.; and £d. for each additional word.

Deferred Telegrams.

Deferred Telegrams, subject to a delay not exceeding 24 hou.s, may be Bent at half the ordinary rates to those countries which have adopted the service. Such telegrams must be written in plain language. Most ©f the principal countries have adopted this service.

Week-End Cable Letters.

Week-end Cable Letters may be exchanged between the Commonwealth and the United Kingdom. The rate is 9d. per word, with a minimum charge of 18s. The cable letters must be lodged by midnight on Saturday, and will be delivered on the following Tuesday morning.

RAILWAY WOOL RATES.