THE EDITOR'S DRAWER.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 247, 20 October 1886, Page 3

THE EDITOR'S DRAWER.

Condensed Correspondence.

Virtue its Own Reward, — .Tamos Culberfc ventilates a grievance in connection with tho recovery of jewellery dropped in Queen-atroot by a lady. Ho claims that be was chiefly instrumental in getting tho goods restored to their owner, yot ho got no reward, while another man got 10s. Phil osophy alone can hoal sucli a grievance.

.Nr/iSAWOB at Point Chevawrr.—" Ono Who Knows " indulges in a growl at the city night-soil nuisance, which lms been an abomination in tho district of Point ChovaJier for somo years past. Tho matter ia ono for the residents to deal with through their rapreaentiiives on the local board.

Gas Meter-ouicitoal, —" Moro Light" ia en evidence With the following communication : —" Astlio G;i3 Company ho phlogmotionlly icnoro all protests against the enormous" increase in consumers' bills, I propose that allunito to burn kerosene until aich time as a change shall be made. A friend of mine, who used a gas-stove, had it removed without giving notice to the Company. Next month, two men examinod the meter ; then a now dial was sent, ami ifinally when a new meter was comingl, my friend explained the causo of the supposed discrepancy after efFectually proving that it mattered much in whoso favour tho metor was lying."

Musketry Instruction. — "Private" ■writes :—Last sossion of Parliament, a sum ■of £SOO was votod for a school of musketry -with a flourish of trumpets that all our Volanteers were to be made acquainted with -the theory and practice) of rifle musketry, and so far tho following is the result. One or two persons have beon providod -with corafortablo billots, and tho Volunteers know as little na ovor thoy did on tho matter. Porhaps th;. 3 wus tho only result expected or desired, but it is scarcely fair fo tho tsxpayors who find tho means, and who closk-e to sco that theirmonoy in not thrown away. If it is impossible to carry out a general Bystem of instruction tho same as they havo in the army, why not adopt tho one propoand by Mr Soall, which ia said to be feasible, intelligible, and easily carried out ? Somothing ought to be done, as tho above vote is fast becoming a Volunteer scandal."

City Improvements.—" Fiat Lux " asks the following question :—" What 13 the cause of this tardiness on tho part of our city potentates with regard to the llobsonatreet cutting and other works of paramount importance to citizens of this fair city of Auckland ? Surely they cannot bo waiting the decision of property-holdors. That difficulty has been pot over long ago. TVith regard to the question of compensation to persons building on their property before the pormanont lovols aro properly defined, they must take thocoiisequoneea of their folly. While I sympathise with them, yet I cannot find a law justifying any governing or corporate body taxing the commanity in order to satisfy thaso lords ot creation who knowingly risked, seeing that kissing goe3 by favour."

The Westsbs Park. - Frequont complaints aro made of danseojs and immoral charaoters haunting this otherwise pleasant resort, and "AYarning " Bupplios another in his narration of the following incidont: - " On a recent morning," ho writes, ''about the timo children go to school, I sauntered into tho park to sit down and read the morning paper. I cnterad from Ponsonby and went down tho park to the right. Two tree 3 furthor on than whore tho path from the fountain joins tho one nearest the fence, I saw a man and a little girl standing between tho trees by the fence. The girl was talking and crying. Tho outrages that aro occurring came to mmd, and throe treos farther on—where the bench is fixed—l left the path, wishing to see whethor ovil was contemplated. I paid attention for about a minute or so. Tho littlo girl tlion loudly exclaimed "Oh!" and Hew past me, tho man running; after her (he could not know that 1 had stayed clojo by). Tho little 7 or S year old girl, of slender build and roanarkably pale face, when she saw mo, cried, " Oh ! save me !" and I had to run at full speed to get between tho man and tho girl. My English blood boiled, and there would have been a scu/Ho had not the wild beast slunk away."

The Eden Terrace Firs.—"An Admirer of Fair Play " writes suggesting that in such cases as this the police ought to write down the explanations given to them by the accused. "Had the police taken these precautions ho could have had no reasonable objection to giving them all the information they .had "a right to require ot him. Ab the judge and counsel for both sides ■agreed, tho case roated entirely on the ac.ouraey of tho explanations tho aceusod ie alleged to havo made to tho police. All the rest of tho evidence eithor was explained or was capable of being explainod to any psrson acquainted with the habits and customs of watchmakers. Tho accused was placed at a very groat disadvantage. Ho could not possibly call evidence to rebut tho stateineots of the p.-ilice, as no other person was present to hear, consequently tho accused was the only person who could havo retutod them, or explainsd tho greater portion of tho evidonco pioducod against him, and he was prevonted by his position from giving o"idoneo. Had tho police taken these precautions, instead of jumping to the conclusion tho accused must havo set fire to the placo, possibly everything as far as the accused was concerned would havo been explained, and the painful anxiety, Buffering', and expense to which the accused, his family, and friends hai/O been subjoctod, Ba -ved, as well aa tho cost to tho Government .ot" the trial-"

A LecA£ POINT.— Mr C. B. Andrew writes—"A &<>*& assumption has been pu" forward b/ & ,*>?»*/ f in, t!l° <«»s** present being Utf £ Owstehureh- The Onnnn v Hall ard Uouston.,'—viji., 'that wTere" n" SnT is called for *. defence the Attorney-General has no right of wply. This ia entirely at variance With the Coji>»e of procedure in the other colonies, whore the Attorney-Generals have all tho rights and privilegea of the Attornoy-Uoneral of England. I know this is tho case in Vjetoiia New South Wales, Queensland, and iaamania. I remember during Bertrand a trial in Sydney, in 1865, a long argument arose as to whether Mr Butler, the then CWn ■Prosecutor for Mew South Wale?, had a right of reply ' :-Mr Dalley having called ;no evidence for the defence, he relying as, it seemed to me, simply on hi 3 eloquence —power of distorting facts, and adducing ■new theories, to carry the jury with him. Notwithstanding Mr Butler claimed to ireply. Mr Dalloy denied hi 3 right, under tthe circumstances, and maintained tne .'Attorney-General alone could demand this Srivilege. All, including Sir Alfred Steven, P., were agroed as to tho Attorney- ' General's prerogative, tho only contention toeing tho Crown Prosecutor's ' right of Mply.1 One or other did 'reply', I know, '.but at thi3 distanco of tiaio I could not Iba sure^V.hich."

A'Bor and Goat Incident.—A correspondent -whites : " It was my lot fco bo the spectator of an amusing little scone on a vacant allotment in ono of our streets on the 11th inst. I was passing along the street in question on my way to town, when 1 suddenly saw on tho above mentioned allotment a kit of books, a goat with a loaf from an exercise book in its mouth, and a boy with a very peculiar expression on his face. A glance at the scene told me at once what had happened before my arrival. The email boy had been sent by his mother to • move the goat,' i.e. ,to tio it up in a fresh ■natch of grass, and had brought hi 3 schoolborfka along with him to save time Amvinz at tho spot, ho plaoed hia kit upon the eroucd and proceeded to untie tho rope. The knot waa tight a ß d would not untie. Soon the boy stood UP to take out his knife when he perceived that the goat had •moved" itself in the) direction of ius kit of books, and thinking to change, its diet, and perceiving, no doubt, that the small boy's exertions in the mathematical line had been «««»f^* fruitful, forthwith took a leaf out of ma book. He immediately gave chase, but to no effect. Nanny chewed as she ran and soon left no trace of the mathematical problem which, if Bhe had not read, eho had certainly marked and fully intended to inwardly digest. The boy, seeing the case was getting desperate, now gave the goat a most violent kick in the ribs, for which . action one or two motives may bs assigaed--either he wanted to punish the goat or perhaps he thought to make it sick and so obtain again the possession of his sums. It certainly had the effect of rousing the animal nature in tho goat for it irascit in Cornuu' and charged upon the small boy, .■who escaped, leaving tho books in the possession of the goat. Doubtless the lad s teacher wh,en he asked the poor little chap, "where are your sums? find it hard to bo--1 lieve the pitiful an.swer " please, sir, tho ugoat eb' em."

Borrowing axd Depression.—".l. T.'1 thus delivers himself:—"l sco by tho papcra that another loan is boing floatod in London by our Government, and when wo got the money in gold we shall very soon send it out of the country again for foreign manufactures, and be taxed still further to raise moro gold to send out of tho country to pay tho interest Would it not havo beon better for the Government to start more public works and pay for them with their bonds ? If the pooplo in England aro not afraid of our bond.s why should wo bo ourselves? The?o bond 3 could bo in eonvoniont amounts, and boar such small intoroat as might bo considered desirable ; but anyway, make them logal tondor. The above plan would probably keep tho interest in tho country, and if tho bonds woio inconvoniont to exchange out of tho colony, that would benefit us tho moro by keeping thorn in it; thus increasing the currency and helping to relievo tho present depression."

Tub Grammar Snuooii.—,T. Aifcken Connell writes: " Sinco returning to Auckland, about a year ago, I havo noticed from timo to timo a number of attacks and fldverso criticisms upon tho Grammar School, which are likely, I consider, to dainugo the school and impair its eiliciency. The conclusion I have formod is that either from ignorance, incapacity, or prejudice on the part cf tho critics, tho school does not got fair play. I thereforo feol impelled to soy a word for it in a direction contrary to the usual stream of abuse and attack. I have at present three of my sons attending tho school. Two of those attondod tho High School of Dunodin under Dr. McDonald's rectorship, and one of them for three or four yeara. Sinco attending tho Grammar School here I have noticed a distinct improvement in tho rato of progress thoy are making with their education as compared with the period they attended the High School, Dunediu. And yot tho latter institution under l»r. McDonald's roetor.«liir> desorvodly held a high placo in tho estimation of tho public. Two boyp, relatives of inino, havo been educated entirely at tho Grammar School. Both took scholarships. Ono of these boys ontered the public sorvico as civil ongineor'a cadet, and tho hoad of his department has to myself oxprossod his extreme; satisfaction with the ihorcMghucsi of his mathematical education, whilst his unusual familiarity with classics for a lad of his ago ha 3 come under my personal observation. Tho othor boy passsd tho senior civil service examination second in tho colony, whilst another Grammar School boy took the first place. Tho roport of Professors Sale and Shaud last yoar, ono would imagine, must havo satisfied any unprejudiced mind that the school did not desorvo the reputation sought to bo thrust upon it, but tho attacks still continue whilst overy psg upon which it is po?siblo to hang a complaint h eagerly sought for and immediately occupied. Tho criticism and abuse bostowed so plentifully upon the Grammar School aro sullicient to demoralise any such institution, and tho only wonder I think i 3 that its eiliciency has not been impaired in a much gioator degree than has roally been tho case. This I attributo almost entirely to tho painstaking and conscientious discharge of hU duty, and to the personal attention to overy detail by tho head master, united to high personal character and good influence over tho boys. The falling off in tho attendance may bo, and is, 1 think, properly to be attributed to many causes quite unconnected with dissatisfaction with tho school. Tho raising of tho fees for boys over 13 years cf ago unquestionably had tho effect of making many paionts withdraw their sons whilst tho lato fcvero depression and other causes had a liko effect. Tho insecurity of tenure of ollico by tho undcrmaatere, and tho low rate of salary tho Board of Governors is in a position to givo, a'O very much against the school, a3 masters of ability are liable to rocoive bettor ofl'^r.-j in other quarters, and cannot, of courso, bo expected to remain hero on loss advantageous terms than thoy can get elsowhere. During this yoar tho school has lost ono of its bast masters in this way, and of courso must necessarily suffer to somo extent, but it ia adding insult and injury to blamo the school for this. Taking into consideration the funds available, and tho many disadvantages tho school labours, under I consider that it nlVorda an education which reflects the highest credit on the management, on the maators.and particula-ly upon the rector."

Archill Road Bo.\m>. —Mr J. T. B. Dines writes stating that tlio Archill Road Board woro credited with £225 by tho Treasury, £101 5s Gd being lodged in tho bank, and jL'G.'l 14a being credited to the Hospital and Chatitablo Aid Board, through instructions wirod to the Property Tax Commissioner from tho Arch Hill Road Board. Ho denies that ho sought re-election ; on the contrary, ho stood as tho servant of a number of ratepayers, and wap not defeated becauso his Committee withdrew from tho contest bofore tho poll had been open throo hour?, bo cause they objected to tho roll boing used at the election. "A Ratepayer," Ari^li Hill, writo3 in a EOinowhat similar strain.