KINDERGARTEN DINNERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 291, 7 December 1889, Page 4

KINDERGARTEN DINNERS.

We feel sure that our correspondent "J.B" must be practically unacquainted with the work that is being done in the Auckland Kindergartens or his condemnation of providing a wholesome midday meal for the young children whose mental and moral faculties are trained in those institutions would never have been written. '• J.B. " assumes that to accompany tho supply of pabulum for the mind uud character with some nutritious sustenance for the bodily frame is to foster pauperism. He merely assumes this, not giving one jot of reason or evidence for the assumption; and thereupon he takes it upon him to lecture tho Kindergarten benefactors. Now, all this is neither more nor leas than a confounding together of things that are essentially different. To maintain loafers in idleness, to give indiscriminate alms to vagrant imposters, these misplaced exercises of charity are certainly objectionable, as tending to keep up the supply of most undesirable practitioners ; bub no such objection lies against ministering to the health and comfort of the little ones in a Kindergarten school. The eystem is really one which aims, and we believe successfully, to save from pauperism children who might otherwise pass from the stages of neglect into the loafer class. Germany is a country where the science of social administration is most fully understood, and while the German Government adopts every'available means of preventing pauperism by stringent regulations as to adults; on the other hand, the giving of a meal to school children is a part of educational arrangements. In London, educational authorities have been recently considering the question of partially introducing there a similar practice. In Auckland, good results in this way are accomplished by means of Srivate beneficence. Pauperism is not prouced by help judiciously bestowed upon those who need it, but rather by adopting a callous indifferent attitude towards the weaker members of the community who are 'driven to the wall in the fierce struggle for existence. Help, however, should always be given in such a manner as to improve and not degrade those who receive it; and we believe the Kindergartens are working successfully in this respect. We are informed that.the children of the Jubilee .Kinder; gai-ben are all of them under the age,of, seven'years, and that ■ most of them\Sre r far within, that limit. The salutary tindness extended to thoselifctieones is, we consider absolutely free from the risk of tending to pauperism, although oven if each a drawback existed in a minor degree, that would not form any sufficient reason for discouraging so ■ excellent a work. It is most pointedly a case in which that touchingly beautiful declaration applies: " Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least, of these, ye have done it unto Me." ;

Ah application was received by the Board of Education from the publisher yesterday afternoon to have Moss's School History of New Zealand placed on the list of books permitted to be used in the Government schools of Auckland. It wae decided to refer the book to Sir G. Grey, Sir W. Fox, and Dr. J. L. Campbell for their opinion on its suitability for use in schools. At the Police Court this forenoon, before Dr. Giles, R.M.*i John Ross was fined 40s and costs with an alternative of 7 days' hard labour for drunkenness, and Daniel Mooaghan 10a or 48 hours' imprisonment for drunkenness. A Chinaman named Wong Chong was charged with stealing certain machinery valued at £4 from William Garrett and another. The machinery in question was alleged to have been stolen from a yard adjoining Garrett Bros.' boot factory, in Wakefieldetreet. It was offered for sale by the accused to Mr Frost, in the City Market, and Wione Chong was subsequently arrested by Detective Hughes. The accused, who gave evidence on his own behalf, denied that he stole the iron, and asserted that he bought it from a boy for 3s 4d. Hβ declined to be dealt with summarily, and was ordered to take his trial at the next Supreme Court sessions. St. Peter's Church, Surrey Hills, was filled on the afternoon of Wednesday last, on the the marriage of Mr F. L. Gribbin to Misl*Martha Finch. After the ceremony the Rev. R. Sommerville preto the bride, in the name of the choir, of which she had been a member, a handsome Bible, and expressed the wish of the donors that it might be her light and guide, and source of comfort and joy in the new relationship into which she, had just entered. . A charge of taking rock oysters from prohibited places in the port of Auckland preferred against Daniel Gascoigne and Joseph Theodore was called at the Police Court this morning. There was no appearance for the prosecution (the Customs Department), and the case was struck out. Thjs morning' in connection with some discharging of vessels' cargo at the Queenstreet Wharf thelqcal branch of the Lumpers? Union made their influencefelfc inameasure. The consignee of the schooner Jessie Niccol's cargo of guano from Long Island had started to discharge the vessel's freights with a number of navvies from the Mount Eden scoria quarries. The lumpers at once I protested, and the result was that bonafide, lumpers were taken on for the work instead of the navvie?, who were discharged. Mr A. G. Bartlett, chronometer-maker* jeweller, etc., has Bent the following exhibits to the Dunedin Exhibition in charge of Mr A. Bartlett:—Marine chronometer, escapement made by himself; marine chronometer, procured from a wreck— chronometer rusty and useless—having applied new pinions, re-spring and adjusted in heat and cold ; chronometer detents, hair springs, escape wheels end pinions, staff and rollers, balance parts of watches made from the raw material, keyless and ratchet work, barrels and arbors, wheels arid pinions, jewels set in braes discs. The lathe and accessories have been photographed. The object is that the photo of the part of the lathe can be placed with the particular exhibit which has been made by the accessory used. They have alaq sent a photo of the transit instrument for taking observations. Mr J. Ji. Hanna was the photographer. The exhibits will be displayed in a plate-glass <jase, 2ft 6in by Iffc $in, Kftda by Mr Jpnee.

The annual meeting of shareholders in the Coromandel Steamboat Company waa L el £ a T, fe^. da s a * 0 ' Mr *• J - Cadman, rnu a^rman °* Directors, presiding; The report and balance-sheet were adopted.' The directors, in their report, reodml&hded the payment during the ensuirig'iaßfifcß'of 4 dividend of 2s per share, together with the usual honorarium of £50 to the directors. me directors stated that arrangements were being made to replace the boiler in. . the steamer, which, together with the neces. saly repairsl and other incidental expenses,' would about absorb the reserve fund. Mr d. F Leighton was elected a director, and Mr J. i±. Harrison was re-elected auditor. i The significance of the Chinese oath, which uitekea by blowing out a lighted match, was explained by Mr Thomas C)uoi, Chinese interpreter, at the Police CourS this morning. He stated that before blowing out tho match the person about to take an oath repeated words to thie effect: "In reference to the case you have in hand T have to speak the truth, and if I perjure myself mylifewillbedeatroyed byfire.and I will' be destroyed for ever." This was signified by blowing out a lighted match, Dr. Giles being;Of opinion that.the Chinese oath was much the same in its significance as the English oath, viz., "Theevidence you are about to give in this case, shall be the : truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God." _At the meeting of the Board of Educa* tion yesterday afternoon an application was' received from the Newton Committee for a: new infant school. Some discussion toot place on the advisability of erecting a new! school to tap the Eden Terrace and Great! North Road district, and it was resolved to! consult the Committee on the advisability! of erecting each school. 1 The well-known Abbotsford estate, TaierL Otago, was sold by auction in lots yesterday by Wright and Stephenson. Lot 1, id acres, realised £28 5s per acre; lot 2, sama area, £25; lot 3, 32 acres, £31. The home-] steed block of 349 acres,, realised £25 per acre; 150 acres, all in oats, next to it,: fetching £26. The other lots were passed] in at £24 per acre. ! A singular tale comes from Molena, Ga.i On October the Bth Mr J. M. Woodhall' married Miss Ola Carriker. Just as the!; two wore made one measles broke out onj the person of the bridegroom. The local! paper states that he was taken home "a! sicker but a happier man." It is nob every-! one that gets measles and matrimony ntk the same moment. : At a meeting of delegates from the Wanganui Friendly Societies to consider! the Railway Employees' Insurance Bill, ib was resolved, " That this meeting strongly; protests against the introduction of the Railway Employees' Insurance Bill. Theyi consider the same a direct blow to the; existence of Friendly Societies, owing to| the large number of railway employees be-' longing to different orders." A second rer solution was as follows :—"That in the; opinion of this meeting the time rived for the different orders to acS in tmiott on all matters concerning Friendly So-: cieties, and recommend their lodges to ap-: point-three delegates to form a Vigilance Committee and endeavour to make the. movement universal in the colony." , The monthly meeting of. the Tabernacle Band of Hope was held last evening. A] large gathering of friends were present to! show their sympathy in the cause. MrJoshua Robinson opened the meeting, after! which he welcomed Mr Birch as President of the Society in &• very kindly manner.Mr Birch responded .very pleasingly, and presided over the meeting. "The fol-, lowing programme was very creditably; rendered:—l)uet(pianoforte), Misses Court; Bpeech, Chairman; song, Miss G. Brown i song, Mr Maitland; Bong, Mr G: H. Cro-! comfce; reading, Mr Hill; recitation, .Miss.' Webxey; song, Mr Maitland ; duet (pianoIforte), Misses Court; song-, Miss Battley; recitation, Silas Marson; duet (vocal),: Misses Lye. The last concert of the season by the Young Ladies' Orchestra will be given in, the Choral Hall on Thursday next, the 12th; December. The programme is a very select one, and includes morceaux by many] of our first-class singers and instrumentalists: No doubt this concert; will have as great success as those in the past. - J ■ The sale of work and Christmas tree in. aid of the funds of St. Patrick's Presbytery was ' continued last ■even-' ing in the Catholic Institute, Wel-lington-street, and was exceedingly well; attended. During ■ the afternoon and! evening a large number of prizes were again .distributed from the Christmas trees. The various work tables formed the centre, of attraction, and the enterprising young' ladies who acted as saleswomen were; amply rewarded for their trou ble ( in, bujjfebja-! holing visitors, by the which attended their efforts. An excel-, lent business was done by each of the stalls. ' During the evening Miss Brusnan; sang "The Maid of the Mill" very pret-' tily, Misses Lynch and Danaher gave o pianoforte duet, Mr Montague contributed: a humorous reading, and Miss M. Carrigan: a song. Miss D. Lynch acted as accom-.' panist. There is a probability that the: sale will be continued on Monday evening. The Auckland Orchestral Union are; making exceedingly good progress in their practice under the conductorship of Mr! Triinnell. A successful practice was held' in the Choral Hall last evening, i The; Society intend giving a grand public con-. cerb about the end of January next, v r The last of the series of winter entertainments in connection with St. Sepulchre's Church was held last evening in the schoolroom, Symonds-street, and was well, attended. Miss, Mr and Mrs TrevifcMek gave a very enjoyabje trio on the violin,: 'cello and pianoforte ; the Misses Kissling sang a duet, Mrs Hudson sang " Will he; Come?" Mr Martin sang- "A Bunch of; Violets ;" .Messrs Martin, Rice, Hookey and; Hamerton'sang a quai tette, and songs were.' also given by Messrs W. Chambers, Hookey, ; and Captain Mackay. Various other items" helped 1 to make up a very meritorious and enjoyable Concert. Mr Rice played tho; piano accompaniments. The Now Zealand Diug Company call' attention to their second annual sale of; i Japanese goods, beginning on Monday: 1 next, the 9th of December, at their large; warehouse in Elliott-street (known as Hoff-j manns Buildings). The goods come direct: , from Yokohama, and comprise a very large! and varied assortment, consisting of handsome lacquer ware, cabinets, workboxes,! handkerchief boxes, trays, vases (in| , variety),, tea sots, silk handkerchiefs,; basket ware, and a hundred and one" ~ articleaof utility and ornament, got up in! ; a stylo for which the ingenious Japs, are w>: J famous. This is an opportunity that, , seldom occurs of obtaining this class of; [ goods at wholesale rates. The eighth anniversary meeting of St. j John's Ponsonby Wesleyan Band of Hopai '. was held last night in the school-room. , There was a good attendance, and the Bey.i A. C. La wry presided. The Secretary s. , reporb was of a favourable nature, and. stated that during the year a Band of' " Hope choir had been formed under the; [ leadership of Mr Tichban, and that 56; pledges had been taken. The following' programme was gone through ia good! I Btyle:—Choir,. *'To All You Ladies; ,, : band, selection; Miss Harris, recitation;, \Mr Titchban, song; Miss J. Woodhead, ; , recitation; Mr Frank, . addressj[J>boir t -: . "Three Buzzing Bees;" MUs;^H|ger,: 1 recltatien ; band, selection; MrTiteff&an, j \ recitation; Miss Stevens, piano solo ;"choir,: . selection; Mr West, clarionet solo; Miss ; S. J., Wheeler, recitation ; choir, " Grand; '. Review/ , ; 1 R. H. Abbott and Co. 's gnJat hat rush has just set in, having just opened 2,140 ladies j ! and girle , etrawe at lei 870 »t Iβ lld.~;

The mail steamer Mariposa.which arrived ab 1.30 p.m. to-day from San Francico, brought about a dozen saloon and thirteen steerage passepgerß for Auckland. Amongst the cabin passengers is Captain B. C. Howes, ofroNew York, who comes here to take charges rirf the American barque Wakelield, snow loading at Wellington, for New York, in place of the late Captain Crowell, w.ho died recently. Other passengers are:—Mr Welding Ring, of theshipowningfirmofMulierand Terreau, owners of the American Kangaroo line of steam packets, who is on a visit to the colonies. Dr. Chum, of the large American firm of Mackesson and Robin, wholesale druggists, of New York, ■who is on a business tour; Mr F. Stopper, __ of Newcastle, England, representative of a large shipbuilding firm, who have an exhibit at the Dunedin Exhibition, whither he proceeds ; and Mr and Mrs Roebuck, of England, who intend to visit the Hot Lakes. Amongst the names in the saloon passenger list for Sydney ■we notice bhose of Van Tassell Brothers, the renowned American aeronauts and parachute jumpers, who are en route to Sydney and Melbourne. We understand they contemplate returning to New Zealand in the near future, when they will give a series of their daring seriel exploits among the clouds. <. A'number of applications were received by the Waitemata County Council yesterday for various road works. Those were however deferred, the Council having decided not to undertakeany road formation 'until the existing overdraft has been reduced.

The new Church of the Assumption at Onehunga intend holding a fancy, fair an bazaar iv Sfc. Mary's Hall, commencing on Tuesday next, and keeping open on the following evenings. By the way in which [the energetic Committee are working, the fair promisee to be one of the rriost successful yet held in Onehunga. The local brass band have promised their services for the opening night.

Some of the largest strawberries we have geen in Auckland were on view to - day at the shop of Mrs Louden, of Parnell. They were more than three times tho size of the ordinary fruit, and were grown by Mr H. Jone3, of Birkenhead. We understand that the late rains have considerably benefited the strawberry beds, and the supply of fruit, though short at present, should be fairly good at Christmas.

Mr W. Corrie Johnston will lecture on ■Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock, in the Temperance Hall, Albert-street, on "The Second Coming of Chriat," and continue the subject on Thursday evening in the same place. He ia also to lecture in St. George's Hall, Newton, on Monday at 7.30 p.m., on "The Down Grade in the Light of the Lord's Coming," and also in the same hall on Wednesday, on tho subjecb of ".-Holiness, or Deliverance."

The steamer Eagle will make a trip t° St. Helier's jßay" tomorrow (Sunday), leaving the. Ferry Company's tee for the favourite reaort at half-past two o'clock.

Those desirous of purchasing a seaside residence in the suburbs will have an opportunity afforded of doing so on Thursday next, when the property of the late Mr Thoe. Boylan, Shelly Beach, will be sold at auction by Messrs D. F. Evans and Company. The property will be sold in one or three lots fco suit purchasers. At the same time two verandah cottages in Auburn-street will be sold.

Wβ have been asked to point out that Mr Gulliver's address at the Choral Hall tomorrow evening will be at seven o'clock as uaual, and not at eight as advertised in the morning paper through an error in writing out the advertisement.