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Cromwell Argus, Volume XXVII, Issue 1372, 13 August 1895, Page 4

No Warden's Court was held last Friday. Messrs Solomon and Co. desire, us to direct attention to their sale of drapery, etc., •to-morrow forenoon. ' ■' v< The adjourned. meeting' of .foe Cromwell Tradesmen's Racing Club will take place on Thursday evening. "We hear that it is likely that the " Pirates of Penzance " will be performed at Alexandra within the next fortnight or so. The jeather during the pasfc week has been as wintry as ever. A slight fall of snow fell yesterday morning on the ranges. We hear that Mr J. Goodger and party have let the contract to sink the shaft on their coal lease on Cromwell Plat to Mr T.M'EUigott. J The Bannockburn dredge is not yet at work, the pumping gear no . fc working satisfactorily. This, however, is expected to be rectified in a day or two when work is expected to commence, . It will be noticed that f the second and final performance in Cromwell of the "Pirates of Penzance" takes place on Wednesday (to-morrow) evening. Undress rehearsal to night. ..; It will be noticed elsewhere that the Vincent Coucty Horticul|ural Society has made a new departure in voting an honorarium to the Secretary of £5 ss, and that it has resolved to make this a continuing quantity every year. We have not the slightest'objection to urge to/;this<vvery, commendable vote, but injustice to the two secretaries who did the work for the 4 !first, two years of the, society's existence, : it would, we think, be only fair that the resolution should be retrospective. Mr R. A. Pyke did yeoman's work for the society and we can vouch for Mr Warburton as an exceptionally good worker. The greater part of the financial success which the society how enjoys belongs to the untiring efforts of Messrs Pyke and Warbnrton and the adoption of the suggestion we have made would not only be a tribute of appreciation, but a common act of justice. The annual meeting of the Vincent County Horticultural Society was held at Alexandra on Wednesday. The annual, report and balance sheet shewed an improving state of affairs, the finances being increased on the year's transactions by £ll odd. The following were elected a committee for the coming year:—President, Mr B. Naylor; vice-president, Mr J. S. Dickie; secretary and treasurer,, Mr R. S. Gilkison ; committee, Messrs Theyers, Gards, Grimstone (Alexandra), Messrs Macgeorge and G. Spooner (Clyde), Dr Morris, Messrs Solomon and Turton (Cromwell), Messrs J. Horn, Parcell,' and D. U. M'Gregor (Bannockburn),Mrß. M'Dougall (Wanaka), Mr J. L. Flint (Ophir), Mr W. S. Laidlaw (Earnscleugh Flat), and Mr Harvey (Bald Hill Flat). The retiring secretary was voted an honorarium of £5 ss, and it was resolved to continue the vote in future. We publish elsewhere a table comparing grants made to school committees by the Otago and North Canterbury Boards respectively, showing what the present grant from the Otago Education Board is, ind what the grant would be under the scale in force in North Canterbury. The total amount granted to committees by the Otago Education Board is £4.556; by the NorthJCanterbury Board £6,956. However, in order that the comparison should be fair, it is necessary to know what the total average attendance is .in each district, and the amount of the special grants made by each Board. The balance sheet of the Otago Board contains the items, improvements of buildings £1,721, and furniture aod appliances £4OB, total £2lt*9. which expenditure may, in North Canterbury, fall upon the committees. If this be the case,, the Otago Board virtually grants committees £6,685, which is butlittle less than theamouut granted by the North Canterbury Board Again, a comparison ought to be made between the salaries of teachers in the two districts, and, in this case, the balance is, we believe, in favor of Otago. The Board at present has under cuneideration a scheme for classifying schools, and, without further expenditure, improving the position of the great majority of the teachers iu its service. The only fault we have to find with the Otago Board is that it is apt to be rather lavish in making grants to large town schools, whose committees are able to deputationiso the Board, while it is inclined to be on the stingy side in making grants to , smaller or remote schools which are unable

to bring any great pressure to bear. The Board has, however, spent a considerable sum lately in altering the schools at Clyde and Alexandra, owing to the defective way in which they were lighted. The Cromwell school is. we believe, equally as badly lighted, but the effect on the children 8 eyesight is not so pronounced, though over 60 percent/of the pupils have,eyesight more or less defective. The tablfejshould prove interesting reading to the school com mitteesof the district, and they may discuss, with benefit, the proposal made by the Dunedin and Suburban School Committees Conference, which is evidently seeking for the support of the country committees. Our Wanaka correspondent writes: The frost still continues and without exception ■ we,'had the most severe winter ever experienced here. Mining at Boundary Creek has fo«- the present ceased. Some of the prospectors speak of returning again in the spring, although I understand they have not, so far, received much encouragement to do so. Owing to the snow and frost being so severe the rabbiting this winter has been a complete failure. I ni3 IS to be regretted as rabbiting is the only employment here in the winter. The new school at Makarora is now in full w o*£ ln g order, under the supervision of Mr; M Kay, assisted by Miss M'Kay. The number of scholars is about 18, which is a very good start, it is to be hoped. As the time progresses the number of scholars will increase. " j ■ '•