DUNEDIN GOSSIP.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XXVII, Issue 1374, 27 August 1895, Page 4

DUNEDIN GOSSIP.

[FROM OCR OWN CORRBSPONDKNT.I Our prohibitionists have been surprisingly active of late. These outbursts of theirs are a continued source of wonder to the unregenerate. Can it be as some suggest that these exciting agitations are merely another form of that kind of ■disease which causes others to fly to drink to get their excitement. The quiet modest temperance man who does not drink himself and seeks to convert his friends into following his example never appears to desire to take any part in the meetings at which speakers work i themselves up into a terrible state of excitement and say the most outrageous things concerning all and sundry who will not join their crusade. The reckless individual, at the last annual meeting of the Prohibition League, waß Mr Robert Rae. This gentleman went on in the usual strain, concerning the horrors to be seen about the hotels, and after describing one scene which he saw himself, proceeded to charge the police with being in league with the publicans. And on what grounds will it be asked. Well, he says he saw a man bundled out of a hotel into the gutter, the man being afterwards lifted up by two others. Be met a policeman, and while relating his complaint, the three passed. There was nothing about them that he could take cognisance of, so he went to the hotelkeeper, who said he had served the two men, but had declined to give drink to the third, as he was already under the influence. The constable could do no more, and because of this, Mr Rae charged him with being in league with the publican. It is understood the constable intends taking legal proceedings, and if he does, then Mr Rae may have a lively time of it.. Following upon this came a public meeting to denounce Mr Seddon and his Liquor Bill. Mr A. S. Adams ventured to remark that next to the drink traffic the horse dealing trade was most provocative of lying and thieving. Mr Adams was unfortunate in trying to work in an anecdote to illustrate his case. He himself would appear to i have been concerned in the deal, and he left the painful, impression that he might be talking from experience, and that to his view horse dealing was really worse than the profession of the law which he follows. Mr Adams has been subjected to a good deal of chaff, but some irate horse dealers threaten to take him in hand and convert his views. This meetiug was disturbed by a couple of youths introducing- asafcatida, aud clearing out some of the audience. Of course the publican party gets the credit for this trick, but it is more than doubtful if any of them had a hand in the affair. Having discharged their artillery it is hoped that the extremists will rest for a while. , > Before finally dismissing the Prohibitionists for the present, it may be added that they have been greatly concerned at one of the leading lights being convicted of a breach of the Factory Act, and, as the Magistrate said, guilty of an offence against decency and morality. Mr A. 0. Broad, th 9 gentleman in question, has long been noted for his denunciation of the publicans for not strictly observing the law. Now that he has found it is not so easily observed in other respects, he may become a little more moderate. It is to be hoped "Lynx," of the Prohibitionist, will take note of the case, and favor the public with an idea of what he would have said had a Magistrate felt it his duty to make the same remarks concerning a publican. The paper warfare between Messrs Ryley and Hudson re wheat rings, auction ■ l J knock-outs," etc., has been "carried on at spasmodic intervals, but l'v Hudson would appear to have now retired from the field, leaving his opponent as conqueror. 'Twas a very pretty fight, and will do more to prevent any attempt to form rings and associations among millers for years to come than any legislation which Mr Reeves' ingenuity could devise. It has had especial interest also from Mr Hudson having in the past posed as a philanthropist and socialist. But Mr Ryley's letters coming with the publication of evidence taken before th« ' Tariff Commission, charging him with adulterating some of his chocolate, and a peculiar police courtcase, has blown all faith in his socialism to the winds. Mr Ryley is more fortunate, charged inferentiatly by one clergyman with having formed a wheat ring, he turns the tables on the clergyman's informant, and then, in a public assembly, finds a Catholic priest, who comes forward and says he has widened his views, and, by giving a section at Catlins for a Roman Catholic Church, has some claim to be admitted to Heaven, Presbyterian though he may be. It is surprising that country school committees, and for that matter town committees as well, have not taken more interest in the new classification scheme, which, according to its author, the board is certain to adopt. Committees and householders can scarcely have realised that it takes away from them all power in the matter of appointments of teachers. By it the school is classified and the teachers likewise. Being automate, when a vacancy occurs there can be only a very limited few who can be appointed, and it will practically rest with the inspectors to say who the individual to fill the place is to be. Now, however desirable it may be to have a proper system of promotion, it is certain that cast iron schemes must act detrimentally on many occasions. A master or mistress who is next on the list for promotion is not necessarily the best fitted for the first position that becomes vacant. Take as an example a district where the scholars may be a little older than the average, fond of cricket, football, and out-door sports generally, full as a consequence of animal spirits and requiring a firm hand to lead and direct them into a proper channel. The committee, knowing the class of scholars and the requirements of the district, can invariably select a man to "fill the bill." But by the classification scheme they may have foisted on them a puny, nervous, individual who can neither direct nor control his pupils. Take again the one which occurred recently. The matronship of a school became vacant. Several of the applicants had the highest testimonial and certificates, but of all the teachers in the school not one knew anything of music or singing. The committee very wisely decided that they must select an applicant with qualifications in this respect; none of the highly qualified mistresses possessed them and the committee passed them over and selected one who had, but with a much lower certificate. And it is a I moral certainty that they did right and that the school is better staffed than it would have been with one of the others.