RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIPS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 178, 23 April 1908, Page 6

RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIPS.

The regulations which are to govern tlie new research scholarship, system . established by 1 the Government; tare published .to-daji'. The-'provisional-list of subjects for research is practic-' ally identical witli tlie programme drawn up'some time ago by Professors Scott, Chilton, and Evans, of Canterbury College, and these call for 110 comment , in supplement of the observations in'a-former article which we devoted to'the subject. j\ T or are there any special ! features' requiring notice in tho regulations governing the election of the scholars and the conditions of tenure of the scholarships. There is no want of generosity in the inducements offered to stiidents, and the safeguards against futility 'appear to be ample enough to warrant the-expendi-. ture proposed. It is in the last regulation that we find, occasion for objection to a valuable scheme. All the results of the research'are to be retained as the property of the Government, and a scholar may , not publish the. resiilts ■ of his wprk without the approval'of the Minister!' The Minister, we should add, ' is throughout made the final authority on every question relating to the working of the scheme. Unless the. reservation to the Minister of authority to publish the results obtained by a scholar is a: mere formality, it is objectionable. It is impossible to deny the right of Science to be presented. with' every discovery made by her children, and this right 'should not be made subject: to a Minister's decree; This may appear to be a captious objection to an admirable innovation, but tlie embargo which is placed upon a scholar's publication of his researches must be read in conjunction with the proprietary, rights reserved by the Government. Let us suppose that a scholar's researches discover a new /and highly profitable method of converting wood-pulp into paper, or of reducing titanic sands— both very likely things. What will the Government do with its copyrightin the discovery? Will it patent the new process, a nd| either embark jipon a new State industry, or lease its patent rights, or will it sell the secret and be done with it ? The scholarships are instituted with the object of bettering the national welfare, by tapping new springs of wealth, arid not with the object of creating reinforcements for the public fund. This end can best be achieved by leaving it I to private enterprise to take up any new processes that may be discovered. The regulations also fail to provide that a successful, scholar may reap some of the benefits that may follow, upon his discoveries. To secure the best results, a strong incentive should be offered to students: the scheme may easily fail, and-become nothing more than an expensive, encouragement of profitless dilettante-ism,'if.tlie scholars are given no ground to believe that they will share in the profits. These are subjects which deserve consideration from the Government, for although not many great and valuable discoveries will be made, it is desirable that all eventualities should be provided, for'in advance.

LOC/\L AND GENERAL. 1 ' -4 The Customs rovenue collected at the port yesterday amounted to £4242 10s. lid. Yesterday afternoon Detcctivo Cassells arrested a man named Frederick William Jones on soveral charges of false pretences. The accused will appear boforo tho Court this morning. Tho "Wanganui Painters' dispute has been referred to tho Board of Conciliation. It is probable that, when tho Beard meets in "Wellington on Monday, it will fix a date for tho hearing of evidence. •The annual licensing meeting for tho Wellington district • will be hold in tho Magistrate's Court on Juno 1, at midday. Tho annual mec-ting for tho Hutt district will bo held on Juno 3, and for Newtown on June 5, at tho samo hour. Tho new railway station at Ngaliauranga is oxpectod to bo finished in two months. It will have two platforms 600 ft. long, with rails on oither silje, and an overhead footbridge giving access to tho road. The station offices will be a modest wooden building, .with verandahs covering , tho platforms on both sides. The man Hines, who has been arrested at Auckland on ti charge of having been conoorned in tho theft of £115 from a deaf and dumb man named Sutherland, will bo brought before tho Court at Wellington on Tuesday next, when, it is understood, a further remand until tho following day will he applied for. Liout.-Colonel W. G. Duthie and the staff of the First Battalion Wellington Rifles were the guests of Captain F. T. Moore, officer commanding the Johnsonville Ilifles, at a supper and dance at Johnsonville last evening. There were about sixty couples present, and a most enjoyable evening was spont. The j'dance was .held-in the drillshed. Candidates for the city mayoralty might do well to make tho. duplication of the Wainui water main a plank." No less than: three leaks in tho main were reported to tho City Engineer-yesterday, as the.result of which tho city's brand of liquid refreshment was changed from "Wainui" ( to "Karori." Thoro was a " blow-out " at Paparangi Point on tho Hutt Road, and joint leaks at Tljorndon Quay and .at Wainui. ' Giuigs 'of men" wero despatched to tho different points, and tho Wainui pressure should bo available onoe moro to-day. Tho Now Zealand National Defence League, has finally decided that the nlauso in. the League's' constitution to : the effect that— (Clause " C") All assisted immigration to bo confined to British stock and to those who have fulfilled or agroo to fulfil special training 'conditions—shall be deleted, it being generally conceded, after deliberation, that its retention would be inimical to .the interests of the League ill thoso districts whore a considerable proportion of the population was of foreign stock. It will vbo remembered that the conference previously dobated the question, and resolved on its retention. ' . . ' ' At a general meeting of the United Irish League, held in St. Patrick's Hall on Tues',day • evening last, there' was a good attend-' anco of mpmhors. A large number of new mombers have 'boen enrolled during the previous few weeks; It has been decided to hold a series of - ontertainmonts during-tho winter .months .at Mr. Lyons's Rooms, Willis Street, and the firstof those., taking the form of a social evening, w'ill take place ,011 Thursday; May 7.'V Mr. Wm.'M'Laughm haschargo. ■of , tho musical .portion of tho programme. Opportunity, will bo taken during the evening to tondor a welcome to mombers who have been.'absent from New Zealand.. It .is confidentlyvexpected that the Government, through'the Public: Works Department, will call-for tenders, for tho erection of tho new General Post Olfico within the next month, Tho tenants ■of the old buildings'that now cover the sit© in Foatherston Street liavo been given notice to quit, and'a 'start is to.bo'mado to demolish the buildings at .tho ond' of tho present month.' Arrangements aro now being 1 made to accommodate those brandies of the Postal Service that have boon located in tho old part in temporary premises. The parcels-post office'and dead letter office is to occupy, quarters in the now St. Goorge Building in Brandon Street, opposite tho northern'end of tho Government Life Insurance Department's building. Tho letter-carriers, whoso sorting room has also been in one of tho old buildings,' are- being provided with accommodation in the' first floor corridor of the General Post. Office, which is now being', partitioned for tho pin*, pose. ' ' . "•Talking about wet feet," said a prominent voluliteor officer during a shower yesterday afternoon, me that a serioup omission; was niade in connection with the .manoeuvres 'in- not impressing on the men the. value of. strong heavy foot-gear. It was ludicrous to see some of the local volunteers scouring the country in lightsoled 1 , sharp-pointed boots without any suspicion of nails—boots they would .wear when parading Lambton Quay in fine weather. The result was that their feet - became' sopping wet .in no time, and going down Porirua Road I saw more tiian one in difficulties with his boots—one, in particular, making a valiant attempt to keep body and 'sole' together. The British Army authorities aro very particular as to how the men are shod, and we should, as far as possible, emulate them in that regard.' What the men should wear aro stout kip boots with plenty of nails in them, so "that they can get a-good foothold in' any kind of country .and in any weather." - Improved supplies of metal have come to hand lately 'for the Hutt railway duplication works, which are accordingly making better progress. A big blast consisting of ij tons of powder was fired at Poncarrow about a' week ago, and brought down some 5000 tons :of rock. A bigger blast will bo fired in about two months' time. It is computed that some 32,000 tons of rook'havo been obtained froih Pencarrow for tho work to date.- Tho,supply from this source is ample for present needs, but during tho strong southerly winds a good deal of difficulty is experienced' in working tho scow. It is oxpected that tho double lino from Potono to Ngaliauranga will bo in U6O ,in about two months' time, and tho Department is fairly confident of having tho work finished to Kaiwarra within tho lioxt twelve months. Tho Department has been trying to arrange with tho Manawatu Railway Company for tho supply of greater quantities of, stono by their, line, tho difficulty being that a special train' would bo required for . transit. Unlimited quantities ■of stono await removal in tho vicinity of Paekakariki. Jfrs. Ethel It. tfo Costa, Lt/.8. Inn, in.. ,Ethel R. -Benjamin, of-Dnnedin), aftor practis infr for some. years in that city, has commenccd practice as a barrister • and solicitor jn No. G IMathan s Buildings, comer Grey md Foatherston Streets, Wellington, Mrs. De Costa has the distinction of beiuc the only lady practising .at the Bar, in the Dominion. In. tcMdiaa clioiitfl caa depend on prompt and careful attention at lira. De Costa's

The Government officcs nr.J banks will bo closed to-day (St. George's Day). . Tho Marine Department has decided to hold a magisterial inquiry into the collision which occurrod in Dunedin Harbour between the steamer Lady Roberts and a fishing launch, and as a result of which four lives woro lost. . It'was resolved, at last night's meeting of the "Wellington Rugby Football Union, that the agreement with Miramar Ltd., in connection with; the lease to the Union of tho racecourse for three years be .duly signed, provided that several amendments are first made. Two of tho patients belonging to tho l'orirua Asylum are'at present at largo. Ono of tliom, William James Hales, escaped from tho institution on Monday aßertioon, and tho other, Burnett Kleim, took his departuro unobserved on Tuesday afternoon. Hales is twenty-five years of age, sft. 4in. in height, dark complexion, clean shaved, except for a sandy moustache, and when he escaped was wearing a dark grey suit. ;Kleiiii is fifty years old, sft. sin. in height, of stout build' and fresh complexion, and has brown hair and shaggy beard. One of the delegates (Mr. Hulbert) to the New Zealand National Defenoe League Conference referred yesterday to the sneer-' ing spirit which animated - some people. Somo of these people jvqre, he regretted to say, ex-officers, who had a grievance against the Government, and made a practico of airing: the ■ same at mootings of the Leaguo. "I have heard nothing of that hero," said the. Chairman. Mr. Hulbert went on to say that he was. a volunteer, and one evening recently,> as he was on his way to parado, someone, t sneered as he passed along the street. "There goes- ono of our'gallant defenders." " Why. didn't you kick liiin? " inquired Lieut.-Colonel Goring, and a smile rippled round the room at this drastic suggestion. On, Tuesday (telegraphs our Christchurch | correspondent) the first'service was held in a now church which has been erected on the fcashmoro Hills. The church hears the name of St. Augustine of Canterbury, and through the good offices of the Rev. Canon Coates contains,an interesting memento of that old-, time missionary and of the -■ splendid abbey which' arose on the site of tho humble school and monastery which he founded in Kent. Tho momorial is a piece of stono worked in the twelfth-, pr 'thirteenth !. century, which once formed part of a vaulted room in St. Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury. The stone is about 16in. in ' length, 6in.i in width, and lOin. in depth, and it has been utilised m the new church to support tho stone slab of the Credence table. "Among the patrons'.of the " pit" at the' .Magistrate's Court yesterday.morning was'a supremely • happy soul.From time, to time lie simply bubbled over with merriment, and his chuckle oould be . heard almost throughout tho room. When all the business had been disposed of, he called out iii a loud tone, " Where did I come in? " Amidst laughter, Dr./M'Arthur; S.M.,- who was just leaving the Bench, replied, "At tile door," and, after; a brief pause, addedj " Perhaps you would like to stay?" Tho point was not lost, on the Visitor, who instantly ejaculated, "Oh, no! Only so long as you do! I am so happy to have met you!" Subsequently an official asked the man whether' he was oohcerned in any case. "Case?" came - the reply. " Half a dozen of them,' but—they're all whisky cases!" .. . • "Half a loaf is better than no bread" runs the old adage, and it is doubtless on this principle that' a . ferry across the English Channel is now being advocated. The Channel tunnel scheme; although resuscitated from time to time; seems hopelessly doomed, in view of the, unrelenting opposition of each succeeding British administration; The Channel Ferry Company has apparently secured the' approval of,both the British and French Governments to its project for ferrying across tho. " silver streak" both passenger; and freight trains. When this service is in operation it will effect an enormous saving of time, troublo,; and. expense to many thousands of travellers. There can be no insuperable en-, gineering obstacles to be overcome, as many such ferries are in operation elsewhere. In the, United . States, it was pointed out by a ; deputation to M. Clembnceau, there are no fewer than-seventy-eight. The ferry will bo between Dover and Calais, and-there seems to be an excellent prospect of its being inaugurated;, at an early date.—"Cook's Gazette." |-