AUCKLAND ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 774, 24 March 1910, Page 5

AUCKLAND ITEMS.

THE KNYVETT CASE. TELEGRAMS TO MINISTERS. (By Telesraph.—Special Correspondent.) '■■ Auckland, March 22. I , /When the Hons. Geo. Fowlds ' and Dr. Findlay were in Auckland recently they were deputationised regarding the Knyvett case and urged to support thoappointment of a Royal. Commission. The Knyvett Committee, hearing no-, thing from Ministers in response to their representations; telegraphed, to, Mr. Fowlds asking for a reply.- Mr. Fowlds replied to the effect that he had placed the matter before the Prime Minister".* Thereupon Sir Joseph "Ward was communicated with.by the committee, but so far he has. sent no reply. Meantime the Knyvett Committee is organising another of its series of. indignation meetings; CONSERVATORIUM OF MUSIC. The Jproppsed establishment of a Conservatorium'of Music in New Zealand was brought under the notice of the Auckland University College Council yesterday by a letter from Mr. Louis Cohen, of Wanganui, who wrote on behalf , of: . the Recess Committee, which'/ was recently appointed by the Senate of the University of New Zealand, asking what encouragement the Auckland Council would give to the proposal. In furtherance of a suggestion by the chairman (Sir Maurice O'Rorke) to refer the matter to a committee to report, Mr. C. J. Parr thought that the committee might suggest reasons in.favour of Auckland being made the site of the ,conservatorium. It was he said, that'in the , '; matter of, music the city stood first in:' New Zealand. The chairman remarked that it did so when he arrived fifty years ago. Mr. G. L. Peacock expressed .the belief that this was the only University, College in New Zealand which.:-;had -a professor of music. The-Registrar (Canon Nelson) remarked that Canterbury College had a lecturer in music. The matter was. referred to a committee. ,•.-.'-..' AUSTRALIAN GRAPES Auckland vinegrowers a year or two ago were exceedingly afraid that competition from Australia- was going to- 1 kill the industry in this province.. Indignation meetings were hold, and resolution's were submitted •to the . Government protesting against a proposal to remove the duty on Australian grapes. There was a counter agitation in favour, of. lifting the embargo, but Cabinet, with a view to enabling northern viticulturists to get the industry on to a good footing, decided that the duty sbculd still remain in operation, Last year Australian growers tried! to establish a connection in 'Auckland, an.l fail.-d hadlv. The nr't few shipments' 'arrived in a somewhat mildewed- condition. Those'.'" coming later found practically .10 demand, and though sold afc ;4d. and 51. per lb. could 'aw compete with loca'fy-grown .grapes.at 3d. and 4d. This year three shipments of Australian graiws have arrived in Auckland, and each consignment has p-.jved a financial failure! This morning Australian grapes have been selling in Queen Street at 4d. per lb. They are white muscats of excellent flavour, but' the demand does not exist, and they camiofr compote against .the ' locally-grown article. "Why?" was a question of a leading fruit merchant and importer- this morn,ing. "The reply will surprise you," answered the gentleman" iff' question': '■ "It is partly because the Australian grapes we have, received this are white.,.Auckland,-people.-seem to possess - the - queer idea that'unless- table grapes-are black they are not quite the. thjng.. Australian growers . have tried hard lo gam an outlet in New Zealand, but . their efforts have been without avail. On Sunduy my firm ree'en ed a shipment of 100 cases frort a grower who has never consigned to Auckland; before. I guess he never Will again. Frf-ight costs a penny, and duty amounts to another penny. The grapes arrived in good order, and are of the white muscat • variety, done up in 241b. boxes. They realised 1 4s. 4d. per box at auction yesterday, just a traction over 2d. per lb. The consignor in Sydney will not receive enough to cover the cost of the cases'!"

RHODES SCHOLARS. In an article which appeared in a recent issue of the .London "Times," it was contended that the Rhodes' Scholars sent home .by Australia and New Zealand had not Been holding their own in. English university education. Thiswas attributed to defective elementary and secondary courses of education. Mr. C. J. Parr'brought ■ the matter under the notice of the Auckland University College Council yesterday, and expressed; surprise that our system of primary education was considered to compare unfavourably with' those of England, America, and Germany. Whatever justification . there, .might be . for the passing of such a stricture, he did not think "The Timee" had found the true reason. Our system of primary education was, he contended, as sound and as efficient as any in the' British Dominions. . . ... '

Mr. G. L. Peacock thought that one ■of the reasons was probably the fact that'we in New Zealand had to select our scholars from smaller educational circles than was the case in larger British communities. However, there were many New Zealand scholars who had achieved fame abroad, and as an instance he mentioned the name of 'Mr. Hunter, who was professor of his snbject in one of the largest American universities, and of Professor Rutherford, who had won world-wide fame. Canada, for instance, had nearly . seven times tho population to choose its scholars from in comparison with New Zealand. We had'also been selecting more youthful scholars. The Rev. W. Beatty thought that the average New Zealand boy did not. remain; long enough in public schools. The.chairman (Sir Maurice O'Rorke) thought that one very great disadvantage under which New Zealand students' were placed in working against scholars in England was the fact that some years ago the secondary schools here had abolished the teaching of Greek, which was one of the essentials in Home universities. . .■ . .

Mr. Beatty said that was an entirely political move, because it was thought that anyone who read Greek and the classics would not be subservient to the views of tho political parties in power. (Laughter.) ' THE MAYORALTY, ..•'.. March 23. Mr.' P. M. Mackay, a member of the Auckland City Council, lias decided not to stand for the city mayoralty at,the forthcoming election. Mr. Mackay states that he has been actuated in his decision to stand out of the contest on this occasion partly by business reasons and partly by the fact that he contemplates making an early trip to the Old Country. So far as members of tho City Council aro concerned, it is now 'likely, therefore,, that a clear .field will be left for their confrere, Mr. L. •J. Bagnnll, who lias decided to stand at the request of a number of representative citizens. At present no outside names nre mentioned in connection with tho election, but it is, of course, by no means certain yet that Mr. Bagnall will bo entirely unopDoaed, ■