The Daily Telegraph. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 1883.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3599, 24 January 1883, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 1883.

The defeat of Bishop Moran in the contest for the representation of the Peninsular shows conclusively that the cause of dcnominationalists is at a very loav ebb. Even Mr Donnelly—a comparative stranger from Christcliurch—scored more A-otcs than tho Bishop, who'is as-well: known in the district as the steeple of the '' First Church.'' In fact, it would appear that the people Avill have no alteration of the Education Act. And they are quite right. It Avas a great stride, in. civilization when the nations recognised the duties of the State toAvards the people, and took the .care, of, education

from the hands of the, clergy. In no country has the establishment of a free and secular system of education been attained AA-ithout a struggle, and it would be a manifest folly iioav if the people abandoned the fruits of victory. To the great minds of past generations do the people OAve the boon they now possess ; to those men aa-liosg pleadings and teachings gradually leavening the AA-hole body politic prepared the way for the enlightened legislation of the present time. The names of those men are still remembered Avith hatred and scorn by the few Avho still cling to old traditions, but the people remember them AA-ith affection, and revere their memories the more that they realise what they have gained by the work of their lives. The men who were denounced from the pulpit and by a sub-sei'A-icnt press; the men to whom to refer in terms of respect Avas to incur obloquy and social disgrace, are they aa-lioso works are yearly more read and appreciated by f the great body of the people. Dcnominationalists AA-ill never bo able to smother tho poAverful stream of thought that has thus boon created ; it Avould be Aviser to go Avith it in the hope of directing it in some measure, for to attempt to oppose it is only to court destruction, The Education Act that avc have in this colony, and Avliich has been copied from the legislation of other countries, is a sign of the times, but it does not menace the vitality of religion. The Christcliurch Press takes this sensible vieiv of this part of our subject:—" It is assumed by nearly cA-ery one aa-lio opposes the Education Act that all avlio support the system it. embodies arc opposed to religious training, and are anxious to banish all Christian knOAA'ledge from the minds of the rising generation. It is needless to say that this is quite a gratuitous assumption, and not justified by any of the facts of the ease. We have only to turn to the debates Avhich have taken place in Parliament on the subject, to prove that members have had no such aim. As practical men they have been called upon to solve the problem of educating the children of the State : and, after much debate and careful consideration, they came to the conclusion that there Avas only one method of doing so. Many of them indeed Averc anything- but proud of Avhat they avci-o doing, and of the necessity of State interference in education at all. But they recognised such interference as a necessary duty, and they folloAVcd tho only practicable course open to them. AYe began, as our readers all Ichoav, by giving State aid to the denominations, both in England and in the colonies, and Avith Avhat result r Have the denominations been able to oA'crtake the educational requirements even of Great Britain ? It is true, no doubt, that the Church schools in England are at the present time in vigorous existence, and afford the means of education to a large section of the community. But flourishing as they are, the Board schools have to fill up the Avido gaps left altogether unoccupied. As the demand for education increased, other schools than those directed by the denominations had to be proA-idcd. In the colonies especially it is notorious that denominationalism utterly failed to cope with the growing demand for instruction, and that, unless the population Avas to groAv up uneducated, the State must step in and directly manage the .matter itself. But to assert, as some do, because the State has proA-idcd a free, undenominational, and compulsory system, that therefore those avlio support that system arc opposed to the children of this colony being trained in religious principles, is to ignore the past history of the question. The people of the colony support the national system because it proA-ides a part, and a, most important part, of Avhat they require. They knoAV only too avcll, from past experience, that to return to denominationalism means that largo numbers of children Avill got no education of any kind, religious or secular. And believing in the paramount importance of having their children taught at least the rudiments of knowledge, they Avarmly support the existing system.

Mr. C. J. Barker, local agent for the Ncav

Zealand Government Life Insurance Department, has favored us Avith a copy of the ucav prospectus of the ordinary branch just published. Under the head of "Progress of the Department" we notice that, during the tAA-eIA'C years tho system has been iv operation, 19, 483 policieshaA-obeen issued, representing a total sum assured of £0,512,292, these figures being irrespective of the industrial business since the re-open-ing of the branch in March, 1882. The last quinquennial valuations showed a not cash profit of £77,000, as against a cash surplus for the first five years of £12,000. Of this £77,000 a, sum of'£2l,ooo Avas set apart as a reserve fund, and the balance of £56,000 was distributed by Avay of reversionary bonus addition amongst those policy holders aa-lio at tho date of the A'aluation in 1880 had paid two full year's premiums, the bonuses declared becoming at once vested as additions to the sums assured, or at tho option of tho policy holders applied to the reduction of their annual premiums. Two special features of GoA-crnmcnt insurance to AA-hich the prospectus directs attention are the loav premiums charged by the department, and the absolute security against loss, the payment of CA*cry policy being guaranteed by the .State. AA r ith respect to the tables of rates it is pointed out that, as compared Avith those of other offices, for an insurance of £1000 a participating policy equal to about £1200 can be obtained iv the Government department, AA-hich is eqniA-alcnt to the granting of an immediate reversionary bonus of some £200. The ability of the department to deal thus liberally becomes clear when it is, explained that the adjusted ratio of expenses of management (including commission and all other agency expenses) amounts to only 15.05 per cent, of tho premium income, while that of three other life offices doing business in the colonies absorbs 18.40, 29.89, and 34.86 per cent, l-cspeetively ! There are in my other points of adA-antage in the system that it Avould be interesting to lay before our readers, but limited space Avill only permit us to mention one of these at present. AYe refer to a Avelcomc alteration in the prospectus with regard to surrenders. Hitherto " whole life policies " acquired a surrender A-alue after payment of three years' premiums; but iioav a surrender A'aluo is acquired after tieo years' payments, so that, should a policy holder through any cause find himself unable to keep up his premiums after paying for tAvo years, he can cither sell his policy for cash, receiving its surrender A-alue, or obtain a policy free of future -premiums for such amount as the surrender value Avill purchase. These arc but a few of tho adi-antages held out by our State system of life insurance to induce habits of thrift in life and independence for those left behind at death.

AYe hear that Mr AY. G. Motley has disposed of his house and grounds, Cameron road, for the sum of £2000. It is understood that the property has been bought on account of Mr D. Gollan. In reporting the capture of a Avhale at Auckland in last night's issue aa-c omitted to mention that the monster of the deep Avas caught close by the tannery works of Messrs Garrett Bros, of Auckland and Napier. Ben Allah, the Ax-ntriloquist and conjuror, Avho lately appeared at Napier, gives a performance at AVaipaAva this CA-ening. As Ben, in addition to his clever entertainment, gives aAvay a number of valuable gifts, we have no doubt he Avill be greeted Avith a croAvded house. At the AVaipaAva Police Court yesterday, before Mr A. St. C. Inglis, J.P., B. Stringer and J. AVilkes were separately charged with drunkenness in a public place, the latter Avhilc in charge of a A'ehicle. Tho first defendant, aa-lio had been locked up all night, Avas discharged Avith a caution, and Wilkes was fined ,£'l and costs. There was no other business. There is some talk of Mr AY. Villers cutting up a portion of his estate at Petanc for the erection of villa residences. Should the idea be carried out Mr Villers AA-ill build the houses, so as to secure a particular class of dwelling, and attach to each house land from one to five acres in extent, according to the requirements of tenants. The success of the scheme would ensure the rise of as pretty a township as anyone would Avish to see. The annual ram fair on the ground of the Agricultural and Pastoral Society at Hastings commenced this morning.. The yards ■were filled Avith the imported and locallybred sheep to .which Aye have already referred, and there Avas a large attendance of buyers. Competition was fairly brisk, and at latest acLvises satisfactory prices had been realised. > Mr M. R. Miller, Mr C.' B. Hoadley, and Mr Potts ' officiated as auctioneers, each in turn selling for half an hour A full report of sales effected will appear iv our next issue.

An occasional correspondent, Avriting from AVoodA-ille, says:—"Squie time" ago a promise Avas received from tire Government' that a second J.P. would be appointed for this district, but as yet it has not been done, in consequence of which very great inconvenience is. felt, and often Justice suffers through the negligence of the Government. It is hoped the member for the district Avill again rouse up 'the powers that be' as he has done in other matters.' ' A\ r e learn from the dress regulations of the New Zealand Regiment of Artillery Volunteers that the following will be the full dress uniform in future to be Avorn by the various corps :—Blue cloth tunic, with scarlet collar, all braid, and Austrian knots to be scarlet AA-orsted, except for sergeants, aalio wear silver cord ; the battery initial letter, AA-ith N.Z.A. to be embroidered on the shoulder strap ; trousers, blue cloth, with inch scarlet stripe; busby, with scarlet bag and white plume, for summer Aveather Avhito helmets are to be worn. An accident happened at AVaipawa yesterday to a man named George Blackmail. It appears that Blackmail, AA r ho A\-as working for Mr Thomas CoAvper, was chopping a piece of AA-ood Avith a tomahaw, when by some means ho chopped the top off his left thumb close to the joint. Mr Cowper, seeing the accident, at once got a trap and horses and drove Blackmail to tho County Hospital at AVaipukurau, Avhere he AA-as attended by Dr. Reed. It is feared the injured man A\-ill have to undergo an operation, and haA-e the thumb taken off at the joint. A correspondent at OrmondA-ille, writing under date January 22, informs us that there have been several rather mysterious thefts at or near Kopua lately, and a A-ery brutal robbery (Avith A-iolence) has also been reported. HoAvcver, the latest bit of excitement from that quarter quite beats everything else that has preceded it, and, if true, it is time that the neighborhood went armed. It appears that a boy Avas standing looking- over the bridge which spans the ManaAvatu river where it crosses the Norse-wood-Kopua line of road, when a man came out of the manuka scrub and fired at him, inflicting a slight aa-ouucl in the boy's thigh. Of course, this is as the matter is reported, and I cannot personally vouch that it is true; but, hoAvcvcr that may be, it is believed by a great many of the inhabitants of this district. There Avas a very poor muster of the Rifle A r oluntecrs last night, many men, aa-c understand, apprehending that, by appearing on parade, they Avould commit themselves to serving under the new Regulations. It Avouldseem there is more vitality in the company hoAvcvcr than its members imagined, as during the evening it Avas ascertained that, so far as could bo judged of the intentions of members to re-enrol with new members, the company Avas only five short of the miuinnun number to secure its existence under the new Regulations, and this Avould be still further reduced by three whom it Avas knoAvn Avould present themselves for enrolment to-day. This Avould still leave the company twenty-t\A-o short of the maximum strength, and as neAv members can only join during the months of January and July in each year those thinking of volunteering should do so forthwith. Spare enrolment forms are deposited at this office, and Avill bo given on application. It aaIII be seen by adA-ertiscment that Mr John Forrester MatthcAvs, M.R.C.S., L.S.A., has notified his intention to apply for registration under the Medical Practitioners Act. It is Mr MatthcAvs' intention to settle and practice his profession in Napier, and coming here as he does Avith the highest testimonials he cannot but be regarded as an acquisition to this town. Mr MatthcAvs had to relinquish a lucratiA'C practice at St. Austell, Cornwall, on account of his wife's health, and ho took aAvay from there the most gratifying OA-idenccs of the esteem and affection Avith AA'hich he was regarded by his numerous patients and friends. In selecting Ncav Zealand as his home Mr MatthcAA-s came out A-ia Melbourne, and it is noteAvorthy that he Avas appointed the medical superintendent of the Sobraon, a vessclalAvays selected as a, passenger ship by invalids. This ship is specially fitted up for this class of passenger trade, and none but the highest testimonials Avill secure the appointment Avhich Mr Matthews received. AYe may add that Mr Matthews is a votary of science, and Avill doubtless strengthen the ranks of our local branch of the New Zealand Philosophical Society. St. Paul's Presbyterian Church presented an unusually gay appearance this forenoon, tho occasion being the marriage of Mr Churlcs Alfred Eavcu, agent of the AVaipaAva branch of tho Bank of Ncav Zealand, to Miss Jane Douglas Sutton, second daughter of Mr F. Sutton, M.H.R., of Royston. At 11 o'clock the church AA-as Avell filled by an expectant assemblage, the gentler sex, as usual, being largely represented. A fcA\minutes later Mr Sutton entered the building, accompanied by the bride and bridesmaids, and luiA'ing taken their places opposite the pulpit, Avhere the bridegroom and best man awaited them, the interestingceremony Avas commenced by the Rev. D. Sidey. The bride, aa-lio looked exceedingly Avell, Avore a. richly made iA-ory satin dress, AA-ith A'cil and Avrcath, Avhile the bridesmaids, sisters of the bride, and four in number, Avore cream lace dresses Avith cardinal sashes and AA'hitc hats. Mr Geoffrey Potts, of AVaipaAva, acted as best man. At the conclusion of the marriage service the choir sang "The A'oice that breathed o'er Eden," and the bridal party afterwards retired to the A'estry to subscribe to the necessary documents, Mr H. Aplin the Avhile playing Mendelssohn's AVedding March on the organ. Later on the party drove out to Royston, Avhere the Avcdding breakfast Avas given. The Artillery Volunteers mustered in force in front of the Athciiicum last night for inspection, nearly every member being present. Major Routlcdgc inspected the Battery, after Avhich, headed by the band, the men Avere marched to the Criterion Hotel, Avhere a meeting Avas held for the purpose of considering the iicav Volunteer Regulations. Captain Garner took the chair, and entered lengthily into the reasons AA'hich prcA-onted him calling the members of the corps together earlier, and gaA-c a brief outline of the most important of the i new regidations. A desultory and somewhat irrcirular discussion ensued, in the course of Avhich some members expressed opinions infaA'or of disbanding OAving to the stringency of the regulations, and others of keeping the battery on if the required strength could be obtained. Ultimately it Avas resolved that a committee consisting of the officers, Sergeant BlackAvell, Corporals Parker and Cantle, and Gunners Gilberd, Bear, Pram, and A. Fulford, be appointed a committee to endeaA-or to obtain recruits, and sec Avhat arrangements could be made AA-ith the band, as the members of the band arc not counted as part of the strength of the corps under the regulations. During the evening Captain Garner and Lieut. Pell stated that they Avould resign if it Avere so Avished, and placed thomsclA-cs entirely in the hands of the corps. The names of 34 men aa-lio intimated their A\-ilHii guess to enrol under the neAv regulations were obtained, and the meeting was adjourned until Monday CA'ening next, at 8 o'clock, at the Criterion Hotel. A " big revival" (says tho St. James' Gazette) took pla.ee at Hebron Baptist Church, near Li\'ingston, A'irgiuia, on the CA-cning of the 21st of October, and was a great success, although the enthusiasm displayed by some of the converts Avas at times • almost too marked. One of them, a young man named Dave Reynolds, "professed religion," and in the intensity of his zeal jumped over the benches and through a AvindoAv. As ill-luck Avould have it, at this moment a much-respected lady, Mrs Jane Roberts, AA'hosc house is near the church, Avas returning home, accompanied by her daughter and tAvo children. In the path leading to Hebron Church she found herself confronted by Dave Reynolds, aa-lio seized one of the children by, the hand and exclaimed, "Come up to church with mo and got religion." Mrs Roberts objected, upon Avhich the enthusiast beat her so severely about the head with a club that by latest accounts her life was despaired of. Reynolds urges that he Avas carried away on the oc* casion by religious fci-A-qur ;j but tho general opinion in the neighbourhood is that he -will under any circumstances be hold responsible for tho damage done to the AvindoAv through Avhich he jumped. Every pane of glass was shivered to atoms. Judge DoAvling, of Ncav South Wales, in a case before him at the quarter sessions, expressed his strong disapproval of the custom,of "shouting," Avhich prevails so generally, and leads, as the judge thinks, to so much intemperance. In some cases so much harm folloAved the practice that His Honor would, if it wore,possible, make it a misdemeanor punishable by hnv; iii order to put a stop to it. ••" '"""' "" *-" ~

A writer in the Patea Mail says :—I saw all Patea on their knees before the two Ministers of the Crown on Saturday. The Government supporters prayed of Major Atkinson to help us, for that none other fighteth for us but only he. The Opposition escorted the Premier to the breakwater, thinking nothing so cogent as ocular demonstration. AVhen the party reached its destination, I understand " they rubbed pusscj-'s nose in it" properly. I hope the combined attack of the tAvo parties Avill be beneficial to Patea. A gentleman of Hibernian descent, who described himself as an Italian, created a profound sensation at several banks in Sydney on the. 16th December. He presented a cheque for £18,000. He said he would take the amount in gold, as he was Sir Henry Parkes, and was about to take another trip to Europe. He droA-e about from bank to bank to the Avonder and astonishment of cabby, Avho, at last, corning to the conclusion that his fare was a shingle short, drove him to the Central Police Station, instead of to Government House, as commanded by the unfortunate fare. He was af tenvards examined by tAvo medical men, and committed to GlandesA-ille as a lunatic. Quinine is an alkaloid found in the bark of trees belonging to the Cinchona or Peruvian bark family, and is one of the most valuable febrifuges and antiperiodies known to medical science; while incorporated with iron tincture it has no equal as a tonic. Pure quinine and iron may be obtained put up in bottles of any size to suit customers at Professor Moore's Medical Hall, Waipawa. —[Advt]. The public, and the medical profession of Australia are imanimously of opinion that AVolfe's Schnapps is the purest and best stimulant, tonic, and diuretic at present before the Avorld.—[Advt.]