The Evening Star. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1892.

Evening Star, Issue 9003, 9 December 1892, Page 2

The Evening Star. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1892.

The report of the Exeoutive Committee, read at the annual statutory Charitable meeting of the Charitable Aid Aid Board. Board on Thursday, oontains Information of interest relative to tho institutions for the maintenance of whioh the Board are responsible; and refers specifically to several matters of grave importance in the consideration of the question of charitable aid, It is already obvlons that the Legislature will have to deal with this question at a very early period. Manifestly things cannot go on much longer as they are, and existing difficulties are becoming intensified by the arrival of the Sydney and Melbourne unemployed in considerable numbers by every steamer. They are attracted hither, no doubt, by the declaration of the Government that they believe it to be their duty to find employment, at good wages, for anybody and everybody who may want work. The report embraces only eight months—from March 31 to November 30. In regard to the Benevolent Institution, it appears that tho amount paid by the Board for its support durbg ttrt period indicated was £6,233 17s, agtttast £6,466 17s lid for the corresponding period of 1891—a reduction evMsstly accidental in character, and bo frilling as to have . no significance. The number of outdoor relief cases on November 1 was 367, of which 154 were in the City. This shows a decrease of 51 oases compared with last year; but, on the other hand, the number of inmates of the Institution has increased from 223 to 235. The Committee remark on the faot that the requirements of the Institution exceeded the estimate for the year, and they state that they have taken on themselves to inform the Trustees that, during the ourrent yoar, they will not sanction the payment of more money than the amount of the estimate. They express the. hope that the Trustees will endeavor to make both ends meet " without neglecting " the really deserving poor who apply to "them," The Committee proceed to declare that, from what has been shown in facts and figures " both now and in the past," they can come to no other conclusion than that the present system of outdoor relief, "whilst relieving many deserving "persons, is fostering pauperism in our " midst, not only in regard to the actual " recipients, but in regard to their "children after them." They express the decided opinion that much improvement might be effected by the insisting that each recipient of outdoor relief, "if fairly " capable, shall perform some remunerative "work in recompense for the aid received." Some such system will have to be adopted in order to remedy conditions whioh are fast becoming financially intolerable, as well as socially misohievous. It may be remembered that the Board in August last resolved—" That the Benevo"lent Institution Trnstees be asked to take " iato consideration the propriety of board- " ing out in the country districts the chil- " dren at present in the aßylum at Caver- " sham," The Committee direct attention to the entire ignoring by the Trustees of this resolution, whioh was officially communicated to them. The action of the Board was prompted by the absolutecondemnation by Dr Macgbegob of the keepiog a number of children in the Institution. "They ought " not to be brought up, however carefully " they may be loosed after, in the atmos"phere of such a place." This is selfevident; nor is it neoessary todisouss circumstances which must be sufficiently obvious. In regard to the industrial schools, the amount paid during the eight months has been £2,251 £l9l to. Nelson, and £4 17s to The Committee note that the tax opon the Board for Bupport of indigent children in industrial schools is a continually increasing one—the numbers chargeable this year as compared with last showing an increase of 42. "We do not desire to complain of this "faot in itself, but we do complain, as the " Board have done from the commencement, " that they have been compelled to find money " for the support of these children without " An atom of control in regard to the children, "or the details of the expenditure of the " money," The Government have been continually oommunioated with on the subject. There is now, it appears, a proposal under consideration to appoint "advisers" on the nomination of the Board and the Government, who should aot as a board of control in regard to the affaire of the sohool; but this proposal is not acceptable to the Board, who intend to take advantage of the presence in town of the Minister of Justice to disouas the matter at issue with him.

The.oustomary harmony of the Board's meetings was somewhat disturbed on Thursday by Mr Pykb calling attention very Eointedly to the irregularity of members eing called on to discuss and aooept a Jong report the details of whioh they had no chance whatever of mastering. At the very least suoh dooumenU should be circulated among members of the Board some days before the annual meeting. Mr Ptke does not take up a strong attitude unless pretty sure of hie ground; therefore we assume that he has satisfied himself that he is well within his rights In taking exception, aaaa illegality, to the appointment of the Extoutive Committee and handing over to them the entire duties of the Board. Nor it the representative of the Dunstan contributing bodies likely to leave the matter rest where it is, but will probably " appeal nntoCmar."

Sir Robert Stoat returned to Punsdin yesterday. |.,.»»,.

The Hen. Mr Cadman inspeoted the Be*' oliff Asylum to-day. l At the Qity Police Coott thto morning, before, Mr $. Oalder, J.P„ a flwt offender was convicted and dUokwged. - On dk that Mr James Gore has been requested to!allow himself to be nominated as councillor for South Ward in the place of Mr flaynes (elected mayor), and that there is a probability that he #lll aocede to the request.

Mr W. Bohning, of Kaltangataj who had his hand badly injured in the mice Borne weeks ago through a chain fouling it, has entered an action against the Kaitangata Railway and Coal Company, claiming LSOO damages.

The Government contracts for- road making" in the Catlin country are (says the 'Free Press') being pushed ahead. The road to Upper Catlin is finished, and that from Hoipapa to the M'Glennan Elver is under way. As soon as the main road is completed to Waikawa another splendid stretch of country will be added to the tourist routes of New Zealand^. Mr J. W. Paulin wrote to as this morn' ing:—"The centre of the depression will Ease aorosa this island soon in latitudes etween t4deg and 42deg S. Heavy looal rains, and possibly thunder storms, will occur over this island, extending to 40deg S.; wind change to W., S., and S.E., moderate to calm; indications stormy. Barometer unsteady,"

At the Oaversham Borough Couaoil meeting last evening the Drainage and Sanitary Committee reported in reference to Mr A. L. Isaacs's letter that until a drainage soheme for St. Clair was formulated it would be unwise to alter the existing arrangement?. In the meantime the inspector had been instructed to abate the nuisance as much as possible. A report from the inspeotor showed that, as the result of a careful inspection, the Oaversham weighbridge was found to be oerreotly balanced in everyway.

The bazaar in the Hanover street sohoolroom was. largely attended last evening, when, in addition |to a varied assortment of goods, a oapital musical programme of vocal and instrumental items was submitted for publio favor, the performers being Misses Moore, A. and M. Sparrow, Sligo, Coombs (2), Winnie North, A. Wiseman, and Harrop, and Messrs Moore (2) and Coombs. This afternoon the bazaar was again open, and to-night, when another musical programme wiU be gone through, the sale will be continued. The immediate benefit derived from the First Offender's Probation Aot (says the ' New Zealand Times') has been exemplified in a very marked manner in the case of a young man named Henry C. Cochran, who was admitted to probation for twelve months at yesterday's sitting of the Supremo Court. Mr Garvey, the probation officer, and Mr Coates, who appeared for the defence, gave prisoner an otherwise good character, with the result as given above, and that their as' count of him was justified is eVident from the faot that the Colonial Mutual Life Association, in whose employment he was, have reinstated him in the position of town canvasser for Wellington, Speaking to a deputation of unemployed at Cbristohurob, Mr Seddon said he knew that men would gravitate to where their wives and families were, and, therefore, he intended to go into the question of transferring the wives and children to places where there was work. The strain was not relieved by merely temporary work, and the only thing to do was to transplant the men to places where the labor market was not overstocked, as it was in Canterbury, The Government wished to do all they could for returned New Zealanders, but felt that they must attend first t© those who had remained in the colony. There was a probability that there would be a rush of men from the other colonies, Such men would havo to take their chance along with the rest. At the City Hall last night Mr E. bawson King gave an entertainment entitled 'An Evening with Poets and Humorists.' There was a moderate attendance, and the Rev. W. Ready occupied the chair. Mr King gave a number of recitals, comprising passages from the works of Shakespeare and other writer?, humorous, pathetio, and serious, connecting the pieces with appropriate remarks, and he was accorded the heartiest plaudits of the audience for the very clever way in which he performed his very difficult task. The Rev. Mr, Ready's choir sang teveral selections, and a number of songs and instrumental items were introduced at intervals during the evening. At the conclusion of the entertainment Mr A. S. Adams moved a vote of thanks to Mr King, the choir, the singers and instrumental players, and the chairmen of the various meetings addressed by Mr King. The motion was carried by acclamation, When Mr Hail Came published his 'Scapegoat' it was pretty generally said that the extraordinary reoovery of sight, hearing, and speech on the part of his Jewish heroine were incidents which had to be accepted with a grain of salt for the sake of the psychological interest to begot out of them, But Nature has once more plagiarised from the novelist. The Kendal Union rural sanitary authorities at a recent meeting'(say a the 'Pall Mall Gazette') reported the case of a deaf mute who had regained speech and hearing. The patient is a girl eleven years of age, and her recovery appears to have begun exaotly as Mr Caine describes in the case of Naomi, la May she beoame ill of fever, and was placed in the Kendal Sanatorium, When the fever left her she had perfeotly recovered her hearing, and she is now beginning to talk. The • Scapegoat' was published last autumn; and thus the novelist anticipated Nature by half a year.

Tho oookery classes in connection with the Albany street Sohool are a decided success under the management of Miss Kate Barnett, who has had them in hand very little over five months, and is greatly pleased with the progress of her pupils. There was a "demonstration" in the Bchool last night in the presence of members of the Committee and a number of the parents and friends of the pupils. A dozen girls, drawn from the Second to Sixth Standards inolusive,,did the cookery, and, neatly attired, got'through the business in a thoroughly workmanlike style. We have not passed in examination in gastronomies,, and therefore are not competent to pronounce any opinion on the quality of the several dishes that were prepared for the visitors' inspection, but some of the housewives who tasted them were loud in their praise of the utility and practicability of the lessons, and of the excellent way in whioh the little girls performed their allotted tasks. The proceedings lasted till nearly ten o'olook, and were watched with a good deal of interest. At a meeting of the Park Memorial Committee, held in the High street Sohool last (evening, and attended by Messrs J. Mollison, H. Mercer, H. E. Muir, W. Tennant, and the secretary (Mr T. Paterson), the Treasurer reported that cash and promises to the amount of LBO had been reoeived. After disoussion it was deoided to keep the fund open for further o ntributions. It was suggested that amongst the numerous arrivals now returning to the colony there were doubtless numbers of ex-scholars, who would be glad to contribute to the fund, and that many expupils still residing in the colony had not yet been called upon or had the matter brought under their attention, After consideration as to the form the memorial should take, the Committee unanimously deolj&ed to have one gold and two silver medals atruok this year for presentation in the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Standards of the sqhool, the medals to be suitably inscribed and to be known ai the Park medals for proficiency in English composition. Popular ponoert at City Hall to-morrow evening. , B.s. Onslew runs on an excursion trip down the harbor tomorrow afternoon, v . ■•. The! Dunedln Shakevpeare Qinb cead selections from 'The Merchant of Venice' at the Choral Hall to-night. The presfdeat (Mr A. Wilson) will, as usua', deliver the opening address, and the readings will be lrterpersed with appropriate musie.'';;*';' ; ' ..; ~..: ' u " Messrs 0. Begg and Co. have sent us a oopy of a hew publication entitled 'JJw Sohool of,, Musie.' It contahuf a deal of useful ln/ormation about school music, and should be » g<eat, boon to teachers, It is within the r«aab of all,' being published (including at the low price t>i three shillings a year, •":

to-morrow.*! the PonojKulo^oJeL Reserv(ijsfcaserotlon Bcolety In Town-Hail on Tuesday llt^Qomm,:SlbsmstUmkliais^«i tlon acknowledge the the •following sums'.-Bug, Hants, and 00, L 8 fls< f ««< Cameron, tsrs P. Chapman. MrsjßaphaeUM* George Fenwlok, Mr D. B. Thwrnjn, MMfc p. Farquhar, Mrß. Hallenstein,Mr James Hlslcp. Mr A. Wilson, Mis Oolaqhoon., A Friend, and R. Wilson and Co, i\ tiffim'*Mimr Fenton, tl; Mr James A'hor'oW aud Mr J,. Mendelsohn; 10* 61 each; Mr lleoiy K. Willlamß and M'Arthur and Co., 10j earh; Mrs Morrison, 6s; Mrs Maxwell, ss, ? •-■< Tho annual distribution of prize? in tlon wish tho Ctago Sunday School Union annual examination takes place on Monday, evening in First Ohnroh. Prises are awarded to all who obtain 75 per cent, of marks and ever; and of the 363 candidates who presented themselves, .fifiy-six have reached the required percentage.; The examiners are well pleased with the papers general y, and the results show an improvement on last year's. One paper Is especially worthy of mention, it having received' IPO per oent of marks. The fifty-six prises go to twenty-three different schools.

The Railway Department has arranged to run an excursion train from Dunedin to Seaollfl Kd Pnketeraki at 2.15 tomorrow afternoon, iketeraki'is a Maori settlement about two' miles beyond Seaoliff, possesses a splendid beach, and is well worth a visit, Bight-seer»i will also be afforded an opportunity of lnapsoticg the Seaoliff Asylum, as the train will step at r?e»cllff to set down passengers and plot them up again on the return journey. Although the distance in the present ease is twenty .'six miles, tha Railway Department has 'hot made any increase on the amount charged for the previous Saturday excuwlons, and those who are fond of railway travelling may have over fifty miles for the modct fares announced.

Meßars Moultray and Son have eight plqtnres on exhibition in Charles Beffg and Oo.'a window at preeent. The largest ('Mount Earmlaw, 1 by Mr Moultray, sen.) is a. faithful rt presentation of a well-huoWn tubjwti For a Study of eareful detail And breadth of pearly light this is equal to anything we have seen from his easel. The soheme of color Is a* carefully-balanced arrangement of eool and waiin tint<, representing the sultry atmosphere of a summer afternoon, and is rendered with great fidelity. Mr Moultray, jun., has a Maori War incident, whloh displays a close study from the life. Toe determined expression on title face of the trooper, who has been waylaid by two Hauhaus, is well rendered. The picture tells its own story very plainly, and displays a considerable amount of »tuly. 'The Angler,' with a trout newly caught, untreated.with equal, skilL The figure appears to be painted from the life, and is natural both in attitude and expression. The bjlor conveys the feeling of spring or early summer, and will remind anglers of pleasant times. All the other plotures are well worthy of Inspection.