NEAR AND FAR

Evening Star, Issue 14512, 2 November 1910, Page 11

NEAR AND FAR

The Governor yesterday visited Lincoln Agricultural College. In the course of an interesting address Lord Islington said ho did not think it could he repeated 100 often that agriculture is an industry in New Zealand upon which, more than any other, the social, economic-, and commercial welfare of the Dominion depends. Ho dwelt upon the supreme importance of raising and maintaining the industiy to the highest possible standard that scientific education and research can bring it, and continued : “In these days of universal enterprise and discovery, this can bo done and, I believe, only can he done by establishing institutions from which groups of carefully trained students are yearly discharged throughout the country, fully equipped and furnished with a sound and exhaustive knowledge of the theory and practice of agriculture in its various branches.” The George Street School Committee met last evening, Mr R. Ferguson presiding. Mr W. H. Mills's tender of £123 17s for altering the annexe to the gymnasium was accepted. It was decided to write to the Education Board pointing out that it would bo very inconvenient to school committees to carry out this year the instructions of the Board that committees must not exceed six weeks for the summer vacation. This, it was stated, would necessitate all schools closing on Friday, December 23, which was considered too close In Christmas. At the request of the chairman, Mr T. A. Patterson (head master) submitted proposals for the consideration of the Committee as to the best means of awarding school prizes. He reported that for infants each regular attender should get a book prize, in addition to the usual certificate, while the prizes in the standards should he awarded to each pupil who attained a certain percentage of marks oyer all the school subjects, with the suggestion that, say, pupils with 80 per cent, or over get first grade prizes, and those with over 50 per cent, second grade prizes. The scheme was adopted, with any modifications which might be thought necessary by the chairman and head master in consultation. The dux medals are to be awarded us formerly. A remarkable development in naval gunnery was noted during the last week of September, when the Home Fleet took part in squadron tiring by battleships of the newest typo at a battle practice target lowed by the Indomitable. The target consisted of an elaborate lattice work measuring 90ft long by 30ft high, covered with canvas and mounted on a lloat. The Indomitable left the harbor, towing the target, at seven o’clock in the morning, and was followed into the Channel two hours later by the firing squadron, headed by the Dreadnought, and including the imperii, Lord Nelson, and Agamemnon. Steaming at sixteen knots, the vessels opened lire- simultaneously ou arriving within a distance of about five mike from tho indomitable. The din was terrific, and the water near the target rose in a series of water spouts, rendering the target itself invisible except for rare intervals. Hardly a vestige of the target remained after three minutes’ tiring, so accurate was the aim of tho gunlayers on the swiftly moving battleships, who were firing at an objective also in motion. An official photographer on board tho Indomitable took cinematograph records of the firing for the information of the Board of Admiralty. Accounts submitted at a meeting of the Shipwreck Relief Society yesterday showed that collections for tho month from the Union Company’s steamers and from the Ifuddart-Parker steamer Uiimaroa amounted to £22 4s od. The chairman (Mr C. W. Chamberlain) said that some of the harbor boards to whom application had been made for grants had replied that they had no legal authority to vote money for such a [impose- Ho pointed out, however, that several boards had contributed, and stated that the Public Revenues Act authorised such grants up to the amount of £SO. A meeting of the Executive of tho Soldiers’ Grave’s Guild was held at Wellington yesterday, Mrs R, J. Scdclon presiding. A letter w;is .received from South Africa acknowledging receipt of £IOO, which was remitted in 1903. Tho letter stated that the money had been credited to the New Zealand soldieis’ Graves’ Upkeep Fund. 'The graves of all tho New Zealanders in South Africa had been marked, aud it

was resolved to send another £IOO, to be devoted to keeping them in order, which sum will also be credited to the upkeep fund. The meeting was informed that headstones of Coromandel granite, surrounded by copings of concrete, had been erected at the graves of eighteen or twenty soldiers wh> died since their return to New Zealand, and .whose death was directly traceable to the Boev War.

Who says Canada is not a musical country? The following is a letter received by a lady who advertised that she wished for board and residence with a family musically inclined :—“ Deare miss,—Wo think wo can suit you with room and bord, if you prefer to be where there is inusick. I play the riddel, my wife the orgin, my dot ter Julo the banjo, my son Henry tho get tar, and my other son Jim the Fioot and koronct, while all of us sings gospell liims, in which wc would bo glad to have you take part. We play by ear, and when wo all get started there is musick in the air. Let us know if you want to come here to bord.”

A charter granted by Edward 111. in 1328 to tho burgesses of Nowcastle-undcr-Lymo, which has bean missing for nearly 600 years, will be restored to them by tho Corporation of Preston. Evidence shows that Preston borrowed the charter for its guidance between 1342 and 1372, and forgot to restore it, thus forcing Newcastle-under-Lyme to apply for another copy.

Convicted at llio London Sessions of stealing lead, Patrick O’Leary made (he following appeal to Mr Wallace, the chairman :—“All you have heard of mo is rotten and bad. But, your lordship, I don't want to be a criminal all my life. 1! want to get a job and work hard, so that I can become an honest man. Send mo to a home, I beg you to, where I can learn a trade. That’s all I ask. Grant mo this one favor if you can, or I shall be a ruined fellow. I am only eighteen now, and I want to get on. Give me one more chance, and you will not regret it. I will do my very best to run straight.' 1 Mr Wallace said he would send the youth to a homo to see how he got oh, adding: “ You were sent to prison when you were very young, and I don’t believe you ever had a fair chance. You are eighteen years of ago, and you will have the chance now ; but I tell you plainly that if you do not live an upright, honest life I will have you back and send you to prison.” O’Leary exclaimed; “I will take the chance, sir; trust mo. Leave it to me, your Worship, leave it to me.’"

This year’s grand prize of the French Society for the Protection of Animals has been awarded to M. Edmond Rostand as a tribute to tire affection for the animal creation as shown in his play ‘ Chantecler.’ Several members of the society (the ‘ Daily News’ stales) protested against the award very strongly on the ground that the tremendous display of plumage worn by Mdmo Simone and other members of the cast could only have been obtained at the cost of much suffering. It was asserted that in some eases the feathers -were plucked from the living birds, while Mdme Simone’s costume contained £BO worth of feathers from birds of paradise. ‘ Chanted or ’ was also responsible for the new fein inino fashion of wearing a grotesque display of feathers as trimming for hats.