LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 18533, 16 January 1924, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

William Scarborough, ono of the three prisoners who escaped from Mount Eden Gaol on January 14, was arrested last evening in a street in Auckland. He submitted quietly to arrest. The others are still at large.

In his address at the opening of the Native School Teachers’ Conference in Auckland, the Hon. C. J. Parr (Minister of Education) said that Now Zealand could claim that the education of the Native race was carried on more efficiently than in any other part of the Empire. There were 126 schools with total rolls of 6,140 scholars, including mission schools and Native secondary schools. The number of Maori children examined by the department lost year was. 6,987, an increase during the four years of over 1,000. Regarding higher .Education, there were 110 free places, four nursing scholarships, and six university scholarships, including two at the Medical School, held by Maoris. It was his aim to see a little more done in the matter of secondary education, which should have a strong vocational side. The policy of the department was to ensure that the balk of the Native children received secondary education. The funds held and invested by the Government from the disposal of Maori lands might well be used to further the scheme. The bias of sec-ondary-education should be toward useful mechanical and agricultural pursuits. They did not want to crowd the so-called learned callings. The president of the Native School Teachers f Association (Mr C, T. jMncfarlane) contended that a properly organised system of religious instruction should be introduced in all Native schools.

Two typical fanners’ bankniptcies were before the Official Assignee at Ashburton yesterday. After saving £SOO and getting a £72 war gratuity, John Lawrence Davidson paid it all down for the purchase of a Tinwald farm of 114 acres, costing £3,762, the vendor agreeing to guarantee an overdraft of £I,OOO, The bank, however, declined to advance more than £SOO for three and a-quarter years, and after various vicissitudes Davidson failed, owing his unsecured creditors £712. The assets include an interest in his father’s estate, estimated at £IOO. Interesting features in the struggle were: Eighteen acres in wheat, which averaged only twelve bushels, and fifteen acres of turnips, which proved a failure. The next year, expecting an average Meld of thirtvfive bushels of wheal, he got only thirteen. The three years’ income from wheat, practically his sole income, was respectively £6O, £l2l, and £ICO, Ho sold all the implements and the cows to evict the bailiff, but finally ho filed. Another soldier, Henry Peach, fanned successfully till the war called him in 1917, when be sold out. After the war he bought 32£ acres at Methven at £4O per acre, paying over £3,000 cash, and reserving only £4OO as working capital. In the successive years his potatoes failed, sheep deals failed, grass seed failed, wheat tailed, and last season the wheat again failed. Ho neither gambled nor drank heavily, and is now keeping a .wife and child on his weekly wage. His losses averaged £SOO annually.

' The fourth annua! conference of the New Zealand Chiropractors’ Association, Inc., held at Wellington, was attended by

Messrs H. Olsen (Whangarel), T. Giles, J. Fletcher, Mrs Fletcher (Auckland), Miss E. K. Washer (Frankton Junction), Messrs J. G. Yorkey (Hamilton), A. Bryce (Napier), 0. White-Parsona (Masterton), Ei T. Wray and Mrs Wray (Pal. merston North), Messrs H. Otterholt, J. P. Colwill, Mrs Colwill (Wellington), Messrs J. Craig, J. A. Scott (Christchurch), J. Williamson, Miss Williamson, Miss I. Balk (Dunedin), Miss Qow (Balclutha), Messrs E. J. Wright«( Gore) and A. R. Nichol (Invercargill). Mr J. A. Scott (president) occupied the chair. A lengthy agenda paper covering matters of interest >and importance to the profession was discussed and dealt with. Inter alia, it was decided to extend the association’s activities to Australia, requests having been received from chiropractors in several of the Australian States asking permission to link up with the New Zealand organisation. The election of officers and executive for the year resulted as follows:—President, Mr J. A. Scott; vice-president, Mr J. Williamson; secretary, Mr J. A. Scott • treasurer and assistant secretary, Mr J. Craig; Executive Committee—Messrs J. P. Colwill H. Otterholt/ T. Giles, J. Fletcher, and A. R. Nichol. At the conclusion of the procoedings, on the invitation of Mr J, A. Young, M.P. for Waikato, members of the conference visited the Parliamentary Buildings, 'and greatly appreciated the many interesting features Drought under their notice.