Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE THURSDAY, MAY 17, 1906. THE BARQUE DEVONPORT.

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 May 1906, Page 2

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE THURSDAY, MAY 17, 1906. THE BARQUE DEVONPORT.

' Yesterday our readers were informed ' that thu barque Devonport put into Wellington in a disabled condition, ! having sprung a leak whilst at sea on ! her way from Greyrnouth to WarnamI bolo with a cargo of timber. The- rej port says: "Shu met with heavy wea- ! ther and sprang a leak, and as sho j was leaking profusely, the crew went I to the captain and asked if he would ! make for the nearest port. Ho consented and reached Wellington yesterday. Captain Bendall found the ship in a leaky condition, and will have to discharge cargo in order to bo ablo to effect repairs." To those unacquainted with a Court case at Greyrnouth on May 2nd there would appear to bo nothing out of tho common in this accident. Such occurrences are often reported. With the Devonport leak, there are, however, certain circumstances that require comment in our columns, and enquiry by tho Marine Department. In view of what has transpired, the question of the seaworthiness of tho barque, before her departure from Greyrnouth, is a very pertinent one, indeed. If she was not seaworthy, then tho seaman, John McCaul, was harshly treated and wrongful l,y imprisoned. Tho question of alleged rotten ships is so grave a matter that we deem no apology necessary in publishing the report of tho case heard in the Magistrate's Court, Greyrnouth, on tho 2nd inst., before Messrs Ring and Jay, Justices of the Peace. Tho report is as follows: "John McCaul was charged witli desertion from his ship, tho barque Devenport, now lying in port. Sergeant Egan prosecuted; Mr Kitchingham defended. i

"Robert Watt, master of the Devonport, gave evidence that accused was employed as a seaman on the vessel, and was entered as such on the ship's articles. McCaul had been employed at Wamambool for a period of six months. The accused, so far as he knew, left the ship on Saturday. "To Mr Kitchingham : The ship was quite safe, and had not opened out. The rigging was not tied up with wires except ono part. Ho did not know the vessel had been laid up at Warnambool for four months owing to inability to obtain a crew. Th<? crew had drawn his attention to a "squeeze up" but the deck did not open up. Ho had a carpenter standing by to repair the damago as socj* as the weather moderated.

"To Sergeant Egan: Tho ship was quite seaworthy. Another man had to be engaged to-day in accused's place. "Sergeant Egan stated tha\ accused had been arrested at Ngahere, on the captain's warrant, the day previously.

"In defence, the accused stated that the was an A.B. on the Devonpo + .. His principal reasons for leaving was that the vessel wan imseftworthy. The ve».

sel had opened up on the fore. :■ and I main decks that let the water, in. The other day, while it was • raining! -hear J vily, the vessel made 18 inches of water. No attempt had been made to re- ! pair the vessel, which was on the point J of leaving the port. j "To Sergeant Eg'an: Ho had asked the captain to pay him off. Ho had j not complained to the Customs about , the unseaworthy condition of the ves-, sel, about which he spoke to the men i in the forecastle. .[ "The accused decided that the man should be put aboard his vessel and pay tho costs, 7s. "In reply to the Bench, the accused refused to go aboard tho vessel. "The captain said if accused got another man to take his place, he would discharge McCaul. The wages due to tho man were £2. "Mr Kitchiugham said tho accused would be able to get a man to take his place. "The Bench decided that tho man Court till 2.30 p.m. in order to give ike man.an opportunity to find a substitute. "On resuming, the accused declined to go aboard the vessel.. "The Bench thereupon committed accused to gaol for two weeks, to be placed aboard the vessel if it is intended to leavo before tho expiration of that period." The above read in connection with what has transpired affords ample fooil for reflection, and shows how necessary it is when such complaints are made to have expert evidence available. The captain of a vessel, naturally enough, would make the best of the position. Yet in cifcss-examina-Lion tie was forced to admit that "one portion of tho rigging was tied up with wire," while further on ho also admitted the crew had drawn his attention to a "squeeze up." What that '•squeeze up" really was we have little to show, but McCaul declared that "the oilier day while, it was raining heavily the vessel made eighteen inches of water." This surely betokened something radically wrong, something that required more investigation than it received. That McCaul was convinced the ship was unsafe seems evident from the fact that he had £2 due in wages when he left, which, of course, ho was prepared to forfeit rather than gi> further with what he believed to be an unsafe ship. Where he appears to have technically erred was in not reporting the matter to the Collector of ' Customs; but the ventilation of the case in open Court, and his refusal tc proceed amply covers this slight over- ' sight. The captain, of course, swore that the ship was seaworthy, while McCaul declared that she was not. The (Justices accepted the captain's version, and ordered the sailor on board. Tho latter declined to obey tho order, ami was sentenced to two weeks' imprisonment, to be taken on board if, before tho expiration of that sentence, ' the ship sailed. As a matter of fact, (ho Devenport sailed three days later, so that, McCaul was in gaol for t little over two days. But if that sentence was unjust it demands enquiry. It certainly reads peculiar to find it recorded that "the crew wont to the captain and asked if he would make tho nearest port." This would indicate their fear as to the soundness oi I lie ship. Tending further information we abstain from longer comment than to remark that McCaul's case appears to be one demanding a searching en quiry.

EDUCATION IN JAPAN. The statements made to an interviewer by Professor Ishikawa, the delegate of tlie Tokio University to the MUbourno University jubilee celebrations, leave one deeply impressed with the attention paid by Japan to education. It is not yet forty years since the modern system of education was adopted, but it is new remarkably complete from tho primary school to the postgraduate course. Tho Japanese boy is taken in hand at tho age of six, when ho enters upon a four years' course at a primary school, which is followed by two or four years at a higher primary school. If ho is goiu>' on Id tho university ho leaves this school al the ago of twelve for the middle school, at which lie remains four years, and then follows a three years'* course at tho higher schools. At 'the age of twenty or twenty-one the student betakes himself to tho university, where he stays four years if he lakes up law or medicine, and three years in other cases, and if he wishes he can put in live years at a postgraduate course, in which he can take the highest degrees. Girls are not yet admitted to tho university, but they can obtain higher education at middle schools, in which the instruction is almost'as high as at tho universities. As is the case elsewhere, women students are becoming very numerous, they are doing advanced work, and it will probably not bo long beforo Japan grants them admission to the University. Then there are normal ' schools, technical schools, special schools for apprentices and schools for instruction in agriculture, fishery and navigation. Besides these specialised schools, elementary instruction in other subjects is given in many primary schools. "For instance," said the Professor, "in the schools at the coast towns the technical education relates to fisheries, in agricultural districts to agriculture, in forest districts to forestry, and in manufacturing districts to Hie special industries of the places." English is taught in all the hiuher elementary schools, and with life alternative of German is compulsory in the normal schools. In Tokio there is a foreign language school with a thousand pupils, where English, r'nnch, German, Italian, Span-| mi, Russian, Chinese' and L'orean are j taifht. A few figures will indicate ■ mow clearly than anything else what j Japan is doing in education. In the ; thirty thousand primary schools about • 3 300,000 boys and 3,000,000 girls are being educated, and tho higher schools have a proportionate attendance, lhe I Imperial University at Tokio has 4000 j undergraduates and 300 profeasors I and the University of Kioto has 1200 ( students and 120 professors. "Educa-• tion is not quite, but almost, comptil- | sory, and tho fees in tho primary . schools are nothing, or almost nothin.r " Finally, it is worth noting that the little Jap has no home lessons, a I fact which redounds to the credit of j the Japanese educational authorities.

A special meeting of the Greymouth Borough Council will be held to-rucht. The well-known racehorse "Up-to-Dato" has been sold to a Melbourne sportsman.

Dr Elmslio, formerly of Wellington, has removed to 230 Madras street, Christchurch. See his advertisement appearing on our first page. On Monday, 21st inst., G. W. Moss and Co. will Sell by auction at their yards six upstanding saddle and harness horses, also one mare with foal at foot. Particulars appear in another column. The Trotting Club have decided to have the grandstand on Victoria Park, damaged by the recent gales, repaired as speedily as possible. Mr Eissenhardt has prepared plans for the work, for which tenners are now being invited.

Mr Biigh, of the Australian White Cross League, will deliver a lecture in the Opera House to-night, to men only, on "The Perils of Impurity." No charge for admission will be made ,though a collection will be taken up.

The following team will represent the r.M.U.C. Seniors in their hockey match against Kaneiri on Saturday next: — E. Stewart, W. Kerr, L. Ring, Burnett, Smith, Forens, Keddie, White, McLean, Hopkins, C. Iting. Emergencies—AbsaIrt), C. Wise, G. Ping, and W. Hayes. The following team will represent the Grey Seniors v. Reefton 6n Victoria Park at 1.30 p.m. sharp on Saturday:—O'Donnell, Parkinson, Sweetman, Todd, Power, Gillingham, Collins, Meecham, West, Anderson, McKay, Nicoll, Kenny, Birmingham, The above players are requested to roll up to the shed to-night at 7.30 p.m.

The Oddfellows at Blackball celebrate the anniversary of the opening of their lodge with a grand social and ball in Thomas's Hall on Friday evening next. Great preparations have been made by the energetic committee, headed by Mr J .Haisty, and patrons can rely on spending a most enjoyable time.

Mr William Smith, who at present has the best stock of the kind on the West Coast, is no woffering at his establishment in Tamui street some rare bargains in gramaphones, talkaphones, and a dozen other "phones," of the best quality which record by the score. For home amusement these musical instruments are excellent, the tone of many being of the truest. We would remind our readers that tho Brunner Druids are holding their plain and fancy dress ball on May 23rd. Tho music is to be supplied by the best Greymouth talent. Tlie management has been left in the hands of a strong committee, and no time, trouble or expense is being spared to make this event a brilliant success. With good music, floor, supper and ; a holiday following, nothing more can be ; desired, "and given reasonable weather we ! predict'a real, enjoyable success, and would suggest that all should make it their business to attend and have a real, good time*

.'• ' ..■•:'. '■. ; .-: .'■ ■ ; ,'•. !■■■ The Vestry, of Holy • Trinity Church . have decided to renovate and paint the " oxtorior of the church. -This work was commenced yesterday', under' the supervision of Mr W. Arnett: It is intended to" ■ erect at an early date a concrete andiron fence around the grounds. Mr K. H. Blighj lecturer to the White Cross League, having arrived in town • ■ this morning, after a very successful meeting at Jfrunner last night. His leeture to be given in the Opera House tonight should bo heard by every young man as it is of vital importance. Mr Bligh delivers an address in languago that is very definite and instructive. He deals first with the law of reproduction of life,' then ho urges true, chivalrous conduct, nd continues with a clear warning concerning the danger of impurity, which includes the tactics employed by medical quacks, who ply on the imaginary fears of the youth of our land. A very large audience is eseptced to-night. The New Zealand Poultry Journal is meeting with success everywhere. American, English and Australian papers are being given up by subscribers to take oil the finest monthly magazine issued in ;A ew Zealand. In Australia the Journal j will have a wide field. The Australian ' agents have cabled to Mr Merrett for 500 | copies of the Journal from May. They | took 050 copies of the first issue, and exI pect to increase these numbers to 1000 inside of six months. " To be thoroughly up-to-date and to capture this no wterritory the Editor has arranged for an Australian edition in June. The attention of investors is directed to the advertisement in our advertising columns of the Antonio's Flat Dredging ComI pany, Limited, which is now on themar- ! ket. Although the share list was oversubscribed in the North Island before the I prospectus was issued, the local brokers, j Messrs Tacon, Tansey and Co., by prior j arrangement, reserved a limited number ; of shares for West Coast investors for two weeks. The company introduces new capital to our district, and it may be mentioned that the same people have three Otago dredges, in each of which shares are in good demand at from 10s to 35s j premium. As this is something to be j wondered at in these slump days of dredg i iug, we consider the fact worthy of speI cial note. The prime mover in the ven I tore, Mr J. Hessey, bears a name to conI jure with; and as ho states in his report that he is taking 500 contributing shares for himself, there is every reason to believe that the company's' shares will be real, good property.