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Grey River Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 3251, 17 January 1879, Page 2

The Jockey Club Committee at their meeting held last evening resolved to call for tenders for the erection of a Grand Stand for the ensuing March meeting. This action on their part is an earnest of their endeavor to secure good accommodation and com4 fort to visitors, while it need hardly be told that equal exertions will be made to secure large fields to contest the different' events. As the Secretary, Mr Payne, has oncet more resumed his duties on his return from' his holiday excursion, a cordial and merited! unanimous vote of thanks was awarded to Mr George Wethered for having filled the vacancy temporarily during the Secretary's absence.

The monthly inspection of the Greymouth Cadet Corps and the Volunteer Rangers was, held at the Volunteer Hall last evening, by Captain Smith. Lieut. Spence, Govern- ( ment Drill Inspector, having paraded the. corps, and put them through a number of evolutions, Capt, Smith save the prizes won at the recent matches to th«» reaped ive winners, and announced that a concert, on behalf of clearing a new range for the Volunteers, would shortly be held Six new members were proposed for the Rangers, and the corps was then dismissed.

Amongst the passengers yesterday by the p.s Charleß Edward was Mr Jas Payne, County Clerk, who has been spending his holidays at the Hot Springs in the North Island, of which he promises to give our readers a description. W« are glad to see that Mr Payne h»B returned much benefitted in health by his trip.

By announcement in another column it will be seen that Mr L. Seebeck has reduced the price of billiards at bis tables to sixpence per game.

By the Charles Edward yesterday there arrived 32 immigrants, principally nominated by friends in this district.

Messrs Nancarrow and Co. will submit to auction to-day, at 11 a.m, alongside the Charles Edward, produce, &c.

Mr W. B, Moss will sell by auction to. day, at 2 o'clock, on tho premises, Covvper street, cottage, furniture, bees, Ac.

The Ministry (says the New ZealaDd Herald) purpose taking early steps to alter the circuits of Judges throughout the Coloay. It is generally understood, also, that upon the return of the Minister of Justice to Wellington, the Cabinet will decide upon increasing the number of Judges, if not by two, certainly by one. It ia found that the gaol delivery at Napier and other increasing towns has been so irregular that persons committed for trial and afterwards found innocent have suffered great hardship, and it is with the view of lessening these evils in future that additional appointments will have to be gazetted. The enlargement of jadicial powers to Resident Magistrates and District Court Judges is another subject which will receive the attention of his Excellency's responsible Ministers, with a view of aa alteration of the law in both instances when the House meets next July.

The first number of the Port Lyttelton Herald, published by Mr W. Eiley, formerly of Hokitika and Greymouth, appeared on Saturday, 11th inst. In introducing itself our contemporary says: — "The local Bupport, so far, is everything that could be expected, considering the fact that the whole of the buuineas portion of the population have been long neglected and allowed to fall into groove of despondency." From this unhappy condition it will be the task of the Herald to rescue them, and we heartily wish it success in its mission of charity.

A short time ago a statement was definitely made that Germany had assumed the sovereignty of Samoa, and general' regret was expressed in New Zealand that our own Government had lost the opportunity. It would appear, however, from a telegram in the San Franoisco papers, that the German Government have declined to acquire Samoa as a Colony, so that if England considers it expedient, and the Samoana are agreeable, it may still be added as a jewel— though a Bmall one — to the British Imperial Crown. The telegram ia as follows : — "Berlin, Nov. 18th.— The Official Gaz tte contradicts the report which appeared in the Paris Estaffette last week, that the Qerman Government had decided to occupy the whole of the Samoan archipelago. The Gazette declares that Germany does not contemplate acquiring or founding colonies beyond the Atlantic. The dispute in regard to the Samoan Islands will naturally be settled by treaty, which will secure Germany and other States interested the privileges granted to the most favoured nation."

The Tairoa, with the Southern portion of the English mail, left the Manakau yesterday at noon.

Mr J. T. M'lnnes, of the Sydney Morning Herald, is now travelling through New Zealand in the interests of that journal, with which ia connected the Sydney Weekly Mail This latter paper, though not in this Colony bo well-known as the Australasian, is rapidly rivalling it in circulation. The Sydney Mail employs the best literary talent to be obtained, and is an acknowledged authority in all matters appertaining to sport, and to games of chance or skill. Mr M'lnnes, on the completion of his tour, will publish an account of New Zealand.

The Auckland Star says:— The Afghanß have an Irishman in their ranks in the person

of a favorite cavalry leader of the Ameer's This worthy once graced the ranks of the 87th, where he was known as O'Donnell. Twice did he become a sergeant, an! twice did he subside again into a private. Finally he disappeared, and is now to be found at Candahar.

There is now a nice squabble going on regarding new journals. Two new weekly papers are to appear on Saturday, both named the Auckland Free Press, and one proprietor advertises for the proprietor of the other Press, says the other fellow has nothing to do with the Free Press, and asks parents not to let boys go to him, From this lively beginning probably lively fighting will be carried on when both papers are floated. There is a likelihood of Father Henntberry's advice to the Catholics starting a paper of their own, being soon carried odt. The paper is to be something Vke the Dunedin Tablet.

A squatting acquaintance of mine shear over 140, CC0 sheep (writes M^oa in the Australasian). Towards the close of the shearing he made his appearance at the station. The eveningß he found very dull, and at last suggested to the young fellows, who served him for LI a week each, a game of whist. " Oh, not whist," suggested one of them, "we have no practice. Let us play a four-handed euchre !' r The employer gratefully acquiesced, and ere the sitting was over had the 1.0. D .'s of the whole party. Before returning to town all hands were paid, and their cheques were jusfc about enough to discharge the liability of each of the partakers in the game which relieved the ennui of the owner of 140,000 sheep.

Though generally grave, the Ameer of Afghanistan is not averse to indulging in a joke, and several times during his trip to Omballa chaffed English officers. On one occasion the joke was not appreciated by the person to whom it was uttered. A certain high official was entering a station with him. The wife of this high official, no longer very young or pretty, but with an immense idea of her own importance, went out on an elephant, in company with another lady, not more remarkable for beauty than herself, to see the Ameer arrive. The Ameer caught sight of the two ladies, and, directing his companion's attention to them, said, " Sly dogs, sly dogs ! You are just like üb. You leave all the good-looking ones at home, eh !"

A significant incident is mentioned by one of the Glasgow papers in reference to the missing bullion from the City of Glasgow Bank which admits of one or another of two interpretations. At a meeting of the directors held in the bank some weeks before the stoppage, one of their number innocently suggested that the stock of bullion should be counted- Thereupon the chairman rose from his seat and administered a severe rebuke to his inquisitive and doubting brother. He characterised the suggestion as nothing short of an insult to their manager, who was then present, and in whose probity, he said, all had reason to have the utmost faith. So deadly aggrieved did he personally feel at the proposition that he found that he could not continue in the position he occupied unless the offending and insinuating member of the board tendered at once a most kumble apology. The gentleman referred to at once made the amende honourable, and so the matter dropped.

Tbe Education Department has just compiled a new classification of the teachers in the various schools under the scheme set forth in an Order in Council some time a&o. The schftme is rather involved (says the New Zealand Times) and so far as can be gathered at present is not likely to give much satisfaction to the persons most interested. There are five classes, denominated from A to C, each of which is subdivided into five sections, so that there are really about 25 grades. Examination is to determine the class a man shall take, and length of serrice, teaching power, &c, we believe, is to fix the particular section in which he Bhall be classified. To rank in the A class a man must have taken University degrees with honors. B class is to be made up of those who have taken University degrees without honor, and so on. The practical result, it seems to us, will be to push down into the D and E classes nearly the whole of the members of the profession in the public schools. Men of great experience ia the work of teaching, whose acquired "art of instruction is far more valuable in training np the young for the practical business of life that the most profound classical lore, will in popuUr estimation, at any rate, be degraded to the lowest point in the system. Extensive erudition may be necessary in a good teacher, but it is not all, and any classification that has book learning simply or perhaps even mainly for its basis will never give satisfaction or afford a means of arriving at a true estimate of a teacher's ability. The classification bow made by the department under this system will remain in force till June next, and will in the meantime to a great extent regulate salaries. In March all teachers will be invited to come up for examination, and on the results will be re-classified, such new classification taking effect from the beginning of the new educational year, July nex H .