THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1880

Grey River Argus, Volume XXIII, Issue 3844, 21 December 1880, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDA Y, DECEMBER 21, 1880

There is abundant evidence that a change will endeavor to be made by the present Government in the working of the Education Act, and the removal of Mr Rolleston from the position of Minister of Education, and the substitution of Mr Dick in his place is bub the prelude of the move. Mr Dick is a strong denominationalist, and one of his platform tickets was the adoption of a measure providing for the reading and teaching of the Bible lin schools, and as suctf, was returned as : the representative of the Dunedin Bible in Schools Association. Such being the i case, is it likely now that he holds the i position of Minister of Education, that he •will alter his views on the subject. Another matter is the subatitution of a system of school fees, instead of a free, compulsory, and secular system. Ih is well known that Major Atkin3on is in j favor of school fees, and also that several of the influential members of the Opposi- ' tion are in its favor. In fact, the only stumbling block in the way was the Minister of Education himself, Mr Rolleato^, who was a thorough advocate I of Mr Bowen'a education scheme. Mr Rolleston having now been got rid of, there seems not to be ni"ch doubb but i that an amended education scheme will be one of the measures brought forward hy the Government at the next meeting of Parliament. The Wellington correspondent of the Lyttelton Times even goes so far aa to say that the subject is arranged. He says ; — "ln addition to other questions likely to engage the attention of Parliament next session, there are abundant signs that determined attempts will be made to amend the Education Act, so as to arrive at some compromise between absolute secularism and denominational teaching: It is said that views have already been exchanged between recognised leaders of varioua denominations, and again between them and members known to take special interest in the Education question ; and that the way has been smoothed towards a ' platform ' on which they can take a common stand." Such being the case, it becomea all friends of the present Educational system to be on their guard against the introduction of any element likely to create \ discord and confusion in our schools, and such, no doubt, would be the case, if the Bible was introduced. Ab tho Resident Magistrate's Court, jesterday, two lartiea, belonging to Rutherglen, whoso veudetta has oft n been the story of many a Court day, again appeared, and tod tha story of their wrongs. The language used was in the highest degree classical, and the result was thab the cisc was adjourned till Christmas Eve. The Public Hall was again well attended lasi; evening, and the various points in the drama rf " Arrah Na Fogue" were loudly applauded. This evening will be produced for the fitst lime in G ejmnUh tho finrd. play in live acts of "East Lynnc," in which Miss Stepheuson will sustain thj du>l characters of Lady Isabel Vane, and Madame Vine. This character is reckoned ons of the most effective of Mies Stephenson's impersonations. The Inangahua Herald understands that a wrifc for L2OOO, for breach of promise has been served on Mr J. B. Fisher, solicitor, Wcstporfc, Mr M'Mynn. who for a long time wss sergeant in charge of the Ahaura district, has been appointed to the office of bailiff to Resident Magistrate's, Warden's and District Courts at Reefton. The weights for tha Inangahua Cup at the forthcoming Summer Meeting; were declared on Friday evening, by Messrs Ching, Twohill, and Paine, the hsndicappers, and are as follows :— Mr Brimblc's Whalebone, 9st 71b ; Mr Cochrane's Warrigal, Sat 101 b ; Mr T. O'Neill's . Rory of the Hills. Bit 4lb ; Mr Robson's Rata, Bsb3lb ; Mr John Gallagher's Young Lillipi:*, 7ab 131 b ; Mr U. Alexander's B^ck Boy, 7sfc 41b; and Mr T, Walker's Mountain Maid, 7afc. In a case in which by will one-third of an estate was left to first cousins, and twotbirds to second cousins, it has at last been decided tbafc second cousins are not, as very fflwy suppose, first cousioss onco removed, but persons descended from the same greatgrandfather, A correspondent at No Town writes : — A somswhat curious affair came off in our gay township oa Saturday lasfc. Amessengfr arrived in the afternoon from Greyniouth, and stuck up three legal notices in various couspicious parts of our busiest street (Cannon Ball Parade), announcing th'-t the house and premises formerly licensed and kn wn aa the " i" 0 Town Hotel" were held by a certain creditor in .Grey mouth, under a duly registered bill of sale. At 10 30 pm, after the bellman had gone the rounds, the identical premises went by raffle, and the winner is a well-known publican at Nelson Creek. There will therefore be a nice kettle of nsh. The bill of sab and all the legal authority it naturally carries, has been ignored by the subscribers to the raffli, but whether the winner, who was not present, will try to take possession of the premises ia another matter. In a "might is right" view the holder of the till of sale has in the meantime been euchred. The drawing of Tonka's Sweep on the Ohampion Race will take place this evening, at Moss's Rooms. Mr Gilbert the dentist will laave Greyxnotith on a vmb to the north on the 3rd January. From the Westport Times we learn that an inquest has been held on the bodies of the two men, Samuel Jenkins and Alexander Weddel, whose death by drowning in VTackley Creek we reported ia a former issue. From tho evidence of the sole sur* vivor, "William Brandon, it appears that the three men, after proceeding about four miles up the creek in a canoe, came to a fall, and whilst in the act of dropping the canoe astern in the still water tbe current caught the bow of the canoe and swung her round, carrying her into the rip, when the canoe swamped and went down under them. Jenkins caught hold of tho witness, and both were drawn Ev-ntually the witness 1 managod to reach a rock after Jenkina had looked his hold and sunk. After going for and obtaining assistance, the witness returned, and found the bodies lying iD from 10ft to 18tb of still water, within ten ya'da of each other. A verdict of accidental death by drowning was returned. Mr Rae, hon. secretary of the Westland Railway League, (says the vVest Coast Times) has oalled an urgrnfc meeting of the

League, and of all gentlemen interested in tbe' Kasc and West Coa3t Railway, at the County Council Chembers. The meeting is called in consequence of the presence in Westland of Messrs Thornton and Browne, the two railway engineers, commissioned by leading merchants and residents of Canterbury to report on the best and most practical route for tho overland railway. On Saturday Mr Jack, the late Mayor, rcceivd from Mcr-srs Thornton and Browne, the following telegram: — "We are anxious to get the viows of the Railway League on the Ea^t and Weat Coast railway, from Hokifciki via Aruold and Cannibal Gorge. Will arrive iv Hokicika on Monday. Time limited." Mr Seddon, the County Chairman, also telegraphed to say the engineers were at Kumara, and suggesting that arrangements should be made to meet them, and to give thorn full information as to thn best roue. It is to be hoped that a good attendance of leading citizens and representative men will be present. Reporters in Ireland are just now having a fine timo of it. If not treated quit-) so badly as the tenant farmer, the bailiff, or the agent, they are subjected to all aorta of insnlte and rebuffs afc the hands of the land agitators. At a land meeting held at Ballyduff, County Ker^r, tht> other day, the Government reporter was hustled off the pUtform and kicked. The Resident Magistrate was compelled to call out the constabulary with fixed swords, who reinstated the reporter, and guarded him to the close of the meeting, It mu3t ba very pleasant indeed to take notes under such circumstances. Only the previous day a party of men entered the house of the bailiff of the Mar* guis of Ormonde and cut off both of his ears, and if an infuriated Irishman would do this to a bailiff, he would not stop afc a reporter if ho had once decided to wreak his venge-i ance upon Men. Daring the hearing of one of the cases iv the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice Richmond in reported by the New Zealand Times to have made some observations on the colonial custom of giving bills as well as mongagef, concurrently, to secure the same liability, and said lie felt certain the giving of a negotiable and a non-negotiable security for one obligation would yet result in difficulties aad a great amonnt of litigation, Special attention is called to the reduced prices of portraits at Williams's photographic studio, adjoining the Medical Hall.— Anvr. Choice Assortment New Season's Tea?, caddies, !boxes, half-chests, chests. — Griffen & Smith, Beehive Stores— Advt,