Hawke's Bay Herald MONDAY, MAY 6, 1878.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5068, 6 May 1878, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herald MONDAY, MAY 6, 1878.

One of the questions touched upon at the meeting of the Education Board last Thursday, by the chairman, was the classification of teachers. The necessity for having some system of classifying masters is obvious enough. Manifestly it would be unfair to pay the same rate of salary to all alike, giving no larger salary to the master whose qualifications are of high order than to one only fitted to teach infants ; and, besides this, it is imperatively necessary that the board should know that a teacher is qualified for the position to which he is appointed. Hence the need of a system of classification. The Government, it appears, are fully impressed with the necessity for instituting such a system, and with that view are collecting information from all the teachers in the colony with regard to the nature of the certificates of competency which they hold, with the purpose of issuing regulations on the subject under the 100 th clause of the Education Act. This will of necessity involve a good deal of delay, and in the meantime the Education Board of this district is confronted -with the question as to ranging salaries, and also with the difficulty as to appointing teachers without having any ready means of ascertaining their qualifications. Probably the first may be disposed of temporarily, with some regard to equity, by fixing the salaries in. accordance with the work to be done ; but there will still remain the question as to the fitness of the teachers for their work. On this point a suggestion was made to the Education Board by the Chairman, that those teachers who did not possess certificates of competency should be examined by the Inspector of Schools, assisted by a committee of members of the board. How far this will answer the purpose in view — that of ascertaining the eligibility of persons appointed as teachers of schools — it is unnecessary to discuss, as the board is at present without an inspector to conduct the examination, and the office is scarcely likely to be filled before the next meeting on the 20th instant.

The subject is not an easy one to dispose of satisfactorily. There can be no noubt that the teachers in all the schools should be certificated, but, for outlying small districts teachers, will not be readily found to pass the required examination who will accept the very moderate salaries which can be paid to them. The board will therefore have to pay to the teachers of such schools higher salaries than is commensurate with the work required of them, or must be content with a lower standard of competency than would be required for masters of larger schools. The difficulty, very likely, is only one for the moment. It is one which has, no doubt, already engaged the attention of the Government, and they will not be long in establishing some system which will pretty nearly meet all circumstances. To provide for future requirements will be an easier matter. We notice that in the report of the Wellington Education Board the establishment of a training school for teachers is suggested, and it is quite possible that the Government will see their way to act upon the hint. The following is what the report referred to says on the subject : — " The time has now arrived, in the opinion of the board, when, in order to obtain the best results with the most judicious expenditure of public money, it is desirable that something should be done to provide normal school training for teachers. The board think that one training institution for the whole colony would be the best for this purpose ; but if it is impracticable to confine the work to one institution, then they will look for a fair share of the sum of £6000 voted by Parliament for normal schools ; and, should the grant be made, they hope to utilise it in a way which will be a great benefit to the service, by appointing a normal master who can begin witli a class at once in the spare rooms of the Mount Cook boys' school. The proposed new schools at Thorndon and Kaiwarra could be built so as to serve as model schools, and there could be attached one or two suitable rooms which might serve for some time as the lecture and students' rooms of a normal school."

The New Zealander has the following on a question that is at present one of much interest to the members of the Civil Service: — "As to the question of gratuities to widows and children, the action of the Government has been a good deal misrepresented and misunderstood — by none more than by Mr Coffey. The permissive power given by the Civil Service Act to the Governor to allow such gratuities was fast becoming understood to be a mandatory provision, and it was high time to remind officers of the real state of the case, and «f the necessity of making provision for those dependent on them, in case the Governor should not, in the event of their death, be advised that the cfise was a proper one for the gratuity to be given. There are many cases in which officers have no right whatever to expect that their families will be provided for at the public expense. _ Oincors who are in receipt of large salaries should certainly make provision themselves out of that salary. There are other officers unfortunately so poorly paid that it is almost a wonder they can live from hand to mouth even. Probably the prospect of a provision of some kind being made

for their families when they die, in some measure reconciles them to their pittance and we aro quite sure that Ministers would nover hositato to advise the Governor to use his discrotionary power in such cases."

A meeting of electors of the Olive riding was held last Friday evening in the school-room, West Clive, Mr Lascelles in the chair. The object of the meeting was to hear an expression of the views of Messrs Sutton and Orr, tho two candidates for tho Clive seat in the Hawlce's Bay County Council. Mr Button spoke at considerable length. He pointed out that at tho previous election he had advocated that the whole of the Counties Act should bo adopted by the Council, and that though his view was opposed then it had been found necessary to take that coxirse. He complained of the imperfect way in which the county roll had dgou prepared, and averred that there was not one list of names legally prepared according to the Act. He expressed himself strongly opposed to the County Council being a rating body. He combated the idea that because he was a member of the Assembly he should not be a member of the Council, contending that being a member of the Legislature would afford him opportunities of being of benefit as a County Councillor which otherwise he would not possess. He considered therefore that though that was the ground upon which Mr Orr opposed him, there really was nothing to justify it, and he believed that Mr Orr was merely put by persons who wished to keep him (Mr Sutton) out. — Mr Orr spoke in deprecation of giving a political aspect to the election. There were no political questions in the Council, and all that was required was to carry out tho Act to the best advantage for the ratepayers. He considered that Mr Sutton had already too much to do, and was a member of too many public bodies to be of real service in the Council. — A vote of thanks was passed to both candidates for their addresses. — The election took place on Saturday, and we are informed that the following was the result: — Sutton, 65 ; Orr, 33. Mr Sutton was therefore elected.

Saturday was a red letter day in the office of the Herald, as that day we attained a circulation of 2500 copies. In Waipawa alone the circulation on Saturday was raised to 50 more copies, having received a telegram from our agent to that effect. We are informed by the telegraph department that communication is restored on the Port Darwin line, but the cable is still interrupted between Batavia aud Singapore. The Hon. Mr Ballance paid a brief visit to Napier yesterday. He was a passenger by the Wanaka en route for Wellington, and during the short stay the steamer made off the port he took the opportunity of coming up to town. It was stated recently in our columns that the will of the late Mr Rhodes of Wellington left the bulk of his enormous property to Miss Rhodes. It is now reported, however, that a very great part, probably by far the greater part, is likely to go to relatives of the deceased who are resident in England. At the morning service yesterday at St. John's, the Rev. D'Arcy Irvine, Head Master of the Grammar School, preached the sermon. The discourse was evidently aimed against the Darwinian theory upon the origin of man. Denis Shanahan was brought up at the Resident Magistrate's Court on Saturday morning, charged with having unlawfully and maliciously struck Fergus Cleary with a hammer on the 30th April, thereby causing him grievous bodily harm. The case was remanded till this morning. — William Bar tlett was fined 10s, or 48 hours' imprisonment, for drunkenness. The question of the relative proportion of contributions to be made for hospital maintenance by the Hawke's Bay County and the Municipality of Napier is to be discussed on Tuesday next by the special • committees appointed by the Councils of the county and of the borough. The meeting of the committees is to bo held at noon in the Council Chamber.

We are requested to state that the Italian Opera Concert Company will give their opening concert at the Theatre Royal on to-morrow evening, instead of this evening. The company will arrive in Napier this evening," but at too late an hour to give a performance to-night. Mr J. Leonard notifies that he will shortly open again in Napier with a large stock, comprising 200 cases and bales of drapery, &c. The Wairarapa Standard has the folio vying enigmatic paragraph :— " We learn with regret from the New Tiealander that (Sir George Grey intends attending the King meeting in Waikato." Why should it regret the circumstance 1 At the last Auckland races, a little girl, the daughter of a Mr Eyre, of Victoriastreet, got lost in a crowd, and has become a newspaper celebrity in consequence. The Star of the 24th ultimo says :— " Mr William Eyre, of Victoriastreet, has fortunately recovered " his lost daughter, thanks to the kindness of friends. Yesterday the young lady, whose age is about seven years, accompanied him to the races, but in the contusion of the crowd lost sight of him. With the intention of returning home, she proceeded to the railway, but mistook the Mercer train for the one to town. Fortunately she got into the company of some shipmates and friends of Mr Eyre, who took care of the child, and sent her back to town this morning. Mr Swanson rendered material aid in procuring tho restoration of the girl to her parents by telegraphing at the earliest possible hour this morning to the railway stations, so that Mr Eyre was apprised of her safety, and awaited her arrival. All's well that ends well."

The first parcel of wheat grown by the Katikati settlers (says the New Zealand Herald of April 25) was brought to town yesterday by Mr H. M. Shepherd, and consisted of 100 sacks. It was pronounced by millers to be a good sound sample, and was readily sold at Gs }Der bushel. Now that tho lands of Katikati have been found capable of growing first- class wheat, it is hoped that the settlers will pay attention to this branch of farming : and next season we hope to see thousands of bushels coming forward, so as to obviate the large importations from the South.

The Univers says: — "Russia, whereover she lias had full sway, has tried to force the barbarous Greek form of worship upon the recalcitrant Catholic people, and even within the last few years has committed the most atrocious butcheries in Poland, to force a number of harmless peasants to abjure their Catholic faith, and bow to tlie fetish of "Pontificial Ccesarism. What .Russia has done in Poland she is sure to repeat in Bulgaria as soon as she gets a chance of doing so with impunity. For this and* other kindred reasons it behoves Catholics rather to choose the lesser than the greater evil. Turkey has certainly never inflicted the same persecution on her Catholic subjects as Russia, and therefore the increase of Russian power south of the Danube can only be looked for with apprehension by all Catholics."

The Queen of Spain is one of the most beautiful sovereigns of Europe. She is of the pure Spanish type, with very black eyes and hair, fine features, and a full figure. The Presbyterian Church of New South Wales, which has established a very active mission in the New Hebrides, recently petitioned the Crown to annex those Islands, and lias received the following reply from Lord Carnarvon : — " Sir, — I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 163, of the 24th November, transmitting a petition to the Queen signed by the .Moderator of the Presbyterian. Church of New

South Wales, in the name and by authority of the General Assembly, praying that British protection and justice may be permanently established in the New Hebrides Islands, that if practicable, this group should be annexed to the British Crown. I request that you will inform the petitioners that I have laid this petition before the Queen, but that Her Majesty's Government, as at present advised, do not feel able to recommend compliance with the prayer of it.— l have, &c."

Actors sometimes experience peculiar attentions. For excimple, a few nights ago, at Dunedin, according to the Sta>>, during the progress of " Daisy Farm " at the Queen's, the tramp (in the person of Mr Love) had no sooner made his appearance on the stage in the second act than some sympathetic individual in the stalls, touched by the tramp's appeal, which he apparently regarded as real, threw him a sovereign, remarking that he knew the actor was " hard up, and wanted a drink." It may be some satisfaction to the donor to know that his health was subsequently drunk by the whole company. Mr Foulis, late of Edinburgh, has been appointed inspector of the Wanganui education district, at a salaiy of £400 per annum and £50 travelling expenses. The Wellington Chronicle warns hotelkeepers, shopmen, and others, that there is in circulation a quantity of counterfeit coin, made to represent shillings, sixpences, &c. They are admirably made, and may very easily be taken for the genuine article by the unwary, or indeed by anyone, in the bustle of business. Another mineral (says the Southland Times) may be added to the long list of those which had already been discovered in the Southland district. From the appearance and feel of the specimen that was left at our office last night, we have no hesitation in pronouncing it to be either steatite or kaolin, the former probably. The sample we examined is pure white in color, fine in grain, and unctious to the touch, with a silky lustre. We have applied the term steatite to it, but it will be more readily recognised by ijhe term of French chalk, which is a variety of soap stone or steatite. Whatever it may be, large beds of it are said to exist on the Mataura, arid one from which the sample alluded to was taken was discovered by Mr S. Paterson, a railway employe. Some persons who have examined the sample regard it as kaolin, and if they are correct the discovery is valuable indeed, for kaolin is the basis of porcelain. We, however, regard the stuff as French chalk.

In a private letter to a Christchurch friend, Mr W. H. Lingard says that he thinks of returning to Australia and New Zealand in July or August next, The Lyildton Times adds that he was at the beginning of March in Canada, where he and his wife had been playing a very successful engagement. On February 25, Mrs Lingard played Mary Stuart in " Heart and Crown," for the 124 th. time. Mr Lingard has added to his "Living Likenesses" sketches of the Czar of Russia, the Sultan of. Turkey, Brigham Young, Lord Beaconsfield, and Henry Ward Beecher, and we observe that his old Butterman, in " Our Boys," seems to be appreciated as much as ever.

The Patea 1/u.ail says : — " We have good authority for stating that the average yield of wheat last season throughout the county of Patea will be 40 bushels to the acre. The average is struck partly from wheat already thrashed, and partly from what remains to be thrashed, of which latter the furnisher of the information has had good opportunities of judging. The yield in oats ia considerably higher. Mr J. E. Keys obtained 71 sacks from a 5-acre paddock, near Carlyle, which, allowing the usual 41 bushels to the sack, gives a yield of about 64 bushels to the acre. In 1870, Mr Keys obtained from a s^-acre paddock 87 sacks, being a little over 71 bushels to the acre. Off the same paddock in 1877, he secured 85 sacks. Messrs Newland, of Whenuakura, are reported to have averaged 50 bushels of thrashed oats to the acre last harvest."

The New Zealand Times of April 30, says : — Yesterday the telephone which has been recently erected for Mr E. W. Mills' establishment was brought into operation between -the warehouses, in Hunter and Featherston-street and the ironyard in Featherston-street, a distance of 600 yards. Dr Lemon, General Manager of the Telegraph Department, was at one end, and Mr Biddell, Mr Mills' manager, at the other. Conversation was entered into, and kept up for some time with the greatest ease, the voices being quite audible and clear. The telephones used in Mr Mills' establishment were made by Lewart, of Berlin, and were fitted up by Mr J. E. Hayes, of Lambtonquay. The cost, we understand, of the apparatus and fittings is about £15, and the whole works admirably. It will be a great convenience to Mr Mills' establishment, and his example will probably be followed by other leading mercantile men here. Indeed there can be very little doubt that before long telephones will come into very general use.

The Wdirarapa Register says : — Messrs lorns and Fergusson report the sale of Mrs M'Kenzie's farm at the Upper Plain, of 80 acres, to Mr E. Meredith for £1800, Avhich includes a portion of the stock. This property adjoins that of Mr Meredith on the Upper Plain, which doubles the size of his present holding in that locality.

The New Zealand er of April 30, says : — " In our yesterday's issue we stated that the Government had entered into negotiations with a Clyde Shipping Company for the establishment of a direct steam line with this colony. It would appear that we have not been fully informed. The position of the matter is that the Agent-General has been strongly urged to spare no exertion towards getting such a line established. As this is a matter which vitally concerns the future of this colony, we think it would be well if the public were made acquainted with what action is being taken on their behalf. We do not like the idea of negotiating with any particular company exclusively; at the same time we are prepared to admit that much latitude must be left in. the hands of those who are acting for us. The project will bo one of great magnitude, involving a very large outlay, and can only be entertained by a few firms."

. A great family difficulty has just terminated (says the Brisbane Telegraph). The only daughter of one of the wealthiest squatters in the western district, after seriously compromising her parents by her strange behaviour, came to Sydney, and in the course of an erratic life, had many narrow escapes. Being young, handsome, and still having the command of her father's purse, she had many suitors; most of them, however, were theatricallystruck gentlemen. She has now become enamoured of a gentleman connected with theatrical affairs, and it is supposed that her father will have to make vample provision for the pair.

•The Dunedin Herald says:— "The Timai'H Herald hears that the Messrs Parker's fine property, known as the Sherwood Estate, is not to be sold by auction after all, an individual purchaser having obtained possession of the whole block of 5000 acres for £9 an acre, cash. This seems a good price, and the vendors are to be congratulated on parting with their property on such favorable terms. On public grounds, though, we think it will be generally regretted that this large and valuable tract of land has not been subdivided. The demand for farms is great, and increasing daily, and it is impossible not to view with disappointment any transaction which may be presumed to shut out for an indefinite period the most desirable class of^ settlers from the district." In a subsequent issue of the latter journal, however, we observe that the Sherwood Estate is still spoken of as about to be subdivided and sold by auction.

The Lyttelton Times of April 27 says : — " A large sale of town and farm land, part of the Hon. E. Richardson's Albury estate, was held on Thursday at the Foresters' Hall, Timaru. Mr J. T. Ford officiated as auctioneer, and disposed of 3430 acres, in farms of from 100 to 380 acres in extent. The prices realised were from £6 10s to £9 15s per acre, the average price being about £8. 19 quar-ter-acre town sections were sold at from £5 10s to £30. The prices were considered satisfactory. About 1147 acres of farm land and the bulk of the town sections are yet to be disposed of."

The Wahwapa Standard says :— " We call the attention of the Minister of Public Works to the folly and utter absurdity of using imported timber in the construction of railway stations in the Wairarapa, in order that such a stupid and impolitic proceeding may be at once put a stop to. In the specification for the Featherston station, the contractor is required to use Baltic deal not only in the construction of the sashes, for which there might be perhaps a shadow of an excuse, but also for sash frames and for sash sills. Now, if New Zealand is not capable of furnishing material for such work, the sooner railway works are suspended the better. The thing is so monstrous as to be scarcely credible ; but this comes of importing engineers, with their English notions, instead of utilising the services of those resident engineers who know something of New Zealand and New Zealand timber."

Mr Walter Johnston, M.H.R. for Manawatu, has notified distinctly to his constituents that he will not seek reelection after the dissolution of the present Parliament, which is expected to take place shortly after the ensuing session. Mr Johnston further expressed his entire willingness to resign his seat at once, if 'it were the desire of his constituents that he should do so, without waiting for a dissolution. In reply to this suggestion, however, Mr Johnston received a large requisition, strongly urging him to retain his seat, which he has consented to do, until after the coming session, when he purposes visiting England, and' remaining absent from this colony for a year or two. Several candidates already are mentioned for the seat at the next election ; indeed, some may be considered as already , in the field, including Dr Buller, Mr Snelson (Mayor of Palmerston), Mr A. F. Halcombe, and others. A subscription list has been Bet on foot towards defraying the expenses of Mr Snelson, and it is understood that over £150 has been raised to begin with. Mr Snelson would command support in the Palmeraton. Foxton, and western part of the district, while Mr Halcombe is strong in the Feiiding settlement. A contest may be expected. — Post, 29th April.

The London correspondent of the Melbourne Argus has the following : — "lt is a great mistake to be behind-hand with the public intelligence. I did not read till lately of the cargo of soda from Peru, which arrived some days ago in the London docks, with, a Peruvian lady embedded in it, with earrings^ It is supposed she got into that unusual position through an earthquake that happened in her native country about 200 years ago, only the soda preserved her — that is, as far as it could, for of course she was not alive. I had noticed that soda had gone down in the market, but was unaware of the reason, and I shudder to think how much sodawater, with what Hook called * too much body in it,' I may have taken within the last fortnight. However, it is an 'ill wind that blows nobody good,' and the Apollinaris Company will probably reap the benefit of it." The Newcastle coal-pits are now working full time. To give an idea of the Melbourne cost of a certain kind of work, we quote the following from the Argus of the 13th inst. : — The lowest tender opened in the Lands office yesterday for the supply of 50 wrought iron buffers for the railway department was that of Messrs "Wright and Edwards for the sum of £1987 15s. It was provisionally accepted.

Trials made with the " automatic continuous brake," invented by Mr Woods, M.L.A,, Victoria, have established that a train running at the rate of fifty-fotir miles an hour can be stopped in 26sec, at a distance of 456 yards from where the brake is put on. It is stated that the stoppages were effected entirely without skidding or jerking.

Kansas is 17 years old. Her population numbers 700,000 ; she has property valued at 229,000,000d015. ; she raised last year 66,000,000d013. in farm products ; shejhas 2300 miles of railroad, and 233,000 school children.

A most sensational rumor was circulated in Melbourne shortly after the burial of the late Mr Justice Fellows, to the effect that the remains of the deceased judge had been exhumed for the purpose of a post mortem examination being made, as there was a suspicion that his death was caused by overdoses of medicine containing arsenic. As is often the case, there was some foundation for the story, but nothing, it would seem, to justify the statements made. The Age gives the following version of the matter : — It 1 appears that on the 6th ult. r Dr Balls-Headley, one of the medical men who attended Mr Justice Fellows in the earlier stage of his illness, requested Mr Johnson to analyse a small quantity of horaoepathic medicine, which he took to him in a two-ounce phial. Mr Johnson did so, and found that the fluid contained arsenic to the extent of twelve grains to the imperial pint, which, would be sufficient to kill four men. Dr Balls-Headley informs us that his reason for having the analysis made was a purely professional one, he being desirous of knowing the component parts of the drug for his own information ; and he does not even assert that the drug was similar to that with which Mr Justice Fellows was treated by Drs Gunst and Teague. The latter gentlemen state that the medicine used by them was what is known as arsenicum No. 3, which contains arsenic in the proportion of one fifty-thousandth part of a grain to a pint of water, and is, consequently, almost innocuous. They hope the fullest enquiry will be made into the matter. The statement that the deceased judge's body had been exhumed had no foundation whatever.