Hawke's Bay Herald. SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 1878.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5161, 24 August 1878, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herald. SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 1878.

From circumstances that have come to our knowledge, we have reason to ber- A +iip. remarks we felt called lieve tmiu _ -^-«oectupon to make a sliorb time a&o - ~ x ing the educational status of tlie children in- Hawke's Bay are likely to bear good fruit. A desire is being manifested in several of the schools to push the scholars on, so that the next report of the inspector shall tell a more | pleasing tale than the last. In schools that are not under the board there has been also an equally commendable feeling on the subject, "and we shall be glad if it should be found practicable to get those schools examined in the same way as the State schools. There can be no better mode of inducing scholastic- improvement than strict and impartial examination of the scholars, followed by the publication of the results. The latter, indeed, we consider essential to achieving any great success in improving the educational status of the district. There can be no greater iucentive to exertion, both on the part of teachers and scholars, than the knowledge that their work will receive publicity and be subjected to'newspaper criticism. The Marlborough district furnishes an instance in point in this respect. Some four or five years ago the condition of educational matters there was in a very sad condition. There were certainly one or two country schools where the industry and superior qualifications of the teachers had proved successful in advancing the scholars beyond the mere rudiments of education, but these were exceptions, the children of school age in the district being generally some years lower in the educational scale than the average of the colony. The Provincial Government of that day procured the temporary services of the "Wellington inspector, and his report wasjjpublishecl and very freely commented upon in the columns of 'the two Blenheim newspapers. This practice was continued in succeeding years, and the effect has been really marvellous. People who had been indifferent about the matter before, began to take a deep interest in all that concerned elementary education. Exertions were made to increase the means for cany ing on schools, incompetent teachers were weeded out, and the children were dealt with on a system so superior to what had prevailed in the past that soon the educational status {.throughout thejKdistrict was

raised, and the common schools supplied a good number of scholars capable of passing creditably either the civil service examination or that for the Nelson College scholarships. Not the least beneficial of the effects of newspaper criticism in the instance we are referring to was that of inducing the parents to take a lively interest in the educational progress of their children, an interest that has contributed in no small degree to the happy results that have been obtained. On this point Mr Robert Lee, the Wellington Inspector of Schools, remarks in his report, "Throughout my travels in the Marlborough education district I have noticed the manifest increased public interest felt and being taken in educa J tion, and especially in the individual progress of the scholars as determined by examination. Tlie " standards " are household words from the remote inlets of the Sounds to the plains of the Wairau, and even along the broken highway from Blenheim to Kaikoura. The people are beginning t© know and comprehend the work of each standard, and te share the aspirations and successes, of their children. I have fre : quently been pleased with the effect of this emulation on a whole school, in which the anxiety and determination to pass was simply intense on the part" of every pupil." This report is dated, as, far back as May, 1877, before the present Act had come into force. We may therefore expect that a work which tinder the disadvantages of the old system- had already made such progress, will now that the national system has been established make still greater strides in educational advancement. "We have been induced to present this example before our readers with the view of 'showing that publicity in this matter of school examination is really a powerful engine for good. When the results of an examination are disheartening, it is mistaken kindness to keep the details from the knowledge 'of the public, because to stay the disclosure is really to prevent the applying .of a remedy for the evil. It is just as if we were to stay the surgeon's hands from performing an operation necessary to save life because of the pain that would be inflicted. Besides, we consider — and we think we consider rightly — that the public generally are largely interested in securing that the education given to the rising generation shall be as good and as efficient as can be imparted. The .public have, therefore, a right to be fully informed as to whab is being done, and how the work progresses, and to hide anything simply because it is unpalatable is very much like a breach of faith. We trust that the practice of abstaining from publishing the details of school examinations will not be continued in this district, and that in future the public will be taken fully into the confidence of the Education Board.

A young man named Joseph Ellis Smith, between 20 and 21 years of age, committed suicide at Taradale on Thursday evening, by shooting himself in the head with a revolver. He was last seen alive in the billiard-room of the Greenmeadows' Hotel, at Taradale, shortly after 6 o'clock on Thursday evening, and in a little time after he left, the report of the firing of fire-arms was heard by the billiard-maker of the hotel, but he took no notice of the matter. At about 6 o'clock yesterday morning the body of the deceased was found lying in the road, opposite the Greenmeadows Hotel> by. Mr John Oartwright. There was a'^sixchambered revolver near the body, one chamber of the revolver having been discharged. An inquest wrs held on the body yesterday afternoon, before Dr Hitchings, when evidence having been taken, a verdict was returned to the effect that the deceased committed suicide while in a state of unsound mind. There were three letters found on the body, which were written in a very incoherent style. One of them, addressed to Inspector Scully, avowed the intention of the deceased to commit suicide, and expressed a desire for certain things being done which were quite impracticable. The deceased was a baker, and had been working, up to the afternoon of his death, for Mr James Heron, of Carlyle-street. A report of the inquest will be found in another column. We learn from Wellington that the Public Works Statement will in all probability be delivered on Tuesday next. Thanksgiving services for the preservation of peace, secured by the results of the Berlin Conference, will be held tomorrow in all the Anglican Churches in the colony. Special forms of prayer have been prepared for use in St. John's. Church and the other churches in the. Diocese of Waiapu. A church parade will take, place to. 7 . morrow (Sunday) morning, after which the Artillery, Engineers, and Cadets will attend service in St. John's Episcopal Church. . „ • , „ The burlesque " Ixion" * nd the Pj™--tomime were again successfully repeater at the Theatre Royal last night. A matinee, for children, will be given today, the performance commencing at 2,15 p.m. On this occasion children will.be admitted to all parts of the house for one shilling. To-night tho pantomime and " Ixion " will again be presented. The following additional subscriptions to the 23rd August, in aid of the Church of England Sunday-school Building Fund are thankfully acknowledged :— J. H. Vautier, paid, £o; E. W. Kuowles, £3 3s; N. Jacobs, paid, £1 ; J. M. Tabufceau, paid, £1 ; J. G. Kinross, £1 ; F. B. Hamlin, £1 : J. T. Johnson, paid, 10s; J. K. Goudy, paid, 10s; John Cook, 10s. Total amount received to date, £329 10s 6d. The Inspector of Schools ia expected to arrive from Gisborne to-day, and will proceed to inspect the schools in the southern; portion of the district on Monday next. The Deceased Wife's Sister Marriage Bill of Dr Hodgkinson consists of only one clause besides the short title. This provides that all marriages solemnised in tho colony with a deceased wife's sister, after the passing of the Act, shall be legal. The usual clause recognising marriages of this nature previously contracted in other colonies where they have been legal for some years is not appended. It is rumored in Auckland that tho Hon. James Macandrew, Minister of , Public Works, will retire from the Ministry at the end of the session. A little girl of four years old, named Jackson, the daughter of a farmer residing near Christchurch, was recently left in charge pf the baby in tho cradle. Whilst rocking it she went to sleep and fell on her charge, and when the mother returned she found to her horror that the baby was dead. The little creature had been smothered by her sister. A novel musical entertainment has been given at Greymouth by amateurs. A Mr Eldridge gave a display of his abilities as a campanologist, rendering various musical collections on a peal of bells, and the vocalists gave songs all, or nearly all, referring to bells. . Ring the Bell Watchman, Silver Bells of Memory, Village Bells, Convent Bells, Chime .Again Beautiful Bells, were all introduced, and a young lady recited Edgar Poe's beautiful, though difficult, poem The Bells. Out of 01 days during the months of June and July, it is stated that in Hbkitika 51 days were wet, there being 'only 10 days on which no rainfall wa3 re- ■ corded. . .