TECHNICAL CLASSES.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7140, 18 April 1885, Page 2

TECHNICAL CLASSES.

With reference to an article in yesterday's issue, containing an extract on technical education from Mr Hill's report to the Education Board, we are reminded that Mr Heath, principal of the Boya' High School, is now endeavoring to form evening classes, including classes for the study of technical subjects. We regret to hear that while some of the classes promise to be large, those for technical studies have so far attracted very few students. If young mechanics did but know the value of technical knowledge to them, in easing their work, enabling them to produce better work, and ultimately, perhaps, to become employers of a large number of men, they would not neglect the opportunities so generously provided by Mr Heath. It can only be the want of knowledge and appreciation of the real and substantial advantages of a technical training which prevents more young men joining Mr Heath's classes, for we should be sorry to believe that sheer laziness and indifference to future success in the world are the real reasons for the few entries for Mr Heath's technical classes. We call prominent attention to this matter in the hope that it will result in a large accession of those desiring to acquire useful knowledge, and we feel sure that those who make up their minds to attend a few times will see the practical benefits offered to them, and that they will continue their attendance. A knowledge of the laws of mechanics and the way to apply those laws to useful ends is the secret of the success of some of England's most successful men, who, but for their studies, would yet have remained laborers for others. Indeed, now-a-days competition is becoming so keen, and the means of obtaining technical education so generally diffused and so cheap, that only those who really study the principles underlying their work, instead of working "by rule of thumb," can hope to succeed. It is for this reason that in season and perhaps out of season we have urged the provision of some method by which our young men could be placed on an equality with those in towns where there are technical schools, and it will be a matter for genuine regret if Mr Heath's aelf-deny-ing efforts produce no results through the apathy of those to whom he appeals for their own good.

Evangelistic services will be held in the Havelock Presbyterian Church next week from Monday to Friday evenings* inclusive, at 7.30. Several ministers will take part in the services. The subject of the Rev. J. G. Paterson's sermon to»morrow morning will be " The keys given to Peter." The subject of the evening lecture will be "Peace or war— which?" Volunteers are cordially invited.

At & meeting last evening of the members of the Napier Amateur Dramatic Club it was decided to vote the sum of £5 5s as a donation from the club's charitable fund to .that deserving case of charity the Franklin family. We were not quite accurate in saying that captains of trading vessels arriving in our ports have to make a "declaration" as to whether they have sighted any man-of-war. A question to that effect is put and a verbal answer given, but no formal " declaration " lias to be bubsc"ribed. Mr M. R. Miller has received telegraphic information to the effect that applications from this district for space in the general branch of the New Zealand Industrial Exhibition will be allotted in full. The official space committee will meet at Wellington on Thursday next, to allot positions to exhibitor's. At the .Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr E. Lyndon, J.P., Henry Clifford was charged with drunkenness. Defendant pleaded not guilty, but failed to convert the Bench to a favorable view of his way of putting the case, and he was fined os and costs, with 24 hours' hard labor as an alternative.— James Greenaway, charged with drunkenness, did not appear, and his bail of. £1 Was estreated. The second heat for Mr J. H. Vautier's trophy will be sailed by the boats of the Hawke's Bay Sailing Club in the bay ■ this afternoon, 'the race to commence at 2.30 sharp. At present the Lorna Doone has 4 points, the Nautilus 3 points, the Wave Queen 2 points, and the Mystery 1 point. As the weather has now taken a change, and a good southerly breeze has set in* a good race may be looked forward to by lovers of yachting. The Phoenix Cricket Club have been making great preparations for the costume match, which promises to be a great success should the weather prove favorable. A large number of characters will be represented, including the inevitable clowns, niggers, and policemen. A number of tickets have already been sold, and it only needs the co-operation of the clerk of the weather to ensure a large attendance. At the time of writing this the conditions are very unfavorable, and should it continue to rain the match will be put off till a future date. The local option poll yesterday caused but little interest, and very few ratepayers took the trouble to record their votes. The results were as follows:— North Ward : for increase of publicans' licenses, 8 ; against increase, 18 ; for increase of wine licenses, 7 s against increase, 16. Central Ward t for increase of publicans' licenses, 4 ; against increase, 22 ; for increase of wine licenses, 6 ; against increase, 18. South Ward : for increase of publicans' licenses, 12 ; against increase, 23 ; for increase of wine licenses, 11 ; against increase, 22. We hare received from Robin Hood the names and addresses of the principal winners in his consultation on the Christchurch Autumn Handicap. The first prize, £1296, went to a Christchurch solicitor ; 2nd, £540, to a lady in Rangiora ; 3rd, £270, to a party of investors at Leithfield. On the Easter Handicap the prizes were allotted as follows : — First prize, £270, a waiter in Wellington ; 2nd, t £135, a fitter in a Christchurch foundry ; 3rd, £81, a carpenter at Riccarton. On the Hurdle Handicap, first prize, £108, a Christchurch policeman; 2ad, £54, a coach proprietor at Upper Riccarson. A special unlimited consultation on the Easter Handicap resulted as under : — First prize, £160, a corndealer at Christohurcb; 2nd, £%, a tinsmith at Southbridge ; 3rd, £64, a mariner at Lyttelton. The drawing was supervised by a representative committee of shareholders. We have received from the Government printer a copy of " Time Tables," in book form, showing the arrival and departure of contract mail steamers, rates of postage, &c. It is well printed, and will be useful to commercial men, who will see by this gratis attention on the part of the Government that they can print as well and supply the result cheaper than, private firms. Perhaps if the latter had the right to tax the country to keep their employes at wcrk the result might be the other way about. We have also received from the same source a small sheet time-table for the West Coast mail steamer Napier. This production of the national printing press is also issued gratis. Still another effort in the printing line from the Government office is a boot on " Orange Culture," on similar lines to that part of "Brett's Colonists' Guide," which treats of orange culture, and is perhaps intended to compete against the Auckland publisher's book. When the Government begin building houses, making clothes, &c, for the general public, we shall begin to think that New Zealand is getting into front place among nations.

The following suras in aid of the Franklin family have been received in addition to those acknowledged in yesterday's issue : — Per Mr Fuller — T. Tanner, £2 2s ; Friend (8), £1 ; E. Ashton, 10s ; Friend (9), ss ; Exeter, £1 ; Newman, 10s ; S. Oarnell, 10s ; W. Jacobs, 10s ; F. Williams, £1 Is ; Townshend, 10s. Per Mr , Gillies— J. D. Ormond, £2 2s; E. Conroy, ss ; E. "Willis, ss ; T.R., ss ; R. 8., 5s j J. M'Kenzie, 5s ; J. Johnstone, 10s ; G. Robinson, 10s ; L. Osborne, ss ; A.8.C., 5s ;E. Lyndon, £1 Is ; T. Peddie, 10s; J. Sheehan, £1; Smythe, 2s 6d; Friend (10), 2s 6d; J.H., 2s 6d; D. Levi, 2s 6d ; F.G.G., 3s ; Friend (11), 2s 6d; S. Locke, £1; P. Gorman, ss ; G. Bowman, 10s ; J. N. Livesey, 10s ; Friend (12), 10s ; 0.H.E., 3s jS. E. Cooper, 10s ; Sympathy, £1 ; W. Boyd, 4s ,- E. O. Robjohns, £1 ; H. Willis, ss ; M. Bolls, 2s 6d ; F. Russell, ss ; J. M. Bowerman, 10s ; Miss Paton, ss ; W. J. Tabuteau, ss ; J. V. Brown, £1 ; L., ss ; W. Craig, 10s ,• J". Sidey, 5s ; F. Sutton, 10s; J. J. Anderson, £1 Is; M. F. Gorley, ss ; J. W. Carlile, 10s ; J. S. Welsman, 10s ; Friend id., sa ; C. L. Margoliouth, £1 ; P. Jones, 10s ; H.R.H., 6s ; F. Colledge, 10s ; 0.W., ss. We were yesterday shown a very ingenious, and at the same time simple, adaptation of the tubular boiler principle for use in houses not fitted with ranges.

The large number of persons who use colonial ovens will find this arrangement

a great boon. It is called " Drummond's patent boiler," and has been invented by a Napier coppersmith. The simplicity of the contrivance makes one wonder that it was not thought of before. In place of the two iron bars which housewives have to use to stand their kitchen utensils upon, when cooking over a colonial oven, the invention furnishes two iron pipes, bent into the Bhape of an elongated "U," and communicating at the open ends with a vessel for holding water, and made so as to occupy one hob of the fireplace. When this vessel contains water, the latter circulates in the iron piping

used as fire bars, and the heat that would pass away up the chimney when baking or boiling is thus utilised to heafc the water in the boiler. The apparatus is simple, and the inventor states that it can be sold very cheaply. We venture to predict a large sale for these conveniences, for no person whose kitchen is fitted with a colonial oven, and who can procure one

of brummoncTs patent boilers as a cheap and useful adjunct, trill be willing to

remain for long unprovided with one of them.

< A correspondent of the Christcliurcli Press sends that journal a somewhat astounding statement. " During a severe frosty night last week at Loburn," he gravely asserts, " thousands of sparrows were killed and lay dead under the treea „ in the morning. It was a work of some 1 j lioiirs to rake up the dead birds to pre« vent a nuisance." Either the sparrows at Loburn must be of a peculiarlj^MHicate constitution, or the frosts mus'*£ok' astonishingly severe. We thought the sparrows rather enjoyed a frost than! otherwise, as it sharpened vp 1 their appdtites for breakfast. Many of the farmt'rs in this district (comments the Timaru Herald) would be thankful if the Loburn folks would send along one of those frosts. Labor for sweeping up the sparrows will be cheerfully supplied. Says the Marlßorougli Express: — A station hand named Matheson met with an accident at Blairich the other dfly* He fell over the traces of a pack horse, and the startled animal kicked him so severely as to break his leg below the knee. Matheson crawled some distance to his hut, broke up an empty powder keg, and bound the staves round the broken leg with pieces of harness. He then mourited his horse and rode along tili he met Mr M'Rae, Who took him in' A trap from the Jordan to Blenheim, and deposited him at the hospital, where he " received proper attention. On their way to town they met Dr Porter, who examined the leg, and pronounced the temporary measures adopted by Matheson to be excellent, and such as, but for the flesh wound, would have put him on the high road to recovery. Matheson seema to have displayed pluck and endurance^ combined with a knowledge of rough surgery that does him credit. The London correspondent of the Wellington Press gives the following account of a strange libel action. A man named Brooka, a retired tradesman, sued the proprietors of the Norwich Argus for calling him a blasphemous hypocrite. It seems Brooks had one evening in October last accompanied two women to their residence, and had been drugged and 4 robbed. The womer got terms of im^ prisonment. Brooks said he went to the house to relieve a starving baby \ the other side contended he went for improper purposes. To this he replied he was like the "man of sorrows, 1 ' and went about doing good. This assertion called forth the deserved comment of the Argtis. During the case vile and scurrilous documents were produced in the plaintiff's handwriting, and his counsel threw up , the case, and, after offering in-j&ain other counsel a fee of one guinemcD a thousand to take it up, he went on with it himself, rated the jury in vehement terms, and was nonsuited with costs. A passenger on a China steamer says : — We did one day get up a little excitement on board over the games " Grab- ■ 100 "and the "Cincinnati man's game." Perhaps your readers would like to know how "Grab-loo" is played., The knowledge may be useful to them; at all events it would have been to me. The players stand round a table on which a piece of cork for each man is placed, the instructions being that the last man to lift his piece of cork on a given signal is to pay for " drinks." Each player grabs furiously at his piece of cork on the signal being given, but he is careful not to lift it. Only the unwary player lifts his piece of cork, and he is forthwith declared the last man who has done so, and it is then his special privilege to pay for refreshments. The "Cincinnatti Man's Game " is an equally intellectual pastime. You get every one present, excepting yourself, to put his thumb down on the table, and then you announce that the first man who lifts his thumb will pay for the assuaging of the general thirst. Half the fun lies in observing the happy look of intelligence that . gradually spreads over the faces of the playera as you make your announcement. -■, No more evidence is needed to prove ..,& the extraordinary impression which the V British operations in the Soudan have made in Germany than the following extracts from the Cologne Gazette. This Anglo-phobist journal, which but the other day compared the British nation to the Phoenicians and Carthagenians, and predicted for it the same fate, has evidently changed its mind, and now writes : — "General Stewart's bold advance again reminds the world that the same manly energy and dashing determination still lie in the British race which have raised England to the greatest civilising Power on the earth. We see that ocean-en-circled Britain still brings forth soldiers not easily equalled in the world for martial experience, contempt for death, and hardiness, and that the British, army still possesses officers who unite audacious valor with prudent caution and cirjlnmspection. Even taking into considei-^on that it is only Soudanese who stand opposed to the English troops equipped with all the weapons of civilisation, one cannot refuse to admire and sympathise with the men who know how to strike their enemies with the rapidity of lightning, and the precision of a well-directed engine. For centuries England has learnt how semi-savage nations can and must be dealt with. Englishmen have not passed through this school in vain, and we Germans have much to learn from them in this respect."

" Anglo- Australian," writing in the European Mail, says: — "A friend who has just oome back here from a flying visit to America has rather startled some of us by his accounts of a grand plan, formed by an inventive American for a means of harbor defence, which, if adopted, would certainly prove, I should fancy, remarkably effective. It appears that some few years since a ship stored . with petroleum was burnt at Baltimore/^^ir The river was quite covered with the escaping oil, and the flames are said to have soared up fully 200 feet high. A Yankee of the smart type has now come forward to say that he has devised a certain mechanical means for defending any harbor, at short notice, against any enemy's attack, by means of rafts of peculiar construction, carrying certain quantities of petroleum, and he claims that under his direction he can destroy the largest ironclads, if they only come within a certain distance, while, for himself, there would be nothing vulnerable for an enemy's fire, either from ships or b6ats, to be directed at. The plan of literally setting the harbor on fire as a defence has, however, it appears to me, sundry obvious objections, and comes under the head of remedies worse than the diseases they are designed to cure. I am told that our American friend is willing to arrange for the defence of Australian harbors, and find his own oil, on certain terms, but I doubt if it is worth his while to visit the Antipodes on such an errand."