North Otago Times. TUESDAY, JULY 15, 1879.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2250, 15 July 1879, Page 2

North Otago Time s. TUESDAY, JULY 15, 1879.

It is now nearly five years tinco the teaching of thr'ft, of domestic economics, at our public schools by means of the penny bank system was first advooatod in Now Zealand. Wo remember that at the time the proposal was received rathor coldly both by practical and theoretical people. The former d<d not care to consider it becauso they saw at a glanco that it would yield no immediate profits to themselves, and the latter were inclined to scout it on the grounds of lontimental;sm. Their argumont wag that if the penny banks were introduced 10 the public schools of the colony all our young pooplo woul d prematurely become misers and curmudgeons. Of course they could not prove this by any process of reasoning, analogical or otherwise, but they had a prejudice against teaching ohildren to become thoughtful and methodical, and practically acquainted with the application of figures and the investment of money by means of penny banks, and as they put their case in a way calculated to arrest tho attention of others v' irrational as themselves, and as those others were tolerably numerous, the advocates of the system have had to engage in an uphill fight which is not yet over. The Government which undertook at the first to supply sohodls with nil books and forms needod to carry on the system free of charge was prevented by various causes from complying with its part of the compact till soino seven or eight months ago, but as these forms are now at tho command of Sohool Committees the only thing which still militates against tho penny banka is want of sympathy on the part of tho public, which want is duo to mere sontimentalism. Some have a pardonable hesitancy in advooating the adoption of the system because they correctly think that the daily programme at public sohools ia already sufficiently full, and because in their opinion the establishment of these banks would entail additional work upon the teachers. Wo ■hould be the last in the country to say that tho syllabus of our public schools should have any material additions made to it, or to urge, except for paramount ' reasons, that anything should be done I which would appreciably add to tho work of the teachers, but wo cannot see that tho introduction of penny banks would produce either of these results. Indeed, so far as the pupils are concerned, tho banking of their pence would entail no additional task-work upon thorn, for besides developing in them a thoughtful regard for economy, it would amount to nothing more taxing upon their minds than tho practical application in a small way of their arithmetical knowledge, while with regard to the toachers the mothod devised for managing the businoss of the bank is •o admirably simple that at most tho bank would probably not ontnil more than ono hour's extra labor per weok in tho case of each school. This is a small matter, and wo are sure that no teacher 1 possessed of the true teacher's ambition —a desire to dovelop the intelligence and the characters of his pupils — would regard it as a burdensome imposition. Not much can be said concerning tho prejudice which exists in the public mind against the introduction of this simplo educational system of banking into tho public schools, but it is necessary, while it continues to exist to any considerable extent, to comment upon it occasionally. It is simply the outcome of falco sentiment, which in its turn is the outcome of ignorance. Those who entertain it generally olinch all they have to say on the subject of penny banks in schools by emphatically protesting that they believe in boys being boys. So do wo, and so, wo suppose, do all sane men and women. Still, thii does not prevent us from instructing even very young ohildren in the rudiment* of the knowledge which will be helpful to them in aftor lifo. We teach ohildreu to road and write because reading and writing will be indispensable to

their future usefulness to themselves nnd othors, and the instruction thus given is not as a rule found to mar thoir juvenile enjoyment of life, or to eritsh the characteristics which aro becoming in children. It would thoreforo be deemed an insanely stupid thing not to instruct children in these rudiments beoanse the training led them in some degree to anticipate tho experionces of after timoa. No one will deny that tho practice of economy is as necessary in after life to tho usefulness, the progress, and the happiness of men ;vnd wonion as is tho application of a knowledge of reading and writing, or that the former is any way less commendable than tho latter. Indeed tho practice of just economy, considered in its relation to all olasses, is far more valuablo than the application of a kuowledgo of reading and writing, for it is the result of the existence in those who pursue it of a number of virtues, such as forethought, sobriety, iudustriousness, perseverance, and so forth, while the knowledge of reading and writing may be applied in at least the comparative absence of all these. In a word, economy is the keystone of human happiness in all civilised communities, and why, therefore, should thero be any prejudice on the part of rational men and women against giving ohildren a practical training in the rudiments of an art so essential to the success of thoir after life t It is, to put it plainly, an act of gross, criminal injustice to the children to lot them grow up in ignorance of a thing without which they cannot possibly pass through life free from great perils and bittor privations. To send a young person out upon tho world otherwise well taught but ignorant of tho law of thrift, is like sending a ship out upon a long sea voyage with all equipments savo a compass. It is urged by some that though tli9 penny bank system may teach many to be prudent and forethoughtful, and wise and just, in tho use of money, it will teaoh the viciously disposed youth to ba dishonest, for it is alleged that in order to have a balance at the penny bank boy* will steal small change from their parents. This is one of those ad captandum arguments which may bo brought against anything, however noble and useful it may be in the main, or as a whole. If a farmer sows a field with oats, some of the grain may spring up smut, and he knows that it may, but this knowledgo does not deter him from laying tho field down in crop. He would be justly considered an idiot if it did. Wo sincerely trust that tho ponny bank system so long and eloquently advocated by Mr W. DALHYMrLE, of Port Chalmers, may soon be introduced into every public school in New Zealand.

The Illustrated Now Zealand Herald for July has come to hand. All the illustra. tions treat of Australian aud Tosmanian subjects. Wo havo to acknowledge the receipt from the publishers, Messrs George H. lloyce and Co., Sydney, of the first number of the Australian Engineering and Building News, a monthly journal devoted to engineering, architectural, and scientific subjects. The journal is eminently adaptod to fulfil thfr purpose with which it nets forth. The man Graham, charged with having committed n violent assault on tho person of ono Thomas Martin at Makikihi on Sunday week last, will be brought up before the Hosidont Magistrate at Waimate to-day, and will probably be further remanded, as it is doubtful whether Martin it yet so fur recovered as to be able to give evidence. Another large parcel of books was recoived from England by the committee of the Athonreum yesterday. The volumes number 360, and as thoy will, it is thought, make up the incomplete sets of novels now in tho library, as well as add considerably to the standard literature on its shelves, thoy will provo a wolcomo addition to the subscribers. Wo have to acknowledge tho receipt of a pamphlot entitled " The Sohool Penny Bank ; for tho publio schools of Now Zealand, from an educational point of viow, by W. Dalrymplo, senior." Accompanying tho pamphlet thero is a circular, which shows " now to start a school bank." Both pamphlot and circular are worthy the perusal of teachers and of those parents who are wisely desirous that their children should be taught the value of money and tho usp of habits of saving, Tho case Solomon v. tho South British Insurance Co., which was to have been heard before a special jury in Duuedin on the 21st inst., has been settled out of Court. Tho terms of tho settlement aro : Plaintiff is to receive L 750 of the LlOOO claimed, besides law expenses, the question as to whether ho is entitled to the Dalance to be decided by arbitration. Tho case arose out of tho fire in plaintiffs premises in Thames street, Oamaru, in January last, The Now Zealander of Friday last, in an article on " tho probabilities of tho session," classes the members of the House under three heads, namely, " for tho Ministry," "pronounced Opposition," and "unpronouncod." Under the first head it gives the names of 49 members, under the second of 30, and under the third of 8. According to this the Government will have a very good working majority, but of course our contemporary's classification is based more or less upon conjecture, and of Now Zoaland polities it may bo truly said that no one know* what a day may bring forth. The names .of Messrs' Hislop and Shrimski appear amongst those who aro " for tho Ministry." At the Resident Magistrate's Court yosterday, boforo Mr T. W. Parker, R.M., John Korr, charged with being drunk and disorderly in Tees street on Sunday, was fined 5s with the usual alternative, and Richard Beattio alias Mullins, for a liko offence committed in Thames streot on Sun* day, was dealt with in a similar manner. Tho latter was also charged with using obscone language, and fined jn the further sum of 20s, or in default to go to gaol for four days. Androw Gray, charged with driving cattlo through Sovorn street during prohibited hours, was fined Bs. James Campbell, landlord of tho Railway Hotel, Ngapara, was charged on tho information pf Constable Donovan, with permitting gambling in his licensed house, on the Bth inst. The defendant pleaded guilty, The evidence of a witness named Atken was taken to prove that on the night in question several men agreed to play "Yankee Grab" for drinks, and some dispute arising as to who should throw tho dice first a disturbance took place, and fightiug was freely indulged in. Defendant, who said he had done his best to put a stop to the game, was fined 50s, with costs LI 15s 6d. > The Journal d'Hygiene draws attention to a deformity, occurring in tailors and dressmakers, which has not yet been described. It js a contraction and ankylosis of the two upper phalanges of the fourth and fifth fingors of tho right hand. This deformity is ! duo to tho position of the right hand in sowing, when tho first throe ftygfljrs of the right hand are always active, while the other two are doubled up in the hollow of the hand, where they remain immovable. After a certain time the tendons and flexors begin to contract, »nd adhesions and ankylosis are soon formed. The author advises prophylnctio treatment ; the hand must bo extended on a

board during the night, and th« patient be made to use all the finger* in gymnastic movements, and in working in the house And garden. A Temperance Musical Cafe haa been opened in Dunedin. An admission ticket, for which Is is charged, entitles the holder to temperance refreshments, a considerable variety of which Are supplied. The room is comfortably furnished, and during tho evening instrumental and vocal selections aro performed, and volunteers are invited to assist in the entertainment, only the songs given by them must bo first approved of by tho manager. Tho cafo is, in fact, a temperance " free-and-easy." The Wellington Chronicle says that there will be a foreshadowing of tho policy and measures of the Government on Tuesday in r tho Governor's speech. There will bo a readjustment of tho Representation Bill, founded partly on the basis of population and partly on the grounds of general expediency. A new Electoral Bill willalso be introduced providing for two franchises only — a ratopayer's and residential franchise — all existng franchises boing abolished. It is probable also that an income tax will be proposed at a rate of 6d in tho £ — incomos up ;o Ll5O being exempted. A progressive land tax will also probably form part of tho Ministerial programme. For several weeks an exchange kept tho following con jpicuously at the head of its local column : " A boy wanted at this office. " A few days since the editor's wifo presented him With "a boy," which, in a highly significant manner, shows the value of advertising. A German inventor, evidently a sceptic so far as the old adago " nothing liko leather " is concerned, proposes to mako boots with stone soles. Ho mixes with a waterproof glue a suitable quantity of clean quartz sand, which is spread on the thin leather sole employed as a foundation. These quartz soles are said to be flexible and almost indestructible, while they enable tho wearer to walk safely over slippery roads. The Evening Star says : An unusual point arose at the Supreme Court tho othor morning, delaying the proceedings for nearly an hour. The Crown Prosecutor had commenced to state tho facts of a case of larceny when ho noticed that the foreman of tho jury was conferring with a juror, and drew tho Court's notice to the apparent inattention to tho proceeding*. This brought forth tho explanation that one of tho jury was a Norwegian, and did not understand English. Tho Ciown Prosecutor was of opinion that the jury haying been empannelled and the prisoner's plea taken it was then too late to interfere with the proceedings, and His Honor, while agreeing that it was a great pity that the matter had not been mentioned earlier, said that he was not aware of any prccodont for allowing a juror at that stage of the proceedings to be removed and a fresh juror to bo substituted for him. Tho juror, whose name was Hans Hoff, answered a number of questions put to him by the Court in a manner showing that ho had a slight acquaintance with the English tongue ; and the constable who had served him with the summons stated that "tho man scorned to have very good reasoning faculties," and that his wife was a countryman of his own. His Honor pointed out that the man was not a naturalised subject, and tho Crown Prosecutor added that undor certain circumstances a judge had no power ta discharge a jury and order a fresh ono. After furthor conversation His Honor said he was inclined to think that tho trial should go on by tho present jury, and that he could reserve tho question if necessary. The present point was this— prisoner having had an opportunity of challenging and not having exercised that power, tho jury boing in the box were competent to try her, though one of them might have some physical deformity or defect, such as deafness, which would prevent his comprehending what took place, or though one of them might not be conversant with the English language. The trial wai then proceeded with, Mr Carl Moellor interpreting to the juror.