WELLINGTON. NEWS NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11955, 2 May 1902, Page 6

WELLINGTON. NEWS NOTES.

[BV TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Thursday. TEACHERS' SALARIES. Considerable inconvenience has been caused in several of the public schools in Wellington district, as in other parts 'of the colony, in consequence of the fact that the new colonial scale of salaries makes no provision for relieving teachers. In some cases schools have actually had to be closed because there is no provision by which teachers could have been temporarily appointed to take the places of others who had fallen ill. The chairman of the Wellington Education Board has, with the chief inspector, formally declined to appoint relieving teachers until the Government makes the necessary provision for the salaries of such teachers, and as the Board has by resolution approved this attitude it remains to be seen what the Government will do. DOMESTIC SERVANTS. It appears that the Wellington domestic servants have some grievances which need to be remedied by the operation of that universal panacea, the formation of a labour union— least, the domestic servants I have been persuaded to this effect by the j Trades Council, and at a meeting last night it was • decided to form such a union. All of the girls with the exception of two handed in their names as being willing to became members, and whilst this is going on harassed- housewives search in vain for assistance in household work, and the girl who has not yet deserted the kitchen for the factory commands what wages she pleases, and is allowed to take as many nights out as she cares to have. Apropos of this a good story is related of a Wellington family who, after much distraught inquiry, succeeded in finding a domestic servant who seemed a likely girl. Peace descended upon the household once more, but alas ! for only a few fleeting days, for the week after the girl gave notice. When pressed to state the reason she declared that her young man did not like the place because he had to walk too far to see her. So she left and was snapped up by some other employer. TECHNICAL SCHOOL. Wellington teachers do not seem to take that keen interest which might bo expected of them in certain branches of the work of the Wellington Technical School. Mr. Riley, director of the school, in his report upon the instruction given to teachers at the Wellington clinical School during the past year, says: 'The work done in perspective and model drawing was fairly efficient. The freehand and blackboard drawing showed lack of interest, particularly the latter subject, which is generally considered a trial by junior teachers. If those in attendance would only try to appreciate the great advantages this work gives them in ordinary class teaching there would not be the present tendency to shirk the same ! when possible. The more advanced classes have kept up their efficiency. A special ! class in manual training in wood was estab- : lished during the last six months of the year, but the indifference displayed and the irregular attendance of the majority compelled its being discontinued. The teachers of this district will in time to come seriously regret their attitude regarding this work. It simply means that this district will be hopelessly behind in the educational advance." A LAND BOARD QUESTION. At the meetings of the Laud Board, as a rule, applications are received from holders of leases in perpetuity who desire to sublet and reside off their properties. To-day a strong case was made out by the holder of a 200-acro special settlement section. He pleaded that he had complied for several years with the residence conditions, but now he had a wife in delicate health and several of the family were of school age, and he wished to be allowed to live off his section for a term of years, in order that they might be educated. The Board intimated that they were opposed to sub-letting, and advised the applicant, if he could not comply with the j residence, conditions, to try and transfer his property. STEAMER FOR LAKE WAKATIPU. The new screw passenger steamer which the Tourist Department has decided to place on Lake Wakatipu will have a speed of 18 knots, and will be capable of accommodating 1000 passengers. An order for her construction has been placed with a Home firm, and'it is expected that she will be put on the lake in eight or ten months' time. The Department does not consider that the boat is larger j than will be required. Already the lake has been visited by as many as 750 people in one Cay ' PROHIBITION LECTURER. Miss Florence Balgarnie, a well-known English social reformer, arrived from Australia by the s.s. Westralia this morning. Although she has taken an active part in the advocacy of political as well as social questions in the Old Country, so far as they affect women, Miss Balgarnie's mission to New Zealand has to do wholly with the prohibition movement. She was engaged by the Rev. L. M. Isilt on behalf of the New Zealand Alliance, and is to work in the colony lecturing for the alliance until the close _ of the general elections. She has just a lecturing tour of three months in Australia, and during her stav in Wellington she is to bo the guest of Sir Robert Stout. / | -DEATH OF VIRTUE. In an article relating to the death of the man Virtue at Auckland the New Zealand Times congratulates the authorities on having promptly prevented the multiplication of the microbe which killed the Auckland victim, and says: "The temptation is undoubtedly strong to bring an alternative theory until prominence, viz., that this was not a ease of plague at all. Time will no doubt decide. If there is no recurrence of anything similar to the thing which sent poor Virtue to his grave, it will be difficult to make anyone believe that the diagnosis of plague in the case was correct. If, on the cither hand, there are other eases, there will be reason for the acceptance of the diagnosis. At present there is no reason for the layman to believe that the ease of Virtue was in any way different from the case of blood poisoning which threw Auckland into such a state of ferment two years ago, and forced a panic measure of legislation through Parliament with an accompaniment of suspended standing orders. Frankly, before accepting the plague diagnosis, we wait for confirmation by the plague bacoilus. We add with pleasure that the vigour, promptness and decision displayed throughout the case by the Health Department is worthy of all praise, and that if proper plague hospitals are provided wherever necessary, there will be nothing left to be desired."