CURRENT TOPICS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7263, 20 October 1910, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS

THE GAMING BILL. ilr George Laurenson has been elected chairman of the Select Committee of the House of Kei>re.sentatives constituted to consider the Gaming Act Amendment. The committee will meet at 11 a.m. on Friday and Tuesday next to take ‘ evidence. The chairman is desirous of hearing from those people ■who intend to appear before the committee. A CHANCE FOR TTJATARAS. The tnatara lizard is apparently got- J ting a chance to flourish on Stephen. Island, though it has generally been considered that this .creature was doomed to early and complete disappearance, Mr Ell, who made inquiries from the Minister of Marine regarding the destruction of wild cats on Stephen Island, has ascertained that none have been seen by the light-keepers since December. Possibly a few remain beneath the cliffs, where they cannot be got at. The cats killed and paid for in 1908 were twentytwo. and the number diminished to six last year. Judging by the tuataras seep, by the light-keepers, they are of opinion that tho .number on the island is increasing. “ ' " COOK NATIONAL MEMORIAL. Members of Parliament are to be called in to assist in arriving at the best conclusion regarding the situation of the national memorial to Captain Cook, Two sites are in question. Ship Cove, in Queen Charlotte Sound, was actually selected, when it was suggested that a commanding position on the neighbouring Motuara Island would be better, because the monument could be viewed from ships passing through Cook Strait. At tho request of the Cook memorial committee, the Hon, C. H. Mills and Mr J. Duncan (member for AVairau) have been endeavouring to arrange a visit of Parliamentarians to both sites. The excursion will probably take place on Saturday in the Government steamer Tutanekai. farm training. The Director of Fields and Experimental Farms Division, Mr E. Clifton, reporting to the Minister on the question qf farm training, remarks: —" The proposal that' has been for some time entertained to take young men and youths on to experimental farms for practical training will shortly come intq being with improved ‘conditions." v ' The building at Ruakura for accommodating these young men is erected, and wifi J)0 early in readiness fop their reception. During the past three years from'five to seven young"-men, have been'’ at Eua>kura/living under somewhat rough conditions, taking their place at all fanp work. _ Some have now gone on to farms of tjieir <nyp» eqme are Ja situations, and some at home. ' They all’ express them: selves as satisfied and pleased with their time at this farm. ‘ It is assured that, with the improved that \vil[ apply, associated with some simple course of reading and lectures, fann tfainipgat the experimental farms will bo ope of the most useful undertakings of the Department of Agriculture,” •

HEW " CHURCH REVIEW." The first number erf the " Australian Church Quarterly Review” is to bind' It is edited by tho Rev. Pr. ]_ewie B. Radford, warden of St. Paul's ‘ College, Sydney 'University. The " Review "Ropes to encourage all who'incoighine''tb,e need and desire to foster the growth of sound learning, and higher religious education in the Anglican Church of the Commonwealth. It is intended for the laity as jv.ell as for clerical readers, and to servo as a- conduit' to bring to scattered students something of information and' iuspi rati on from the great volume pf current literature beyond the range of tpeir time and means. ''The ideal Churchman,” says Dr. Radford,' ''is a man whose religion ‘works outward from the Jerusalem of pis inner spiritual life through Jhe Samajja,,<)f mixed relations and duties to the ‘ uttermost parts ’ of Itho apparently seenjnr environment of his existence.' The ideal Church magagine ought to reflect this picture. • p.eyjew.'t , which ■is weir ah,d brightly written throughout,-contains articles oh “Tie State and Religion in Australia/' by the Bishop of Tasmania; "Religious Life and Thought at Cambridge,”. hy the Rev. J. Kenneth Moyley; "Missions to the Aborigines;” by Canon Sadlier, of Melbourne; and ppper i ' nttratfitiye tcatures.- The " Review ’’ ought tp' Jjayp a useful and successful career.'

NORMAL SCHOOLS EQUIPMENT. Writing of Canadian impressions, Mr H. Hill, Chief Inspector of Schools, Hawke’s Bay, remarks in. the Herald ’■ : During my stay in Toronto I realised tp the fall what an educationist in Vancouver said to me \Vjo have plenty of lauds anid 1 immense incomes from them, anti yd are spending much of the money in -.ppTiding tlfe best biiildingfj for ouy schools,' and giving the test education to opr children. The country will become whatyoniake it through the children.” Tlijs was in the west of Canada but the people .of Toronto are also well off,-and they hay© expended immense sums on museums, libraries and school buildings. When I went over the Normal School and .say the , museum, the art gallery, the great library, and the rooms for gymnastics, 'science lecturas, efcoi, my mind went hack to the Normal School in Wellington, with its miserable grounds and surroundings, apd its altogether unsuitable holdings, and I said, ” How is the future of New Zealand to compare with ; the future of Canada, when the preparative in the ope case is so bare and niggardly and non-antici-■patory, whilst in the other case it is prodigal and anticipatory of a country’s future needs?” We went » mission to he sent from New Zealand to spy out the lands, the educational dp-mains Of other people, so as to realise what is being done in the way pf anticipatory education. The Normal Schools will havo lo undergo a drastic reorganisation, and instead of the mere academic training and the race for degrees, the wort mnst partake more and more of a technical, and practical character, so that skilful and not mere academic ; teachers may be turned out.