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Otago Daily Times, Issue 5979, 9 April 1881, Page 1 (Supplement)

(feom our owk correspondent.)

AUCKLAND.

March 31st. The visit of the Hon. Mr Kolleeton has been productive of muoh good in settling a number of irritating questions whioh had been held over for some time. His inspeo-

tion of the variouß departments under hfs charge has also nob been without beneficial result. The Thames " sturdy beggars " have deputationlned him for more expenditure on the goldfields, and have been suooßßsful. He has also intimated to Tukuktno, the Native obstructionist;, that he is determined to drive a road throngh the Komata block, in order to complete road oommunioation between the Lower and Upper Thames distrits, and if he succeeds in doing this, which has baffled auooeseive Cabinets and Native Ministers, he will deserve the thanks of the community. The preliminary survey of the railway line between Shortland and Kopu has been commenced, and it is expected that tenders will shortly be called for. carrying on the work. The Thames people are in great feather at the prospect of having their moans of communication with Waikato increased by the construction of the line from Hamilton to the Waihou, and from Kopu to Gra hamstown. Altogether they are beginning to thiDk that they may yet have a " good time" with the Hall Administration.

Not the least important object of Mr Rolleaton's visit here at present, I understand, i 8 to close up the Fatetere business, and put matters in trim for bringing the portion of the block surrendered to the Government into the market, and rendering it available for settlement. The question of the Ohinemutu township is also to be dealt with, and there is every reason to believe that the steps Mr Rollenton is takbg will greatly facilitate settlement on the East Coast, and also in the Waikato district. Native Parliaments have been the order of the day of late. That at Orakei was presided over' by the chief Paul, but as thera is no honorarium attached to a seat in it, the Natives, having transacted the business subI mitted to them, dispersed to their homes. Anew feature this year was the appearanoe of a representative from Wanganui, in the person of tha famous Mete K»Dgi, whose speeches created a very favourable impression. The Natives contemplate sending a mission to the Queen, respecting the alleged breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi, as to the foreshore and fisheries queationE, and ample funds are sot apart for that objeot. Mate Kiogl daily inquired at the meeting if the establishment of a Native King at the Waikato was nob one of the breaches committed, bat the query was regarded as rather out of place by tuo biassed listeners Ono of the grievances discussed during the session was the non-fulfilled promises of the late Defence Minister, MrSoeehan. That is a rather extensive aad fartde topic, as fcho ftdmirero of that versatile politician are. aware, and it ia little wonder that the puzalsd Maotia could not see their way oloar to a satisfactory solution of tho question i

The V/aitsngi meeting ia the commences ment of a Northern Parliament for the Ngapuhi. Considerable disappointment waa ielt at the absence of his Excellency the Governor, as they thought that tho opening of a hall commemorating the Treaty of Waitangi, aud the unveiling of a monument also in connection therewith) should have secured hia presence. They were muoh pleased, hoTVevfi-, at ths presence of the Native Minister, who told them some wholesome truths in & frank and outspoken manner, which favourably impressed them He was not so profuse ia promists aa some of his predereaaorß, but they felt assured that all he undertook to perform he would do. There was a feud existing among the Natives tbemßelveß, Maihi Paraone Kawitl, the son of Kawiti, who figured so prominently in the old JSorthern wars, being somewhat displeased at hia suptwlative claims to homage not being sufficiently recognised at the meeting. Still, theso meetings act as a safetyvalve for the Northern tribes, where the natural excitement of the Maoris evaporates harmlessly in speechifying and feasting. . Nothing transpired to indicate the existence of any latent hostility towards the Europeans, but, on the contrary, the most friendly feelings were expressed. Notwithstanding all the clamour that waa raised about tbe property tax at tho time of its imposition, perhaps no impost has ever been paid bo cheerfully in this province, or with so little grumbling. The scene afc the Commissioner's office on the date of payment was a moßt remarkable one, the entrance being blocked up with capitalists struggling for admission as if their Balvation depended upon it; and as they streamed up all day long to leave their tribute at the feet of C«33ar, even the grim features of the great agitator, Garrsrd, relaxed into a smile, and to (Emitted, fch&t a& laed capital a^4 prp,

perty were bearing their due share of taxation. The poll tax for the sick and desti-

tute was resisted so strenuously that the authorities never ventured to enforce it, whilst the education tax collectors were at

Wangarei to bo resisted " at the point of the bayonet"—a similar fate now awaiting those concerned in the enforcement of the dog tax at the hands of the Nova Scotia settlerß of

Waipu. The taxpayer never knows what he can bear till he is tried, and what between

municipal and Colonial taxation he is now

tolerably cured of what is termed " ignorant Impatience of taxation."

The Auckland Grammar School inquiry has practically closed. Mr Macrae made an able and exhaustive defence of his conduct

and management of the school. Perhaps the most important evidence given in his behalf was that of Mr Firth, Mr D. L. Murdoch, general manager of the Bank of New Zealand, and a number of Auckland merchants, all large employers, who testified that they gave a preference to lads educated at the Auck-

land Grammar School in preference to those from other institutions, as they found them more efficient in commercial life.

The charge preferred by Dr Purchas that there was no esprit de corps existing among the pupils of the Bchool has been triumphantly refuted, as from every quarter old pupils have turned up to testify their pride In the school, and their attachment to their old master. One of them actually came into Auckland from a distant country district in order to sign the address which the old pupils got up for presentation to Mr Macrae. That gentleman, there is no doubt, has in a_ great degree managed to secure and retain the affection of those trained under him by interesting himself in their future career after they had left the school. There are scores in Auckland who have reason to be thankful for the position they enjoy to Mr Macrae's kindly interest in their personal •welfare, and his active influence on their behalf, arising simply out of the relation of teacher and pupil. Mr Firth's evidence was especially valuable as directed against the "fad" of a few pretentious and egotistical men in the: community who wish to subserve everything to the creation of a uni-

veraity here, and who consider university honours as the Alpha and Omega of existence. He considered it as infinitely more important that the great proportion of our young men who cannot take university honours, or be connected with such institutions,, should secure that training which will fit them for commercial life rather than that one or two should be trained to succeed in obtaining university honours. There were, a great number of boys whom this hankering after such distinction was subjecting to a severe and habitual strain, the consequence of which was more injurious than otherwise. Mr Firthisof opinionthatour education of the masses is a mistake, as well as the incessant " organising " going on both in the primary and secondary sohools. In the primary schools he holds that we ought only to • give a plain, ordinary education, transferring to the secondary schools that percentage of bright boys who have manifested their capacity and qualification for the transfer; and, in turn, that the lads of undoubted talent at the secondary or grammar schools ,who might with advantage go to the university should be aided to do so by scholarships or bursaries. Auckland, for many years to come, will be unable to bus-

tain a university, or to furnish the requisite aumber of students whioh would make it a success, for the obvious reason that the wealthy class is not sufficiently numerous, nor the demand for university education sufficiently pressing and widespread. Ab to the result of the present inquiry, Mr Firth puts it so concisely that I am tempted to reproduce his language :—" While we are straining after a university we are making sacrifices to get it which are not warranted ; which have practically destroyed a valuable institution, weakened the confidence of the boys, and demoralised the school, and with regard to each other I think we have inflicted a serious blow upon the community as a whole." A striking commentary on his statement that "university honours are not everything; he had known men with university honours who wera great blackguards," occurred not loDg ago in Auckland, in the death of a man who graduated with distinction at Cambridge, yet died in our hospital a loathsome spectacle, reoeived a pauper's funeral, and fills a nameless grave.

Our last Auckland racing meeting was marked by some curious episodes which go to show that whatever may be the objects of racing, " the promotion of the breed of horses " is the least important of all. There occurred a little country meeting the other day at the pensioner settlement of Panmure, the stakes of the programme amounting only to a trifle over £50, and yet the bookmakers could not let the events be run straight aud square. There has been considerable public indignation in consequence. People say they are not Burpmed at the talent operating at the meetings of the Auokland Racing Club, aa there is something worth the trouble involved, but they think it very hard that they cannot take a drive of a dozen miles on

a Saturday afternoon to a quiet rural settle-, ment to see an honest race between a set of "scrubbers" without the "ring" dogging their footsteps and spoiling sport. Such a scene as that presented on the racecourse at Panmure has never been witnessed m Auckland before, and it is hoped will never be so again. It is doubtful whether Tattersalls or the Auckland Racing Club have the moral courage to deal with the matter, in the face of what has occurred in the past unrebuked and unpunished. As for the former institu.

tion, it would be hard to say whether it fences out or in certain persona. In all probability the matter will end by those alleged to be concerned in tho affair taking a change in the Southern Provinces until the scandal has blowa over. All these things, however, have tended to strengthen the oonviotion of late in the public mind that racing Is fast falling into the hands, to a large extent, of blacklegs and bookmakers.

There has been some improvement on the Thames goldfleld during the past fortnight, by fresh discoveries in one of the old leading mines, though the monthly yield has not attained 3000 ounces. The old Caledonian

is again showing gold at the 360-feot level, which will stimulate the shareholders of that once famous mine to further prospecting operations. A scheme is being matured for prospeotiDg from the 400-feet level of the Big Pump, which should develop a large area of freah ground, A scarcity of water has been Badly felt, and meat of the batteries are only working half time. In the Waitekauri dietriot, from which a goodly quantity of gold has come into the hands ot tributes, min= ing matters have much improved. Tha Waihi field is being carefully prospected, and the prospects are encouraging. As for tba Tiki, Ooromandel, about the earliest goldfield in the province, the late discoveries made there have gone far ts give tokens of permanence. It is stated that at no time in the history of the Thames. goldfiekla have tha fruits of the mining industry been more evenly distributed than at preasut—the gnid being obtained by tribute parties in tho great majority of inatanoea. la tho way of amusements we have had a little of everything of ista. Dr Simian, ijje American lecturer oa physiognomy, had a sucdoaafal ssaEon. Hg la a ahrewd observer of itien and things, and has an inQaite fuad of Yankee wit and huaiour, and his lectures were well attended. He purposes, bo far as ' present decided, goiug to Uaristohurch first; then Dunedin, and working his w«y ba«k aioug the coass to Auckland., in order to visit tho Thames goldtields. Madame Wilmot succeeded him in the locturiug department for a share of popular favour. The Prcaa hsa severely i^uored her (with the exception of the Society journal), or when it has done ao, suggested tbo idea of being willing to wound but afraid to strike. Possibly ths reputation which preceded the lody, thut she had already horsewhipped several editors, has had somethini; to do with tb.3 paucity and caution of editorial criticism The introductory lecture on "Forbidden Fruit" was largely attended, but there were very few of tho fair sex present, either to hear of Eve's frailties or to countenance the soi-disant champion of their sex. Grattan Riggs closed a successful season at the Theatre JEloy&l. A special company, of which Messrs J. J. Wallace, Hamilton, Horte, and Miss Maggie Knight are members, are now playing at tho Koyal in "The Danites"—a play which is likely to have a good run, aud is rather rough on the Mormon Church. Mr Kiggs has accepted an engagement with them.