THE PELORUS GUARDIAN. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9,1892. The New Syllabus.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 3, Issue 11, 9 February 1892, Page 2

THE PELORUS GUARDIAN. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9,1892. The New Syllabus.

From time to time the Education Department in their wisdom think fit to re-arrange the programme ot education in the elementary schools, and no doubt it is politic, as time moves on and advancement is made in educational matt.n-s to adjust the Standards to the requirements of the day. Allowing this, we hold that vhe chief aim should be to make the education of the young thorough. This cannot be done by overcrowding the syllabus, for that results in the neglect of the essentials for what we may call the ornamentals, or, if all the subjects are attempted, an imperfect smattering only. In the new syllabus there are many improvements—greater freedom of classification by the teachers is permitted—the matter to be imparted;is more defined—annual examinations will be simplified, and, to a certain degree, Inspectors in their tests will not have such a free hand as heretofore. Our great objection to the syllabus is the prominence given to drawing, and we believe our reasons for such are sound and have the support of the large majority of the teaching profession. We acknowledge drawing is of very considerable use, but the taste for such is largely inborn-to satisfactorily give instruction in this subject, it must be handled by teachers competent to do so, and there are many in the service who will confess chey are not, and, except in a few centres, such as Wellington, have no opportunity of improving themselves, and no one to whom they can look for guidance—the majority of the schools of the colony are small, and in which only one teacher is employed, many of whom have all standards to teach, and without drawing at all have their hands full—in fact the authorities are asking single-handed teachers to do either something supernatural or phenomenal. In country schools few children remain after 13 years of age, and in a new country we want to arm them with the material to make good citizens and settlers on the land. All cannot be architects, engineers, clerks, doctors, lawyers, or parsons, the market in these lines is already glutted. vVe require settlers, healthy, practical, and equipped for the everyday business of life. It may be asked, why not the Educational Institute protest ? This body has been of much value to the profession, yet most of its members, appointed annually and able to attend the meetings qf the various branches, belongifrcity and suburban schools and ere out of touch with the handicapped com. try teacher and do not really, unintentionally we doubt not, represent that large body of teachers who kH9W not even before the new drawing syllabus came into operation how to satisfactorily, meet the requirements of their Inspectors. We have always held that country schools shou'd have allowances made, and in 9 te matter this could be dona by making drawing a class instead of a pass subject. Let this regulation apply to schools of an average attendance of 50 and under. Drawing first came into prominence in our syllabus during the regime of bir Robert Stout. Much as we admire that gentleman and his advanced and progressive educational opinions, we feel sure that this step was a mistaken one—the cry for technical education in large centres and old countries is one thing, but the supplanting of the foundations of knowledge by teaching that which results in ill-drawn scrawls is another. Let us be content to tread slowly but surely-let us not lose the substance in grasping at the shadow—let us build up in this country a system thorough to the core, and not jeopar dise the attainment of this goal ly experimental ornamentation. Give the teacher a freer hand, cast away red-tape and needless and useless test examinations, and, above all, be sure that all instruction given is such as will be impressive and toberemem bered life long, not as is often the case now, that which only >s sku - dee;, o ving to the dem n "a of examiners and over-burdened standards of educa tion. The present Minister < f Educa tion is opposed, and rightly so, to too frequent tinkering, as he cails it, with the syllabus, yet we feel sure he would willingly listen to any well advanced opinions on this matter by country teachers. We should like to see the country teachers of Marlborough express their views and experiences. Many complain of the disadvantages under which they labour, still they must not expect relief unless they themselves take the initiative steps to remove them. A Contradiction. When the Opposition Press can find nothing else to write about which they think will damage the Government I they resort to absolute falsehood, well knowing that the statements they are making could not possibly have any foundation in fact. This was the case with the letting ot work on the corp3rative sys'en, but which the Opposition papers asserted was being let to friends of the Government, who were going to employ wages men and do a big thing out of it; one paper asserting that one man would make £6OO in three months, If these pajMW Hail given the unite.?, the

slightest consideration they *■ would { have known that it was simply absurd to make such statements; but sd ready are they to jump at anything* be it ever so false, that may be used as a weapon against tile Ministry that they njver give the matter a moment's consideration, and thus lower them* selves to the level ! of those who can see no virtue in tellin? the truth. . So persistent have these papers been in making these false statements that the Department have been obliged to e»ntradict them, as will be seen by the following Press telegram sent from Wellington :—" In answer to the allegations of undue profit to contractors under the co-operative' system, the Public Works Department state that no contract is let to any one man. All are let to gangs, one member of wnich is elected head man, to deal with the Department, but are all on an equal footing. The employment of wages men is not under any circumstances allowed. On the Eketahuna section, which is regarded as typical, the rate for earthwork ranges from Is to Is 6d per cubic yard, and other rates * hat proportion." Lapses. This district has for many years suffered from the lapse of votes placed on the Public Works' Estimates and duly voted by the House. During the last session, chiefly through the persistence of our member, certain votes were passed for very essential works in the electorate, amongst which we draw attention to that for a cart-road from Have Oik to Mahakipawa. A survey, has been made, and, as far as the public know, there the matjter has ended. The Government vote is pound for pound to that supplied by the local bodies. We have looked in vain at the reports of the'bodies interested and have not been able to discover the cause of the delay. There may be good reasons for it, but as the 81st of March is drawing near, when all unexpended votes lapse, we trust immediate steps will be taken to get the work in hand. Local Bodies with cramped finances have unpleasant problems to face, still, in a work of such importance to Havelock and the whole district we hope, with a little public spirit, they will in this instance be equal to the occasion.

.Mr Mills is -addressing the Waimea portion of his constituents this week at Wakefield and Motueka. He has been appointed a J.P. of the colony. We notice that our evening Tory contemporary in Blenheim 4s anxious for the Minister of Lands td address a public meeting there. W.ejakeit that a rehash of the views of one of t'be f papers of the capital city m becoming nauseous to its readers, and that a careful study of a speech deliveced in Blenheim from a member of the present distasteful Ministry will enable its presiding genius for once.; to regale his readers with something original.

The concluding day's racing in Nelson was wet, 1,500 people were present, and £2,048 passed : through the totalisator, or £4,493 for the two days. Marksman again won the Hurdles, and Awarau Rose the Richmond Park Handicap, the owner winning in all at the meeting £IBO 101. We hope to hear of many further victories of this popular sport b«fore the season is over.

Sir Morrell McKenzie, the eminent surgeon who attended the late Emperor Frederick of Germany, is another victim to the influenza 1 epidemic. <: •■.■-. -r:-

The Government are preparing a measure enabling them to take possession of all unclaimed money and unclaimed land.

We (Napier Telegraph).-, hear- ihat. Sir George Grey is in a very" weak condition of health, and everyone will be grieved at the news, tmt session it was noticed with pain that tiie old statesman slumbered in the House, which was so contrary to his former habits that it was apparent it was thorough failing strength. There are many members of the House who. make it a practice to sleep out an evening sitting; something more than the proverbial " forty winks " being taken to pass the time, or aid digestion. But Sir "George Grey was always in his place, wide awake, and full of fight, till last session. Sir George never wanted to-; sleep off a potation, or complete 'the comfort of a dinner with a snoose. His slumbers were duo to physical exhaus-■•! tion, and his friends fear that;he m\h not be seen in his usual ..place.'next session. Sir George Grey was born in April, 1812,,and with the weight, of years must be counted the severity, of his life in his vounger days. . . i Great numbers returned on Sunday and yesterday from the Nelson Jubilee. They all speak highly of the pleasures of the past, week, which will long be rivetted in their memories. i ,• i

The Keneperu regatta on Easter Monday promises to be one of more than usual interest, as large committees of Sounds, Picton, Blenheim, and Havelock residents having been formed to carry out the programme. With fine weather and suitable arrangements a .great many will go from this district to this aquatic gathering. The farewell banquet to the Governor: at Dunedin was attended by about {3OO persons. The usual com.

Mr F. Severne has forwarded his resignation as a Justice of the Peace of the colony to the Minister of Justice. Old age and continual bother attached to the position in a place like Havelock are his reasons for doing so. The Picturesque Atlas Company are still on the warpath in Wellington and elsewheire. ' : To the subscribers in this district they are kind enough from ! t-me to time to send papers from different parts of the colony contaihinjg cases in which j udgments have been delivered in their favour, but they are carefuV not to distribute reports of cases which have gone against them. In the Post of February 4th we notice two adverse decisions to the Company, one on the ground that there was breach of contract owing to the Company failing to deliver one part every month, and in the. second case owing to misrepresentations, made by the 1 canvasser as to the total cost of the .complete work. In each case the Gonipany ware mulcted in costs.

The Pelorus Road Board meets so-morrow, and the Forresters* Lodge to-night. The Havelock Town Board meets to-morrow night.

A correspondent writes as follows to a contemporary: —"I hear on good authority that several absentees possessing cinsidjrabe property in New Zealand have already made arrangements to get rid of their responsibilities in the colony as soon as possible. I mmt not mention names, but this is absolutely true." This is one good effect of the Ministerial policy.

Messrs F. J. Scott and T. R Lambert left-Nelson on b cycles on Sunday morn'nf at 8 o'clock and arrived in .HayeJpck at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. They' stopped an hour-and-a-quarter on, the road, so they actually did the journey of 52 miles in something under seven hours, or an average ot nearly eight miles an hour, which may be considered pretty smart bicycle travelling when the nature of the road is taken into consideration.

We notice that the s.s. Lady Barkly is advertised to leave Nelson on Friday for Havelock, where she will arrive on Saturday morning to meet the Waitapu from Wellington. Mr Herbert Jones has nearly completed his contract for roofing and painting the local Post-office, and it now looks like a new building. The Police Station, PosMßoe, and public hall now present a respectable appearance and look asthoirgh'they belonged to somebody. If a tew more buildings in the town were to receive the same attention Havelock would then be one of the prettiest and most picturesque little towns in the colony.

There is great distress in Melbourne and the sluburbs. Thousands of people are out of work, and the Government are being.urged to establish village settlements ; and labour bureaux on" the same lines as those in New Zealand, and also to undertake works off the co operative system. <

The first shipment of potatoes (says the Pahiatua Star) from this district to England will leave to-morrow. The consignment is being sent as an experiment, and it will be watched with considerable interest. Last year Mr Robart Whiley, of Mahakau, near Otaki, sent home a small shipment which returned 14s per cwfc nett. In March, April, and May potatoes command a very high price in London. The Rev. E. Ensor preached a very interesting and instructive sermon on the evil effects of cheapness, and took as his text Isaiah, ch. LV, v. 2 " Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not? Harken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness." The reverend gentleman concluded his discourse by exhorting his hearers to live a good life and let.all their work be, substantial that their reward hereafter might be equally great. It is a pity that there are not more sermons of a similar character preached in our churches. .... A number of visitors left Haveloek on Sunday morning for Picton for the purpose of seeing the H.M;S. Ringarooma, and they are well pleased with their visit. > The Ringarooma is built on the most modern principles, and has all the latest inventions in guns, machinery, and electric appliances. Her guns are capable of sending a projectile 7,000 yards:. with ■ force at that distance to go through 5 inches of" Steel and other obstacles. She steams 19 knots, per Hour.

Judgenient'was given at Christ•(jhiirch, it* Mr Eden George's petition and' the election of Mr Sandford wai upheld.; It will be remembered that through a mistake,of the Returning Officer Mr George's nomination was the only one sent in in time, but that of Mr Sandford and Mr Smith was occupied by the Returning Officer, and as Mr Sandford polled the most votes was declared elected. Mr George, however, claims the seat and petitioned against Mr Sandford's election. The arrivals in the colony last month exceeded the departures by 736. I

The Falcon (Captain Green) left Blackball yesterday for Lyttelton with "8 cargo of 55,000 feet of timber.

Recolloct.that this " Summer Sale" is limited to 15 days, from January 80th and will on no account hi prolonged beyond Saturdnr, February 13th, .At T« Aro Houie, Wellington,