The Southland Times. PUBLISHED DAILY. Luceo Non Uro. MONDAY, DECEMBER 4th 1882.

Southland Times, Issue 4493, 4 December 1882, Page 2

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED DAILY. Luceo Non Uro. MONDAY, DECEMBER 4th 1882.

Mr GammEll has discharged Avith evident zeal and with commendable thoroughness the special duty imposed on him by the Southland Education Board. This Board had been appealed to for its opinion on certain changes, proposed by the Board of Westland, in the present standards, and yery wisely, before making up its mind, referred the question to its inspector. That gentleman accordingly furnished an exhaustive report, which was read at the meeting of the Board last Friday, After referring to the two classes of subjects taught in our schools — those namely of which a knowledge is necessary in order to passing the standards, and those that are taught merely as the opportunities of fche teacher will allow — Mr Gammell draws the obvious conclusion that instruction in the former will be thorough and systematic, and instruction in the latter very slender and occasional. " Now," says Mr Gammell, " by far the most important sug- ; " gestion of the Westland Education " Board is, that the number of standard " subjects should be reduced, and that " history, which is at present one of " them, should be withdrawn and made "an extra subject." Mr Gammell, on the principle he has laid down, asserts that to adopt this suggestion would be to doom the subject of history to sure neglect in the schools, and to lower in eo^«equence greatly the quality pf the education " iven ' With considerable emphasis he ctepreca::* suel \ a of the subject of history, ana with great force to vindicate its imporiu.? and usefulness even in a popular system of instruction. He argues with much earnestness for a dash of liberality being imparted to the training of all the youth of the colony, and contends for the education given being such as shall fit them for " the discharge of all the duties of life." From the fact that political power in this couutry is in the hands of the people, Mr Gammell deduces the necessity for political intelligence on the part oi the people, and this he alleges cannot be obtained without familiarity with the struggles of the past through which the nation of which we are an offshoot has reached its present stage of development. Very eloquently he says, " The political institu- " tions under which we live to-day, and " which our descendants may be required to " modify and reform, are not like Jonah's "gourd that arose in a night, they are " the result of centuries of growth, of " strife, and of heroism ; they form an " ark that none should be permitted to " touch with \mconsecraied hands, i,e., " with minds unchastened by the know- " ledge and intellectual discipline of " history." In reply to the argument that " only the barest elements of educa- " tion should be supplied by the State, " and that if people want more they " should pay for it," Mr Gammell contends that the people do already pay for it. This is, hoAvever, a question of the incidence of taxation, and it is t by no means certain that the men whose children are educated do actually pay for their education ; and if they do not, it is quite a fair question to raise, how much education should be given at the State's expense. But setting this aside, we are of opinion that Mr Gammell has made out, from the necessities of the case, a very strong plea for the retention of the subject of history in the school standards. And we agree . with him when he says that " because a knowledge of history is " necessary to enable a man to exercise " the franchise intelligently, because it " awakens a taste for reading, and so ■" raises the citizen in the moral scale," the study of history should not be discouraged by its being removed from the standards as suggested by the Westland Board. When Mr Gammell advances, as :;aa additional reason, that the Sfcafce ScHool is now the only place where a good education can be obtained, we are not in a position to give our assent. Mr Gammell does recommend, for good reasons given, that the subject of history be .eliminated from Standard 111. Geography is also a subject in regard to the teaching of which the Westland Board has made a suggestion. Thepkn at .present is to require a given amount of geographical knowledge without prescribing the method of its acquisition. The mew prbposial- is to embody this knowledge in a, ; text-book, and let it be : obfcained.;/bptiie' pupils therefrom. Mr Granbinel. gives an unqualified^ . ndernnation ofthis method; and upholdsxlihe system of instruction by questions m$

Wmirks as r , mind>.bf *pihe leacher xontactywith the %;mind|;o? hiSyTpujnls andydeyelop--%liig xi^tal^ifacaltieß:^^y-i£^ Key is ipstatictmgl " ■ fiieV|_. o^;opini<m^batt ,^|ie change proposed " would be Mal to ttie " efficiency of our schools, and should on supported^ one of the suggested alteraktioris that Mr |G(amDaell t w- Jnclined to supporli sftMatr which iii" the nrst standard' wonlcl ihclnde sspelßngaoii^lf^essfiromv^ict^ion;^ ag^nst the proposed r,injjerpolatib_. of subtraction, between addition* and multK ■ plication^ , holding; that ; by this , "jthe -^logical of thei present yar-j " rangemeiit would be destroyed ;" and he objects.to the ! introduction of : vulgar; fractions' into SiandardlY, as well as; to' the iproposal to vixiake more, difficult the addition sums of Standard 11. The plan of creating' a seventh Standard Mr Gramhiell wo^d i-ejec^'also, asV so few 'children remain even to reach Sta,ndard VI. The proposal to forbid teachers Who have not obtained a special certificate to teach theoretical mugib, , science and drawing, our Inspector unhesitatingly condemns ' "as a retrograde tnovement. A little knowledge on these subjects he considers better than none at all, and he would encourage teachers to communicate what they know. Drawing he is disposed to drop out of the; curriculum altogether, arid he is especially severe on- the method by which this subject is at present taught. Mr Gammell has certainly done much to assist the Education Board in coming to an intelligent conclusion on the questions that have been submitted to it.

Saturday's Spobt. — Want of space compels the holding over of our reports of tbe local cricket matches. Wajjts Work.— ln the Auckland papers blade, the wrestler, challenges any man in the colony to a wrestling match for £200 a-sicle. Hospital Returns. — Indoor patients, 19 males ; admitted during the week, _ males ; discharged during the week, 2 males. The Forthcoming Show. — Entries for the Western District A. and P. Association's Show, to be held at Riverton next Thursday, close to-day. Erratum. — Applications for the position of second assistant in the Southland Girls' High School must be sent in on or before the 14th inst., not the 15th as stated in error on Saturday. Sawuilleb;,' Benefit Society. — The meeting of tbis society convened for Saturday evening, was, in consequence of small attendance, adjourned for a fortnight. We are informed that it is in a very satisfactory position. Bonus Again I— The Industrial Association, Christchurch, intend asking the Government to offer a bonus for the discovery of a paying diamond field in New Zealand. During the discussion several members mentioned that diamonds and other precious stones had been found in the Malvern and West Coast districts. Circus. — Tbis evening the Royal Australian Circus — Messrs Woodyear and Ross's— will open in Invercargill. The troupe has been doing very good business en route through Otago, and the class oi the perlormance is stated by our Northern contemporaries to be up to the average. The stay of the troupe is limited to two evening performances, and the locale of operations will be Osborne's paddock, Spey street. Thw Yeomanry. — Tbe annual Government prize-firing by members of the Southland Regiment of Hussars took place on Thursday last at the Invercargill and Riverton ranges. The following are the prize-takers, viz. :— Ist, Saddler Brown, A troop (Invercargill) ; 2nd, Trooper Glementson, C troop (Riverton); 3rd, Corporal McGowan, B troop (Mataura) ; 4th, Trooper Mooney, C troop (Riverton); oth, Lieut. Bree, B troop (Gore). Temperance Lectures. — Arrangements are being made by the local branch of the Independent Order of Rechabites for the delivery of a course of lectures on Temperance subjects, on Sunday evenings. The first of the series will be delivered by the Rev. Dutton (who has recently been proposed as a member of the Rechabite Order) on Christmas Eve, after the churches bave been closed. Sloan's Hall has beeu engaged, and from the well-known ability ot the lecturer, as well as I ■ — *-«nee of the subject, a large attendee impo*.. • -•-qt.ed, It is intended to ance may be anticu^ '--"htly, several continue the lectures forLu. w ..; a _ other ministers having promised their as>o.~tance. A Momentous Question.— The indefinite nature of the Order-in-Council proclaiming the new Volunteer regulations has led to a difficulty in Oamaru. On Thursday the Artillery and Rifles fire for a cup given by Mr Shrimski. M.H.R., and Captain Creagh, of the Artillery, has given a written notice to Captain Headland that he object* to the bandsmen of the Rifles firing in the team, holding that the new regulations are now in force, and that under them the band becomes a garrison band. Captain Creagh is a lawyer, and threatens to persist in his objection, and as Captain Headland is equally persistent, complications are likely to ensue unless the point be put beyond dispute. I.R.C. — To enable the members of the Club to go out in all weather, which, with the light boats at present in use is out of the question, the committee has decided to hold a dramatic entertainment at the end of the present month, at the Theatre Royal, for the purpose of raising the necessary funds to provide suitable, boats. Two light comedies, and a musical fare, are ia preparation by the members of the Club and a few friends, and as no efforts will be spared to produce them in a thorough manner, a pleasant evening may be looked forward to. As every advance in affording facilities for boating is a direct advantage to the town by inducing young men to take an active part in the healthful exercise of rowing, instead of indulging in objectless lounging, it is to be hoped that the efforts of the committee will be rewarded by a bumper house. ■Disastrous Fire at Milton.— By telegraph, we learn that at a quarter to two on Saturday morning a fire broke out in the Milton pottery, and by three the greater part of the works were destroyed. The fire apparently broke out in the packing room, and had a few men been at hand, nearly all might have been saved, but before assistance arrived the flames had complete mastery. For some time the houses in the vicinity were in peril, and had there been any wind aU must have been destroyed. The only buildings saved were tbe kilns and brick building containing the wheels, and printing room. Much valuable machineiy erected only a day before, and an immense amount of finished ware in stock were destroyed. The fire is a bad thing for Milton ; forty bands being thrown out of employment. There is suspicion of incendiarism. This untoward event is one greatly to be regretted ; the Company having recently brought several skilled workmen from England, some of whom have only been a few days on the ground. The loss is estimated at £5000. A Big Stake. — -We learn that a contest ot &n unusual hind is to come off at Waipabi on the 22nd inst., Mr John Russell, of Waianiwa, it appears, showed a 2-year-old colt of his at the recent Danedin show, and took the champion prize with bim. Mr Kitchen, tbe celebrated breeder of Moa Flat, after inspecting the colt ventured the assertion that he had one at home that could beat him. Of course tbejowner^of the Waianiwa stud was not going to stand any bounce, of that sort and promptly challenged Mr Kitchen to. the proof. The result was. that an agreement was subsequently entered into between the parties, 'that the two colts should be submitted to cbmpetentjudges, each owner, staking £200 ph the result. Tbe judges mutually agreed upon where M r Robert Hamilton and Mr James Gall, with liberty, to nominate the referee, and the time and place fixed were 22nd inst., and Waipabi. A'good many of oar readern will watch for the. result with great interest, and our own hope is that the gwoey may come comb,

.*.■■ T^T)Btv^TH!B^EN3E_rr isto the \Se_l ?— ■ It isprbpoaedtp hold a sham fight on Quail Island, Lyttelton Harbor, on 9th December. TALiNT Acknowledged.— Many of «ur ! readersV will Vbe glad to learn that our local artist^ .Mr SiVH.: Moreton fouiuthis' pvictureei ih'gqbd rtqiiest a.ythe Oamaru.'- 'exhibition, ; just -closed; patron alone he sold sevens at satisfactory prices, and received a commission from another gentleman for a ofwgiyen: subject; ■"-■y : x ~ ■*■-■ ->—^y y , yGBOPEBS Bush, r- Our. correspondent, I Ist, inst.} says^' On Tuesday evening" last, the'eboir of 'ilie-'lttvertdnVPrea^' rg&V^^x^.ery^rintereslmgCJlXTistiari pilgrim.' The coiniectivfe;^eadings rendered by Mr Bailey, of Riven on, and the vocal portion was conducted by Mr Meredith, ,|he; precentor.- The'seyeraLpieces, with one .or two exceptions'^were excellentlyrendered. Al large number of Biverton residents turned out, and with tfibse Of Gropers Bush, the small room :used; as a .church was very comfortably filled. The proceeds, I believe, ex.c^eded £4;. which sum the choir, were highly satisfied withy, It is intended to be devoted to | the organ fund of the Biverton church. — The lecture to be given by the school teacher here is to be postponed till after the Riverton Show." ■ V f'VpiEEOl Steam. — The Wellington Post , says that "It is understood that the New Zealand Shipping Co. will tender for the direct steam service, bu6 will have a liDe of tbeir own definitely in operation before, and it is also rumored thatthe Government have intinlated that the Union S,S. Company will be atnong the tenderers, as well as the new firm formed by the combination of Messrs Shaw, Ba vill, and Co. vvith the Albion Shipping Co. ife have previously mentioned that Messrs ' Sloman, of Hamburg, the owners of the Sor■^jlnto, would most likely tender, also that Other companies were expected to do so. If all these expectations should be realised, there will be no lack of competition for the privilege of supplying New Zealand with direct steam service." Lecture.— At St. Paul's last evening there was a crowded audience to hear the Rev. Mr Piterson discourse on " Latter Day Warnings." His text was Luke, chap. 21, verse 28. Tn. introduction he spoke of .the time in which we live as being one of no ordinary importance, and fraught with events of the very highest significance, event following e\ent with startling rapidity. He did not consider these as but mere bubbles that rise oi the ocean of time and have no meaning. Mr Paterson thought it right thatthe world's irhabi tants should consider, and carefully aid prayerfully study, the signs ol the tines. He referred to the ancient Biblical p.'ophecies regarding the state of the world btfore the end ; if these did not come to piss he could say with Theodore Parker that tie Bible was not true. But as they had not yit transpired he was confident they would. He had lately, like many others, noticed, regirding the Jews returning to their own ccuntry. that the signs of the times md cated ttat this was not far off. He, too, had^noticed concerning this people that they were not njw so much persecuted as they had been, aid that the movements of the Jews were viewed with an amount of interest and attention in the present day that had not hitherto been shown them. This scattered people •vere now being gathered together, and, believing the prophecies, he saw a glorious future in store for them. Then would Christ come and the end of the world be. In concluding, he urged his hearers to consider these events latter day warnings, and accept Christ while the day of grace lasted. The lecture was full of illustrations which held the attention of the audience throughout.