DUNEDIN NOTES.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1813, 18 July 1891, Page 3

DUNEDIN NOTES.

(From our own Correspondent.) The next really radical measure in the shape of an electoral experiment likely to engage the Legislature will be the extension of the franchise to women. The agitation once begun for this reform, it is likely to spi'ead and become a very ! popular question. I mean popular in i the sense that it will be very readily ! taken up and warmly adopted by the great body of electors throughout the colony. I should hardly think it will ever become what is known as a " burning question," simply because it will never in the country, at all events, meet with opposition fierce enough to light up a popular flame over it. The question is now, and not for the first time either, befoi*e the House; but it will be shelved, I believe, and will come back to the country and will be discussed aud argued and made ready to have the seal of the electoral approval J affixed to it at the next general election. We gave the agitation on the subject a very decent send-off here last week. It was significant to see men differing so widely on almost every other question as Sir Robert Stout and the Hon. Thos. Dick standing on the same platform to advocate the adoption of this reform. They are the representatives of two very different political elements, and their agreement on this question may be safely regarded as a proof of the feeling among a very large portion of the electors onthe subject. Veryappi'opriately the meeting was presided over by a member of the sex on whom it is sought to confer the privilege. Mrs Dick's address in opening the proceadings was brief but pointed and excellently put. There was, as a matter of course, some florid speaking and a tolerable amount of sentiment, but both, strangely enough, were confined to the orators of the male persuasion, the women dealing exclusively in plain, matter-of-fact argument.

Whatever opposition exists on this question of the female franchise is, I believe, mostly of a superficial character, principally the result either of a want of careful and intelligent study or else of unreasoning prejudice. Those ' people who can never approach the subject without measuring their wit on it may be safely set down as never having given it five minutes' serious thought. Then there are the prejudiced people who honestly enough believe that women have neither the capacity nor the turn for the study of political questions, and consider that the result of arming them with the powers of the franchise would be a wave of hysterical legislation and that it would be taken advantage of by the more strong-minded of the sex to flaunt and disport themselves in public. And then they say : " Think of what a polling-day would be like in the city. What a saturnalia of feminine license. And then the demoralisation it would bring upon the sex." This is what many well -meaning "people say ; and I own I harboured the same delusions once myself. Neither the capacity nor the turn for the study of political questions! Just stand at any of the city booths on a polling-day and watch the scores and hundreds of brutalised, beersodden visages that pass in before you — men with the capacity for nothing more intellectual than blowing the foam off a long measure of Dawson's beer. Do those men, tell me, concern themselves about the study of political questions ? Look, too, at the leering larrikins and prowlers reeking with the malarious odours of the pot-houses and brothels, where any city constable will tell yon they pass the greater part of their not very reputable lives ! Or look at the droves of jabbering foreigners, Dutch or German sailors most of them, whom the unions have rouuded up to swell the labour vote, and not one of whom can understand intelligently the duty he is about to perform. But it wouldn't be fair to talk of depriving all men of the franchise because of the objectionable class I have just mentioned, any more than it would be to withhold it from all women because some of their sex are not exactly what they ought to be. I don't think that many women will ever, no more than many men, become distinguished politicians ; but there are certain social questions that they can settle, if they are only entrusted with the power, better than any men can do. The curse of the drink traffic has grown until it has overshadowed the whole land. It is eating the heart out of the country, fast creating a besotted, pauper population in all our large towns, to fill our future workhouses, and it continues every day to supply its regular quota.to the jails, and threatens to break down the machinery of our charitable aid system. Give the women a vote and they'll soon drive this ugly spectre ont of doors, and put the huge beer interest on the dissecting table. There are also other phases— what is generally called the" social question," on which drastic legislation is needed, and by no more sympathetic and capable hands can it be moulded than by woman's. I cannot conceive how any reasoning and unprejudiced person after fairly considering this aspect of the question, could object to the extension of the franchise to the other sex.

The teachers during the past week have held' their annual conference and the proceedings, as usual, have been of considerable interest not only to the members of the profession but to all who are not too absorbed in other matters to note the educational progress of the country. Besides the usual routine business incidental to the Institute, there were some carefully-prepared and

instructive addresses on the subject of education generally. Professor Gilray, our latest acquisition bo the University, read a very interesting paper on the educational system of Prussia, which, I believe, has been long regarded as the most perfect probably in the world. The school-book question, too, which may be regarded as an indirect outcome of the new unionism, was dealt with in a very outspoken .manner by Mr Ferguson. Most people will agree with him that uniformity in books, no more than in the system, is not desirable. There is already too much uniformity, too much that is mechanical, and too little diversity I and variety both in books aud teaching. The teachers continue to cry out for more rein, more freedom, from the shackles and restraints of syllabuses and codes and regulations; so that there may be a more unimpeded development of individuality, aud the politicians and faddists endeavour to screw them down more, to narrow the groove, already narrow enough, down to nothing, and. depi-ive the teaching of any little life or freshness that it can boast of. It may be thought a very important matter by unionists and labour politicians to bring Whitcombe and Tombs to their knees, a position to which, personally, I have not the slightest objection to see that firm in; but I think the method of accomplishing that end is highly objectionable and the teachers, who" are naturally "the best judges in such a matter, are justified in remonstrating against it. But injurious as the compliance with such a demand would necessarily be, how much more monstrous is the proposal seriously made by one or two of our city and suburban members that Government should supply those uniform books free of cost indiscriminately to all children attending school, without any regard to the means or position of their parents. Naturally enough the teachers object to this, knowing well that under such a weight of expenditure the whole educational edifice would infallibly collapse.

I was glad to see the teachers take a stand against the treatment they have been subjected to by the partial abolition of bonuses. This I have always looked upon as a most unwarrantable action,, particularly in its application to hardworked country teachers on small salaries. Owing to the reduction in the capitation allowance of 1838, the fixed salaries of teachers were red uced by from 1 to 7^ per cent., in addition to this general reduction all teachers receiving a bonus had the amount of their bonus materially reduced. During the present year, the Education Board, with i/\, striking and singular disregard for consistency or even public decency, attacked the salaries of teachers ; while, at the same time, and almost in the same breath, they raised the salaries of their own already over-paid officials. The teachers in this instance deprived of bonuses are paid salaries in almost every case under £200 a-year. It would be instructive to know on what grounds the Education Board could attempt to justify its action in depriving overworked and underpaid teachers of their bonuses, and deliberately handing them over to Mr Pryde and the Inspectors. Mr Pryde has now, I believe, a salary of £540 a-year, including his last increase at the expense of the teachers, aud what he does for this money is a question that a good many people are perplexingly asking themselves. Of course he is very useful at Education Boai'd election times for certain members, and such services count for somethiug. It is most discreditable on the part of those members that they should take advantage of such services ; but then some of those gentlemen are not particular at such times, aud will make use of any tools to serve their ends. For actual, legitimate work, as far as the country and the taxpayers are concerned, Mr J. P. Pryde would be a loss at £150 a-year. Exclusive of the little business he does in the direction I have just indicated, his position is a sinecure, and the payment of such a salary to him under such circumstances is a wrong and an injustice to the country. I had almost forgotten to say that he occasionally adorns the city bench, just precisely as if J's.P.were at famine prices in the city, and he tore himself away from his harassing duties merely to oblige the country by imposing a new sacrifice on himself. Wonderful the selfsacrifice of some of our hard-worked officials ! Two of the Board's inspectors also had the pleasure of having their salaries recently increased without any corresponding additions being made to their not very exacting or harrassing duties. The teachers have sent a mild protest to the Board on the subject ; but as Mr Pryde is virtually the ruler of that body, and as his own pecuniary interests are concerned, the teachers' remonstrance is not likely to result in anything more gratifying than an official acknowledgment in the secretary's characteristic style.

The inquiry undertaken by Govern- ' ment into the administration by the official assignee (Mr Ashcroffc) of the bankrupt estate of Mr James M'Donald has come to somewhat sudden and unexpected ending. Monday was the day arranged to open the inquiry, but; on Mr Beefcham, R.M., who had been specially detailed from Christchurch, taking his seat, Mr J. F. M. Fraser, who appeared on behalf of Mr M'Donald, announced that his client was too ill to go through with the inquiry, and without his" personal assistance he felt he could not attempt to proceed. After a short interval, Dr Batchelor appeared on the scene and confirmed what had been'said about Mr M'Donald's health; a little sparring between the counsel, a few pointed remarks from Mr Beefcham, announcing that the commission must be considered as having como to an end, and down went the curtain. There is a general regret and spmpathy for M'Donald — for his changed circumstances and his broken health; yet there is but one opinion as to thfe utter inutility and senselessness of the inquiry. Indeed, considering the history of the bankruptcy — the thorough and exhaustive manner in which all the circumstances connected with the disposal and administration of the property have already been inquired into — it is somewhat surprising that the Government should have consented to the demand for an inquiry. The Government, I understand, hesitated a good deal about doing so; but at last gave way owing to some representations made by Mr Ashoroft to the effeot that he was not averse to an inquiry on condition that it was exhaustive and final. Next to Mr M'Donald himself, no one has suffered more worry and anxiety over Mhe really sad business than the Official Assignee. It has been a standing trouble ever since the bankruptcy

took place in May, 1888, the intervention of the Supreme Court having been invoked repeatedly by the bankrupt, and only about twelve months ago the whole business was gone into by Judge Williams ; and had anything like maladministration of the estate taken place, there is not the slightest doubt but the particulars would have then come out. But even so, it would have been better and more satisfactory had it been possible for the inquiry to proceed; though as far as M'Donald is concerned I doubt if any number of inquiries would remove from his mind the impression that his estate was wantonly squandered. The poultry and dog show has been a great success this year. The management was entrusted to the right hands and the arrangements both for reception and care of the exhibits, as well as for the accommodation of visitors, were in consequence everything that could be desired. Another excellent feature of the show, and the one that has- conduced very lai'gely to its success from year to year, was the capable and careful men selected as judges. This is a very ticklish business, aud not only requiring exceptional powers of discrimination but , wide and varied experience and great | caution as well. Most exhibitors have a pretty good idea of how things should work out ; and worst of all some of them have an exaggerated idea of the qualities of their own exhibits, which renders the task of the judges all the more delicate and onerous. The number of poultry exhibited was very large, something like 750, I think, and the quality, right through was far above the average. The number of both country visitors and exhibitors was large this year ; and if I mistake not, the latter cai*ried off a verylarge share of the prizes. Some exhibitors from your district made a particularly creditable show, notabty the Messrs Hart, who had some really splendid exhibits in the different varieties of poultry. They showed a black-red cock, the winner, I understand, of four prizes, an imported bird that quite took the eye of the knowing ones, and easily j took first prize. They had in addition j prize-takers in Polish, Wyandotce, aud ! other classes of fowls. I noticed also \ that Mr Morris, of the Colonial Bank, ' Lawrence, exhibited some golden and silver- pencilled Hamburg3,which carried off several prizes ; and Mr N. O. Potts carried off similar honours for his exhibits in game fowls. The society are quite jubilant over the success of their i latest and best effort, and with good reason, too.