The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 1879.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 183, 12 June 1879, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 1879.

The Masterton School Committee meets this afternoon, One question it will be called upon to decide will be a notice of motion asking the Town Trustees to furnish funds for establishing two scholarships in connection with the school. The motion is unlikely to lead to any practicable result, as during the present year tlio Trust which is to be applied to will have 110 money to devote to such a purpose. Putting, howover, this objection 011 one side, we doubt whether public money cannot be more advantageously applied to promoting primary rather than higher education. So far, we believe, higher education has had more than its fair share of colonial loaves and fishes. We have Universities, Colleges, and Grammar Schools ad libitum, which are more or less supported from the public purse, Wo have no objection to such being the caso, provided a satisfactory primary education is provided for the children of the Colony, We have 110 objection to spires or cupolas, provided they crown satisfactavy domes; but we do not care to see too much money wasted on superstructures when it is wanted for the main buildings, Our primary schools in the Wellington Provincial District are as yet far from efficient, whether as regards number of buildings, the capacity of the buildings, or the' capabilities of teachers. While such is the case we are not ambitious to found scholarships, to turn out some three or four prize educational children and leave as many hundred unpresentable. If any public money is available we would rather see it spent, not on a select few, but evenly distributed over the multitude. Higher education may to a great extent be left for a while to the wealth which already has been invested for its benefit, and to private enterprise. Tho greater need is to bring our district schools to a higher standard. Wo have at least one school 111 the Wairarapa which may be regarded as a model one, and we would like to see others made equally efficient. At the Featherston school the little ones begin their education on that most beneficent of educational methods known as the " Kindergarten," and work their way to the higher classes, where, in addition to the requirements of the Board, in. struction is given in music, drawing, and other useful subjects. Every child is taught to sing. Drill and discipline are everywhere observable, and corporal punishment is abolished, Though there are many successful schools in the Wairarapa, wo do not know of one which is so satisfactory all round as that conducted by Mr Gurr, and without a better supply of trained teachers it is impossible to expect any other result. We trust both the Board and School Committees will direct their efforts as far as possible to provide additional teaching power of as high a class as may be obtainable, and not till every child in the educational district is brought within the four walls of a school and under capable instruction, think they have a mission to perform in the way of founding scholarships and benefices.

The annual meeting of the Masterton Horticultural Society takes place this evening. Wo are sorry to hear that it is tho intention of Mr Black to close his Greytown branch at an early date. The Hon. J. Martin visited Masterton yesterday. His son, Mr J. Martin, is manager, pro, tem,, of tho agency of the Bank of New Zealand in the Borough, At a meeting of the creditors of Mr T. Tankersloy held on Tuesday, an offer of ton shillings in the £ was made. Messrs F. Gray and J. Wrigley were appointed to report on the estate, tho meeting being adjourned till Friday for that purpose. We are glad to see that a commodious building is about to be erected on the site of the former printing office, near Mr Hales' store. This will fill one of tho two remaining gaps caused by tho fire which occurred some 18 months ago at Masterton, The Greytown Borough taxes dogs in tho suburbs Is and in the town Gs per head, It is expected that tho latter will be too proud for tho future to speak to the former. The Tax Collector realises a commission of ono half-penny on each suburban registration. At the late meeting of the Mastorton Borough Council a shed placed adjacent to tho Council Chamber was objected to. We are informed that tho shed is but a temporary trespasser on the architectural beauties of Queen-street, and have been shown a design of a very handsome shop by Mr Russell, architect, which is to supersede it. We are requested by the Revd. J. F. Teakle to stato that in reply to a letter asking the Bishop if he would kindly give some explanation why it is not within the province of the Standing Committee to deal with the petition praying that the district be constituted a Parish, His Lordship says that Clause 18 of Act 3, which reads, " The Standing Committee of tho Diocessan Synod shall have the same power to form new Parishes when the Synod is not in session, as tho Synod itself possesses," is ultra vires, Yesterday at half-an-hour before noon a bell was heard to ring loudly at Mastertoil, and people in the ]iany distance said, " it's the fire bell," and rushed into town to see tho fun. However, it was only St. Barnabas' Day at St. Matthews' Church, and tho peal was attributable to him. Wo have no prejudice against this particular Saint, on the contrary, we believe lie has been quiet and well conducted for somo two thousand years, but still all tho same it is our duty to warn him that if on his anniversary he gets on the spree and plays practical jokes, such as spreading false alarms of lire, he will have to be run in, By an error in our report of the Borough Council's proceedings in yesterday's issue, we state that Or Russell proposed Or Gapper, when it was Cr Renall who proposed him. The resolution of Cr Feist re Dalrymple and Co.'s building was not carried as printed, but altered to the following on tho suggestion of Cr Renall" That tho Town Clerk take legal proceedings at once to enforce compliance with the Building Regulations. "—Carried. In Public Works report" visitors" should read " editor,"

One of the To Ore Ore Maoris named Pori Thompson was not a little surprised to see a horse which he lost in January last driven along tho street in a milk cart yesterday forenoon; The driver, a milkman named Ready, on being asked where lie got the animal, said that he bought it from a farmer named M'Kay, living near Masterton. Tho horse was taken to the police station, and a warrant for the apprehension of M'Kay is about to be issued. The preliminary enquiry will propably bo held in Masterton, where the cause arose. —New Zealaiulor.

" Appended is the report, with estimate and appiopriafions made and laid before tho Council at the beginning of the financial year, and lately asked for by the WAiUAiiArx Daiiy, your Committee aro fully aware that the Council, with its aptitude for business, lias not forgotten that document, but as public attention has been called to it by our respected editor, your Committee reproduce it with pleasure." The abovo is the last clause of the report brought up by tho chairman of the Public Works Committee at the late Council meeting. To make it accurate, Councillor Renall should have inserted the little word " not" after" appended is—," and two little words "omit to" before " reproduce." The latest news from tho Cape reports that Cetewayo sent the leading chiefs asking for peace, and admitting that many of the youngest and bravest warriors had fallen. Negotiations are now proceeding, Lord Chelmsford considers the war virtually finished. Tlje following unique advertisement appears in the Taranaki Herald of May 29th —" Fitzroy extension.—The sale is postponed until after the Government award the prizes for the Native Ploughing Match atl'apuae.—W. Courtney." A novel application was made to the Bench at the City Police Court this morning, says Friday's Dunediii Star. It was by a man who wished protcetion from his wife ; but though he gave the Court to liiiaorafamd that it was for his e::.'iiings, it was apparent he meant from her annoyance, The husband was tho pe.son to reference was made by lis la?{ week as having married a woman and attempted to i"'t rid of her tho same night, on account of some former impropriety. Tho Coui'ii ruled that the person seeking protection not being a female, it could not .interfere at the present stage. A large meeting of settlers was held 011 Saturday last at ilawera, Major Noake said he would issue rifles to any settlers joining tho defence force yesterday morning. At that hour upwards of 100 more men were armed, and a company formed. With the Light Horse there are now upwards of 200 armed and determined men at Hawora, Many others are still joining. The Government seem equal to any emergency. Tho settlers are determined not to abandon tho district. In the event of disturbances vigorous patrols will scour the country, Greater confidence now prevails, Maoris are still going to Parihaka at all hours, taking flour and other provisions. Yesterday Katenerodo through the main street aiid inspected our men when receiving arms. Ho rode on without stopping. Every effort should be made to reserve snidors, seeing tho prssont danger of the district. Southern Volunteers, as Englishmen, should not want asking to give up theirs, when countrymen aro in absolute want of them, We know the kind natives aro armed with hundreds of Snidcrs, Normanby has also a substantial defence force, who are also armed, Every man there has joined.

Thero was a fair house at the Oddfellow's Concert last evening, and the programmo was gone through in a satisfactory manner, though on the whole the audience was the mostfapathetic one we havoyetseon in Mas-, terto'n. In the first part the quartette " Come Silent Evening O'er TJs," was well rendered by four gentlemen, as was also the song " Oil, Love is Liko an Ocean

Wild," by a lady, The duett" Oh, I But a Drop of Dew," was carefully sung, and the song " Not the Miles we Travel," received an encore. The noxt was a basso song " Father Tim," which kindled a little enthusiasm in the audience, and received an encore, " The Greeting at the Door," by a lady, was nicely given, though the performer was evidently very nervous; and the character song "Don't make ,a noise, or else you'll wake the baby," received an encore, which was responded to very cleverly. In the second part tho Masterton String Band gave a selection from "La fillo de Madame Angot,"—aa- first-clns3 performance, received in perfect silenco by the audience, the performers walking off the stage as if tliey had achiovcd a tailuro instead of success. The quartette, " Lovely night" was carefully given and carelessly received; " Speak only speak," by a lady, was very nicely sung, and "Another good man gone wrong " received an encore; tho instrumental duot," Robert iKDiavols" deservedly received a similar honor; but the treat of tho orening was tho basso flong, " Tho bravo old Temerairo," and "The Sailor Wife," given by this same performer in response to an encore. These songs alone were worth the money paid at the door, and tho audience thoroughly appreciated them. " Only one to bless and cheer me," ivas very well sung, and received with applause, and " Betsy Waring's" delineation of the effects of damp attics was loudly encored, This brought thd Concert to a close, and the Hail was cleared for the bail, which was crowded, and dancing kept up with spirit to 1 the "woe sma' hours." We noticed that the recent alterations to the Hall have greatlyjjimproved its acoustic properties, the words of most of the songs being distinctly heard in any part of it.