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Wanganui Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 2452, 8 May 1875, Page 2

The following resolution was proposed by th© Chairman of the Education Board at its late meeting, but held over in order to obtain an expression of public opinion. Mr Hutchison moved an amendment which would dispense with the Central Board, and fix the number of members of local committees at. five

—" The Board desire to add, as a supple ment to their report, as follows :—That after nearly three years' experience, they have come to the conclusion that a Central Board, as under the present system, is a mistake. Members residing in the country cannot give the attendance at the Board meetings which the business requires, with that punctuality which is necessary. Members residing in the country will not travel many miles to attend Board meetings, when able to do so, without having their travelling expenses paid, and such 'expenses might form a serious item in the • accounts.' Country constituencies may therefore be unrepresented, or compelled to elect a member resident in the city of Wellington, wholly Unacquainted with their interests. The Board would suggest that a Central Board consisting of three members nominated, would be preferable to the present Board. It would further suggest that the Inspector should have the management, appointment, removal, and control of all the teachers, subject to the instructions and directions of j the Central Board. That school districts, not too large, be established, and local boards be elected to act therein, such boards to have charge of the school buildings and the maintenance of them ; to report to the Central Board when and where any new schools or aid maybe required ; to decide on the remission of any rates or f eea • to report likewise to the Inspector or Central Board any misbehaviour or remissness 'of the teacher, inquire into any complaints, and report thereon to the Inspector and Central Board, and any other thing of which, for the welfare of the district, the local board may deem it expedient that the; Central Board should be informed. All officers to be, of course, subject to the control of the Central Board. Tke Central Board to have the management of the assessment and collection of rates, and that the attendance at schools shall be compulsory." It is evident the Board nndg the present plan clumsy £and unworkable, and is desirous to give proposals as to changes due consideration.

Mr J. Dunbar Tweeddale, in the 'Medical Surgical Eeview ' for April, has the following remarks on Colonial beer from a medical point of view : — " It cannot be deuied that the greater part of the alen brewed in the col: ony are not what they are represented to be, or what the public imagine they are drinking, namely, a fermented infusion of malt, flavored with hops. They are in reality composed of a fermented saccharine liquid, to which a small quantity of malt has been added. In some cases it is partly flavoured with hops, but more often by quassia wood chips—an iunoxous ingredient, its chief merit being the low price at which it can be purchased. As soon as the beer is made—for commercial and other reasons—it is sent out to the publican, who retails it to the public without loss of time ; so that, in addition to an adulterated article, the consumer is obliged to drink the liquid in an immature state, before the fusel oil containe4 in it has been converted by chemical action into an innocent ingredient."

The ' Guardian' says that as soon as it became known that Mr J.T. Thomson was likely to be appointed Suveyor-General, there were about forty individuals anxious to impress upon the Government their peculiar fitness for the office of Chief Commissioner of Lauds for Otago.

An English paper states that McPherson the agitator, who wheii in New Zealand, was' always addressing the people about their supposed wrongs, addressed a meeting at Banbury about New Zealand, and gave it a very bad character. He abused many of the public men connected with the colony. MiHenry Taylor, the Secretary of the Working Men's Union, also addressed the meeting, and asked how the lecturer dared to villify men who held responsible public offices. Mr McPherson was hooted and groaned at Avheu; the meeting, which was very disorderly,; closed.

The Palmer diggings are effecting a steady decrease in the mining population of Otago. Over fifty miners, who embarked at Port Chalmers, are on board the steamer Easby, en route for the Palmer.

The Wairarapa News says:—-» The contempt with which our representatives have treated their constituencies certainly deserves recognition at the next general election, if any of them are foolhardy enough to become candidates again.

Upon his arrival at Waimate the Governor was presented with a copy of the Waitangi Tribune, printed on |silk. i

an inexaustible water supply, from the heights of the Pine Hill Forest ;' page 55, paragraphs third, fifth and'sixfch : page 56, paragraphs fourth and fifth." We leave o.ui readers to digest the latter] portion of this telegram, for we must confess Me do not feel [prepared to do so.

"iEgles," in the ' Australasian ' writes : —" A new way of capitalising disaster :— ' Wreck of the Gothenburg.—Christ Church, Yankalilla.—An entire rebuilding of this Church, in affectionate memory of the Millner family, drowned from the Gothenburg, is proposed. Contributions will be thankfully received by the Eev. C. W. Morse, incumbent ; also, by Mr H. Dutton, Bank of South Australia, Adelaide. £150 already guaranteed.' Now, if a theatrical manager made an attempt of this kind upon the purses of the public, what would Mrs Grundy say ? By all means build churches ; but build them upon honest fundations. No wonder that an appeal in such execrable taste should be forthwith dismissed by the congregation."

The Taranaki Herald of the Ist inst has the following .-—Last evening Captain Rowan who leaves here on Monday for Duuedin to enter upon the duties of Adjutant of the Militia and Volunteers inOtago, was invited to dine at the Masonic Hotel, where he met with a large number of his|friends, who sat down to an excellent repast provided by Mr Cottier. Perhaps there is not another officer who has gained greater esteem in the community than Captain Rowan. Since his retirement from the 43rd Regiment, he may be said to have been a resident in the Province and has therefore seen some of its blackest clays. jDuring the disturbance with the natives in the.Patea district in 1868, at the attack on J&uaruru, when Major Yon Tempsky, Captains Buck and Palmer, and Lieutenants Hunter and Hastings were killed, he was also severely and dangerously wounded ; but owing to his possessing an exceptiomally fine constitution, he recovered, although at the time his life was despaired of, by the medical men who attended him. Captain Rowan carries the good will of all with him to his new field of duty.