LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue XXVI, 2 August 1871, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

4 The Government Education Bill.— The Canterbury " Press" some weeks ago gave what professed to be an account of the Education Bill intended to be introduced by the General Government during the enßuing session of the Assembly. The " Presß" doeß not sny how it got at the Government mind or discovered its intentions. We had thought that the day of the " Paul Pry" " own correspondents" was at an end, and that Government dispatch boxes were no longer subjected to the " doublo-eyed" scrutiny. As the Government has, however, we ara informed, not revealed its intentions to any one except one ox two persons confidentially consulted, and whoso honor and discretion are above suspicion, we are rather at a loss to know how this supposed secret got out. It hus been suggested to us that the secret never g,ot out at all, and that the " Press," while pretending to know the mind of the Government, really knew nothing about it. We are informed that one of the gentlemen consulted by the Government, some long time ago expressed his own private opinions in a southern paper, of what ought to be the features of a General Government system of education. The " Press" probably remembered this, and jumping to the conclusion that the Government must necessarily or at least probably have adopted the views of the gentleman referred to, it has reproduced his sentiments from the local paper, and proclaimed thena to be the Government scheme. Whether this be so ov not, we are assured the Government scheme has not been yet divulged beyond the Government offices, and the one or two gentlemen referred to, who are not likely to havo communicated to the " Press" what they only knew in official confidence ; and we thereforo venture to tell our readers that whatever the Government bill may prove to be, the version of its coutonls now going the round of the papers is entirely without authority. The Bell. — An official trial of the soundness and other qualities of the bell was made yesterday by the judges appointed by the brigades to test its efficiency. The bell being brought outside the foundry, a shears was erected, and the bell hoisted clear. Its tone was tested, and was very satisfactory to the judges. Beyond some trifling alterations, the bell is now fit to be" handed over to the brigades. As confirmation of the powerful tone given out yesterday, the sound of the strokes given was easily heard some distance towards Karori, 60 that we have little doubt as to its adaptibility to the purpose for which it was cast. Silkworms. — By invitation, his Honor tho Superintendent, his Worship the Mayor, and a number of other gentlemen visited Mr Balchelor's collection of silk cocoas and some leaves of the moans muUicaulis, at present on view at the City Council Chambers. Mr Batohelor afforded a great amount of interesting information on the subject of sericulture, for which he was thanked by his Honor and the other gentlemen who wore present. No. 1 Company. — This company will parade at the drill shed this evening, this being tho resumption of the weekly company parades to be held at that place. What the Floods Exposed. — Some strange eights are to bo seen from tho NorthWest Bend to below Swan Reach (remarks a River Murray correspondent of the Kapunda papei) on tho sand hills in the bed of tho river that have been flooded for the first time (at least for about 100 years) by the 1870 waters. It has washed away the sand from these hills, exposing to view the remains of hundreds of aborigines in places where even tho oldest amongst tho white inhabitants had no idea these burial-places existod. It appears that about 50 years ago tho natives were attacked by tho small -pox, and carried off in large numbers. Tho aged natives (bearing the usual marks of the disease) say that they were put in the ground, old and young together, two or three in a hole, where they were buried without ceremony, and not being fenced in the usual manner, the places were not known to the whites. Genebal Goveknment Offices. — Acting on a suggestion of his Worship tho Mayor, the Christchurch City Council hare decided to ask tho Colonial Secretary whether, in tho event of tho necessary buildings being erected on a central cite in tho city, the Government will undertake to rent them for the purpose of Telegraph, Customs, and Post-offices. This proceediug was prompted by a knowledge that the Government are now endeavoring to secure a site for a new Telegraph-office, and because, as the Mayor truly observed, it will be much better to have all the General Govornmont Departments united under one roof. Municipal Borrowing.— The recommendations of a committee appointed by tho Christchurch City Council to report upon the necessary amendments required in tho Municipal Corporations Act. with respect to tho extension of the borrowing powers of the Council, for the execution of drainage and other municipal works, were adopted, with some trifling alterations, last evening, and ordered to be transmitted to tho City Solicitor, in order that a bill for presentation at the ensuing eeßeion of the General Assembly might be drafted. Benefits of Life Insurance.— " Talk on Change," in the "Australasian," has tho following remarks on life insurance : — " I don't think that working men sufficiently appreciate the utility and cheapness of life assurance. They will pay to a burial club or some kindred institutions amounts which, if invested in life assurance, would afford their families substantial aid at the time their need is direst. I lately asked a friend familiar with assurance business, and who is manager of a prosperous life company, to jot down a few actual instances of the results of small assurances effected by working men and women. Hero arc some of them. Poor Alexander, of the Engineer Corps, mechanic, aged 24, insured his life for 6200 in March, 1870, premium to cease on his reaching the ngo of 44; killed in the following year ; premium £o 9s per annum, or 2s Id per week ; under ordinary table he would have paid Is 7d per week for £200. White, a laborer, aged 49, insured for £100 in 1864; killed in 1871; premium £4 7s per annum, or Is 8d per week. A widow, aged 49, with one child, insured for £100 in Decomber, 18f59 : died May, 1871 ; premium Is 8d per week. A stonemason, aged 44, insured for £200 in 18G2 ; died in May, 1871 ; premium £7 19s, or 3s per week, out of which three bonuses had been returned to him. A laborer, agpd 29, insured for £100 in 18G2 ; died in 1871 ; premium £2 7s 2d, or about lOd per week, of which he got back during life £11 7s 9d in shape of bonuses. Some of the above cases were of persons who insured when advanced in years ; hence tho comparatively high premium. Now, if men who are prudently paying money into clubs, and those who arc making no provision at all, will take a well-meant hint, they may see their way to spare a few penco weekly which would save those dourest to them from penury. I name no company especially. There aro numerous reliablo institution?, and careful inquiry will suggest which is likely to best servo the purpose of the assured. PiAviNa Cai!D3 in Council — The " Age" has the following amusing remarks :•— It has boon playfully suggested, at dry meetings of the City Council, and eneh other bodies, that pipes and grog might be introduced with advantage. On one occasion wo know that a j pack of cards found its way into a mooting of tho Melbourne Corporation, when Aldorman John Thomas spoko against time. On another occasion, everybody does not know, but it is nevertheless the fact, that a bottle of charitable whiskey was introduced at a board meeting of the Benevolent Asylum, on a very hot day, and tho Bitting becamo a protrnctcd o»e over the toddy. These things come about by degrees. Now there was an instance of the march of progress at tho meeting of the Emerald Hill revision court last evening. During tho proceedings, Cr Page coolly lighted his pipo, and it really gave quite a novel emphasis to the argument to see him waving a lighted wax mutch, and, while tho pipe occupied one side of his mouth, addressing

the mayor out of the other with " Jusfc so (puff). In this case, I think (puff, puff)" — and so on. But the strangest incongruity of all was to sco Cr Page leaning back in his chair, nnd smoking placidly as a member of the court, while the town clerk was administering a solemn oath on the biblo to aMr Wintle, who came forward as an applicant to bo placed on tho burgess roll. This fairly rivals Chief Baron Nicholson nnd the judge and jury of the Conlhole. Ours is a go-ahead country ; no mistako about that. National Debts. — Tho comparison between tho burden of debt in England and in other countries in 1815 and in 1870 is set forth in tho following tables in the " Athenceum" review of Mr Baxter's work : — " Annual charge per head, 1815-20— United Kingdom, 34.3 Bd. Continent of Europe — France, 4s 7d ; Austria, 2s 4d ; Prussia and German States, Is 8d ; average, 2s lOd. Hence it is seen that in ISIS tho charge per head was twelve times greater than the average of the three principal countries of Europe. Let us now look at the corresponding table for the year 1860-70 : — Annual charge per head, 1869-70. — United Kingdom, 15s 9d. Continent of EuropeItaly, 14s ; Holland, 12s Id ; France, 9s 9d ; Portugal and Denmark. 9s ; Spain, 8a ; Austria, 7s 3d ; Turkej, 4s 6d ; Belgium, 43 2d ; German Empire, 3s 9d ; Russia, 3s 8d ; Switzerland, 2s <kl ; average, 6s 2d. Here we see that tho charge per head in England has decreased from twelve times as great in 1815 to two and a half times as great, as the average of continental slates in 1870. In using tho more accurate method of measuring the burden of debt by ascertaining tho percentage of debt charge on income, we find the improvement in the position of England even more striking. In 1815 tho percentage of debt charge to income in the United Kingdom was 9 ; in France, 35 j in Austria, 18 ; in Prussia and the German States, I*3. In 1868-70 tho percentage of debt charge on income in tho United Kingdom was 2 8; in France, 23; in Austria, 22 ; in Germany, 10. This remarkable change in the relative position of England with regard to the other principal natiows of Europe has been caused partly by the decrease of the English debt charge since 1815, and partly by the enormous increase of the continental charges. In making this comparison, it must bo remembered that no account is taken of tho payment of the war indemnity on the debt of France." Why do Children Dik ? — ln answer to this question, tho " Medical Record" has the following language : — " Tho reason why children die is because they are not taken care of. From birth thoy are stuffed with food, choked with physic, splashed with water, suffocated in hot rooms, and steamed in bed clothes. So much for indoors. When permitted to breathe a breath of pure air once a week in summer, and onco or twice in the coldor months, only the nose is permitted to peer in daylight. A little Inter they are sent out with no clothes at all on the parts of tho body which most need protection. Buro legs, bare arms, baro necks, girted middles, with an inverted umbrella to collect the nir and chill the other parts of the body. A stout strong man goes out on a cold day with gloves and overcoat, woolen stockings, and thick double-soled boots, witli cork between and rubbers over. The same day a child of three years old, an infant of flesh and blood, and bone and constitution, goes out with hose as thin as paper, cotton socks, legs uncovered to tho knees, and neck bare, and exposure which would disable the nurse, kill the mother outright, and make the father an invalid for weeks. And why ? To harden them to a mode of dress which they are never expected to practice. To accustom them to exposure which a dozen years later would be considered downright foolory. To rear children thus for the slaughter-pen, and then lay it to tho Lord, is 100 bad. We do not think the Almighty has any hand in it." Borrowing. — A special meeting of the Sandridge Borough Council has been convened to take into consideration the advisability of borrowing a sum of £10,000 by £10 debentures, the same to bo secured by a special rate of 8d in the pound. It is proposed to borrow tho money for twenty yearp at six per cent, and to expend the amount on such permanent works and undertakings as may be agreod upon by the council. The whole of the councillors were- present and wcro very unanimous on the point. Tho major moved tho resolution, which wa3 seconded by Cr Plumuier, and carried with dissent. The present borough rate is Is 3d in the pound, and it is anticipated that there will bo no necessity to increase this amount, inasmuch as the proposed loan will onablo the council to pay off some of the debentures on their old loan, which are now falling due. Notwithstanding the motion was carried so unanimously the subject has not been definitely settled, it being impossible to confirm the resolution until after tho annual election, when another spcciul meeting will have to be called with that object. The Command of tiie English Army. — No doubt tho question has often suggested itself to many readers who, contemplating the possibility, or before tho last mail arrived the probability of England going to war, who will have the command of tho British army. An English paper states : — " Lord Strathnairn and Lord Napier, of Magdala, have boon mentioned for tho command of the British army in tho event of hostilities with Russia. The former distinguished himself as diplomatist and combatant in the last Russian war. Ho also displayed great energy and sTtill in Central India during the mutiny, and great forbearanco as well as energy in the Fenian rising in Ireland. Lord Napier has already served in India under Lord Strathnairn, who is sevon years the senior of tho former. Tho brilliant achievements of Lord Napier in Abjesinia are well known. Ho would bo the first instanco in the military history of our country in which an engineer oilicer was appointed com-mander-in-chief of a British army engaged in a European war. Lord Napier is not oven a Briton by birth. He was born in Ceylon just GO years ago, and although he was educated at Addiscom.be, the whole of his military caroer, with tho exception of tho Abyssinian campaign, lias been passed in India. Apples as Food. — The importance of apples as a food says Liobig, has not hitherto been sufficiently estimated or understood. Besides contributing a largo proportion of sugar, mucilage, and other nutritive compounds in the form of food, they contain such a fine combination of vegetable acids, extractive substances and aromatic principles as to act powerfully in the capacity of refrigerants, tonics and antiseptics ; and when freely used at tho season of ripeness, by rural laborers and others, they greatly maintain and strengthen tho power of productive labor. Sad Fate of A train it, the Composer, — Tho coffin containing tho remains of Auber, the great composer, which lay iv the vault of tho Church of the Holy Trinity, at Paris, awaiting tho rite of burial, was among tin) number broken open and flung into the street by tho Communists. Tho remains of the composer aro lost, tho coflln buing broken, and its contents merged with tho other debris, in an undistinguishablo mass. Tho post mortem fate of Auber, to be tumbled into a common ditch along with the horrible contents oi a Ciinrnol house, by a dirty mob, is strangely in contrast with the experience of his life. A mini of tho most luxurious tastes, ho allowed nothing to interfere with tho complete sensuous enjoyment v.-hioh his iucomo of §30,000 a year enabled him to secure in Paris. Like Rossini, when his position and fortune woro assured, he used both to make his path ono of roses, lie sediiously shut out every sight and sound likely to prove disagreeable, surrounded himself with all that is beautiful in art, lived delicately and fared sumptuously. His stable had the finest horses, and his tablo tho choicest wines ; his amours wcro innumerable ; and a strong constitution carefully preserved, with wonderful good health even to tho last of his advanced years, enabled him to live the life of a voluptuary without tho physical retribution which attends les3 selfish loss poised individuals. Ho was thoroughly philosophical in the pursuit of pleasure, and no resident of the French capital realised more from its unlimited sen-

sual resources than the great composer. One cau imagine with wbat great horror he would have contemplated puch a. disposal of his remains — he, a man "who never attended a funeral, and who carefully avoided such gloomy procoasions on the streets, as likoly to interfere with the onpreme comfort of mind and body which lie had determined for himself. Fun Flashes.— The best rovolver out — tho word. Visionary fruit — the apple of the eye. The Pacific mails — quiet husbands. A bird of ill omen — a swallow of brandy. To make a Venetian blind — put out his eyes. Long and successful reign — the deluge. The wife's secret — her opinion of her busband. A coquette is said to bo a perfect incarnation of Cupid, because she keeps hor beau in a quiver. A fourteen year old girl in Cincinnati cowhided a young loafer who had made remarks about her. A lazy chap has found out that working between meals is unhealthy for him. A barber, who was sued by a young man for cutting eff his moustache, put in the plea that he didn't see it. The Bablow Tbotjpe.— Again a poor house and a capital bill. Evidently winter weather is more powerful in its influences than the attraction olfered by a good company. Though it did not ruin last night, the first fine night for a week past, we were not much surprised at the thinness of the house, for the evening was a bitterly cold one, a case of Jack Fro3t versus mufflers. Buckley and Holly were as lively as over. Mrs M'G-owau's reel was a good piece of dancing to some extremely eccentric music by Mr Feuillade, who also played a solo on the violin, which was encored but not responded to. Me3srs Bromley and ! Barlow sang somo new comic songs, and the I whole of tho programme was carried through with great spirit. A Pompeiian Bagnio. — The excavations at Pompeii some years ago disclosed to view a bagnio of ancient times, which, from the obscene paintings on the walls, revealed the fact that tho elegant pagans of those days were nearly as imrnorul as the people of a much later age. lliatory in all things repeats itself, and but for an accident of nature how closely might Pompeii have found a parallel a few centuries hence had the earthquake of Tuesday last tumbled this city of ours about our ears, and buried all of us that are moral and immoral in its ruins. On that night, wo are told, the police visited a house in Madeline street, Melbourne, and arrested several young girls under twenty years of age, who had evidently abandoned themselves to a vicious career. Of their character little need be said, for tho walls of the apartment in which they hold their orgies were covered with obscene fre:coos and writing of the most scandalous character. Eighteen hundred years of Christianity finds us, therefore, with social customs not one whit purer than ruled in tho duys when the Egyptian Arbaces used the vices of Pagan Pompeii as a whip to scourge it with. Thought He Did Smell Something. — "Ch-is," writing from Ottawa, 111., to the Cincinnati " Times" and " Chronicle," gets off the following on the great humbug : — Q-eorge Francis Train was here the other night. Some gentlemen anxious to hear him lecture in Ottawa, engnged him. They advertised him quite extensively, and engaged a church for him to speak in. Garrulous Q-eorge camo. A member of the comniitteo met him at the depot. " Isn't there something in the air ?" said G-eorgo, seizing the startled committeeman by the arm, and hoarsely whispering in his ear ; " Isn't thoro something in tho air that tells you tho great Q-eorge Francis Train is here ; Train, the next Presidont of the United titat.s?" The committeeman was dumbfounded at first, but the confession was at length rung from him that he thought he did smell something, and he held his nose. Whether or not it was the atmosphere Train carries about him that caused the tribe of Ottawas to keep away, I do not know, but he had a small house, and devoted most of his time to lecturing his Indians for not coming out in greater numbers to hear him. One of the committee on Truin informed me there was something in the air that told him they were out about sixty-fivo dollars on the future President of tho United States.