COMMENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1766, 30 October 1883, Page 2

COMMENTS.

The annexation «&heme appears to be raising up a considerable dust on the other side of the Equatw, From telegrams supplied to the Press Association, we learn that Germany has canghifc jfche infection going round, and the (Area* ( Chancellor of the Empire Ims .'been rated , i for neglecting to acquire TS&w Guinea fo,r the Kaiser. The colonial Ageuts^eneral are still keeping Lord, , Derby, upj,to,:tke, tmarU> but the Secretary, for the Colonies, is singularly vmgymmjb^etic, ,and^«till holds to his forjner opipigu that ElngUma.

cannot discuss the question ef annexation wiionsly until the colonies federate. Somebody li.is been stirring nj» the president of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce to call a meeting to tavour an extension of tho Empire, but report docs not tell us whether or not that august functionary has responded to the invitition. We ai c told that a feeling is growing in " official circles," wliatevcr that term may mean, in favour ot a modified annexation of New Guinea, and the establishment of a British protectorate over the Pacific Islands, sufficient to prevent ,vi increase of foreign influence over them. A conference of Agents-General is shortly to be held, to dr,\w up a report for submission to the Australian Conference at Sydney. The Pacific Affairs Committee VxpiuhS an opinion hostile to allowing Queensland to have any control cnet New Guinea, and also opposes absolute rontiol being givm even to a federation ot Austialian colonies over the destinies of millions ot Polynesians. It thinks it will be sufficient for the piesent if the Imperial authority is asserted to an evtunt sufficient to exclude any foreign power from New Guinea. It says the interests of Germany are paramount in New Britain, New Ireland and Samoa. The annexation of Fiji to New South Wales or New Zealand they regard as impossible. The record winds up with the intelligence that General McIvor has been generally frowned at on account of his proposed expedition to New Guinea. The annexation question is indeed assuming huge, proportions, and something or other will have to be done in connection with it. It appears to us that there are just two alternative courses to pursue ; v<o must either annex the islands and make them British colonies straight out, or we ought to leave them alone. The cautious middle course which has suggested itself to the brilliant intellects in " ollicial circles" would be just as likely as not to land us in a mess. If the Great Powers come to a resolution topiovide themselves with fields for their surplus population, it is not by any means likely that they will consent to let England play dog in the manger, and hold the islands of the Pacific, not as colonies, but merely to pi event an incicase of foieign influence. We should be oorry to hoc the German flag flying over New Guinea, 01 tlie tii-colour Kissing the biec/ics on the New Hebrides, but arc we leally prepared to undeit.ike the responsibility of taking the whole of the Pacific Islands under the shelter of the Union Jack ?

Wi. have long since given up the task of looking for the causes which prompt the actions of the Auckland Board of Education. To us that body is .1 huge eonuniluiin, .uid we give it up. But if we may not examine the secret springs which sot the machinery in motion, we cannot, and ought not to close our eyes to the results of their working, the more especially when oiich result* allect the community in which out lot is cast. Education boards are usctul institutions, and {ill a. \ery responsible position; and so long as the members, thetcof betray a disposition to act with reasonable fail ness, they an 1 entitled to the highest mspect. Wlicn they oveistcp the bounds of piudunce they .should, however, be ,vs amenable to criticism as are the members of any othcr_ similar elective body, whose authoiity is based, not on any divine light, J>ut on the will of tiie people at Luge. The Auckland boaul lias been conducting itself strangely of late, and it has accordingly been made to feel the weight of public censure. But badness is so engrained in its nature, that the castrations so freely ad ministered appear to have had little or no eliect. The latest exhibition of eccentiicity possesses some interest to our readers, and we purpose, tlicicfore, giving it some prominence. A week or so ago the boaid, at one of its meetings, decided to dispense with the services of Mr Bull, the musical instructor in the public •schools in Waik.ito, giving as a icason that lie had failed to pass an examination which ho hid been ordeied to undergo. On the face of the matter it seems nothing but light that the board should engage tlin besfe talent/ available to teach, not tnily music, Imt c\ciy other bianeh ot knowledge included in the school curriculum, and" the comment which would fall most natiually fioim the lips of a stt anger on reading the board's minute would be "Quite right." If Mr Bell is not competent to teach the young idea how to run up the scales, then the sooner he is scut to the right-abuut the better. We cannot pietcnd to know in what respect Mr Bell has failed to come up to the required standard. In the first place we has c not asked him, and in the second we should veiy piobably miss the point were he to tell us all about it. It really does not concern us to know whether Mr Bell's voice is tenor, bass, alto, soprano, falsetto, or whether he has a voice a,t all ; but we do take ;» little inteiest in the question of his capacity to impart a knowledge of singing to the thil Jren placed under his care. And here, on this point, we do not experience much dilliculty in arriving at a conclusion. On high days and holidays, when the vocal abilities otthe rising generation have been put to the test, the children have invariably acquitted themselves with credit. If they have ever shown a tendency to wavering it has been on the occasion of a vice-regal visit, when, in addition to a sense of awe, the little singers htivo generally been choked with stale buns and lemonade before the fact, and then commanded to sing stich melody-killing tunes as "-My Own New Zealand Home." We think we may alii mi that the progicss made by the pupils of the schools in Waiknto in the divine art has been thoroughly satisfactory, all tilings considered. We have always heard parents so express themselves, and we have the opinions of the bo&vd'b inspectors in bluck and white to the same effect. At the last examination Mr Bell presented ten pupil teachers, and they all passed. Results, if they count for anything at all, speak strongly in favour of the teacher, who has besides gained the approbation of the board's officials, and the esteem of the piipiL' gHrt'-djans. But Mr Bell has more than this in his. favour ; he ljas long service to show. He has been nearly five yuars in the board's employment before they discover that he is the wrong man in the right place. If he is unfit to teach after this term, an apprenticeship in jfeclf, what are the qualifications of the board yhiph appointed him, and the inspectors wJ),o, ft 9m time to time, approved of the appointment, f»4 applauded the man's eitorts ? Mr Bell is nothing [q us, but the lH'iucjiple inyojvfid in his faealmenfc by the board js fu}l of interest, not* only to us, but to every quo W'l»Q regards ricrht and justice aa being something more than mere abstractions. If tl°e employes of the department are to foe tieated in such an arbitary, off-hand inatttf/ir a& this, men possessing a reputation woiity $ groat will hesitate before they consign it to t\}<t lend.gr keeping of the board. In the interests qi fa\y pjay, we hope the matter yill not b,e allowed to rest where it is, We are glad to k.noyv tftat there is something moi'e than a probability of the school committees taking joint action in making a protest against the board's action, and once more asserting their claim to a voice in the management of fecal affairs

The Cambridge-Oxford ftoad is now in capital condition for heavy traffic.

The Roiaan. Catholic concert at Cambridge i<i-ra§b£, fikQW,l^ <» be unusually successful, ftMjUwtewjtaflte infewst .(i4ke« in it, 'Ihe reijoiptB?'|ih6{il<i AmpM f? A *esp6&able sum.' We can s'ateljf pWmise all w^<» <?W attwd ftsKJuaioalitvoa^ofia highordw, ■ ,'> v,t/' ' !'! ' ?V

An error ef ww mZnita<*e, oc ' cured in our report ot tbs F«rtw*»g» <JtaB. Factory Company's mooting in S«*Hra4jrf is&uo. 'The total receipts are set down &H £0000 15s 2d, whereas as the amount was $90p 15s 2d.

Messrs Miller and Macfarlane's AtwJoj-of €037 has been accepted for Mr iioyvw/i/Js^Hon's new house at Lichneld.

There will be no meeting of the Canihridgo Mutual Improvement Association this evening, on account of the Roman Catholic concert. j.

A very singular lusus nature in the shape of a lamb with two heads, but in all other respects perfectly formed, Avas yeaned this season on Mr Lavkworthy's jusiato, Piako. The heads were closely JB[m, ita\ wfo bm&m $* ,full, fu11 ?" m V le : menfc of eyes, wA *l 4 UWVuty with but one neck, and that of the natwial 1 ffiz*. Every other part of the frame was perfectly normal, the body, legs and feet being of the ordinary size and accurately shaped. ; The lamb .either , died : at birth or. shortly • sifter,; but it was guch a curiosity ;that it was Saw w> iucVland forl;he^puri)o§e > ,qf , being Aa,»«?WW J? e l« don e excel-

Nowithstanding the warnings given- by advertisement and prosecutions, ) bays the Te Avoha News) persons on these goldfields persist in cutting timber and carrying on m inning operations, without taking out miner's, rights. The Warden has resolved, qn making an example of all future gffeifdeifj, i\,i{h has, Utymotqd the Mming Jnspe.ctqv $o ttyjw ik} mercy qr. chsj.incj.irm of vahom in liringing thenj up. Ijvgi-y <me that eoines within the opai'atioiw of the regulations will be summoned from this time forward and will be dealt stringently with. The fine and expenses will b3 at least double the cobt of a right, whilst the lattev document will have to be taken out nil the same. We would vsuggcst to those &h<i w.if,lt tq f^nvQ tjjqmselves trouble, that the sooiiGi'' thuy ooinply \vifch. ti\Q mq«irfi; incuts of the law the better foi< themselves,

A musical treat of a somewhat unusual character was afforded the congregation of S. Pctei's Roman Catholic Church, Cambridge, at the morning and evening aervices on Sunday last. A number fl? JtKJy and gentlemen amateur-^ from Auck'lancl an<| tiwohuijga l)ejijg <|U. a yisjt t<| Cambridge, Hmd.ly gave their .services, and those were ably seconded by the local ohnh, Mr H. W. Moore took the tanor in the various pieces, and Mr iiarlaud the baritone. Mis-. Staunton and Miss Swan (Auckland) took the soprano parts. In the morning the best rendered paits were fiom Mozart's Kerie, Gloria and Sauctus, Webei's m(x Credo, and Agnus Dei. Mr .J. If. Johnson kindly presided at the liarnjoiu"unji 44 U C'W { M WH'vices. The singing ( ( f fiordases,' U Sal^tai-es jij the evening by Miss S^waiji was probably $)# npst W)tnWi'th.y j)oifcio«, as? regards tjh.e in"sic, of the aei'vi'oQ,— (OonimiinlQatad.)

The s.s. Hinemoa entered Kawhia harbour on Sunday morning at daybreak, and landed a quantity of timber for hMttiiig for the detachment of armed constabulary posted there, also a quantity of stores for then Uhe. Captain Anderson, storekeeper, has been there for the past foitnight, arranging for commissariat supplies for the post. Aftei landing Colonel Reader. Chief Commissioner, who desired to inspect the constabulary, the s.s. Hinemoa sailed at half -past, nine a.m. for Onehunga, auiviug on Huijchy evening. She was to sail again immediately for- JKawhia,, m oi'cUn to Yalta on board Colonel Reader, and thence pioceed to Wellington.— Herald.

In connection with the recent turf frauds, the Melbourne Evening Herald "detective" has published in the abo\e journal, on the Oth October, a " black list " of fcwhjdling sweeps, which intending in- \ estoi-h would d.Q. wpll to study, though we aie sadly afraid it is t<)<) !"■*«» hefoie speculating on thq gruafe event— tho Mulboinne Cup. Tho first fraud on tho list is tho "Orient;" No. 2, " Australasia ;" No. 3 "Bonanza;'' No. I, ''The Melbourne Tmf Club;" No. 5, "Achilles;" No. (i, "Victory;" No. 7, "Albion;" No. 8, "Maraquita;" No. ft, "Diamond;"' No. 10, " Melbourne Sweep Co. (Limited):" No. 11, "Victorian Consultation Company;" and No. 12, "Piogie.ss."

The particulars of a very melancholy accident, which happened at To Awamutu on Satin day, appear in another column. While a carbine match was pioceedmg at tho range, Tioopoi Weal, win was m.vi king, was shot, and succumbed to his injuries yesterday moining. An inquest Will lie held" to-day, and the deceased will bu accorded, a military funeral this afteinoon. No bliiino appears to attach to an_yone in connootiou with thu M<\ affau, though it would seem that piopoi |)rec.iu. tions weie not taken lo prevent accidents. We refiain from commenting on the occurlence until after the inquest.

Thursday's storm appears to have ]>aid particular attention to T.uipiri, if we may judge by tlie following from a couespondent :— " To give you a dc-enp-tion of the storm would be simply imposible. U commenced to hail, with thundei and lightning at about 4 p.m., and kept it up until half -past (> o'clock. Tho hailstones weio about tho sparrows' eggs, and covered the giound to a depth of at least si\ inches. Not a blade of anything could bo soon. Mi Lo\oll had to shovel the hail fiom the dooi of hisstoio on Friday morning before lie could g^t in. Neither the natives nor tho Kmopeaiis hii\e cvei scon anything lika it before."

The following cable messages dated London Oct. 2(>th per Pi ess Association have boon published in tho Auckland Her ild ;- Sir Ai thur (Gordon will rosign the Hi o h ConiniissioiKii.ship of the Western Pacific when he pioceeds to Ceylon in January no\t. It is piobable that his successor will be a distinct officer lcsidcnt in the Islands, and not holding office «ilso as Go\emor of any colony,— Tlnee Bonapartist dej)iities in the French Chambers have given notice of their intention to formally impeach the pi esciit ( rovci nmeut, but tho grounds on which this i» to dc done are not assigned.

Yesterday a large number of men were engaged moving the sclioolmastot .s old losidonco, Cambridge, lately pin chased by Mr MoUey, from its recent site adjoining the school, to its new one in Gieystioot, about a quaitcr-of-a-mile distant. Tlio building which contains sk looms, is a .somewhat bulky one, and rather old, and is being tivkisn along on roller-* tlnough tho piincipal stioet-. in tho town. This puts one in mind of the Yankee stoiy about moving stieets on wheel*, though piobably in our ca-,0 the thing in not done on ■such an extensive scale.

That unfortunate being, " Tommy the Clock," was brought befoie Mr Noithcioft, at Hamilton, yesteulay, on lemand, chaigod witli v.igi.u'iey. Tommy pleaded havel for six months in gaol, but, as the law limits the magistrate to a sentence <>f three months, ho was only able to meet Tommy's wishes half way. The pooi WH-tch i.-, still suffering from lheuniatism, and probably looks upon Mount ICdon u< a hitvon of rest.

It will be seen by advertisement elsewhere, that the Veil. Archdeacon Willis pui pose-* attending the special practice of S. Peter's Church Choh this o\ oning. His object is, we learn, to ai range the oulei of services for the approaching festival on S. Andrew's D.iy, to be hold in C.uubiidge, and in which the united choirs intend taking part. The choir of S. Stephen's, T.imahere, will, we nndei stand, practice with S. Peter's choir.

Our Alexandra correspondent writes :— I notice in the telegraphic report of the proceedings of the R.M. Court here, on Friday last, the case Aubin v. Hughes, as printed in your Saturday's issue, requiies correction. Judgment was given for the plaintiff for the full amount, £35, and costs, defendant to pay by instalments of £2 per month, in default two months' imprisonment with hard labour.

We are informed that the trout liberated by Mr G. Maclean la.st .season in the Waihou, Waipa, and other rivers in the neighbourhood of Cranstoun are doing well. Some of the fish which have been seen are fully six inches long. Before long the angler will be piovided with excellent sport along the banks of these streams.

In the window of Mr Buckland, fruiterer is to be seen on exhibition an unusually laige mushtooiri, grown on Captun Owen's place, at Cam budge West. This member of the fungus tribe measures ten inches across in one place, and eight and a-half inches in another, and the stem in about three inches in diameter. This is the largest mushroom we have heard of found in this dibtrict.

The four-hundredth anniversary of Martin Luther's birthday is to be commemorated in Christchurch by a tea and public meeting on November 14, under the auspices of the Protestant Alliance Friendly Society of Australasia.

The second walking match between Edwai ds and Scott was concluded at Christchurch on Saturday. Edwards walked 192 miles, 1(5 Lips, and Scott 1!)1 miles, 15 laps, the former thus winning by a mile and a lap (twenty-two of which go to a mile. )

An order has been issued by the department to exhibit copies of the New Zealand Government Gazette at all postoffices for the benefit of the public. The issues for one year will bo kept for references.

interested in such a freak of nature at K. Graham and Co. 's store, Waitoa, who will kindly exhibit it to any who may deshe to inspect it.—Te Aroha News.

The ninth annual steeplechase and hurdle race meeting of the Pakuranga Hunt Club came off on the Elleislie Racecourse on Saturday afternoon, under ehpecially favourable circumstances. Although the morning was somewhat gloomy, the afternoon turned out beautifully bright and clear. There was a good attendance, and the grand stand was well patronised, especially by the ladies, who evinced great interest in the vai ious events. Impey's excellent baud was on the lawn, and added much to the enjoyment of the visitors. The arrangements were excellent, and there was not a single demur. Unfortunately there were two accidents, one of which resulted in the death of Harlequin, owned by Mr Waterhou.se, otherwise the day's sport passed off satisfactorily. Mr T. Moirin officiated as judge, and Mr Donnelly as st.utei. The Hurdle K-uv was woii by H.ukauay; the Pakurauga Hunt Club Steeplechase Cup, by Chandler, with Sir Uarnet second an-1 King Don thiid ; the Pony Hurdle Kaci> was a gift to Bob Sawyer; Chnndlci pulled off the Members' Hindie Race: Catch-lnm-if-you-can secured the Polo Pony Race; and the Selling Steeplechase fell toMr.T. Lenu.u-d'.s Fly. which event In ought a most delightful day* outing to a successful close.

" A rather singular meteorological phenomenon occurred " writes the TeAroha News "on Tuesday at Piako. A belt of land about five miles in breadth was subject to a perfect deluge of rain nearly the whole day, whilst jubt outside it not a drop fell, and the work on therailway was not interfered with. A traveller on horse-back who stayed at Morrinsville on Tuesday night, and came on to Te Aroha on Wednesday morning, was perfectly astonished to find the fir»t part of the road as dry ah need be, and on getting to where Murray's land is to find it sodden with the rain that fell in this singular manner, and was confined to the restricted limits mentioned above. During the whole week the rainfall in this and the Hamilton districts has been partial and eccentric, though tnis was one of its most singular vagaries!." Truly the weather has been of a most eccentric character dm ing the past week. On Thursday last a meteorological phenomenon similar to that noted bv our contemporary was observed in the Waikato district. A belt of country extending across the district and taking in Ohaupo and Hautapu was almost swamped by a terrific thunderstorm accompanied by hail, the stones being as large as peas. Our conespondenthat both places named say th.it more water fell on Thursday than on any other day during the year.