CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IX, Issue 461, 10 February 1882, Page 11

CHRISTCHURCH.

(From our own corrc-pomlent.)

February 6, 1882.

" Whai is one man's meat, is another man's secretaries poison," and " some people never know when they and are well off." Such are the apposite, if not absecretabies. solutely novel reflections suggested to my niin 1 by a perusal of the proceedings at the annual meeting of the Lyttelton Harbour Board on Tuesday last. If the Canterbury Jockey Cluh have bien in dire despair .it the impossibility of obtaining a competent Secretary, that august body the Harbour Board are labouring under an infliction of a precisely opposite nature, they possess a secretary who is only too efficient, too zealous, too capable. This gentleman's report was so valuable and exhaustive, that it left do room for suggestions from the Board (which I suspect was the real cause of offence) and he must have been somewhat overwhelmed by the crushing observations so liberally bestowed on him. "He was a little bit led astray as to what was really proper as coming from him," — he had "expressed an opinion on a technical matter which came within the jurisdiction of the engineer," — " his letter would convey the idea to outsiders that he was really ' boss' of the whole concern" — " it was rather out of place for him to patronise the other officers" (he had dared to express his grateful sense of obligation to the Chairman for the latter's " unceasing and constant attention" which had materially aided him, the secretary, in the fulfilment of his duties — and worst of all, there was a little more of the style of a Minister of Public Works in the report than was absolutely necessary. (Surely this last achievement might be accomplished without its author actually setting the Thames, or more properly perhaps, the Avon, on fire?) Considering that the Government Auditor had certified that the books were kept in a most satisfactory manner, and further, that of all the accounts which had come before him for audit, none were submitted in more perfect order, or so uniformly correct ; and that the Board besides making a profit of nearly £600 during 1881, began the present year with the snug and satisfactory balance of £65,431 17s 4d, it might have been supposed that they had nothing at which to grumble, but truly, some people are never satisfied. The poor crushed secretary pleaded that he had simply desired to give the Board the fullest information he could, and it is satisfactory to note that some of the members seemed to retain some little common sense, as they recognised the report as " one of the most valuable documents that had ever been issued from the Port," and added their " testimony as to the manner in which the accounts had been kept, which reflected the highest credit on the secretary." Nevertheless it is impossible to avoid the conclusion that an excess of zeal and ability has occasionally its drawbacks, and I imagine that the official in question went away with a firm resolve never again to attempt to lighten the labours of the Board, and painfully cogitating as to the smallest amount of brain-work which it might be prudent and advisable for him to furnish in future— a sum in exact inverse ratio to that occupying the minds of the C.J.C., namely, how much may be expected for the sum of 13s B^d per diem. The ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the the Exhibition was quite an official and important exhibition, affair ; the usual silver trowel being presented to his Worship the Mayor, and a number of toasts appropriate to the occasion being drunk in champagne. Cordial congratulations and good wishes were offered to the promoters by those members of both Houses who were present, also the Mayor and the representatives of the Domain Board, the Industrial Association and the Chamber of Commerce ; the latter particularly j saying that the commercial world of Canterbury welcomed | the undertaking, and trusted that success, and further, a considerable profit would attend the efforts of Messrs. Joubert and Twopeny. Mr. Twopeny mentioned that the total area of the building is 188,376 square feet, the length being 668 feet, and the breadth 282 feet. The total space under cover is 114,200 square feet, of which 77,400 will be devoted to manufactures, 27,200 to machines in motion, and 960 to art. An open space of 74,176 square feet will also be reserved for implements. Since the commencement of the work fair progress is being made, and it was expected that the greater portion of the frame-work would be up by the end of last week ; the carriage drives have been formed, the metalling is going on, and the artesian wells are sunk. Entries for the (loan) art gallery will be received up to March, but space cannot be guaranteed after February 20th. Messrs. Joubert and Twopeny notify by advertisement that they have placed gratuitously two bays at the disposal of the sub-Committee for the purpose of a Ladies' Court, in which exhibits are invited of fancy needlework, embroidery, lace, paintings on silk and velvet, leather work, fancy picture-frame work, and any other articles of interest in ladies' work. No chargu for space. The Education Board has voted a sum of £10 towards defraying the expenses of a bay for exhibits, tbe bona fide work of boys and girls under 17. This assistance is only for the benefit of those attending the public schools of North Canterbury, though the class is. of course open to all boys and girls, and all information cat be obtained from the Secretary to the Industrial Association. The girls' exhibits are to be plain and fancy needlework, embroidery, crewels, Szc. ; boys' — cabinet-work, models, tceo.hanical contrivances ; both — wood-carving, fretwork, collection of birds (mounted), collection of shells. A telegram has been received from the Governor stating that his Excellency proposes to open tbe Exhibition, and in reply to the invitation of the promoters, the Premier has replied that although it is impossible as yet to say what engagements Ministers may have in April, still they will attend if possible, and that no doubt one or more will do sn. Mr. Joubert is expected to leave Sydney for New Zealand on the 20tb. The entries from the Australian colonies are coming in well, and it is said that the Victorian Court will be specially imposing and interesting, and that the British Court will be a very extensive one.

Seldom are we shocked and horrified by so terribl 6 A terrible a tragedy as that which occurred at West Eyreton tbagedy. (some few miles from Rangiora) last Monday, the 30th ult., when the house of Mr. Henry Simpson, a farmer, was totally destroyed by fire, and his wife and six young children perished. Mr. Simpson had left home at a very early hour, after breakfast, which his wife prepared for him, and was harvesting at Swannanoa, some miles away. Mrs. Simpson about 7 o'clock went with her little brother part of the way to meet tne Kaiapoi train which he wished to catch to go to school. Nothing more is known of poor Mrs. Simpson's movements — whether she went back to bed or not — but between eight and nine o'clock the house was burnt down. Information was sent as quickly as possible by the guard of the return train to the police at Oxford as well as a telegram to 'Kaiapoi where Mr. Simpson's two sisters lived. Mr. Simpson heard* from a lineman that his house was supposed to be on fire, and at once hastened back to find the place a complete wreck, but seeing no traces of his wife and children, he at first thought they had gone elsewhere. The police sergeants from Kaiapoi and Oxford then proC3eded to examine the ashes, and found the bodies of the mother and baby who slept downstairs, and then those of the children who were upstairs, but had fallen almost in one position. The heat of the fire was such that the bodies were so reduced that it was possible to lay them on one sack covered over with another. It is conjectured that the frying-pan which had been used at bre-ikfast may have caused the accident, or perhaps that some fire may have fallen out of the grate, but there is 'eason to believe that all the poor victims were suffocated. It is said that Mr. Simpson's grief " beggared description," as well a 9 it might, and indeed the truest sorrow and sympathy is felt for him. His poor wife was only 26, while the children's ages varied from seven years to three months. The building and furniture were insured for £125. The fact of smallpox having reached this colony, vaccination, as well as three others, has naturally directed many people's thoughts to the subject of vaccination, and on Friday the local journals published a correspondence which has taken place between our Health Officer and Government on the matter. It seems that in September last the Government desired that this officer, who is also Public Vaccinator, should vaccinate all those children attending public schools who were still unvaccinated, and that on receipt of their circular to this effect, Dr. Nedwill took steps to comply with the instructions, but met with such difficulties from the school committees — some of whom believed they had no power to compel the children to bo vaccinated agaiast their parents' wish — that after further letters to the Government, to which no replies were sent, he felt that he could not proceed in the matter, and therefore sent a third letter stating this fact. An answer then arrived saying that, " as the Public Health Act provides no penalties, the children, as school children, cannot be vaccinated, and the Government regret that they are not able to put you in a position to carry out your recommendation." The Health Officer consequently applied to be relieved from his appointment as Public Vaccinator, as he " could not act efficiently unless armed with the authority of Government." Section 164 of the Public Health Act provides " that every child admitted to any school which shall be maintained in whole or in part by grant or from rates, or any public funds, or of any endowments, whether colonial, provincial, municipal or district, shall be vaccinated by a public vaccinator, unless such child shall have been previously vaccinated," and it is difficult to understand why the Government should fail to enforce this clause, especially as the compulsory clause ia the case of infants is strictly carried out. It is not altogether pleasant to reflect on the very large number of public school children who are j known to be still un vaccinated, to say nothing of adults, and then to hear of the approach of that loathsome scourge, the small-pox, in several directions. Those persons who have hitherto objected to vaccination from the human subject— an objection occasionally but too well founded, as I can of my own knowledge testify — now no longer oppose it when an ample supply of the purest lymph can be obtained without difficulty. Only the healthiest calves are selected (inspected by a veterinary surgeon), two or three are vaccinated weekly, and Dr. Hacon supplies the lymph gratis to any medical practitioner desiring it. In some of the surrounding districts considerable varieties, damage has been done by the late nor'-westers, and some of the crops will be reduced several bushels per acre. Some farmers have been harvesting with the aid of lamps, and later on by moonlight, and 1 have heard that a few worked yesterday (Sunday) week, that being a quiet day. As a whole, the crops are not likely to reach anything like the average of last year. — Messrs. Austin and Kirk, of this city, have completed some improvements in the baking and glazing of earthenware pickle jars, a large uumber of which they hive recently manufactured. They have also executed some considerable orders in terra cotta, and have lately improved their appliances for the production of this ware. — The Acclimatisation Society have recommended that the season for coursing and shooting hares shall th's year be extended to five months — viz., from April Ist to August 31st. — A meeting of ladies and gentlemen is to take place at the Convent to-morrow afternoon, | for the purpose of fixing the daie of the forthcoming baaaar, and considering what arrangements can be made towards ensuring its complete success. — St. Leo's High School for boys was re-opened last week, as also the Convent Select School, and the new High I scho >1 for girls was commenced with a large number of pupils, more being still expected. The teaching staff has been augmented by the addition of several Sisters, whom we shall all earnestly wish God speed in their holy work. Christchurch is so thoroughly the centre of many outlying districts where, no doubt, many Catholics reside who have been educated in the old Convent, that I think they may b ■ glad to know that their interest and assistance in the bazaar will 1 be most welcome. Yesterday at Vespers the pariah priest spoke at t some length on the all-impoitant subject of education, pointing out that Catholics must not mind denying themselves in food, in dress

X? £w£ ?' S ° n*° P rovide ' not °° ly for their own children, but for those whose parents were unable to pay for them, the «I ce x l ? P ff . i Ca ™ ollc education ; and made a very earnest appeal on behalf of the schools of the parish,- We can but gratefully recogn l^} he nntinn * efforts made to o ff er the fullest facilities for our children to acquire a high-class education in every sense of the term, S » -™ reß {* c . fc to that «»P«*«d in the " godless "schools, while unlike the poor little ones attending the latter, our children run no SnflJS 1 - 11 !? T ° h^t Of Tv that Priceleßß jewe1 ' their faith - Hiß Lordship the Bishop of the Diocese was expected to be in Timaru yesterdßT#