The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER, 12, 1885. Education Act Amendment.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1324, 12 November 1885, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER, 12, 1885. Education Act Amendment.

The Education Act Amendment Act, 1885, which comes into operation on January 31 of next year, is the fruit of the first successful attempt made to amend the measure of 1877. The amending Act touches no vital principle of our education system, the efforts of the sectarians and economists to give effect to their particular views having signally failed, but it makes some signally failed, but it makes some salutary alterations in the routine provisions and administration of the original measure. It has been felt .for sometime, particularly in scattered agricultural districts, that the date fixed for the annual meetings of householders by the present Act —the last Monday in the month of January—-is highly inconvenient. The amending Act provides

that the meetings shall be held on the last Monday in April, certainly a more convenient time. Another useful amendment provides that if a member ot a School Committee be absent without leave during three consecutive months from all meetings of the Committee, except from temporary illness or other cause to be approved of by the Committee, such person shall cease to be a member of the Committee, and his or her office shall thereupon be vacant. Under the present Act extraordinary vacancies in the Committee are filled by the remaining Committeemen. There are several obvious objections to this method, and its abolition would meet with general approval. The Amendment Act sets forth that if by any means the number of members

ot a School Committee be reduced to less than the number required for a quorum, or if fwe_ or more members of any Committee shall signify to the Education Board their desire to be relieved from office, the Board may declare their seats vacant. and may direct an election to be held to fill up the vacancies, and the proceedings in connection with such

election shall be the same as in the case of an annual election. We think the power to fill all vacancies might sately be given to householders, but the amendment we have quoted is in the right direction. The clauses of the Amendment Act bearing upon compulsory attendance are as follows:—(i) Every child required by the said Act tq attend P public school shall attend such i school during at least thirty days in «acb quarterly school term j (a) on the \

hearing of any information or complaint under the said Act for an order to send children or a child to a public school, or for the recovery of a penalty in respect thereof, the onus shall be on the parent or guardian of such children or child of showing that such children or child have or has attended, or are or is attending a public school, in accordance with the requirements of the said Act, or that such children or child are or is exempt from such attendance thereunder.—The importance of these clauses will at once be recognised and appreciated. What are known as the compulsory provisions of the present Act have, by a variety of circumstances, been made ineffective; they have been evaded by scores of parents and children. Any evasion under the amended Act will be the fault of the Committee. We trust that no such fault will exist, but that every Committee in the colony will vigorously enforce these particular clauses of the Act, and obtain the greatest possible results from a system of Education of which we are justly proud.

The following are the principal Ashburton winners at the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association’s Show : Mr J. Bonifant, Leicester sheep, one first and medal, one second; Messrs Dudley and Korthey, Hampshire-down sheep, four firsts, four seconds, two medals; Mr J. Grigg, crossbred sheep, one first; Mr Leonard White, fat sheep, twu firsts ; Acton Estate, twenty sheep suitable for frozen meat trade, first and cup valued 20 guineas ; Mr 0. J Hawdon, pair of carriage horses, second ; Mr J. Grigg, hackney entire horse, first; Mr J. 0 N. Grigg, hunter, first; Mr J. Grigg, Berkshire pigs, one first. Another gentleman solicitous for public morals is in trouble. The Rev Seth Smitn of .Oamaru was committed for trial at the Oamaru RM. Court this morning on a charge of criminal libel. Particulars are given in our telegrams. The interpcofincial draught match, Otago v Canterbury, was played in Christchurch yesterday, and resulted as follows: —Canterbury won 13, Otago won 7, draws 18. Several of Otago’s best players were absent. Mr W. Hood, of Mount Somers, one of the Canterbury representatives, won 3 games, lost 0, drawl; Mr A. Craig bead won 0, lost 2, drew 4 The Mosgiel Woollen Factory Company’s annual report states that the net result does not show so large a profit as last year. After making allowance for depreciation of plant and for dividend paid for the halfyear, the profit and loss account shows an available balance of L 6,890. It is proposed to pay a dividend of 10 per ceut for the half-year, add L 2,000 to reserve, b 1,000 to suspense account, and carry forward the rest. Dr James Taylor, a gentleman of high scientific attainments, recently arrived from London, is now on a visit to Wellington. He takes great interest in our mining operations, and will probably visit all the mining centres, with the view of noting gold and other mining operations in the colony. On Tuesday he had an interview with the Miniates of Mines, who strongly recommended him to visit the West Coast and other mining districts. The sword bayonet competition last night at the Christchurch Volunteer Baziar, resulted in a win for the Sydenham Rifles with >34 points. The Ashburton Rifles were a good second with 131 points. The Christchurch City Guards made 116, and the Christchurch Rifles and Canterbury Scottish 114 each. The Sydenham Rifles team were arrayed in their -new uniforms just received from a Lon don military tailor, and were no doubt to some extent indebted to that fact for their victory, as points were awarded for superiority in clothing. In the carbine oompe tition, E Battery (Christchurch) was first with 131 points. College Cadets second with 129, O Battery ( imam) 128, High School Cadets 93 Colonel Bailey acted as judge, though the terms and conditions specified that there should be three judges. The Daily News hag published an account of an interview with Lord Harris on English and Australian cricket, in the course of which lie gave the following opinion of Spofforth, the “ Damon ” bowler :—“ He can bowl as fast as anybody when he likes, and after a few slowish balls will dash in one like a cannon shot to catch the batsman unawares. He is a magnificent bowler, of course, with perfect mastery of spin and direction, making the ball break as he likes; but his great success was, I think, due to the fact that he, in cricket parlance, “ bowls with his head.” Spofforth has wonderful power over the ball in putting on break, chiefly from the off—he never works much from leg.”

Mr M. Digby's greyhound Abercorn took first prize at the Christchurch Dog Show.

Mrs Ingalls aaya that “ Woman la a silent power in the laud.” Th t will be news to thousands of husbands 1 The Rangitata Road Board iuvita tenders for road formation. At the A. and P. Association luncheon yesterday, reference was nude to one or two matters which deserve attention. It is satisfactory to learn from Mr Brydone’s remarks that the Southern breeders in-

tond to take part in our shows as heretofore. Their action in this respect will no doubt be cordially appreciated by the people of this part of the colony, and no doubt the reciprocity stipulated for by Mr Brydone will be forthcoming. The other point was the protection spaeoh of Mr John Ollivier, whose remarks, by the way, were received rather coldly by his bearers, and met with vigorous and prompt refutation at the hands of Mr John Grigg.— Press.

Up to a late hour last night Government nad received no information of the native outrage at Lake Tarawera. The Native Minister returns to Welling too in the Hinemoa, which leaves Auckland to-night. The Minister of Public Works leaves Wellington for the B"uth in a few days, on| udneas connected with hia department. Hia absence »i,i not be lengthened, and on his return he goes north on matters referring to the Rotorua railway. Major Jervois, who succeeds Mr Pen* nefatlier aa private secretary u> the Governor, will shortly arrive in Wellington. It is understood that, though his services in defence matters will be available, they will be purely honorary. No matter what your feeling or ailments— Americ m Co.’s Hop Bitters will do you good. Prove it and see

Indigestion and Liver Complaints.—For these complaints Baxter’s Compound Quinine Pills have proved a specific, acting powerfully on the liver and mildly on the stomach. Sold everywhere, or post free from J. Baxter Chemist. Christchurch, for io (w 44 stamps.

Holloways Pilus.—Nervous Debility— No part of the human machine requires more watching than the nervous system—upon it hangs health and life itself. These pills are the best regulators and strengthened of the nerves, and the safest general purifiers. Nausea, headache, giddiness, numbness, and mental apathy yield to them. They dispatch in a summary manner those distressing dyspeptic symptoms, stomachic pains, fulness at the pit of the stomach, abdominal distension, and overcome both capricious appetites and confined bowels—tne commonly accompanying signs of defective or deranged nervous power. Holloway’s Pills are particularly recommended to persons of studious and sedentary habits, who gradually sink into a nervous and debilitated state, unless some such restorative be occa sionaliy taken.— s A^vt.}

TheCaorerbary Derby this after?* .on w«s won by the Hon W. Keev -s’- St.ooeyhurst The fcllow'mj are previous “'toner.? T ?!.e Derby :—lB .9 t?ia; 186 *. ' tt<>; 1861 Emmeline; 1862, z 1 "i> * i 1863 • •pe a ; 1864, Bgr> m ?it; .1865, Nebula; 1866, Soamlal; 1867, Flymr Jib; 1868, Manuk v; 1869, Malabar; I*7o, Envy ; 1871, Defa m»? on ; 1872, Cam nny ; 1*73, Pai a?ia ; 1874, Tabm ir ; 1876, Daniel D’Roun?.! ; 1876, Sonaater; 1877. Trump Card; I*7B. Nwtator; 879 H mhy; 1880, Sir Modn d; 1881 The Dauphin; 1882, Ohevio'; (883, Oudeis; 1884, Black Kose A special train, conveying a number of

passengers and stock from the Christchurch show, passed Ashburton at an . early hour this morning. ’ The usual weekly meeting of the Star of the East Lodge, No 62, I 0.G.T., was held last evening a- the Orange Hall. The attendance was small, and the business transacted of the usual routine character. he London correspondent of the Dunedin Star writes The young Earl of Dudley is abont to visit Australia and New Zealand. His newly fitted steam

yacht Marchesa left Southampton the other day for Bio, where Lord Dudley and his ancle (Mr Moncrieff) will join her, thence proceeding to a New Zealand port via the Strait of Magellan. The young Earl inherits to the full his mother’s splendid beauty and his father’s fine physique. He will be one of the handsomest, as well as one of the richest, peers in England when he comes of age eighteen months hence, and, needless to say. a great “matrimonial catch.” Colonial beauties are, however, warned that at present bis Lordship is very carefully “ shepherded ” by bio uncle and governor < v tutor.

A lecturer discoursing on the subject of health, inquired, “ What use can a man make of his time while waiting for a doctor 1” “He can make his will!” some one in the audience called out. A concert in aid of the Convent Schools will be given in the Town Ball on Wed. nesday next. Musical arrangements under the direction of Mr >idney Wolf. “ There are good and bad points about this coffee/' said the boarder in a judicial tone. “ The good point is that there is no chicory in it; the bad, that there is no coffee in it. ”

On Tuesday last a team of the Ashburton 0.0. met an eleven of the Addington 0.0. on the ground of the latter. The match resulted in a win for Ashburton by 11 runs on the first innings, the scores being Addington 76 and 81, Ashburton 87 and 45 for 4 wickets, Messrs O. Andrews 28, Orawshaw 18, Makoig 17, and Wilding 11 were the principal scorers; for Ashburton. The bowling honors were evenly divided between Messrs Wilding and Fleming. In the second innings the latter took nine wickets. At a meeting of the New Zealand Native Land Settlement Company, the. Hon Dr Pollen presiding (held in Auckland yesterday), the report showed a land transfer title had been obtained during the year for 421,062 acres, valued at L44,7t>9, while other valuable properties had been gazetted for the issue of titles at short date. The value to credit of profit and loss has increased during the year from L 20.978 to L 111,577. Mr Rees’s shares

held as security had been forfeited or sold The expenses of management showed a reduction of LI 500. The value of properties stood at L 266.983. Messrs DeLautour, Buchanan, M Donald, Wi Pere, Buddie, and Heoara Bum. were elected Directors. The Chairman said the whole business of the Directors would be to wind up the Company in the easiest and best way possible.

A writer in the London Times calls attention to the very remarkable manner in which General Graham’s recommendations for promotion have been revised by Lord Wolseley. Lord Wolseley was the nominal comman er of the Suakim as well as of the Nile expedition But be

never personally directed the operations of General Graham’s force ; bis whole stay on shore at Suakitn may be measured by hours, and hi* visit to Tambook lasted ten minutes. Daring the active operations he was 2,000 rules away. Yet

when General Graham reported on the conduct of the officers and men under

him, Lord Wolseley undertook to revise his judgments General Graham mentioned over 170 names. Lord Wolseley has cut them down to sixty But this Is not all. Not only have names mentioned oy the general who was present been struct- out by the general who was absent, but names passed over by General Graham have been inserted by Lo'd Wolseley. Not only individuals, but regiments are affected by the changes. In the defencer of McNeill’s zareebi the Berkshire ment and the Marines especially distinguished themselves. Lord Wolseley names but two officers and two non commissioned officers of the former regiment, and omits all the three officers and six non-commissioned officers of the latter' commended by Graham Six of the signalling staff were recommended by their own general, but Lord Wolseley passed them all over. Aoo onel of the engineers in Graham’s array, who greatly distinguished himself, and was spoken warmly of by his superiors, received very scant praise from the commander of the Nile expe lition, while his junior was made a K. 0.8.

“ German Syrup.” —No other medicine n he world was ever given such a 1 test of iterative qualities as Boschee’s German Syrup. In three years two million four hundred thous 3vad small bottles of this medicine were distributed free of charge by Druggists in the United States of America to those afflicted with

Consumption, Asthma, Croup, severe Coughs. Pneumonia and other diseases of the throat and lungs, giving the afflicted undeniable proof that German Syrup will cure them. The result has been that Druggists in every town nd vllage in civilised countries are recommending it to their customers. Go to your Druggist and ask what they know about it. Sample Bottles 6d. Regular size 3s. 6d. Three nses wil reliew** anv rase.—-f Anv;,'