The Evening Star. MONDAY, MAY 30, 1870.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 121, 30 May 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star. MONDA Y, MAY 30, 1870.

I Lsr view of our present and future I position, there is a necessity for the j introduction of systematic military I education in our schools. It is needJ less to show that it is incumbent on us to make provision for our self-defence. The last English soldier has been withdrawn from our shores, and not all the mournful lamentations of the press and people, nor all the plausible arguments of commissioners, will alter the irrevocable policy of England. The " last penny and the last ship" is a beautiful myth ; and the first general war in which England is engaged will dissolve the illusion. To our own strong arms aod willing hearts we must look for the protection of our hearths and homes; and the man is insane, or a traitor to his country, that would counsel putting off the needful preparation till the day of danger. Our present system of volunteering is necessarily intermittent and unreliable. By the aid of reviews and prizes we may produce a fictitious military feeling ; but the time required in learning military evolutions, and the terrors of the " goose-step," will continue to deter the great body of our young men from joining the ranks of the volunteers. Combined with this, disguise it as we may, there is an odium attached to a position in the rank and file, from associations connected with the common soldier of the British army, which will require many years to obliterate. Drawn from the pariahs of society, recruited from the dissolute and idle, who have been unable or unwilling to earn a livelihood in the struggle of life, the common soldier has been regarded as among the least reputable in society ; while, from the method by which the ranks have been filled, by entrapping the half-intoxi-cated through the agency of flaunting ribbons, and of fife and drum, it has been a part of the parental teaching impressed in childhood, on the great body of the people, to look on military life as a thing to be avoided. It has, besides, been in our religious education to look on war as a horrid thing; and, as a consequence, there is no great nation in modern times in which the martial spirit is so wanting as in English communities. Nor was this blameable in times gone by. With our forefathers war meant invasion, and was a thing of desolation and empty glory. Time and the growth of popular intelligence, have changed all this; non-intervention is becoming the law of nations, and, in an especial manner, is impressed on the mind of the English people, throughout all their communities. In an embryo nation like New Zealand, war cannot mean distant expeditions and invasion; the infusion of a martial spirit can only be associated with the defence of all that is nearest and dearest; and i not only would religion sanction, but it imperatively demands the cultivation of a spirit that can only result in the protection of the weak, and the continuance of peace. There is no reason with ua for tirades against the horrors of war, or against the indulgence of a military spirit; and in our circumstances, it is a duty to infuse that spirit into our children, and teach our rising generation to take a pride in arms. Let us, if we will, go " whining" to the grave, and calling on the mercenaries of England to protect us; but let us not train up our children to " whine" when we are gone; and to continue begging

sympathy for " poor bleeding groan ing New Zealand."

The general introduction of militarydrill into our common schools would be attended with no difficulty. The elementary principles of military evolutions are so simple, that any teacher would quickly learn them; and if necessarily a volunteer himself and attending drill, a teacher could brinw his pupils to a high state of efficiency. It is needless to say that to the boys themselves it would be a delight; and the prospect of a parade on holidays, in presence of their friends and acquaintances, would be a stimulus that none of their other tasks would have. It should be, not a passtime, but a necessary part of school routine; and " reading, writing, arithmetic," and drill, should be the minimum curriculum of a New Zealand education. Moderate prizes, locally raised, and a graduated system of promotion, with, say the son of His Excellency the Governor, as Command-j er-in-Chief of the Juvenile Forces of New Zealand, would undoubtedly infuse the esprit cle corps required ; and such a result would be obtained, thai in course of ten or twelve years, there would be a possible army of thoroughly trained volunteers, that would make the shores of New Zealand a terror to invaders.

As we go to press, our Chamber of Commerce is deliberating on one of the most vital subjects that ever were connected with the porb of Auckland. The question of the port of call for the San Francisco line is approaching a crisis ; our commercial men are awaking to the necessity for prompt action ; to-day they will resolve whether or not a deputation should go to Australia to neutralise the influence of Mr. Collie and the Wellington deputation; to confirm the alliance of Sydney with our intrests, or what h far better, meet the Southern deputation in the Chamber of Commerce in Melbourne, and confront the enemy in his strongest hold. The people of Auckland look to this Chamber of Commerce for defence. We trust the gentlemen who compose that Chamber will realise the dignity and responsibility of their position.

One of the secrets in the enthusiasm ol the people of Wellington just now seems to have escaped notice. It appears that Mr. Collie has brought with him a series of pictures of the trans-American route which has had a powerful effect on the minds of that simple people. Especially a pretty picture that he has of the snow sheds o~er the railway line on the heights of th< .Rocky Mountains has evoked a furore; and the Wellington people think how nice it would be to see such a nice place, and what a nice man Mr. Webb is. Mr. Collie has also a pretty picture of a. vessel, the " Costa Uica," that is not to be on the line, but it's just like another ihatis. What a pity Mr. Batchelderhasnot returned with his new panorama of the trans-American railway scenery. Used in the interests o1 Mr. Hall against it, Mr. Collie and hispictures would be nowhere; vulgarly speaking it would " lick him into fits." A public meeting of the inhabitants of Parnell will be held at the public hall, Parnell, at 8 o'clock to-morrow evening, to receive the report of the deputation appointed to wait upon his Honor the Superintendent with reference to the for mat ion of the beach road, and to consider matters respecting the proposed new Municipal Corporations Act. It is notified that Samuel Allan Wood has filed a declaration of insolvency. A meeting of the creditors of Thomas Hume and Alfred B. Brown is fixed forthr 3rd of June, at noon. Thomas vi acfi'ar lane, Esq., has been appointed provisional trustee in the estates of James Kussell Anderson, and Daniel Orme. Daniel Orme and J. 11. Anderson will apply to pass their last examination on the 23rd June next.

The officers and men of the Auckland Squadron Royal Cavalrj Volunteers are requested to attend a meeting at the Auckland hotel, at eight o'clock tomorrow evening, to take into considera tion the proposal from the Provincial Government for the new rifle ranges ; also the question of the firing for the Government prizes on the 6th proximo. The Acclimatisation Society has received a consignment by the Mary Shepherd in the shape of forty yellowhanimers. We trust that they will not form food for the rooks. A boy in the employ of Mr. Campbell, of Dedwood, very nearly got his brains kicked out yesterday morning. The lad was mounting his horse in Wellesleystreet, when, happening to prick the animal with his spur, she reared and bucked. The saddle shifted on to her flanks, and the boy slipped off over the stern, the horse lashing out viciously with his heels. A number, of persons were watching tne proceedings, expecting every moment to see the boy struck. He escaped, however, quite uninjured. An inquest was held at the British Hotel, Queen street, on Saturday afternoon, upon the body of Edward Coleman, who was found dead in a cutting in Victoria Lane on the previous evening. The jury returned a verdict of " Accidental death," and recommended that the cutting should beatonce filled up, as being a dangerous place after nightfall. Mb. J. Bbown's musical class will complete their first course of instruction this evening, at the Music flail, Symondsstreet. Mr. Brown invites the pupils and their friends and any of the musical public of Auckland to attend in order to observe the result of the past six month's training previous to entering upon a second course of lessons, which will commence on June 4th.

j The Rev. 0. M. Nelson, who arrived! yesterday by the ship Mary Shepherd,|l read prayers in the evening in St. Paul's* Church. The Bishop of Auckland, who! delivered the sermon, intimated that theß rev. gentleman would be inducted into hisjj cure on Sunday next (Whitsunday.) -TheJM Soly Sacrament of the Lord's SupperJ will be administered on that day at 8 a.m.,jß and at noon in St. Paul's Church ; and atffl 3 p.m. the Sacrament of Baptism will be|| celebrated. IS City .Boaed. —The usual fortnightlyl meeting of the City Board of Commission-9 ers has been adjourned till Wednesday! next. j§