Editiorial.

Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 184, 18 January 1878, Page 6

Editiorial.

fiJ^TBX A'L f l of and binding machines ■TS^outito" take place in Canterbury under Slfe/auspices; of the Agricultural and Pas;tbral?Sbciety. -There are" five entries for j^Ke ■competition. I ■; At pi'esent there are in iX^istclmrch three representatives of Jhnerican firms who turn out these |i?i^chinesi:ivWe have repeatedly published of combined .-reapers arid "binders^ 'and "incßcatecl the Great saving f^pf, 'labour/: they effect and their general uiisefiilnesSi We would now suggest that R"the/= Clutha' Agricultural Society should 'take "the "matter into consideration, and representative to the forthcoming -competition. The expense would be but •■;& trifle, and the advantages to the district •of ; a report upon these machines by the deputy might prove very great. Indeed %6* .might probably manage to arrange for -a similar competition in the Clutha. At ♦all events the matter deserves consideration. . '■ .•■Under the,- new Education Act, 1877, <isevr- Zealand is divided into twelve Districts, which are to be •subdivided into numerous School Districts.- r The Otago Education District comprises the Counties of Waitaki, Vincent, Maniototo, Waikouaiti, Taieri, Peninsula, Bruce, Tuapeka, and Clutha, as" described in the Cotmties Act, 187 C, and including all Boroughs therein. The Education Board is to consist of members elected from the different School Districts. We would draw attention to the following -sub-section of clause 13 of the Act : — " 1. Between the Ist and 31st day of January, 1878, each of the Committees in •each District shall transmit to the Board -"ihe names of two persons qualified to be v mbnibers of the Board, their written con'■sent being first obtained, and the Board shall thereupon publicly notify the names >of such persons, and in such notice shall -also, state the day on which the election of ; the Board shall be held, and shall also -transmit to each: Committee the names of persons. The day of election shall ""be some day not later than the 15th of March." . . - : Section 95 provides that the compulsory 'education clauses, "sections 89 to 93 in - • elusive, shall only come into force in any -School District upon the vote of a majority i-of the Committee of such District." - Section 62 states that "all School Disvtricts constituted under, the provisions of : any Ordinance or Act hereby repealed •shall be School Districts for the purposes of this Act until altered, and the persons in office at the time of the coming into : operation of this Act as the Committee of every such District shall continue in office vfcill their successors are elected." • Section 58 — " For every School District "there shall be a School Committee consisting of seven householders, resident within the School District." On a memorial of not less than 10 householders, any locality may be declared a separate School District. Any adult of the age of 21 years — male or female — is qualified to be a member of the Board. School age means any age between 5 and 15. The school is to be kept open five days in each week for at least four hours ■each day. "No school fees are payable by the children, but the Government pay the Board at the rate of L 3 15s a year for each child in average daily attendance at -a public school. (Sec. 8.) By section 89 every child between the -age of 7 and 13 years, resident not more than two miles from a school, must attend -school for at least half the period in each year during which the school is usually open.

.© One. and not the least, of the benefits the country districts will derive from the extension of our railways is improved postal • communication. We believe the authorities have made every reasonable effort to keep up with the progress and necessities of the country .in this respect, but while the opening up of new lines of railway must entail considerable care and trouble in effecting, numerous, nsw arrangements, "it will ultimately be found that through these railways the service, will be much : simplified and facilitated. IJhe districts through which the lilies pass will no doubt receive the lion's share of the advantages referred to, but by timing the runners to districts" at a distance so as to suit the arrival and departure of the trains at the -nearest stations, the inhabitants of these districts Avill also be. accommodated. We ■have no doubt the post office officials will -do everything in their power towards this, •and if people will courteously point out where beneficial alterations can be made, •such suggestions will as soon as possible fbe given effect to if found -to be consistent -with ; the general conduct of the service. "We may point out one case where we think ta'new arrangement is necessary. We refer 3;o Port Molyneux. That district has at •present a^bi-weekly service — on Tuesdays .and Fridays— and we believe a more frequent service is not absolutely necessary .in the meantime. . The runner leaves here Tippn; the arrival of the train at 11 a.m., .and returns to Balclutha at 7 same even,ing,. where the mails are detained till the following morning. By this arrangement -ihe' inhabitants of Port Molyneux and district .have no opportunity of answering letters by the return mail. Supposing one vaegeeives a letter by; the Tuesday's mail he Icm&ot, reply, till Friday, and then the „le^eri!:is ,' ; ;detain^d here till Saturday. . Surely^ a better arrangement than this made. We would suggest that

the same days be adhered to, but that the runner from here remain at Port Molyneux till- the following morning, returning ,ih time to catch the 11.40 a.m: train. By this arrangement a Dunedin correspondent could have a reply in ordinary course from Port Molyneux the following afternoon. This would be a very great convenience to many, and we believe the additional expense would only be trifling. Another . advantage would be that the mail runner would then have sufficient inducement to keep a coach running betYveen Balclutlia and Port Molyneux, as passengers cither way would then proceed right through to their journey's cn,d without the necessity of stopping a night by the way. 'Ipart from the postal service this of itself would be a great convenience, and one the importance of the district fully merits. We commend the matter to the attention of the inhabitants and the Chief Postmaster.