DUNEDIN NOTES.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 140, 16 July 1872, Page 5

DUNEDIN NOTES.

By 0. P. Q. i Otago boys have not distinguished them- ! selves in the recent competition for the New Zealand University scholarships, the whole I of the positions with the exception of four 1 being occupied by competitors from the other provinces, principally from Canterbury and j Nelson. The Otago prize takers are William- ' son, Wilding, Solomon, and Park, who respectively occupy the Bth, 20th, 2Gth, and i 20th places on the list. This is not exactly gratifying to the people of this province, and i leads to speculation as to whether the fault is with the boys or with the curriculum and system of training in vogue at our High School. I certainly incline to the latter belief from conversations with young acquaintances wise have finished their cdu ation at 1 that establishment. Leaving tne Colonial University competition out of the question, the opinmn expressed hy several with whom 1. have spoken is to the effect that much injstruction that would lie valuable to boys en- : taring into commercial pursuits is totally ne--1 gloctcd, and that undue prominence is given Ito subjects which might very well be made subordinate to others calculated to he of j great ;r service tithe pupils. Of course, it : may he said in answer to this that the opinion jof lads should not betaken in preference to | the judgment of the Rector as to what should j and what should not he made the principal | subjects of study; but I contend that the opinions expressed hy intelligent lads, who j are aware of their own deficiencies, are enj titled to considerable weight, and worthy of attention in the proper quarter. 1 feel convinced that lads do not get the amount of injstruetion in their finishing course at the High School of Otago that the status of the school j would warrant us to expect. No doubt the I assert on will be contradicted, but there are ( many facts which lead to the belief that it is i true ; and if cu piiry result fr mi its pnblicatioi , perhaps its truth might be demonstrated. Wo are to have a change in the Episcoj al curacy of All Saints’, Dunedin, caused by the resignation of the Rev. E. 11. Granger, who, 1 believe, is going home. The Rev. U. L. I Stanford, of Tokmnairiro, has been offered I afld has accepted the vacant charge, and will ■ no doubt become as popular in Dunedin as he is in Tokomairiro. The population in the neighbourhood of All Saints' Church lias iu- ’ creased very much within the past few years, i and the pvobahilt’v is that the present church 1 accommodation will ere long he quite inado--1 ejuate to meet the requirements created hy a popular preacher. I The nomination for the Mayora’tv takes place to-morrow, Friday. As yet Mr Fish ! is the only candidate who has come forward, j and it looks as if he were going to have it all j his own way this year. Granted, however, that another candidate does come forward, it ! seems to be the general opinion that Mr Fish | will win the day. L : ke every one else, he has his faults, and cannot satisfactorily reconcile his opinion expressed at previous elections that the office should he a rolling one, with Ids action of to-day in contesting the election for the third time ; bu he has proved himself well qualified to fill the I honourable position to which he again aspires, and has devoted himself to the performance of its onerous duties with unflagging energy and pers -v r.v cc. Among the things urged against Mr Fish, is the present dispute with the ag ‘nt for the proprietor of the Dunedin Gas Works and the Corporation, which is decidedly owing to a mistake of judgment on i the part of the Mayor; and the conduct of the City Council in the matter is generally deprecated, n it .vitlif.tauding that it would j be to the benefit of the public were Mr Lari nach on behalf of Mr Hankey to agree to the I I Corporation’s demands. These demands are . I that in addition to the agreement for light- ; | irg the city lamps, Mr Lavnach shall hind i himself for a stated period to supp’y private ; consumers with gas at the rate of 12s. (id. . | per 1000 feet. Mr Lavnach is quite willing ; j to supply gas at the price wanted, and to coni tract with persons individually for doing so, ■ | hut he objects to the private business of Mr > Hankey being subject to any Corporation ini terfereuee, and quite right too, say the ma- ’ • jority of people. So the matter stands, the , 'Council meanwhile getting extremely nasty, i: and interdicting the gas people from opening , | the footpaths, to lay pipes, Ac., and otheri wise behaving in an obnoxious manner.