LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1495, 18 July 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

llie Government does not propo.se to take any steps towards reorganising the junior cadets until the report of the Education Commission has been received and considered.

Commenting -at the Education Commission yesterday on various suggestions for remedying the existing scarcity of certificated teachers for rural school appointments Mr Oeo. Hogben (Inspector-Gen-oral of schools) .said that he was strongy opposed to the use of uncertificated teachers, lhe better plan would be to increase the number of students in the teachers training colleges, and at the fame timo to let it be, known in England and elsewhere that there was a shortage ot teachers 111 New Zealand. He was distinctly opposed to the importation of teachers, but was not afraid to let the tact that there was-a. shortage be known.

A striking tribute'to the spirit of public generosity possessed by the latjb Nr John Logan Campbell was contained in the remarks of the liev. M". Beattv at a- recent meeting-of the University "College Council- during reference to tlie late gentleman s handsome bequest of ,£20,000 tor the establishment of a Chair of Agricmture. "I heard\from his. own lips," said Mr. Beatty, ''that it was with verv great difficulty that v he was able to rc.lands now. known as Cornwall Park 111 the earlier,days of possession. It was all very well, Mr. Beatty added, for people to give of their abiind T ance, but when Sir John secured theso lands for the purpose of fulfilling a dream to present them' in the future to tfto city tames were hard with him. When he might have relieved his difficulties bv disposing of some -,of these areas, he strenuously clung to them with noble inspiration, and so was able to carry out his cherished scheme. The Rev. j. H, Simmonds inado reference to the- remarkab e foresight exercised by. the late Sir John in tlio .bestowal of his munificence, and other members of the council spoke of the grand characteristics of the departed citizen; ,

A reply to tho criticisms of certain witnesses at the' Education Commission who commented adversely upon, the influence of pictures upon the juvenile mind, was received from Jlr. John I'uller, jun., at yesterday's sitting of the Commission. So far as the entertainment: provided by his own firm was concerned, lie wrote, there was 110 foundation fbr the suggestion that picture shows were harmful to morals, lie pointed out that certain legislation of the London County. Council and of gome of the American States was framed with tho object of preventing children of priwary school-age. from entering places of amusement, sc-lling newspapers, loitering at street corners, etc., after 8 o'clock at night.

At the Dominion Museum last night a lscture was delivored by Mr. C. H. Adams (Government Astronomer), under the auspices of the Wellington Philosophical S'o-,-Ml\ Adams '"ok as his subject Meridian Instruments and Meridian Observations." Ho described the observatories whioh have been established at Cape Town, Sydney, and other places. The lecture was illustrated with diagrams of telescopes and other instruments used at the different observatories.

Councillor Spriggins (Deputy Mayor of Wangaiiui) and Mr. C. P. Brown' (Aromoho Tramway Committee) waited on the Minister for Railways yesterday regarding the level crossing over the railway line rrt Aromoho and an entrance to the Matipo Park. It appeared that the Kailway Department had refused to allow trains to run over the level crossing and tho deputation asked that Government should bear the cost of puttiiir in a sub-way. Tlio.v also asked that the Government should pay half tho cost of a subway entrance to the Matipo Park, to tho amount of about .£IBO, seeing'that the park was now public property. Mr. Herries promised to consult with his Departmental officers regarding both matters. The Deputy-Mayor extended a cordial invitation to Mr. Herries to visit Wanganui Minister said that he would be very. pleased to do so.

The Island Bay School Committee and stuff met their_ newly-appointed headmaster, Mr. C. N. Haslnm, at it wvlcome "socinl" at Cliff House, on Tuesday evening. A hearty welcome was extended to ill'. Haslam. The work uf the-school was mentioned, nnd although the night was a bad one, a very pleasant evening was spent.

A Pet one deputat ion is to interview tho Hon. \\. H. Herries (Minister for Kailways) to-morrow on the subject, of suburban railway facilities and other mutters.

By the last steamer from New Zealand there arrived. Archbishop l?«Uvood, tif Wellington, who came for the pnTnofo ot consecrating ami installing the Rev. Father Blanc to the .See of Tonga (writes Ihe Tongan correspondent of the Auckland "Herald"). A large number of memb;rs of the lionia.il Catholic Church tame from llaabai and Vavau to the ceremony, anil the country districts of this island were also well represented, so there-was _n very large gathering in the church at 'Ifaofiiga 011 .lime 29, when the installation took place. The ceremony was a long and impressive due, and at the close of the lsligious part of th» proceedings an Address of congratulation was presented to HiShop Wane, from the Kuroponn membfr.s of hi? flock, accompanied by a purse of «ivereigns. Most of the week'ha.s been given up to native dances and feasts, and vln> eccA,«ion has bwia a memorable one .to the people

liegnrding the controversy which nroso mil of evidence given before tho Cost of hiving Commivrion about the price of paillin wax, Mr. Manton, of Ihe firm of J'lllis and Manton, called at'J'HK DominionOllice .vP!>lerdny, and produced invoices from Messrs. James Service and Co., ,of ■Melbourne, agents for Ihe Standard Oil Co., in Melbourne, showing Ihnt between I'ebruary, 1910, ami last month, the pricc of piiralli 11 wax lind receded from 2Jd. per lb. to 1 jil. per lb.—Jd. in three years. Mr. Manton states lluil his evidence was based on the invoices for wax his firm had bought during the period mentioned.

A curious discovery was made by workmen at Auckland whilst pulling down a house in Grey Street. When removing the lining of one of Ihe rooms four revolvers were found between the lining' and the weatherboards. They nre in a splendid state of preservation, but some paper underneath them wa.s in pulp, and it was evident that they had been in their hiding place for a number of years. The house was the first to be built in Grey Street, and at one time was occupied by Sir George Grey.

In spite of the inclement weather last evening there was a largo attendance at tho Mission to Sei'unen Institute, when o concert arranged by Mr. T. K. Jones, assjsted by members of tile H.M.S. Pioneer Concert Party, was given. The contributed to the ■ programme, which was thoroughly enjoyed-—Songs, Jlis'ies Ivy Jones, Grapes, I). .Tones, Messrs. J. Trim, Simmonds, A. Watson, Citlverwcll, Koilson, C. Jones. P.O.'s A'uderson, Chambers, and Williams. In the absence of the mission-ei- (Mi-.- J\ S. Shell), who is at piesont in a private hospital, Mr. Gardner presided. Hearty cheers were given nt the close for Mr. Jones and the performers.