The Daily Telegraph. THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 1881.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3116, 23 June 1881, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 1881.

The Right Reverend tbe Bishop of Waiapu has published a denial of tbe statement made on bis behalf that he is in favor of the denominational system of education. A careful perusal of his letter haa failed, however, to convince us that he is not in favor of the denominational system. As known to its supporters the system comprehends the liberty to any one to open a school, and, by placing it under Government inspection as regards the secular branches of instruction, to receive a capitation allowance. This is tbe denominational system pure and simple, and such as the Roman Catholic section of the community has alone demanded as a common measure of justice. The Bishop of Waiapu says, in regard to this system, "I should not be afraid of abuses springing up in a system of grants in aid to schools under State inspection. And, if abuses can be guarded against, then surely we are strong enough to be just. Similarly, if any other religious denomination, Christian or non-Cnristiao, is in a position to maintain an efficient school with aid granted on tbe like principle, I should regard it as an excellence and not a defect in our national system of education, were it elastic enough to include such exceptional cases." How, then, the Bishop can reconcile the above sentiments with the positive statement at the commencement of bis letter, we are at a loss to conceive. He starts by saying, "I am not in favor of the denominational system, believing it to be simply impracticable as the basis of any system of national education in this colony." And then he goes on to say that be is in favor of any Christian, or non-Christian denomination capable of supporting an efficient school receiving a government grant for its support. But as though this were not contradictory enough the Bishop follows it op by saying--" But, I repeat, for the mass of the population denominational school, are simply impracticable, and therefore I, for one, am not in favor of any measure which would weaken the schools as now organised on a common national basis." What, we would aßk, is meant by " the mass of the population" for whom denominational schools are impracticable ? Are we to understand that denominational schools are only fitted for the children of wealthy parents, and that the religious teaching of the children of the masses is of no importance ? Or if of importance, a few verses out of the Bible gabbled by a secular teacher at the opening of the school would be quite sufficient ? We can imagine nothing more highly .alculated to weaken our national system of education, which the Bishop so much admires, than to graft upon it excrescences such as he suggests. If we understand him aright, he would divest the system, or rather the portion of it which be thinks good enough for the masses, of "its avowedly secular character," and give capitation grants in aid to denominational schools on a system of payment by results. The two systems could never be mado to run vigorously side by

side ; either one or the other would kill its colleague, or else both would lineer out a useless existence as regards any national scheme of education. The Bishop of Waiapu has taken immense pains to show that he is not in favor of secular education, and has gone to almost equal trouble to prove that he would support a denominational system.

The Wellington correspondent of the Christchurch Press writes as follows to that journal:—There is much comment on the action of Sir Arthur Gordon in appending to his despatch to the Secretary of State announcing Mr Bryce's resignation a copy of a telegram to the New Zealand Herald from its Wellington special correspondent, giving tbe current rumors as to the cause of Mr Bryce's resignation. The general feeling is strongly sympathic with Mr Bryce in his indignant protest against the unfairness of his treatment. His words have been construed in some quarters to mean that the great reason for his resignation had not even yet been fully stated. This, ho.vever, I understand to be incorrect; what he really meant being that the statement originally circulated was not his statement at all, and, moreover, was aot in its original form strictly accurate, as it failed to mention Hiroki's arrest as the initial move in his scheme. The Post says :—" The affair is a very curious one. We are quite at a loss to understand his Excellency's introduction of a newspaper correspondent's mere guesses and gossip into a State paper, thus giving them the imprimatur of official authority. It is the more odd when we recollect the extreme severity of Sir Arthur Gordon's strictures on the late intercolonial conference for reprinting the article of tbe ' Vagabond' on the South Sea mattert. We can discover no real difference between the conduct of the conference in reproducing the 'Vagabond's' articles aud that of his Excellency in sending Home as an official explanation of the resignation of one of his Ministers, what does not itself profess to be more than a Wellington special's irresponsible gossip about a passing event. If anything, the latter seems to us the more inexplicable and leas justifiable of the two."

The Married Woman's Property Protection Bill, introduced in (he Legislative Council by Mr Waterhouse, is just cir-1 culated. It proceeds on different line** from tbe Act passed last session; th&provided mainly for the case of womea who are deserted or cruelly treated their husbands, or whose husbands are either openly unfaithful or habitus! drunkards. The new Bill further provides that a married woman may acquire, hold and dispose of property without tbe intervention of a trustee ; may sue and be sued and be subject to the bankruptcy laws if she carry oa a separate trade. A woman married after the passing of the Act may hold as her separate property any owned by her at tbe time of her marriage or subsequently acquired, and women married before the Act may hold property acquired after the passing of the Act. A husband is not to be liable for his wife's debts contracted before marriage, except to the extent of the property acquired through her. Disputes between husband aud wife as to property may be summarily settled by a Judge of the Supreme Court. Nothing in the Act is to affect existing matrimonial settlements or the power of making future settlements.

Messrs H. Monteith and do. aold to-day the Exchange Hotel, Havelook, to Messrs Neal and Close for the sum of £1510. At the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning J. 0. Miller was charged with drunkenness, and fined 5s and costs or 48 hours. Mr Gilpin's name was inadvertently omitted in our notice yesterday of the concert to he given this evening in St. John's schoolroom. Mr Gilpin is one of our best amateur vocalist.. We were in error in stating that William Sutherland lost his life on Sunday night, after leaving Simpson's hotel. The accident, as it will be seen from our report of the inquest, occurred on Saturday night. Mr Simpson's hotel was closed throughout the whole of Sunday.

Sir Julius Vogel, in a letter to the secretary to the Otago Museum, says a high authority has told him that diamonds are certain to be found in New Zealand. Sir Julius has forwarded a Cape diamond, embedded in clay, to the Museum, and would be glad if it could be exhibited on the New Zealand goldfields.

We hear that Sutherland, who met with his fatal acoident on Saturday, leaves his wife and family unprovided for. The deceased had insured his life for £300 some two years ago, but had foolishly allowed his policy to lapse. Those who were dependent upon him are now left destitute, the widow being in a dangerous condition in the Hospital.

The Wellington Chamber of Commerce has passed the following resolution:—"That this Chamber is desirious of bringing under the notice of the Government the desirability of introducing the decimal system of weights and measures, and that the Government be urged to pave the way by usingthe cental or 1001b in Government contracts, in railway carriage, and in Customs returns."

At the half-yearly meeting of St. John. Branch, No. 93, H.A.C.8.H., last night, the following officers were duly elected and installed for the ensuing term .-—President, Bro. F. Malcon; Vice-President, Bro. T. M'Carthy; Secretary, Bro. J. M. St. ('lair (re-elected); Treasurer, Bro. J. Mahony (re-elected), Warden, Bro. T. Hayden ; Guardian, Bro. C. M'Carthy ; Sick Visitors, Bros. D. O'Donoghue and J. Sullivan.

At 3 a.m. to-day a fire took place in tho cottage of Mr Neil Thompson, _ Taradale, and in a very short time the building wan totally consumed. The house at the time, was only occupied by Mrs Thompson and her children, her husband being absent on his property at Woodville. Little or nothing was saved, Mrs Thompson and her children having had great difficulty in escaping with their lives. We believe the house was uninsured, and in its destruction the family has suffered the loss of many years' labor. Mr G. Rymer, on hearing of the fire, at once offered to place one of his cottages at the disposal of tho houseless family, and the Rev. Mr Spear will be glad to receive articles of clothing or money for the relief of the immediate necessities of the wife and children.

Tbe football match arranged for next Saturday, Banks and Law v. the Club, should, weather permitting, prove a very good match. The following are the names of the respective teams:—Banks: Messrs Arrow, Black, Cato, Gibbons, Begg, Humphries, Mombray, Moyniehan, Parker, Ormond, Rich, Tabuteau, Thompson, Waterhouse, Westeura, Hanna, A. J. Cotterill, Clarke, and Hunter. The Club will be represented by Messrs Bogle, Chapman, Edwards, Gillies, Gracie, Ingpen, Kennedy C, Kennedy A., Hovell, St. Hill, Pram, Levison, Miller, Sidey, L. Newton, Weber, Vautier, Whitcombe, Barclay, J. A. Smith, Davies, and Tilley. The bank team are requested to wear white jerseys. Play will commence at half-past two. Wo aro informed that the chains round Clive Square are going to be removed.

From enquiries made we have learned that the intended alterations at the Hastings railway station are only alterations in name only, as the extra accommodation that will be given will be scaroely worth mentioning or doing. With but very little out-

lay, and which is quite warranted by tha traffic there, the public oould be sheltered from the weather, and facilities given for the carrying on the work of the several offices of station master, post and telegraph offices, pavings bank, Government life assurance, and the hundred and one duties now to be performed in the miserable excu.S for an office at Hastings railway stationIt was only the other day we heard of the contents of a telegraphic message beingtold to the sender of the same by a person, an ex-operator, outside one of these country telegraph stations. This should not be, and we hope before the alterations above referred to are made something better will be done than is at present contemplated.

Yesteiday the sub-committee appointed by the Taradale Ploughing Match Society inspected the dif.ere.nt places at the dia* posal of the society for the ensuing tha-cn j which takes place on Wednesday next, the 29th. inst. The committee, consisting 1 of Messrs Rymer, Graham, and W. Heslop, chose the paddock offered by Mr Kirkham as the one most suitable for the match. Ifc is in splendid condition for ploughing; the late rain hao made the ground in this paddock all that could be wished for by all interested in the coming matoh. It might be just as well to mention for the information of intending visitor, that the ground is situated a little below the English Church, and not far from Messrs Gilberd and Anderson's nursery. As the prizes for the various classes are all substantial ones, and the paddock about ohe of the best in the province for a ploughing match, the number of Competitors should be ef_ual if not more than at any previous matoh that has taken place iv the district. The society owes a great deal of its success to the tradespeople of Napier for the very liberal manner in which they have come forward at all times in giving special prizes to be competed for.

The monthly inspection of the Napier Rifle Volunteers took place last evening and at the close of the inspection the prizes wo_t at the recent rifle competition were presented by Captain Batham. Sergt., Redward received the medal value £2 2s, and officer! silver oup, value £15 15s j Private Newton, the Company's silver cup, value £? ?s { Sergeant W. Duncan, Mr Wall's silver oup,. value £5 5s ; Private Ho veil, non-commis-sioned officers' plate; Private Beck, silver biscuit basket presented by a member, value £2 10s; Private Wilson, Mr Craig's, field glass, value £2 10s. Private Cato received a vote of thanks for the interest he bad taken in the matches. The donors of prizes were also thanked. The drill instructor, Sergeant Nelson, was presented with £5 in recognition of his services during the firing, and his services to the company generally. Captain Batham then referred to the want of interest displayed by the members of the company, non-attendance at., drill, and general unsatisfactory state of the company. He said this must either arise from the unpopularity of the officers, or from a feeling that they were incompetent. Under the circumstances they felt it their duty to resign their commissions, retaining their positions until others were appointed to fill them.

Grand concert in St. John's school-room to-night at 8.

Pigeon match at Petane to-morrow. Coaches leave Peddie's hotel at 9 a.m.

Messrs Banner and Liddle will sell tomorrow, furniture, &c, at II a.m.

Messrs Miller and Potts will sell to* morrow, at Kaikora, 50,000 feet of timber, at 1 p.m.

Messrs Neal and Close, in view of alterations in their premises, offer a large variety of goods at reduced prices. Messrs Monteith and Co. will sell on Saturday next horses and produce, and on the 29th inst. 40 head of mixed cattle.

Tenders are required for two miles of embankment on the Clive Grange estate.

Messrs Cross and Smyth have been appointed agents for the Royal Insurance Company. Tenders are invited for different descriptions of work for the Borough of Napier, and the time for receiving tenders for works in Waghorne-street is extended to the 4th of January.

A list of subscriptions to the Napier Hospital is advertised.

A number of new advertisements will be found in our " Wanted" column.