The Evening Star. MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1871.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2751, 11 December 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star. MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1871.

It was to be expected that .several members of both Houses of Pailiameut would object to the meeting of the General Assembly in Dunedin, yet a very large majority ol the House of Representatives voted in its favor. The Government, as in duty bound, are taking steps to carry out the wishes of the House to which they are responsible ; and, so far as we know, there is really nothing to prevent it excepting the crotchets of some gentlemen who imagine themselves fettered by a trust. It is not Mr Waterhouse, nor Mr Mantell, nor Dr Buchanan, that we need be afraid of. Ib cannot matter really to those gentlemen whether their oratory is heard in AYellington or Dunedin. The objections they raised were of the flimsiest character. Every word

uttered to prove the reason why the session should not be held in Dunedin, applied with greater force to every other City in the Colony except Wellington, and the greater portion to Wellington itself; and as to the latter City, there arc peculiar and local objections which relate to it alone which outweigh any trilling good of meeting there. We are not therefore surprised that an effort should be made to hold parliamentary sessions elsewhere, where superior advantages can be secured. The reasons why at one time it was desirable that the seat of government should be in Cook’s Straits, no longer exist. ' The altered relations between the Colonists and the Maoris remove all apprehension in regard to them, and telegraphic communication with the North Island annihilates distance. Affairs were different when Auckland was the seat of government. The intcrprovincial trade was very meagre : there were no gold-diggings worth mentioning to give employment to popidation : the Maoris wore mi-

morons and turbulent, and, as a rule, it took as long to | transmit news from Auckland even to Nelson, as to convey it to Sydney or Melbourne. It really matters little where the Parliament meets, so far as the Government are concerned. All they require is accommodation for holding the session, and no place in the Colony has so many public buildings available as Dunedin. The selfevident arrangement is to place the Provincial Council Chambers and University Hall at their disposal. Put here we are met with a diiliculty : the University Council apparently cannot see their way. So we hear. It is really amazing what a rubbing of the eyes is required by some people to clear their vision. They can see their way to turning both Houses into the Masonic Hall, ami, if asked the reason why, they toll us there are two Chambers there, an upper and a lower one, and some nine rooms which may be used as committee rooms; and therefore our professors and students had better remain in the University Hall, because they have class rooms there. The oddest part of the affair is that the University Council fail to perceive that the Masonic Hall or spare rooms in the Custom House are equally available and more suitable for collegiate purposes than for legislative. We do not imagine that the lectures of Professors Sale, Shanp, and Macgiiegor will require the arched and illuminated roof to give them point. So long as the students are made comfortable, and their minds not distracted by outward matters, they will not trouble themselves whether they are studying in the University or Masonic Hall. X, Y, and Z will be the unknown quantities in one place equally with the other; the form of a syllogism will remain unaltered, and the inflections of Greek and Latin words will sound quite as well, no matter where they ai’e uttered. So fur as the University is concerned, we should imagine the greatest ■ injury that could be inflicted

upon it, would be to make it a 1 barrier to holding a Parliament hero. We have looked forward to it as a means of moral, intellectual, and material progress ; we have sacrificed time, ami money to have it established: the University is not a merely ornamental institute for strangers to come and gaze upon, as they do upon the shrines atJcrusalem. It is the coping stone of our educational svstem. We trust it will be carved into elegant and prove that grace can be combined with utility: we look forward almost with longing to catch a glimpse of the dawn of genius that it is not too much to hope will gather light there ; but wo must not forget that, so far as practical education is concerned, the teaching of a Legislative Assembly cannot be excelled. The oratory of the Houses of Legislature is, or ought to be, the reduction of sound theory to practice, liven the clumsiest representative points to something to be avoided, whilst the gifted and educated shew how collegiate training can bo subordinated to human requirements. We sadly need something of the sort in Dunedin, for we cannot compliment our population with having very profound knowledge of the proprieties and courtesies of debate. Viewed in the light in which wo place it, the two institutions afford mutual aid. Shut up in a corner as the Parliament has been for some years, there has been no sympathy between the Government and the large populations. In Otago we have been sadly in the dark as to the measures under consideration. When Hansard reached us, all interest in the discussion had gone. The telegraph gave its curt message, and told of measures past or measures rejected. By extraordinary good luck, some members had their names mentioned as approving or opposing particular Bills, but men refuser/ to wade through long debates, or to make themselves acquainted with the reasons pro or con certain movements, simply because they felt they could not influence them either one way or another. Just in the same way the press has been powerless. Members even make a boast of not making themselves acquainted with public opinion by reading the comments of the papers. Mr Mantjsll “ read very “ little of the press of Wellington.” Some of our Dunedin members never road articles in the papers, because when they receive deserved castigation they pronounce the articles “ scurril- “ ous,” and they arc too refined and pure to have their minds soiled with 1 the pitch of scurrility. What a press, ■ backed by some four or five thousand people divided into petty cliques could not do, the mouth-piece of some twenty thousand, with the accompanying independence of feeling may effect. The members may not road the opinions of the press, but the people do, and some way or other force their views upon a ’ Parliament, which, like a deaf adder, : “ stoppeth its cars.” In every sense, political, social, and educational, it is 1 desirable to hold Parliament here, and ' we only speak the public sentiment when we say that we trust the Council of the University will not throw the slightest impediment in the way.

Telegraphic.—lb is expected that communication with Akaroa will be opened during the present month. Princess Theatre. —There was a very good attendance on .Saturday evening, when a capital programme wrs presented and well received. The new afterpiece, “ Life on the Mississipi,’, was very amusing. Museum. —While in Europe tho Lon. J. Vogel had given to him one of thej .'.dm/ naihi ‘jocchr or Prussian needle guns that had done service at the sieges of Metz and Sedan, and Mis Vogel has handsomely sent it to the Honorable Captain Eraser, for presentation to the Otago Museum. It is not very handsome, in fact it is a rough looking weapon, but evidently admirably adapted for rapid firing, and through the length of the barrel capable of being effective at long ranges. The Waitaki Railway Bridge.— The plan of the Waitaki Bridge is finally decided upon. It is to ho constructed of iron. The iron girders have been ordered, and are already on their way from Homo. The original intention was to construct the bridge on wooden piles, hut it is now decided to use iron instead, and they arc already ordered. The promptitude with which these steps have been taken gives promise of the line from the Waitaki to Oamaru being pushed on vigorously. Treat.— The children of the Benevolent Institution were entertained at a pic" nie at Yauxhall to-day. The little things were driven through .the city, and afterwards conveyed to tho grounds jn one of Cobh’s largo coaches, kindly lent by Messrs Chaplin and Co. At the Gardens they thoroughly enjoyed themselves, every amusement being provided for them by those who had the conduct of the affair. We believe Mr G. Hudson, of Princes street, is entitled to the main credit for giving the little ones this treat. Domestic Servants. ■ —• A rather lively discussion took place in the Auckland Provincial Council recently on a motion for an address to the Superintendent requesting him to send down to tho Council a return of jibe number of female domestics introduced into the Province. In asking that the motion should he withdrawn, the Provincial Secretary said the Government had done all they could to get a supply of female domestics to come to Auckland, but in vain. In the course of his speech a Mr Cadman said there was no wonder why they were not

successful. It was of, i\o use,. sending old fogies on such a mission. Tf young goodlooking fellows were commissioned plenty of good girls could bo got, : New Almanac. —We last week huvsiedly alluded to Messrs Keith and ■Wilkie’s new Almanac for 1572, which v r as received too near the hour of publication of the Evenin' 7 »S 'far to enable us to do more than mention it. We have since then examined its arrangement and contents, and find in it a vast amount of every day information. The chronological notes refer to subjects of interest, the astronomical tables are full and useful to persons in all employments : the gardeners’ calendar is sufficient for amateurs and practical men ; the statistical matter is adapted to common affairs, and the directories are of that useful class suited to business men. It is well arranged and neatly printed, and contains a well ex-j edited map of Otago and Southland. 1 The Brogden Contracts. — A Wanganui paper understands that Mr Brogden has taken offices in Wellington, as well as the largest foundry in the place, and, it is understood, will begin work on the Wellington and Masterton line as soon as arrangements have been made for securing workmen 5 meanwhile the preliminary surveys will bd completed. The Marlborouyh Express of November 29, says : -Among the arrivals by the s.s. Phoebe on Sunday night were Mr Carruthers, Colonial Engineer, and Messrs Brogden and Henderson. It is understood that the object of their visit is to make an inspection of the line, preparatory to Messrs Brogden and Sons tendering (for the work. The Superintendent of iSelson has been summoned to Wellington to meet Mr Brogden respecting the construction of the railway from Greymouth to Brunner coal mine, Coromandel. —The Southern Cross of a recent date says .-—Coromandel is becoming a much livelier place than was the case with it of yore. _ A few nights ago a new hotel was opened with a the landlord providing the edibles, and the visitors supplying their own liquors (of course from the landlord’s bar). Before the night concluded the host had taken nearly L2OO, one digger, heavy in funds, having “shouted L4O iu champagne. He had struck a ‘ • patch, ho said, and, knowing where there was another like it, he intended fun. There was a very large company present, and all expressed their opinion that Coromandel would, iu a very short time, become a running series of “jewellers’ shops,” the like of which would put the Caledonian shareholder s and the holders in all other claims at the Thames to the blush. A newspaper is about to be started at Coromandel. Sudden Death.—Mr James Walsh, blacksmith, died suddenly on Saturday night. It appears that the deceased, who was a steady and apparently healthy man, worked up till live o’clock on Saturday evening. He afterwards had a hearty tea, and did not complain of illness. At about ten o’clock he went from his house to the Plough Inn, on the Cavershara Koad, a very short° distance, and after conversing with a friend for about lifteen minutes, be suddenly gasped, and expired. Heart disease is said to have been the cause of death.—The police to day received information of the death of aip an named John Cato. The deceased had been staying for some time past at Machin’s Hotel, Walker street, and had been ailing during the last week. On Saturday last he went to the Hospital and was prescribed for. Yesterday he felt much hotter, and performed several offices he was accustomed to do about the house ; but not coming down this morning as usual Mr Macliin went to his room, and found him expiring. Dr Cowic was sent for, and prescribed for the man, who died two hours afterwards. To-morrow’s Eclipse.— I The great interest in this eclipse, so far as New Zealand is concerned, will be theoretical, as it seems no part of this Colony will be privileged with a view of it. The lirst obscuration takes place neap Arabia, and is only visible at sea ; total obscuration will then be observable in the south of India, the north extremity of Ceylon, the southern point of (Sumatra, and the most westerly point of Java. Ihe last glimpse that can be obtained of it on term Jinn o will be from the Cape Yoik peninsula, in Australia and Arnhcim’s Land, excepting some small islands of the Polynesian group, in Australia the total obscuration commences about 2.30 in the afternoon, and will last three minutes thirty-live seconds. Many very interesting scientific problems arc dependent for solution upon the accuracy of the observations about to be made. The spectroscope lias revealed so many mysteries relating to the physical constitution of the sun, that confirmation of existing theories and further facts on the subject are earnestly looked forward to. Several groups of independent oilservers ivill be stationed in different parts of the track where the eclipse will be visible, and the record of their observations will be welcomed as important contributions to science.

The University. — Considerable astonishment was manifested when the list of those who gained honors during the last term of tho University was published, without any mention being made of the English class. Some very ill-advised letters appeared in the columns of our contemporary ; but the students, as a body, took the proper course of communicating with their Professor in the first instance, and hying before him their grievance, which, as we arc informed, was that they had not been regarded as regular students of the University, and that no examination had been held in their classes as in all the other classes. To their communication, which partook somewhat of the nature of a memorial, Professor Sale has replied to the effect that the disappointment referred to by the students of his class arose from two causes —one imaginary, the other real. There were no grounds for supposing that although the students had matriculated they were not considered members of the University. This, as r/c are informed, was the real grievance, and we are sure that tjii.s intimation of its non-cxistcncc will be gladly received by the members of the class. As to the second ground of complaint, that the English class of the late session was not intended to be included in the University Course, Professor Sale explains that it was never intended that English should form one of the regular classes for first year students ; and if it had been, the majority of the students would have lost the session (considered as part of a three years’ course), as they had not attended the Greek and Latin classes. The English class was only started this year, because the classical work being light, the Professor volunteered to open an evening class in English, in order to meet a want that was believed to exist in Dunedin and its neighborhood; and to make the

University useful to such as dcsifed tijjh improved themselves in our mother tijugne without proceeding to a degree. Tliebtudents, however, appear to have /regarded their attendance as forming part 6t the first year’s course for regular. students, and the vice-chancellor (through the Profegspr), intimates that the grievance may be overcome by that attendance being reckoned as if. the attendance had been given at the •regularly appointed time, viz , in the second and-third years, and that certificates of attenebn c will he issued in due course. It is also intended to hold an examination at the beginning of next term.