TELEGRAMS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2001, 9 February 1907, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

Press Association. r ' WELLINGTON, yesterday. ii The East Coast Native Trust Lands c Board, which consisted of Messrs, t Macfarlane, Harding, and Shrimp- t ton, was extinguished by Act last o session, and Mr. John A. Harding, n of Gisborne, has been appointed p Commissioner for the future control h and management of the Trust. t This morning two men named a Kidd and Johnston, convicted of as- t sault and robbery, were sentenced t respectively to five years and twelve i months’ imprisonment. The assault 1 took place in broad daylight, and e Kidd violently resisted the police. 1 DUNEDIN, yesterday. ) The information charging Perci- ‘ val Commins with falsely pretending to be a doctor of medicine was dis- s missed by Mr. Widdowson, S.M., who ' held that the English cases, Ellis v. Kelly and Carpenter v. Hamilton, . cited by Mr. Hanlon, as well as Hunterv. Clare and Regina v. Baker and Makuna supported defendant s contentioii. ESCAPED PRISONERS. CHRISTCHURCH, last night The two prisoners, Robert McArthy and Steven Maxwell, who escaped from the hard labor gang at Lyttelton yesterday afternoon, were captured near Wedon s, in the Ellesmere district, by Constable Mayne and two warders this afternoon. They were found to be wearing clothing similar to that stolen from the store on Lincoln Road. On being discovered they made ofE across country > each going in a different direction, but eventually surrendered. THE EXHIBITION. CHRISTCHURCH, last night The Exhibition attendance for the week totalled 64,704, making the ag,,rebate to date 1,126,168. MOTOR FATALITY. W AIM ATE, last night. A sad accident occurred here shortly before 9 o’clock this evening. Dr. Barclay was driving in a motor car in which were his son and doctor’s groom aged 18 years, named James O’Connor. Coming down Hill road the car ran into a trap coming in the opposite direction, and threw the three occupants out. The trap shaft struck O’Connnor on the breast and he died a few alter. The men in the trap were not thrown out, and the only damage was the breaking of the end of the shaft. An inquest will be held to-morrow morning. ' BUTTER. AUCKLAND, last night.. For the fortnight ending to-day the Auckland butter shipments total 11 120 boxes, or 278 tons, worth £22'966. The shipment shows an increase' of 53 tons over the corresponding period of last year. WRECK OF A TUGBOAT. AUCKLAND, last night. The tugboat Awarua was totally wrecked near Whangarei Heads on "Wednesday. The steamer had coaled afc Whangarei and went to Kauri Mount for a raft of logs, and when making into shore about half a. mile nffsiie 3 struck an .uncharted rock. A heavy surge was on at the time, and thfnocks penetrated the bottom of vessel, which . soon got full of the Tho tugboat Pelican was deWa tohed by the Devonport Ferry spatched y of tho Awarua, an( [ thHessel was stripped of everything if ME. ThT?K.’”to pdd exhibition

MAORIS AND WHISKY. DR. POMARE’S REQUEST. WELLINGTON, yostorday. Tho tangi and funeral obsequies of tho chief Polm, who died at Parihaka, will probably bo tho largest of tho kind yot hold in tho colony. Dr. Pomaro, tho Native Health Officer, who has gono to Parihaka, has telegraphed to tho Native Minister for permission to have whisky at the tangi in honor of so groat an occasion. Mr. Carroll says his desire is that no Maori should take liquor, and has sent a pleasantly-worded refusal. ALLEGED MURDER, WELLINGTON, yesterday. A single woman named Matilda Morris lias been arrested at Otaki charged with murdering her infant. Morris left tho house she was staying in at Otaki on January 21, taking her month-old baby with her. Sho roturned the same night without tho infant, and in roply to a question explained that her baby had been left with people who would adopt it. The matter was reported to the police, and yesterday Detective Cassells discovered the dead body of tho infant buried in a bush. Tho mother was then arrested. An inquest will bo held this afternoon. WELLINGTON, last night. Matilda Morris, who stands charged with tho murder of her three-weeks’ old son, was brought down from Otaki to-night, and lodged in tho Terraco prison. 4ho magisterial hearing of tho case and tho inquest on tho remains of tho infant wore formally opened and acljournod until Friday and Monday of next week respectively, lho accused woman is well known in the Otaki district. Sho had spent the 26th voar of hoi- life there, and tho father had been a well-known man iu tho settlement. The baby had been missing for a fortnight, and tho mother had given no satisfactory account of what had becomo ot it. At last sho showed a detective the spot in the bush where a little body lay buried. The place of burial was concealed with dead leaves.

PAPAKAIO MYSTERY. OAMARU, last night, The trial of John Findlay was continued to-day before his Honor Judge Williams. The case for the Crown was continued, and concluded about 4 o’clock. Mr Hi Jorring addressed the Court for exactly an hour. Ho set up the theory that the crime was the result of revenge and not robborv, and dealt generally with the evidence. In summing up his Honor drew attention 1 to the objectless and frequent lying of the accused and O’l the subject of the bicycle and the razor left the jury to say whether they were Rennie’s,and whether they had been put where they were respectively found by the accused, the jury must be satisfied that the guilt of the accused was a reasonable conclusion from the circumstances disclosed, and that that guilt was the only rational conclusion. After a retirement) of four hours the jury returned without arriving at a verdict. His Honor asked if there was any prospect of an agreement, or of the minority falling in with the majority. A juryman said tho minority was a small ono. The foreman said he could say for the minority that they were not likely to give way. Ihe jury was accordingly discharged, and after discussion His Honor fixed a new trial for Thursday, 21st, at Oamaru. It is understood that the majority was for conviction. FARM COMPETITIONS. WELLINGTON, last night. The New Zealand Times Company is offering prizes amounting to four hundred pounds for farm competitions. The conditions will be decided after consultation with tho A. and P. Societies and branches of the Farmers’ Unions.

THE LAND BILL. EKETAHUNA, last niglit. At a representative meeting speeches on the Land Bill ivere made by Messrs Cooper and Crewe (Paihiatua) and Mr. Peat (Wanganui) deputed by the Farmers Union, J.he chairman, in opening, said lie thought the townspeople were m sympathy with any effort to upset the Bill. Mr. Cooper said, on behalf of the Union, they were there to voice the opinions of farmers, lhe Minister of Lands spoke of a ladder climb, but it was ready for him. The speaker had experience of climbing the ladder. There was no better system than Mr. Holiest on s land laws for settling the country. bocialists contended that by the treehold they were going to give the unearned increment, but there was no such increment —it was only the result of hard labor. He traversed the theory that the colony was entitled to the increment because of roads and bridge construction. This should not be put on the unimproved value of the land, as settlers paid interest on loans at the ruling rate of interest, which had a direct influence of the value of land. High interest might dejireciate the value of land, and Socialists would not stand any of the loss. He criticised the 999 years lease, and compared it to the 66 years as a worse condition, bettiers went on the land with brains as capital, and under the old land laws made good progress. The lease destroyed credit, and men with only a lease could not get financed. Money lenders would not touch a bo years’ lease. The new title shut out all hope of progress by poor men. A man wanted money to take up land under the Lands for Settlement Act, but should have an opportunity bv brains to make his way. the lease had a tendency -to impoverish the land. He dealt with the capiilisation condition in the cropping istrictions that land must not be npoverislied. It was an impossible mdition. They would get more for le capitalisation of money than re State offered, and would not pay ff on a section under the Jsill, iaking a direct claim to the ummroved value ofl.i.p. land. The State ad previously allowed the option of mure. He contrasted, the o.r.p. nd l.i.p. If freehold were good for ;ie rich man it was equally good tor 16 poor man, and the man who took p under l.i.p. tenure because he ad no money should not be punishd because he was short of capital 'he Farmers’ Union had adopted imitation proposals in Government inds With private lands there -ere difficulties which were imposible. If the Minister for Lands .-anted to distinguish himself let him irevent land speculation, which was ife under the present Act. ihe lyands for Settlement Act was buildng up a huge landlord system. It die Bill became law the limit was ; aid to be £50,000, but the real imit was £15,000, which was what v man could buy up to. The limit destroyed gilt-edge security Banks md financiers would make larger margins, and would increase the interest. There was no security for the mortagagee, who had to sell in two years. The Bill first hit the struggling settler who had to borrow, and the effect would be felt equally by business men m town and workers in the country. He controverted the statement of the Minister that there was no spare land. Eight and a half million acres of first-class native land was only growing noxious weeds; 2,200,000 was leased to capitalists. There was a choice of land tenure, State or Maori landlordism. Expenditure on public works would preclude the country being settled on a £15,000 limit in much of the country. The 1 talked of preparing foi a yellow peril. The colony wanted more men as security, and the best way was to encourage immigration and settlement on the land. He instanced the encouragement given by the Canadian policy of ireeliold. Ecu Zealand gave no encouragement to intending settlers with only a lease The freehold had made the country what it is, and they should b(' ( cautious of changing the tenure Endowments” was a new term foi hind nationalisation. _ The Premier salt it was not nationalisation, but le was doing all he was asked to do by national isers. Having dealt with Crown lands it would apply to leasehold, and then to freehold. It had been proposed to reduce the term of lease to 33 years. It was an attempt to replace the freehold farmer by a tenant who would be reduced to serfdom, with its accompanying vices. Summary of objections eliminating the freehold from the land system impossible foi “poor man to become a farmer ; make the l.i.p. more insecure; no provision for settling native w-aste land, limitation proposals and land nationalisation. The Bill should be placed before the electors through the bal-lot-box. The Minister had foisted the Bill on the country in order to scuttle out of the Land Settlement Act when it should have been put on a firm basis. . . Mr. Crewe instanced the Paliiatua endowment in regard to which the unimproved values put on had swallowed the value of improvements entirely. The same would apply to the Aft vuars lease under the liili. Mr. Peat spoke briefly on the quesfcl°Amotion—“That this meeting consider™ that settlers of the colony S have the option of the freehold, and that no bill was satisfactory which did not embody tins pro posal,” was carried unanimously.

SCHOOL INSPECTORS’ CONFERENCE. IMPORTANT MATTERS. Press Association. WELLINGTON, yesterday. The School Inspectors’ Conference was continued this morning. The general committee recommended amongst othor things, that medical inspection of school children should ho carried out; that centralisation of schools in country districts is highly desirable; that a school Gazette should ho issued by tho Department. The report was considered in eommitoe. It was resolved that lirst aid should bo a compulsory subject in tho examination for teachers certificates. . A deep breathing demonstration was given boforo tho Conference of School Inspectors and Training College Principals yesterday. The Gfiiol Health Officor (Dr. Mason) was present, and briefly statod that the exorcises shown were those which lie had suggested should bo introduced in tho public schools. In his opinion the injury which resulted from many kinds of sports and excessive oxercises was duo in a largo measure to the fact that thoso who had to teach children did not know anything ot tile value of deep breathing. Answerinc a question about the clangoi which some authorities contended went hand-in-hand with deep breathing, Dr. Mason said tho only objection was it was carried too tar. Excessive deep broathing would c 0 1" tainly result in harm, but if projicrly regulated in the case of healthy children tho only risk they ran was that of becoming stronger. ■ Mr. D. J. Cooper, senior inspector of New South Wales, addressed tho School Inspectors’ Conference. tie said his immediate duties had boon connected with the Exhibition, but ho had found time to study at first hand tho position of education in the colony. He know a good deal ot Now Zealand’s system, but .was not prepared for the advanced/state ot things he found, now South 'vales had done a good deal for national education, but they were _ still tai 1 from perfection. They had just pass--1 ed through a period of very severe criticism, and that criticism had done good. To effect improvement had been their chief endeavor, in Christchurch he had had the good fortune to attend a meeting ot teachers, and lie had been very much 1 struck by certain points which were very prominent, lie was quite eonfirmed, from what he had heard, that educational interests entrusted to these people were in very safe hands. To promote tho moral and spiritual welfare of the youth of the 1 colony was the goal which all ap- , peered to aspire to. The general syllabus in New South Wales and ! Now Zealand was much the same. 1 The teacher was the most important ! question to he dealt with. As the : teacher was, so the school would be. ! In New South Wales the pupil teacher was no longer to be recognised. (Hear, hear.) Speaking of Summer Schools in New South Wales, lie said : they were convinced that the teaj chers most deserving of help were ; the country school teachers. By far i the larger proportion of New South Wales schools were situated in the country, and presided over by one teacher. Accordingly it bud been arranged that school crimps for teachers should be held at convenient centres, where they would be .addressed bv tlie Inspector on various subjects. "This liad been productive of great good. Summer Schools had also been liekl in Sydney. By far the greatest effort liad been made, however, with their agricultural college, of which they were very proud. Large numbers of teachers were sent there at periods for instruction, and this also had been productive of great good. In order to acquaint city boys with country life, they had school camps established in the Hunter River country. It’ was generally arranged that they, should, camp on a model farm, the idea being to induce boys to go out and settle in the country. (Applause.) The Conference expressed to Mr. Cooper its cordial thanks for his address. WELLINGTON, last night. The Conference of School Inspectors and Training College Principals was resumed to-day. The business was mostly taken in committee. After consideration in committee ot the general committee’s report, ,t was resolved that the Training College Conference to be held next week be asked to consider favorably giving effect to a proposal to instruct teachers by post for departments certificate examinations; that the scops of examinations in physiology for class D be extended so as to include elementary hygiene; that it is desirable that medical examinations ol school children should be carried out. but the conference is not prepared to indicate the nature or extent of such examination; that 1 the facilities already existing for the formation of school libraries are sufficient to meet requirements; that centralisation or schools in country districts is highly desirable, and that in a number of cases it could be successfully carried

out if regulations for conveyance of the children were made more elastic, and if more liberal allowance were granted ; that general classification in a school shall be determined at the beginning of the year, but it necessary promotion ot individual pupils from class to class may be made at any other time by the bead teacher. The conference fixed a standard for competency certificates by a clause that ‘ ‘generally speaking to satisfy the requirements for a certificate oi competency a candidate should obtain not less than 50 per cent, of the possible aggregate.” . Clauses as to ; ‘proficiency” certificate were alterec to slightly raise the standard. it was resolved that the maximum value of senior scholarship should he raised from £4O to £45At the Inspectors 7 Conference tonight a report from the committee which considered the pupil teacher system was received, and This recommended the total abolition of the present system, the establishment of tho system of education and training of teachers which shall include instruction at secondary 01 district high schools; a period of probation of two years during which practice in teaching shall be parried on concurrently with study; a pourse at a training college; a period of probation as a responsible teacher.

THE EXHIBITION. (By Telegraph Special Service.) CHRISTCHURCH, last night. There was a good attendance at the Exhibition again to-day. Ihe Ngatikuhungunu natives rrom Hawke’s Bay gave their first performance of hakas and pois m the pa this afternoon before a large number of spectators, and made an excellent impression. Thirty men and an unusually large number of women took part in the liakas, which were given with immense energy and enthusiasm. Experts pronounced the performance without doubt the best that has been in the pa. The natives were practically naked except tor their pin pins, amV the front rank especially had been realistically tattooed” for the occasion by Dr, Buck. A party of seven girls danced the poi dance very gracefully. The Bora Mayor of Melbourne was among the (spectators, and was formally welcomed to the Exhibition by the There was a large attendance at the Orchestral concert this afternoon. Arrangements have been made for the orchestra to play in the Concert Hall on Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons next week at intervals between the solo competitions of the band contest. On -Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday afternoons and evenings, the Conceit Hall being disengaged, the orchestra will render programmes of music. Some glowing references were made to the Exhibition at tbe Mayoral banquet last night. Ihe Hon. H. Weedon. Lord Mayor of Melbourne, said it was a credit to New Zealand, and any part of Australia would be proud to share in the honor that would fall upon New Zealand bv reason of the Exhibition. It would be productive of much good to the colony. and even if it cost the colony a fair sum people ought not to grudge it. He would like to congratulate visitors from abroad. He would also' like' to congratulate New Zealand on its own splendid display. The special popularity of two features of the Exhibition is being proved by the inability of the Christchurch citizens even at this early stage to contemplate with equanimity the prospect of losing them at the close of the undertaking. These are the fernerv and aquarium, the tprmer, in regard to which the desire for permanent retention is particu- j lariv shown, is a singularly beautiful resort of 130 species of ferns native of New Zealand. It contains more than SO, and is so arranged With falling streamlets, little cascades, and moss-covered bridges as to resemble a perfectly lovely corner of the natural bush. Probably never before has such a largo proportion of New Zealand ferns been brought together ir public. One or two nikau palms, five species of tree ferns, and a specimen of lancewood add beauty Olid dignity to the collection. Many of the ferns seem to be thriving almost better than in the bush itself.

Njpxfc woelc will bo commenced, a plan of choosing a Saturday evening irogrnmmo for the orchestral concert rom written requests by patrons ot concerts during tho wook, and subjected to ballot on Friday. Tlie programme for to-morrow afternoon s concert will consist entirely of items specially requested, but tho selection has not. boon made in such a systematic manner. Wonderland attracted a large attendance to-night by moans of toboggan races for mixed teams of ladies and gontlomou. Eighteen teams compotod,nnd some oxeiting finishes wore witnessed. Wonderland’s next special foaturo will he a big show of pots and a baby show, which will take placo on March Ist under <tho control of tho Society for tho Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Nino hundred bandsmen will tako part in tho band contest, sfinrting on Monday morning. Thirty bands and four hundred soloists will form tho contestants. The solo competitions will bo hold in tho concert' liall on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and the grand selection and quickstop on tho sports ground on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. A battalion of 3000 school cadets are expected to arrive at tho Exhibition from Dunedin on the loth inst.