BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 190, 18 January 1875, Page 4

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

BATUBDAY, JANUARV 16. The weekly meeting of the Board of Education was held on Saturday. Present— Messrs Inglis (chairman), A. Duncan, G. Gould, and A. C. Knight. LYTTELTON. A letter was read from the borough school committee, requesting the presence of the members of the Board at the picnic and opening of the new schools. CLASSIFICATION OF TEACHERS. A letter was read from the Board of Examiners, stating that they had classed Mr Wyke Smith in the second class, Miss Anderson in the second class, and Mr Camfield in the third class, the grade in each class to be decided on further evidence as to ability, Ice. The Board agreed to sanction the classification, as recommended by the Board of Examiners. EAST CHRISTCHURCH. A letter was read from the local committee asking that Mrs Langbridge might be appointed as assistant mistress at St Luke's School temporarily, at £6O per annum. The secretary was requested to state that Miss Perry, a mistress from home, was out of employment, and recommending her as assistant mistress. A letter was read from the same committee, asking for a grant of £3O for asphalting round the Barbadoes street school. The Board agreed to grant the request. LYTTELTOJJ. A letter was read from the Borough committee, reiterating their request to be allowed to lay down crown cork carpeting in the committee room, which would also be used aa a reception room. The secretary was instructed to recommend the committee to use cocoa nut fibre matting. ASHBURTON. A telegram was received from the chairman of committee, stating that Mr Rankin's tender had been withdrawn. The Board resolved that the committee should be requested to call for fresh tenders. BINGSLAND; A letter was read from the committee, forwarding plans and estimates for additions to the school, recommending the acceptance of Mr Gobs' tender at a cost of £677. The Board decided that the chairman of the Board wait upon the chairman of the committee, pointing out to him that at the time the Board granted the request for more accommodation, there was no other school able to be obtained in the district, but that Since the committee had opened St Luke's schoolroom, and also that the Bingsland school was intended by the Board as a side school, and subsidiary to the main schools. OUST. A letter was read from the Oust school committee, pointing out the necessity of some arrangement being made, by which the Tote of the Provincial Council might be authorised to purchase a site and commence the work. It was decided to recommend the case for approval by the Government. TIM ARC A letter was read from the committee reSecting the overdraft at the Union Bank. iss Anderson was recommended as infant schoolmistress there. The Board agreed to sanction the appointment. The various works required by the committee were put upon the estimates, except the grant for the janitor's cottage. SUMNER. A letter was read from several residents in the district, requesting the Board to take steps for the proclamation of the district. They required the sum of £IOOO put upon the estimates for the erection of echool buildings at Sumner. They had received the offer of an acre of land in the township of Wakefield. The Board decided to recommend the Government to place the sum of £6OO on the estimates for the purpose of erecting the buildings, &c. The boundaries of the district as submitted were approved. IRWELL. A letter was received from the local school committee asking that a rate might be struck to produce £IOO for school buildings, &c. The Board decided to levy the rate in ten days. It was also resolved to sanction the committee's advertising for tenders upon the land being duly conveyed to the Superintendent. WAIKARI. A letter was read from the committee, asking for a rate to be struck for the school buildings, &c. The Board granted the request. MOUNT SOMERS. A letter was read from the local committee, stating that they wished to proceed with the erection of a schoolhouse as soon as possible. They had £IOO subscribed, and a site of one acre promised for the purpose near Bucoleuch. The committee asked the sanction of the Board to the site named, and also the grant of the usual sum in aid. The Board decided to recommend the Government to place the necessary amount on the estimates, and also approved of the Ute. FERNSIDE. A letter was read from the local committee recommending the appointment of an assistant mistress in room of the sewing mistress and pupil teacher. The Board agreed to the appointment being made. LOBURN; A letter was read from the local committee complaining of the overcrowded state of the school, and recommending additions to the present buildings. The Board agreed to sanction the erection of an additional class-room, the committee to submit plans and specifications. Several small improvements at the master's house, at a cost of £2O, were agreed to. After the disposal of a large amount of Tontine business, the Board adjourned. The Sydney Morning Herald says:—The mails hence per Macgregor, 24th October last, were delivered in London on the 16th instant, being the fifty-second day after dispatch, while those which left here via Brindisi on the first November, eight days later than the Macgregor, arrived on the 19th. Notwithstanding that the Macgregor is one of the slowest boats used in the service, it will be seen that the mails via San Franisco were conveyed to London in only four days longer time than those via Brindisi. while the time occupied via Southampton would be four or five days more than via San Franoisco. This speaks well for the Ame* Ifera root*

CANTERBURY TALES. JOTTINGS OF THE EARLY DAYS OF canterbury. By an " Old Colonist." (From the Press.) Arriving in Lytteltonthelatterpartof 1849, I had the advantage of witnessing the laying of the foundations, as it were, of the Canterbury settlement. Nearly a quarter of a century has elapsed since that eventful period, and as there was much that was interesting, novel, and occasionally humorous incidental to the first planting of a new settlement occurring around me, I have endeavoured to recall and chronicle some of the waifs and strays that may still possess a local interest for the whilom actors therein. Captain Thomas, who had been deputed to select the site of the Port Town and Inland City, and to make certain preparations for the reception of the settlers, was a man eminently fitted for the duty assigned him. At the time referred to, he had about 100 Maories (brought from the North Island) and from sixty to seventy Europeans—carpenters, laborers, and navvies—actively employed in and about Lyttelton, erecting barracks, road making, &c, and otherwise endeavouring to improve the naturally rugged and unprepossessing appearance of the site chosen for the Port Town of Lyttelton. Several parties of surveyors were at the same time engaged making a trigonometrical survey of the Plains, and mapping out the future City of Christchurch and its suburbs. Sometime in April, 1850, Mr Godly arrived in the Lady Nugent, His fiat went forth, and this busy scene of industry was suddenly changed; his mission was to stop all expenditure until further orders, as at the time of his leaving England there were serious doubts whether the Canterbury Association would be enabled to launch their scheme or not. Mr Godley then re-embarked in the Lady Nugent, and continued his voyage to Wellington. Immediately after his departure arrangements were made for re-conveying to Wellington those Maories who desired to return, according to stipulations made at the time of their engagement, and nearly all availed themselves of the opportunity. Captain Thomas was very much disconcerted at his labours being brought to such a sudden standstill, particularly as he had just commenced cutting through a high bank, in order to form a roadway connecting Oxford and Canterbury streets, now known as Norwich Quay. Having a great desire to see this work completed, he made arrangements for achieving this object that we should be disposed to consider rather unique at the present time. He assembled the men, told them his position and wishes. He said he had neither cash nor credit, but that there was a considerable stock of nails, paint, tar, linseed oil, tools, and lumber of various kinds, which he was prepared to deal out as wages in lieu of money, and he hoped they would stick to the work until the cutting was carried through, as he had a sure presentiment that the settlement would go on, and this was a work most essential for traffic as well as adding greatly to the appearance of the place. The men cheerfully fell in with his views, stuck to the work, and carried it through to completion. How managed to digest the nails, and eke out a precarious existence upon tar, and paint oil, deponent sayeth not. As might have been expected, some of the men who had been employed previous to the stoppage of the workß did not accept Captain Thomas's arrangement, but preferred to loaf about the beach and public houses, and it became a serious consideration for those who had anything to lose, to devise protective measures. As there was but one policeman, no one dreamt of his services being available when required ; it used to be a mystery to me how he managed to relieve guard. Occupying a house alone, and having many things likely to be " J was apprehensive every night of receiving a visit from some of these gentry, and from sheer politeness was chiefly anxious not to be caught " napping." It was my custom every night to pile a lot of pannikins and other tin ware, &c, at the weak places of my citadel, where a breach was most likely to be made, so that a tremendous clatter would be the result of even a slight disturbance in their arrangement. I had also provided myself with a bayonet securely fixed on a stout staff, about four feet in length, this I was advised was a better weapon than a pistol, as not being likely to miss fire. Whether my precautions became known, and a warm reception anticipated, I do not know, my place remained unmolested until urgent business obliged me to go to Wellington, and leave my place in charge of another, when, shortly after my departure, an entrance was effected, and a considerable booty carried off. Fortunately, the greater part was recovered a few days after the robbery, by the accidental discovery of the place where it had been " planted," round Officer's Point, conveniently for conveying away by boat. Just before the suspension of the works some amusingly descriptive lines appeared in one of the Nelson or Wellington papers, upon " Vancouver's Island," and being very characteristic of the state of things at that time in Lyttelton, they had a great charm for Captain Thomas, and tickled his fancy immensely; while superintending the erection of the future residence of the expected agent of the Canterbury Association (now used as offices of the Borough Council), he was frequently heard singing to an improvised tune— The Governor's dwelling, all others excelling; A door and two windows in front f In front! A door and two windows in front 1 Our chief functionary at this time was H. G. Gouland, Esq., Collector of Customs, Resident Magistrate, Deputy-Registrar, Police Inspector, &c, &c, indeed combining in his own person all the dignity and authorith of the British Constitution. As an official he was fussy, methodical, and a redtapist ; but out of office personal acquaintances found him a genial and pleasant gentleman, possessed of a large fund of valuable information and experience. A trifling incident in connection with his first arrival in this settlement may be considered characteristic. The vessel that he took passage in at Wellington for Lyttelton struck a rock near the Wellington Heads, and it was thought by those on board that she would founder. Our future dignitary was calmly reposing in his berth below, and heard the frantic rushing to and fro, and the noise and confusion that prevailed on deck, but did not stir ; after a brief interval, a seaman rushed below and advised him to hasten on deck, as the vessel was sinking, and the crew taking to the boats, He quietly said,

"for God's sake let me go to the bottom in my berth, instead of going on deck and getting my legs broken first. It was afterwards found the damage was not so extensive as at first supposed ; the vessel continued her course, the serenity of her Majesty's representative remained undisturbed, and he eventually arrived safe at his destination. Some time during the year 1850, while the aforesaid gentleman was " administering the Government," a schooner that usually traded between the settlements (provinces were unknown at that date) dropped anchor one morning, and the skipper, deeming he was beyond the pale of all Customs' restrictions, made no secret of his having some genuine " morning dew" on board, that he had not considered necessary to go through the formality of inserting in the manifest, and which he was prepared to give his customers the benefit of. Our C. C. quickly hired a boat (for it must be observed he was also his own landing waiter), and boarded the schooner, while the said skipper was entertaining his friends at the Mitre, but not finding anything "contraband," returned in disgust, thinking he had been hoaxed. The captain was soon heard boasting that the " old fool" had sat on the casks in the cabin without knowing it. Not to be beaten, a second, and this time not unsuccessful, visit was paid to the vessel, and the " illicit" duly brought on shore. The loquacious skipper lost no time in getting on board, tripping his anchor, and putting to sea, with less " spirits " than when he arrived, but pleased withal at having saved his vessel. The most important incident at this period, and one that put us all on the qui vive, was the arrival of the Phoebe Dunbar, bringing certain intelligence of the sailing of the first four ships with Canterbury settlers. When the news reached Wellington Mr Godly came down, and I have no doubt was much pleased at the improvements his subordinate had effected during his absence, under the new " Public works policy " he had initiated. A party of men were at once set to work on the Sumner road, under the desperate pretence of opening out that line for the transit of the settlers' luggage to the plains ; but as there were some doubts of this being accomplished in time, another party of men were employed in forming a shorter cut over the hills, since known as the bridle path. Monday morning, December 16th, 1850 —a glorious New Zealand summer morning, fit to usher in a week fraught with such important consequences to this port, and indeed the whole of New Zealand. About 10 a.m. a large Bhip suddenly appeared round Officers Point (we had had no previous notice of her coming up the harbour) and brought to an anchor opposite the town, where only small coasters now deem it prudent to lay. We had not even a " Harbour Master in charge of a punt" at that time, and, being previous to the " engineering works" of the " hard labour gang," probably there was a greater depth of water in that part of the harbouf than at the present time. The Eandolph arrived about 3 p.m. the same day, and the Sir George Seymour at 10 a.m. of the 17th, the Cressy putting in an appearance on the 27th. Great was the excitement and commotion in our small township from such an influx of strangers. The commissariat resources of the place became at once an important consideration, seeing there were but two or three small stores, and only one baker's shop, whose oven, taxed to the utmost, was only capable of supplying about a tithe of the demand. A huDgry crowd collected morning and evening around the baker's door about the time of drawing the batch, and the loaves were quicklj distributed to the fortunate few nearest at hand. This scramble for bread was a daily scene in Canterbury street for about a fortnight, until other ovens were built, when supply and demand became somewhat equalised. It was with feelings of no little surprise and dismay that the new arrivals, on preparing to land the various etceteras that provident and well-to-do colonists considered indespensable in a new and comparatively unknown country, found themselves cornfronted by a Custom House officer. However pleasing it may have been as a matter of sentiment to feel the protecting solicitude of her Most Gracious Majesty extended to this distant part of her dominions, the predominant feeling just then was, that it was nOt only a trifle inconvenient but extremely vexatious. Fortunately a deliverer was at hand. Sir George Grey had arrived in H.M.S. Fly on the same day as the Charlotte Jane, and upon being appealed to, at once graciously removed the restrictions that an otherwise too rigid adherence to red-tapism would have imposed upon the first arrivals. January 11th, 1851, should ever be regarded by Canterbury colonists as a '* redletter " day, for upon that day was issued the first newspaprr printed in the province of Canterbury, and, be it remarked, within four weeks after the arrival of the first ship. Nearly a quarter of a century has elapsed since that date, during which the settlement, like all young communities, has passed thro' various vicissitudes—periods of alternate prosperity and depression. But there has been no retrogression. It has been ever pressing onward, and the newspaper has kept on the even tenor of its way, a true index of the progress made, and marking successive stages of provincial development, by passing from a weekly to a bi-weekly, tri-weekly, and eventually a morning and evening issue. From the arrival of the first ship until about five or six weeks after, the weather continued remarkably fine ; a fortunate circumstance for the new arrivals, as, besides the paucity of house accommodation, the conveniences for landing, cargo! were very limited, much of it having to be done by the ship's boats, and landing on the sea beach in front of Norwich Quay as often as at the one small jetty. Two or three watermens' boats, brought down from Wellington by their enterprising owners, found lucrative employment in towing through the sea hogsheads of brandy, &c, from the ship's side to the same landing place. All persons occupying the barracks had, after a brief sojourn there, to give place to others, and the hill side near the barracks became dotted over with every conceivable kind of hut, tent, and whare, not omitting the veritable Irish cabin. Some, whose constructive abilities were exemplified by tenements of the rudest character and materials of the flimsiest description, were cautioned that a "sou'-wester " might spring up very suddenly, accompanied with heavy rain, against which their dwellings would afford them no protection; but conviction and procrastination often go hand in hand. The weather changed very suddenly. A boisterous sou'-wester, known in Port as a " southerly buster," with a deluge of rain, caused arude awakening of the poor "Pilgrims " encamped on the hill-eide. Tents were seen in every stags of collapse; blaakets, toi-toi, and fern

careering madly through the air; and the houseless seeking and finding shelter whereever a good Samaritan could take them in. Curiosity, and a desire for trade, the latter perhaps being the stronger motive, had attracted large numbers of Maoris from the adjacent bays and the Peninsula, so that the pilgrims had an early introduction to the Queen's aboriginal subjects. The inevitable war dance was performed to a numerous, if not appreciative audience, after which a liberal supply of flour and sugar (ordered, it was understood by Sir G. Grey) was distributed among the sable warriors. As they nearly all wore the ordinary native costume, namely, a very dirty sort of whitey-brown blanket, no difficulty was found in disposing of the rations of flour and sugar, one coiner of the blanket being appropriated to the flour and another to the sugar. One individual called the " market gardener," whose success in the vegetable line had enabled him to don a blue frock-coat, black cloth trousers, Wellington boots,' and a tall hat, found himself at a disadvantage as compared with his brethren, in having no convenient receptacle for his share of the flour and sugar. He surveyed his hat, but replaced it on his head., evidently considering it unequal to the emergency, unless he chose to sacrifice a portion of the allotted quantity, when a happy thought struck him. To the intense amusement of the bystanders, he took off his Wellington boots; but this was not accomplished without a great deal of frantic pulling and hauling, having just gone through the violent athletic exercise of the war dance in them, and carried off in triumph his share of the flour in one and sugar in the other. (To be continued.)