The Globe. THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 1877.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 873, 12 April 1877, Page 2

The Globe. THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 1877.

Some little time back we called attention to the semi-bai'barous method of extinguishing public lights just when they "were most required, and also to the necessity of more lamps. Both points, we were glad to notice, were taken up by the Council, and referred to the lighting committee. 80 far so good. But we have heard no more about the matter. The winter is rapidly approaching when long dark nights will be the rule, and if anything is to be done, it should be done quickly. It is necessary that in this, as in other matters, the Council should keep pace with the times. Populous districts are springing up in places in which a twelvemonth ago scarcely a house existed. These parts of the city, as well as the centre, have a fair claim to the convenience of light, apart from other prudential considerations to which we have before referred. Lot the lighting committee come down witli their recommendations at the next meeting of the Council, so that no delay need then interfere with the carrying out of what have become urgent public necessities.

In .sentencing one of the prisoners who had pleaded guilty to uttering valueless cheques, at the last session, His Honor made some remarks which are worth notice. In his charge to the Grand Jury, His Honor referred more particularly to the same point, and in passing sentence he gave a practical illustration of the force of them. His remarks were to the effect that until the public became more careful as to the taking of cheques from persons unknown to them, it would not be just to pass heavy sentences on offenders convicted. That is, the facilities and temptations offered by publicans and others to commit this crime are so great that they must be regarded as in part responsible for it. Time after time His Honor Mr Justice Gresson, as well as the present occupant of the judicial bench, has called the attention of tradesmen and others to this fact, but with little or no effect. Cheques are often taken as readily from entire strangers as from well-known citizens, and no questions tending to test the genuineness or otherwise of the cheque are asked. Under these circumstances, His Honor states plainly that until a change in the conduct of the public takes place, ho does not feel justified in passing severe sentences. The remedy is in the hands of the tradespeople themselves. Let them rigorously refuse to take cheques from persons unknown to them and we shall hear no more of the prevalence of this crime. But while the present lax system prevails, we shall find that our criminal calendar will increase most alarmingly, and consequently the burdens on the people.

A VEEY important matter cropped on Monday evening at the meeting of Bast Christchurch ratepayers. The Rev. Mr. Watson there stated that he had been informed that important changes were contemplated in our education system under the new Bill promised by the Government. The one more particularly referred to was the entire exclusion of the Bible from the State schools. Now whilst going most thoroughly with those who desire to see sectarian teaching entirely excluded from our public schools, we cannot go the length it is said the Government are prepared to go. It seems to us that to abolish the use of the Bible entirely in our public schools would be a most serious blunder, and a proposal which would meet with no support whatever from the general community. But whatever the intentions of the Government are, we hope they will make them known at an early date, so that the public may have an opportunity of expressing an opinion on the matter before Parliament meets.

The announcement that the Prince of Wales has determined on paying a visit to Australia and New Zealand will, we have no doubt, create quite a flutter of excitement among fashionable circles in the colonies. When the Duke of Edinburgh honoured these shores with his presence, people everywhere, went mad with excitement. When his royal brother comes we shall no doubt have a repetition, on even a more extensive scale, of those extravagant demonstrations. Should he not reach New Zealand before the next annual election of Mayors, we may look for quite a formidable array of candidates for the office. _ The honour of entertaining royalty is one which does not often fall to the lot of our colonial municipal dignitaries. It will be a distinction worthy of the ambition of our most prominent citizens, and something more than the honor of being placed on the Commission of the Peace may be the reward.