THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1573.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIII, Issue 1636, 1 November 1873, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1573.

If there is an eccentric community in the Colony, it is that of Cobden. Whether it arises frqm the solitude and seclusion of the situation; from the cold shade of +he limestone range at the foot of which they reside, or from the colder shade of the Nelson Government, it is certain that they suffer from an absence of the ordinary warm instincts of humanity, and from the presence of an extraordinary amount of what we may venture to call moral color-blindness. Whatever the cammon world sees white, Cobden sees black. If the Colony of New Zealand as a whole sees reason to rejoice over some political event, Cobden mourns. If Greymouth flies a flag, or fires a cannon, a rocket, or a Roman candle in celebration of any particular cause, Cobden competes with Greymouth in the expenditure of powder, but invariably in opposition to the sentiments which prevail on the south side of the river or in any other part of the world. Cobden despises cosmopolitan sympathies or common sentiments. It is Cobden against the world, and the world against Cobden. It is a little contemptible Ishraaelj with its hand against every man's, and every man's hand most worthily against it,- and the spirit by which its community is pervaded. How this spirit was imported into a community which resembles others in all ordinary respects is not difficult to discover. It is the result more of deliberate and determined individual action than of the common characteristics of the community. However well concealed it may be, there is existing in the midst of the community an individual evil agency wKich influences detrimentally their thought and their actions on nearly every occasion on which, as a community, they venture to express an opinion.

The latest exhibition of eccentricity on the part of Cobden has been confined to its School Committee, or, as they prefer to call themselves, the Local Committee of Education. These gentlemen, chieftained by Mr James Peyman, have constituted themselves into a Court of Appeal from the decisions of the Resident Magistrate, and, with a refreshing indifference to the law of libel, have chosen, to distinguish a family of the name of Dinan as so many liars, while they propose to exclude them from the privileges of citizens in a spirit worthy only of the period and practices of the Inquisition. It happened that a few days ago the local teacher, Mr Ray, was charged with striking a little girl with undue severity, and that lie was convicted of the offence most properly and with scarcely sufficient comment on the cowardice of his conduct — -his conduct consisting of striking the girl unmercifully with a supplejack for no better reason than that she would not or could not write lines in her copy-book as he required. Judgment for a mere money line was given against him by Mr Whitefoord, whereas, had he been dealt with according to his deserts, he would have been well-striped with supplejacks or any other convenient, if cruel, medium of t convincing him of his altogether exceptional method of conveying instruction in caligraphy. With what may be, in some respects, a very laudable spirit, but at the same time with very contemptible thoughts and words, and a complete ignoring of facts, the School Committee came to his rescue, and passed a series of resolutions which their Chairman thus conveys to the editor of the Argus, and, through his columns, to an intelligent

and, we confidently believe, an unsympathetic public : —

"Sir — At a special meeting of the Cobden Local Committee of Education, convened for the purpose of considering the late decision of Warden Whitefoord, the following resolutions were unanimously agreed to : — "1. That the Committee is desirous of placing on record its dissatisfaction with the verdict given by Warden Whitefoord on the 27th instant, in the case of Dinan v. Ray. "2. That after hearing the statements of the eldest girls attending the school, and of members of Committee in 1870-1, and reading the letter of Mr Stark, of the Grey River Argus, it is the conviction of the Committee that the evidence of the Dinan family is untrue. "3. That after careful enquiry, it is the opinion of the Committee that the caning was not severe, and that the girl, from her own admission, deserved the correction. "4. That the Committee entertain the highest opinion of Mr Ray's capabilities as a teacher. "5. That the decision of Warden Whitefoord is calculated to lower the master in the estimation of the scholars, and cramp the energies of the teacher, as the severe remarks of the Warden in delivering judgment prevents any'attempt at discipline. " 6. That in consequence of the ruling of Warden Whitefoord, and the misconduct of the Dinan family in setting the teacher at defiance since, the Committee thereby recommend their dismissal from the school. " 7. That copies of these resolutions be forwarded to Mr Ray and the Central Board.

" 8. That in the event of the Central Board not taking some action in this matter, this Committee will at once resign their trust. " (Signed) James Peyman, " Chairman Local Committee. "Cobden, Oct. 29,1873." The calm serenity with which this Committee assume the position of a Court of Appeal, and amalgamate, as an excuse for their comments, the evidence " of the eldest girls," of " members of Committee in 1870-1 ," (whatever that may mean) and the contents of a simple statement as to matters of fact from the gentleman who reported the case, is thoroughly characteristic of Cobden. They unhesitatingly determine that the evidence of a "family" 'given on oath in open Court was perjury. They accept the alleged admission of a girl nine years of age that she deserved to be struck with a supplejack, and marked black and blue, because she did not write her copy-book as Mr Ray desired. And, dressed in a little brief authority, they determine that a whole family whose members, save one, are innocent of even spoiling a copy-book, should be, for all time, deprived of the advantages of the educational system of which the Province of (Nelson [is so proud, and for which it pays so handsomely, not at the cost of this Committee, but of the community as a whole. The only one • wise resolution r, which they came to is that, in one evqnt, they " will at once resign their trust." We sincerely trust they will have occasion to do so, and that iv future they will be prompted by the feelings which prompted Mr Whitefoord as a man and a magistrate to give the very proper decision which he did, and not by sympathy with unmanly cruelty and cowardice. If, as the Committee allege, the decision of the Warden is " calculated to lower the master in the estimation of the scholars, and to cramp his energies," his position so acquired is nothing more than he richly deserves. The "energies" and the fingers of a teacher who can cane a girl as he did are infinitely better in a condition of " cramp" than in the exercise of cowardly cruelty.

By advertisement in the Nelson papers Mr Oswald Curtis, the present occupant of the Superintendent's chair in that Province, formally announced himself as a candidate for re-election. The advertisement is but a brief one, and, while apparently explicit, is as general and indefinite as an adroit writer could invent. It consists simply of the following five safely written paragraphs : — " Iv the event of my re-election I shall at once summon the Provincial Council, and 1 shall re-construct the Executive Council from gentlemen representing, as far as possible, the various interests ot the Province, and possessing the confidence of a majority of the new Provincial Council, "But I shall not appoint to the Executive Council any gentleman who is not prepared heartily to assist me in procuring the extension of the railway, from Foxhill to the Grey aud, if possible, to Westport, aud in obtaining a loan for the execution of Public Works. " The chief object with which I propose to seek the early co-operation of the Provincial Council, is to take advantage of the possibility which, I believe, notwithstanding the failure of my attempt last session, now presents itself for the first time since I have been your Superintendent, of obtaining a loan of money for the execution of such Provincial Public Works as are most urgently required to promote the settlement and prosperity of the Province. " As regards the general administration of your affairs, I can only undertake to continue my endeavors to deal fairly and impartially with all parts of the Province, and with all classes and condition of its people. "Immediately after the nomination I shall hold meetings in as many districts as time will allow, in order to explain my views and intentions in the fullest manner, ] and to afford to the electors an opportunity to obtain from me such further information and explanation as they may require."

At the meeting of the Borough Council, held last night, Mr George Glenn, was elected Mayor of Greymouth/ until the annual meeting in December.

By the English mail which left Greymouth per Albion yesterday, Mr Wylde, the Immigration Officer, forwarded to the AgentGeneral the names of 24 nominated immigrants, making a total of 189 immigrants nominated in this district. As all nominated immigrants are now sent out entirely free, it is to be expected that a large number of persons will send for their friends and relations. Mr Wylde intends to visit Ahaura. Napoleon, Reef ton, and the other country districts, in the course of next week, to explain the Immigration Regulations and receive nominations.

Information was received by telegraph yesterday that the Energetic Gold-mining Company had struck the reef in the lowest level. So far as was known it was 6ft thick, and the foot-wall had not then been bared. The stone appeared to be richer than any hitherto found in the claim, and is expected to run about 2oz to the ton.

The largest event in Greymouth yesterday was the presence of " the hairless horse " on public exhibition in Y/aters's Union Hotel. He was inspected by many people at the cost of a single shilling per individual, aud he is worthy of being inspected by many more. His stay being limited, advantage of the opportunity of seeing him will have to be taken at once. On Monday he is to be seen at Marsden, on Tuesday at Greenstone, and subsequently at Hokitika, previous to departure for Auckland, and thence to California. Descriptions of his external peculiarities have been so frequently given in advance of his arrival that it is unnecessary to repeat them. He is all that he is described — an unequalled ' equine wonder, At the Resident Magistrate's Court, yesterday, E. Masters sued Sedgwick, Krouse, and Sedgwick, of Nelson and Dunedin. Judgment was given against J. A. Sedgwick, Nelson, for LBB and costs. Judgment.against the. tyro other defendants had previously been given. — An application was made by Mr Warner for a re-hearing of a case. Hill and Hampton v. Phillip M'Carty, which was heard and decided on the 10th April, 1872, and which has since been appealed against, and the judgment of the Magistrate upheld. The grounds of the application were— '* That the amount of damages given by the judgment of this Court in the said case were excessive; and that such damages were not calculated or aesessed upon any definite or fixed principle or scale." The application was refused, with costs. A man named Thomas Gaffney, alias Edward Cullen, was charged before C. Whitefoord, Esq., R.M., at Ahaura, on Thursday, with stealing a pair of trousers, value 22s 6d, the property of Thomas Fiudayson, at Half -Ounce, and with stealing an iron barrow wheel, the property of Christy Irvine of the same place. Senior-constable Dorris proved finding the articles in an abandoned house at Noble's Creek, which the prisoner occasionally occupied. Numerous petty thefts had receutly taken place in the locality, and the prisoner being suspected, he arrested him. The prisoner pleaded guilty He said he found the pantaloons, as if they were thrown away. The barrow-wheel he found lying useless, and as he had a barrow without a wheel, he thought he had best take it. The Magistrate sentenced the prisoner to three weeks' imprisonment with hard labor for each offence, Two accidents occurred on Thursday at the Eight-mile Hill, on the road to Ross, but neither was attended with any serious personal injury. In the first, case Mr Applebee's buggy was upset aud the shafts broken, and in °the second a horse bolted with a spring cart belonging to Mr Donnelly, who was walking at the side of the vehicle at the time. In attempting to stop the horse, Mr Donnelly was knocked down, the wheel of the cart passing over his arm, but withont inflicting much injury. Mr Watson, the diver, has arranged to commence the work to-day for the removal of the snag in the Hokitika River, near the wharf, just close to where vessels are berthed. A commission for taking evidence, in Hokitika, in tbe action by the Hokitika and Greymouth Tramway Company against the County was opened on Thursday before Mr Matthew Price, J.P., Mr -Heber Newton appeared for the plaintiffs, and Mr South for the defendants. The case is to be tried in Nelson in January next. Mr Wm. Gibbs has declared himself a candidate for election as member of the ouse of Representatives for the Collingwood district—the seat vacated by Mr Arthur Collins. Messrs Rout, Acton Adams, R. Burn, Pitt, and Greenfield, have issued addresses to the electors of the city of Nelson, as candidates for election as Provincial Councillors. A keen contest is expected.

At a meeting of the Inland Communication Committee held in Nelson, it was proposed by Mr Acton Adams, seconded by Mr A. J. Richmond, and carried unanimously, "That the Minister of Public Works be communicated with, and respectfully requested to afford this Committee information on the following points, viz. :— l. Whether the Government have come to any conclusion as to the route ot the railway out of the city, and from the city to the port. 2. Where the terminus is proposed to be situated. 3. When the survey of theFoxhill and Brunnertoa railway will probably be commenced, the Committee being of opinion that advantage should be taken of the summer season." The promoters of the Pax a Para Iron and Coal Company have finally arranged for the purchase of the Collingwood Company's lease, plant, &c, and it is intended to float the two interests together. Mr Anderson, one of the promoters of the Iron Company, arrived by the Alhambra from Melbourne, for thu purpose of inspecting the company's ground, settling a few preliminary matters, and preparing a prospectus. Having secured an influential Provisional Directory in Melbourne, it is anticipated that the company will be formed in the course of a month; and as the promoters have obtained provisional tenders for a modem blast furnace, puddling furnaces, blowing engine and cylinders, &c, the erection of the plant will be proceeded with immediately the company is formed Mr Anderson has brought with him some magnificent samples ' of the iron, showing the crude pig as it comes from the furnace ; then the puddled bar ; and finally, the merchant bar. The metal was pronounced by the proprietors of the Melbourne Rolling Mills to be the best sample of iron they ever had in their establishment. Messrs Webley Brothers, of Nelson, are about to extend their woollen productions, and have imported new machinery and skilled labor from England. In the "New Zealand Gazette," of Oct. 22, it is notified that the Governor has been pleased to appoint Mr .Frederick Denham Gibson to be Chief Harbormaster for the Province of Canterbury.

The coal-laden vessels in port, and the gigantic heaps at the coal sites at the Christchurch station and elsewhere, tend to create a regret (writes the Canterbury correspondent of the " Otago Daily Times ") that the Province is annually drained of so many thousand of pounds in the importation of this article, while we have enough in the interior to meet our requirements for all time. It ma*y perhaps be true that the aTea already ascertained of a superfiae quality is somewhat circumscribed, but coal-mining 1 here is only in its infancy, whereas the extent of seams which show an inferior sample upon the surface, is practically unlimited, and there is no doubt that the quality will improve in proportion to the depth of the boring. The tramway to th« carboniferous district will, however, soon be finished, connecting with the Great South line, and then we may expect to witness the pleasing spectacle of coal trains reaching town from inland, instead of coastwise as at present. The locality, as you may be aware, is known as the Malvern Hills, and a large township called Malvern is already flourishing— on paper.

Tht " Argus " understands that there will be no cricket match between Victoria and New South Wales this year, owing to the fulness of this season's engagements conse- ' quent on the visit of the English cricketers. The first number of the "New Zealand Jurist " has been published. It is a monthly publication, and intended to furnish in a concise and compact form reports of important cases, and to record important judgments delivered. It will deal with cases heard before both the Supreme . Court and the Court of Appeal, and it is intended to make it fulfil the promise conveyed in its name, by taking notice of cases tried iv all the Provinces of the Colony, with which object the co-operation of the profession in other parts of New Zealand is sought. Each number will also contain leading articles dealing with matters of legal interest. The "Jurist" is edited by Mr (Jerald Dyson Branson, Dunedin, barrister-at-law. Larrikinism in Auckland appears to be going great lengths, if the following remarks of the " Hawke's Bay Herald's" correspondent are not exaggerated :— " Larrikinism seems to increase here. Yesterday (Sunday) afternoon, I saw about 40 or 50 young scamps shamefully maltreating a poor old half-witted man, who is known as ' the Tiger.' There he was — formerly a man of substance, but now ruined by drink — the miserable creature was pulled about until his scanty attire hung from him in threads. More villainous usage of an aged person I never saw ; it occurred in Eden Crescent, immediately opposite St. Paul's Sunday School, about" 4 p.m.; and the perpetrators were, I am sorry to say, decently clad boys (at least not a few of them), who had evidently just left the aforesaid school. Unfortunately there was no policeman nigh. It has struck me that if, say, a dozen of our larrikins were suddenly arrested at one time, locked up_ for a night, and soundly flogged next morning, we should afterwards hear little of cruel outrages like that I have here recorded. It is well to bear in mifld that our larrikins, as a rule, are not children, but great hulking cowards, who sneak round at nights to trip up the aged, and insult with horribly disgusting language innocent maidens who may be unprotected for the time being. I protest I do not exaggerate when I state that on several occasions as I entered and left different places of worship on Sabbath evenings, I have heard language which will not bear repetition emanating from decent-looking lads, who ptowled round church doors, before and after Divine service, evidently with the express intention of exhibiting their offensive proclivities. After frequently witnessing conduct like that I have referred to, one is half inclined to rpgret that our churches have no ' stocks ' near them."