THE Grey River Argus, PUBLISHED DAILY TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1874.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1906, 15 September 1874, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus, PUBLISHED DAILY TUESDA Y, SEPTEMBER 15, 1874.

The nomination of candidates for places in 'the local Committees for the several districts constituted under the Westland Education Ordinance, 1874, must be made on Ist October next, and' the polling will take place, should there be a contest, on the Bth of the same month. The Ordinance under which the election is to be carried out is almost a literal transcript of the Nelson Education Act, and it consists of forty-three clauses, with a schedule defining the boundaries of each of the divisions made for the better working of the measure. These divisiona are seven in number, namely, the road districts of Paroa, Arahura, Kanieri, Totara, and Okarito, and the Municipal districts of HokitiUa and Greymouth. The second clause of the Ordinance repeals all Educational Regulations existing or in force in the Province at the time it became law, and the third clause provides for the constitution of the districts as above mentioned. The fourth section provides for j the establishment of a Central Board of Education for the Province, and the eight following clauses refer io the appointment of local Committees such as those now to elected. Each Committee is to consist of six ratepayers, three to form a quorum, with power, subject to the approval of the Central Board, to appoint schoolteachers, and to superintend generally the schools in each district. The election must takn place during the rnonthof October in each year, the qualification being that candidates' names must appear upon the roll of ratepayers for each district, and this qualification also confers the right to vote at all elections under the Act. New districts may be constituted at any time. Three members of each Committee are to retire annually, the retiring members to be selected, by ballot,, at the end of the first year, and subsequently those who have served longest are to resign, but they are eligible for re-election. Any member absenting himself from the regular meetings of tho Committee, without leave, for three successive months forfeits his seat, a"rt when a vacancy occurs the person elee'-'d to fill it sits only as i long as his pre<kctS3or wuuld been titled to retain office. "The Superintendent may appointcommittees for districts where the ratepayers neglect or refuses t«---1 elect suitahle persons, and these nomin^ 1 ,' will have the same powers and authority as lif they, had.been regularly elected b\ the* voters. Statements of the expendi tur'e of all moneys received by the Locil Committees are to be sent to the. Central Board, and copies of these statements are to be posted. at. the places where annual elections are held. The fourteenth clause is the most important in the Ordinance, and refers to the rates to be levied. The, tax is on the sliding scale the amount varying according to net annual value or the tenement occupied. Thus householders occupying a tenement, valued at LlO a-year or less, must pay a uniform rate of 10s in the year, of the value of between LlO and LSO, a rate of LI la-year, and if the value exceed LSO, a uniform rate of LI 103, and a further sum of §3 must be paid yearly for every child of tihe householder between the age of 5 and 14 years. No person will be liable to pay for more than four children, nor for any child residing more than three miles away from a State school, and if it can be shown that a child has regularly attended any school for three months previ .us to the! levying of the rate, that child : is exempt on the production of a certificate of th^ teacher of the school it attends. The value of tenements are to be ascertained from the assessment rolls of the district, and if there be no such rolls the Collectors of the rate are empowered to fix the net annual value, a very dangerous power to. place in the hands of any such officer, in our opinion. Twenty-one days notice must be given by public advertisement when the rate is due,' : and if it be not paid within nine months of the day fixed, the amount may be recovered in a summary manner before a Justice of the Peace. The Committee will have power to excuse persons from payment of the Education rate, if through poverty they are unable. to pay the same, and a list of persons so excused must be forwarded to the Superintendent. The occupier is liable to the extent of L 2 for arrears of rates, unless he can prove that 1 hio predecessor in: the occupancy of the tenement is the person who should pay. Two-thirds of the householders in any district may request the Superintendent to levy a special rate for the purpose of ' erecting schools or paying teachers, and ; if for the latter, the special rate may be ' lefied annually. This rate is to be paid only by householders having children of the age of between five and fourteen years, but the special rate must not exceed the amount of the ordinary rate in any case ; it must be expended by the local Committee on the objects for which it is raised, and if the Committee should ; attempt to divert the money from that object, the Central Board must interfere. The Central Board is to be a. body corpo-. rate with all the privileges of such associationo. I* w iN have power to expend all moneys raised under the Act, but these funds are to bs paid in ths first instance tri the Provincial Treasurer. The Board will consist of one person to be 1 elected annually on sih November by each -of the local Committees, and one -person,;; to be appointed by the Superintendent, tfhp Superintendent's nominee must be a member of the Executive Council of the Province. The, Board is elected foritwelve monthn, but the local Oojnmitteeß have ■'>'■'■' .■■•;/■! = .''

power at any time to revoke the appointment of their delegate to the Central Board, and substitute another member in his stead. The twenty-fifth and the three following clauses refer to the property to be vested in the Central Board, and to the mode of keeping and auditing the accounts. The twenty-ninth clause provides for the appointment of a Secretary and an Inspector of Schools, an office similar to that now so ably filled by Mr Hodgson, under the Education Board of the Province of Nelson. The proper inauguration and ultimate success of the working of the Act will depend in a great measure upon the manner in which the duties of Inspector of Schools are performed, and it is therefore of importance that the qualification of that officer shonld be carefully examined. The thirtieth and the six succeeding sections regulate the duties of the Central Board. The Board may sonstitute new districts and apportion the revenues and grants among the different schools, besides having po«er to erect and maintain school buildings, provide books, maps, and other requisites at cost price, or gratuitously if necessary, also to appoint, pay, suspend, and dismiss teachers, and to supervise the working generally of the Act. The schools maintained wholly or in part by rates levied under the Ordinance are to be open to all children over five years of age, without fee or payment. The teacher will have the power to expel children for certain reasons, but if the parents of a child whose attendance is forbidden, should feel aggrieved, they have the right of appeal to to Local Committees first, and to the Central Board afterwards. The religious instruction given in the Provincial schools shall be free of all controversial character, and be imparted before or after school hours, but parents have the option of withdrawing their children during the hours of religious instruction, if they have conscientious scruples on the subject. Parents of children .attending the schools, may visit them at all hoxirs, and in like manner members of the Local Committees, of the Central Board, or its Inspector can visit the schools at any time. Assistance may be given and withdrawn from schools in certain cases outside the regular working of the. Ordinance, but in every instance the control of the funds is vested in the Central Board. On the whole the Act is liberal in its provisions, and it will be of the utmost importance that competent men should be appointed at the forthcoming electi n of Local Committees, for :' the success of the experiment about to be made, will depend in a great measure upon the manner of its initiation.

There is a general impression that very shortly after the prorogation of Parliament, the Superintendent, of Nelson Province will call members together for the purpose of deciding how the proposed loan shall be expended. So far as we ("Herald") can learn, however, this is not likely to be the case. The proposed loan was assented to for the specific purpose of completing road communication between Nelson and Westpnrt and Greymnuth, and as the ,£50,000 voted for this ■ibject will certainly mvt more than suffice for the work, it is impossible to find a pretext for convening the Council in order to decide what other arterial works should 'te undertaken. It may be said that this loan will set at liberty certain sums placed •n the Estimates, and that it would be desirable for the Council to decide on what lecess^ry works the sums so released <hall be expended, but this question c:in well be decided by the Superintendent and Executive. A meeting of the Council would cost the Province very little short of ,£IOOO, and although this sum would not be grudged if a meetin? were likely to be of any benefit, under existing circumstances it would simply be useless. The only question, so far as we can discover, which is likely to arise and respecting which there may be a diversity of opinion, is as to the mode of completing the proposed road communication between Nelson and the western seaboard. In considering this point, we think it onr duty to urge the necessity of constructing the section of road between Squaretown and the Little Grey Junction, and a smaller section across the Ahaura Flat, which would then give an unbroken line for dray traffic of upwards of seventy miles in length. The sections referred to do not exceed fifteen miles, and being thrpngh open country, free from cutting, excepting what would be required for filling in, and with gravel everywhere obtainable within a moderate depth, tbey certainly can be executed at a reasonable cost. Regarded from another point, viz., the ! relief to traffic, it is beyond question that their completion is of paramount importance.

The statement of the Treasurer of Victoria for the year 1874-5 has been submitted to the Parliament of that Colony. The total revenue for the year is estimated at the large sum of L 4,515,182, of which L 4,259,135 is from ordinary sources, L 75 ,679 from repayments of advances for railways, LIO.OOO fro-n other Governments on account of the postal communi-. cation, and L 170,368 is the amount of the balance,- from 1873 4. The expenditure is estimated at L 4,478,080, of which L 1,495,556 is for special appropriations ; and the estimated balance to be carried forward is L 37,102. During the year the departments are expected to yield as follows :— Customs, Jess L 50,000 of drawbacks, LI ,765 000; excise, L 101,500 ; territorial, L 878.00 0; public works, L 1,009,625 ; ports and harbors, L 21.000 ; post and telegraph offices, L 204,000 ; fees, L 105,000 ; fines, L 12,500 ; and miscellaneous, L 162.510. The duty on imported spirits alone is expected to bring 1 in not less than L 5 10,000, and that on tea, L 72,000, a sum precisely the same as is expected from rice ; spirits distilled in Victoria, L 32 .500 ; duties on estates of deceased persons, L 60,000 ; sales of land, L 220,0.0 0; leases and licenses of land, L 480,000 ; pastoral rents, L 130,100 ; railways, L 920,000 ; and labpr of prisoners, LIO,OOO ________

A' requisition to the Borough Council is iv contemplation by the residents of ; ichmond Quay asking that some arrangement may be made whereby a roadway of sufficent width I. for general traffic may be made available •along the Quay 10 Johnston street There are two plans suggested by which the object could be attained. One is the driving another row of piles outside tho present facing and extending the wharf decking rivefwards, and the other is a filling in of the ! piling as. far as the second row land wards, so as to increase the width of th" ■ roadway at the loss of wharfage acoommoda 6

tion. The latter plan is objectionable, but a roadway must be made it the interests of the ratepayers in that part of the town are to be considered as they should be. It will be observed on reference to our advertising columns that tenders for Inland Mail Services in the postal district; of f^reymoutk for the year 1875,' close on the 3>'d of October. It is proposed to increase the present weekly services between Marsden and Clifton and between Camptown and Nelson Creek to bi-weekly, and the present bi-weekly service Ifelween Greymouth and Reefton and intermediate offices to triweekly. These necessary changes will, no douht, be effected, provided the cost be not largely increased. Tenders are also invited for a new service to Antonio's Flat, Little fi-rey district We presume it is intended to close the offices at Paroa and Napoleon Hill, as no provision is made for services to these places. The service to Reefton is for a period of two years as well as for one year. Miss Aitken (Mrs J. L. Bnenten), who, in order not to interfere with the complete success of tho performance this evening, very generously waived her right to have the first use of the Volunteer Hall this week, announces in another columu that h»r farewell entertainment will take place on Friday evening. There is a possibility that the s.s. Otago may arrive at the Biuff to-day, in which case there is a probability that the result of the Sydney Metropolitan Handicap Race will be known this evening. Thete is a large interest at stake in Greymouth and the dis- | trict on the iasue, and the news is anxiously waited for. The entertainment in aid of the funds of the 1 rinity Church Sunday School is to ' take place at the Volunteer Hall this evening, and from the excellence and varied nature of the programme, which appears elsewhere, a, rare treat may be anticipated. It will be seen that some of our very b^st local amat ur talent is, announced to take part in the performance; and this inducement, coupled with the worthiness of the oVijenc for the benefit of which the entertainment is to be given, should result in a large attendance. Although the name of Miss Aitken does not appear in the programme, it is understood that that lady has kindly consented to take part iv the entertainment We notice that, according to the "Inangahua Herald " of Saturday, &r Louis ' v avies has made a donation of L2O to the Reefton Hospital. The nvmey was portion of the expenses recovered by him as liquidator of the Golden Bell Quartz-mining Company from defaulting contrihutories. The case, a full report of which appears elsewhere has caused a considerable amount of excitement at Reef ton. Mr Fitztnaurice has beeu appointed mining manager of the Energetic Quartzmining Company. Anothe.l slig has taken place on the Black's Point track, on this occasion at the Reefton end of the cutting round the bluff. Some very excellent stone has been struck in the 70-foot level of the Caledonian mine. Larry's; ift is the best yet yet obtained in the distiot. We ("Herald") learn from Messrs Trennery and Burns, who have recently returned from inspecting the reef of the Kalcvnn Company, Mohikinui. that there is a payable reef in the mine. The gold is of coarse character. In accordance with the provisions of the Marriage Act. 1854, the name of the Rev. Isiac Zachariah is published for general information in the " New Zealand Gazette," dated September 3. We (" Herald ")are requested to notify to shareholders in companies and others interested that his Honor Ju'Ue Harvey has been communicated with as President of uhe New Zealand fnstitute at rfokitika, to the effect that a specimen case of the Inangahua quartz reefs would be highly acceptable in virinuß quarters, and in one instance there is offered in exchange for such a. dozen couple of hares, which would quickly stock the district with that game. The eldest son of Mr H. T. Winter, J.P , of Ash hurton Station, Canterbury, lost his life recently, through accidentally falling into the mill race which runs close to the homestead. He was washed away by the stream to a considerable distance from the h "use before the accident was discovered. Dr Trevor was quick ly on the sp -t, but his efforts were of no avail to restore life. The news of this painful accident created a gloom throughout the township and district, an'l the deepest sympathy is fet for Mr and Mrs Winter, | who are highly and deservedly respected. Mr A. H. M'Cartby, who has recently arrived from San Francisco, and who is staying at the Whine FTart Hotel. Christchurch has brought with him a number of mechanical and chemical novelties which deserve some notice. The first is a patent gas stove, constructed on a principle which enables every man to moke his own gas at a cheap • ate and without any fear of explosion. It also appears to b« very easily managed. The stove was tested several times in public on tb.fi Brh8 r h and answered remaikably well, good light and heat being given withoub auy approach to sm ke or smell. The second article is the model of a patent ventilator; th^ next a patent filter, which is said to be very efficacious in purifying water ; and the next is a patent lock, which can only be unlocked by the person who set it, or by some one to whom the particular set has been explained. Finally, Mr M'Carthy has a patent powder which is intended to prevent kerosene from exploding, and the lamp chimneys from breakage by sudden heat or cold. A portion of the powder is deposited in the oil in the well of tae lamp, and from the test applied it appears to possess all the properties with which it is credited. With regard to the present condition of the Wealth of Nations claim, the. " Inangahua Herald" of Saturday last reports :— One hundred and seventy ounces of amalgam were cleared of the plates last week. On •Sunday night, or early on Monday morning last, a very large slip took place on the terrace just above the machine house. Several thousand tons of earth started from the sideling above the race and 150 ft above the flat, and came rolling and tumbling down the hill with irresistable force, and, as a matter of courss, carried everything before it. Nearly two chains of fluming were carried away, whilst large trees were overturned and shivered to atoms in their down war I course, the whole being deposited on the il*t near to the machine house. All the available men, both from the machine house from the mine, were sent out to repair the race. The undertaking proved more difficult than was anticipated, as during the clearing away of the rubbish for a foundation whereon to- lay the timbers on which the fluming rests, more of the face of the hill gave way, and tumbling down carried away or damaged more fluming Repairs to the whole were continually interrupted through similrr occurrences, though of less damaging effect A lowing that no further damage to the raco takes place, the whole will be iv order by tomorrow morning aud much more substantial than forraerlj, as that part of the fluming liable to be damaged by any future .! ■<lips has been entirely covered over with slabs in such a manner as to protect it from further injury. Harvey and party are a til I shooting away in the middle tunnel. The party iv the maiu shaft have sunk through the reef and are now sinking on the foot wall. The paddocks are full of stone, and there is also a large heap stacked at the mouth of the old tunnel,