DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 February 1925, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

[BY TELEGRAPH—PER TRESS ASSOCIATION.]

ILS.A. SECRETARY RESIGNS DUNEDIN. Feb. 3

Air A. C. Lang, who since 1916 has held the position of secretary of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association, and who lias been largely responsible for its present prosperous condition has resigned from that office. His resignation was tendered at a meeting of the executive to-night, ft was agreed to accept the resignation with profound regret.

ILLITERACY IN NEM* ZEALAND. PRACTICALLY NIL. M'HLLINGTON, Feb. Referring to the Common wealth Statistician’s cabled remarks on the subject of (lie education of tbs people in the Commonwealth, it is worthy of remark that so far as New Zealand is concerned the position is that there is practically no illiteracy; indeed the figures are so small, less than 5 per 1000, inclusive of mental defectives, that the Government Statistician’s office has discontinued tabulating them.

The proportion for 1915, which was the last year in which figures were taken out was 4.1 per 1000, for [ r 2l 4.97. and for 1906 3.70. These figures include all persons over five years of age, hut it has to he remembered that there are many children who do not begin to attend school until the age of seven years. M’itli education free and compnsorv in the Dominion illiteracy is now almost non-existent among New Zealand born children, and investigation as to its prevalence lias lost all significance.

UNIVERSITY PASSES. WELLINGTON, Feb. 3. The following University passes for Christchurch students for the Diploma in Social Science have been announced; Social Psychology—Erie R. Osmcrs. Political Science—ll. A. Atkinson. Others passes are:—Diploma, of .Journalism, - Christina McNeil. Latin and English, F. Al. Keesiug.

N.Z. ACCENT. M’ELLINGTON, February 4. Is New Zealand developing a distinctive accent of its own? Sir James Parr (Minister of Education) sought the opinion of delegates to the School Inspectors Conference on the point torlav.

Mr J. Bird (Chief Inspector of Wellington) said that undoubtedly there was a decided tendency among children to broaden on vowel sounds. In dairying districts, said Inspector Mcllwraith of Auckland, there also was a tendency to poor speech, because here enildren grew tired and teachers did not give sufficient instruction in phonies. He had been in London recently and believed that the accent of the East End was purer than that of some districts of the Dominion, hut lie could not make a wholesale denunciation. Some districts were hotter lhau others. Mr T. F. Warren, of North Auckland suggested regular voice drill and charts giving correct sounds for teachers to follow when instructing children. .Mr V. Ilaslam of Canterbury, district agreed. The speech of the children was not so poor. As regards accent, in class a hoy spoke .•-rr'• t.ly, hut outside seemed to consi I -r it had form or affectation to do so. Mr Valentino, of Taranaki, admitted the tendency; but said the children of to-day were hitter than those of ten yea i s’ ago. Ollier speakers held that conditions were not so satisfactory. The -Minister suggested that inspectors should pay attention to the matter. The Department would get out a language text hook for teachers.

COUNTY ELECTION. REE ETON. February I. The election of a County represent!! Live for the Mamin Springs Riding, (recently merged into lnatigahua ( ouu tv) was held to-day. lhe result ol Dm

voting was:— William Ula-kadder .. . 12 John Hunter •’ Although 0'“!’ are 30 electors on the roll for t!i ■ Maruia Springs Riding enlv 19 votes were recorded.

EX-SOLDIERS’ LOANS. DENE-DIN, February !. In an address to the R.S.A. on soldiers’ loans. Mr I Jagg expressed the opinion that when a .soldier who had borrowed, built a house and sold that house'for any reason, he should re-pay the loan, but the speaker saw no reason why the soldier should not then get another loan, build another house, and so on, as long as the Government wanted houses. In these circumstances, the soldier cost tlm Government nothing, and produced houses. BODY IDENTIFIED. WELLINGTON, February 4. The body of the man recovered from the Harbour, near Kaiwarra to-day has been identified as Bernard Burns, wharf labourer, AI years of age. Decease' had been receiving medical attention for a weak heart, lie was horn in Ireland and had no relatives in XV. Zealand. LABOR R. CANDIDATE. WANGANUI. February 4. .Mr W. J. Rogers, was to-night selected as the Labour candidate ior the next election. X./C ROWING F.TGIIT. WELLINGTON, February A. W. Sargison (Christchurch), has notified the rowing authorities that he-is unable to go to Australia with the New Zealand eight. T. Johnston (Waitemata Club Auckland) has been elected to (ill bis place in the boat.

SCHOOL INSPECTORS CONFER. WEUJNUTON. February •!. A conference of school inspectors k being Imld to-tiay. Warm appreciation of Uc valued - CM -vi(C‘s given t,> the Dominion .a the hiqectois cf primary schools was ,x.,rcs.socl l.y tlic -Minister of Education, vvliile* welcoming delegates. It would, 1,0 said, ho difficult to exaggerate tne importance' to-day oi the oflicto school inspectors and particularly m Xew Zealand were his duties important, for in i rohahly no other country in the Empire was lie called upon to perform so many varied and so important duties. It had been said that th< teacher held the mind of the child. ;u .d tlierefore of the nation., but tne inspectors largely moulded the teachers, directing, guiding and inspiring. In the. afternoon the-’ Conference would discuss the teaching of such subjects a.s arithmetic, history, music, agricultural science, and the efficiency or otherwise of the present methods The eon resume must get down to bedrock. with a view to improving, even upon the excellent results, which it was admitted* the primary schools system cf New Zealand was producing. If one looked hack to the older systems, one must admit that there was a good deal of merit in them. Now that we were in the garden of the utmost latitude. teachers and inspectors must not forget that the old days of rigidity had some merit, and that one must n get too far away from the old in the endeavour to grasp the new. Ihe old inspector required mechanical accuracy and was a. stickler for discipline. The "Minister then referred to the (trading of teachers for promotion and expressed appreciation of the work of the inspectors in that connection.

important decision. CHRISTC jIUROR February 4. At a sitting of tlie Native Land Court at Tuahiwi to-day. under the Presidence of Judge Jones judgment

was given which was considered by the Natives as being important settling as it did the principles which will guide tlie Court in determining the persons entitled to participate in the compensation. This was given with regard to the claims of people living in Marlborough. The Court held that it would proceed as if it were investigating the title to tlie land, as in 1848, and only those persons who were thus entitled would be admitted. Tlie claim by the Northern people was too remote, inasmuch as their occupation had ceased in former generations. The fact that those people belonged to the Ngntimainoe, and had contributed to the fighting fund, would give no right. However the Court was willing that a. list ol such contributors should lie formulated ior some special treatment out of the fund, when the amount of the contribution was known. The claims of those on the list then before the Court, together with others in a similar category, were dismissed. The Natives asked that they might have till next morning to consider the effect of the judgment. The request was granted.

ANGLICAN SYNOD. DUNEDIN, February 5. Archbishop Julius in his opening address to the Anglican general synod this morning, while emphasising the loyalty of the Synod’s decision to appoint an assistant Bishop ol Melanesia diocese, stated lie was against the consecration of assistant Bishops on principle. Bishop Julius commended to the Synod a proposal to divide the unwieldy Auckland diocese. On the Bible in schools he advocated support of Air Isitt’s bill, without attempting to force It lie unattainable right of entry. Bishop Julius expressed the conviction that the scheme of coroprate control of the liquor traffic provided for no security either for genuine reform, or effective control.’ It might advantage the trade but it would! certainly do serious barm to the community.

In speaking on Church Constitution and the recommendation of the Commission that Parliament he asked to empower the Synod to make such changes in the fundamental provisions as may he found necessary, subject to general concurrence by the Diocesan Synods, Archbishop Julius said that all were ready to allow that Clause 6, which declared these provisions unalterable was an unwarranted intrusion upon our liberties. 'lt could not be amended without resort to Pnrlament, Most of the provisions were obsolete. Our cherished relations, with the .Mother Church did not depend for .security upon these provisions and an appeal to the -Legislature would certainly he met with sympathy and good-will.

MUSIC FROAI CHICAGO. HEARD ON ORDINARY TELEPHONE. CHRISTCHURCH, February 5. To lift the receiver oil’ an ordinary telephone and hear musical selections’ from as far away as Chicago coming over the wires was the experience in the “ Lyttelton Times ” office last evening. The music was a test broadcast from the Radio station of Rainhow Garden Restaurant in Chicago and was received by the receiving station of E. Shipley, of I Firewood. from whence it was relayed over the. ordinary telephone wires to the “ limes office.

BRIDGE) COLLAPSES. GISBORNE, Feb. 5. The collapse of a bridge across Alotu River prevents through road traffic between the Bay of Plenty and Gisborne. Motor services are connecting, at. the river. It is expected to take, a fortnight to dfect repairs.

M'ATE RSI DERS DEMAND. CHRISTCHURCH Feb. 5. The steamer Matatua arrived at L* ltel ton this morning to load meat, but (|| ( . v.atersiders refused to work her unless she paid an extra sixpence an hour.

COI'XSKI, AI.LKUKS CONSPIRACY. PALMERSTON N.. Feb. 5 At the Supreme. Court, when a. ease against William Thomas Moulin, a tablet porter at WaiUauae. charged with imleteutlv assaulting boys, was continued, counsel for the defence quoted the Railwav records, which showed that „„ the date of the first charge, the accused v.as ill Wellington on lca\o. On the occasion <>t tne second chat go the accused was not on duty at the time, therefore the alleged offence could not have taken place at the station, without the knowledge and .onnivaiiee of the cllieial on duty. Com". .-<•1 alleged there was a conspiracy against the accused. ASHBURTON SEAT. THF. LABOR CANDIDATE. ASHBURTON, February 5. Joint N. I larie, railway porter in charge, and Post master at Winslow, has been selected to contest the Ashburton seat in the Labour interests. DF, CAR IS EXTRADITED. AUCKLAND, Feb. I. Clement John de Claris a pea red before Mr Povnton, S.M., iliis morning, when an order for bis extradition was issued, and the accused will appear at Melbourne, lie will leave in charge of Deeteetivi* Davoy by tbe Marama tomorrow for Sydney.

DEATH of -IDLIN' WALTON. OREYMOUTH, Feb. 5. Obituary—John Walton, aged 90 years. He was a resident of tireyotoutli for 58 years, a steward of the Cray Jockey Club for 58 years and formerly was an overseer of the Harbour Board. | Deceased was a well-known figuie in snorting circles over a long period of years. He leaves one son. Mr John Walton, and one daughter. BEQUESTS OF £IOO. DUNEDIN. February 5. Underlie will of James Barr the Bristol Orphanages, England. Dr 1 lunacies Homes, the China Island Mission and the Zenana Bible and Medical Mission each receive £IOO. DUNEDIN BUTTER RECORD. DUNEDIN. February 5. Januarv was a record month for the quantity of butter stored in Dunedin—--12.000 boxes went into the departments cool stores and the Taien Peninsular Coy received 3925 boxes m its own stores. MAN KILLED AT ARAPUNI. HAMILTON, February •>. A fall of earth from-the face of a cliff at the power house excavation at Arapuni acme down on three men, C. Russell, aged 27, and whose relatives reside in Wellington, being killed inI stantlv. Dave Morgan had a legbrokI, en with cuits on the head, while Adamson received a twisted ankle. AN \esthetic fatality. HAMILTON, February -5Mrs Mary Bogan died under anaesthetic in tbe Waikato Hospital.

A (lose season For ralrlats! Not in New Zealand, liowever. Ilns (to ns colonials) stra litre law exists in tl>e land of strange laws—tl«e I'nited States of America (stales a southern exchange) A Dunedin resident (Dr Falconer), who recently returned from that country tells of the openin': of the rahhitshootine; in Ohio, The season usually lasts a haul three weeks, and on this first day large numbers of sportsmen turned out with gun and ha". At the end of the day the doctor saw two huntsmen returning to town proudly holding up that all might see and admire—two ordinary-sized rabbits! 01 the Cincinnati shooters who went forth that- nmriiiiis lour returned y.ouneed hv their fellow shooters. This is another familiar phase of American life the casualty list whenever casualties are at all possible.