Marlborough Times. TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1880.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume I, Issue 89, 27 January 1880, Page 2

Marlborough Times. TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1880.

The election of a School Committee last evening is one of those examples in the history of the world which proves that certain classes of men are impervious to the logic of facts. In spite of the efforts made to establish a school, in which the children of the very poorest could obtain an education suitable to their intended sphere of life, an attempt has been made, from mere party motives, to misconstrue the report of theInspector, and throw blame on the teachers; and at the same time bring discredit on the well-meant and earnest work of the Committees of the Borough Schools for the past three years, in their endeavors to give a superior education. We need not remind our readers how much the schools have improved. In public competition under a Board of Examiners for the Civil Service, they have entirely out-distanced all other institutions of their class in the Colony. Mr Her derson, a member of the Education Board, assisted by Mr Dodson, led the van in attempting to induce the parents assembled to show by their votes that the High School has been a failure. Such an expression of opinion from the parents, if we could imagine them capable of being led in such a direction, would carry considerable weight with the Education Board in their deliberations on Mr Henderson’s motion to stop the teaching of all extra branches in the High School. Luckily for the children of the working men of Blenheim, he has not succeeded, nor is there the slightest chance that his adherents will ever be able to prevent the children of any class of our population from obtaining an education in Blenheim as high as their opportunities or capacities will admit. One reniarkablephase in Mr Henderson’s speech deserves especial notice. He does not appear to interest himself in the amount paid to teachers and schools outside Blenheim, but grudges every shilling expended on the B.orough Schools. It would be well that the residents in the town should study his speech, and if they can, discover why a member of the Board and a resident in the town exhibits so much animosity to the town schools. They will find the reason without much difficulty ; they will discover that insidious attempts have been made from time to time to create a feeling of jealousy in the minds of the country School Committees against the town, and a hope existed that Mr George Henderson would be considered —outside Blenheim—the champion of the country districts. All this is apparent in his speech. Any ordinary reader can see that instead of education being the motive, politics only was the aim of a dreary oration, that delayed the election of a School Committee for more than an hour. By a long tirade, intermingled with gesticulation, repetition, and exaggerated emphasis, he tried to entrap the assembled householders intodestroyingthe work of years, and again reduce the High School into the position of an ordinary public school. He was willingly seconded in a coarse and personal attack made by Mr H. Dodson on the teachers, yet in spite of all, a majority of the old Committee were elected by the largest meeting of the kind ever seen in the Wairau, and we have little doubt that the new members will assist them in maintaining a high standard of education. A certain kind of oratory is easy to most men. In Mr Henderson’s speech can be seen the shallow sophistry of the partially instructed mind, that thinks anykind of argument can sway the unthinking, who never seek the other side, provided tho speaker induces his hearers to think lie is in earnest ; and in Mr Dodson’s that style of coarse, vulgar self-conceit, dictated by a mind which considers self-assertion and well regulated facial adjustment the unerring conquerors of his hearers’ intellects. With almost every parent in the district, we rejoice at the defeat sustained by the enemies of the Borough schools, and feel gratified that the good sense of the people recognised the services of the old Committee by electing four of their number. One would not stand for election, another is known to be leaving the district, and the third did not attend the meeting; otherwise there would be little doubt of his being elected. The loiv-bred attack on Mr Macklin and his family may well be passed over without comment, as they are too well known to need our defence, arid we feel confident that <a perusal of Mr Dodson’s speech will elicit more genuine sympathyfor them than anything we could write. ’ It is to be hoped-that the defeat in the - North ward and the decisive action of the householders in resisting tho miserable attempt to destroy the High School will, for a time at least, shov< Mr Henderson and his partisans that the good, sense of the community is against them ; and that they have learnt a lesson, not to bring again their paltry ambitions sc much forward as to disorganise, had they, the power, every institution in the town.

Thera will be an inspection of the Rifle Volunteers thi3 evening, at half-past six o’ciock.

Mr Weldon, Commissioner of Police left Blenheim for Nelson yesterday, on an official visit.

We have received an account, from an authentic source, of the grounding of theTorea last Thursday, but we are compelled to hold it over until our next issue. The vessel, we ars.glad to hear, i 3 uninjured. Only 52 ounces of gold, valued at LI9O, has been entered for duty at the port of Picton during the three months ending the 31st December, making 879 ounces for the year 1879, as against 404 ounces in 1878.

The Customs revenue at the ports of Marlborough was as follows during the year 1879 Wairau, L 4771 as against L 4965 in 1878; Picton L9BB, as against L 1242; Havelock, L 837 as against L 845: Kaikoura, L 903 as against L 1239. For the quarter the returns showed an increase of L2 at Wairau, a decrease of LlO9 at Picton, a decrease of L4B at Havelock, and L 72 at Kaikoura. There was a decrease on the whole Colony for the year of L 107.685.

A telegram received from Havelock yesterday says There has been great excitement over the School Committee election, only two of the old members have been elected. The new Committee is as follows: Messrs Alexander, Owen, Doreen, Levien, Firth, Price and Vennimore.

In answer to a correspondent, we would ty that a member of the Education Board may at one time have attempted to make a school time-table, on the principle that “ Fools rush in where angels fear to tread, but we have no authentic information of any member of that body aspiring to the position of Inspector of Schools for the district.

At the present day the resources of Engineering skill seem to be endless. A good example of contrivance and adaptability to circumstances is observable along the railway line above Dr Home s, and parallel with Grove Road. All acquainted with the locality during an overflow of the Opawa, are aware that a strong current crossed here and entered the river where the tho railway piles are driven. There would, therefore, be a probability that during a fresh the current bearing against the piles would open a channel, which would form a gap that would enable the Opawa to undermine the railway line. To avert this a deep channel or cutting is being made in fro.;t of the line, and filled in with manuka scrub, which will effectually prevent all scour under the line. We hope it will not be erected to such a height as will force the overflow iuto the town.

We have several times referred to the bad state of the roads South of the Clarence, and especially South of Kaikoura, and on a recent occasion we stated the mailman had said he would turn that in future again when it was wet weather on his arrival. The next trip ho carried out his threat, knowing what risks he ran if he proceeded. Last week he was obliged to go round by the Green Hills. Another accident occurred at the Ohau rocks a little below the Clarence on Sunday last. MrJas. Garrett was driving his horse in company with other shearers, when it slipped over the precipice, 30 to 40 feet, and went to the bottom, cutting and bruising itself very severely, so much so that it had to be left under the care of Mr James Grey, blacksmith, of Kaikoura, who has it at his place all strapped and bound up in bandages as a memorial of the state of the Southern roads. The Kaikoura County Road Board ought to do something to remedy this state of things. The main roads should in such districts be attended to and subsidies are granted by Parliament for the purpose ; district works should be locally provided for.

The following letter, published in the Ballarat Courier, was written by one of the young Wantabadgery bushrangers whilst under sentence of death. His sentence was afterwards commuted to imprisonment for life Darlinghurst gaol, Dec. 23, 1879. Dear Mr Long,—ln the unfortunate position I am placed, you cannot but expect a very few lines from me. I want to assure you that I am very thankful to you for your late kindness in coming all the way from Victoria to testify to my character, and to tell you how bitterly I deplore my past conduct. Ah, Mr Long, if I had only obeyed my mother, and not left my home, how different my lot would have been, and how much misery I might have saved my relations. I little knew to what my disobedience would lead me. But I thank God I can say with a clear conscience, that I did not shoot poor Constable Bowen. Will you please remember me kindly to all my late fellow workmen ? Once more thanking you for your goodness, I remain your sincerely grateful, but unfortunate friend, Francis C. Johns, alas T. Williams. Mr James Long, confectioner, Victoria-street, Ballarat East, Victoria. At a Presbyterian Sunday School picnic, held at Ngaruawahia, on New Year’s Day, there was, among other sports and pastimes, a fat woman’s race, and the reporter of the Waihato Times thus makes record:— “ To compete in this, three ladies merrily responded to the call; and to see their noble forms vibrating, and the splendid action of their magnificent legs and kneejoints, as they came high-stepping over the tall grass and docks was a sight worth *■ much more than the handful of lollies awarded to the winner. At the end of this race it was noticed that a young gentleman who at other ladies’ races was conspicuous for his promptitude in running up to and kissing the winner, was at this more conepicuous by his absence. W hether it was from fear of being crushed to a mummy, or, the fear of having to kiss his own mother, remains a matter of doubt. His fears, however, were groundless in either case, for all three ladies came to the post without a stumble, to tho disappointment _of jpiany, and the winner is good-looking enough to be kissed for many a year. yet. Caught “By a Neck.”—A writer in a contemporary remarks:— “While speaking about G.T.’s, I am reminded of a narrative told me of a rev, gentleman, for some time a strong W.G.T., who was getting out of the train somewhat hurriedly at one of the local railway stations, and in doing so unfortunately his coat tail struck the carriage. It was really too bad that the neck of a brandy bottle should fall straight to the ground.

For some years past a caterpillar, having the appearance of a small black snail, has been attacking the hedges of white thorn in and around Picton. We observe that it has reached Blenheim during the present season, giving the hedge rows a partially withered appearance. The Acclimatisation Society would be doing useful work by introducing some birds, if any such exist, to feed on this pest. It is understood than when the white thorn leaves are exhausted, that they attack the cherry tree and osage orange. _______________