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Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 45, 30 January 1880, Page 2

School Affairs. — "With reference to the balance sheet of the Foxton School Committee, the Chairman cf the outgoing Committee, Mr Gray, explained at the meeting on Monday night, that the capitation foe was still due for December. As this would amount to about £7, it should form a most welcome addition to the funds at tho disposal of the new Committee. County Council. — Tho next sitting of tho above body will take place on Monday next, at 2 p.m. .'; Modtoa School. — Tn accordance with the "advertisement issued by the Bonrd, several householders met at thn Moutoa schoolhouse on Monday last, at 7 pm. There was not a sufficiently large atteud ance to tr uisact the business, and no Committee was elected. Assessment Courts. — Sittings of the Assessment Court are fixed as follows : — Otnki Highways District, Tuesday, 2nd March ; Foxton Looal Board District, Wednesday, 3rd March. Cottnty Council Election. — By advertisement in another column, Mr T. U. Cook, [Returning officer, calls upon tho electors of Kiwitea to elect * representative in place of Mr Stanley H. Carr, resigned. Nominations close on February 10, and the poll, if necessary, will take place on the 17th. Sanson Railway. — Wo understand Mr Hayns, County Engineer, has not yet received instructions from tho directors of the Railway Company to undertake the Burvey of the line. He is ready to begin the work directly orders are given, and if the Governor's consent is obtained, the survey and preparation of working plans will probably be gone on with at once. A short time ago, a letter from the Chief Engineer (North Island) was referred to Mr Hayns, for a report. In the letter, Mr Blackett requested information as to the effect the railway formation would have on the road grades. As the writer appeared to be labouring under a very great misapprehension as to what really was intended, Mr Hayns at once gave the necessary explanation that the railway would not in any way affect the road formation, except to improve it, and nothing moro has been heard of the matter, which we may presume has been satisfactorily settled. Foxton-Otakißoad.— Mr Hayns, County Engineer, is at present visiting the southern part of the district, inspecting operations on the Foxton-Otaki road. We understand the work is progressing satisfactorily. Mr Hayns informs us that if he had the necessary funds at disposal, the whole work could be completed in eighteen months. A Good Suggestion.— During the school meeting on Monday last, Mr Hulke mado very valuable suggestion. He pointed out that under the present Aot the old Committees hold office until the fourth Monday in January. The result is, that the schools have all resumed their duties after the Christmas vacation, before the new Committee assumes office. As a rule new Committees desire various alterations in the management, &c, of tho school, which should cake effect at its opening Owing to the date at which the new Committees ar<s elected at present being subsequent to the oohool opening, any alterations made necessitate the turning of the schools inside out. The view expressed by Mr Hulke strikes one as thoroughly practical, and wo were glad to hear that, gentleman nay he has forwarded to the InspectorGeneral of Schools a suggestion that the Act should be bo amended as to enable the Committees to be elected in time to take charge on the opening of the school after the Christmas holidays. Resignation.— Mr. Hoani Mohi Tawhai, . M;H.R., the Maori member of the Native Lands Commission, has resigned. He gives as hia reason the fact that there being two Pakeha commissioner*, they could drive him whichever way they ohotie; also, that .the Coicinission & not empowered to go Into the question of confiscation, whioh \$

the root of the trouble. He says that to consider the troubles without dealing with the confiscation would be lik 3 breaking a splinter off at the skin, and loiving a piece of wood in tho h md. Time-tahle. — Anew timetable will come into force on Monday next for the local railway. The chief alteration will be t!ie striking out of the third Wnnganui-Pal-raerston train two days per wee'?, viz., on Tuesdays and Thursdays. MiNrsTERiAL. — The Hon. Mr Bryoe, Native Minister, arrived in Foxton per " special " shortly after midnight of Wed nesday, and proceeded to Wellington by coach on Thursday. Presbyterian Church. — Divine Service will be conducted at the Presbyterian Uhurch, Foxton, on Sunday evening, at 6.30, when the Rev. Mr Duncan will officiate. The Police ox tiib Totaijsatoe. — The " Totalisator " forms the subject of a report by the Inspector-General of Police, New South Wales, Mr Edmund Fosbery, to the Principal Undor-Secretary. Mr Fosbery does not believe in tlio machine, as will be seen by his report, which is as follows : — " The totalisator was worked at Randwick racecourse simply as an indicator of how many times each horse in the race (accordin? to his number on the official card) was backed to win, by the deposit of a sovereign and purchase of a ticket. Any person desiring to bet or take a chance could readily see the number of pounds invested, and consequently calculate the odds about each horse. The total amount or sweep was, at the conclusion of each race, divided between those persons who had taken tickets for the winning horse, 0 per cent being deducted by the proprietor for commission. If the winning horse had not been backed at all, the sums deposited would be returned to the ticketholders less 10 per cent commission. It was pointed out to me by several persons that the instrument could be unfairly manipulated by a signal from a confederate seeing the winning horse pass the post to the operator nt tho totalisator, who could rea-Jily add several numbers to the chances taken for the winning hor3e, and so come in for a division of the stakes. This I had under observation by a careful officer in plain clothes, but he could not discover any such fraud. It is unnecessary for me to add that no Biispicion was directed against Mr Franck. The fairness of this system of betting hag been urged as tho strongest point in its favor, but something might be said on the other side. The fact that the return, if any, for the investment is prompt, equitable, and certain, might be viewed as affording an increased incentive lo gambling, and 1 have n ) doubt that many persons who never do business with a bookmaker, would try a chnnce with tho total isator. It is further worthy of notice thai boys might readily gimble by obtaining tickets in tho totalisator, with fatal facility, whilst it would be leas easy for them to do business with a bookmaker. The chief ob jectiou to the instrument, if legalised, would bo that not only would gambling be sanctioned, but that it would bo encjuragori. It is quite truu, as asserted, tiiat tho law is at present broken by bookmakers receiving cash for wa^eru beforehand on the ground, but it would be very difficult to prove the offence." Poisoked. — A paragraph in the Pari-> papers states that a young man in thnt city was in the habit of clearing out the stem and mouthpiece of his pipe with » common knitting needle, which he neglected to wipe and purify after each of these applications. One day, on hastily picking up the instrument the point run into his finger, and the result of the wound, which was at first neglected, is that he will have *:o lose his arm, and may bo considered lunky if evrtn by this means ho can save his life. The hand and arm swelled gra dually, owing to tho poisonous effects of the nicotine, until two days after the ac ciclent occurred he found it necessary to go to a surareon. Kemeclies weiv applied, bat with no effect, and numerous abscesses began to form upon the hand and wrist. This ease may be added to others which have already shown that even the smallest injection of nicotine is capable of producing the gravest injury. Hatid Likes.— We (Ashburton Mail) understand thero is to bo a sort of general shuflla and fresh deal in connection with the officers of the Telegraph Department. A number of telegraphists in Canterbury and Ulago have received notice that they are to be removed to other stations, and more dissatisfaction is the result. The object of this " redistribution " is, we are informed, to preserve inviolable the secrecy of the department. It will be rerasmb^red that Mr Uichard Reeves, the member for Grey Valley, urged upon the Government the advisability of removing officers in charge from station to station at least once a year, becauso they formed friendships, and were likely to " let out " the secrets of the department. The argument is a weak one, but it seems to have had weight with the Government. It is really a great pity telegraphists should be so thoughtless as to form friendships.' They should be fully aware that they are merely slaves of the public, and it is a piece of unwarrantable presumption on their part to make friends. Perhaps the leason they are about to learn will keep them in their proper , sphere in future. Let telegraphists stick their noses into the "key" and be content to do the drudgery for which they are so *' liberally " paid. The luxury of free intercourse with the outer world belongs not to them, and they have no right to seek it. The saving effected by the abolition of over time, will be spent upon tho expenses of the general shift, and it will be satisfactory to the officers to know they will have, in a sense, to buy the whip which i? to be used upon their backs. How much More ? — A commercial traveller arrived at Napier tbo other duy, a case of dutiable goods having preceded bin.. After securing the case, and getting it put on tho express cart, he was accosted by die wharfinger, " Heigh ! what are you doing with that case ? There is 14s to pay on it.' 1 "Oh ! that's all right, here you are." And traveller and box wont on. Then the wharfinger remembered something, and sung out again, " Heigh ! there's 3s Gel on that." The money was paid, and again the cart drove off, but had not gone far befoie a commission agent called out " Heigh ! where areyou taking that case to ? There's receiving and delivering, 5s 6d, to pay on it." Said the traveller with a sigh, and paying the money, " I supposo its all right, but whilo I have got my hand in my pocket cloes an}' body want any moreP Do you want to build a quay, or a wharf ?cr may be you want a breakwater ; just say the word before I go." And everybody looking injured — like the case and the traveller—departed in peace.