THE Mount Ida Chronicle FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1873.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 244, 7 November 1873, Page 4

THE Mount Ida Chronicle FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1873.

When our Parliaments are not making very satisfactory progress, the cause is very often attributed to a deterioration of personnel among the- members. Sir Cracroft "Wilson lately, while addressing the Heathcote electors, made the most of this charge. After all, :there is very little in it; for, practically, it is found that the few leaders of any representative body are always followed by the ruck. It does not make much difference to the character that pervades legislation whether that ruck be talented or stupid—honest or dishonest. A very dishonest body, led by a few really talented men, gets more credit for integrity and business capacity than a fairly honest majority, where there are few (or, perhaps, only one) conspicuous above their fellows. We have always thought that,, "take fifty or sixty men—by lottery, or. by the electoral ballot box as regard a personnel, they-will very nearly compare with any other fifty or sixty of the same average education. It would probably be far more true to ascribe the log-rolling propensities of the Assembly to the existing systems of G-overnment, which encourage .it; Provincialism has a great deal to answer for in this. v ' Before every session the Otago members are lectured by the public and the Press, on the necessity of being united, of voting together, &c. What is that but directly educating them in a self-interested political warfare of tactics, rather than hi the exercise of honest convictions ? If a member does rebel, and gives his'-vote as he thinks right, he is upbraided as a traitor to his Province—to his little clique. The Assembly, as at present: constituted, is probably less aristocrat

tic than it was ten years agoj for money has come to the surface,,as it always will do. Still, we are not prepared to say that the members,, as a body, have shown less ability or less honesty of opinion during- the last session than in any previous one. On the other hand, it can hardly be gainsaid that, if the majority had had less ability, and the leaders had possessed more, and been true to their colors, the session that has just" closed in little practical good—unless, indeed, a fearful pressure on editorial waste paper baskets—might, have been utilised in such a manner as to bring about greater certainty to investors of capital, and have laid the foundation of permanent prosperity for the thousands of people it is proposed shortly to-in-troduce "into the Colony.

Some time ago we drew attention tothe advisability of the Naseby. District School being raised in status to a Grammar School. The attendance of children has, under the present master and mistress, steadily increased, and there is very good reason, to believe that every year, for some time to come, the number of children requiring education will increase in a certain scale of arithmetical progression. . Thanks to the prosperity which has attended all settled residents who have really put their shoulders to the wheel in the battle for life's good things,, in spite of the last two years' depression a large number, are anxious and feel themselves in a position to give their children the benefits of a good practical instruction—an education that the best of the .District Schools cannot supply. The High School is placed out of reach, owjug to the heavy charges entailed for boarding in Dunedin ; besides which, it should not be forgotten that the base on which the jtiigh School at present stands is of a very sandy foundation, and- likely, as a State school, to be shortly extinguished, it might be well for those 1 interested in the improvement of local education to consider- the "matter, and to take such steps throughout the district as to make an application for such a change an unanimous expression of a pressing requirement from the whole district. We want such a school as would supply our own wants, and. not to be selfish, the requirements of St. Bathans and the out district townships also. The Provincial Council has power, under the Grammar Schools Ordinance, to consent to the establishment of Grammar Schools. The Council may, with great propriety, be asked to assert that power with regard to the Mount Ida district.

Sunday next being the Prince of Wales' birEhday, the banks will be closed on Monday, and a holiday observed. Tendees are called by advertisement for contracts on the head race, being portions of the contracts first let. We learn that contracts 7 and 9, for about 38 miles of the head race, have been, finally let to Mr. Abbot, contractor, Dunedin. Mr. Logan, the Telegraph Inspector, arrived last night at Naseby. We believe his mission is to see to the preliminary arrangements for extension of wire to the Dunstan.

Me. Cbiokmobe, Maerewhenua, has been appointed agent for a Government Money Order Office and Savings Bank. This should prove a convenience to the district. Old Knotting-ley, that for so long was victorious against all comers on the New Zealand turf, has carried off the prize for the beat thoroughbred stallion at the Timaru show. The Sludge Channel Co. have agreed to break up—the Messrs. Creighton taking the responsibilities for the remainder of the contract. Work is to be at once gone _on with, and drays and men in any quantity are required as soon as possible.

All will learn with regret that the Naseby Brass Band, that it was hoped would cheer all by performances during our fast lengthening summer evenings, has become a tiling of the past, only three'performers being still attached. "We hope volunteers and old hands will alike muster up to prevent the permanent dissolution of a very desirable institution.

Notwithstanding the. in clemency of the weather during the first month-.of; the present lambing season, the lambing account throughout the district is likely.'to, be good. Cutting and tailing was accomplished this week at Eweburn Station, and the per centage of lambs was eighty-six. YVe hope to hear of equally good accounts from-the other stations in the district.'

'-. A woman died lately in Dunedin some wha.t suddenly. Jt became necessary- that

an inquest should, be held. It appeared that the heart, being affected, was the immediate cause of death. Dr. Bakewell, who made the examination, gave evidence that the liver was very much enlarged, and appeared to be marked by tight lacing. This is a lesson ladies, especially those who have care of the young, would do well to bear in mind.

A meeting- of subscribers to the St. B.itbans Annual Race Fund was held iu the Ballarat Hotel last week, when it was agreed that the annual meeting should be held on the 26th and 27th December. A good working Committee was appointed, and Mr. G-. if. Smith and Mr. Dennistoun were made collectors. We trust the Committee will endeavor to issue the programme a little earlier than last year, in order to give pwners of horses an opportunity of getting their nags in condition.

A alluding to the benefit of scholarships, as connected with the High School, indulges in the following bit of fine writing—not very complimentary to the district schools : —" This competition keeps up a healthy vitality in the district schools, and it opens a path through which genius 'may escape from a region where it would droop under the chilling blasts of penury,' and pass into a region where its glorious flowers may develop ■ and its fruits may ripen in the genial sunshine of culture." The prospecting work by the Government boring-rods was resumed on Monday last, the new augur answering admirably. On' Wednesday, however, a very hard' boulder was reached, which suddenly checked the progress of the work ; and, after jumping dll' the ' day although the drill stood well, only about nine inches was made. On Thursday the same stone was being drilled with greater progress. It is expected to get through the stone to-day. From the dirt washed above the boulder fine gold was obtained. The depth last night was about fifty feet. • An" adjourned meeting of miners and others interested in testing the ground in the district, by means of-the G-overnment boriugrods, was held in,the schoolroom, St. Bathans, in Saturday evening last. Mr. G. Purton, the Chairman, read a communication from the Secretary of the Miners' Association, Naseby, in reference to the boring-rods', describing thefailure of the experiments hitherto toied there in consequence of the apparatus having proved defective. After some discussion, it was agreed, on the motion of Mr. Gil more,' that the matter should remain in abeyance for a month, pen ling the final result of the experiments now being carried on at Naseby.

A LETrjEB from, a, " Tnveller " was left aP our office lately, complainiug of the dangerous state of the road near the Ballaivit Hotel. Oar correspondent states that "a bead race being out in such close proximity to the main Kden Creek road, opposite the Ballarafc Hotel," causes the danger. He adds, " ray horse shied at the dirt thrown up, audhadhe not have been a most quiet brute, I might have met with some accident.". The communication not being authenticated, we have not inserted it. Probably the end desired will be fully met by the above extracts, by drawing the attention of the sub-Inspector of Police or the Corporation, whichever is responsible. A meeting of the Athenaeum Committee was held on the 27th October. Present: Messrs. L. W. Busch (chair), E. T. George, G. F. Newmarch, J. S. M'lntosh, H. B. M'lntosh, J. Brown, and E. C. Smith.—The Chairman explained that a dictionary had been ordered from Melbourne, as agreed upon. The Treasurer reported a balance of £64 4s. lid. to the credit of the Institution.—Accounts to the extent of £5. 10s. were passed for payment. —The fencing of the building was again discussed, and deferred.—The attendance at the Athenseum was discussed. The Chairman and Committee unanimously agreed that unless a more liberal support was accorded, the library.and reading-room could not be maintained for any length of time.—rThe meeting then, broke up with .a vote of thanks to the Chair. ..

In another column we refer to the action of the Church of England Synod, with regard to, education. After our remarks were in type, we learnt that, the Synod, having found a leader, the. Rev. Mr. Stanford—who, we notice, twitted the lay element with being afraid, to speak out—boldly declared for denominational education, and resolved to establish schools wherever it might be found practicable. In the cause of education it is to be regretted that this action has been taken. It does not seem to us'so utterly impossible as to make the attempt not worth trying—to let the schools supply a first-class secular education by means of Christian teachers, and to let the different Churches, through their Sunday schools, and .the homes of the people, assist the parents, who are responsible, in teaching the young to be able a reason for the faith that is. in them. ' .

The usual monthly meeting of the Naseby District School was held on Monday evening last. Present—Messrs. E. 0. Smith (chair,, E./T. George, J. Dillon, .J.-Stewart,-and H- ' Wilson.- The minutes.of last ordinary and special meetings were read and. confirmed.---Letter read from schoolmaster, informing the Committee that school affairs are satisfactory, and that during the past month ninety-six pupils were present-.*—From Secretary Education Board, stating tliftt the 80-ird jhad agreed to raise'the salary b'flhe sohoblmTstressfrom £6O to £75 per '/Joseph' Gason,: asking Committee to' 'investigate •certain matters in connection-Syithllie acceptance of tender for proposed-alteration in school.— From Seci*etai*y Education JBoard, in reply to a recent application by the Committee for an

| a'ddifiori to the £IOO lately grmled, whi.'h is I insufficient to carry out l,he j necessary alfpi-a- ---' fciqns, staling 'that the matter would be considered at next meeting of the Board.—Besolved that a special meeting of the Committee be held on Monday next, to consider Air. G-nson's letter of the 3rd inst.—Resolved that the schoolmaster's report be received as highly satisfact ry.— K.esolved that tlxe Secretary recommend to the Board that a proportionate increase to the salary of the schoolmaster be made/—Adjourned till Monday uext. . .