Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 1881.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 100, 28 April 1881, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 1881.

Within the last few days certain very unpleasant rumors have gained currency in the town with regard to the treatment of the inmates of the Taranaki Buildings, or in other words, the poor house of the Provincial District of Nelson. We do not feel justified in giving publicity to all that has reached oar ears in connection with the matter, but it is sufficient to state that the reports are so widely circulated,' aad are so discreditable to those in charge of the institution, that in their own interests they should require a searching enquiry to be made. At the present time, and in. the existing state of affairs, it ia not easy to say with whom rests the responsibility of the conduct of such an institution, and this iv itself forms an additional reason for enquiring into the correctness or otherwise of the rumors that have gotfssofld, &°4 which are sure to become

exaggerated the more frequently they are repeated. Under tbe circumstances we would recommend those who are immediately interested to request the Government to cau^e the whole matter to be looked into without delay. A well desprved presentation was made to Sergeant- Major Al borough to-day by Captain Fifth on behalf of tha College Cadets. Tbe gift consisted of a handsome gold Albert watch chain, together with a gold pendant in the shape of a shield, on one side of which are cugraved the words " Ser-g^ant-Msjor Alborough," and on the other "From the Nelson College Uadeta, Easier 1881." In presenting it Captain Firth said that the boys were desirous of giving a practical proof of their appreciation of the great attention bestowed upon them and the interest taken in their progress by their drill instructor. The worthy Serge&nt-Major was quite taken by surprise, aud although when drilling them ha cau talk to tbe boys for half an hour together and is never at a loss for the right word in instructing them, he was for a time almost speechless, but eventually contrived to assure the donors how very highly he esteemed their gift, and the spiritjwhich prompted them in making it. It will bo remembered that at the late encampment the College Cadets were the observed of all observers, and elicited very general expressions of admiration of the manner in which tbey went through their drill. It speaks well for the boys that they attribute their success to the excellence of the instruction bestowed upon them, and their recognition of his services must be very gratifying indeed to Sergeaut-Mojor Alborough. Professor Haselmayer's entertainments are ahva3s attractive, but that to be given to-night will be rendered more then usually so by the display of the electric spark illuminations. Having devoted much of his tira« to the study of electricity the Professor has brought this part of his performance to perfection, aud all who attend to-night will be delighted and surprised at the beautiful effects produced. To all the ladies present a gift will be presented, so that the attendance of the fair sex should be unusually large. Mr Haselmajer will give a peculiar style of pianoforte recital by playing on that instrument with a clothes brush. He also promises to explain to a certain extent the mystery of the magic drum The entertain ment on the whole promises to be an exceedingly pleasant and amusing one, and, as it U the last the Professor will give iv Nelson, it will no doubt be very numerously patronised. We understand that Mr Heaps haa arrived from Wellington to take temporary charge of the Custom department in Nelson. Hkfkrring to the directors' report preseutcd at the Bank of New Zealand's half yearly meeting held last week, the Auckland Star says :— " According to the statement made by the chairman in moving the adoption of the report, £17,000 bave been paid in taxation. If the property tax bas got down upon other capitalists in the same ratio, wealth will have contributed pretty well this year to the financial burdens of tbe colony. The source of! the increased business is discoverable in the fact that £770.000, which was before lying on short deposits in London, has since found more profitable investment in the colony ; and the wool season haa also given a more active exchange. We are glad I to be ahle to discover in this report signs of the passing away of the mouetary crisis ia | New Zealand, and we believe, with the proposer and seconder of the report, that if ordinary prudence is exercised in the management of our public affairs, the revival will be permanent." The funeral of the late Fireman Fmnd will take place to morrow afternoon^ when his mortal remains will be escorted to their last resting place by the members of the Brigado. A "PnoGßESsiva Lyceum '* or in other words a Freetbought Sunday School haa been recently opened in Dunedin. This, the New Zealand 'I imet regards as the outcome of a peculiar phase of the educational syßtem of the colony, aud if so it certainly is sug gestive of the necessity for some alteration in the existing stata of things : — " The State." Gays our contemporary, " educates the rising generation on strictly secular lines. Good conduct during school hours is enforced by almost military rule; morality may be incidentally inculcated, but is, in reality, dependent less on Ihe p'rinteci moral precepts of task books than on the influence and particular bias of individual teachers, aud forms no p3rt or parc-1, i or cornea within the responsibility of what may be termed statutory educational requirementfl, The staudards define a comprehensive fccope of knowledge, taxing to the utmost tbe abilities of teachers and pupils to compass, but excluding religion in the ordinarily-accepted sense of the word. The Bible finds no place among the class books : inculcation in biblical knowledge, and with it incidental morality and proper conduct of life ft relegated to the Sunday schools-, wherein well intentioned-, but too often untrained persons, voluntarily make essay to assist an over-wofked clergy in imparting spiritual instruction according to their lights. The result is that sectarian distinctions and differences of opinion are being perpetuated in crudest form, even while the Inculcation of true morality and reverence for things holy does not advance except in slow and uncertain degree. It must be confessed that the youthof the colony have little reverence for things spiritual or things temporal. To them the world is all their own wherein to choose neither school training nor home training bas much controlling influence, and disrespect for the laws of mentors and guardians is tending> in very evident degree, to disrespect for tbe laws of the State. It is, as remarked, a mo3t significant sign of the times when an association of individuals who openly disavow connection or affinity with any recognised conventional form of religious belief, finds it necessary to combat the results of the secular system of education in the State schools by. establishing a Sunday school, or, as they euphemistically term it, a Progressive Lyceum, wherein on at least ono day of the week their offspring shall be taught how to live a purely moral life, in strict accord with nature's laws, and in reverence of constituted authority."