MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

North Otago Times, Volume II, Issue 38, 10 November 1864, Page 1 (Supplement)

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Female Education, &c. — In the last departmental report of the Secretary to the Board of Education, the following paragraph appears : — " Female Education. — Schoolmistresses, in addition to the ordinary masters, are now employed in the North, Middle, and South Schools of Dunedin, and in the schools of East Taieri and Tokomairio. The Schbol Committees of Port Chalmers, and several other districts, contemplate the appointment of schoolmistresses in their respective schools, as soon as the necessary class-room accommodation is provided, or when the attendance of pupils is such as to warrant the employment of two teachers in connection with one school. The limited attendance at most of our rural schools, consequent upon a sparse population, necessitates in most cases the employment of one teacher only ; and such being the case, it is decidedly preferable, as a general rnle, that there should be a male teacher. But in all cases where the attendance warrants the employment of two teachers, then most undoubtedly one of them should be a female; and every encouragement should be held out to School Committees to adopt this arrangement wherever practicable. The system now most approved of in the home country for mixed elementary schools appears to be somewhat as follows : — The oversight of the literary department is entrusted to the master, while the mistress, under his superintendence, renders such assistance in the junior division as may be agreed upon. The female industrial department is placed under the control of the schoolmistress, who gives instruction in sewing, knitting, dressmaking, and other useful branches of female education While I am very decidely of opinion that the elder girls, as a general rule, will make much more satisfactory progress in their literary education and mental training under a male than a female teacher, yet I would strongly recommend that the more advanced girls should spend a portion of their school hours with the schoolmistress in the perusal and study of such schoolbooks as Mrs Gordon's ' Household Economy,' or the Irish ' Female Reading Book,' whereby much useful knowledge may be acquired, and many correct ideas formed on subjects of domestic economy. The right training and education of the future wives and mothers of our country for the duties that may one day devolve upon them, is a subject deserving of most careful consideration ; and much more of our future welfare and happiness as a community may depend upon the manner in which this duty is performed than is generally supposed. A moral and literary education, however desirable and valuable in itself, is not alone sufficient ; and it is much to be desired that all our girls had an opportunity, before leaving school, of undergoing, under competent schoolmistresses, a course of instruction and training in the true principles and practice of domestic economy, which has been aptly styled the ' salt which would preserve the nation from much festering and loathsome corruption.' 1 A nation is made powerful and honored in in the world, not so much by the number of its people, as by the ability and character of that people ; and the ability and character of a people depend in a great measure upon the economy of the several families which make up that nation. There never yet was, and never will be, a nation permanently great consisting for the greater part of wretched and miserable families.' I have been much gratified that singing is now practised in nearly all the schools, and I have taken every opportunity to impress upon the School Committees and teachers the advantages that may bo expected to result from the general and systematic instruction of the young in this 'uiportant and useful branch of education."

The "Timartt Herald." — The following from the '• Timaru Herald of the 20th, states that the paper has undergone a change in its proprietary. It still goes in for separation : — " Our friends and the public may reasonably look to us for some special exposition of our plans and principles, especially at such a juncture as the present. A steadily progressive line of policy will be advocated This district has rights to be asserted, wrongs to be redressed, and it will receive from us cordial sympathy and advocacy. Separation into a separate province has become the only remedy for obtaining what is our fair rights, and to prevent our land fund from being drawn away to be expended in enriching other parts of the country, and from the imposition of having taxes upon our land and fheep."

The Separation Movement. — A meeting of the principal gentlemen of the town was held, in Timaru on Thursday evening, for the purpose of taking steps towards calling a public meeting for the purpose of discussing t-paration for the southern district. Not aiuch conversation took place, as the meeting bad only been called for the purpose of obaining the electoral roll and other informaiion, so that the facts might be prepared for 'he lt monster " meeting, and freely discussed it which time it is expected there will be a fery large attendance from the districts. There is great interest shown in the matter iy the whole of the settlers in the south, and foe energy with which the subject is debated fould tend to the belief of a very speedy 'ismemberment of the province. The taxes 'hich are about to be imposed are for the 'wiefit of the north, and there appears to be 'determination on the part of the settlers !| )t to submit to it. We may state that there ire 347 names on the electoral roll for this district. — Timaru Herald.

Destitution in Victoria.— The "Hamilto Spectator" says-— u However much we tay deplore the unfortunate cry of poverty •hich. is springing up in Melbourne, it is taer nonsense for the community to attempt i evade the naked fact that a large amount f destitution does exist. Not only the Press, at the every -day experience of each indivilal testifies to the fact. In the towns we 3d destitute families, widows and orphans, 1 claimants, too numerous for the scanty lief afforded by our few charitable institu5ns. In the country we find poverty even ore extensive, but in a different form. Not squatter in the whole colony but can give » experience of the poverty he is called «n to relieve, in the form of • travellers.' Ms has now reached a point which has neyer paralleled. From careful inquiries we

have made, we estimate that on the average, in the Western District alone, except in shearing time, 3000 to 4000 men are wandering about the country, looking for work, and subsisting on the charity of the squatters. On the majority of stations every traveller who presents himself at nightfall finds a home in the men's hut, a good supper, quarters, such as are going, and a breakfast the next morning. On some stations the tax is becoming enormous. Several squatters have assured us that travellers' rations cost them £1000 a year. In numbers of cases it will be quite half that amount. Some few resist: they give quarters but no rations. Some supply the average ten a night, which sometimes swells up to fifty, with only flour ; some give supper and bed, but no breakfast ; and a few give nothing at all. If bush fences were not inflammable, and grass would not burn, this number would probably be largely increased. The possible discontinuance of the system of the squatter relieving the traveller cannot but excite the most serious considerations. Among these travellers there is, no doubt, a goodly number of industrious men who are honestly seeking for work, who are glad to get it, and who will take it when it is offered them. But there is also another class, those who never work except during the shearing season ; immediately after which they " knock down " the cheques they then earn, and at once go on the tramp, perambulating the district or the colony, and laying every station in their course under contribution. If they are offered work, they make a show of commencing, and then skedaddle, or else ask wages so much higher than the current rate that there is little chance of their valuable services being accepted. How this deplorable and increasing difficulty is to be met is a most serious question."

Lord Palmerston on the War in America. — An influential deputation from the Society for Obtaining the Cessation of Hostilities in America, waited on the Prime Minister on Friday, for the purpose of urging her Majesty's Government to take steps to bring about peace between the belligerents. The deputation consisted of the Marquis of Clanricarde, the Bishop of Chichester, MiMarsh, Mr Danby Seymour, Rev Mr Mallet, Mr Spence, of Liverpool ; and other gentlemen. It was explained that the deputation was devoid of any party character, and would chiefly urge the plea .of humanity. The Marquis of Clanricarde and Mr Spence showed the necessity, if possible, of arresting the shedding of blood in America. Lord Palmerston, in reply, said there was an old couplet — Ct Those who in quarrels interpose, Must ofttn wipe a bloody nose," (Laughter.) He was not afraid of a bloody nose, but he feared that premature efforts would only have the effect of exasperating the North, and making it more difficult, when the passions were a little calmed, to effect the object all must have in view. Government was led to think, from all accounts that reach them, that this was not the moment at which any mediatory proposals could be usefully made — each party was equally confident of success, and the North especially jealous of interference. If, however, at any future time reasonable ground could be shown for supposing that friendly suggestions would be listened to, her Majesty's Government would be happy to use their efforts to arrive at such a deshable result as that of terminating this unhappy war. The " Morning Herald" sa y S : — " We understand that the Hon. Mr Mason had an official interview with Lord Palmerston on Thursday, at Cambridge House, at the introduction of Mr Lindsay, and that the meeting was satisfactory to all parties. The withdrawal of Mr Lindsay's motion was, it is said, the result of that interview, the Premier having given a sort of implied promise to support it at a more opportune moment ; that is to say, when Grant and Sherman have been defeated, and the Confederacy stands in no need of recognition." Explosion op a Locomotive. — In August last a locomotive engine exploded on the line of the North London Railway at the Camdenroad station. The platform at the Camdenroad station extends from the entrance to the station at Great College- street to the eastern side of Great Randolph -street, where the line is some 30 feet above the level of the roadway. The bridge which crosses Randolphstreet is composed chiefly of wooden girders, resting upon iron pillars and stanchions. It is the practice of the drivers of the up-trains to stop their engines just before reaching the western side of the Randolph- street bridge. The train from Kew due at Camden-road at 9.30, becomes at that station an express train to Stepney and Fenchurch-street, and is then taken on by another engine so soon as the engine which has brought it np shunts off. The train had arrived at the Camden-road station and taken in its passengers, when the engine was brought up from its siding and attached to the train. The train had been brought up to about the middle of the Ran-dolph-street bridge, and at the moment the coupling-iron was affixed the driver of the engine, named John Ellis, was alarmed by hearing a report proceed" from the fire-box of the engine which caused him to jump off. William Davis, the fireman, was about to follow his example, but before he could do so a still louder explosion was heard, and the ponderous engine, upwards of twenty tons weight, flew high into the air, taking a forward motion and throwing down the buttress on which the eastern side of the bridge rested, and dashed over into the street below, turning over andcompletely round in its descent, but singularly enough alighting on its wheels. The loud crash created by such an occurrence may be well imagined, as well as the alarm of the passengers in the train, who rushed from their carriages in every direction. So high did the engine mount into the air that the whole of the telegraph wires on the northern side of the line, some 12 or 14 feet above the rails, -were cut, and fell into tlae street below. The fireman Davis was so much injured that he has since die^d, and Ellis was a good deal scalded, but singularly enough no one else was hurt.

The "New York Journal of Commerce" says; — "The one long, loud, universal burst of disapprobation from Republican and Democrat which has greeted Mr Lincoln's assurance that he will not stop the war till slavery is destroyed, proves conclusively that he is no exponent of the opinions of the people of the North." He that spends all hit time in sports is like one who wears nothing bat fringe* and eats nothing but sauces.