TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5490, 31 October 1878, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(I'EU PRESS AGENCY.) Eoxton, Wednesday. Captain Fraser, of the steamer Jane Douglas, which arrived from Wellington this morning, reports the ketch Elizabeth, owned by Captain Short, of Wellington, bound from the Sound to I’atoa with timber, has become waterlogged and went ashore on Kapiti Island yesterday morning. She is in a dangerous position should a southerly wind spring up. The steamer Gleuelg was going to tow the Elizabeth off last nigbt, but feared she might founder, and abandoned the attempt. The Elizabeth is a handy little ketch of 33 tons register, and for a long time was engaged in the timber trade between Wellington and Felorus Sound, It is only a short time since she was in Wellington. Captain Hamilton, formerly of the schooner Colleon Bawn, is in charge of the vessel, Captain Short having been detained in Wellington on business when she started on her last voyage. Wanganui, Wednesday. At the Supremo Court Dr. Kix Hose pleaded guilty to three counts for forgevv, a ,d was sentenced to two years. Carl Haber, for a stabbing case at Waverlej, was sentenced to 15 months. Hermann Behreudt, a lad of sixteen, for forgery, was sentenced to six mouths. Napier, Wednesday. The body of tho man Hunter, who has been missing at the Spit, was washed up to day. He was cook on board the steamer Result, not the Admiral, as previously stated. An inquest will be held to-morrow. TaURAXOA, Wednesday. Ivithhouc, editor of the Bay of Pknly Times, summoned Murks (who recently assaulted Edgecombe) this morning, for threatening language. Marks was bound over to keep tho peace, and ordered to pay £3 7s. costs. Grahamstown, Wednesday. The Thames deep levels will no doubt receive aid from the £15,000 voted for deep prospecting, and tho money will assist in testing the value of the deeper workings, as in Victoria and elsewhere, where the best results have folowcl such a course as that adopted by the House. Hokitika, Wednesday. The steamer Maori brought up from Caswell Sound a splendid lot of marble, in blocks of various sizes and different shades of color. The report of Mr. Muuro, of Dunedin, who came specially to inspect the quarries, is most favorable. He considers the quality of the stone of the very highest class, and the quantity is practically unlimited. The shareholders have resolved to form a company, and proceed to open tho quarries at once. A number of creditors aro threatening to sue the Education B»avd, who are still without funds, and ■ overdrawn at the bank several thousand pounds. Christchurch, Wednesday. Three farmers were fined at Eangiora yesterday for having unbranded sheep. * The Government having replied in the negative to an application by the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board for a sum to bo placed on the Supplementary Estimates for this year in aid of tho Benevolent Asylum, tho Board has appointed a committee of their members to draw up a scheme for tho collection of funds to carry out tho object. During the past week the Acclimatisation Society distributed 13,000 young trout in various streams in tho northern district.. Seymour H. Saunders was yesterday sentenced to eight mouths’ imprisonment on two 'chargesof passing valueless cheque}. A third charge was dismissed, it being doubtful whether prisoner did not believe he had sufficient funds in tho bank at the time. Timaru, Wednesday. The 13th annual Agricultural Show of the Timaru Agricultural and Pastoral Association was held to-day. Tho weather in tho morning was cloudy, but in the afternoon tho sun shone very hot. There was no wind. This will bo the last time that tho show will bo hold in tho ground now occupied by the association, as it will bo cut up and sold iu quarter-acre sections, being part of Rhode Town. In future the shows will bo held iu the now grounds, near to the northwestward of Timaru, near H. J. Sealcy’s laud. Owing to tho facilities now afforded by the railway being opened between Christchurch and Dunedin, a large number of persons arrived boro and visited the show. £220 was realised at the gates. All the booths on tho gi’ound did a thriving business. Among the extra exhibits «ere splendid specimens of Kakalm marble and freestone from Coal Greek; both places aro situated iu South Canterbury. All classes —sheep, horses, cattle, dairy produce, and agricultural implements were represented, tho latter especially being very attractive. , The Wesleyan bazaar in aid of tho building fund was well attended. Dunedin, Wednesday. At a meeting of tho Waste Lands Board today, a letter was received from the Native Commissioner, Alexander Maokny, iu which he applied for Crown grants for lIS, natives, mentioned in the Mi ‘die Island Half-caste Crown Grants Act, 1877. The Board resolved to ask the Government to issmo Crown grants for somo of tho blocks specified. The consideration of the others was postponed. David Proud foot, in a letter to tho Slur, denies that he is to receive £2OOO for his privileges iu commotion with tho Dunedin city tramways. The staff of tho head office of tho National Insurance Company were entertained at dinner at Wain’s Hotel last night by the acting-manager. iNV-ERCAMiIIi, Wednesday. At the Bluff Harbor Board meeting the consent of the Executive Council to tho wharf extension, at a cost of £SOO, axis read. It stipulated for a slight alteration of tho directions of the extension as indicated by the original plans. It w.ia resolved that the effect of the alteration bo ascertained before calling for tenders for the, extension, A recommendation of tho harbor-master re loading lights was referred to the sailing directions committee. Tho question of providing a steam tug was long and earnestly discussed. Tho necessity of one was recognised, and it was resolved that Captain Thomson, the harbor-master, should proceed to Sydney via Dunedin and Lyttelton and inspect the tugs for sale at those places. The finance committee reported having destroyed the 5b,000 five per cent, debentures, and had ordered now ones, to bear 6 per cent., to bo dated from December 31. It was announced that tenders for building a light- < ship for Blackbuoy Rock will be opened tomorrow. ' , ,

THK T ' v '3_22L_. lD * TO THE EJMTOII oV in- TIMES. Sir., —I venture to ask fur a Mijall space in your columns that I may en«laav-<r to remove n misappreijeusinu which seems to exist as to what took place in the Synod ou the subject of primary ed .cation in Government schools. I am told that it has inferred that the Synod would be unprepared to express any definite opinion as to whether it would be advisable that religious instruction should be given in Government schools were the occasion to arise for the expression of its opinion. My object in now writing is merely to say that no such inference can be legitimately drawn from the recent action of the Synod. A member can bring before.the Synod for its consideration any subject which he may think proper; but it remains for the Synod to determine whether the subject shall be considered or not. Its determination on this previous question does not necessarily involve any decision on the subject matter brought before it. With regard to tho particular subject of religiou in primary schools, there were many reasons which induced the Diocesan riynod to think its present consideration undesirable. Since the abolition of provinces public education has ceased to bo under the control of local Provincial Acts ; an expression of opinion, therefore, to carry any weight with -the Colonial Legislature, ought to come either from the General Synod of tho Church or from all the Diocesan, Synods after mutual consultation. Further, the Synod generally deems it unadvlsable to pass merely abstract resolutions. Had the Synod thought it the proper time to act it would doubtless have passed a resolution of a practical character, recommending some definite plan for combining religious and secular education in schools. But even if the Synod which recently met for its first session, and contained many new members, had been prepared to agree upon a definite plan, the difficulty just mentioned would bavo stood in its way. One Diocesan Synod, without consultation, with tho dioceses, could hardly have taken on itself to affirm that the mode of dealing with so important a subject which it approved would be considered the best by other dioceses. My only object in making these remarks is for the purpose of showing that no inference as to what the Synod might think best in reference to primary education can be fairly drawn from the fact that it declined at its recent session to propound any scheino on so important a subject. It is not at all impossible that before its next so jsiou all the dioceses •nay have agreed cm what they may think the best course to adopt. Certainly the division i,hat took place in the House of Representatives on the second reading of the important Bill introduced by Mr. Curtis, when in a full Hou-.c it was only defeated by a majority of six, affords strong ground for thinking that a protest against the present system of education may not be altogether without a beneficial result.—X am, &0., 0. Welmnqtos. Mulgravo-street, October 30.