The Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 1879.

Oamaru Mail, 12 June 1879, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 1879.

Next Saturday will be a red-letter day ! for the settlers of this district and those districts westward. Then will be turned the first sod of the Livingstone-Waiareka ! railway, a line which will go in the right i direction to assist materially in the development of the known and unknown natural resources of this country. The Livingstone line will be 110 creeper along the seaboard, competing with ships and opening up but little country. It will render available for agricultural purposes a large area, whilst it may be viewed as being still mare valuable as the first stage of an interior line. The commencement of such a work is not a small matter to this and surrounding districts. Oamaru will have another feeder and increased activity in her port, whilst grain and woolgrowers and others, who are now handicapped, will be benefited by being placed on a more equal footing with others who are enjoying the advantages of railway carriage. All wilt he benefited. We ar»r not in ecaf.asiuJ over the prospect of the expenditure of money on these works. That will, of course, be as welcome as it always id. W hat we think we should rejoice over is the prospect of increased facilities for the operation of the sinews "f cm'-* commerce, aii-i enhanced prosperity. This, then, wilt be an important occasion an even: that will hew another notch in our historical true, Wo know not who is to perform the corn mo ny of turning the first sod. To him who is best entitled will, we should think, be delegated that honor—for honor it is. Bat we are persuaded that the occasion should have been marked by a semi-public demonstration. The chiet citizens of Oamarti, at least, should have 1 been invited to be present. We have 110 desire to create ill-feeling, and, if we thought that what we are now writing would have such an undesirable etlect, v.'e would hold our peace ; but we do not like to see the good old colonial custom of publicly rejoicing' over such an event as that which will take place on Saturday, thrush aside. We hear that invitations have been sent only to the representatives in Parliament of this district, the members of the railway committee, the representatives of the Press, and Mr. Parker—out of respect, we presume, to our Resident Magistrate. There will be 110 others present by invitation, and, therefore, the iaffiur will pass off Batty, and without any [ distinctive proceedings to mark its occurrence and public approval thereof. Whoever is responsible for the omission to pursue the usual course and be liberal ' in the bestowal of invitations, has made a j ; mistake that we think is seldom, if lever, made in any ether part of | the Colony under similar circumstances. ;We confess that there is a good deal of sentiment in what we are favoring—that, after all, if our principal citizens were invited it wotild be a merely formal matter; but formality 13 not always the least important ingredient in public proceedings. However, we arc quite sure that no slight was intended to the ptiblic by the ©mission, and that the railway will be more or less useful even it its brith is not witnessed by an invited pnblic.

Turn Education Institute of Otago is to be congratulated upon having for its President a gentleman desirous of advancing the interests of its members, and, through them, the Colony, by giving them the benefits of his superior attainments. V\ e understand Professor Black has signittod his intention of :;ivin_; "'a e mrae of U-c----tureu on " Elouior.cary Sciences ' to p:tpd teachers" in the University at Dunedin, commencing on Saturday nest. •> doubt, these lectures will be very popular and useful, and tfwsc for whom they are intended wilt gladly avail themselves of the advantages offered, now that the ; sciences have to be taught in our schools and examinations passed in order to obtain certificates from the Minister of Education. Great facilities, too, have been |arranged for teachers out of Dunedin, (the Railway Depattiuent having determined npon issuing tickets for the course at the nominal sum of one guinea. Teachers certainly cannot complain ac the fares. They—especially those not in the town of Oamaru —will, however, find livery inconvenient to go to Dune J;:i and back in one day. To have to Leave their i homes on Friday evenings iu order to j catch the first train from hero on Satur-1 day mornings, to return on the same/

night, and to remain here at an hotel until Monday morning, would provo both inconvenient and expensive. If tho members of ourWaitaki branch of the Institute could only induce the good Professor to pay Oarnaru a visit at the close of his Duneclin course, we are confident the teachers, as a body, would willingly defray any expenses attendant thereupon. The number of guine;i fares thus saved could be so appropriated. We commend the subject to our teachers when in their next monthly meeting assembled. They mu3t not then consider town teachers onlv, but also those in the out districts. In fact, we deem it to be the duty of the Education Hoard to meet the country for.chors in a matter of this sort. It is nr-ivided that tSie sciences be included in rhe svll;tbtis of school instruction—that the tcachere have to teach them—but 110 provision is made for the teachers' instruction in them. The Inspector of Schools, V> ellington, recently felt the importance of the situation, when he asked, " Who is to tench our teachen? 1" Those away from the metropolis are at a serious disadvantage in many ways in acquiring help by the way, and there is far too great a tendency to nourish and cherish the interests of teachers and schools in the principal cities, leaving the inland towns and country districts to struggle on as beat they may. Reports of the doings of the Education Board, or a visit to metropolitan schools, would amply bear out this statement. It behoves us to watch carefully our educational intere.st3. We must not be indifferent thereto while others are so earnest.