WAIAPU.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 189, 22 July 1874, Page 2

WAIAPU.

(from our own correspondent.) Notwithstanding the severity of the weather with which we have been visited this winter, there is still a profusion of grass, and cattle and sheep are in excellent condition, Lambing—which is always unusually early here—has, however, been, up to the present time, attended with more than ordinary loss, owing to the frequency of deluging rains, high winds, and intense cold. The scab disease, with which the native flocks are all more or less infected, has also accelerated the death of some of the lambs. It is well known that scab, when of long standing, as in the case in this district, injures the constitution of sheep, and that the progeny of ewes so diseased are also constitutionally weak as compared to that of sound and healthy dams. Really something out to be done by the Government to eradicate scab from the East Coast, ere it spreads farther. I notice that the Provincial Council has lately passed an East Coast Sheep Act, but what its provisions are I know not. It has been lately discovered that a spring within a quarter of a mile of the mouth of the Waiapu river—a distance of about five miles from the oil springs proper —contains a small per eentage of petroleum, from ,which it may be inferred that the oil extends over a larger area in this direction than has been yet supposed. The attention of Dr. Hector will, doubtless, be called to this discovery when he visits us again, which, I understand, he intends to do in October next'.

For extraneous talk about education this province stands unrivalled. The multiplicity of speeches, addresses, and letters, that have been delivered and written on the subject during the past six months would fill a goodly siz.ed volume ; and a review of such a production from the pen of the quaint and sarcastic Thomas Carlyle would constitute an intellectual treat. One may easily picture to iiimself how the old Chelsea sage would deal with it. In all the verbiage that has been expended in this discussion, one highly necessary—nay essential—point has been kept out of view, namely, the proper remuneration of teachers, which according to the present scale, is outrageously too low. Education will net er flourish until those who are professionally engaged in imparting it are better paid than they are. The late celebrated Dr. Guthrie wrote a treatise entitled, “ An adequately paid Ministry, and an efficient Ministry ” —a work which applies to Schoolmasters as well as to Clergymen. A member of the Queensland Parliament lately stated, in his place in the House, that to offer any certificated teacher a salary ef less than £l5O per annum and a free house, amounted to disgracing the profession followed by those gentlemen, who were engaged in the most important work that could be undertaken in the colony-, and who can gainsay this assertion ? When we find people-scarcely atile to make their autograph receiving larger pay than those to whom the instruction of youth is intrusted, and who are supposed to be so well educated as to know everything, as the saying goes, the wonder is that education is in the efficient state it is. Until, however, our provincial teachers are somewhat adequately remunerated for their labors, it would be absurd to expect any great progress in education , and our legislatures ought, therefore, did make proper provision to that effect. The Rev. Mohi Turei having recently resumed his ministerial duties here, services are now regularly held at the various preaching stations in the locality, and the attendance thereat is generally good. Last Sunday.the Sacrament was dispensed, when there was a large gathering.