The Standard AND PEOPLE'S ADVOCATE. (PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY.) WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1875.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 317, 20 October 1875, Page 2

The Standard AND PEOPLE'S ADVOCATE. (PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY.)

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1875.

“ We shall sell to no man justice or right: We shall deny to no mau justice or right: We shall defer to no mau justice or right.”

In another column will be found a letter from a correspondent signing himself “ Alpha,” respecting the organisation of a “ Spelling Bee,” and to which letter we would invite the special attention of our readers. The success that has attended these harmless, yet amusing and instructive meetings, in the neighbouring colonies, as well as in various parts of New Zealand, has caused us to wonder that Gisborne has been so long without maJiing some effort to hold a similar gathering therein. It is, therefore, with a considerable amount of satisfaction that we hail “Alpha’s” suggestion as one well worthy of being entertained and acted upon. The advantages of being able to spell well will be allowed by all, but all will not take the trouble to possess them. A bad writer may be pitied and forgiven ; his infirmity may be pardoned on account of extreme haste, or a queer pen ; but the bad speller stands forth in his naked deformity, “ unpitied, unhonored and unsung.” One or two badly spelled words in a letter of application for an appointment, otherwise well written, have been the means not only of losing the situation, but the first step on the ladder of fortune. Again, who shall say how often the honest and truetaleoflovetoldinawell meaning epistle, but one fraught with orthographical blunder, has revealed to the object of the writer’s affection, the deplorable fact of a sad deficiency in mental culture, and has rendered the suitaffuitless one? 1 The records of the courts of Hymen, and the catalogue of names of those with whom “ the course of true love never did run smooth,” alone can reveal how often the glowing effusions of the love sick writers have been held up to ridicule by their recipients, solely on account of some hideous blunderin the spelling. But the days of Compulsory Education are at hand, and better still, the hour of the “Spelling Bee” has arrived. There must no longer be any allowance for bad spelling granted on the plea of inability or want of opportunity. The goal is open to all comers, and the more numerous the competitors the better. The idea of the “ Spelling Bee,” like many others that have been improved upon by us, originated with “ our American cousins.” The name of “ Bee ” was originally given in the American settlements to an an nual meeting of a congregation, each of whom, as is the manner of bees in a hive, contributed to a common stock, from different quarters of the compass. Instead, however, of all the members bringing a similar kind of offering, as the bees do with their honey, each person contributed what they chose, or could afford, however trifling, as some useful article of furniture, clothing, or provision to the household of the Minister, by way of eking out his modest salary. The pleasure experienced at these gatherings caused other meetings to be held, in which the object to be attained was also a useful one, andat which meetings amusement could be enjoyed while in pursuit of utility. At these gatherings that stiff formality which too often acts like a wet blanket upon good humoured festivity in England,is not sanctioned, and such meetings are looked upon as pleasant and useful breaks in the monotony of every day life. Under some such impulse the “Spelling Bee” seems to have sprung into existence. Upon its first introduction to notice in the American papers which reached these colonies, it was treated merely as a “ Yankee notion,” and as not altogether fit for acclimatisation in Aus-

tralasia. As, however, repeated accounts of its success continued to reach this quarter of the globe, the Victorians initiated the movement in Australia, and the first “ Spelling Bee ” in these colonies was held at St Kiida, near Melbourne, a few months ago. At this gathering the Committee of Management wisely introduced the musical element, and one or two professionals and several amateurs assisted at the concert, which served as a pleasing introduction to the great feature of the “Spelling Bee.” At this meeting eighteen ladies and thirty gentlemen ascended the platform as competitors, and the affair was a decided success. The “ Spelling Bee” competition is simply an assemblage of persons purpose of exercising the spelling faculty ; in fact, it is a sort of spelling tournament, in which a certain number of gentlemen challenge competitors with selected words, to ascertain if they are spelled correctly. The principal rules in conducting these “ Bees ” are, that two examiners or propounders, and a referee be appointed ; that one particular dictionary shall be the standard of reference, and no other ; that the words be proposed to each candidate in rotation as they have been written out ; that words having two or more significations shall be defined; that no candidate write the word down first, but spell it audibly at once ; that two mistakes disqualify thexandidate; and that at the second mistake he leave the platform. Though such a competition might be looked upon as one for amusement, and to create a little fun, there is one great advantage in a meeting of this description, namely, that it is well calculated to stimulate people, and especially young persons, to think for themselves, and to give move attention to the spelling of words. We, therefore, trust that the suggestion thrown out by “ Alpha ” will be adopted by our townspeople, and that the Masonic Hall will soon be the scene of a “ Spelling Bee ” competition.

Our member, (Mr. Kelly) is, doubtless, a serviceable man to his party; and so are many more who sell themselves to the Ministry of the day. Since his election to the representation of the East Coast, he has worked in political fetters, and his emancipation from this state Of thraldron, cannot possibly be effected whilst he remains the leal henchman he is to the Native Minister, and to those other personages who form the Cabinet. He, at his entrance into political life, should have kept free from ministerial snares, and repudiated toadyism; but this he has not done, and the whole of his public career has been liitherto an ignoble one. Like every one else who is at tlie mercy of other people’s opinions, he has entirely forfeited his independence by consenting to become a willing instrument in the hands of a designing and unscrupulous Administration, as lie has done. Mesmerically speaking, the Ministry found in him a “ good subject ” to operate upon, and they have consequently utilised him in carrying out that portion of their policy in which he could render aid. Poverty Bay has never been a district upon which the General Government have set their affections, and we could not, therefore, expect that their man Friday (Mr. Kelly) although occupying the position of our representative, would do us justice in furthering our interests. He has not, however, neglected the interests of the Bay of Plenty part of the electorate, for this good reason that he found that those to whom he swore political allegiance wished to bestow particular attention upon that highly favored part of the country ; consequently it was easy enough for Mr. Kelly to obtain liberal grants for Tauranga and Opotiki, and he took good care to make the most of his influence in that respect, no matter what became of Poverty Bay. But, ironically speaking, he has not altogether forgotten Poverty Bay, at the hour of need. Through ministerial inspiration—to which he is at all times susceptible—lie made an attempt to tack this district on to Napier, and this endeavor to pacify us in regard to a grievance which, he knew, touched us to the quick, and thus atone, in some measure, for past remissness towards us. The philosophy of this trick was, however, discovered in time, and instead of Mr. Kelly winning laurels—as he, no doubt, anticipated he would —for this new born’zeal in our behalf, he signally unpopularised himself with us, nay he greatly lowered himself in our estimation ; and, moreover, incurred the serious displeasure of all the electors for having so outrageously insulted them. Had he succeeded in his amalgamation scheme, the East Coast, in its dismembered state, would necessarily become a pocketborough of his, and thus he would be able to secure to himself the advantage of being the perpetual member for that electorate. The dodge, specious as it appeared to be, did not succeed, it being a proposition which, he well knew, would not be agreed to, as the result proved. Upon a division in the. House the proposition was rejected by 43 to 22. Poverty Bay, therefore, still occupies the position it formerly did, and Mr. Kelly, notwithstanding his pretended zeal in our behalf, does not stand a whit higher in our estimation than he did previous to the initiation of his proposition. Poverty Bay must now “ awaken like a giant out of his sleep,” and shew a bold front at the next election, with a view to achieve for itself greater triumphs in the political battle of the future than it has done in that of the past. In thus reviewing the conduct of our representative, we simply discharge a duty incumbent upon us as journalists, sinister motives being abhorable to us. In this connection we cannot refrain from adverting to the apparent inconsistency manifested by our local contemporary in reference to Mr. Kelly’s proposition. In its leading article of the 12th instant, that journal, in speaking of the New Representation Bill, says : — “ Another feature haisinee cropped up with regard to this pre j!>us ‘ little Bill-’ The Government now wish to know whether Poverty Bay would prefer remaining in its present abortive position — the left-hand branch of the Bay of Plenty district—in

preference to being annexed electorally, to Napier. This is probably considered as a liberal concession ; we fail altogether to see it in that light. But it is a palpable proof that the Government admit the force aud justice of our demand for representation, whilst, in the same breath they deny us that justice. , ‘ Consent to form portion of the Napier district or remain as you are,’ say our enlightened rulers, a proposition which is just as if they had said. ‘ We see that you are most dissatisfied with your present want of representation ; we acknowledge that you have good reason to grumble, and we will therefore detach you from the Bay of Plenty and annex you to Napier if you are agreeable ; you could not be worse off than you are at present, and it is quite possible that the change would prove a considerable improvement.’ * * * * * * * In our present > position the injustice under which we smart is too palpable to admit of its long continuance, whilst it is quite possible that, were we to consent to annexation to Napier, any subsequent request for separate representation would be met with the false, specious plea that we were perfectly agreeable to become portion of the Napier district, and that further change was out of the question.” This is sensible talk ; but what do we find in an article on the same subject, in the follow-., ing issue—that of Friday last. After alluding to Mr. Kelly’s proposal that the Southern East Coast should be constituted a separate electorate, the editor concludes as follow : —“lt is unnecessary to enquire whether Mr. Kelly had any ulterior motives in thus taking up the cudgels on our behalf, he certainly deserves the thanks of the district for so doing. We trust- that the desired result ■will follow." To use a well-known phrase, let our readers “ look upon this picture and upon that,” and let them judge for themselves as to the cause of this extraordinary sudden change in she views of our contemporary, on a subject of no small importance to Poverty Bay. What has Mr. Kelly done to “ deserve the thanks of the district,”is aquestion thatmust be universally answered in the negative, notwithstanding what may be said to the contrary.