THE RODNEY & OTAMATEA TIMES AND WAITEMATA & KAIPARA GAZETTE. FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 1901.

Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette, Volume 1, Issue 19, 2 August 1901, Page 2

THE RODNEY & OTAMATEA TIMES AND WAITEMATA & KAIPARA GAZETTE. FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 1901.

TECH mCAh EDUCATION. i'HKOTjGHOUT Great Britain and the oolonieß the importance of technical education is finding wider acceptance day by day. Ob. all sides wo are pressad by rivals, who are mored by an inodntirw not hitherto f»lt by us—the aspessity of overtaking thos# who already hold the field. Britain lyis ao long and so easily occupied iiri* pl ft ce that she has be^n slow to recognize fcne growing .streagfch of the -imeriaan and Comtinentftl (chiefly German) competition, but she can no longer shut her eyes to the fact. It is not so much foreign enterprise as a British apathy that has brought about th,e preient state of »jfairs» and the colonies, at anyrate. aeem to have made up their minds that the unenterprising spirit shall not descend to them as an inheritance. The provision for technical education co far made in the Colony may not satisfy everybody, but something- has been, done, and if the Education Boards and Sohool Committees will only take advantage of the facilities afforded by the Government the reproach that we are rearing an unskilful generation need no longer have any force. Few people will now claim that the existing syllabus of our public scho.ls really secures to children fche best results for the time and" trouble expen«l«d on them. Much has been written upon this subject in these columns, and one of our most persistent contentions has been that the course af training has never yet, except by iccident been adapted to the special needs or capacity of the pupil. Tho system is difficult in classification, i sTears of a boy's life are wastod in the itteinpt to assimilate knowledge for ■ scinch he has no taste, and which can j lever be of any practical or intellect- ! xaX value to him in after years, whereis the time might have been spent with profit uj on other subjects. At 1 ihe present day we are turning u ut < hosts of lads with a smatttering of i literary and mathematical knowledge " trho might, had the option existed, < lave been put upon the road to be;ome skilled mechanics and more. ( Wq do not know what changes Parlia- 1 nent proposes to make-^there seems j :o be much more time spent upon the 1 ilasssification of teachers than upon < ;he classification of pupils, though the « me is just as important as the other— 1 out some change is badly needed. The ICanual and Technical Instruction Act >f last •6831011 ia a step in the right di- J reetion, but its lull utility can only b« n mjoyed when refbrma such ai we " aaye indicated are accomplished. The i >bject of the measure is roughly indie-■. ltd in section 3, which reads: Manual nstruction and euch subjects of tech- ' lical instruction as are prescribed in ( ;hat behalf by regulations under this let shall be deemed to bo included in rhe list of subjects of instruction pre- { scribed by subsection one of section * jighty-four of the principal Act." The neaning of this is that manual 1 .nstruction may be given in ordinary ' school hours. Section 4 is as follows, j emitting reference to universities:— \ fhe Minister may recognise as classeß ] under this Act,—(l) "School classes," meaning thereby classes for manurl or . bechcical instruction established by any 1 Education Board in connection with '. any public school or by tho Board of 1 Gl-overnora of any secondary school in 1 jonnection with any -such secondary 1 school, and held during the ordinary i school-hours, tho eyllabus of instruction < being in accordance witji regulations under this Act-f (2) "Special classes," meaning thereby classes for manual or ( *chuical instruction, or continuation ( classes, established jointly by an Edxi3aton Board or the Board of Governors ! of h secondary school, apart, fi'om the j ordiiiary course di primary or second- , ary school instruction, as the case may be; "Associated elreses," meaning thoioby > classes for manual or technical j instruction, or continuation classes, ■ established jointly by an Education I Board, or a School Committee {where co classes are established dy the Education Board of the district), or the governing body of a University col. < loge, ftnd « School of Art, A School of Mines, an Agricultural College, in In- i anstrial Association, An Industrial i Uniwn, an Agticiiltufal and l?a£torfJ 1

(Association, or any ahniia- pubxio **- sociation which is formed i* coaaectioa witk tuty branch of 1 Grade, industry oi- commerce, la ths interpraiatioa clauses " continuatioa > class 'is stated to mean a claas com- ' niencing not earlier than four o'clock • In the afternoon; "manual instruction" | means such exemsSs-as shall train the i aand in conjunction with the 'eye and brain, including kindergarten employments, exercises'in continuation thereof, modeling in any material, and generally practice in tha use of tools ''technical instruction" means inatruc tion. in the principles of any specified sciece or art as applied to industries, accompanied by individual practice, or instruction in modern languages, or in auch other subjects connected with industrial, commercial, agricultural, or domestic pursuits, as are prescribed by regulations under the Act, The remainder of tho statute is chiefly formal, pro vidinar for tho control of the Minister, the payment of fees, the I making of regulations, and the provision of efficient teachers and granting scholarships, etc. Foci may be reeeiyed, and a further source of revenue is indicaaed in clauee LB^which reads: "Any local authority., may from time to time, out of its general fund*, contribute such sum as it thinks fit,, any controlling authority for the purpose of encouraging the formation or increasing the efficiency, of closes under this Act; ajnd for tho e*nie purpose any controlling authority may from time to time, out of its general funds, contribute or apply such sum as it thinks % anything in any Act to the contrary notwithstanding." It will be •een at a glance that the adoption of the advantages of the Act lies with the Education $oud and kindred institutions, or with the School Committees, No oae can well overestimate the.unportan<3« of the subject, and it ls witkin th« provinoa of tho commit»e» to urge it upon the Board as a preliminaryMr. Alfred Kidd has' been elected by the co.un.oil as Mayor for tho cifey of Auckland.' : , J' An epidemic of meases has broken out at the Auckland police barracks. Several of the constables have 'been removed to the hospital.. The latest sensation, of Dublin is the adoption by a number of society people of the "tWioot" fad for their children, Considerable attention is aroused, now and their in the streets aliout the fashionable sduares by the appearance of smartly clad children walking barelegged and baWoQted, all but a slight sandalf The idea is that tha children are^made hardier and less lik«ly to takV cold by' this exposure. ) Lord Koberts-haabt eft granted £ 100, 000 for distinguished icj-yices, by the British Parliament,- 4--1 the recom- t mendation of tho Kingg.^-' Thg charge of manslaughter against 1 Mr. KobinsoD the Govevnrae»t eno-in- j eer, arising out of the lime-kilns accident at Dun.edin, was dismissed. ( It is understood that tho Govern- s ment has for tl\e present decided to i drop the State Fire Insurance Bill. i The weather in Australia is bitfer ) ly cold, Heavy falla of suow liave been ] expenenced on the Darling Downs in Queensland, ( While tho s.s. Kotiti was en *oute toMatakana last Monday, H. Shields one of the crew felloverboard. When the steamer -was opposite Tiri, Shields wont to get a bucket of sea water. To 1 ensure tlio safety of the bucket he ] tastened the rope round his wrist, the i consequeuce being that as soon as the c bucket touched the water, he was i jerked overboard. While in tha water - he. ni»naged to disentangle the rope, ] and succeeded in keeping himself 1 afloat till the steamer's boat came to ] his rescue. ■ J. Harrison, . Warkworth, : just bought LADDIES' GEM' HATS, of all varieties, which. are being sold at nbout half-; price, ls. 6d. reduced to lid. 4s. 3d. reduced to 2s. 6d, .etc. \ etc. To clear. : Mr. Christopher Dibble, auctioneer, ' sold by auction the farm, stock and ; effects of Mr. Chas. Petersoa of Wharehine. Everything brought satisfactory prices. Mr. Dibble regrets that' of advertisement, notifying the public the sale of above property, unavoidably reached tie too; late for publication. We draw the .attention of our Port Albert, Wellsford and Wayby readers to the alteration of the time-table in Mr. Barton's advertisement. During the rest of the winter season and until further notice. No coach xnll run to Port Albert except by arrangement, und will leave Wellsford and Wayby on Saturday mornings. ''Wharohine" We ho^o no space for your long letter, but think your complaints of the Council and clerk quite unwarranted-. A little knowledge on your part of business affairs, would probably show that you are mistaken, and; in any case, write to the council direct, before niching into print. There were two peculiar incidents given at tie banquet on Friday last, Mr. E. G, Cl«mrmts mentioned that he had fought over1 the same ground .as the guest just half a century ago. Another gentleman present had joined . the first contingent that ever left the . colonies to help the Motherland, when J tho New South Wiles Government ■ sent the sudden contingent to Afcioa [at tho time t>f General Gordon's [ deatiii

Er/ Mn.. J. Dwf-oca. L 8i:-, —Tho donation of tho Coast*] Steamship Company in ai<£ of Mr. Barredi, will be paid i«. eiglit annual instalments of iii 210 each, whieb sum will bo guaranteed •to th.d Trustees, Messrs Nathaiiitel Wilson and Edward Morrison, by the Directors of toe Company. Mr. Nathaniel Wilson, having Btated by letter his willingness to act on the Committee and as one of the Trustees, I trust that "SympatMsai" will do his dnty as thoroughly as ho expects the Coastal Company to do its duty. I 4m | Tours faithfully. Jamea Dunning Wesleyan Church Services, Sunday next. Warkwortb. 11 a.m. Eev. G. Frost, subject, "'lhe Abiding Graces" 3.80 p.m. Rev, Gh Frost, subject "The in the lost." Mullet Point 2.30 p.ni, Rev, G-. Frost. Dome Valey 11 a.in, Mr. Jebson. Wlwrehine 2.30 p.m. Mr. J. Grant. Port Albert 2.30 p.m. Mr. J. Becroft. : We regret to learn of the death of mother old inhabitant of Wasi worth tf r. David fisher, who died at Parael' >n Thursday morning. Deceased lived -ormanyyeai-sintho house now oc jupiedbj Mr. H..E. French, and was me of the oldest members of the Resleyan Church and was respected jy all who knew him. Mr. Fisher! chow,** 84 years of age, was in hi* usual health until las* week when - ras suddenly taken ill and Doctor'-j snoesnuth recommended his emoval to Auckland for an operation J »ut he seemed beyond nodical, aid ] Oecea^ed left, one son/ifr. J. Fisher >cho.olmaster afc the Thames, and two Laughters, Mrs. Stephenson of Rama-; ama, and & rB . John* Y. Miller of iVarkwovtli, to mourn their loss, •' Ex-Captain La Roche at the banq^at, ie aentioned the advisability of forming c -Mounted Infantry Comply "o|i Volunteers in the. district and hi* mg . 1 ;«sfaonwas received with much ej-i husiasm. We understand a mo-vem,«nt ji s to be made shortly with this inten- \ onand we are {leased to. hear it, |t Tho Omaha Road Board, announces n our adyertising columns, its intent- * on to strike a General Rate of threearthings in the pound foi- the Conine j rear. b * The Rodney Agrioiilturat Socio^y! las decided to hold its next show at \ W&rkwr&i, We believe that ar-; mng^ment is intended to be pemanent. \ We think the show should beheld)ermanen^ly at Warkworth; but would ' ike to see Matakana people keep their listrict to the for<» by holding a, B ho,w ] if then- awn, which could fee don* fcucawfully, and ,if worked Amicable (nth,Omaha and Warkworth, be of idyaTitage to the difstHct. We find that as. the settlers are aecoming better informed, a stronger eehng iai becoming manifest, in favour )f startinsr the Diiiry Industry in thesa I hstrxcts. We feel sure that if due conuderation is giv&n to the matter, the rerdict will ba on the side of ereameres, notwithstanding certain drawDaeks. We are al.-so convinced that ' ivUon once they ore started and get a < 'ooting the marked progregg of the ( listnct w. land values and cultivation mil surpriseN|e settlers, themselves. {