SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1889.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 341, 9 February 1889, Page 2

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1889.

In our last issue we published an extract from a circular ia?ue<l by Professor A, P. W. Thomas,, of Auckland University College, to the various school committees of the Auckland District, stating that in response to the expresse 1 wish of several school committees he hud decided to offer himself for election as a member oF the Board of Education, in the hope, if returned, that he would be thereby enabled to give valuable assistance in rendering our system of primary education more practical, and better adapted to the wants of the people, by having more time and attention devoted to instruction in elementary science and technical education. The j subject touched upon (c one of very great J importance indeed, and deserving of the serious consideration of every thoughtful reader. It is here our boasted system J of free and compulsory education is foun I wanting ; the one main object kept in i view is apparently to simply 'cram' as much as possible, the result being that we find a generation growing up of *edncated' lads and lasses, who havo thereby perhaps been, in a manner, fitted to be either teachers or clerks ( the supph'" of which already far exceeds the demand ), but for little else. Little instruction of a practical character has been impaited to them during the school period, little done towards i ri any way fitting them for the stern realities of life. The great need of the Colony to-day is the right class of settlers for the land, and who should bo better qualified to take up and occupy the land than ' Young New Zealand. 1 But a 9 a matter of fact the tendency of our educational system, as it exists to-day, is to unduly exhalt the work of the head, as compared with that of the hands. The farmers of the future will need something more than men 1 rule of thumb to guide them ; competition of | every conceivable kind is sure to increase instead of growing less, and it is the duty of our legislators to assist as far as they reasonably can, those boys at school who purpose following this calling in life, by j grounding them in at least the rudiments [ of the natural sciences and chemistry of the soil, etc. Much primaiy instruction might be imparted at our public schools which would prove of far more practical value to young colonists than so much mere head knowledge and 'cramV We have a very high resppct for education, but there is such a thing as riding a hobby too far in any particular direction, and we certainly a.re of opinion that at present the tendency of the system in New Zealand >?, not to pvo.luce sturdy colonists, but to swell the ranks of the unemployed in our cities, wai'.ing for vacancies to occui to enable them to get a clerkship, a situation in a lawyers offioe, a Government billet, or to watch for a vacancy as a pupil teacher. Education is no doubt the noblest service the State can render, provided it be "wisely directed. What an advantage it would be to those lads who purpose turningtheir attention to the. cultivation of the soil, if during their school period they received special instruction resp cting thfihistoiy of the plants of the farm, i elementary chemistry, how to measure land, stacks, timber, and such like. Respect'for honest manual labour needs to be implanted, and a greater love for work | in general, if the riaing generation aro to succeed. A substitute is wanted for so much 'bookishness.' And touching on the subjent of books and literary enjoyment, whilst it is mnch to lie deplored it is nevertheless a fact that cannot be gainj said, that, with all the educational facilities of the Colony, the taste for reading trashy novels i<; rapidly increasing. We need not so beyond our public libraries to prove that. Books of sound literature, history, biography, science, and culture, remain on the shelves seldom enquired for, whilst the trashy novels ar<> sought For and read with avidity, until all sense of rational enjoyment fn reading is lost, and the head is filled with unpractical ideas, and the. practical duties of real life disregarded. Yet how can we blame the young folks themselves for despising the thft work of the hand and unduly exalting that of the head, if they have been taught thus to appraise their relative values. But it is a wrong and unsound principle of instruction, and one of which must be got. rid of if the country is to prosper as it should. Industries are our great nee' 1 , and these whether rural ov nrliar, demand capable manual labour. Wo are very pleased one so competent as Professor Thomas has come forwtrd in the interests of technical education, and sincerely trust h n will be returned a ' member for the Board of Education by gohool committees, and be. the mean* of inserting the ' thin end of the wedge * as it were in this mnch to be desire 1 dlrec^ tion.

Our readers are reminded of i\w npnr approach of the annual Licensing Committee elections. Nomination* of candidates for the Te Aroha Licensing District will be received until noon of Monday next by the Returning Officer, and for tUe Waitoa Licensing District till noon on Thursday ne*t, N«w Zealandere possess a very pv\v\ lojye in that the residents of etirh licensing disrjct haye the election, of the }ic§n,sing

committee in their own bands; and, were it more understood and appreciated, this power mi" lit be made the means of working 1 great social improvements. In too many instances, however, these annual elections evoke but little interest, nn 1 frequently we see it left to the publicans themselves, directly or indirectly, to put forwaid tha majority of the candidates nominated and secure the election of a committee. This is not as it should bo, Tue^ annual elections are events of great importance to the welfare of every community, and the right of exercising thfir vote on such occasions should be availed of by all who can do so ; and an intelligent interest shown with respect to these elections, by securing 1 the nomination and election of those who can be relied on to act in a fair, just, and impartial manner, without fear or favour.

The Te Arolia Bimbs Band will play in the Domain this evening. The Premier will pro biibly arrive at Te Aroha on Wednesday or Thursday next en route to Tuurnngn The monthly meeting of Te Aroha Town Board will be held this evening* The usual monthly meeting of the Piako County Council will be held at Cambridge to-duy, To-day Mr Jas. Craig 1 sells by public auction at Te Aroha, valuable sites with buildings, househuld furniture, etc. SSee •idvt. We are pleased to learn that Mr Rhodes and family, of Paeroa, are making rapid recovery from the effects of scarlet fever, Mr Rhodes wo understand is able to be up and about again. The following tenders were received by the Secretary of the Champion G. and S, Mines, Limited, for the erection of a Manager* house at Tui : — Jas. La very, £65 ; Jas Mills, £66 ; F. R. Fairweather, £65 ; W, G. Devey, (accepted), £62. The following arrangements have been made Ivy the Wesleyan Conference for the eneuing year : — Upper Thames, Rev 3, La wry ; Thamef, Rev \V. Keall ; Cambridge, Rev, C. H. Garland ; Hamilton, Rev T. G. Curr ; Tauranga, Rev A. C. Lawry. The Te Aroha Brass Band during Wed nesday evening played quite a number of selections in the Hot Sprbgs Domain. The playing was most creditable and was greatly appreciated by a large number of persons, amongst whom were many visitors, The following lands at Te Aroha have been set apart as primary education reserves : — Section 15, Block 11, 216 acres ; Section 20, Block 11, 25 acres, and Section 21, Block 12, 65 acres. For the information of those in ;his district who may have been disappointed at not receiving correspondence expected by the last 'Krisoo mail, we may state that a large portion of this mail was by error sent on to Tauranga from Auckland, It should, however, reach Te Aroha post office from thence by this day's coach. We direct attention to Mr R. W. Sargent's (of Camhrige), advertisement, an noimcing that he will open at Te Aiolta on Tuesday next a grand stock of watches nnd jewellery, which will bo on sale, fora few d.iys only, at wholesale pi ices. This sale will offer an opportunity for obtaining real bargains. Tenders elo^e at the office of the Secretary, 139, Queen Street, Auckland, at noon on Tuesday next, for erection of Trestle work, etc., for the Champion G, and S, Mines, Tui. A second line of coaches are now being run daily between Te Aroha and Wa{ o - ron£omm, Mr Owen Gayer (forme r ]y driver for Mr R. Gallagher, and more recently for Messrs Bradley and Co., on the wine route) having "started business on his own account Mr Gayer has leased the Club Hotel stables, Te Aroha, and Premier Hotel stables, Waiorongomai, and solicits a liberal share of support. See advertisetisement in another column. The directors of the Champion G. and S. Mines are pushing on the vaiious works in connection with the development of tills valuable property with all available despatch. By yesterday's train the Co.'s Secretary, Mr J. M. Chambers, arrived from Auckland, accompanied by Mr R. T. Johnson, of Greymouth, and were met at Te Aroha by Mr D. H. Bayldon, the Co.'s surveyor. To-day the party will visit the ground, Mr Johnson having undertaken the constiuction of the serial wire tram-* way, the plans for which he has already prepared ; and the work in connection with which will be stinted as soon as possible Tenders are already invited for clearing the bush along the proposed line.