NEWS OF THE DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 145, 23 June 1904, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

lit Clement Wrag'gi' has decided lo grunt school teachers attending his lectine a concession, giving them access lo Ihe two-shilling seats on payment of half that sum. "Mr Seddon bus no need to complain of ihe death-rate or birthrale along the coast. During my ninu years' ministry there 1 have only 'buried twelve people, hut I have christened over ninety babies, and married twenty-seven couples—inwuding Iv.'o ii..|.i. , hurs of my, own family."—Rev. .1. 11. White at the Whiteley Hall last night. Messrs YV. E. Spencer and J. Sundeison have patented a most ingenious combined technical drawing table and easel, a very compact piece of furniture which can be made to suit almost any description of drawing by a simple manipulation of screws. Several of these will be in use at the Stratford Technical School, and from their general utility, combined with compactness and simplicity,! (they, should' prolve'.a profitable thing for the patentees. Preference to (Ireat Britain and lack of reciprocity with the United States has driven Canadian trade awav from the United States, doing hack to 1867, no less than (i() per cent, of the export trade of Canada to the United States, and only HO per cent, to (Ireat Britain. Inlßß9 I Ik' proportions were Unilvd Slates 'l9 per cent, and (ireat Britain 42 per cent., while in IHO3 no less than 58 per cent, of Canadian exports were shipped to (ileal Uritain and only :!1 per cent, to the United , States.

Tlus Taranaki Education Hoard in establishing a public cookery class in connection with Hie teachers' winter school, the instruction being given by Mrs Gardiner, l'rincipal of the School of Domestic Instruction ill (.'hristchurch. The ladies of New riyinouth will douWtless take advantage of ithis opportunity I'm' learning the latest in the culinary art. Particulars are advertised in this issue. Messrs Shaddock and Co. hate presented a range to the class, and Messrs Smart Hros. have offered the use of a gas stove. The estimated total yield of cotlon in India this season is approximately the same as that of last ..ear. The average yield in bales of ■IOO pounds euch for India for the last five years was 1,94 "1,344 bales, for 1902-8, 2,852,179 bales ; and for 1903-4, 2,874,893 bales. The exports of raw cotton, in 'bales of 400 pounds each, from April to Decem..er, 1!K>1, 1902, and 1903, were 953133 bales. 1,070,815 bales, and •,383,CiH-l bales respectively. Advics from Calcutta state that the pre.cnt high prices' of cotton will, most probably, lead to larger exports in 1904.

"If a man's mind is not wide enough for more than his own .hurcrh it is not wide enough for Jesus Christ, for lie knew nothing of denominationalism." So said Rev. John 11. White last night, the utterance being typical of the man. He continued that the fences between the churches should, be made lower so that their members could more easily shake hands. He saw no reason why there should not be one church wherein people might indulge their own particular belief as to immersion or sprinkling, or otlfer slijght diversions of opinion, but pray and work together for the glory of God. These remarks were loudly applauded. MenihwH of the Education Board were highly complimentary yesteildiiy in their remarks on the work of the chief inspector, Mr W. E. Spencer, and the assistant inspector, Mr W. 11. Hallnnlyne. One mcn.l vr, alter •ongratulating them on the excellent progress shown in the annual report, said he did not think that he could find anyone who was more conversant with the intricacies of the education system than was Mr Spencer. Other members of the staff came in for equal commendation, Mr Whitcombe and Miss Thomson being classed as real, honest workers. "In fact," said the chairman, "they run this place with their hearts in the work, as though it were their own business."

Experience is a good tiling. Not long ii'go a young man, hailing from thecountty, made Mil' necessary arrangements- for appearing before tinhymeneal altar in -New Plymouth with the lady of his choice. Among ihe apparently indispensable adjuncts to a very pretty little ceremony were, of course, cubs lor the more immediately interested persons. Two of those four-wheelers were hired, at an expense of ten shillings each. The day arrived, us did the cabs and the wedding parly, the parson tied ihe knot, and the newly-wedded pair and their atlendanls drove up in stylo to the pl.oto- M aphie studio. The artist having compli-liti to his own satisfaction the process of " taking them," they left for the home of the hride's parents-—anil breakfast, the happy groom giving his Jehu instructions to return in time to take him and his •bride to tile train. Everything went oil splendidly until the cabman asked for his money at the railway station. Mr Newlywed produced a crisp one-pound bank note and ostentatiously handed it to the driver, who quietly suggested that another couple of halfcrowns was necessary to pay for bringing bride and 'bridegroom from the parental roof to the train. The young gentleman protested strongly, despite that it was his weddingtlay, but eventually paid up in full, remarking! angrily, "All right, old fellow, I'll know what to do next time." Surely next wedding-day is not already planned ?

In the Police Court yesterday Donald McLei.d was charged with having been drunk in a raiitway, carrihgio on April 9th, with behaving in an offensive manner there, ami with having travelled without having purchased a ticket. The summons had been served in Wellington. The three charges were taken together, Sergt, Haddre.il prosecuting. Accused did not appear, but sent a letter from Hastings pleading guilty to the charge of drunkenness, but ignorance of the other charges. Joseph C. Winter, who was tho guard on the train on that occasion, gave evidence that, his attention had been drawn to the fact that the man had no ticket, lie found him drunk, and llie accused behaved in un offensive manner, slapping witness and a lady passenger on the back, with the mark that "We are all brothers and sisters." With the assistance of Inspector Xorthcole and a ganger, Maddock, the man was put. oil' the train at Eliot-street. Ho tried to board the train again, catching the guard rail of the van. and the. train had to be slopped again. The liench remarked on the seriousness of the charge. Another witness was called, John Xonlhcote, an inspector on the permanent way, who gave corroborative evidence, mentioning that accused had usul bad language. Sergt. Jlaildrell went into the box and gave evidence that accused was a racecourse spieler, a powerful man standing over six feet in height, lie never did any work, and had been twice convicted and imprisoned, in March, .1901, and March, 1902, at Greymouih and Woodvillc, for vagrancy. Evidently ho made n living by following drunken men and "taking down people at cards." Accused was convicted on the three charges, and fined £."), witnesses" expenses £2 Kl.s 2d, court costs 11s on tho charge of behaving in an offensive maimer.' 'Messrs 11. Horry and C. Rennell were the presiding justices.

The, Victorian Cabinet has decided to call for tenders for a new central railway station in Flinders-street, Melbourne.: Flaying against u Cambridge University cricket eleven on Monday C. I). Fry madu 150, making his sixth century (or Urn season.: His average, at present is 87. .1 ii iiu tf a undersoil, according to a London cable, divorced (leorge Frederick Theodore Sauuderson, formerly manager of the Empire Theatre, Helfasl. lor eloping to Svdncv. The elopers travelled as Ml aiid Mrs Travelvu.

Altogether 111 teachers have applied for enrolment at the winter school, and though all returns are not lo hand, up to the date of writ i nig ,the foMowiflig is tihe, list of students for each class : Cookery 'ls, woodwork 2.'!, manual work for school.': (1.) (ii), and (II.) 08, Hew Zealand botany 82, drill 5(1. music 52, physiiogvapby M. As many of the teachers will 'bo staying in the town for the whole of the time, Mrs Howling and Mrs Martin have acted as u committee in nrranjgiivg for lodging.; Sir Joseph Ward on Tuesday received the following telegram from Lord Ranfurly :—■•'The run from Lyttelton to Bluff occupied 10 hours ■ls minutes, o) which llunedin to Invercargill took ii hours ill) minutes. The journey was quite easy, there being no unusual slinking, which speaks very highly for your gangj-rs, and shows the lino must be in good order. There was only one delay of lifteen minutes on the road. (loud work. Many thanks for your kind arrangements." This means 892 miles covered in 10} hours, including all stoppages.

Commenting on the Moa Dairy Company's win in the export butter class at the Palmerslon winter show, the inglewood Hecord observes that it would appear to be the very irony of fate that the manager who for years has kept close to the top in his grading results 'und has now taken the first place against " all .New Zealand" has just been, prac'tically, dismissed from his position by a majority vote of the directors of the Moa Company, on the grounds "that the majority of the directors uro not sutislied with the managership," none of them being willing or perhaps able to give any other reason for their action. For the benelit of the shareholders ol the company, it is to be hoped they will be as fortunate in their next manager as in the present one, but it does not, at lirst sight,appear us if any "better than New Zealand's best" will be likely to seek an appointment from which, despite an unblemished record, they are liable to dismissal without rhyme or reason. The memorandum of the Education Hoard's chief inspector on the question of removing teachers from the Central School will be forwarded to the school committee. It is pointed >ut that the board has not removed any teacher fronn the Central School during the last twelve years, und that all appointments have been dealt with by advertising in the ordinary way except at the express wish or with the express consent of the committee. The board would also point out that there are at present on tho staff two uncertificated teachers who were pupil teachers in the school, but whose appointments were made at the request of the committee. If this is the weakening of the stall that is referred to, the committee, not the 'loard, is responsible. If, however, the committee refers to the transference some time ago of n pupil teacher, the board would point out that her quarterly reports from the headmaster wero not so satisfactory as was desirabjle, and that alf tho attendant circumstances being taken into consideration it was considered desirable to transfer her in her own interest and in the interests of the staff. Further, that the committee. be informed (hat the Central School is no more a training school than any other school, mid that as tho question of finance -does not enter into tho appointment of teachers the board is not hampered in making appointments of teachers on their merits or as the exigencies of tho schools of the district as a wholo renders expedient in tho interest of the children. The Star HI. 11. v. Tuknpu 111. match will be played on the racecourse ground at 1.30 p.m.*