The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, JULY 27, 1882. RAILWAY TO HILTON.

Temuka Leader, Issue 983, 27 July 1882, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, JULY 27, 1882. RAILWAY TO HILTON.

It w'll be remembered that when tlie question of a loan was first mooted about two months ago we pointed out that as this district would have to share the responsibility with the rest of New Zealand it ought to receive a share of the borrowed money. We were very modest in our demand. We only asked for as much a? would construct a railway from Terauka to Kakahu, and as a bridge has already been erected we do not think that would be a very large sura. We pointed out at the time that as the development of the industrial resources of the colony wag of

paramount importance to its progress, the loan should be principally spent in that direction, and that as there was coal, lime, building stone, marble, and pottery clay in great abundance in Kakahu, a line of railway to it would open up a large field for industry. Since then we hare urged the matter privately. We have pointed out its advantages to every man of influence with whom we have conversed—we. even went to the extent of trying to get the members of the Road Bohrd to discuss it, and in fact left nothing undone to urge it upon public attention. It is with feelings of gratification, therefore, that we find our efforts are likely to yield some result. The Mount Pec] Road Board has passed a resolution for having the lino extended as far as Peel Forest ; there is a petition about to be signed in Geraldine having the same object in view; a meeting will be held in this town next Saturday evening at which it is proposed to discuss the question ; and better than all, Mr Postletliwaite, so far as we can learn, sympathises with the movement, and has already determined to ask Government to devote the £75,000 allocated for the extension of the line from Fairlie Creek to Burke’s Pass to the construction of the line to Hilton. We take some credit to ourselves for being the first to draw attention to this matter. We sincerely trust now that it will not be lost sight of, but that it will be urged upon the Government as hard as possible. There is no doubt that the action of Mr Postlethwaite is worthy of commendation. The expenditure of money on a line from Fairlie Creek to Burke’s Pass would not yield a tithe of the remits the development of the Kakahu industries would. There is nothing in the Mackenzie Country but sheep squatters and rabbits, and no traffic saving a few passengers and a great many bales of wool. That district has had its fair share in getting a line to Fairlie Creek. The case is different here. We venture to think that there is not in New Zealand the same area of country which yields so much taxation, and yet not a penny has been spent in it since the trunk line passed through. Additions were built to the Post Office a few months ago, but so niggardly and so mean were the Government with regard to the matter that the original plans had to be modified so as to effect a saving of £6O. From times immemorial the fence around the Courthouse has been in a disgraceful state. Plans are out now for repairing it, but no provision has been made for painting the fence, because to do so would cost too much. Such is the niggardly way Government treats this district. We ask now, why should we not get something for the money we pay in the shape of taxation ? Who can point to a political job in tin's district? The construction of the line at least so far as Hilton is a very modest request ; indeed there is nothing at all extravagant in the resolution of the Mount Peel Road Board that it should be extended to Peel Forest, and unless we get it the district will be unjustly treated. It is a line that would eventually develope large industries which must otherwise remain untouched, and in consideration of this, we trust that it will be constructed,

THE TEMUKA SCHOOL. The action of the Temuka Shool Committee with regard to the re-adjustment of the teaching staff seems to excite some attention. Two letters hare appeared in our, columns on the subject, and we must contess that their authors seem to have justice on their side. The position of affairs may be briefly stated. Mr Smith's resignation caused a vacancy in the staff of the school, and the Board of Education advertised for a teacher at a salary of £7O a year, but no applications were received. The bright idea of getting rid of Mrs Howe, and placing in her stead a male teacher struck the Committee—or at least cer_ tain members of it—and they recommended the Board of Education to advertise for a second male teacher accordingly. There were five applicants for the position, but not one of them had a certificate, and a youth of 10 years, who was already teaching in the school, was selected to take the place of Mrs Rowe. We do not mean to cast any reflection on this young man’s abilities, in fact, so far as we can learn he is a very deserving youth, but lie has not yet obtained a certificate, and if we mistake not the Education Act provides that uncertificated teachers are to be appointed only in the event of certificated teacher not being obtainable. The Committee therefore violated the spirit of the law by the courge they adopted.

They dismissed a certificated teacher to make room for an uncertificated one. But Mr Mendelson would like to throw the whole blame on the Board of Education. He told Mr Hayhurst that the Committee had no power to dismiss or appoint, and that it was the doing ef the -Board of Education. That is right enough, but the Committee have power to recommend, and they did recommend, and it was on their recommendation the Board of Education acted ; therefore the Committee and nocthe Board are to blame in the matter, if blame thpre be. More than that the Committee made their recommendation illegally. Before any School Committee can recommend the dismissal or appointment of a teacher every member of it must receive three days notice of the meeting at which the recommendation is to be made. The Committee did not comply with the law in this respect, and therefore it is very doubtful whether their action could not be upset on the ground of its legality, if anyone thought it worth while to try it. Bnt the argument of Mr Mendelson when Mr Hayhurst opposed the action oi the Committee was the best of all. He said that as the applications had been received “ they could not ask the,Education Board to swallow them” to put it in his own elegant phraseology. “ What had been done could not be undone.” Why could it not ? Not one of the applicants was eligible, because not one of them could produce a certificate, and therefore it was the easiest thing in the world to have told the Education Board that the Committee could not recommend the appointment of an uncertificated teacher to a position which a certificated teacher was filling,and had filled satisfactorily for the past eight or nine years. Wquid not that have been an easy way of undoing

what had been done ? If an eligible candidate had applied theie would have been an excuse for the course adopted, but as none of the applicants were suitable the proper way to deal with them was to have rejected the whole of them. We have frequently given credit to the Ministerialists for haring the interests of the school at heart, and it is very possible they have, but it is quite evident they erred in this matter. The excuse they give for their action will not hold good. It is that a male teacher will exercise more influence over children than a female. That may be correct, but that male teacher must not be a boy of 19 years. Surely Mrs Rowe with all her experience can manage children better than a youth of nineteen years, and if there is no other fault to be found with her why should she be put out of the way to make room for him. If they could have got a third teacher at £7O they would never have thought of removing Mrs Rowe. But how will they improve matters by the course they have adopted ? If Mrs Rowe leaves the school, will they not have the same difficulty in finding a third teacher as they have now ? How will matters be improved ? We think the Committee made a mistake, and if is yet remediable they ought to remedy it.

THE LAW’S DELAY. The manner in which justice has been administered in this district for some time past is calculated to weaken any one’s respect for the law. Without entering at all into the question of the Eesident Magistrate’s ability—of which by the way we have a very poor opinion—we have sufficient cause for complaint, and we must be extremely patient people to put up with it so long. Court day after Court day cases arc being adjourned, owing to the inability of the Court to deal with theta, till the expenses thus incurred are greater by far than the original claims. The Franks v. Grant cow case was under consideration, we believe, far more than three months, and the expenses of the parties to the suit must hare been twice the'amount of the claim. Witnesses from all parts of South Canterbury had to be in attendance, lawyers had to come from Timaru, and many expenses were incurred which would not have been necessary had the case been heard when it hrst came before the Court. The parties to the suit certainly were the cause of having the case adjourned more than once, but the Court adjourned.it frequently through inability to deal with it. We remember one day when it was called, and when it might hare been finally dealt with, the R.M. had to leave at 12 o’clock to go in by train to Timaru for the purpose of holding an inqsest, and thus litigants were put to a great inebnvenvemence and expense. Mr Murray, of Winchester, had a case in Timaru the other day, and he with his witnesses had io go in on six different occasions before it was disposed of. On last Monday two cases came before the Court in winch the plaintiff, most of the witnesses, and the lawyers lived in Timaru bnt the Resident Magistrate could not attend through illness. Besides absenting himself he bungled the case. He told one of the Timaru lawyers on the previous day ,

that there would be no Court, and so that lawyer did not come, but he gave the other lawyer no information on the subject, and did not apprise the Clerk of the Court of it until shortly before it was time for the Court to sit. The consequence was that the lawyer on one side was there with bis witnesses, and the other was absent, and so although the Justices of the Peace were ready to go on they could not, as the absent lawyer- had papers etc, necessary to the proper hearing of the case. The cases had therefore to b® adjourned for another fortnight, and no one cun be certain that they will be heard even then. Tims it will be seen that to go to law in this district is a very serious undertaking, beaause when once in it one does not know when he can get out of it, or what liability he may involve himself in. This is a very serious matter, and as there is a public meeting to be held next Saturday evening, we * think the question might well be considered. If Mr Beswick were the best Magistrate in the world he would have toe much to do. It is impossible for one man to attend properly to Timaru, Geraldine, and Ashburton. , Ttalf tbe district is sufficient for him to do it efficiently! and therefore the people of this district ought to take steps to represent to the Minister of Justice the dire necessity of appointing another Magistrate. , The administration of the law is one of the most important functions of the Government, the law is our safeguard ; for its protection we pay taxation ; and the Government who does not give it due attention does not deserve the confipence.of the colony. Good laws are useless when administered in a slipshod way —as they have been in this district for some time past. Twelve months’ ago two of the ablest magistrates in New Zealand, Messrs Beetham and Wood, were doing the same work that Mr Beswick is doing now. Each of them could go through twice as much work as Mr Bsswick, and how, therefore, can it be expected that it can be done satisfactorily under existing circumstances. The only way out of the difficulty is to appoint appoint another magistrate for this district, and we hope that steps, will be taken in that direction soon. The economy which deprived us of a magistrate has mulcted many a man in ex* ptnses which he would not have had to incur if the administration of justice had been properly attended to.

THE T. AND G. A. AND P. ASSOCIATION. The poet says that “constant rapping wears the stone,” but we doubt very much whether any amount of rapping would awaken the members of the Temuka and Geraldine Agricultural and Pastoral Association from the lethargy into which they have fallen. The lethargy of Rip ▼an Winkle or the Seven Sleepers was nothing to it. Three times now the annual meeting has had to be adjourned because of the non-attendance of mem* bers. The Secretary has advertised ths meetings, sent the members post-cards, private notes, and button-holed them in the street, but to no purpose. We have wasted a lot ef our valuable time writing an editorial begging of them to attend, but it was of no use. It is quite clear, therefore, that they will never be brought together by gentle means, and that very determined steps must be taken. The only way now open to bring them together ie to summon every one of them-who owe* anything for subscriptions to the Court in one day, and when they are got together to hold a meeting. Perhaps they do not know that they can be sued for their subscriptions. Let them not make a mistake in that direction—they can, as the Association has been registered under the Agricultural and Pastoral Societies Act. The course we have pointed out is a fine, determined, strong-minded one, and it would afford us much, pleasure to see the Secretary adopting it.