THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, OCTOBER 28. 1878.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3027, 28 October 1878, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, OCTOBER 28. 1878.

Me Wit. Bows telegrapht to-day :— "Ec High School Bill, have arranged with Legislative Council to hare ten thousand pounds' worth of land let aside as a reserve for it." We have not seen the High School Bill, but as there was considerable agitation for the establishment of such an institution a few years back, and it was found impossible to start it under the then existing Act, we may assume that the present Bill is designed to meet the difficulty, and the setting aside of an endowment is undoubtedly a step in the right direction. The want of a superior school for boys is much felt on the Thames, many parents not caring to send their children to a distance to have them educated, but who are at the same time anxious to have for such the advantage of a superior school and are willing to pay for it. To these the news will be gratifying.

The Auckland people seem to know how to work the oracle with the Government when it suits their purpose. It is well known that preparations have been going «n here for some time for a grand review of the Volunteers in celebration of the Prince of Wales' Birthday, and that the same would take place on the 11th November, the proper day, Not. 9th, falling on a Saturday, and being inconvenient to be set apart as a holiday. Auckland people also know that a contingent of the Auckland Volunteers were preparing to join their Thames comrades in the military display. But it appears that Auckland people have set apart the 13th November for a cattle show, and they have worked the Government to have the 13th made a Bank Holiday instead of the 11th. So that Wednesday is made a general holiday for Auckland's cattle show it doesn't matter how the arrangement affects the other parts of the Provincial District. Thames arrangements must be sacrificed, se that the capital may be served. However, putting aside any consideration for our annual military display, which is generally the chief feature in the Prince of Wales' Birthday, celebration, the fact of the 13th November being the County General Election seems to have been entirely over-' looked, and we should like to know whether this important occasion is to be made subservient to the Auckland cattle show. The County Elections will necessarily attract country settlers to the

centres of populations, and, besides the ordinary election business, many of them may have banking business to attend to which they cannot transact if the banks are to be closed on that day. We protest against this sacrifice of the whole provincial district to the aggrandisement of Auckland., It they want the 13th of November to be proclaimed a legal bank holiday, by all means let them have it so done; but here we prefer to keep the 9th, have our military pageant according to arrangement, and give county electors a chance of devoting the 13th to the legitimate business of that day—namely, the election. Some strong remonstrance should be made to the Government to have the Gazette proclamation setting apart the 13th as a holiday altered, or at least modified so far as the Thames and districts similarly situated are concerned.