OBITUARY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 260, 9 September 1879, Page 2

OBITUARY.

Sir Rowland Hill, K.C.8., DC.L, F.R.S., author of the penny postal system, third son of (the late Mr Thomas W. Hill, a schoolmaster, near Birmingham, was bora in 1795, and married, in 1827, Gasoline, eldest daughter of the late Joseph Pearson, Esq., of Gradsley, near Wolverhampton. In 1837 he was appointed Secretary to the Commissioners for the Colonisation of South Australia, In 1837 Mr Hill published a pamphlet developing his postal system; and the House of Commons appointed a committee upon the subject, which, in 1838, recommended Mr Hill's plan for adoption, and reported that the evidence proved that injurious effects resulted from the old state of things to the commerce and industry of the country, and to the social habits and moral condition of tho people. In 1839 more than 2000 petitions were presented to Parliament in favor of the plan; and early in 1840 the penny postage wag carried into effect with the assistance of Mr Hill, who, for this purpose, received an appointment in the Treasury. A change of Government having taken place, MiHill was, in 1842, removed from office, on the alleged ground that his services—the value of which the Government fully acknowledged—were no longer required, The public, however, justly considered him ill-used, and lie was rewarded in 184G by a public testimonial of the value of £13,300, In 1843 he was engaged in the management of the London and Brighton Railway, of which company, in 1845, he became chairman; in 1804 he was appointed secretary to the Postmaster-Gene-ral, in the room of Colonel Maberly. He was made a 1v.C.8,, civil division, in 18G0, in acknowledgement of his services in the Post Office. In March, 1874, his health having suffered considerably from the great labor he had undergone, lie retired; and the Treasury, in a highly complimentary minute, declaring the entire success of his plans, awarded him for life his full salary of £2OOO a-year. In the same year he received a Parliamentary grant of £20,000, the First Albert gold medal of the Society of Arts, and the honorary degree of D.C.L. (Oxon,) In 1807 lie was appointed a member of a Royal Commission on Railways, but as his views on the subject differed from those of the majority, he made a separate report.

A man went into a clothing shop the other day, and after picking out some vei-y fine cloth, said: "I want to make my father a present of an overcoat. Just measure me for it, Of course it will be too big for him, but it's pretty good wearing cloth, and as the old man's in bad health I'll have to wear it sooner or later, anyway, Just make it a little broad across the shoulders,"

MASTERTON HIGHWAY BOARD. <■ A meeting of the above Board was held on September 6th, 1879, Present: Messrs Bennett Buchanan, Donald, Minchin, Beetham, and Chamberlain. Tho minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Engineer's report was roceived and read. The Chairman informed the Board that Mr Beard had promised to obtain necessary information as to the date i|~tho Crown Grants for the lands the road ran at Waipopo, that® V been obstructed by the natives, and tps necessary steps to prosecute them. £ Mr Buchanan suggested thatPte Board in this case press for costs. '{. ' Mr Buchanan was instructed ,fO write to Mr Beard and instruct him to pres3 for costs, Correspondence. A letter from Provincial auditor, enclosing balance sheet for the year.—Audited and found correct. Letter from settlers at Te Ore Ore, m state of road. *■ Letter from Mr Gossett re keeping roaa at Bideford open. Letter from Mr Peacock, re cost of pentagraph. Letter from Colonial Secretary, for information, &c,, required by an order of the House of Representatives. Letter from Mr Buchanan, informing the Board that the settlers in No 5 Ward had unanimously agreed to the proposed re-adjustment of the boundaries of Nos. 5 and 6 Wards, Letter from the Treasury informing the Bostrd tint £42 12s 4d had been lodged to the credit of the Board. Letter from Mr Gole enclosing a cheque for £GB 14s, and requesting certain information. Letter'from Engineer, asking for one month's leave of absence from September 1 10 th.—Granted. ; Tenders, i Tenders for the construction of two • bridges were received from—J. A. Peth- , euck, £39 10a (declined); W. Cullen, r £3O (accepted). SUBSIDIES. It was resolved that Mr Beetham as ) M.H.R., be asked to ascertain what subsidies will be paid by Government, REPORT. | The Clnirman reported that Mr Cockburn had dug a wide and deep ditch across r a road, i greathead's contract, It was suggested that about 10s per . chain more be given to have the roadway r cleared of timber.—Decided not to enterj tain the suggestion at present, but that > Mr Bremner take Mr McKenzie to ex- . amine. UPPER TAUFRU ROAD. } Mr Hood attended re Upper Taueru • Road, which has been damaged by slips : and floods. Also re the dangerous state " of the Wangaehu bridge, near McKay's 3 through logs, &c., having lodged against 3 the piles.—lt was resolved that Mr 1 McKenzie examine the road, and if in a ' week it is in a fit state to put men on he can do so. Mr Hood also asked if the Upper Taueru Road had been sirveyed by Mr ■ Bremner,—Only a reconnaisance survey 3 had been nude, but there would be no 1 difficulty in taking the road. s Resolved that Mr Gossett and others be 4 asked to attend the next meeting. [ MATAHIWI ROAD. , Messrs Holmes and Duncan attended \ f re bridge on the Matahiwi road and offer- I r ing to assist the Board in its erection,— ' 3 Resolved that the crossing over the creek ! be made within the width of a chain road, i Mr Holmes to obtain men to make the e same. i, A native attended, demanding payment - of £1 for trespass on his land at Matahi- .- wi. —lt was resolved that the demand be g not entertained, i- Letter was read from Mr Duncan re- - questing that a survey of the road to his a property be made without delay.—Mr t Holmes offered to allow Mr Duncan a s right of way to Mr Duncan on condition e that lie kept the gates &c., shut-.—Offer y accepted. e RESOLUTIONS, f That the settlers at Te Ore Ore be informed that as soon as funds are available the road will be repaired. That the chairman be authorized to expend £4. half the cost of the culvert on ' the Manaia road. l ' That the purchasing an eidograph or s ' pentagraph be left to Mr Fannin. That Messrs Donald and Buchanan be i, written to meet Messrs Pharazyn and Beetham, when they have appointed a ,i day, to go into accounts between Nos. 5 e and G Wards. ■j That tenders be called for for works on the Uriti road; to close next Board day. That this Board approve of the petition ■ of ratepayers of No. 6 Ward for re-adjust-j ment of boundaries j DEPUTATION. Mr Colway attended re compensation £ for land taken for a road. The Board j decided to pay the same next Board day j on his signing an agreement to convey the a land.

PAYMENTS. J. O'Connor £8 4 G Draughtsman 19 4 8 Engineer's staff 22 16 0 Engineer 19 4 8 Do. instrument allowance GOO Repairs Foi ty-mile Bush 75 0 0 Men's wages 58 13 0 Bacon & Wrigley, press 9 0 0 Svendsen, press stand ... 2 5 0 Tho Engineer was instructed to put in hand sundry works. The meeting adjourned to October 4, at 10 a.m.

lii the course of a recent lecture on "Congregational Psalmody," the Rev. Dr. Allen noticed some of the incongruities that used to occur by the awkward division in repetition lines, For instance, " Love thee better, than before" was divided " Love thee bet—;" " My poor polluted heart" became " My poor pol-gw! " We'll catch the fleeting hour" was siM; " We'll catch the flee—;" " And take tlxy pilgrim home" became " Take thy pil—;f "And in the pious he delights" was " And in the pi—;" and "Send down sanation T from on high" became "Send jlown \ sal-." A soprano in one case sang 1 •' Oh 1 for a man—;" and the the chorus responded, "Oh for a mansion in the skies." In one case the soprano modestly sang " Teach me to kissthe alto took up the strain " Teach me to kiss;" while the bass J rendered it quite prosaic by singing "Teach me to kiss the rod." The New Zealand Herald has been shown a letter received by a gentleman in town from Mr Thomas Oleasby, of Wyoming Territory, United States of America, asking for information relating to the prospects of Americans settling in New Zealand, Mr Cleasby states that he is the mouthpiece of a party who intend to emigrate the New Zealand, and as auch he is of course anxious to obtain as much information respecting the Island colony a3 possible,

An elaborate acliemo for training children as domestic servants is now popular in America, Except when actually at lessons, the pupils pass the whole of their days in "playing at being servants," That is the game winch supersedes all others at those institutions, and, as it admits of a wild variety of developments, the children are said tube quite content with their education pastime, If a visitor is supposed to be paying a morning call, the girls sing in chorus what the duties of a servants are on such an occasion ; what / to do, and what to leave undone. In the ng|ue way, whenever a phto, teapot, or mer article for table uso is brought into rSjuisition, whoever handles it lias to sing cj§|ain prescribed lines of sn appropriate «li. 0110 institution alone now contains 250 girls undergoing training, and they are said to be quite models of happiness and good health, with a wonderful aptitude for the calling for which they are being educated.