The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1879.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 348, 24 December 1879, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1879.

The 'Merrie Christmas' of 1879 is not likely to be memorable among merry Christmases. Still, we hope that it will be sufficiently pronounced to pass muster as a festival, and not he altogether unworthy of its predecessor, In this year of our Lord long faces have been the fashion, and even now , lugubrious visages haunt our waking bouis and disturb our slumbers, The times have been serious for those heads of families who have had to find food for many mouths and doWing for many bodies. Were our Christmas rejoicings dependent upon these grave and anxious elders, the mirth would lie somewhat strained, but thank heaven we have the young with us, whose light hearts will brighten the festive season and drive dull care away. The bad times have not knocked »U the fun and life out of us, and there is a fair chance of a decent Christmas being put through. For eighteen hundied years at this tide the spirit of peace and good will has been wont to hover round each Christian household, and has brightened it more than even the spirit of mirth. Peace and goodwill are the watchwords of Christmas time, and he who would make up a Christmas programme without tliem will not have a very good time of it. It is, of course, in the social relations of life more than in the business ones that peace and good will can be manifested, The exigencies of business are not wont to be modified by times and seasons, nor are peace and goodwill exactly the most serviceable business mottoes. Business is a taskmaster which rules with a rod of iron, and woe to him who is not obedient to its laws I What should be the brightest day in the year will dawn on us tomorrow, and we trust that it heralds not only kindly feelings and generous impulses, but also that material prosperity which has been absent from us so long, but which now would seem to be coming back again.

Mr J. Williams announces a laree assortment «f h goods fur Christmas presents. 1

A combined billiard and dinin» table with other prizes will be raffled°at th iiinpiro Hotel this evening. The annual picnic of tho Carterton Wedeyan Sabbath School will be held on Boxing Day in Mr Callister's paddock.

We call attention to some important sales of property in this district advertised m another column by Messrs Laery, Campbell & Co. h Two sheep killed yesterday by Mr J. Barlow, butcher, Carterton, and bred by iIL? Llßtei '-Kaye, weighed 1751bs and lo4lbs respectively. It wiHI be seen by their advertisement that P, H. Vi ood & Co. have already got a good list of entries for their next stock sale at Featherston this day week.

There will be high mass at St Patrick's Church to-night at 11.30 p.m. Arrangements have been made to secure the assistance of a superior choir.

_ The choir at the Catholic Church wil sing to-night Dr Kewsliam's Mass in G Adeste Fideles, as set by Novelli, and other select pieces which have been prepared for the occasion,

We are glad to notice that some of the Key, A, Knell's Masterton friends are making up a purse as a practical expression of their sympathy with him in his prolonged illness. Mr Joseph Bennett is taking the lead in the movement, and those who may desire to take part in it s lould place themselves in communication with that gentleman,

The Wnirarapa is well provided with amusements for Boxing Day. At Mauriceville there is an excellent programme of rural sports and a ball, At Masterton the foresters' Sports are sure to attract a large muster; and the races at Wailienca will be as popular as ever. Let us hone that the Clerk of the Weather will yield to the genial influences of Christmas and give us a Bpell of sunshino.

, £ P ol ° clllb recently been proposed in Greytown, with a subscription of three guineas per annum. It has not yet been tnirly started, but seems to be trying to take the form of a private club, The ready « a great consideration just now amongst -he youth, and it is certainly not a gamo for the aged. b

His Lordship the Bishop will conduct drnno service at St, Luke's Church Greytown, on Sunday next and administer the Communion. The Christmas services at this Church will be supported by a full choir, who have been in active practice the last few weeks, and promise a treat that the church-goers of Greytown have not enjoyed for sometime,

| A Carterton correspondent writes: | Th o Christmas display of Messrs Barj low and_ Bowles, butchers, of Carterton ! is a credit not only to Carterton but the district generally, and he must be hard to please who from such a splendid selection cannot got a good Christmas dinner. Beyond the very prime beef, of Messrs Burnet and Pikes breeding, shown by Mr Barlowithers are sheep from Mr G. H. Lister-luye's station averaging 1201bs • a magnificent calf from Mr W. M. Ward's six weeks old, turning the rcale at loOlbs • lambs, sucking pigs, and poultry, small meats, and vegetables of every description, Evidently in the exhibitors, Carterton has the right men in the right place. Mr Bowles' premises dr not afford the same facility for a display as the larger shop of his neighbor in the butchering trade, but his supply is AX, both as regards quantity and quality,

A meeting attended by some forty settlers was hold on Monday evening at Carterton with the view of forming that portion of tho laratahi-Carterton Highway District lying between Anderson's lino and Mr Francis' house, into a Local Board District under tho name of the Uaroville Local Board, A vote was carried with only one dissentient voice, advocated the creation of the district, and it ivas resolved that a petition bo circulated ror signature, The chair was occupied by ilr John Vile, to whom a vote of thanks was recorded prior to the meeting being adjourned to the 23rd prapiino. A purse of forty sovereigns was yesterday presentee 1 to the Ilev'Mr Knell by Mrs Shaw, being the proceeds of the concert and soiree held at Carterton on Thursday last, Owing to the tickets sent to Greytown for sale not being returned, we have been unable till now to make known the result, which, under tho circumstances, must be highly satisfactory to all concerned, It is as follows Sale of tickets, L 33185; subscription from Daily, L3ss ; Standard, L2 ss; J, B. Penny, L2 2s; M. Connor, LI Is; C. R. Carter, LI Is; E. R. Jones, LI; Friend, 10s; do, 10s; da 103: do - 103 s da ss ; total, L 47 7s; loss expenses, printing, &c., L 7 7s, balance L4O. A. special meeting of tho Featherston bchool Committee was held in the schoolroom on Saturday evening last to receive the head master's report, and in the absence of Mr Cox, Mr Cundy was voted to tho chair. Mr Cox then called upon Mr Gurr to road the report, which ran si follows The Chairman Featlierston bchool Committee.—Sin—It is my pleasurable duty to report on your school at the clo3o of another year's work. The success of this examination lias been a matter of great, anxiety to me, inasmuch as this is the first year that the children of the Wellington District have had to face tho general standards of the Education Department, which are considerably m advance of those of tho Wellington Board, Also, some six weeki in Ontobor and November wero comparatively loit through building alterations, and several changes have been made in the teaching staff, so that ono standard, the 4th, has i'een in the hands of three teachers during the year, These difficulties I have endeavored to meet, and for the success ot these endeavors I refer you to the results of the late examination. Before detailing these results, allow me to comment on the state of your school generally. It now numbers 184 scholars, of whom 10G are over 8 years of age, Tho attendance during the year has been regular, and the behaviour and cleanliness of the children all that you could desire, ilio children generally have evinced a desii'B for information, and in «o doing have materially assisted thoir teachers in grappling with the difficulties in the new standards. Corporal punishment, lam happy to say, is with us an exception, so that under this head I have little or nothing to report, Our 'schoolrooms are oow sufficiently commodious and wellfurnished, with the exception of desk accommodation, and for next year 14 new dual desks will be required, The Kindergarten school is also well supplied, With respect to your teaching staff, my own work is always before you, and I know that I havo your confidence and esteem, and a unity of good feeling exists between myself and every teacher. Mr McFatlano is an able teacher, perseverinp m his work, and gradually falling in with routine of a large mixed State school, to flinch he has hitherto been unused, My remarks in' last year's report respecting ii, , a Slisse3 Oox and Gurr still hold good. They have worked with a will and zeal seldom manifasted in young persons. In the late examination the wet weather prevented all from attending ; 161 were present, of whom 95 were over 8 years of age. 191 were classed as follows :-Standard 1.,33. Among these, brace Yule, Barbara Hodder, Fanny McKeever, Alice Freeth, and Edward Saunders, all seven years or under, passed in every section with credit. Standard 11., 29, Fanny Freeth, Amy Bennett, Minnie Keys, Jane Fry, Minnie Spring, Dvid Donald, Walter Vila, Ernest Hlaber, and Joseph Green, all under the standard age, passed every section with credit. Standard 111,-21, Wlilio Hurao was the only candidate in this standard, who, being under the a?e, passed with credit, however, in this and previous standards, the majority passed with credit, but were of the required age, In the upper standards I shall give you the names of candidates making 140 marks ■MI over Standard IV.-14, Annie Craig 154; Anme Tocker, 152; Emma nodcler, 14-2. In this standard you have "lie little girl, Leonora Gurr, under 9 years of age, who years ago commenced to earn her letters m your infant class, and has now passed tho standard without pressure. Standard V.—l 3. Alice Cox, 163; Ethel Gurr, 153; Janet fule.lti-' Lva Cundy, 140; Arthur Tait, 153; -Hume, 14G; John Lucena, 142; William Vilos, 140. Standard VI —ll Charlotte Jackson, 157; Charlotte Cox', n™®, 3 ; Either Craig, 150 ; David Craig, 141. The subjects specially mentioned were English Composition and Grammer, Reading and Writin« in upper and lower standards. History 0 Geography Science, Drawing Singing,' and Drill. In conclusion, I trust that my labor will meet with your approbation, and that the three good reports which your school has had already from the Inspector may be but the prelude of many others. I have, &c., John Gurr." On e '™°| ionof Mr Reynolds, seconded by Mr Faber, tho report was ordered to be entered in the minute book, and a cordial vote of thanks was given to Mr Gurr for his efforts. The Committee desired to express _ their high appreciation of his work, with the hopo that he would lone continue in the good work he had in hand, It was resolved to make application to the noard for the additional furniture. A vote of thanks was then given to the chairman