DEPARTMENTAL DISCOURTESY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1519, 26 October 1883, Page 2

DEPARTMENTAL DISCOURTESY.

A baker in Masterton wi'ote.to the Colonial Secretary's office for a little information on several points in the new Adulteration .Prevention Act of the last session) one being the question what is meant by the term "French loaves," The following is the reply received " I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter, asking the meaning of certain clauses of the <( Adulteration Prevention the Colonial Secretary to recommend you to consult your own solicitor on these points, as it is not the practice of the Government to interpret the law for private individuals.—G.S, Cooper." Of course tho Government are '.riot bound to interpret the law for' private persons, but when an honest tradesman seeks information as to the meaning of an obscure but brand new Act in order that he may comply with the law he ought not to bo snapped up after this fashion. Is. a baker's solicitor likely to know what is meant by the term French loaves? Will he find it in any legal dictionary 1 The Colonial Secretary lias picked it up somewhere and stuck k it in amAct of Parliament, the request that he should stato what is meant by the term is a right and a , reasonable one, The discourteous rejoinder may possibly bo accounted for by the fact that the Minister has passed into law, in happy ignorance, certain clauses which are unintelligible to himself, as well as to the community. Ho would perhaps Bay what; he did know about the matter if he knew anything, but knowing nothing, he refers the applicant to a solicitor. The solicitor will probably express a strong opinion about the Colonial Secretary, and a very weak one about French loaves.

Telegraph authorities received tho following from Port Darwin on the 26th: —Ship paying out cable, and expeots to be through to Banjoewangi this evening. The sitting of the Distriot Court, at Masterton, was formally adjourned this morning by Mr J. J. Freeth, the olerk, till the 16th November next, , Notwithstanding the faot that several performers will be away from Greytown on Monday next a capital programme will be placed before tho public at the usual weekly enteriainmont, The Maßterton Lodge 1.0.0.F, has been requeued by the Kegistrar-General to furnish the returns required by law, a hint being added of tho probability of the officers of the Lodge being proseouted in the event of their proving contumacious, The four official assignees under the Bankruptcy Act are to laave £550 per annum. We question whether this amount will secure the services of really Srst class men,

The North Wairarapa Benevolent Society has happily few claims for assistance brought before it, but occaaioQ--1 ally it is able to give material help to a really deserving case. Such a ouo was brought under its notico this week, and at a special meeting of the Society it was decided to grant not only tho customary allowanco of five shillings a week, but to provide a nurse ond medicine for a poor woman, who was laid up on a sick bed, and who had children dependant on her. On Monday next a combination concert which includes the lending amateurs in Masterton, Carterton Greytown and Featherston is to be given in the Theatre Royal under the auspices of Mr Kaiaenberg. The programme is expected to consist of a number of very attractive musical gems, including a beautiful toy symphony, and a violin solo by Mr G. Rivers Allpross; Tenders are invited by tho Maslerton Town Lands Trust for leasing town aores 42 aud 106 for a period of twelve months. Masterton cricketers are reminded that the return match married v. single will be played to-morrow afternoon in Mr W. Dixon's pacldook, wiokots to be pitched at 2 o'clock, A meeting of the committee will be held to-morrow evening to arrange a match with Greytown on Saturday weeki November 3, aud also to make arrangements for the match with the Midland Club on November 9, The following extract from Hansard shows the opinion of Dr Qrace on our educational system:—"! say at once there is no man more interested in tho education of the' people of the colony than I am—and lam not in the habit of saying anything I do not mean but there is no man who doapisoa shams more than I do, I say our educational Bystem is an expensive uham. It is a system of foroirig small children up to standards which their intelligence cannot naturally reaoh. The result is that you cramp the natural intellectual development of the children, and their physical development in addition; and you will find in a few years that the intellectual result is very small. The very first pr«tical thing to do in regard to education is this: to absolutely refuse the capitation allowance oil account of children under the a?e, say, of seven years: and that is low enough, as has been proved ovoc and over again. It the State will refuse to allow capitation until the ohildren have reached a reasonable age, that will effeeta great saving at once. The next thing to do-and I say this in the interest of the ohildren, as a man who knows something about them, and has great sympathy both with children and with their parents—is to do away with the absurd standards, which aro maintained in the interest of the department alone. Sir, it is perfectly impossible to iram a stipulated amount of knowledge into an average number of children within a limited time in order to suit the department. .The thitig cannot be done, .and it is not efficiently done. The result ;is one; continual condition of intellectual effort without any result as regard intellectual culture, I stated in this Council years ago that tho oost pf the Education Department could be reduced by £IOO,OOO a year, without' impairing its efficiency. I believe myself if an earnest administrator, like my honorable'friond Dr Pollen had the ad- | ministration of the department) he could fa irIQUiOOO a yeav,"

, ThoM&sterton Highway Board' holds its ordinary monthly meeting to-morrow,

We understand that the annual" examination of the Greytown Bohool commences on Monday.

The sitting of the Native land Greytown has again been postponed'until Monday next, . ' - The Greytown Cricket Club intend' playing a match married t siagle in Stewart's paddock to-morrow commencing at2p,m.i ,

Meßars Lowes-and iorns hold an unreserved Bale of furniture and sundries at their Masterton' auction; rooms te-i morrow afternoon; 1 '

A number of gentlemen who are interesting themselves in lionghurst's case held a meeting at Wellington to'day, and later, on one of them waited on the Minister of Justice, asking whit had' been done with reference to the prisoner Mr Conblly replied that he would be able to give a definite reply within a month. Major Atkinson left Wellington for New Plymouth this morning. It is expeoled that ho will bo absent about eight or ten days. After visiting New Plymouth he proceeds from there to Auckland in the Hinemod. The flinemda then returns to New Plymouth to bring down his Excellency the Governor. Lowes and Jlorns add .to their sale to-morrow soveral useful ar.ioles, such as chest drawer?, washer .-and wringer, and a lot of good • books. • The . list will now include every description of household requisites, and in consequence of the depature of Mr J, Moore late of Whareamaj for Nelson, every lino will be sold at any sacrifice. .