EKETAHUNA.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3452, 6 March 1890, Page 2

EKETAHUNA.

(From Our Own Correspondent,) The Alfredton folks have forwarded a petition to the Eailwaymanagement, asking that tho early train that leaves Ekctabuna four days of the weok, might leave in time to catch the through train to' Wellington, The train that leaves hero three days out ef tho four, usually arrives in Masterton just a few minutes after the train for Wellington lias loft. Thero seems no visiblo reason why thi3 state of affairs should exist, and tho convenience of the necessary alteration will be universally felt, Mrs Watersou, senr., of Matarawa, while on a visit here very narrowly escaped what might havo been a very serious accident, Whilst riding along the Alfredton Road her horse put its foot into a hole iii a broken culvert, which brought itto the ground, throwing Mrs Waterson violently from the saddle. She had the presence of mind, however, to roll away before tho horse came on top of her, thus escaping what uo doubt might have proved a serious accident. It seems very strange that a road like this should be allowed to pass unnoticed, for from what' we gather it has been like this for some time past, We aro very happy to seo that the Sports Comwittco aro booming along at last. A few days ago it looked very much as though wo wero not going to have any sports at all, and neither should we, but for the timely action of Mr T, Parsons in calling a meeting at the last moment, After tho thing had been started, a serious .disputo arose as to whose paddock the sports should bo held in, Hitherto they have always been held in Mr Jones' paddock, but thero is no question about which is the best of the. two grounds, Mr Parsons has just bad a largo flat of his stumped and cleared, and anyone who has seen them don't tako long to decide which of tho two ia tho best, However, all objections have been overruled, aud ' again the wholo thing is satisfactorily under weigh, A meeting of the Sports Committee was held on the Istinst,, who arranged the programmo and the various other business connected with, it, and they decided to finish up the day with a grand bail in the evening,

Lord Onslow on Education. - .Auckland, March i. To-day, at the invitation of the Mayor (Mr Upton), who is also Chairman of the Board of Education, His Excellency the Governor visited some of the primary schools in tho city, Tho Wellesloy-strcet school was tho first visited, and Lord Onslow examined the work in tho various standards, and comnientod upon tho contented and happy appearance of the children and the cleanliness everywhere apparent. The Beresfordstreet'and the Albert-street schools were also inspected. His Excelloncy stated to a Herald reporter that this was the first time ho had visited 'the elementary schools in this colony. Ho had been told before ho can'io here that the standards wero considerably higlijj and rather 100 groat a trial for children. He failed to see that this was so, and be thought,the' standards compared very nearly, with" those of the town schools in England. : ,He understood that many children left school after having reached the fourth standard, and it seemed to him that,«o far as this standard was concerned, they got all the principal education that a boy need absolutely have if he thought of going to learn' a trade. If every boy and girl could do as good anil dean work as he had seen in.the fourth standard, there was no reason why that boy or girl should,not enter upon any-career they chosa for'themselves.. One thing that had struck 'him jn his visit was .that the•cliildreh. all seemed to bo well "nburish'e'd; and the fact -that tlioy were'so well cared for was a great; assistance in* thb wbrk of education. Adiild who' pt liimgry to school 'Mi

not possibly work with the same W * j and vigour as another who had proper 1 food. He considered from what he had soen that the children ought i very'easily to work the'standards, { With regard to vory young children ■■-. " iutuo sohools, though they might not Jeavn muoh, ttey would bo J; taught .-habits of order, and would be- :, kept out of mischief; and another : important;, consideration -was '-that "';''.'• they would be kept out of the way of' thair mothers when the latter were"" "m busy at home. ' T