The Waikato Times.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1177, 13 January 1880, Page 2

The Waikato Times.

Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatever state or persuasion, religious or political. H«re shall the Press the People's right maintain, Unawedby influenoeaudunbribedby gain

TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 1880.

— ■ i Among tho papers nnnaally presented by the Governor to the House of Representatives, and ptinted by their order, is one which treats upon an exceedingly interesting and important .matter. The reports oft Native Schools by the several district inspectors fills set enteen foolscap pages. It is not only the ichools, but the teachers

themselves that are insppcted and reported upon. It is remarkable that Natite School teachers— both male »nd *en>ale-- are the only class of public servants who are by name criticised and commented upon by public officers inferior to them in some instances as scholars, who in almost all cases bare never themselves been teaohers, and whose only qualification as inspectors seems to be the fact that they happen to be "native officers" of districts — a situation sometimes held by a Resident Magistrate — but where that dignitary does not haopen to be a Maori proficient, then by his clerk and interpreter. The inspectors are all Government officers, except one who is a clergyman and inspects the nine schools in the Middle and Stewart Island, and who very probably receives some emolument from the State. It is further remarkable that of the inspectors, the oaly one who does not name and inspect the teacders is tbe only real inspector under the Board of Education for European children. Now, as some of the teachers are, University men, while some are retired geld officers in the Imperial army, it must be rather unpleasant to find themselves " damned by faint praise" by such inspectors, and to know that these reports are published by Her Majesty's Representative in the colony. Some of the teaohers may, indeed, feel their vanity flattered by seeing their names in print, but on the whole, it would certainly be better that the teacher's names should not be given in print, thus following the practice of inspectors of European schools. Oa account of the multiplicity of inspectors, it is inipossiLle to arrive at a comparative estimate of schools in different districts, as one inspector may be more hard to please than another — one inspector may report as " fair," what another would call " very good." In the reports now before us a great diversity in tbe style and system of reporting is observable. Some inspectors enter much mere folly than others into particulars ; some give tabular statements, others give none, while gomo commend what others con* demn. The most remarkable instance of the last-named aberration occurs in the most northern district, where the present inspector attributes the want of sacoess of a teacher to bis total ignorance of tbe Maori language. In the same district two years ago a missionary and dignitary of the Church whom the Government had emploped to inspect naiive schools, made a broad assertion to tbe effect that in his opinion a teacher who understood no Maori was preferable to one who was a Maori scholar. We should be in clined to hold with the lay inspector, as the Maori language is not to be despised as a ladder to reach ' up to that more formidable structure, the English language. Indeed, we should think that the sympathies of the native scholars (on which feeling so much depends for tbe success of Maori education) would be far better enlisted by educating their intellect by means of the known language, before proceeding to the unknown foreign language. The question here arises whether in purely native districts the Maori children ever do learn to read English with the understanding, and if they do not what can be the possiblo good of teaching them by rote a number of articulate sounds which are to them no more than unmeaning gibberish, and which do not reach the intellect. Where mixed schools do exist — and they are very few — the Maori children, unless they greatly preponderate in numbers, pick up tbe English language by associating out of school hoars with the English "speaking children, and thus overcome their shyness in speaking broken English. It would of course be a grand step in Maori civilization were the Maori language to become a dead and buried language, but that this is no easy matter the his* tory of the world since the curse of Babel descended on the human race bears ample proof. Even in the British Isles, notwithstanding the efforts of centuries, there still linger in the fastnesses of the Celts and of the ancient Britons, languages which are understood by the inhabitants better than the English. Some branches of schooling, such as writing and arithmetic, can be conducted in any language, and we do not see why Maori children should be spoken to in English when they understand Maori 80 much better. It is not schools alone that will throw the Maori language into dis» use, but the thorough intermingling of families of both races settled throoghont the country. There may be objections made by the white races to such an intermingling, but we are at present viewing tbe matter from a Maori progress point of vievr. A social reform, promoting industry and individualisation of families is wanted amongst the Maori tribes before they can ever appreciate the benefits of education or any of the felsssings of civilisation. A great step towards this end would be the breaking .up of the tribes, and the encouraga<aeas of each party living apart. It is a«. i 1 tonisfang that so little has been done by any Government towards this end ; in fact the policy of the Native Department seems always to have been to foster tribal eommanioq.— the great bane to weial, indaatrini, ana moral advancement *nd fertile Cause of sedition and w2** ■• the tribes form compact unions ready to be moved by any agitator, whether Maori, pakeha-Maori, land speculator, or Government agent.

1 Bat it would be wandering too much from the subject in hand to treat of Maori advancement in general. The number of uative schools reported upon is 47, of which 25 are to the north of Auckland, four closely adjoin that city, nine are in the Bay of Plenty, eight in the Middle Island, and onelin Stewarts Island. Whether other schools exist for Maoris in other Maori districts we are not informed, as there is no general report or statement presented by the official called " Sec- j retary for the Native Schools Department." It seems mo9t astonishing tkat there are no native schools in the Waikaio, Taranaki, Wanj^anai, Wellington, Hawke's Bay, Poverty Bay, or Taupo districts, or if there are any tbat they are not noticed in this parliamentary paper. It would seem that the natives have a distinct and legal claim *o liave education provided for their youth, now that all common schools are maintained out of the consolidated revenue. It is to be hoped now that native schools have been pat under the Education Department that the benefits of education will De more generally diffused throughout native districts. There is no doubt that much information and good behaviour is instilled into the youthful Maori I mind by these schools, and that a great work is being done. There are many drawbacks to their success. The whole system of Maori society is inimical to systematic effort, and the authority of the parent over the child is very little. A good deal in many native schools depends on the vrork of the school being made easy and agreeable to the children themselves, and as a rale regularity of attendance depends very much on the humor of the pupils. Generally when a new school is opened or a new master is appointed, the novelty carries all obstacles before it, and for a time attendance is regular ; but as the feeling of novelty wears off, or if any hitch occurs, a falling off takes place, and the school or the teacher, or both, are despised and neglected. Then there are so many causes to take children from school. The numerous feasts and wakes form an irresistible attraction to Maoris, old and young, who as a rule are never too well fed, and the school is deseited for a day or a week. Again, , the peripatetic habits of the natives , often leave a school in the midst of a deserted assemblage of uninhabited Maori villages. At planting and harvest times also all the Maoris are so busy at work that they reqaire the children to look after the infants, and indeed elder school children grow their own food, and have each their own plantation, or perhaps several plantations on different blocks of land many miles apart. Of the native school teacher him. i self it may be said that he is a representative of piogtessin a desert of barbarism 'The few pakehas in his neighborhood are not often pat. torns for Maoris to imitate, and they 1 frequently do a great deal of damage to the school interest. The Mangouui inspector points out a case of this sort, and W9 have no doubt, in fact we know that many such cases occur which are not mentioned. The teachers require as a rule to be married men, but the amount of house accommodation generally provided for them does not contemplate their having any children, and we have known teachers with large families who found it hard to observe the decencies of life, without providing at their own cost additional houseroom on the school land. The pay is small, rarely exceeding one hundred and fifty pounds a yeur for two theachers (generally man and wife), and the class are pariahs from the noble army of civil servants, as they have no provision made for old age or other retirement. Until two years ago, they wore allowed an increase of ten pounds every year for the pair of teachers, but it is one of the blots on the lato administration that such yearly increases ceased on their accession to office. Let us now expiess a hope that however much retrenchment may be required, the , claims of native school teachers to their arrears and their progressive increase of salary will not be overlooked by the present Minister of Education, Let us also express a hope that u Native Omcers" will no longer be required to inspect schools, and to have their crude and inquisitive remarks published, as hitherto, but that one or more real inspectors may be provided, with a sufficient knowledge of the Maori tongue to examine the native schools of the colony. { If we might compare things pre- ! sent with things past in this respect, we whould remark in conclusion, thac the present system of native schools lacks a hold on the Maori youth. They, or their parents, do not feel the benefits and value of education, and let any of our readers consider what sort of European school we should have for the children of our settlera, if the children were not obliged by their parents to attend school. We must therefore adopt another inducement for Maori children to como to school, and it is already in force in the schools near Auckland. That is, iite children are fed at school, a very suall payme it (of five pounds per annum in most instances), being required of the parents <x? #ay for clothing. The old missinary schools, jyfyere the chi'dren were housed and foql au4 t.Wghfc in schooling and doBjestje asd industrial pursuits, were by faf t^WQStapccesftfujl.nsm^aries, on j -**ety fcfee (Grorornmonjt fraye Md . b - -«* of Maori tad acquired enou fe a 9I . jL, Ljm2i« cheap to be «Abd *«£**«&* ?

for industrial and technical education. Above all, let us iv conclusion press on the Minister o Edaoation the consideration that al Maori . as well as all Europeai childrea are lawfully eutitlerl to b« provided with schooling, and that i they are not now to provided the> will grow up to be a very costh class in the community, either as criminals, as agitators, or as laz) unproductive member? of the futurt body politic.

Mb Walter J. Hill, solicitor, has, we perceive by advertisement, resum'd the practice of his profession in his old offices in Shortland-street, Auckland.

Mb D. L. Murdoch, General Manager of the Bank of New Zealand, is at present on a tour of inxpection of the Bank'? agenoies in the neighboring colonies, and will be absent about two months.

Mb H. Smith has opened a servants' registry office in Hamilton, in connection with his fruit depot. The time for receiving entries for the Mares' Produce stakes for 1881 and th Derby Stakes has been postponed until the end of the month.

The "Waikato Handbook" hat been dedicated, by special permission, to the Hon. F. Whitaker, the Attorney-General, and is rapidly approaohing completion. The delay in its publication, we learn, ha* been caused entirely through numerous subscribers not having forwarded the description of their properties in time to have allowed the work to go to press so soon as was intended. Ms James Munbo intimates that he ha« started as a blacksmith amd implement maker in Alexandra. Ohaupo Sheep Fair. — Entries of sheep intended for sale at Buokland's Ohaupo sheep fair on the 21st inst., will be received, in time for publication in the catalogue, up to Thursday next. The Ohaupo live stoci sale takes place to-day.

Thames- Waizato Railway.— The time for receiving tenders for the construction of the first section of railway works at the Waikato end of the line expires at noon on Thursday next.

Excursion Steamer.— The p.s. Delta will make an excursion trip to the Cambridge Races on Thursday next, tearing Ngraruawahia at 6.30 a.m., and Hamilton at 9 a.m., returning as soon as the races are over. -- Tendebs for fasoining and ballasting the road from Rangiriri to Wairangi — specifications for which work may be seen at Quiok's Hotel, Rangiriri, and at the residence of Councillor Henry, at Huntley — will be received by the clerk of the Waikoto Count* Council up to noon of the 29th inst.

Tkndbiw for the ereotion of a dwellinghouse at Kihikihi, for the chief Kewi, will be received by the Native Minister up to the 31st inst. Plans and specifications may be seen at Andersons Hotel, Kihikihi. The bridge over Feather's Creek in the Tnhikaramea Highway District is unsafe for traffic. Tkndrbs for carting 3000 brioksfrom Hamilton West to Tahuroa will be received until Thursday next by Mr K. Hill, or Mr T. Paton, dautapu.

The Lincolnshire Fabmebs and North Auckland.— The following effasion was telegraphed to Fhursday's Evening Star : — " Mr Alderton interviewed the I incolnshire delegates yesterday, and invited them to visit Captain Colbeck's Kaipara block, and the W hangar ei and Hokianga lands. Mr Grant said they had no intention of visiting North Auckland, as they had been informed that the land there was very broken, and generally inferior, when Mr Alderton told Mr Grant he could show him better land in Kaipara than anything in Waikato. Mr Grant smiled a sickly smile of incredulity. The delegates have been prejudiced against North Auckland, though the very land they are in search of — viz., limestone — can only be found North of Auckland. Ihe delegates do not like the shingle subsoil of Waikato. They want land with body and plenty of subsoil, and whoever has prejudiced the delegates against North Auckland has done an incalculable injury to the province, beoause, from what I can hear, the delegates will not report f avorobly on the Waikato land, though they might on the Northern limestone land. They will probably be induced to visit (forth Auckland, though Waikato influences are working hard against it." We make bold to say that Waikato people know and think so little of JNorfch Auckland land in the way of rivalry that it never entered the head of any one of them to disparage the Kaipara and Hokianga lands. On the other hand we know positively that the Lincolnshire delegates were asked by one gentleman, not a Waikato resident, but one more largely interested in Waikato lands than any on 3 else, not to leave the iN'orth without inspecting the very lands referred to by the above correspondent, and other blocks in the hands of the Government. And if they can spare the time it might be well for them to do so — that is if it is not intended that the Lincolnshire farmers immigrating desire to settle down in larje parties—because, while it must be admitted by all that there are patches of most excellenfcjand in the North, we cannot get away^ from the difficulty that where five hundred, a thousand, or even fifteen hundred acres of good j land can be found together in a block, the j remainder & generally broken pr inferior, or heavily timbered and otherwise inaccessible. What may perhaps render it impossible that Messrs Grant and Foster should visit the North is the fact that the time at their disposal is too limited to allow them to spend it in travelling into any except the more suitable districts for settlement. As to what report Messrs Grant and Foster will give of Waikato, that can be better judged by their own remarks at the lecture at Le Quesne's Hall on Tuesday last. With the whole colony yet to visit it is scarcely likely prudent men would offer a hasty opinion of so decided a character as that attributed to them in referenoe to Waikato. TgE Fan and Frolic Company at Le QuesnVs Hall, on Saturday last, was but poorly patronised— ju fact, there were not sufficient ia the house $q pay expenses. This is the more to be regretted considering 1 the company gave their services free at the promenade concert on Friday night on behalf of the Vast Hamilton School Fund, and contributed largely to the evening's aamsement. Notwithstanding the meagre attendance, the performance, which consiste4 of acrobatic, gymnastic, character songs, and negro, melodies, was very creditably gone through, ..aifd 4e- ! served better rapport, riettfe, the female gymnast, executed some marvellous and daring feats on the trapeze in company with two other members of the troupe, and at the end of the act was recalled. The two juvenile wonders deserve espaciai notice, particularly the younger one, who delighted the audience with his clever soDg and daneoEauajc. Ihe one-legged trapezist » and Mr WiUiaios (the oharacteristio singer) also received a well-merited share of ap- I plause, and it is to be hoped that would ' the company again appear here, the people j ai Hamilton will rally round and give item a bumper house, as thejr visit to the Waikato go jfar lias £een a decided loss to

Educational. — At the meeting of the Education Board on Friday, it was stated mt an application had been sent in fro Cambridge East to have a school erecte* xnd the inspector (Mr O'Sullivan) hat' been requested to report on the require nents. He reported there were about '6 children who would attend the soho who could not now, except at great iuoon venience, attend the neighbouring schools A. building was much required. Th luestion was raised as to whether it wat iesirable that the Bo^rd should deal wit \ seperate applicatioa of this kind, o wait to deal with the 1 application sent in tt which they had promised eonsideratioi when funds were available, a list of which had been prepared. — The Chairman sai bhe Board could now depend on recievin a certain sum, and could deal with an application of such an urgent nature. — Th< Mayor moved, "That the Executive Comnittee consider the lists of application Defore the Board, and pick out the mo* argent ones in the order of urgency.' — The motion was agreed to. A fortnight's extension of time wa granted to the contractor for the erectior of the Cambridge) West school. His con tract oxpired on the 6th inst. Th case of the Kirikiroa district wa next considered, and it was stated the residents had reqnested to have a school erected. The Inspector reported tha there were from 20 to 30 children whe would attend the school. Very few oi those could attend the Hamilton Eas. school. As the district was a poor one there was no immediate probability of an increased attendance, and a small building was all that would be required. — L was proposed to defer the consideration oi the question until the report of the executive committee as to the urgent building! required. The Chairman asked whether, under the circumstances, the capitation allowance, as provided for in thi 80th section of the Act, would not mcci this case. Some settler might have a building available for the number oi children attending. The Inspector said, he knew of only one place, a barn, which might bo available. The Mayor moved, "That communication be opened with th. leading settlers of the district, to the abovt effect," and the motion was agreed to. Tenders for the erection of a school in Hamilton East were recieved. There were six in all, the lowest being .£t3B, and the highest £620. The Engineer' b estimate was £400. He recommended the acceptance of Mr Price's tender, £438 and this was agreed to. The Pukete committee applied to have a teacher's house erected. — It was agreed to defer the consideration of the application until the executive committee s report was brought up. An application for a grant to improvethe teacher's residence at Waitoa was deferred. m I It would seem that our breed of cattle in this part of New Zealand is not likely to deteriorate, either from want ot new blood or good blood, ihe Ben Nevis has brought a bull and two heifers of high Hhorthorn pedigree for Messrs T. and S. Morrin. >he bull is a Cambridge Duke 10th, and was bred by Mr John Lynn, ot gtroxton, Lincoln. The two heifersGeneva Gwynne and Premier 7th — are from the celebrated herd of Mr George Game, shipping Norton, Oxfordshire. The whitefish ova have arrived, and a meeting of the Acclimatisation society has been called for consideration of their disposal. Mr Firth said that of the 11 boxes containing 540,u00 ova, intended for this provincial district, one was forwarded by Mr Creighton for Mr Hurst, to be deposited in Lake Takapuna at the orth -<hore. Mr Firth proposed to place four boxes in Tarawera and five boxes in Lake Taupo, and let one be hatched out in the domain with the object of placing some of the fish in Lake Waikarie. Alluding to the latter place of location, oar Firth said "the water of that lake does not answer the purpose as well as I should like, but the lake happens to be the nearest available. It is hardly so cold as could be desired ; but it is impossible to say what may be the result of placing the fish in water the temperature of which is somewhat warmer than the original habitat. It does not follow that the fish should not live, although the effect of the change of climatic temperature must be considerable. What we mow takes place in the acclimatisation of birds and animals might take place with respect to fish There is an adaptability in organic life to changes of climate and temperature greater than we are in the habit of supposing." There is no doubt much truth in ft*r Firth's remarks, hut the lakes higher up Waisato are colder even than Lake Waikarie, and we would again suggest that a portion of the young fish from the domain when fit for removal flhou'd be distributed amongst the principal lakes in the settled districts of Waikato, whence, as they commenced breeding, j the young fry could be distributed throughout the numerous smaller lakes which are to be found in all parts of the Waikato district. , PRESENTATION TO THE REV. L. C. BRADY. — The departure of the Rev. L. C. Brady from "Waikato, where he has laboured for the last nine years, is a matter of deep regret, but more especially to the congregation and numerous friends of all denominations in the upper Waikato, where Mr Brady's charge was situated. The rev. gentleman has been, during all this period, not only a zealous priest but a kind friend and neighbour, has ever taken an aotive part in promoting the social welfare of the district, and has fairly won the affection and regard of those amongst whom and for whom he has lived. "We are, therefore, not snrprised to find that a number of representatives of Mr Brady's congregation and friends, met on Saturday last, in the large room at Devin's Commercial Hotel, Te Awamutu, for the purpose of presenting a testimonial to the rev. gentleman as a mark of their esteem for him on the occasion of severing his connection with the charge of Waikato West. On the motion of vir Winstone, Dr Blunden was voted to take the chair. The Doctor opened the proceedings by remarking that it now devolved upon Mm to discharge a duty which caused him great regr-t. He felt certain that he was heartly joined by those present when he said that it was a matter of deep sorrow that Mr Brady was leaving them. He sincerely trusted that wherever their friend and late Pastor might go he would find as good friends as he was now leaving. He therefore presented this piece of plate (a sterling silver salver), with the following inscriptions :—": — " Presented to the Key. L. C. I^rady by parishorera and friends on his leaving Wqikato, West, December 31, 1879." Mv $rady in reply, stated fchat ha thanked them from his heart fop the testimonial presented to him as a token of their esteem. He had lived among them for nine years, and had made many dear and sincere f riends,and would tell them that wherever his lot might be cast he felt certain that nothing would cause him to | forget the district or the personal friendship and the happy years of his residence among them. He hoped they would not expect him to say any more an the occasion, as he felt more in his heart than he could really trust himself to express in wor s. He wished them all good bye, and would keep his piece of silver as an heirloom in remembrance of his first Pastorate. "We draw attention to an interesting letter in another column descriptive of a journey from the Bay of Plenty to Cambridge. ' ' • A ipiETfNO of the Hamilton Councjl was held yesterday, when there we prc&eut the Mayor, tigd Cra. Bculo,

Knox, Jones, Harris, Gumming, Dayi j , Peat, and McDonald. A. 1.-ttc- w.m read from the District Engineer, claiming on behalf of the Government that, as they *rere liable for half the extras of the lamilton bridge, they should also be orelited with half the reductions, amounting ,o a sum of £164. Attached was a memo, r'rom the Engineer (Mr Breakell) pointing mt the fallacy of the olaira. It was re.olved to employ Mi* Butterworth to uperintend tho execution of the protecive works to the piles. The question of turfing the embankments of the approaches which the Engineer stated would cost ;bout £30, was ordered to stand over for consideration to next meeting. At the evening sitting a number of accounts were jasaed. a member ruled out of order cefuaed to abide the ruling, and a resolucion was passed authorising the borough solicitors to prosecute him under the standing orders for a breach thereof. I he first barge load of stone for the contraction of the protective works, to stop the oour round the piles of the » amilton bridge vas brought up the river from Tuakau esterday, in tow of one of the Waikato iteam Navigation Company's boats. The oad consisted of 59£ cubic yards, and was leposited in the river during the course of ,he day under the supervision of tie ngineer. Three more loads may b< ex jected up on Friday. Aocording to conxaot tho company is bourd to complete he supply by the end of next month. The settling up for the Waikato Turf Club aces took place on Saturday evenag at the Royal >»otel, Hamilton, when r^p following" am^un^R were piid ovar : — Walters, £210; Lennard, £77; Ruther-; rord, £46; Mclvor, tii; White, t.29; Wilkinson, £20 ; Hettit, £20 ; Byers, £12 ; Laing, £10. A painting of considerable merit, the •york of Mr Calder, a senic artest, well mown in Auckland and at the Thames, is now on view at Pearce's Commercial clotel, Ham lton. The scene depioted is i reach of the Thames Kiver some ux miles below Graha nstown, the gold bearing ranges stretching away to the horizon on the opposite ban , and on the foreground the native settlement of the Wha&atewai. Ihe painting, which is some our feet by three feet six inches, is handsomely mounted in a deep gilt and umamented frame. The coloring and prospective are good, the details well filled in, and altogether the painting may (airly rank as a work of local art of considerable merit. It is the intention of the owner to raffle it in the Waikato on Thursday evening, and the names of several of the required numbers, fifty at a pound each, have been already obtained. Two men who had been in the sun on the Ohaupo racecourse on Friday last, were brought before the Resident Magiscrate at lamiltoa, and pleaded guilty, on Saturday. His *\ orship, taking into con sideration the fact that it was holiday time and that they had given the police no trouble on their way to the lock-up, discharged them with a caution that if brought before him again they would not get off so easily. Thk Waihourangi estate, oonsisting of 1 9,500 aorej of good agricultural land, has been purchased at auotion by *ir John McGregor, for the sum of £70,500, the amount of mortgage on it being £70,500. Mr Howden made a bid of £70,000. Ihe price this land fetched (says the Timaru Telegraph) shows the depreciation of laud in the colony. Fifteen months ago £130,000 was offered for it, and refused by its proprietors, as being beneath its value. bY an advertisment in another coltunn it will be seen that lots 601 to 617 \both inclusive) of the town of Cambridge East, advertised to be offered for sale by the Waste Lands Beard on the 26th, have been withdrawn from sale. Bachelder's Pantascope, representing a tour th ough * merica, and from ' r riac< to rfydney, will be opened this evening in Ue Quesne's tiall. The exhibition i* highlj spoken of in the Auckland Press, (lifts wm be distributed by lot to the audience Jddqk Syjionds, accompanied by Mi Austin and other iJourt offici Is, arrived in Hamilton by the midday train yesterday, and proceeded on to Cambridge to open the Land Court about to sit at Tt Waotu. Thk Fun and Frolic Company appeal again at Cambridge this evening and tomorrow. On the night of the Masons ball, at Hamilton, a parcel containing a coat vest, white necktie, collars, and white kiu gloves were picked up in Victoria-stree and handed to the police, to whom th' owner may apply.