COMMENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume XX, Issue 1714, 30 June 1883, Page 2

COMMENTS.

Till' first attack on the educational system ha& prosed, as we had hoped and predicted it would, in tile. Mr M. W. Gu-en endiavouied to put in tlio thin end of the wedge by th« introduction of wliat he called the Moral Tiaimng in Schools Bill, but the House would have nothing to do with it. and on the motion for its stcond reading kicked it ignomimously out of doors. The position of patties when the House divided was not u little cuiious. Mr llolleston and Mr Montgomery walked into one lobby, and Mr Dick and Mr Macandrew into the other. The principal argument adduced by Mr Green in favour of his bill was that the irreverence and want of principle which charactei iscs the youth ot the present day is owing to secular education, hence great growth of larrikini&m, a conclusion which the Minister for Justice stiongly objected to. The subject has, however, been worn almost thread-bare, and consequently the large majority of members were quite content to give a silent %ote against the bill. After such a humiliating defeat it is hardly likely that the Dunedin Bible-in-schools party will, during this session, make another es*ay.

Economy is a very good thing ; indeed same class it as a virttire, but when exercised by some people under curtain circumstances there would seem to be very little difference between this quality and extiavngance. By the exercise of false economy we not uufrcquently pay a double pi ice for what we desire to secure ; whereas bad what appeared to be unwarrant, able extravagance been exercised .it the outset our end would have been achieved once and for all. We do not mean to infer th.it an exercise of unwarrantable e.xtiav.igance ou the part of the Cambridge Town Boaid when inaugurating a system ot drainage within the town would have served them any more effectually than a due exercise of economy. But; to use an old saying, it is possible to have I too much of a good thing ; over economy is generally termed false economy, and to a too strict adherence to the principles of this tiie Cambridge Town Board may justly impute the abortive system of drainage of which the town is unfortunately possessed. Within the past twelve months no loss than £200 have been literally thrown away in a futile attempt to carry off the storm water of the town, no practical good whatever having been effected by the outlay. The idea of draining the flat in the vicinity of S. Andrew's Church was never looked upon, neither by the members of the town board nor by the public with an approving eye, but right was allowed to succumb to might, and the idea was accordingly given effect to. Though the idea was strenuously opposed in this journal at the time, both at the hands of correspondents and our own, the work was allowed to proceed, supported | by the rotten argument that the matter was only a piece of temporary aceomodation — temporary we would say without doubt, taking present appearances into consideration — and that so soon as the town was in a position to afford a permanent scheme of drainage, the temporary idea would most probably fall into disuse. If the experiences of the past term of wet weather may be taken as an assurance, the work, it would seem, fell into disuse at a much earlier period than anticipated. At about the second heavy downfall of rain a large portion of the piping waswashed out of existence, and the residuepromises to follow at an early date. Another £100 was spent in laying down a new drain to carry off the storm water from the square at the junction of Victoria, Duke and Brewery streets ; but no sooner have we a heavy night's rain than we are painfully convinced of the ineflScacy of our expenditure by the centre of the town becoming flooded. The fault does not lie at the door of the board alone ; nor at that of the engineer ; but both are alike to blame. Tho board should either undertake to find sufficient money to do the work properly, or let it remain in abeyance until they were in a position to do so ; and no engineer who has any respect for his professional stand: , >ing and, name rhould risk his, reputatioii . on *' work >yhioh,,iM)e 'wew fjouviuoecl

I that the money to be expended was quite inadequate, would not redound to his credit, but instead would be a serious reflection on his ability and professional ( apacity. Generally spanking there is nothing more unprofitable than economy, of the kind referred to, and this fc le Cambridge ratepayers have now come to realise.

The Government of South Australia linn decided Unit it muot decline to bo pledged to thare in the expenses oE the annexation of New Guinea, pending the decision by the Irapciial Government on the question of the proposed unnexailon^ or protectorate.

Major Atkinson proposes tointrointroduce a bill into the House cmborlying the national insurance scheme whic'i he hae been at such pains to lay befoi c Southern audiences. Ho does not hit surf to force it on to a second reading but trusts that its circulation and discussion will lead to some, practical pauper legislation.

At the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club's Steeplechase Meeting on Thur&day the Maiden Stakes were won t>y P. Martin's Fashion ; the Ladies' Bracelet was won l>y Mr A. McLeans Frcderika, with Little Buttercup second, and Qua mby third ; for the Hawke's Bay Steeplechase Pilbrow's Clarence was first, with Qnamby second, and Loch Lomond third. The Hack Steeplechase wns won liy Mohaka, and the Consolation by Chandler.

In the discussion which followed the delivery of the Financial Statement on Wednesday night, Sir George Grey dwelt on the necessity for adopting better and more liberal land laws, and for the imposition of a land tax in the stead of the present property tax, which he said was bringing so many to poverty. He believed the majority of the House would be in favour of a land tax, and, if necessary an income tax also. He asked if the Government would allow their followers to vote according to their consciences on that question, Major Atkinson replied that his party always voted according to their consciences but if n land tax was to be imposed, it would have to be imposed by Sir George Grey, as the present Government would not do it. The remainder of the short debate was comparatively uninteresting.

Mr J. 0. Firth, in reply to an application from Archdeacon Willis for hefp towards the stipend of nn assistant Anglican minister lor the Gtmbiidj.u' paiochial district, so as to lie able to piovide for more frequent \ isits> to Matamata and other places, wutes as follows : —"I am glad you aie moving in the matter of giving out settlements the benefit of more frequent services. By way of assisting you I will raise the Matamata subscription from £10 to £'2o per annum on condition Hint theie shall be not less than thirteen benic-s held thcic dm ing each year by an Anglican clergyman.." '1 his is not the first time vlr Filth has so handsomely manifested his sympathy with the woik being done by the Anglican Church in the Cambridge distiict. Besides being a contributor of £10 per annum to the clergyman's stipend since the district was first formed, he w.is one of the largest subscribers to the building fund of the present chinch in Cambridge, giving the handsome donation of twenty-live guineas.

In the Supreme Court, Auckland, in Bmco, on Thursday, Mr E. Hcsketh applied for a writ of mandamus directed to the Chief Judge of the Native Lands Court, Mr J. E. Macdonald, commanding him to show cause why lie refused to in* sert in a certificate of title to certain native lands the nailies of six pcisons who had been ignored. He .said lie had only just received the letters fi om dm bridge, requesting him to make the applic.ition. He could not therefore enter into details. It appealed howevei to have been a voluntaiy arrangement on thu part of the petitioners totheNatixc Lands Court. The six peis>on& who hau* been ignored seemed to know nothing of the proceeding, and they ueie ignoiant altogether. — His Honor : Has notice of this application been given to the chief judge and other parties concerned ?— Mr E. Heskcth : Having tend the letters, I should say not. — His Honor : I think due notice should be gi\en. — Mi Heskefch : It shall be done as your Honor directs, and I shall renew the application. — Ordered accordingly.

The adjourned fortnightly meeting of the Cambridge Mutual lmpi moment Association was held in tin- com thouse, Cambridge on Thui&day evening last. The president, Mr \V. L ('. Williams, occupied the ohaii, Then 1 was a very fair attendance ot member, and the number of the on ts.de pulil'c present showed conclusively that the interest which has lntheito been mam fested in the welfare ot the association is not going to be allowed to dm out. The business of the evening was opened l>y n discussion on the advisability of winding up the a&soeiation, which \\m bi ought forward on a pro forma motion by Mr Edgar, seconded by Mr Djer. After considerable discussion Mr Cunpbell proposed as an amendment, " That the association be not wound up." The amendment was put and carried. It was then agreed on motion to hold the meetings on Tuesday night instead of Thursday as at present, as it was believed many members would be able to attend on that evening, but could not possibly cotnc on Thursday. Four new members, including Col. Lyon, were nominated for election at the next meeting. An excellent paper was read by Mr Keesing, on "Novels and Novel Readers." The next meeting of the association will be on Thursday evening next.

The District High Schools of Cambridge and Hamilton will be opened on Monday next. Ow ing to the inability of the chairman of the Board of Education to bu present no ceremony will take place at the Hamilton School. The following is a list of those mho up to the present have been entered on the list of pupils at the Hamilton School, but the number will probably be largely augmented : — Misses Searancke (2), Bradley (3), Sandes (2), Cochrane, J. Biggs, and Le Quesne ; Masters Le Quesne, R. Seddon, F. Yon Stunner and 11. Hume. It is believed that more would have been entered ere this but for the fact that the Standard Examinations at the district schools are to take place at the end ot July and parents are anxious that their children should remain in the lowoi schools until that time. The chairman of the East Hamilton School Committee telegraphed to the Inspector in reference to this matter and received a reply yesterday stating that pupils who may leave the district schools for the high schools will be allowed to go up for the Standard Examination. Under these circumstances, therefore, pupils can take advantage of the full quarter without, running the risk of losing their proper status in the districts schools.

The San Francisco correspondent of the Otago Daily Times went East lately, and sends some notes from New York, the modern Gotham as he calls it. Among other things he says : — Broadway is disappointing. There is no part of New York as well built as the new part of Chicago, which in some respects is the finest city in the world. My friend Heury George ranks it next to Paris, and classes New York with London. That New York is pre-eminently an " English city" is undoubted. One is impressed with this at first sight almost, as although the Germans ami Irish make most noise, but especially the Irish, they are not met in the busy haunts of industry, trade, or finance. They appear to be the buzzflies of our vigorous civilisation, and, while they give some annoyance, are easilybmshed aside. The residence streets of New York in fashionable quarter are very handsome, being wide, clean, and well paved. The population, including Brooklyn and suburbs, cannot fall short of three million souls— that is, admitting of a, count by souls instead of bodies. .In another decade New York and its environs will .have, a . {.ppulajion « . lui^e , as j

We have machines (says the Chicago Mine-,) for doing ulinust ull kinds of work in field, chop, and factory. But in many departments of industry little has been done to lighten the burdens of human lubour. Kitchen work is performed in about the same way as it was when the first kitchen was constructed. Clothe*, dishes, and floorn are washed after tho •no-.t primitive fnshion. Our methods of doing all kinds of house-work are twenty .centuries behind our methods of doing ,f.irm and factory work. Knives and forks are made by machinery, but are scoured by hand. Anew tin dish in made in a | factory quicker and with le-.a trouble than pan old one is (.leaned in a kitchen. When i drudgery was driven out of the field and work-hop it took refuge in the kitchen, seemingly with the determination of inakI iug it its prtmanent place of abode. It dings to it with desperation. New di-hes for the table find new garments for the person all make work, but the persons who bi ing them out produce no labor-saving machine for cleaning the first or keeping in order the last.

Mr J. A. Froude, writing to the Tunis on the Transvaal question, s.iys the situation is " embarrassing and, if unwisely lundled, may become ignominious.' 1 He asks :— " What is to be done now? I should say, as much as, and no more than the Constitutional Go\ eminent of the Cape Colony will join with us in demanding. In conjunction with the Cape Ministry, we may remonstiate safely, ond intervention of another kind will not be needed. Imperial action on our own account will fail in securing the object at which it aims, and will produce complications of the most serious kind. It is always forgotten, and it ought to be always remembered, that two-thirds of the constituents of the Cape Legislature are Dutch, no only of the same race with the Dutch of the Transvaal and of the Orange Fiee State, but their close and immediate relations. They are qui^t, well-disposed people, but they sympathies with their own kindred, and by them and by their feelings Cape Ministries are necessarily influenced. Acts of unprovoked violence (if any such are being committed in the Transvaal) they will disapprove of, for many reasons They will not refuse to co operative with us in insisting that such acts shall be discontinued. But they are proud of the position which the Tinnsvaal has achieved ior itself, If the Imperial Government interposes on its own authority the Dutch of the Colony will consider the cause of the Transvaal to be their ow n cause, and each step which v,e take in that direction will biing us neater to the point when we shall hive cither to icconquer South Ati ica or abandon it altogethei."