The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1721, 17 July 1883, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. Here shall the Press the People's right maintain, Unawrd by influence and unbribed by train.

TUESDA V, JUL Y l7, 1883.

About twelve months ago the settlors of Oxford and the ukoroire and Paeroa districts were accommodated with a weeKly mail, -which, \yhile it lasted, was a source of great convenience, as, though there are frequent opportunities, of sending mail messages by passing waggons and equestrians, it was a certain means of communication, and consequently could be relied upon. But through some unknown cause, apparently the fact of the original postmaster, Mr Montague, having given up business, the weekly Oxford mail was stopped, and the post-office closed, and, though the inconvenience has since been much felt, no steps whatever have been taken to renew the service. The fault, so far as we can understand, is almost entirely that of the settlers themselves, who, though they are frequently heard to complain and grumble, do not exert themselves to | effect a remedy. Settlement is every day advancing along the Cambridge-Rotorua road, new homesteads are being formed, new tracts of country are being opened up, and new townships are making their appearance along the line. If the service is now renewed it will require to include Lichfield, where, at the present time, a thriving and fairly populous township is springing into existence with every promise of prosperity. So soon as the new road to Kotorua is completed, the settlers along the lino of road, as well a« those resident at Kotorua, will do well to represent to the Government the necessity of subsiding a coach service, which would not only carry the mails, and thus become a groat convenience to settlers, but would be a great boon to tourists and the travelling public. It may be argued that when the new Thames Valley Railway, the formation of which has already been entered upon, is completed, there will be no necessity for the object of our suggestion, as the railway train will answer all requirements and purposes. Certainly to a great extent this is true ; but it must be remembered that there is a considerabletract of country between the district through which the railway will pass and Cambridge, and it is for the convenience of this coach communication suggested. Probably, when the time arrives, this matter \yill receive the attention which it deserves; but in the meantime we would urge upon the settlers of Oxford and Lichfield , the necessity of petitioning the Government for either a weekly or bi-weekly mail (horse) service.

Travellers and tourist* who have had occasion to travel to the Lake Country by way of Waotn have had reaton to complain of the action of theTanpo Licencing Bench iv refusing the license of Mr A. Isaacs for his hotel at Waotu. The only hotel accomodation which is at present provided is that afforded by the hostelry conducted by that cute and intelligent •pecimen of the Maori, Hvey Symonds, with whose efforts to make ail visitors comfortable many Europeans are wall wfluaiuted, and to which we have frequently heard them* testify. But a house conducted by a native, however well that may he, jtbe mere fact that it is a Maori hou«e <toe» not give it an air of attraction to the Europe** wind, partteuUrly, that .class of uoacquanted with 'Maori\maimers 'and- <W' tomfl, «c4,the r domestic disposition and • habitsjof tbS people] geuirailyj. AHarge number of towwats from^ the 'South 'and from .neighbourißg^cploniesvpajis- oyer, the Woo|;Ujr<Mi4( <Jf> route^ "and as Jhej journey, if ,]k>pg lan'd^ijptonou^/ the scenery-in «$)*$«&& pf&fhSBJFWjfoNJ* compensating, $[ well mww&ed SgW #P WadtU^conaucMydn;i;£tSOß«^ge^n r irtincipJ^'^itH^teveryi dofnetttej oowfoHi, pwwidedj'i'afid'^th^projpor^smfcteiiidynce nnd we!lu^4vlittlei'h'eiitation'Ain)Bayiug f thafc.th'ostyjtf* 4eqide 4 d, otherwise mtfit; ,ha § ye s

fact tlmt^lWnT|B|ME(«^n^tahtfld to 1 the house, uMjich^MO^h^Barrred on by l>loiWtapj^\e>gfk l BuSrfliio||iti'prinkling ofpicenn^iiQtua ijl&ug'ffig I ' the <lis - trici', we^^^b'y£J!^^ o 'JsfflBpJ' ove °^ a mipt nna instead of fooiiM^ndeavouring to stifle enterprise in this particulnr way, the Taupo LicenahiK Bench should have practically manifested an inclination to foster it. In regard to licensing nfcw house* in districts where ' o'ther't licensed houses exist, we would offerohe more remark : That if the new home for which a license in nsked. is a marked improvement on, and offers superior accomodntiotrto that which already exists, such enterprise should, by all .means be ;on« ; on« couragfidj ftnd ; » license' granted with a* little unnecessary delay, and with as ( litttaexpeuso and, trouble to the,,<ippli* t cant as possible.

A concert and ball will be held in the school-room, • Ngaruawahi*, on Friday evening next, in aid of the Ngarnawahia Brass Sand.

There is some talk of the married gentlemen of Cambridge giving a ball at an earJy date to the district bachelors in return for the ball giren by them a few weeks ago.

Mr Wm. Ring, well-known in football circles in Waikato, has been selected as one of the Auckland team in the coming tournament of the Auckland footballers through the South and to Sydney.

Professor Herbert, tke illusionist and prestidigitateur, will give a performance in the Public Hall, Hamilton, tonight. The professor has delighted audiences at Kihikihi and Te Awamutu, and from all .we can hear, those who patronise him to-night will be well rewarded.

The usual weekly meeting of the Cambridge Mutual Improvement Association will be held at the court-house this evening when a large number of the outside public are expected to be present. The evening will be devoted to impromptu speaking, a proceeding generally fertile of much,,interest, and not unfrequently a little merriment.

On Saturday afternoon the members of the newly-formed Hamilton Football Club played a scratch match on Sydney Square. Sides were chosen by Messrs Cochrane and Gwynne, and a good game ensued. We understand that arrangements are being made to select a Waikato team to meet Ihe Auckland footballers on their usual annual visit to this district.

The Alexandra Dramatic Olub will give a performance in the Public Hall on Thursday next, in aid of the public cemetery repairing fund. The performance will consist of the domestic drama " Self-accusation," and the farce 41 Boots at the Swan," and will conclude with a dance.

The members of the Gomus Dramatic Club will give their next private performance at the Oddfellows' Hall, Hamilton, on Tuesday evening next, the 2-tth. Honorary members who do not receive their tickets before the end of the current week are requested to communicate with the honorary secretary, MrS. E. Greville Smith, who will also be glad to receive the names of intending members.

A man named James Thompson, with sundry aliases, who was committed from Cambridge last April for stealing a shawl from a native, presented himself yesterday to Sergeant McGovern, and insisted upon being locked up, stating that he had had no food since Saturday, and could not obtain work. Although the police advised him to get away to Waitoa, where men were daily being advertised for, he persisted in his demand, and will therefore appear this morning to answer to a charge of vagrancy.

The enterprising firm of Messrs Lewis and Simpson, which has been but recently established in Cambridge, is, we are glad to say, making rapid progress, having Hi nee its establishment done a daily increasing and prosp«rous business. Indeed, so much so, that the building as at first erected has been found inadequate for the business requirements of the firm; consequently, necessitating extensive additions and improvements. A new store of very large dimensions has of late been erected at the back, and the extensive •tock which has here been stored bespeaks a wel) developed business, and convinces the visitor of the necessity which gave rise to the new additions.

At the Cambridge Resident Magistrate's Court on Friday, a Maori was punished for the offence of allowing a dead horse, which had fallen down when it was being ridden, to lie on the public road for three weeks to the great annoyance of travellers, notwithstanding his being several times requested by the police to remove thf carcase. What with a fine of 10s, and the costs, which the native had to pay, the act of non-com, pliance co»t the unfortunate defaulter about £5. ThU nhould serve as a caution to natives in future, at » plea of legal ignorance will not suffice ; and wo hope some of our European readers will impress upon their native neighbours a sense of their responsibility in these matters.

Of late the practice of clipping serviceable paragraphs from the daily Eapers in the reading-rooms of the Camndge Public Library, and sometimes removing them altogether, has been instituted. We would not call an act of this nature mischief, for it is not mischief, it is the very element of sordid meanness aud hnpeeuuiousncss, and the person who is guilty of «ueh an act jis worthy of the utmost contempt, and rou«fc, pypn fa his very self, appear the impersonation of meanness. Considering that a paper can be had for twopence, and the inconveni-ence-which the cutting up of oho of the dailies creates, the person guilty of such an act cannothave a 1 very high opinion of his own personal honour ; indeed, we would ask him to impress upon his mind the fact that by destroying the property of the institution like this he is guilty of an act of theft, which is punishable by the common criminal law. If a person cannot, mak« .use of the reading-room .in a legitimate way, and behave himself when there, in * way becoming a gentleman, better'far he remain at home,' ifofl* by diligently reading some good work, endeavour to cultivate a sense of honour, social etiquette, and a manly principle. , A meeting, convened by the promoter* of the Hamilton Branch of the Gospel , Temperance Sopjety and Blue Ribbon Army,, wai held in th» Public Hall, Hamilton, last night. There was a large attendance of the public, and the chair was occupied by, Mr French. The Rev J. Dukes delivered an' able find eloquent address on the principles ,of the orgftufa»tJon (which, unfortunately, we' have not «pa#? gyen to give a summary, of), and was listened fto. with marked attention. , At' the close 1 about # dozen of those present joined the society, nrnkthg,with those,, who were already; abstainers, a itotalv of about 'thirty, tb.e whole of whom donned the V.blue ribbon." At ft routine of {tie • society, held subsequerftlyir th,e v j:l^,iilV . J?u>e«; was elected president -of l 'ih§ u 'bpanflp.,; the Rev ' Mr'Raeburn 1 "• I Bn4^ I MaBWi > -French- aftd^Co*- vice-presidenti, Mr -W,| .fribble secretary,' afad Mr'T.r/Miimdijr treasurer. A 1 committee oi aeveariwjw' akoraPEpintedi: f ,The .stertsio'n > '«?

?owlh fl to having it)a4\S|±etttly o vorohftrgedc a native, he had to tawf £2 legal expenses, and . nowLfipjplied jhi lsl refund j^ If he infornwtjff, M • beg* id /tl^douWl , appoint llpcqg boiC { |The Mgyojhjaid it> impoialbl^ttpcohdff&\ j^tidd^propij^ without it. It Wat necessary, for instauce, that the person impounding should give a written notice. After some conversation, the Town Clerk said .he had been unable to get a copy of; the act. /it was -finally respited that itlie. qonnoil* could not refund the £2, and the resignation of Mr Coombes was accepted, M^r W. Peacock being appointed pcundkeeper pro tern. A number of accounts' wsre Sjp^ssed for (Raiment, an 4 the coufitcilfrose, ' Wo U& indebted fw the following concise summary of the last annual report of the « of,- education -pre- ; sented to the House on the 4th inst. to the Wellington Time* :— " Total average daily attendance ' of scholars at ' the public schools during the year ending 31st of December^ 1882, was 35,909 males, and 32,379 females, together 66,145, showing an increase of 2410 on the previous year. The average yearly increase during the last' 5 years was 5061. The mean percentage of attendance as compared with enrolments was 76*3, which, curiously enough, exactly corresponded to a decimal with the proportion of the previous year. The number on the rolls at the end of 1882 was 87,179. The number of Maoris and children of mixed races attending public schools last year was 314 boys, and 239 girls, together 553. This showed a falling off of 79 as compared with the previous"yearr The subjects of instruction in the public schools throughout the colony were :— Reading, writing, arithmetic, English grammer and composition, geography, hwtory, eletrifclnttfry science, drawing, object lessons, vocal music, needlework (girls), and domestic economy. The total number of teachers in 1882 was 2143, as compared with 2087 in the previous year. The total receipts of the Education Boards throughout the colony during the' year amounted to £364,688 2s Bd, as against £358,957 7s 4d in 1881. The average cost in current expenditure and school buildings per scholar wa9 £5 5s 3d, as compared with £4 19s 9£d in the previous year. Of the total number of teachers, 14 received salaries of £400 to £495 , per annum, 37 from £300 to £400, 171 from £200 to £300, 830 from £100 to £200, and 1227 under £100. The expenditure on school buildings during the year was £71,832 4s 9d, as compared with £58,254 12s 6d, but of the total number of scholars on the rolls, 87,179, 48. G per cent, were presented for examination in standards, and of these, 723 per cent, of the number presented passed. This percentage of passes showed a falling off as compared with the previous year, the percentiige of passes in 1881 having been 73.4. The mean average of the ages of the scholars at standard examinations was 11.5 years. The Inspectors in their reports call attention to the evil resulting from favoritism in the appointment of teachers, condemn the giving of school prizes, approve of increasing school libraries, object strongly to the excess of educational overwork at home, and mention great improvement among the girls in sewing. The report speaks generally in favourable terms of the Normal Schools, High Schools, and institutions for secondary instruction generally.