TUESDAY, JULY 1, 1884.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1870, 1 July 1884, Page 2

TUESDAY, JULY 1, 1884.

Few people realise how near we in Waikato have been to losing the advantages of secondary education. These are not permanently assured yet, and an earnest effort is teq tared if we are to retain them. The rapid srrowth and popularity of the primary schools under the national sys tern, the fact that the education provided is calculated to h't the great majority for the ordinary avocations in life, has had the effect of crushing out of existence a great many piivate schools that did excellent service before the days of national education. In those piivate academies the curriculum was far-rt aching, and boys were provided cither with a " commercial " or a classical education, according to the wish or the means of the parents, or the bent of the boy's mi'id. Now the primary schools have banished these institutions without providing an adequate substitute in themselves. They constitute only the fiist storey in the building of which the seeondaiy, or high schools form the next. In large centres of population no inconvenience is experienced, because in the nature of things the high schools can afford to piovide much better teaching power than it lays within the means of pi hato individuals to secure. But in country districts there is no getting over the fact that the suppression of private schools has involved serious consequences. We do not desire to return to the old order ot things. The present system is infinitely better adapted to the wants of the commuunity in general than the old could possibly be. But we should take eire that it meets the wants of thes) whose ambition leads them to higher (lights than mankind in the lump aspires to. That we have not been unmindful of thi'i ispro\cd by the establishment of high schools at Cambi ulge and Hamilton ; that further efforts in the same direction are necessary is demonstrated by the indifferent state of health in which we find these high schools at the present time. The Cambridge school is, indued, almost defunct, while that at Himilton has been suffered to sink into a very low condition. The action of a few residents has saved the latter for another quarter, but further exertions are needed to keep it alive, and these we trust will be forthcoming. Assistance is afforded out of the revenue derived from educational reserves, and the total number of pupils required is small — only eighteen we believe. There is, indeed, no real difficulty in the way, and we have sufficient confidence in the residents of the district to believe that w hen the case is put before them, as we have endeavoured to put it, they will unite in making a resolution to keep within hail the boon of a higher standard of education than the primary schools of the colony can offer.

The Rev. J. Bates (North Shore), took thenervicesatS. Andrew*, Cambridge, on Sunday. It is rumoured at Cambridge that Mr DeLautour is coming out for Waikato. Mr Chitty's term of office as clerk of the Ciiiubiidge R.M. Court closed yesteiday, and his successor, Mr Thomson, entered upon his duties. Notwithstanding the heavy rain, no timber of any consequence has come down to the booms at Cambridge from the Waotu bush. The pupil teachers' examination commences to-d.iy at the Hamilton West School. The examiner i« Mr McArthur, of the Auckland Training College. From a private letter received by Father Fox yesterday we learn that the Nuns who are to take charge of the educational eitabli&h merit at Hamilton may be expected to arrive in about a fortnight. The Negro Minstrel entertainment (complimentary to Mr T. A. Bell) comes off at the Oddfellows' Hall, Hamilton, this evening. Tickets may be obtained at the stores or at the door. The second annual meeting of the shareholders of the Waikato Cheese and Bacon Foctory Company will be held at the Hamilton Auction Mart oh Thursday, the 24th inst. At the adjourned meeting of the Whatawhata Licensing Committee, yesterday, before Messrs Dobson, Day and Fleming, a renewal of the license of the Whatawhata Hotel was granted to Mr Dickison. The Piako County Council is about to advertise the election of a member for the Waitoa riding to fill the place of Mr J. P. Campbell. We understand that Mr E. Hewitt has been duly gazetted a member of the Cambridge Domain Board vioe Mr J. P. Campbell, resigned. Commander Edwin telegraphed at 2 p.m. yesterday :—lndications: — Indications of glass further rise during next 10 hours, but falling after that time with wind between north and east and south-east. - '■ At the. adjourned sitting t>f tke Hamilton Borough" "Licensing: Cotntnititeethe, application of ,Mr Baohc $$ « renewal- of thelicorise of th.c Royal .^otjsb wap jgkii!iitiis}Ufoj, tysjfl&^rigLniife d?bjr> $|fe

A soiree and public meeting will be held at the Baptist Tabernacle, Cambridge, this evening, in connection with the recognition of the Rev. Mr Wilson, the new pastor. Mr Wilson preached at the morning and o\ening services nt the Tabernacle on Sunday, when there were laige attendances at eaoh sei vices. We would remind the parishioners of S. Peter's, Hamilton, that the dedication festival of their chinch will be celebrated to-morrow (Wednesday). Evensong will commence at half-past seven, when it is hoped that a full congregation will assemble to assist the clergy and choir in making the service as hearty as possible. The offertory will be devoted towards he reduction of the debt on the chinch. A correspondent writes from Ngaruau ahia :— The parishioners of Holy Trinity Church wish to acknowledge with thanks the handsome present of bookmarkeis so kindly made by Mrs Chamber.". It is gratifying to know that though many of our old and valued church members have left us, others have come in to take their places. We still live in hope of being able to get a resident clergyman. The Herald yesterday published the following telegram from its special coriOMpondcnt with the Wairarapa""," dated Russell, Sunday : — The Wairarapa has anchored here all well. A sailor is said to have had measles at Apia, Samoa, on the 17th mst., but was soon well. There was no other case. The trip was a failure in consequence, as no communication with the shore at Samoa and Tonga wan permitted. Much discontent has prevailed on board. The claims for insurance over the loss sustained by the late fire at Mr T. A. Bell's house, Hamilton, were yesterday paid by Messrs Dey and French, local agents for the New Zealand Insurance Company. The flic occuired on the 20th, so that only ten days have been taken up in sending the necessary proofs, &c, and the icturn of the money. This will be another addition to the record of promptitude in settlement of losses, a reputation long enjoyed by this insurance company. A man named Patrick Smith, employed as a labourer on the farm of Mr Dougherty, near Cambiidge. met with a very painful accident on Saturday afternoon. He was leading a_ bor»e by a long rope, when something frightened the annual, which suddenly plunged and bolted. Smith's leg was entangled in the rope, and ho wa* dragged for some distance with the result that the limb was badly fractuied. ])r. Waddmgton was sent for, and did all that was possible to alleviate fie sufferings of the unfoituuate man, and yj'-terday he was sent by train to the Auckland Hospital. A usual fortnightly meeting in connection with the Hamilton Wesleyan Band of Hope, was held last night, Mr Geo. Fiench (President) in the chair. There was a large attendance and the following piogramme was then gone through : — chairman's remarks; Duett, Edith Cox and Kate Salmon ; Recitation, Lily Coi ni-.lt ; Riddles, Elizabeth Davis ; Reading, Mis Home; Glee, 0. Cox, G. Slat^i, and otheis ; Recitation, Mr R. N. Buttle ; Riddles, Grace Young ; Reading, Richard Wilson ; Recitation, George Cornish ; Riddles, Edith Cox ; Recitation, Chas. Co\ and Win. Andrew; Reading, Mis Dukes. The Band now numbers in members. The following special messages to the Press Association, dated London, June the 2Sth, have been published : — The propesal of a German subsidy for an Australian service has been shelved. — A German Syndicate has purchased the Sunoa Plantation Company's pioperty. — The P. and (). Co.'s new steamer Tasmania has been tiied, and made fifteen and a half knots. — Three coast caigoes of Australian wheat have been sold for the Continent at an average of 41s 3d, and two cat goes on the passage at 3!K. Stoio. wheat is quoted at 41s, but the demand is inactive. — The English Government propose to have European rights on the Congo referred to a commission similar to that appointed in regard to the Donube. The quarterly meeting in connection with the Hamilton Wesleyan cucuit was held yesterday afternoon in the Trinity Wesleyan chinch. Theie was a good attendance of lepiesentatives from different p.uth of the circuit, and the Rev. J. Dukes presided. The stewards piesented a balance sheet showing a slight deficiency, which was made up at the meeting. Sexeial matters in connection with the circuit were fully discussed It was unanimously resolved to purchase the liou.^e recently elected by Mr A. Campbell for a Parsonage. The meeting then adjourned to the school-ioom wheie the ladies had piouded tea, and paitook of "the cup that cheers " <&c. A unanimous vote of thanks was accorded to the ladies for the excellent spiead. The Cambridge Domain Board has engaged the services of Mr Pardy, landscape gaidner, Auckland, to lay off the domain propeity in the vicinity of Lake Te Koutu The boaid lias now about £250 to its credit, and it i-> intended to devote this sum to the work at present. It will be impossible to carry out the scheme of tci iacmg and planting the banks of the lake with the amount above mentioned, but as the board has a good annual income the scheme will be effected by degrees, and no doubt a few years hence will see Lake Te Koutu one of the most romantic and attractive spots in the district. Mr Pardy is a practical, as well as a theoretical man, and the handsome design of the Ellerslie, Tararu and other public gardens was the outcome ot his talent. According to an article on the origin of co-operative associations, which appears in another column, a few poor, but thoughtful Rochdale weavers were the firot to start a society of this kind. They started with a capital of £28, and at the end of sixteen years their capital amounted to £120,000. Should the North New Zealand Fanners' Co-operative Association secure a similar amount of success in proportion to its capital, at the end of "sixteen years its capital would be no less a sum than £42,857,142. Wo do not think it all likely, however, that this much-to-be-desired result will be realised. Personally, we would be satisfied with a meie fraction of the amount. With such success as this, there would be nothing to prevent our co-operative association becoming patriotic, and paying off the national debt of the colony. A bye-law has been passed by the Cambiidge Domain Board which not only prohibits any person shooting at the ducks on Lake Te Koutu, but also pro» hibits the public from disturbing the bird* was inserted by way of preventing persons withnialiciousintent. This latterclause from raising the birds off the lake, causing them to fly elsewhe re that their mates outside tha domain boundary might shoot them. But of late a number of canoes have been cruising about on the waters of this noble-pond, and whenever these crafts make their appearance the birds take their departure .and carefully keep away for a time. Now, if the board desires to keep the birds on the lake undisturbed, it must prevent, the canoes from cruising, for though the owners do not disturb the ducks with malicious intent, still they frighten them from the place, and if the practice continues they are very likely to abandon their old haunts altogether. The question naturally arises, which of the evils is the more preferable, — the duuks or the canoes ? Personally, we give our vote in favour of the canoes, and let the winged habitues take their chance, for it is not likely tho public are going to sacrifice their pleasure for the convenience of a few noisy duck* who have not got the good sense to know that no harm is intended. Work in connection with the new crushing plant on the Waiorongomai creek is now in progress. A survey has been made for the water-race and a contract let for clearing the timber half a chain in width along its course, some CO chains in length. The race is about 300 feet above the machine site, And it is estimated that with the water at command this fall will give 00 -"horse-power nearly all the year round. The machinery will be different' from the ordinary crushing appliances now in use here and elsewhere, stampers being altogether dispensed with. The quartz will first be broken small by means of stone-breaking machines, after which process it will pass through bard-QhiJled ir^n rollers, thence into the Mackay pans, aud from there into other apparatus. The process of treatment will, it is said, be of the' most complete description, and it is anticipated that a much smaller percentage of gold will, be lost than by the ordinary method.,, f The lnap^inery will be driven by a- hurdy-gurdy wheel; capable of working Hl5 Jo IQ,D horserpowQr. ,pWess^;]?r^er<andTinne are'tbe cpntracloys^* t\«!erfipG*|i(3n ooff f the plant,- and,*' accprdingi; to rthe^agreei"

being conveyed to; the site. Tenders will be at once called, And the work proceeded with as.^quickly as posBible.--Te Arola New)), ' 7 " An^ person seen iv the vicinity of Lake Te Koutivat Cambridge with firearms in his pn3sos!>ion is liable to a fino not exceeding £20. It does not matter whether such firearms aie being, or have been used thereon. They need only to be carried. .Such a bye-law has been passed by the domain board. There is something very general abont,the terms of' the prohibition certainly ; no' one for a moment would say it was a stringent mandate, and manifes'e 1 great inconsideration on the part of the august body that" conceived it, for any person who knows personally the membem of the board will at once concede them to be the mosjt unerring of men, and gentlemen of purely liberal and democratic pi inciples We have looked down the bye-law&in vain for a clause threatening imprisonment to persons who will pass this local Eden (not Mount Eden) without being duly blindfolded, for to look at Lake Te Koutu and trespass upon its Paradisiacal banks is only henceforth to .be an indulgence of the gods. Respecting the bye-law above referred to, How is a man with a firearm in his possession to know when he is on the domain reserve? There is no fence, no line of demarcation, "nonothing'Mnfact. A gentleman going out of town by the Thornton road, or entering it by Whitaker Terrace, will requiie to be very careful which side of the street ho takes— if he carries a firearm. By the term "firearms" we suppose the board means revolvers, pocket-pistols, &c, which we think is going a little too far ; for we have little doubt that when the lake becomes the popular resort of the future the members of the board themselves will often go picnicing about its tei raced banks armed with pocket-pistols ot the Walker brand in defiance of the law in such cases made and provided. We hope, therefore, the law will not be administered to the letter, but that a little consideration will be brought to bear in dealing with infringements.