COMMENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1901, 11 September 1884, Page 2

COMMENTS.

The Rev. Ralph Brown's phrenologiuil and phjsiognomical lectiues have afToided a vaiicty ot fun, as well as enteitamment and nisti notion. Tlic leotuie was one of those, that while it aflbided insti notion and subject for thought ) the intelligent, (and of course all people are intelligent) it awakened the ninth of the huniouious, caused the umehVcthe to think, the caieless to enquire, and the stolid moralist to iela\ the muscles of his immobile countenance. It seemed suited to entertain all classes at the same time ; and there are hut few leetuies in these days of scientific flights and philosophic research of which this can be said. The twin sciences of phrenology and physiognomy, though whatsnight be called universally popular, aie not, however, universally accepted ; and some scepticism was observable even in the Rev. Mr Brown's large and appieciative audiences. Though all enjoyed it, it was quite evident all did not believe in it, not even the reverend and able chairman at Canifciidge, who in assuming his office for the evening, was injudicious enough to declare right away his unbelief, for which unseemly actidu he was punished at various stages tin onghout the lecture. But it must be admitted that the doctrine so ably elucidated by the Rev. Mr Brown and others is rapidly taking its place among the standard sciences of the day, and its worth is daily becoming more established. In these of learning and research if what is claimed to be a science is in reality a fraud or a mere fancy it is soon analysed, detected, and exposed, ami ciedence being no longer accorded it soons dies a natural death. Were phrenology what some proclaim it to be, it would ere now have ceased to occupy publicattention, and wouldJiave passed away with tho_ thoughtful mind that brought it to light. If a substantial proof were want-

mg of tlie \ery general credence 'jjivi-n to phrenology, the large attenI nice at tliebu lectures, and the large oncouise of people with " model " iculs who submitted) their cran.ums for he Rev. Mr Btnwa's perusal is veiy conclusive evidence iudeed. After his ectnic Mr Bmwn invited a number of H-oplewitli " mod. 1 heads" to ascend he pl.it fi)i hi tli.it he might in this way emonstiate the uoncctness of his tlieoi y v the public. Many "models" te ponded to tli" imitation, and in a few ninnt' s faced the audience. The assort,lolll was varied. The ohaiaeteis and icuipitions of those examined weie in tlmo-it evei y ease conectly statu<l, ,hough the genuineness of the proceedngs in tins respect was (niebtionud iv the quidnuncs of the audience. \lan\\ too denMent to face an audience, consulted Mr J>i own at the close of his uctute, including women and children. tVomen l)i oimlib their husbands, husbands 'irought tlieir wives, niotheis brought rheir danghtora, fathers brought their and sweethearts Lrousjlit tneir in"endeds. The spectacle was really edifyntc, and reminded one of a popular adertiaument wheie invalids are brought to lie »i eat healer, the blind are made to the deaf to hear, and the lame and lecrepit to discird their crutches To tlioie who looked upon phrenology as i delusion, the spectacle afforded considerable amusement, though we noticed r,hat mmy of the so-called sceptics weie flic fii t to a\ail themselves of the opportunity of bavins; their bumps felt ; and who, when lead, did not seem inclined to lisbelie\e anything that the phrenologist 'ml to svy in their favour If the science >f phtenolojzy will only bring to pass one 'ialf of what the Rev. Mr Brown claims for it, its benefit to mankind, in so far as it will enable us to shape the courses of our sons through life, to choose our wives and select out servants, will be incalculable.

Piir Board of Education appears to be pl.iying fast and loose with the householders of Rukuhia. For some years the settlers headed by Mr S. Steele, have bpen agitating for a school, the spectacle of their children growing iiij iitound them without proper means ot 'dueition not being \eiy comforting Ultimately the bond accepted a giant of lind fiom Messrs Steele and Giibble, and in August, 1883, Mr Steele received nti nation tint .is the board was about to eioct new school buildings at ''amaheie mil Hautapu, the old building at present in use at the lattci place would be ttan-,-feired to Rukulna. In piocess of time the r l amaheie school was put up, but as »«t fieic is no sign of a new edifice foi ITantapu The site of the latter wa* to be changed, and a few months ago the Uiaiim.in of the Hautapu committee was consulted by tlie board as to whether the m.ldinir w ould bear i emo\ al from theold to the new position, -i couple of miles neater Cambridge. Ihe answer given to this took the foim of a veiy emphatic nega,fci\e, and nothing fuithci his been done h\ all piobability the Hautipu school will be allowed to lcmam wheie it is Meantime, the Rukuhia folk have been endued, so to speak. It would be unjust not to admit that the board has expeii euced some qualms of conscience These tiuublesoine Kukulna householdeis had been tieated veiy badly, but, at least, officialdom was anxious to talk civilly to them. It was suddenly diseoveied that one family had left the disfiict, and a letter was despatched to Mr Steele infoiming him of this fact, and y questing to know how many children there iemnuied who wcie of school age, and how many of these attended the Tamnheie chool, and how many were beyond tlic reach of the school named, and those at Hautapu and Ohaupo To this MrSteele ipplipd th.it the 'liimb'M' of children of scnool a-.'e was curlitct'ii, and that though some of these attended at the Tamahere .school, the distance was too creat for them and they ought not to be compelled to go tlu're. It sav.s something for the local know 1c lg'» possessed by the Boaid that it should have named the H.mtapu school in this connection, teeine that it is two miles fuither than the Tamaheie seliool fiom Rukuhia In resj;onse to Mr letter, the Board simply ieplu-<l that it did not consider a <-chool for Rukuliia to be necessaiy at iircsent, and had consequently rescinded the lesolution passed m August, ISB3, for the lemoval of the Hautapu school. And here the matter ends for the present. It affords us a veiy pietty example of shuffling, and is another argument in favour of the transference of the functions now exercised by the Education Board to a Minister responsible to Parliament.

Judge Puckey was a passenger to Canihiidge yp-.teid.iy, and will open the Lind-> Comfc at that place to-day.

During its term of office the present Cambridge Town Boaid h<ii formed over throe miles of id the town.

A freight train ran to Morrinsville on Tuesday, taking a large quantity of niateii.il for the railway buildings at Eui ekii and the tevminub.

We are requested to state that the Rev. Ralph Brown has generously handed o\er the whole of the proceeds of hi-i lectmc on Monday evening l.iit to t!.e Hamilton YWsleyan Paivm.ige Fund.

Members of the Christmas Festival Clioiui jum cm uided that the third rehoai^al t.ikei place to-night in the Public Hal), Hamilton, at 7.30, and punctual attendance is iequ;sted.

It has been agreed to re-open the Ciiniln ulj?e Disfcnct High School. The cmuimlte are at present canvassing for pupils, and it is thought that no tumble will be expenenced in seeming the nocessaiy number.

The Cambridge School has accepted the challenge of the Hamilton We->t boy, to play a match at football, and the match will come off at Cambridge on Saturday ne\t.

Mr Anderson, of Kihikihi, has sold liX hotel piupeity at that place to Mr D. Lynch, late of the Occidental Hotel, Auckland. The price was, we believe, s-oinewhoi c about £2,230.

Mr J. E. E. Hatrick desires to contiiidict the statement that he retired fiom his oandidatme for the Hamilton .Borough Council at the pei&onal solicitation of the Mayor.

The railway station at Frankton has been connected with the Hamilton telugiaph office by telephone. The Te Awamutu station hab been similarly connected with the tplopfiaph office at the township.

The girl Rosina Smith was brought up for her final examination at the Police Couit, Anckland, on Tuesday, and fully committed to t.xke her tiial at the Supreme Couit for the murder of her child.

We would remind those concerned in the staiting of the Cambiidge Dairy Pioduce and Bacon Factory, th.it a meeting to ai range matters for the immediate establishment of the factory, will be held at 4 o'clock, to-day at Gillett'b National Hotel, Cambridge. A full attendance is desired.

The native Mikaere, who, it will be remembered, was. convicted for the Oxford murder about two years ago, and who has since been liberated from prison, is now sojourning 1 at Cambridge. He has been very warmly received by his people and the natives generally. In appearance the unfortunate fellow is little the worse for his term of incarceration.

A man named Brockles'by, whilst engaged di iving a load of furniture through Cambridge on Monday last, was accidentally knocked down and run over by one of the wheels of the diay. He was badly bruised about the chest. Dr Cubhny was sonc for and attended the patient, who is fait recovering.

The Rev. J. J. Brown lectured at Cambridge West on Monday evening 1 to a large audience, the subject being " How to get on in the world." The same gentleman lectured on the following evening in the Cambridge Public Hall, when there was a fair attendance. On Tuesday evening he took for his subject " Mistaken Notions," and delivered a very interesting and humorous lecture. The proceeds of both lectures were in aid of the Wesleyan church.

We have received from Mr N. G. Lennox, stationer and bookseller, Hamilton and Auckland, the first number of " Once a Month, amagazinefor Australasia."- It is an excellently got up perjpdical, fully equal in style and appearance to the English inaga-

zincs. The quality and variety of tho nutter render tho journal one sp ci illy adapted for the family circle. Its whole tune is thoroughly wholesome. The first number contains the opening- chaptois of <i new tale by Dr. George Micdonald.

The second anniversary dinner of the Crimean Veterans took place at the Bnti-h Restaurant, Auckland, on Tuesday evening. About thuty vetmans and visitois sat down to a most enjoyable repast, and a veiv pleasant evening was spent. Tlie cli.in was occupied by Capt. .McPheison, ll.unil ton, latj of the !)3irl Highlands s.

Mr Connolly will deliver his promised lecture om "liel.md: Past, I'iesont :nid Futuie," .at the Oddfellow-,' Hall, Hciniilcnn JSist, thi-> evening. The .subject is full of Mitoiest, and we tnibt to *ne d Urge attend. nice. 'There will be no charge for admission, but Mi Connolly i> desirous to securing :m appreciative and sympathetic audience.

Mr W. H. Hales, District Engine"!', Auckland, arrived at Hamilton on Tuesday on a visit of inspection. Accompanied by Mr D. M. B^eie, tho Resident Engineer, Mr Hales proceeded to Mon iiisville yesteiday, with a\ie\v to inspecting' the permanent w.iy contract of Mews Mullinger and Brett. pie\ious to passing the work. Thence Mr Hales will pioceod over Messrs Hunt and White's formation contract between Moninsville and To A roll a. Theie is eveiy piobability that the Moninsville line will be opened for traffic in a .shoifc time.

The fortnightly meeting of the Wesloyan Band of Hope was held in tlio Sunday-schoolroom, Hamilton, onTuG->dav e\ening, the Rev J. Duke I'm1 ' in thecli.m. Then; was a liUfxedtiiCiidcincooftihildi uu and adults, and the following piogiannne w.is ciedit ably gone through : — Recitation, Oha--. Young ; leading, Saudi Dent; ; leading, Eli/ableth Davis : solo. Miss Thompson ; leading, Maigaret Huntoi ; solo, Mi-> Home ; reading, Nellie Dukes : trio, Kate Davey, Edith Co\ and Kate Salmon ; recitation, Chas. Cox ; .solo, Ruth Wyatt ; leading, Mr-> Dukes ; leading, Lilly Cornish ; reading, Reuben Saundeis.

Our readers in the Piako county will be very much suprisecl t.> leain that though the decision given by the liesident Magi-.tiate at Te Aioba, Mr Konuck, in the appeal case against tho election of Mr E. K. Cooper to the vac nit se.it in the Piako County Council, the council has been acting illegally for the pa-t thiee yens, the uionib -l" not ha\ ing boon' elected accoiding to the act. In the appeal ca^e lofeuedto, Mi KiMiuck holdi that as tin 1 letiuning olKcci should b) appmntod fm Piicli ruling sep irately, the .ippointni'nt is invalid. Mi Hutit wis elected foi all the ridings within the onntiy. and has now bt'i'ii holding office foi about three yeais. Tt is thciefmn piobable th.it tiie business of the council toi the last tin oo ycais may be declined invalid.

It is understood that the efforts winch me being in ulo to the noithi'in ])oi turn of the (J.uubiidge Koul District fiom the lost, .md to eiect it into <m independent disti v t undei tlio name of the T.un iheie Ro id I)i>tiiet, aie likely to meet with eonsidei.ibie difhuulty. The \\ h'lie di^tnct i-> liablj for tlie r >p.i\ niont of nionoy undei the IJoad^ .viul Biid^t"-. Don iti notion Act, <md the ]usL appoi tioiimeut of thi-> indebtedm s-> will not bo effected without mtich ti oil bio. Xe\ ci thole-- ■> th"ie i-. a htiong dosuo on the put of those l.itop.iyeis living , it T.iin.ihoie and ll.iut.ipu, th.it the division of the distnct should bo c.v nod out, .md though it m.iy take some time, their wishes will doubtless be met.

We have been requested to ttubhsh the following :— To Messi-, J. \V. Ellis, W. H. (Jiace, Seigeant (x. C Coopei, A 0. Foice, and otheis. (-ieutlenicn, — In reply to the requisition (winch beais no (Kite), And which is signed by the above, and pie-sc-i ibing the date on or befoie which you dosue me to convene a meeting of iatepayera in older to submit the accounts "f the board, I have the honour to .stale as follows ;— l. That although not obligatory upon him, the tieasuier will be happy at any lima to submit ill the accounts of the bond to you. 2. That a copy statement of such •! ("counts was supplied to youi Mi J. W. Ellis some d,iy^ since. 3 That a peuisal of the Town Di--tiicts Act should convince >ou that, on the outgoing of a town boaui, no j»io vision now exists autlxn ssiug such a meeting as )tm demand. — I have the honout to be, (Jentlunien, your obedu-nt seivant, Jv\n;s F vi{ii!:i.r., (Jh.ininan ICil ivihi Town 13'>aul. Kilukihi lOtli SepteniLer, 1881.

The following Special tele?rams to Press Associdtion \vei« leceived on Tuesday, dated London, September <S :—: — It. M.S. Opal, twelve guns, will iehi'\e 11 M.S. Espiegle, at present on the Aiistia-1-an station. — It is lepoitod that Sir Julius Vojrel is likely to succeed Sn I<\ D. Bell as Agent-General for New Zealand. — The Cape Pailiainent in July List, i evolved that it was expedient ti> annex the temtoiy that has just been annexed by Germany in the vicinity of Walwich Bay. — The lust stage of expeiiments that ate bciiisr conducted by the Coiporation of Tiuaty Jiouse as to the best means of lighthouse illumination, aic favourable to the eb'ctiic light being used. — The Australian ciieketei -. have netted neaily seven hundied pounds each as the result of their cricketing tour. The London season having closi d, and most of the fashionable inembeis of society being out of town, the banquet which was intended to have been given to them has Iven abandoned, and a fuewell champagne dinner will be gnen instead at the O\al on Saturday ne\t. — A Canadian offeis Beach £200 expenses if he will row Hanlan at Montreal for £1000 a-bide.