TELEGRAPHIC

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 10 May 1880, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC

[BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.] [per press association.] CHEISTCHtJBOH May 5. Twenty»two horsos are entered for the Grand National Handicap. Wellington, May 4. Tbe Governor opened the Normal School yesterday. He made a lengthy speech, in which be showed tbat at the present rate of increase in attendance the free education system would involve an annual cost of £500,000; exclusive of departmental charges and appropriations for higher and secondary education. He expressed regret tbat local sources of revenue : school fees and rates,— were extinguished by the Education Act, and' the whole cost of primary education thus !• thrust on the consolidated revenue. It swamped revenue needed for otber pur% poses, deadened tho sense of parental responsibility, and encouraged* irregular af* tendance, also weakening feelings of selfreliance, by teaebing people to look to Government for everything. Referring to the clause in tbe Act defining teaebing in schools as entirely secular, be regretted tbe extent to which moral, training is ig-

nored in schools, and thought that while the schoolmaster should not be made the j medium for imparling dogmatic religious | teaching, and the State, to be qnite con* I sistent, ought not to interfere in religious teaching at all, yet' the compromise arrived at in New Sonth Wales and Britain was wise, in permitting Bible reading in schools, guarded by a conscience clause, and instruulion allowed by teachers in the principles df religion and morality ; also permittitfg clergymen to go to schools during school hours. Supplement this by special lessons to children in their own persuasion in separate class rooms. By such means he held the objects of national education, namely, intellectual clearness and moral worth, would be best secured. He recommended the use of tbe Bible in schools as a clas3 book for instruction in pure English language, biography, and history, as also in moral obligations. AxTCKtAND, May 6. Sir George Grey proceeds sonth on the 12th. He is expected (o deliver addresses at Christchurch, Dunedin and lnvercargill. A woman named Annie Ward, suffer* ing from low fever, during tbe absence of the nurse, who was soliciting the aid of a neighbor to control the patient, got up and jumped down a well. Two men rescued Mrs Ward. She had threatened to take her own and her husband's life. At the inquest on John Metcalfe, who dropped down dead at an Evangelistic servica, the jury returned a verdict of death from heart disease. Wellington, May 7. At the Supreme Court, in the case of Rhodes v. Bhodes, an action brought to ascertain whether certain words in tbe will of the deceased W. B. Rhodes were introduced by mistake or not, the case was withdrawn from the jury, the counsel agreeing that by special rr quest or otherwise the opinion of tbe Court should be taken on facts elicited, and their bearing to law in such a manner as to enable each party to appeal to the Privy Council, if necessary. Cheistchubch. The grain market is still inactive- Oats are offered at ls2 Ito Is sd. Potatoes. 27s 6 1 ppr tor*. Mutton, 2d per lb ; beef 20s per cwt., for best quality. Po* ins ferior quality, 17s 6d. Blenheim, May 7. A remarkable discovery was made by Mr Boon on bis section, Manse Road, this morning. Whilst digging a post bole his spade struck something hard, which on closer examination proved to be a skull. Sinking deeper Mr Boon brought to light the complete skeleton of a man. A Maori cooking place was on the same section some time ago.