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TO PROTECT OUR RIGHTS - NOT TO INFRINGE UPON THOSE OF OTHERS TUESDAY, MAY 23, 1882 We publish, in another part of our pre- sent issue some particulars collected from the evidence given by Mr. G.W. Wilson, Secretary to the Department of Education, before the Education Commission at its sitting on Thursday last. The facts adduced incontestably prove that under the control of Mr. W. C. Smith the departmentwas a nest of corruption - a mere agency for the bol- stering up of the Berry Government, and the maintenance of the " Major" in office, by gross misuse of the public money entrusted to the department to   lay out. In the appointment of teach- ers, in their promotion, in their dis- missal or re-instalment, merit or cha- racter went for nothing. Neither did capacity, nor long and faithful service, tell in favour of an employë of the de- partment under the Smith regime. Unprincipled, bare-faced favoritism,   was then the rule in the department. During tlhe few months that the Berry party was in power in the year 1881 no fewer than a hundred and sixty State schoolmasterships were jobbed away by Mr. Smith, with the connivance of his colleagues. Those wrongful ap- pointments were made, most of them, without consultation with the perman- ent officers of the department, who have a sufficient knowledge of the merits and claims of applicants for employ- ment in the State school service, and a proper official solicitude for its efficiency. Others were made in the teeth of their remonstrances. In all the cases that came under discussion before the Commission, the appoint- ments made were of a political character, and were in fact corrupt rewards for Parliamentary support already received by the Berry Ministry, or bargained for in the future and paid for in advance. This is about the worst political   scandal that has ever been exposed in the colony, or in any other colony or country. Custom-house weighers and lockers may be improperly and even corruptly appointed, or policemen un- duly promoted or degraded, and little national demoralisation ensue, but to make the department of public instruc- tion a mere political agency is to poison   the sources of our political and social life. Of the young men and women who Major Smith, with the concurrence of Mr. Berry, improperly appointed to, or promoted in, the State school service, many were members of the families of members of Parliament; some were sons and daughters of Ministers, or of political   partisans and electioneering tools of the     men in office. Their laterry attain- ments orh'mral cha,;il'lto}were tllheri'efre never taken intocon?slamition, any lmore than thlo'oi i ions of th'lin held by the inspectors mlld other o!nccers of tihe o partineilt. - Thiy ;simply had to be provided for- at tihe expense of the public, in irder thliat Mhjor Smith anud his collea naus migh cciutinto to obtain support In the clectorates, and live upon the people, while dcaerviug um,?, u ployds of the departiment inust- Ieeds stand seide and imake room' for them. Likeswise the riusing generation of Vic torians ulllst l have their educationu spoiled and thleir pj,'p--l. t in lif,' ii, perilloed tliot i ot lr'it of lharpies iigli:t obltain tihe mleanus of ell.'ltenuco. T'ohe rneandal is su grLSYu aiind palpable that having at last.ohtiimu'd vougan thriougll thi inquirih'n of the ELucation wCooI illissiOil it Illust be probldl to its ultter most depths.

PaLntAArre'r moots, again this afternoon. It the Assembly a large number of bills will be introdoced and read a first time. After the Government business is co eluded, Mr. Carter will test the opinion of the flouse respecting the proposed sale of the Model F rm. There will be no sitting on Wednes day. In the event of the budget Icing deferred on Thursday Mr. Madden will move thae secod reading of the Land Bill. Succs fine weather net in on the race meet ing day, it has boon of thle very b-st quality of Portlaund winter weather. Satu day and Sunday and Monday weee bright and mild, with the wind moderate, nam mostly from the north and west. On Sunday the towns people drove and walked abroad in great numbers, and pleasure seekers wrcre to be encountered all day anywhsere within a five miles radius of the now P. and P. office. - TuI voln,.teors. turned out last -evening to the number of about 40. and ma. ched about the streets occasionally charging imaginary etonies. Mtajor Trangmar invited tilhe corps to lunch at the Club Hotel,, on tlle Queen's Blirthday, ton.morrow, and some shooting ratclios trill be dontested' among the rorps on the afternoon of the same day.. FnaqM an old record of local matters co clesiastical, to which we shave been allowed access, we flud that next Sunday, which, by the way, 0G iWliit Sunday,; I the anniversary Sunday of the opening of St. Stephen's Church, Portlandl. Of course the dates do not correspond, but it may be mentioned that the opening Whit Sunday referred to was 11th May, 1850. " Titn victory of our Australian cricketers over Sussex county by, one inni.gs and 355 runs, is a most signal triu? ph. The London Times, of Saturday, in commenting on the recent matches in which the Australian cricketers' have been engaged, hails with satisfaction the ueccess oained by the As-. tralians, ib'i bling likely to stimulate the Eu lish playerb to increased exertion In order to'more successfully cope with their colonial rivals, .- -, Mn. HIARInt, of Julia street, has just con structed a very belautiful bride's cake. It is handsome In form and richly ornamented. We can at'present only speak of it on the evidence of one sense, but we have not the slightest doubt but it will taste as well as it looks. Witllh the pastry cooking talent that the town of Portland possesses, the 'wonder is that there is not more demand upon its resources in the particular line just-referred to. Ticnrn is.aomo doubttas9o'whethor the a. Dawn will return to Portland this weoolk. The data.at which her annual overls'ttlnnd inspection were due arrivod.a month since, but the directors thao obtained a month's ex teoision of time from' the Steam' Naviga. tion Board, during which interval they succeeded in maling arrangements with the owners'of the' a. Coorong for that vessel to take the Dawn's place on the Portland line during her, lying up. The Coorosg, howerver, very Imprudently ran ashore at the mouth of Curdio's Inlet, and is now il dock in the Yarra having some danm agdd bilgo plates retiewed. Under those circumetanco the P. and B.S.N. Co. applied for a further extension of the Dawn's idulsl. geneo, which Ihas not yet been obtained. We shall probably be able td state dofinitely in our next issue whether abshe is coming back thlis week, or if not whether asny and what steamer is coming in her stead. AccouNTS await payment at tile Portland Receipt and Pay.ollteo to too followlng:--W. Cook, J. C. Hoyt, T. Maxwell, Heywood Mechanics, A. I-illoy, W. Osbourno, F. WV. Ullithorno, G.Dimock, G.Jarrott. R. IIeancy, J. C. P. Allnutt, D. McPherson, W. Irons, W. Williams. To-a?onnow (May 24, the Queen's Birth. day) an Important ceremony will be per formoed at Condah, in the laying of the foun. daliou.stono of a handsomd now Anglican church. Mr. C. P. Cooke will be'tlhe celo brant, autl it Is expected that thero will be a rather nunmeroui assemblago on the occasion, including some reverend gentlemen. Tlts: s. Julia Percy left the Queen's Wharf, Melbourne, at 11.40 p.mt.on the 20th; passed through Port Phillip IIeads at 4 a.m, on the 21st. Roundedd Cape Otwaiy at '10, and anchored in Warrnambool at 3.40 p.m.; landed, passengers, and remained there, being 'Suiday." On Monday morning she discllarged cargo acid ailled, again at 9 a.m., calling at Bol:nst, aid reached Portland at' 2.40. p.m, Tho. steamer experienced fine weather, with light winds and smooth esea, throughout' the passage. Ix our issue of Tuolday'last, among the cases noet down for hoaring at the County Court on Thutrsidny, was included McConachy v. 'IV. Parker. This appeared through a mistakb on the part of the reader. Thore was no plaint by Mr. McConachy against lMr. Parklgr. Tna Government Gazette of May 10 noti flea approval of application for license under section 10 of the Land Act of 1869, as follows: C. F. Allchlo, sawmill, Pulpara. Tone following lease under eootion 29 of the Land Act of 1809 hias boon transforroed and registered at the oflice of titles :--Reubcn Harman to Jonathan Harman, 70 acres, in WurangOurt. WVE obserred that the Minister of Educa. tion has been requested by the Rev. W. R. Croxton, of Sanldhurst, not to take any so tion in the ease of the pupil teacher who In' suited him at All Saints' Church on Sunday oevening. IIo Informed the hon. gentlemtan thiat he has accepted an apology from the ytung man, and does not desire that official crgnisanc shoull be taken of hlis condtet, Mr. Grant has complied wilth Mr. Croxton's request. At thle saenmo time our readers wrill naturally desire to know exactly what it wans that the' pupil tealser observed to the par. son, int churbch, and we proceud to quote tihe words. They wmoro--"IMy God, Crocky, my character is as good nas. yotur naoy day. I'va half a mind to pull you fromn that pul. pit." AN cellorly femalo got loonkel up in the Belfast gaol last week for over indulgence. After her reloaseo site stopped a clorical g.,titlh'man in thie street, and asked him for pecunlary assistance Thd clergyman, cforeo pramctically resp,,nding to the petition, wished to f .d out the lharacter of the woman, so lo inlsired-"Do you drink'" Yes, thanlk yu.' was lh unx.pootod roply, "' Where islall re'go" ' A corresponident tls informed the Minisler of Lanlcs that most santisfactory rostlt have li fotloweid the work of exterminating the rabbits in thie parislea of WVorrigar,Worrack. n-steal, Brim nuum, Kiaytol, Tsrrany~,el,s Dittaiooln. anil Lakls Ilitltndrslb, intsShe VYim. mera district. The rabbits, il addes, are Ilweaver still nutnmorous ont some freholsd nsd jlacteod lands, whore nto naction seems to ihave bn takn lk to destriy thomn.

Trt: Postmaster-General has received a nuataler of applications for employment in the telegraphic branch from yontg lalieso who, have passed the necessary examina inn in telegraphy. The h-t of candidates seIk ing etmpllo)lllelnt is, hco ever, so large (we learn from thi, Irgus) t.na 31:. Bolton is afraid there will lot be a vc a cy fur come time to come. SIR BRYAN O'LoaitiLEo (the Arglufr man tions) proposes to t .he his Bidgot statement on Thured'y nxt, anlt arrangcamentt will accordiugly be inmadt to enable him to give effect to that intect;iotn. It cwas his desire that it should be delive: cl on 'T'ucsdoy, blt the dis cussion on tile question of the sale of the Model Farm site, which will tlsoe place on that day, has reo:ccro l that impossihlo. Tats Miinister of R hir ays hs intimated that he wished to be relieved of the respon sibility of admini terinq his department until the inquiry int. tile charges connected with the Brighton and .\ordialloc contract is over. The Premier c.nplc:ed with Mr. Bent's re quest, tand it wai arranged that the Commis sioner of Trade and Cistims should preside over the deporment dininig Mr. B3ent's ab. sence. - Avotser Anonaso:s, a seam;ia on board the s. Richmond, was killed on Wednesday last at Belfast.- The Ga:ette ays:-Tho steamer was coming tp the river, and when she reached the intersection of tilhe river with the south-wrest pascaie the ecurrent was so strong that it carried the after part of the vdesol on to the stone dykes, the collision carrying awny two bladetsof the propellor. Anderson and another secaman named Maurice were ashoro in a boat to fasten a hawserecto one of the posts on the s uth dyke inirdc"r to get the steamer into the chalnel again. The men made the rope fast, atnd shortly afterwards, the stramer svinging round, thb hawser became sumldenly tabit, anld catching deceased between the legs throw hiltavio- lently on to the rocks. The forces with which the unfortunate man was precipitated canused a compound fiacture of the joint of his left knee, the hones of which were fbrcOd back, and the whol.eof the flesh,. arteries, and muschcs frarftnly lacerated. 'The de ceased wao a Swede, about 30 years of age, and leaves a wife anod child, who resitle in Melbourne. T'ru Bel.sti Goaette has the folltwing: If the Berry Governcmnt had taken away the old pier and had loft us the harbor crew and our spare snchors and other ustifalgecr, they would have done a sensible thing. The pier, which was crected at an enormous cost, has been useless fir years, and is slowly rotting away.' The greater portion of it, if carefully taken down, would be useful for making additional wharfage acoommodation, or for other purposes, but if it be left nilch longer whore it is there trillsoion be very little of it left to remove. The planking has been torn off in many places, snd doubtless taken away in boat-loads to be used as fire. wood, while the exposed iron work is being oaten away by rust. 'l'u n lAmerican Miller, after enlarging upon 'the merits of bread as an article of diet, con eludes its article with the following:--Wo know of a thoolgical student in an Ohio' college who, sustained by grace, rico, and cornbreadc lived 13 wreeks on 7dols.; but there were several good apple orchards nearrtho college, and the farmers kept no dogs. It is not tho.neessities of'lifo that cost mubc, but the luxaries ; and it is with the major part of manklul, as it id with the Fronchman, who said thit" if lie had the luxuries-of lifo the could dispense with the noocasitioe, More living is chets, but as the hymnologist says, "It is not all of lifo to live."

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