Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Saturday 13 December 1890, page 8


SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1890.

Trinity College is scarcely to be

congratulated on the prudence or savoir faire of the powers that be. The said powers have managed to exalt a number of domestic trifles into a spurious public prominence, they have destroyed the possibility of sound discipline in the college for some time to come, and they have striven to impair that confidence in the institution which had been acquired by years of strenuous labour and by a brilliant series of educational successes. They have not, of course, done all this of malice prepense, none the less they have done it in effect. The finding of the eccentrically-disposed com-mittee presided over by the Bishop of Melbourne generously clears the moral character of the warden. So far good. The man who has been above all others the means of building up the collegiate system in our midst, who

has toiled with an undoubted en-thusiasm for fifteen years to raise Trinity College from its small be-ginnings to its present educational and material eminence, and against whoso entiro fitness nothing had been alleged until some " man " of seventeen or eighteen years of age suddenly dis-liked his breakfast or his lectures or the view from his bedroom window—this man, after being compelled to meet sundry vague attacks upon his "good faith;"' largely made by boys who know neither the reason nor the gravity of what they were doing, is acquitted by the board of inquiry. If the verdict means any-thing, it means that these particular charges broke down. Yet, in order to encourage the youths to sufficient

insubordination and reckless accusation in the future, the committee pats them on the back with a clause or two about their being justified in bringing charges which they could not support. The Trinity College committee of inquiry will hardly, we opine, become a model of judicial pro-

cedure.

Wo have no desiro to paint tlio wavden as perfect. Tho perfect man is as little likely to bo in chargo ot Trinity College ns of any other ínctitu .ion. The inquiry, and the warden 8 own confession, provo tho existence ot a certain impulsiveness aud warmth ot temperamont, together with the per-petration of a lew errors of policy. These facts aro no doubt to be re-

gretted, though it may be that a certain impulsiveness and liability to inistnKO aro inseparable from those very quali-ties, zeal and a dislike of the per functory, which make for progress ant success. Suffice it that morally ana educationally Dr. LEEPER requnes no further vindication. What wo desire to direct attention to is tho far graver error of policy committed by Dr. LEEPER'S censor. They have subverted discipline, i"

effect they have formally announced to the youths in nil colleges and all schools that, in the opinion of

a' committee of the Church of England Assembly, tho said youths havo a right to meet, elect a " chair" man," pass " resolutions " and send them" to governing bodies, demand " explanations " as to why this tutor was .disinissod. and that master ap-pointed, rcquiro the school or 'college

accounts -to bo submitted to them in order to decido 'whether the master should afford them another ogg (for breakfast or an extra course for dinner, form, a .kind of trades-union which shall go out on strike when one of its members is expelled, and in other ways act as if they were a formally consti-tuted body with powers and privi-leges thereunto appertaining. It seems hard to believe that any of the dignitaries who take this view of a college have themselves passed tbioiigh a college. The fact seems rather to' bo that they, like the outside public, aro misled by names. Tho youths of seventeen and eighteen, led perhaps "by some older student who . has a purpose of his own to serve, are colled "men," they appear in formal communications as " Mr.," they belong to a college and not a school. We do not, of course, recom-mend that theso- students should bo treated as schoolboys. ' Wo have before remarked that they should bo subjected to as fow, as stable, and;; as unobtrusive ordinances as are ossential to tho purpose of a college. Nevertheless, 'a college is not a republic nor a bdardinghouse ; students aro not a corporation, and1 they cannot claim any voicft whatever in tho laws which aro made by the mature to direct their im-maturity. It is for the warden to devise and for tho council to sanction

tlic/vTulos of discipline'; it is for tho students to obey thom, or lo quit the college if* they do not like them. That students. should protest against caprice and ; injustice outside the rules is natural and right, but that they slioukl protest against the rules them-selves or concerning matters which have! nothing to do with them as per-sons in stain pitpiflari is absurd, whilo for the authorities to support them in such irrelevant protests is destructive of all possible order. It is inconceivable how the committee missed this plain dis-tinction. A tutor is dismissed from the collage, and the warden, forsooth, omits to numbly state the reasons of this dis-missal to tho students. A turbulent undergraduate is also dismissed, and the warden is again guilty of the same culpable omission. The haughty spirit of the modern collegians cannot brook this. - They ought, of course, to have . been consulted, exactly as every private soldier in tho British anny, is no doubt consulted by the coniiiiander-in-cliief before any Tommy Atkins gets into trouble. Ono cannot but regret at this juncture the loss to the Church Assembly and the College Council of a strong mind li(îe thftllof Bishop ,MoQnnoejs.i;._"__ It._j_,Jjçypiid doubt that under his direction short work would have been made'-of those

two delicious ''"'clmrgös/f'ovor which the present' august committee actually Bat and inquired and cross-examined with all solemnity and without oncesceniing to suspect that they were encouraging downright mutiny and anarchy. Wo would recommend tho committee of inquiry to meditate quietly and dispas-sionately over the functions of a collego and of its head, the position of students, and,,the best-,means of"keeping them in' that position, and over tho relevance and irrelevance of any further " charges." Moreover, draw-ing ' attention to tho fact that the warden's moral character is entirely cleared, and that his intellectual stand-ing is undoubted, while the accusations which have found most support ' against him aie mostly connected with shilling fines, allotting of "cdrooms, short-comings of1 bills \of. fare,'and 'similar petty parasitic matters, wo would urge," as wo would urge in tho caso of largo,

schools, that it is liigh time the educa-', tional'direction'of such institutions was entirely separated from that part of the direction which has no moro to do with education than hotel-keeping lias. A man lilay bo an admirable scholar, teacher, and disciplinarian without being at all a good licensed victualler. This separation made, the authorities would do well henceforth to resolutely hold students in their proper pupillary position, and to look upon themselves as primarily guardians of the interests of the collego, and only secondarily as vexed parents or boards of in-

quiry. ^_^^

There aro some men for whom life never loses its novelty ; to whom every subject, every position, every change in the tenor of their ideas comes with all the freshness and exhilaration of a new discovery. Most people, even if they were exploring tho great African forest, ?would remember that AÏr. STANLEY had been beforo them, anti that they were only following in his footsteps. But there are some who. .can wander among tho ruins of exploded meta-physical theories and stalo political arguments, with tlio joyful "consciousness that they have 'entered . into a now world' of thought and. discussion which no one had previously visited. Of . this latter u typo apparently is Mr. SHIELS, the new Minster of Rail-ways. When ho raked up almost for-gotten mediteval discussioiis on tho law of divorce, ho exhibited such energy and enthusiasm as might have been shown by the discoverer of a new country or the inventor of a novel theory of the universe. A prophet, with! a fresh code of morality, could not havo been moro conscious that ho was tho first pi cacher of a great reform. Now, when Mr. SHIELS has accepted or has had thrust upon lum the responsibility of office,-ho is animated by asimilar spirit. Tho rule ho has laid down foi-l-is guidance is apparently that of absolute candour. At present the rail-way balance-sheet shows a deficit, which is likely to go from bad to worse if the practice of constructing unprofitable lines.is continued. Mr. SHIELS is so couj cerned about this well-known fact, which is his first discovery in tho Bailway de-partment, that ho thinks it should bo stated and re-stated in the plainest language.

We have been so accustomed to hear Victoria, constantly spoken of as a country illuminated with the splendour of a glorious dawn, that it was not unpleasant to bo told that there were ilatk spots in the increasing brilliance af our prosperity. Whenever a depu-tation wanted an expensive line into the solitude of the bush, the speakers one aud all assumed that tho line would begin to pay almost im-mediately, and that traffic would :onio in some mysterious fashion. If a politician addressed himself to tho subject, he invariably took for granted

that there could bo no limit to railway construction. But as some doubts and fears have arisen regarding the efficacy of this simple faith in the policy of borrowing money to build' unprofitable railways, Mr. SHIELS'S candid state-ments wore received, both by tho public and-tho 'House, with that'melancholy pleasure which tho.' confirmation of our own ill forebodingsj-always brings. He was evidently;' iidwo'vor, not prepared for the-very small effect which his excessive candour actually produced. It is one thing to hear and acknowledge the truth, and to admire tho moral courage of tho man who speaks it, especially when that man is a politician with a budget of bad news to unfold. It is auothor thing to make a sacrifice in order to sot matters right. The com-munity admires Mr. SHIELS'S earnest-ness, and is quite content to continuo running the risk of any loss that may bo incurred by low freights. Candour is beautiful ; it is not necessarily power-

ful.

It was said by DISRAELI that " can" dour is tho genV of criticism." The absolute truth of this proposition is obvious, for it is the peculiar business of a critic to set forth all that he knows, and as much moro as ho can put into smart innuendoes and plausible words. But thero is room to question whether it is equally valuablo in administration, whether a perfectly frank statement of affairs would weigh much with the mem-

ber of Parliament who feels that [ho1

must carry gifts to his constituents-! or whether it will make the miiiii?, cipal ¡ties that want roads and bridges less dependent upon the Government. BISMARCK was tho only candid diplo-matist who was successful, and this was duo lo tho fact that no one believed him. When he explained his great schemes and projects to the Emperor NAPOLEON, he was regarded as either a madman or a dreamer, and was allowed lo ' mature his plans without interrup-tion. When tho conscientious, pains-taking, accurate administrator is thoroughly believed, his advice is gene-rally neglected. The wisdom of the world decrees that every man,- whatever his position or rank maybe, should keep something to himself " he never tells " to ony." The truth is that people aro apt to admire candour as a good word for copy-book headlines, and ns a consider-able drawback in actual lifo. It might be a better world if there were less reti-cence, if every fact were plainly stated, if thoro were no glossing over disagreeablo incidonts; if electors were never deluded by rose-coloured prospects that have no real substance ; and if the com-munity wero never misled by the de-scription of unprofitable public works as if they wore a sign of prosperity.

But the world does not seem to bo con-stituted on this plan. At the law courts it is considered . a triumph of justice to distort a straightforward t narrative by puttii>g,"quq'st!oiis, that each contain an

insinuation.-*«'«luven -in- ecclesiastical

circles- it 'is ' not'im'-bminon to'.hcar the remark tim. there are phases'of theology which it is not advisable to preach to the congregations. At heart most people beliovo in expediency rather than

accuracy.

If it bo not irreverent to make so free with eminent ecclesiastics, we may venturo to comparo Archbishop CAKH with the nervous horse which sees, or dreams it sees, something . to shy at in every bush. Such, at least, is tho Archbishop's condition whenever public attention is directed to education. Why tho Komau Catholic prelate, speaking in Roman Catholic schools, should in-variably exhibit this tense and painful vigilance of suspicion is perhaps best understood by thoso who best under-stand tho educational views and methods of 'that denomination. Ex-

cessive- irritability ou a given subject generally indicates a shrinking con-sciousness of.isome weakness« in that .jrifgjçjii _irArf;hbi^l_o_p. CAMK'S particularly ?raw spot- seems' 'to be the education question. Auju'liclo of ours upon tho " speech-days " of secondary schools has apparently caused him to why violently out of the course of both accuracy and good taste, and wo there-fore invito him to come and let us reason calmly together à 2>ro])os of that article. Looking at it in our issuo of tho Gth hist., wo discover that it contains a series of manifest objections to tho prevailing practico of head-masters repoi ting on their own schools, and a suggestion that governors and trustees should "appoint disinterested " and capable examiners " whoso verdict might be taken as sounder and more satisfactory. This and this only is the view wo have consistently enun-ciated, and wo should have supposed its meaning would havo been apparent to tho most careless reader. Obviously wo wore mistaken, or olso the Archbishop has never condescended to road what he has condescended to misrepresent.

Dr. CAW?, speaking on Thursday last at St. Francis Xavier's College, Kow, discovers that wo recommend the erec-tion of a new " stato education depart" mont," an " official oxaminor," and, a general vulgarising and procrustoanising' of secondary education. Whathoaifay happen fmther to mean by his /very, mysterious and not a 'little ridi-

culous insinuations about an " unoni

" ployed Minister of Education," and so forth, wo know not, nor shall wo wasto timo in endeavouring to play Odipus to tho 'Archbishop's Sphinx. But wo do oiler a challcngo to Dr. CAnn, and claim of him as a right, that ho will bo good enough to quote from the offending article any passage which implies that wo have so far de-parted from our wits as to demand more stato interference than wo aro already blessed with. AVo have nothing to fear oven from a liberal use of that reading between tho lines and that ingenious versatility of interpretation'for which theologians aro noted. We , also invite the learned Archbishop to < point out any passago which shows ' a dosire on our part to lower tho ideal of work in the secondary schools. It is possiblo that Dr. CARK, being a comparatively new arrival, has

but an indistinct notion of the ' lines of thought of tho community, which re-joices in him ; but his sojourn lias been sufficiently long for him to have penned a certain letter to The Argita, in which he gave that;,,paper, the benefit of his commendation for' its attitude of opposition towards V bill for

the extension of stato control to secondary bchools, public and pri-vate. Ho might also remember that in previous articles on this same subject of " speech-days " wo have maintained that " Government interference is un

" necessary and would piobably do more " harm than good," while " we have no " wish to interfere with individual " enterprise or to encourage further " Government intotmeddliri«." The

occupations of an archbishop are many, and Us memory may be short, but,

with certain unmistakable sentences before him, his exalted office scarcely exempts him from the claims of accuracy, of logic, or of calmness.

Tho Archbishop says that, we would " employ canons of criticism in regard lo " these privato institutions which " we " should not think of employing in con" nection with matters of ordinary " public concern." Will Dr. CAUR deign to refer to our article itself and observe whether what wo propose is not exactly the criticism which is used " in " connection with matters of ordinary " public concern " ? " In mercantile " life," ho continues, " who would say " that the report of the year's business " was to be given, not by the " directors of an institution, but by " &01UO paid officials or by some " state agents . " Exactly ; and what we all along insist upon is simply the same sort of common-sense procedure in affairs scholastic as in affairs mevcantile. In mercantile life, let us ask with the Archbishop, who would say that the report and tho audit should bo given by tho manager of a bank, and accepted solely on his word. Who are the directors of a so-called public school, analogously to the directors of a bank 'f Presumably they aro the governors or trustees. Is it their report which is road ? Or is it the report of the " paid offlei-fl-í^-wlio-is-Talhslñlrsrhend1 'ïntste. .'?" "Wé'^¡_vdS.oVet'"siiid/. that

¡schoolmasters rare ^'jncapablepf.'vaisirig

i .__ii$ lim w.U, .0, thciííigriity.-uid nobility " pf tho work entrusted t'o.theTÍÍJ''', They are, of course, as capable thereof' ns> diiy corkers ¿i\ apy, dep,ar.n.eut;.,, But dps« the Arc)ibisho])t"know so little of huiiiaü nature, its fallibility, its temptations, and its suspicions, as to believe that any man, however zealous and however high in his ideals, can bo an entirely competent, dispassionate, and satis-fying jitde.v in causa sun ? The " directors " of a school may reason-ably render a trustworthy report, after they have engaged a person or persons whom they think qualified to test school work : the " masters " of a school can hardly be considered the proper persons to commend, or the likely persons to censure, tho work they themselves have been supposed to do. If we imagine for a moment that Dr. CARR and half-a-dozen other eccle-

siastical dignitaries of equally elevated ideals are the governors or trustees of St. Francis Xavier's College ; if The Argus exhorts these gentlemen to koop a steady watch on tho progress of that institution, inspecting it thoroughly in their own way by means of competent and impartial examiners, chosen by themselves, rather than merely trusting to tho teachers' own account of their and its merits ; and if Dr. CARI, really reads and under-stands and refrains from garbling this suggestion, will ho seriously believe that The Argita wishes to inflict upon him the savagely unsentimental inter-ference of tho stato, or will ho, on realising that it is a mare's nest ho has discovered, candidly, and with Christian humility, acknowledge his mistake Î

A recent London cablegram announc-ing Unit tho Canadian press is advocating the appointment of a local jurist to tho vacancy in tho Judicial Cominitlue of tho Privy Council, caused by the death of Sir BAUNKS PUACOUK, raises a question that invites practical attention in these colo-nies. Tho rogular mombors of the Judi-cial Coinmilteo have for - nmiiy years past been drawn largely front tho ranks of tho Indian judiciary, a seat in tho legal section of tho Privy Council constituting a dignified, and at the same timo useful, consumma-tion of a distinguished career abroad. The advantage of this system of appoint-ment has been very marked in connection with Indian appeals, the special know-ledge of the translated niombors proving invaluable. It has in recent limes been not infrequently urged that the principle of selecting judges

for the ultimate tribunal of the empire on the basis of local experience ought to bo extended to the self-govern-ing colonies as well as to India. Xliis idea has particularly gained ground in Canada owing to tho considerable number of tho appeals annually carried from the Dominion courts to the Downing-blrool tribunal. Wo believe that in Australia a similar feeling prevails widely. It is hold, and very rightly so, that tho appeals from this part of the British tlominions aro sufficiently numerous, and raise sufficiently impoilant issues, to warrant our claiming a voice in the choice of our final judges. Notwithstanding tho general agroomont of the lines of colonial legisla-tion with tho law of England, there aro yet a great many points of distinct difference, iluo to tho variation between home and colonial conditions, and it is a woll-founded contention that the Judicial Committee, to become a completely satisfactory court of reference, ought to bo moro fully in touch with our modes of thought, and with tho surroundings that give riso tu our special enactments. By the selection of an acknowledged leader in Australian judicial circles to servo in tho Privy Council, this end would be accomplished. That wo havo, and hnvo had, judges who would lend lustro to the Judicial Committee, is unquestionable. Without referring to living lawyers, ,wo i)»,iy , willi

confido_neo namç ,.(;Jio late, ___r. ^iislicp EnhVowsj-and tho-lato Sir J AME^'MAIII'IN, of Sydney, of whûni Mr. Fitoynu lja's veniir^etl that ho would'havo achieved brilliant, logali'sudaetta < oven'in London.

''iniW'j^tó^^

:¿f ' App.eáw is likely .to remain long iii -nulMems;, indeed, ¡ty^n^c-F Ití^jintócelnS

lo bbV bar to the constitution of such ii

tribunal. But the enlargement of tho authority of tho Judicial Committee in tho way suggested is not only feasible, but would supply a now guarantee of confidence on the part of colonial suitors, besides furnishing a notablo stimulus to tho ambition of our judges, and drawing closer tho bonds of union between England and her colonies.

Seveial of the cable messages published to-day appealed in a portion of yesterday's issue. . '

The date of the prorogation of Parliament will be fixed by the Cabinet at its sitting on Monday, The Ministers are confident, how-ever, that the business of the session will bo brought to a close on,Thursday night, thus allowing the prorogation to take place on 3'ritluy afternoon. It is the intention of the Government to push forward with the bills on the business paper at us fast a rate us pos-sible, but the measures to which opposition is shown will lie diopped.

With reference to the / proposal of the Treasuier to Issue "1,000,000 worth of Treasury bonds, it may be explained that by the terms of the agreement between the Government anil the associated banks, which was entered into some few jear-i agu, tile-latter are under un obligation tu advance the Government í'500,000 without security, and £1,000,000 additional upon security, when called upon bj the Treasuier to do so. As it is unlikely that llieie will be nny appieeiable conveision of the (! per cent, debentuies, amounting to CSSO.OOO, winch full due on the 1st pro.v, Into 'M per cent, stock, the asso-ciated banks have agiecd to advance the necessai} sum in London for the mlcmplioii of those debentures. They, however, will require seem ¡ty for whatever amount they aie called upon to advance in excess of the £500,000 in connection with the paying

off of the elel.entu._3, ami this security will tube the form of Treiisury bomls. As the London money market, lio\vever"mny not he faiournble'eiirly next year for the nutrition of the new lonn of £3,4.10,000, consisting,of the balance of ¿1,(100,000 remaining uiiflontcil out of the lunn of _>t,0U0,000 ttlithorisci! in 18S8, und tho £.1.0,000 neccssury for the redemption of the deben-tures referred lo, it may be necessary for the Treasurer to uvail himself of the terms of the agreement with the banks for some further advance pending nn improvement in the money mnrket prior to the llouting of the loan, in which case the Treasury bonds would be deposited with the banks as se-curity for that additional advance. The bonds will not bear any interest.

The inspector-general of Public Works has prepared a report on the vexed question of the construction of a bridge over the Hurray either at Cobram or at Tocum-wal, Mr. Davidson recently visited both pinces, and his report is now in the hands of the Minister of Publie Works. It is understood that the report fin oura the erection of the bridge at Tocum-wal, principally because the traffic from the New South Wales side of the river is concen-trated in that town. This is also the view ndopted by the Government of that colons-, while the Into Coalition Government fa\oured the budging of the river at Cobram. The Minister of Public Works is having fur-ther infoimation collected hythe officers of Hint department on the matter before asking the Cabinet to decide the question.

Mr. Allison Smith, locomotive superin-tendent of the Victorian railways, is anxious that an inquiry should be held concerning his administration of the' locomotive depart-ment, in v ¡ew of the statements made by some members of Parliament during the weeli. Mr. Smith has written the following letter to the Minister of liailways :-" Sir,In îeply to your verbal inquiry upon the subject, I have the honour to state that 1 court the fullest inquiry on the part of any ' select committee of the House, Hoyal com-

mission, outside boaid, or by i the Hollway Commissioner-! themsel.es into any act or actions of mine since I haye had the honour of being employed on the Victorian railways, as I feel that all my actions since my appointment lune been diiected solely in the interests of the public service of the colony, and I believe that such an inquiiy cannot fail to remove any false impressions that may have gained weight by the circulation and lepetition of foolish slanders.-I am, &c., ALLISON 1). SMITH, M.T.M.K. (London), Member of the American linilroad Master Mechanics' Asso-ciation, Acting Locomotive Superintendent Victorian Railways."

With the object of giving every facility to the public to purchase niilway passes for the Chiistmaa holiday excursion peiiod, which begins on the lSth hist., and teiminntes on the 3rd piox., the llailway Commissioners lui.p given instructions to the traffic authori-ties to have boxes open for the sale of these tickets nt all hours and for a week before the excursion begins. Tickets will be on sale not only at the stations, but at the Pustoflice, and also at Cook's office in Collins

stieet. '

Hu linilvvav C inniissioneis vverp inter viewed j esteidaj bj Mr Jutmll, M LA , «ho uifcCd on behalf of his constituents that the tumis which wetc shuck oil the time table between Wangaratta md .letchworthduring the stnkc should be put on n_um The commissioners hav e had similar lequesls m regard to almost all the lines, and thej m tend ne\t w eck to consi 1er the w hole i|ues tion, both as to countrj and subuibim sen ices ami to decide »hat tiams shall be lern stated

The Railway Commissioners have notified the Richmond Council that they cannot grant the request of the petitioners for a rail-

way station at Balmain street, the site of the old Cremorne station, which was abolished on the decline of Cremorne gardens about a quarter of a century ago. Their reasons are that the Richmond and East Richmond stations give all the accommodation neces-sary, and a station at this point would cause unnecessary stoppages, and thus inconvenience travellers on the Brighton

line.

J he Parliamentary trip to the foitifications at the Heads, vv Inch was to hav e tuken place ut the end of next w eek, has been postponed till the commencement of ne\t session Sever il vvotl s winch ure in course of con struction at tin. forts will be completed by that time, und the rapid firing guns will be m position, while the ne« torpedo boat will have also arrived from Pnglanrl sothut the visit at the later date is hkel) to he more interest nig than one w ould Ile it present

J ho Minister of Public. Instruction has had to refuse sev eral requests recently to rteeiv e deputations on the ground that the object of the deputation vv as not precise!} stated He considers that stating HIL object of u députa lion is requisite to suv e not only his time, but that of the dcpututiomsts also

the Cabinet decided}esterdav to carr} out the scheme of the ex Munster of Lands (Mr Dow) thal the Horticultural Soctct} a guldens ut Surve} paddock, Hichmond, should be. tul en over bl the Hoard of Land and Woiks, and a Horticultural College stat ted in con nection vv ith the gardens uudei the control of the Atncnltuial depnrtment Hie expense mcuried mcanymg out this scheme will bo defra}ed out of mono} voted during last session of Parliament for ngiicultmul

bonuses

A conference of delegates from ngn cultural societies was held at the Lands department }psterdu}, to consider a pro posai to special!} allot a sum of ¿li 000 from the piesent annual subsid} of £21000 for tht puipose of assisting 12 dist net shows the wholpof the societies of thecoloii} being foi this puipose arrnnted m 12 gioups Hit conference generally was of opinion that a s}stemof distutt groups would damage tht lesser societies b} concentrating attention on tht moi e impoi tantalio« s '1 ht delegates weit, however prepared to accept the system, with its imperfections, it the sum of £0 000 were made an additional blunt Sir M'Leun, the Minister of Lands, who presided seemed phased with this latter proposal, and smiled repeuttdl} Hie matter is to be eoiiBideied by tile societies separately, and dealt w ith at

a further conference

tlhe Postmaster General has decided, in order that the posta-e tates bttnetn all tht ¡colonies may be uniform, that the postute on

letters to Kew South 'Wales from the be bimmil, of the new } eui shall be 2d peí _o¿ , instead of 2d pei o/ as at present

the Attorne} Geneial and the Munster of Tustiee had mulei then consideiation } ester da} the oljecttons that lune been made in vmious quarters against the new rules under the Judicature Act, which it is proposed to bung into operation on the 1st lebrina} ne\t 'theie is a strong feeling amoiibst both branches ot the profts taon Ithat the new rules should not come into operitiou for si\ months at least, so as to give full opportunit} foi their consideia tion and amendment if considered advisable

tlieOhamhcr of Commerce, the mercantile Community bencrall}, and solicitais object l.aituulurl} io one of the rules which le qitiies that vv nts shoulei be accompanied 1» a claim, vtlneh is virtually the old foi m of decimation, stating the cause of action If that rulu were brought into operation it would in nianj cases involve delii} It would, also be neeessiir} to have the claim prepaied by counsel, and to obtain full and accurate mfoimation about the details of a ense, and so uuisc extra expenditure at the ver} commencement ot a suit 'the ob jtetois to the rule say that in the great niajont} ot eases a wnt is issued, and the matter is settled, and theie foie it would be a waste ot Inborn, time, and expense to piepuie theunnecessut} and special documents nt the bi ginning of an ne tion Notices of motion have been given in both Houses ot I urhuiui-nt to piesent mi uildiess to the Govemoi in Council, to numil

the rules Some < I the rules could 1 e annulled ni that ttnj but otlms could not It has been di culed tliut the Attoine}

General shall consult with the Chief JustitL and the other judbes of the Supieme Court to see if anjthing can be done as legartls an extension of the time foi brmbuig the new iules into farce and also with lespect to the objections generallv

At« meeting of the committee of the Vic tottan United Law Cleiks faoctetvon linns

day last the business included the discussion of the new Supreme Court rules. Owing, however, to the inability of the'committee to get .Copies of the rules, nothing could- be

.doneiii this direction. The committee were unanimous in the opinion, that the rules jihoüld not,- in-justice to-the managing clerks, on whopi a great pnrt of the practical work under the new rules devolves, be ?brought into operation before the 1st July next, by which date they Would have ample opportunity of becoming acquainted with any changes therein.

..The methods of dealing with neglected children and meeting the immediate and pressing wants of the poor which are prac-tised in the colony formed the two most im-portant points on which the Charities Com-mission took evidence yesterday. Mr. ti. Guillaume, secretary of the Industrial Schools and Neglected ChUdrcn'sdepii-tmcnt, who was examined at some length, gave .111 account of tlie work which was going on in the depart-ment. Ile pointed out the undesirability of sending young people to gaol for minor and first offences, and remarked that it was a pity magistrates did not more often exercise their powers under the juvenile offenders' sections of the Crimes Act. In his opinion, the direction in which the state should proceed in regard to neglected children was to rescue them at as early an agc as possible, and place them under the guardianship of philanthropic people, so that they could be readily redeemed from bad habits, and trained in such 11 manner that they would grow up to be good citizens. Mr. U. II. Grondona appeared before the commission as the representative of St. Joseph's Home

fo^iliistitute Children at Surreyi Hills and tiwi Society of St. Vincent- de Paul:- Ile de. Serlb-f.'lhe'work in which the tjvi'p. societies ', vtjijrp engaged, and stated that the 1 committee

.ofitho'ferrilier institution endeavoured to have

fcnjrdrejï.i'ilacetl under the -guardianship of

reputable persons, instead of boarding them outi Ile expressed a favourable opinion in regard to the establishment of 11 foundling hospital, but doubted whether a central bureau for the organisation of charities would tie a success, in tieiv of the small results which he considered had been attained by the Chaiity Organisation Society. Evidence was also given by ladies representing the St. Kilda, Prahran, liast Melbourne, and Port Melbourne Ladies' Benevolent Societies.

. The vexed question of pilotage dues, which has been engaging the attention' of the Marine läoaul for the past two years, was settled yesterday so far as the board is con-cerned. The committee which was ap-pointed to consider the question submitted their report, which recommended thnt sea pilotage dues should be reduced 15 per cent., and haibour dues 10 per cent. Several members of the committee, in fixing tile new rates, desired to obtain for the sea pilots tin income of from ¿'500 to £000 per annum, mid took the earnings of the pilots for the past live years as the basis of their calculations. Mr. Gaunson, the representa-tive, of the pilots on the board, and also a member of the committee, opposed very strongly the adoption ol' the committee's re-commendations, and contended that the basis of the past live years" earnings was unfair, as 1SS9 was a very ex-ceptional year, in which the earnings reached £27.313,"as compared with from ¿10,007 to £10,4(10 in the other years of the period. The adoption of Hie report was, however, agreed to by six votes to four. Subsequently Mr. II. H. lîeid, when speaking on the question, drew attention to the fact that the Sydney and Adelaide pilots only earned £100 per annum, and the average income of British pilots wits as low as £200. The reductions have yet to receive the sanction of the Governor, in Council, »ntl Mr. Gnnnson signified his intention of forwarding all the correspondence on the subject to the Com-missioner of Customs, and in other ways en-deavouring to get tlie decision of the board upset.

At lastnifehts meeting of the Indes hall Counul Mr 1 li Bromlej culled nttintion to the lemurks made the picvious evening bj Di Pearson in Parliament vv itli nfeienie to the strike 1 he. vv ire an outrage to the w ork mgclasses of the colon., and u, direct insult to the council, and some steps ought to be taken bj Hu touncil to make Di Pearson vv ithdraw them Hi desired the council to take especial exception to the statement th it those who hustled the people on the wharves were in the pav of the 'Irades hall Council He moved-" Huit Dr Pearson be written to, asl nig lum if lu is toirectlj reported, und if so calling upon lum to piove the correctness of his statements, or w ith draw them and apologise to the counul ' Mr Oakley seconded the motion, vshuh was

cai ried

During the eclipse of the sun j esterdaj, and for the greatci pmod of contact, veil good obsenations wire obtlined at the Mil bourne Observatorj 1 he first contact tool place nt ijimii 10sec past 1 o clod , anil as the bodies were moving to«ard. lach other oblique!j the observ ations w ere slightlj mon difficult than would otherwise lum bein tin case At the greatest contact which was about 22 minutes past 1 o clock 47, or nearlj half, of the sun s face was in shadow 1 rom that on to the tin«, of egress observa tiona were made with gnatir difhcultj ovv nig to the clouds, while tin actual egress could not for that reason be noted At the first ion tact a senes of three photographs were taken with the photo heliograph, and subsequentlj the various phases were photographed the size of the sun on the ne_ati\ c show mg a diamiter ot about Sin All the phases of the eclipse practicallj correspondit! vv ith the forecast It has been noted that bioken weather ficquontlj follows a solar eclipse, and it « ill be interesting to note vv hether tlie same results follow in this case As the solai and lunar tides are in one ihieition, atmospheric disturbances are highlj pro

bable

The heal mir of the charge of conspnacj against lertnin of the duictois, oiliiirs and boiroweisof tin Prenuci Permanent Builtl ingSoiietj, was contmueii jesteidaj ut tlie Banco Court, before the Chief Justin Aftei tin w itniss Corsilhs lind bien liuillid, and brietlj le i Mimmcd, his llonoui dneitid that the jurj shoukl be dm in out toi Istein w nk vv itli the shciiff to inspect the lund and houses upon which nduincis ullcfcid to IJL excissivi, were made by tin, societj His Honour mfo.iU.pd the jurv that as the} would probably bl unable to inspect the proper.} full) ni'tlie slibrt period of time w Inch it had

bun puíposcjlj to allow he would not requite

thin uttuidiinco in louit until tin following daj Hie jury thin lift the coui t anti v uited risteinvviik Hie pioieedings will bo IC sumedtodaj, when counsel for the definci will atldiiss the jmv on the evidenci

Dr Madden apphid to the 1 nil Court jcstudiij foi a lull ui» uilhng on tin Chnf Itistice and tin Attoinej Gemini to allow lausiwhj tin Chnf luslni should not stati a casi foi the opinion of the lull Court on certain points of law he (Di Madden) had raisid at the trinl of William Dohertj, which took plaie m Octobei last. Doherty was convicted of making a falsi entij m the books of tin Premier PeimanentBuilding boeill., and of concur ung in making the said false tntrj At the trial Dr Madden naked the Chief Justice to userve several points of law for tin con sidiration of the lull Couit HIL Chief Justice declined to do so, and the application was made jesteidaj with the view of having tlie points brought bifoie the 1 lill Court it possible '1 he Couit consisted of Mr Justice Williams, Mr Iiistne A\ ebb and Mr Justice llolrojd Mi Justiie Vulltnms intimated that he was a creditor of the associotion, and that, although that was not an absolute bal to his hulling the npphiation, it would be c.ceedinglj unpleasant foi lum to have to dril with il HIL application was thuefoie noted, and adjourned until 1 cbruinj next, when Di Madden will be at hbeitj to pursue it befon the Court as then constituted

An nppiil was heard in the lull Court vcstudaj ngainstaiuhngof Mi Justnellood

ni the ense of Jttmt-t i (ribbon <ittd Actd Hie plamtifl, C H Janies biought'nnaction against J Gibson mid J lind who reside in Scot! ind, to rescind a contract of s ile ot some land at Kiilbundooia, ni it lludilbeit, the pine being £2_4 000 ou the grounds that the defend.nts coull not e,ivc him n ileat title to the property '1 he tiefen danta nssertid that they could give a good title, und made a countu claim ajtmst the

plaintiff for payment of certain promissory notes due for-part of the purchase money. An order was obtained by the plaintiff for discovery of certain documents as,to,the_title, _o.', and the defendants' solicitor offered to give discovery, verified by an "affidavit'of Mr. Merrin, the agent under power of attorney from the defendants, who had con-ducted the negotiations for the sale of the land for them. The plaintiffs' solicitor refused to nccept this offer, and required that the affidavit should be verified by the defen-dants. An application was made on the 30th May last to Mr. Justice Hood for an order to strike out the defence, on the ground that the defendants had not complied with the order of the Court as to the discovery of the documents to be verified by them, or in the alternative that the trial of the action should be post-poned so that the documents might be sworn to by the défendants. Counsel for the defendants opposed the application, which it was argued was only made for the pur-poses of delay, as it would take a long time before verification could be obtained from Scotland. Mr. Justice Hood lefused the application. The plaintiff then appealed against the decision. Dr. Madden and Mr. Higgins appealed yesterday for the plaintiff, mid Mr. J. D. Wood, Mr. Topp, omi Mr. Agg foi* the respondents. Mr. Justice Williams, in giving the decision of the Court, said that they thought Mr. Justice Hood was entitled to use his discretion in the case, and he had concluded that the application was not a genuine one-that it was made for the pur-pose of delny. The appeal must be dis-missed, with costs.

An application for a new trial in the Moss-

Somner will case was set down in the list of the Full Court business yesterday, but the

differences between Mrs. Somner and the relatives of the deceased Henry Moss have

been settled recently, and when the case was called on there was no appearance of the parties. It was therefore struck out.

At the niófititig or "ie--ity^QaunoU onn Monday a report from the works committee will be considered recommending that the council support the municipalities of Pialunn, St. KUdn, Caulfield, and Malvern in their proposal to obtain legislative authority for the construction of various new tramway lines. These piojected lines are to run ulong Dundenong-road from Chapelstieet eastward, along High-street and C'ommercial-ioud fiom the St. Kilda road eastwarel, and eastward from the terminus in

Toorak-rond.

J he annu ii dinner of the Stock rxchnnge of Mellourne took pi lee last evening nt the Cafe Anglais Mr 1 A-i Meie, chaiiman of the I xchaiibe, m the chair After the toasts ot 'the Queen and' IheGoveinoi, which were wanui} leceived, the toast of the Stock] xchnnge v as pioposed bj Mr Gavin G Brown, and responded to bj the chau man I he toast of ' the Press, proposed b) Mr JJ Willdci, was responded to bj Messrs J B Simmonds and Joseph thomson, and the toust of " 1 he Chairman

was pioposed bj Mr 1 Slade Dunng the mteivals songs were given bj Messrs 1

llaitlej.J M Wime, H A\ llson H Bj ron Moore, J li Simmonds, AA 1 Jones, H 1 veied, and J Burrell, and a recitation giv en bj Mr M J Keane

'I ho Christmas publications of Prang and Co, of Boston, United St des, loenllj rcpiesentcd bj R Jollej and Co, me of a more ambitious chmucter than heretofore, and aim at the character of permanent decorations Such is ' Hie Pn/e Baines Walking Match, in which half a dn7cn sturdj infants in the chaige of their oowie-J are entering with manifest glee into the fun of experimental locomotion, while the aitist has infused on abundance of humour into his portraits of a do/en callow lledgmgs emerging from a basket, with impudence, mquisitiv eness, self confidence, and combativ eness expiessed nhl e m their little bendj ejes, mid in their v ai lous attitudes ' lied letter Da} s is the title of a composition, m vv Inch 11 American hohdavs are tjpifiedbj as manj children, one ot whom is crowning the bust of Washing ton The two first more particulailj are bood examples of the close approxima tion of chromo lithographj to the ait of the water colour draughtsman And this is still more obvious in the illustrations of the booklets, such as the "Notes from Men delssolm, ' Golden Sunsets, ' Mnj flow er Memories of Old PI} mouth, le , w here the biushwoikis socleverlj imitated as to lender deception compaiativ ely casj, cspeciallj where sepia diawings are simulated Pro-ductions like these, widelj disseminated os thej art at sueh o season, must tend to popularise nu agreeable form of nrt, todifluse a tnste foi what is at once elegant and in expensive, and to educate the tastes of those to vv horn the more costl} vv orks w Inch owe their existence to the co operation of the pen and pencil, aie peihaps altogether m

accessible

Much interest attaches to the new organisa tion, the Melbourne Orchestra, consisting of 100 piofessional musicians, conducted b} M Leon Caron, which will be beaid for the first time tins afternoon on the Melbourne Cricket ground where the adjourned race meeting of the Melbourne Bic}cle Club will also tal e place 'Hie orchestra vv ill appear alternotel} as grand orchestra and full militar} band,

and un attract» e programme is announced, which will be found m our advertising columns Mr Max Klein vv ill act as leadei, and the business management is in the hands of Mr Hugo 1 isolier '

At the Melbourne Cricket gionnd this nftcinoon the second da} s spoits otthe Mel

bourne Bic}cle Clubs spring race meeting w ill be held 1 he programme of hie} cle races includes the Melbourne Hie} cle iClub Stakes for which the brothers Busst, Mullins of Adelaide, and other leading nderswill com pete '1 he fust nice sturts at J o clock

Jins afternoon and evening, the metro pohtan amateur cv cling clubs hold a com bmed bic}cle race meeting on the 1 xlubition grounds 'Hie mcesare to start at 3 o clock in the afternoon and again at 8 o clock m the cvenuib The pimeipal evei ts are the One Mile Championship of Australnsja (and the Ti ve Mile Championship ofjVietona

Madame Pate} mnlfos liçp last appearance before leaving the colon} at the ¿own hall to night m McndclBspl_n s orntoiip ' Llijali,

foi which a ver} laigß_ puireber of seats are

ah cady booked

"Hie Gondoliers although stjll hberjillj patronised nt the Princess Tbeatrc, will life

vvithdiawn aftei Inila} evening next, to mnkc wny for the new opeia "Marjone

Mi Gi ittnn Tiggs will appear for the last

time as Aithur ljracey in the "Irish

Detective at the 'Hicutio Rojol this even nig On Mondai "Shin Tane, the drama m winch Mr Higgs made his lust uppearance at this theatre some eibht }eais ago, will be pioduced

'Hie leproiluction of the late Dion Bouci

coull s comedy 'The Jilt closed lust night at the Bijou Theatre lo night Pineros comed} ' Hie Squire, one of the most popular of the pla)s m which Messrs Brough and Boucicaults company have appeared, will be produced

1 he lepioduction of " La 1 Ule de Múdame AngÔt at the Operu house lins pioved ex ceedingl} populai, the opera being pin} ed and sung w ith great spirit It vv ill be repeated

tins week

'Hie United States Minstrels ore drawing good audiences to the Victoria hall New items uppear m the programme for this ev en

ing

AtthcOaietj Theatre Mi Trank Claik and the new loll} Company have been received with gieat favour íhej will ippear in an

entirely new piobrnmme to night

A short season of "Monte Cnsto closed at the Alexandra lhentie lastni-ht 'Ibis evening 'Last Ljnne will be produced

Adveilisements under the hendmgs of " Missing 1 ni nils Messages le, Lost and lound Kuiliiujs and Convejnnets

and lectures Sinuous Soirees _c will be found i n p i"e 5 of this dn} s issue instead of m then usual pim t on page 1

¡J^Iu ¡espouse to the appeal niadt m 'lhe Ar ins by Mi 1 1 Zox MIA on I ehult of a gentlem m in destitute circumstances tin follow in- fuithei donations have been forwn riled to us bj Mi /OK -W B Isa les ills M und \ Biucc,_JOs

A cheque foi L> Os has reiched us from Mr G A Grant to be distributed in response to the various Cliustmiis ippotls us follows

-£1 Is each to the ? I limul and

Blind Asjlums, and 10s 6d eacli to the Children s Hospital Infant Asv lum, Orphan Asvlnm, HoniL of Hope Collingwood Crnhe, and Dr Campbell s '1 obacco I und

In response to an nppial on bi half of an aged minister, w Inch appe irod in JheAigui fin the 2i)th ult, the treasurer (Mr Tames Swift) desires to acknowledge receipt of the following further sums -.lohn Danks, South Melbourne, ¿S 3s , W P Buckhurst Soutli Melbourne, £1 Is , C 1 îslier, South Mel-bourne, £1 Is , Hv Steele, South Melbourne, £1 P Young, Cavendish, £1 A Tuend, Is.

Messrs G rice, Sumner, and Co have sent to the Slav or of Melbourne (lion treasurei of the fund) a subscription of £ j to the Lockhart Morton '1 estimomal rund, on behalf of Mr John Catto Mpiizie Tatate, Loddon, vv ho is at present m 1 nglnnd

'1 he secietan of the Austin Hospital de sires to aeknovv ledge receipt o' tin follow mg donations m answer to tlie spc ml appeal on behalf of the institution made rcceiitlj m The A i uni -Briscoe and Co , £10 10s H Dawson, £r> Alice 1. Strongman, £2 Geo Vi harton £1 Is , Misa Jennings, Geelong, £1, "A Dear Depaited,' per Sirs K C C Caulfield, £1

The lion necretarv of the Immigrants' nome desires to ncl now ledge the follow mg amounts îeceived m response to his " Merrie Christmas appeal -G '1 Tohnson, £2 2s , David Comfoot, £2 , Wm levers £1 Is, 1 'lison, £1 Is Mrs Horden, £1 Hugh Moore 10s Jas Louden 10s II T Pitt 5s , A lukes, 2s Ort Per Miss Woolhy-Miss r lient} £2 2s, Mrs A Woolie}, £1, K II B , £1

In the report m The Art/ni of jesterdnv in connection with a charge of drunkenness against a joung woman named Catherine Butler it wasst ited that the man who drove the }OUiiR woman from Poit Melbourne to Spencer street w as the captain of the s s Agc Howard Smith and Sons Limited de sue tis to s i} that as the Age at the time was on her waj to Adelaide direct from New

,qastle,jhe,r mnqtei, Captain Taston, could not

IJWejwen thouin refcricd1 lo

A reduction of Tares bj the baj excursion sfto.herí'0->oné'ia announced by advertise

«lent y »munt t l"->

lifljie band ofi thodstd-attahon w ill perform m ^liCtBqranu}»! gardens today from 3 to 5 o'clock. , i

At the town hall. Collingwood, on Monda) ev_hin_-'M. 'rflVv'iifirAdcocl. will deliver a lecture on "Thevlournl) of Life the pro ceeds to go m the pajment of the railvvn) fans of preachers who give their time and services to help countrj circuits Mr G D Langridge, M L A , is announced to pre

sidi

Owing to the numerous complaints regard m¿ the nuisance caused bv bookmakers during the bicjcle sports held on the Mel

bourne Cricket-ground, the committee of tlie MCC have deteiniuicd to take stringent measures against anj offenders infringing the regulations made b) the trustees of the ground prohibiting public betting m the ground or reserv es

Tho peiformance of "Chilperic, bj the Clnlperic Amateur Opera Companj, w ill take place on'1 urida. 2'îril mst, not ne.t 'lues

dav as announced vesteitlav

On Fruin) evening, 1't.h mst, the Cale doman Society s choir, conducted b) Mr T J Hammond, will, bj the special request of the Scottish icsidenta of Geelong, give a con cert in the 1 \hibition 'I heatre of that tow n Silas AdilBloxham, Mi l.obcit Kenneth, Mr W Bojle, and Mr r C Coopei willcontu bute to the evenings enjojment

1 he committee ot the St Joseph's nome foi Destitute Children, having completed their new home at Suirev Hills, the formal opening will take plaie tomorrow at half past 3 p m bj Aichbishop Carr The new home, w Inch is under the care of the Sisters of St Joseph, will accommodate some 40 childien T he architects w ore Messrs linn nag in and 1 oy Trains leav e Prince s bridge at 1 05 and 2 55 p m for Surrej Hills