Mr BRACKEN asked the Government, “If it is a fact that the post of gaoler at Wanganui has been given to a member of the police force, and, if such is the case, why the position was not given to a gaol official; and upon whose recom mendation the appointment in question was made ?”—The Hon. T. DICK said the position was not given to a gaol official, because the sergeant was found to be a man well qualified for the office. He got no more pay, however, than he did in the police force, which was less than a senior gaoler would get. The appointment was only a temporary one. • Mr BARRON, asked the Government, “ Whether they are favorable to the intro duction of the system of adopting the cental of lOOlbs as the standard in sale of grain and other merchandise usually sold by weight, as sug gested by the Intercolonial Conference held at Sydney last year ; and, if so, whether .they will facilitate the general introduction of that sys tem by using it as the standard in Government contracts, railway carriage, and Custom-house returns: and whether they will cause the decimal system of coinage and the cental standard to be specially taught in the State schools, in order to impress upon the rising generation the practical advantages such sys tems have over the more complicated methods at present in use V”—The Hon. T. DICK said the Government was not unfavorable to the introdnetion of the cental and decimal system, but it was thought that the trading community generally were not ripe for such a change. It had been tried in New South Wales, but had to be abandoned. The only objection to teach ing more in the State. schools was that there were already complaints that too much was taught already. Mr J. 