472 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



necessity * :;: * :;: of drawing ties of intimate relationship between 

 the United States and the Hawaiian Islands, so as to make them practically 

 part of the American system, without derogation of their absolute inde- 

 pendence." 



Thus America does not desire to acquire the islands, but to hold supreme 

 control there, and this is practically effected, most of the white office-holders 

 and property-holders being Americans. As they now are the islands might 

 well go on preserving their independence for an indefinite time, but already 

 that independence has been gravely endangered, and will probably not last 

 long. An American protectorate will probably take the place of the monarchy, 

 with provisions for self-government. The person by whom the independence 

 has been and is endangered is the king. Further, the former cordial rela- 

 tions between the native and foreigner have been seriously impaired. 



The native cannot be educated beyond a certain point. As a boy he is 

 very bright and clever ; as a man he amounts to very little. Not a single 

 business of any kind in Honolulu, except that of selling meat, is either 

 conducted by a native or has a native in a high position in it. The native 

 royalty must soon end. The pure native race must soon die out. The 

 Hawaiian cannot adopt our civilization. He will not work ; so, while the 

 American and Chinese come in in swarms to do the work, he is quietly 

 fading away. A sad end to a beautiful, gentle, kindly race. 



Art. LIX. — The Effects of School Life on Sight. By B. Schwarzbach, M.D. 



[Read before the Auckland Institute, 31si July, 1882.] 

 It is nearly four years ago 1 had occasion to examine the sight of the 

 children attending schools in Auckland. In the report of my examination, 

 which was kindly received by the members of the school-board, I stated the 

 percentage of short-sightedness which existed amongst the school-children, 

 and I also pointed out the dangers of school-life in regard to the sight, and 

 how such dangers might be removed or lessened. 



During the last three years, while sojourning in Europe, especially in 

 England and Germany, I have still pursued my favourite branch of study, 

 and I have endeavoured to acquaint myself with the progress made and 

 attention given to arrest the pernicious effects of bad light, bad printing, 

 bad ventilation, and bad seats and desks in our schools at home. I have 

 carefully compared the statistics of short sight, taken twelve years ago, with 

 the statistics taken recently and I have noticed that apparently the evil has 

 at least not advanced in its stride. This is no doubt especially due to the 



