Answers to Correspondents.

Auckland Examiner, Volume IV, Issue 271, 9 June 1860, Page 2

Answers to Correspondents.

A PrOVINCIAIist — has reason far dqwnheartedness. Centralism gains ground rapidly. Various circumstances hope combined to help it forward, One of these is Provincial Government mismanagement and jobbery, hoof our own Provincial Government, TPas thpre ever, in any age or nation, a government so contemptible as that? Afany governments have been more depraved and no less stupid, but, in point of contemptibility, our Provincial Government may challenge comparison even with the most contemptible governments cf South America. Provincial Councillor Boylan long ago called it the tin pot government,and one may be permitted to suppose that Colonial Treasurer Richmond had it .in his eye. when he declared himself unwilling “to' go doton stream with the tin pots.” Superintendent Williamson is a true tin pot. Nor can it be denied that he and his executive have governed upon decidedly tin pot principles. So gross have b,een their blunders, so notable their incapacity, and so impudent their jobs, that Auckland people look upon them with disgust, Cheap John is peculiarly obnoxious as well as specially contemptible. He took office pledged to “ make both ends meet” with unborrowed money; pledged to rule in a spirit of fairness; pledged la set his incorruptible face against jobbery, and by honest political action to shame his corrupt progress predecessors. Not one—no, not one- —of these pledges has he redeemed. Under his admisfration political jobbery, and every form of political corruption, have flourished beyond all Auckland precedent. From first to last he seems to have aimed at nothing higher than personal profit. From first to last he seems to have been animated by the feeling of that incorruptible monarch who said.— After me the deluge, and to have determined upon doing his best to open a way for ultra centralismby bringing ultra provincialism into contempt. What more ridiculous than the gas and gammon business? What more conclusive as regards Provincial Government incapacity than the model balance sheet ? What more vile than the villanous treatment of jorty-acre men, so thoroughly exposed in these columns by Mr. Turnbull? What, more damnatory to any man or set of men than the Pukekohe land job? What more treacherous, or cowardly, or stupid, than Provincial Government treatment of Buffalo Seamen and Discharged Soldiers? What better calculated to bring our little Parliament into discredit than Provincial Government systematic disregard of Provincial Council privileges ? Informer times men of unquestioned character and great business talent werC ambitious to be made Superintendent. In these “ latter days” of Jack Cadeism there is no man of unquestioned character and great business talent who would not shrink from a position that Cheap John Jias as-< sociated with disgrace. In former times Provincial Councillors were by the politic cally amibitious looked upon with respect, In these “latter days” of Jack Cadeism there is no Auckland citizen, however modest or moderate, who would consider himself honored by a Provincial Council seat. The sad fact is that official Jach Cadeite profligacy and incapacity have done their work—the worf of the ultra centralist. jj ETAi — r phe Wellington Independent oflSth ult. speaks of “a letter from a dignitary of the Episcopal Church to his Excellency” as “subject of deep mortification to the members of that Church,” and adds, ‘‘it has not been published, but the following particulars, whichwe hope are not true, appear in one of the newspapers : — The Governor has been “ branded” by a dignitary of the Episcopal Church, in the Wellington Province, in the grossest, we might indeed say in the most insolent and rebellious manner. We have not seen this epistle denunciatory, but sufficient of its contents have leaked out to. warrant ns in denouncing it as one of the most atrocious ebullitions eVer penned and transmitted to the representative of Majesty. Il is unnecessary to name the writer. Ilc is as generally known as is duly appreciated.

rp p ma y take comfort from our assurance that Mr, Fox has “ explained” the letter-in which he set forth his reasons for not signing “ a memorial approving of. the conduct of the Governor.” At a public meeting, held at Wellington on Thursday, ult., explanation having been requested, Mr. Fox spoke at considerable length. He gave “ strongest denial” to the insinuation that he was “wanting in courage in the present emergency.” He did not think the letter he was called upon to explgin “ required explanation,” aud declared “ the substance of that letter had been grossly misrepresented.” He then complained of the position in which he had been placed. “Why am 1 here on the summons of my constituents ? Because I refused to sign a document in a part of whiph I could not concur, and have dared'to state my reasons for doing so. Now,from whom did that document emanate? It was a document which ipas intended to commit the electors of these districts to a most important opinion; and from whom did it proceed ? ' Who drew it up ? Who was consulted about it? Who set it agoing? Surely itwauld helve been the proper course before attempting to commit the constituency on so important a point, to have called a public meeting, which might have discussed the matter, and have prepared g document which all might have signed. It was emphatically a hole and comer document, and the last almost who was asked to sign it was their representative ! Now, he was one of the last men ig. New Zealand to stand on questions offqrm or etiquette, but he did hold that the relations between a constituency and its representative entitle him to expect that, before such a document was put in circulation, he should hgve had an opportunity of considering its contents, apd suggesting any modification which might be desirable. It would be his duty, as their representative, to discuss all matters connected with this war in the House of Representatives; and surely he wqs. entitled, he would not say to the courtesy, but to the fair play, of being consulted, before his constituency was asked to sign a document which might tie his hands in the Assembly. Had he been consulted, he should hape suggested a Memorial which, while it expressed every sentiment of loyalty, would have aimed at a practical advantage, which the framers cf the document had apparently entirely overlooked. It would have been something as fallows :—‘ That while we abstain from expressing any opinion on the justice or necessity of the war in tvhich your Excellency has engaged, or on the manner pi which it has been conducted, we desire to express our strongest feelings of loyalty, and our determination tq afford every support and assistance towards the vindication of the authority of the Crown in these islands. Al the same time, we take this opportunity of pressing upon your Excellency's attention the unprotected positionof the outsettlers in these districts, living upon the very frontier which separates the native from the settled dish ids,-and face to face with large bodies of natives, with many of whom the rebels have close and intimate relations. While we blheve that in those outlying districts every military parade would be injurious in the extreme,i and likely to promote aggression, we beg most respectfully to urge'upon your Excellency the propriety of apportioning the arms at your disposal in such a way as to afford the outlying settlers same prospect of defending their homesteads and families in case of the present disturbance extending to these districts? Had suoh a document as this been adopted he would have signed it as readily as any colonist in the room; and he repeated, that he complained most strongly of the conduct of those who had prevented him having a voice\inthe matter.” C. A. — A modern writer on United States educational institutions says ; — In New York, as in Massachusetts, the primary division is into townships, averaging between 2 and 3000 souls. Each township elects a town superintendent of schools for two years, whose business, among other things, is to divide the township into districts, and make suoh changes in existing districts as are desirable; to undertake a minute inspection, ar.d deliver an annual report to the Secretary of State; to examine candidates for teaching, and recommend them for appointment. His duties are analogous to those of the school committe of Massachusetts. Three trustees are also elacted for three years, one going out of office each year; their business, like that of the prudential committee, is to attend to the building and repairs of school-houses, to make agrements with teachers, to determine what children arc tobwexempt from “rates of tuition” —that is, school fees, where they are exacted, to attend to the discipline of the schools, and to make annual reports to the town superintendents. But the township in this State, though not, as we see, by any means shorn of its self-government, is, however, more or or less regulated by the general administration of the country, averaging about 50,000 inhabitants. Instead of the “ select men,” who manage the affairs of a New England township, the management is vested in a supervisor, and the supervisors of the various townships of the country form a board of supervisors, exercising the administrative power over all the town-' ships. For school purposes, the townships are divided into districts; of which there are 11,000 in the State, with an average population of from 2 to 300 souls. Thus the country being only a larger form of local administration, the next step is to establish, through a centre, a constant interaction of thf various members on each other acting as unity. The way in which it is done is this : The Secretary of State js ex officio the “ superin tendent of common schools;” below hihl is a “ deputy superintendent,’' on whom the actual working is devolved. The duty of this officer, elected by the popple for two years, is to app< r tion the State grant among the respective counties to thp districts, which have also the privilege of levying a trifling tax for school libraries and sphool materials. The teachers'salaries are sometimes eked oqt fey school fees. The average amount paid in fees is less than two-thirds of a dollar a-head per year —a trifling sum where wages are so high. In some districts, however, the schools are free, while in those that have fees, certain children are exempted, so that the actual rum per bead of those that do pay is something larger. Small as these fees are they are found to obstruct the progress of education, to shorten the school period during the year, ant} to have a bat} influence on the teachers. The systeip pf free schoolsis decidedly gaining ground. In } 845, as we learn from the report of the superintendent of common schools of the State of New York for J 849, eleven cities and towns had legally established free schools, representing a fifth of the who[e State population. It is the opinion of Mr. - Morganthat the majority of the rate-payers would prefer having the schools supported entirely by taxation. No doubt this is the prevailing feeling throughout the Union. In the Eastern States the schools are everywhere nearly free, often absolutely so. In Indiana the people, called upon for their opinion on the same subject, declared, by a great majority, in favor of-free schools. Wisconsin at once established them. ” Even in South ’Carolina,” says the New York superintendent,

“ the schools are free to the free." He adds, “ I believe it is true that, in every state, county, town, or village, where the question has been submitetd to the decision of the people, they have found in favor of the free system.” That this system will be adopted in the State of New York there can be but li tie doubt.