POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 268, 14 November 1887, Page 5

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

(by telegraph— own bepobtbr.)

Wellington, thia day. the Case of Kate Sheard.

TtfE flogging of the girl Sheard at ISfewton "East School appears to have excited nearly as much interest in Wellington as in Auckland. The ." Post" returned to the subject oa Saturday, and eaya that " the point in the case which really demands the attention of the Ministe* of Education and of the Legislature does not seem to have been raised before, the Committee at all. It is not personal to Kate Sheard, but one of the principles affecting our whole system of education. It is thin : Are fees to be charged in public schools under any circumstances whatever? Tlw law is perfectly clear on the subject, and declares that no fees shall be charged in primary schools. It also provides that the school necessaries to pay for which in Auckland and elsewhere fees areillegally exacted should be provided by the Committee or Board out of their funds. This is the point which the Minister of Education should insist upon, and should lose no tim e in drawing the attention of those committees who impose fees to th e illegality of the act. It appears that at Newton Kate Sheard was not only can e d, but on a previous occasion her brother w a s sent away from the school because he did not bring the shilling which his parents could not afford. It is a monstrous wrong that a child should be so treated, and the sooner masters like the Rev. Mr Coates, and committees like the Newton East one, are taught that they must not in this way visit the poverty, 'not sins,' of parents on the children, the better. It is nonsense to talk of oar schools being free when children are sent away from them for non-payment of certain fees."

The Government have consented to introduce legislation this session for the purpose of making a uniform license fee for slaugh-ter-houses throughout.the colony. Mr Seddon intends to ask the Premier whether it has been decided by Government) Life Insurance Department to refuse to make further advances by way of loan on mortgage, and in lieu thereof to invest surplus funds of the said Department in, deficiency bills bearing 5 per cent, interest; whether any negotiations relative to this matter have taken place between the Colonial Treasurer and Insurance Department.

Mr Lawry is one of the Committe to be nominated with reference to the removal of restrictions from imported cattle. Mr Peacock's name was omitted from the deputation relative to the North Island railway. Mr Cadman's wrongly appeared in its place.