THE EDUCATION ORDINANCE AND KAIAPOI.

Press, Volume XX, Issue 2921, 11 September 1872, Page 3

THE EDUCATION ORDINANCE AND KAIAPOI.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sib, —I hope the Education Ordinance is not to be palmed off upon Kaiapoi. I trust —sincerely trust—that the inhabitants of this district are not going to allow themaelres to be " dragooned" into allowing themselves to be overridden by the Board of Education, as in the case of several other districts where the error the inhabitants of these districts have fallen into, is discovered by them to their sorrow. Why, sir, the men who support the introduction of the Ordinance into Kaiapoi are of such a volatile nature that I hope no one will be incautious enough to accept their guidance without making due enquiry first of all. The Rev Mr Bavin, who is the prime mover in the affair, what interest has he in the town ? The term of his probation, as a Wesleyan minister, cannotexceed three years'residence. Mr B. Ellis, the next speaker in favor of the district at the late meeting, admits he has a large family. It strikes mc that the large family men instead of looking at the general operation of the Ordinance, do not care a fig for aught beyond educating their own children cheaply, no matter how unjust the tax by which they are enabled to gain their end. They should remember that the Act affects others who haye no children to educate, and may not be in such affluent circumstances. Mr Beswick, who next appeared at the meeting to support the poor man's Ordinance, or the working man's Ordinance, as he termed it, must have forgotten that the working men would not care a straw for his opinion since his attempt to reduce wages to 6s a. day. Instead of pointing out the advantages of the Ordinance (if it has any), l!r Beswick wished it to be understood that persons ought to speak well of their betters, and not denounce the Education Ordinance because it happened to be a bad Ordinance, What bounce ! Some one said to mc, " That's just the Beswick style, all over." What an admission. What candour. Yet such is the case. I quite agree as to the Ordinance being a bad one, and hope the day is not far distant when the General Assembly will take from our provincial tinkers the power of dealing with such important matters as that •of education. Yours, &c., Common Sense.