COLONIAL PREFERMENT.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8479, 10 May 1893, Page 6

COLONIAL PREFERMENT.

90 THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Snt, —The second letter of my " nndergrad" friend in orders scarcely improves , his position. One might have thought he bad thrown np his brief against our educational system when he admits that a New Zealand B.A. is "a far better read man than an ordinary Oxford or Cambridge pass man." It appears, however, that the colonial article lacks culture, and is moreover not gentlemanly by birth. The first charge is rather a venturesome one coming from one whose educational standing is ■about that of a third form High School boy. Onr friend fondly looks to Latin as his test •of culture; though in the present elementary stage of his scholarship he can have k little first-hand reason for so doing. How- ■ ever be will find he will need a pretty tsar ■ knowledge of ibis subject to pass B.A. ;

while should he aspire to honours in the distant future he will read every Strap of the literature he can get hold of—as some first-class classical honour men of his own cloth have done.

I question much, however, the Eton boy's culture acquired by "knocking off" a Latin verse, when as a rule he is entirely ignorant say of English literature; a subject to which great prominence is rightly given here. Snch culture was a fitting equipment for the medieval monk ; a modern Bishop must be well in touch with the real work and thought of his day if he is to keep tho Church's Head above water. As to his second count. I regret that snch a piece of undisguised snobbery should have been penned by a clergyman. His final reason for sending Home is to get " a gentleman by birth." What sort of creature is this to import into a sane democracy ? Some titled Royal bastard. Some chartered libertine ? Some arrogant idler thrust, perhaps, into the Church for want of aa honest calling? Thank God, young New Zealand disowns such gentlemen by birth. Let us hope when your correspondent gets through his callow underfrad. stage, he will show a manlier spirit. Ye men who have made New Zealand have not been ef this "genteel" type; let him try not to dishonour their memory. As to the question whether there are men in the Church who would be a credit to the Church in lawn sleeves, I feel sure there are such ; it would ill become a layman to mention names, but a man possessing all the qualifications insisted on by your correspondent should not be hard to find. I hope it will not have to be said that in this respect the clergy themselves are the worst enemies of progress.—Yours, &c, A Colonial Master of Arts.