NATIVE SCHOOLS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3208, 28 October 1867, Page 3

NATIVE SCHOOLS.

To the Editor of the Daily Southern Cross. Sib, — I must ask you to be so good aa to give insertion to a few lines in reply toMr. McHhone's letter, which appears in the Daily Sottthebn Ceoss of this date. Personally, I know very little of the matter at issue, but a careful consideration of Mr. Eolleston's report upon the native schools in this province certainly leads me to the conclusion that the system as at present carried out is an utter failure, and that a considerable amount of public money is being uselessly expended. My object, however, in writing is not to discuss the conduct of native schools in general, or of St. Mary's College in particular, but to express my unqualified dissent from the statement of your correspondent that Mr. Holleston is incompetent to judge of the status or the requirements of a school. I know of no one in the colony who has taken more interest in the subject of education generally than the present TJnder-Secretary for Native Affairs. Whereever he is known, he is allowed to be a gentleman of vast literary acquirements and'executive powers, and he has, lam aware, for some time past, given much attention to the subject of native schools. lam convinced, therefore, from these considerations, as well as from considerable personal knowledge of Mr. Rolleston, that no gentleman more qualified either to make an inspection of the schools, or to draw up a ,fair and impartial report upon them, could have been selected by the Government. In conclusion," the general tone of Mr. Mcllhone's letter leads me to fear that there must be more truth in the " tissue of falsehoods " contained in " the Southern swell's" report than is I palatable to the manager of St. Mary's College. —I have, &c, 4uo^land t Qototar 20, \Wt . „ \r , ' .