THE DESTITUTE, THE ROADS, AND THE UNEDUCATED.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3509, 14 October 1868, Page 4

THE DESTITUTE, THE ROADS, AND THE UNEDUCATED.

To the Editor of the Daily Southern Cross. SIR,— How CRH we be called a civilised pco t le if we do* not provide for th> above three requireinen Is ' Tue providing for tbe sick and destitute had, by a measure, Leeii attended to, and/ I am still prepared t ) contend, fay as equi able a]ono as auy tax could be and the 'violent cabal against it now turns out to have been nothing iut » mercenary movement,*»nd

the tux made the text for so m»ny splenetic effusions, for the voluntary attempt proves a failure. If a real voluntary effort was to be made, why not try it from houses to house throughout the* | rovince ? Thrn the failure would perhaps have been still more appar nt. Anything nasty and unpleasant is not done voluntarily, and decide ily taxes are both nasty and unpleasant, although absolutely necessary. Well, then, what '- to be done ?— for we cannot stand still and let our old, destitute, and insane (starve ; our roaJs go into disuse j or our young remain in gross ignorance. Why not prepare measures for these requirements previous to die next meetiug of the Provincial Council, or another handle will be given against provincial institutions. The roads I suppose we m<iy cousi ler in a measure provided for, although the Act nquires very considerable alterations, tor that Act which can allow of a public high road (vide Drury and Waiuku road) to be absolutely out of \ise for want of repairs for three mouths, must be a most impei feet Act. Well, then, how to provide f«r the poor. lam nob addressing thoae silly people who simply say, " The Government must do it," for we are the Government. I look upon any poor rat", poll tax, or destitute fund — call it what you like— in the light of a mutual benefit fund, for it is a smal* contribution from the many for the abisolute necessities of the few ; and we may yet a'l in our turn have to become tccipienta of it, and therefore are all interested; at all events those now dependent on us may be. Some will, I dare say, shudder ab the bare idea : still we have during the last few years seen reversss enough iv Auckland to make us believe anything possible. Decidedly the right mi ans is each to provide for a raioy day, and thus render such aid unnecessary. This is a fun dto which what we cull the poor should themselves contribute. Then the education of the young. This again should be provided for by the parents ; but taking into consideration the ignorance and apathy of so many of the parents, and their contentment co leave their children in iguorance, we are driven in selfdefence to stimulate education to prevent a race of thieves and vagabonds growing up amonwst^us, for, depend upon it, igno*wUC9 promotes crime. The mercenary apathy is so great — I speak from practical knowledge in my own neighbourhood— that I know parents, and who are called respectable j ople, who, i! they can extract a few shillings a-week from their very small children picking potatoes, or attending flax mills, will do so instead of their devoting a few hours of their young lives to the important duties of education, which even the children themselves would be glad to do. Well then, a general rate such as a tax of 10s. on each house, or Is. per head per annum ou all the cattle sold by each person, might be levied. I cannot see why there bhould not be one gene .»1 rate for roads, the sick and destitute, and education. Now, do let some stir be made iv th'se matters before the Council meets again. I believe the stir made by many against provincialism is iv fact merely the expense of proviucialism, and it is quite true the enormous expense of it is absurd and almost wanton. But provinces are local self-government ; only some wisb,and perhaps wisely, to become still more localised. We require to cut down both Geueral and Provincial Government expenditure ncrly half — bo small measures, such ai doing away with a subsidy of a few pouuds to a ferry. The making a postage convenience once instead of twice per week is a sham— a very silly one. Any statesman, worth acknowledging as such, must by some means make a sweeping reduction iv our governing expenditure. We old Bu>gers are apt to look to the past and present expenditure of the colony, and the pas,fc and present government, and cannot for the life of us see the enormous advantages derived from this enormous increased expenditure. We have too much government by half, and oinnot stand it much longer. — L am, <fee , J. Cbispe. Mauku, October 6, IS6B.