FIFTY YEARS AGO

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 111, 6 November 1937, Page 17

FIFTY YEARS AGO

ITEMS FROM THE

"POST"

THE FINANCIAL POLICY

"We., dp. not profess to be, in the slightest degree in the confidence of •the Ministry, and we believe they have done their best to keep their intentions secret, but still we have a very strong suspicion as to what-the main features of the financial proposals will • ije,"1 remarks "The Post" of this date fifty years ago. "In ' the first place there will be a deficiency of nearly £400,000 to be faced, and-a million loan, early next year will be inevitable, but a pledge will be given not to. ask for any more for three years. To give some semblance of probability . "of this promise being kept, reductipns to the extent of about £300,000 a year >viH be indicated, but not announced in detail so far as regards the several Departments, the estimates being framed on the old scale, but a lump sum being taken off each Department, the Minister in charge having to adjust the reductions as he 'thinks fit. The Education Vote will probably be reduced by about £75,000, which will 1 be saved by raising the school age to six years and reducing the capitation grant by at least five shillings per head, further reduction being hinted at as possible when Ministers have had time to consider the matter more fully. A large, number of district stamp, land, and deeds offices will be abolished. The permanent defence force will be reduced to about 300 garrison artillery and torpedo men. The San Francisco service will riot be dealt with at present as the contract still has a long time, to run. The Crown and Native Lands Eating Act will be repealed.and also the Loans to Local Bodies Act The property tax will be raised to one penny, and something in the shape of a mild income tax will be levied on those not liable to the property tax. Ministers' salaries and the honorarium will be reduced, the Legislative Council being asked to be content with fifty guineas, while the members of the Lower Chamber will receive £ 150. Country volunteers will be deprived of capitation, and that of garrison corps will be reduced, the staff also being considerably cut down. The Public Works Department will be amalgamated with the Workirrg Kail-f ways Department, and like it charged to revenue instead of to loan. A very limited list of public works, which being now in progress it is desirable; to complete, will.be brought down, and their progress; will depend on the money from time to time, available, ■without further borrowing. The cost of the Survey Department will be considerably reduced; and an effort made to increase the land revenue by cash sales, while local bodies will have to depend for means largely, upon a proportion of sales on deferred payment. A promise, to revise the tariff next session will be given. Such, we", believe, will be the salient points of Major Atkinson's financial policy." THE EDUCATION VOTE! 1 "The raising of the school age to.six years is one' of those half-measures not likely to satisfy anyone. Those who, like Sir'Robert'Stout, belieye * the present system of education to be'absolutely perfect—a thing top sacred to be touched,. and noj; susceptible _ofc- 'improvemeiit^wiii^of ? Qdurse' 'resetit-.the interference, "slight"though it may -be. On the other hand, those who, like ourselves, believe the present system to be far too elaborate, arid greatly in excess of the requirements and means of the colony, will be dissatisfied that the alteration is not- a much more radical one. The proposed change will be strongly opposed by the one class and coldly supported by the other. The Government would have done better to have acted more boldly, and to have at-onco raised the school ago from five to seven, and to have made the fourth standard the limit of absolutely free education. Seven is, we, believe, quite early enough for children to be subjected to the regular study and strict discipline oi a public school. If the school age were fixed at seven, we believe that private enterprise would very quickly supply any sort of preliminary school which might be required. With regard to the higher standards,, we hold most decidedly that the State amply fulfils its duty in providing free education up to the limits of the - fourth standard. No higher education than this is required to qualify for the intelligent pursuits which a vast majority of the children attending the State schools must necessarily follow or for which they are intellectually fitted. Beyond the fourth standard, fees should be charged if the education of the children is to be carried to a higher point. At the same time we would provide liberally for the carrying on of free instruction for all exceptionally clever children by means of small scholarships slightly over the fees for the higher standards, so that no promising career might be checked, or the promise of intellectual superiority be blighted through the inability of parents to pay the fees. Had the Government carried their educational proposals to the extent we have advocated, they might well have saved another £100,000 a year without at all impairing the real efficiency of the system, inflicting injustice on any class of the community, or, in the slightest degree failing in the duty which properly devolves upon the State to provide for the education of-the people." - % DEATH OF JENNY LIND. "The death is announced of Madame Goldschmidt (Jenny Lind), the celebrated vocalist, at the age of 66 years. It may be said with truth that no prima donna ever so thoroughly endeared herself to English people as Jenny Lind. . During the few years she appeared before London audiences she created a perfect furore, and she gained her admirers as much :by her sweet and unaffected manner as by the unequalled brilliancy of her vocal powers. The story of the great Grisi, bursting with jealousy* going to hear her young rival sing, and ending her visit by kissing her affectionately, is well known. Jenny Lind was born in Stockholm in 1821, and entered the training school of music at the age of nine. After successfully singing children's parts on the stage until her twelfth year, she partly lost her voice, and gave up singing .for four years, ir/ieanwhile studying instrumental music. It was then discovered that k<?r voice had returned in all its beauty, *nd she began to sitg once more in public, appearing first as Agatha in 'Der Freischulz.' She then went to Paris, where she studied under Garcia and Meyerbeer, and after a time returned to Stockholm, where she was received with great enthusism. In 1814 she went to Dresden, and proceeded afterwards to all the principal towns in Germany, everywhere meeting with rapturous approval. She first appeared in London in 1847 as Alice in 'Robert le Diable," and here, as three years later in America, was acknowledged by all as the first singer of the day. While in America she married M. Otto Goldschmidt, with whom she returned to Europe in 1852, living first at Dresden and. afterwards, at Wimbledon,' near London. On' her marriage she retired from the stage, but reappeared at various concerts in Bid of charities up to 1866. Since then phe has' not appeared in public"