POSTSCRIPTS.

Evening Star, Issue 4966, 1 February 1879, Page 1

POSTSCRIPTS.

The result of the deputation which the other day waited on Ministers relative to. the establishment of a fifth puolic school'in Dunediri is very encouraging ! The proceedings may be thus summarised: The old Supreme Court buildings cannot be made available because, according to Mr Maoandrew, "it is quite out of the question. ~" Mr Stout suggested a site in York place, which happens t6 be a reserve for general educational purposes, and consequently is not to be got; b«ing, 'moreover, from position and character, utterly unfit for the purpose. The narrow strip of greiihd occupied by the pound at the-Water of 'Leitb>-was mentioned.. This, it la leasehold with not very titled deputation did not exactly, see,their, way, and after advocating several other ,j; sites?, which did not; happen to belong to them, expressed their 'thanks to Ministers and withdrew !■ An outsider -might"fancy"JtKai the fifth school will riot be' built' for a wliile'i . It is altogether too bad! of .a morning* temporary to. endeavor to '.."draw"''that •venerable "badger" the hon. the Mime&J for Public Works. Like the objects to display! himself needlessly to "his votaries. " Peradventure he is sick, or is on a journey, or sleepeth;" At auy rate- Ire seems determined not'to show up-politically just at present. Giving the Ministry, as we do, what. Lord Palmerston used to designate a general support,- we--yerv much regret this, feeling sure that 4 iew mystic waves of the fingers and the presentation of glowing' pictures of the past, the present;" and the future would do away with many misapprehensions which now afliict the public, mind. Many of Hi's constituents would.like to know how.far Mr Macandrew agrees with the Premier and Attorney-General upon "equality of rights and conditions," imposiug special taxation upon landholders, handing over the political power of the Colony to ignorant Maoris, and other fads of those enlightened politician's. There are lots of things people "would like to know." ■'• - - -■-,

The Varley hose was, after all, not turnjti on at the School Committee election meeting to damp .the ardor of the Secularists as - : 1khI been vaingloriously announced that if should and would be. Wiser councils prevailed, and the better course was pursued of whipping up safe voters and keeping an eye on shaky adherents in the hall. There has been, in fact, so much " awakening " and "enlightening" of late in our City that the zeal of many is waxing faint, and the last sensation evidently does not draw notwithstanding the big red placards which remind one forcibly of the announcements displayed in Spain before a -bullfight. It might almost be supposed that this was a heathen country from the number of missionaries who seem to have a call to visit us. Without any disrespect to these reverend peripatetics, we would suggest that Dunedin is amply supplied with regular ministers holding views to suit every possible theological taste; but that there are extensive fields of laborin the great Australian- cities;and in the Home country-JjGflas-gow, to" wit, where.the. harvest is the power, of laborers'", to-gather^iu.^^.^ Great is the jubilation in certain quarters over theSchtwlVOe'mhiftteeV election for the •Dunedin district._ i lt hj couutedas a "score " and the Board- is .exultanilyheld" alpft'and pointed to. Did .the new committee'tfeally represent the opinion of the. citizens fchlre might be something to ..."boast ofjt sidenng they only represent or at the most one-twelfth, -e-ven- -of f . bmici fiJe householders, not to speak of 'stray 1 electors who have votes as;" parent's.atfd gaaraians," there is hot much ihit. < The drum' Ecclesiastical has been beaten, . in; attracting; the -big crowds at did or yore. The fact is people'are genefall'y. ; quite aware that under the Education Committees, have no real power whafeyer except to do a lot of troublesome detail work

gratuitously and to be snubbed by the Education Board, and they are supremely indifferent consequently about 'who' may be elected. We await with some satisfaction the rending of garments and; gnashing of 1 teeth likely to be superinduced upon -th'e attempt to,sparry out practically the BibTe-in- ; schools-ont-of-schjbl-hoursAssooiatibr.tieket.' There will undoubtedly be a scramble for the bell; but how abeut the cat ? ,: The Government, being determined that the method of election of School Committees shall no longer be stigmatised as the most stupid ever conceived, have«by-an Ordor-in-Council issued regulations for the election of members of the Harbor Board under the Act of 1878, which at once take the p<is of clumsiness, so far as regards effecting the desired object of fair representation of the interests involved. Mr Keith Ramsay spoke very warmly on the subject at 'the" meeting of the Board on Thursday, and expressed his decided opinion that the arrangement could not be accounted forexcept on the supposition that it was ,desired to cause as much inconvenience as possible. This we are quite convinced is by no means the case. It is merely another „instance of neglect of things material which have. not a direct bearing upon politics which characterises the action of the Liberal (?) Ministry. What.do they care so long as the yearnings, of the human race for liberty are satisfied and future ages are conveniently provided- r for?" The Native difficulty ; does not by any means appear to be settled, 'notwithstanding the guslfing assurances of Ministers and their special and highly -independent, organs. There is no reasonable doubt now that ridiculous terms telegraphed - .by the Press Agency as haviug been submitted by Rewi were really and truly the ideas of settlement entertained by that worthy savage, who is evidently off hig head owing to the flattering consideration ■ with ; which he has ■ been treated by Sir George Grey and Mr Sheehan. All this nice old gentleman wants is the sole control tbf' all: the land he gave over years ago to Potatau, the first > kin» of all dwellers thereon, European' and Maori. i: Pleasanifthis for the former ! 'The power of making what laws_ he pleases ; to be in force within such territory, which includes nearlyrall the settled'part of the. Waikato and seyeral townships-—Alexandra amongst them ! Mr Sheehan. instructed a positive denial to be given~to~this as absolutely withoutffonndAtion and false in every possible respect; but 1 the Press Agency correspondent returned to the charge,- and wired " The report is perfectly correct. Such are Bewi's ideas of settlement with the Government, so _ far as 'i can believe the words of three thoroughly-reliable Europeans and Natives who had it from ILewi's o\vn

lips." Oddiy enough', 'the.. matter has dropped at this point—at least no authoritative information has been published here. Possibly the.:'Daily-Times ' is. in disgrace; : as having considerably, cooled on' the Ministerial ardor which used to inspire its ■column?!: It is certainly curious that there has been-no. denial "on authority" ! A morning contemporary had the other day a mysterious allusion to colonial journals pirating leading articles from American publications. * We have no manner of objection to American.publications pirating from our columns. What we do object to is having articles cribbed under our very noses, made a little mysterious and ungramniatical, and then trumpeted forth as original conceptions of matters political. On Saturday evening in one of our suburban municipalities a concert under the auspices ■of a religious ..body was being'given in a building which -is. iised for meetings and entertainments of various descriptions; and two small boys of a musical turn of mind, being unable to raise sufficient money to pay for their admission, determined on enjoying the expected treat on the cheap. Kuqwing the facilities which the building in question offers to anyone having their laudable object in view, they quietly approached it, and softly raising one of the windows from the outside they were immediately in a position to hear all that was going on. Just at that moment the reverend clergyman was opening the proceedings! with prayer, and, after listening for a few minutes,, one boy turned to the other and in an injured tone and with an expression ot great disgust said t> the other "What a sell, Bill; this aint'no concert—it's something to do with the Road Board!" They then slammed the window down and withdrew abruptly. Possibly the ■chairman had been referring.to the "broad road " and the " narrow road " of which we xead.