The Evening Star SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1884.

Evening Star, Issue 6708, 27 September 1884, Page 2

The Evening Star SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1884.

The Government intend apparently to pro- | ceed on the principle that if any points of I their policy, when enunciated, are not found to suit, "they km be altered," The Premier, in the Ministerial Statement of September .", intimated the intention of jettisoning pretty nearly his whole cargo of theories, with a view, we suppose, to saving the ship; and now we have the Colonial Treasurer exhibiting a most amiable complaisance in regard to his financial proposals when any of them are found not exactly to suit the taste of the House, Some time ago Barnum had among the celebrities of his world-famed exhibition an india-rubber man, so designated from the extraordinary flexibility of his joints, which enabled him, without inconvenience, to tie himself* into' knots and go through all sorts of contortions. Ministers as" a body would seem to have all this flexibility, and capable: of tho most complicated political copter-" tions. They might with some propriety be '

!<'!•: J the Caoutchouc Cabinet. Among principal alterations" proposed in the Estimates was one in regard to the expendit are on State education. In the Financial Statement we find this declaration: "As "regards the Department of Education, we "think the time has come when the large "annual increase of scholars renders it unnecessary to allow the extra capitation fee " of 5a a-head outside of the provision made "in the Act. This reduc ion we propose "shall commence with the last quarter in "the year, so that it will only amount to "Is 3d ahead. Wo shall ask the House " to except from it the schools in the WestMaud Provincial District, the funds of "which are somewhat contracted." At the time we characterised this as a most unreasonable and ill-advised proposal from beginning to end ; but there is little doubt it was made with a deliberate design beyond the mere saving of a comparatively insignificant amouut to the revenue. It may possibly have been thought that a majority of the House was not disinclined to cripple the operation of the education system, and that thus the way would be paved' for alterations in the principle of the Act. Be this, however, as it may, we are not inclined to serious argument on conjecture, and we arequite sufficiently pleasedand satisfied with tiie rapidity evinced by the Treasurer in swallowing this obnoxious portion of his policy. On Thursday Sir Julius Vooei, announced that, in view of the strong expressions of feeling against the reduction in the appropriation for primary education, the Government had resolved not to abide by that proposal, and that the vote this year for capitation money would be taken on the same scale as heretofore, i.e., £4 per head on the average daily attendance. This retraction, although both sensible and timely, did not pass without unpleasant comment. Mr Tubnbull, a decided Ministerialist, remarked that if the Government would depart from their oWn proposals in this way the House could not depend upon any proposals which might be brought down. Our own idea is that consistency in the wrong is by no means a quality to be admired either in Ministries or individuals. Sir Julius had the tact to realise that a false step had been made, and sagaciously drew back before much mischief had been done. As to whether a tentative see-how-far-you-can go policy is likely to impair confidence with Parliament and the is quite another matter. Whore there is no respect there can be little confidence, and it does not socni to us probable that a policy of shreds, patches, concessions, and retractions is calculated to inspire confidence or to give grounds for hopeful anticipation. The action of the Government in the covert attempt, happily defeated, to subvert the integrity of the educational system, is but one indication of the determination in certain quarters to effect this subversal. We have during the last few years—since, indeed, the Grey Minstry distinguished their tenure of office by the confiscation of the South Island Land Fund—raised a warning voice as to the danger to which our educational reserves are exposed. These endowments are a tempting bait to Colonial Treasurers in search of new sources of revenue, and to the hungry politicians of the Northern districts, wherein no provision has been made for higher education. A Northern Ministry, such as the present practically is, being under the thumb of Sir George Grey, is the opportunity of those who cherish such evil designs; and we are not surprised, therefore, to find on the Order Paper of the House of Representatives notices of motions which distinctly aim at the absorption ot all educational endowments into the general revenue. These resolutions are not tabled by members of any influence or position in the House, but they nevertheless indicate unmistakeably the tone of the feeling on tho matter generally, which in former sessions has found expression through Mr Siieehan. It behoves the representatives of Otago and Canterbury, more especially, to keep a sharp look-out, and to firmly resist the very smallest insertion of the thin edge of the wedge, which, once inserted, would soon be driven home.