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Evening Star, Issue 14572, 22 May 1911, Page 4

The appearance of Mr W. H. Hcrrics, member for Tauranga, Mr Merries on the platform at Teat Temuka. muka on Thursday last bad one feature of curious, ironic interest. Tho object of Mr Horrios’s southern campaign is (as he frankly stated) to convert to Opposition views the electors of those constituencies which returned supporters of the Government in 1908. Now, the present Liberal member for tho Geraldine district (which includes Temuka) is Mr T. Buxton; and Mr Buxton is also Mayor of Temuka, and in tho latter capacity ho presided at Mr Herries’s meeting! Needless to say, he took occasion to remark that tho presidential function had no political significance. Mr Hcrrics is a politician of considerable ability, as well as one of the most popular members of tho present Parliament; but it would he flattery to say that his rather gratuitous visitations to the South Island aro likely to produce an appreciable effect upon public opinion. The polemical activity of tho Opposition triumvirate— Messrs Massey, Allen, and Hcrries — has been compared by an enthusiast to the gallant work of the three famous Romans who ‘‘ kept tho bridge so well.” Wo venture to suggest a more apposite analogy, culled from tho classic loro of the nursery: Three wise men of Gotham Went to sea in a bowl; If the bowl had been stronger, My talo had been longer. Wo must pay Mr Hcrries tho compliment of stating that his controversial methods aro much superior to those habitually employed by Mr Massey and Mr Allen. Ho can deliver shrewd strokes, but his attacks on the Government are associated with a spirit of reasonable comity which is too often conspicuously absent from tho utterances of tho Conservative Leader and tho member for Bruce. Nor is this tho only difference: his opinions aro much moro Liberal, much freer from tho taint of mechanical partisanship, than those of the other heads of the wandering triumvirate. Indeed, but for his reactionary views respecting the freehold, he would not ho obviously out of place in tho ranks of the party of progress. On that vital question, however, ho goes all the way with Mr Massey: He would give all Crown tenants the right to convert their holdings to freeholds at any time, possibly in instalments* and he would give lease-in-perpetuity tenants the freehold at tho original value, A Voice: Rot. They will never got it. Mr Herrios: How do you know Sir Joseph Ward will not propose it next session ? A Voice; If he does ho will go out. Good for the i; voice,” say we! On tho other hand, Mr Hcrries holds fairly advanced views on tho necessity of bursting up tho big estates, though he fails to recognise that his Freehold policy would inevitably counteract progressive activity in this respect. Again, he had a good word for the Liberal legislation of tho last twenty years: The country in 1892 had embarked on a Liberal policy which, ho was free to admit, had done an enormous deal of good for tho country in legislation such as the Laud for Settlements Act, the Factories Act, Advances to Settlors Act, and Conciliation and Arbitration Act, but there was not now the same enthusiasm that there was in tho time of Mr ■ Scddon. Wo do not clearly gather whether Mr ‘Herries thinks it a good or a bad thing that tho former enthusiasm in support of Liberal legislation lias (as he alleges) died away. Seeing that that legislation has (by his own showing) “ done an enormous amount of good for the country,” it might bo supposed that ha niabed fox a revival of tho pristine.

progressive zeaL If so, however, can h© serionsly argne that tho promotion of the present Opposition to office would further that end? In another part of his address Mr Herries gave expression to an opinion which shows how widely he differs from the leading men of his party on main issues. Ho is reported to have said that, while he was not in favor of reverting to tho regime of the Railway Commissioners, there was pressing need that tho railway administration should bo entrusted to an up-to-date export, oven if wo had to import one from tho Old Country, and to pay him as much as £4,000 a year. In a way wo are in agreement with the member for Tanranga, and say without hesitation that it is imperative that there should bo a drastic change in tho administration of our railways. Wo are not concerned now in discussing tho causes of tho dissatisfaction and discontent that prevail in the Service, but that tho men are dissatisfied —we had almost written disorganised—is beyond question. It is time that Ministers recognised tho gravity of tho position and took steps to relieve the tension, which, according to some who affect to have inside knowledge, cannot be temporised with much longer. Wc are hopeful that tho Service docs contain a man with sufficient experience—and, above all, with tho requisite courage—to justify his appointment, who should be armed with authority to put right matters that are notoriously out of gear. Rut if there bo not such a man in New Zealand, then the Government must face, tho situation and do pretty much what Mr Homes counsels, oven if we have to tempt him from one of tho great English companies by moans of a very high salary and a definite engagement.

( We commented recently on what, with I some justice, is termed I Snobbery “snobbery in education,” { in as illustrated by tho deI Education, cicion of several of the chief secondary schools in I England not to accept echolarehip boys I from tho county or board schools. Stated very brief!}', the reason wa« that the bright boys of the poorer classes, who have gained scholarships, aro not “ good enough ” in the opinion of wcJJ-to-do parents and (wo regret to add) of their sons also to associate with tho type of lad most frequently found in these high-class public schools. Painful and humiliating as this admission must ho to all sincere lovers of their country, and fraught with danger as it is to its future, there have been other, and possibly equally amazing, utterances and publications in defence of or in harmony with this newlyrevived dogma of educational caste. One English journal was not ashamed to write of the “ almost entire absence of intellectual aptitude among the lower social strata of tho people,” forgetting, as was pointed out, the whole history of the origin and status of great numbers of those who have utilised the educational facilities that were afforded them to carve out a name and a fame for themselves, which have reflected honor both upon tho giver and the recipient. Forgetting, also, wo would remark, such notorious facts as that which Ixnd Haldane recently lamented when he stated that many of the candidates for admission to tho Royal Military Academy are plucked for spelling. Tho poet has said “ Honor and shame from no condition rise,” and the poet is right. Intellectual competence and moral fitness are tho prerogatives of no particular class. Tho ‘Daily Chronicle,’ commenting adversely upon the acts of an Education Department that is now in charge of imliticians of tho paper’s own predilections, save: The beet products of the elementary schools have fought their way with tenacious courage into positions of high importance and great responsibility. How many a board school boy is to-day directing great industries, managing largo businesses, holding his own even in the learned professions against coni[>otitors who have had far ampler opportunities? The son of an artisan who thus fights his way upward against heavy odds and a hostile social environment must have moral, mental, and physical endowments of an unusual order. This is the type of citizen—strong, self-reliant, a hard worker, nu enemy of routine, simple in his testes and Ins life—who enriches a community. . . . Any' attempt at this time of day to confine the working claves rigidly to the elementary schools, and to deny opportunity to tlio brainiest of their sons, is doomed to fail. It simply can't bo clone. The people are supreme, and they won’t stand it. A policy so retrogressive is as futile as it is stupid. The indignation and disgust that wore born of the scholastic policy to which wo have referred were accentuated when the contents of a circular issued by the authority and over the names of tho President of the Board of Education (Mr Runciman) jhkl the Permanent Under-Secretary (Sir Robert Morant) were made nubile. The authorities did not intend that the circular should become public property —it was one of those “private and confidential” affairs that worry tho life out of the unfortunate teacher, who never knows what to expect—nor wookl it have been had not tho member for Chelsea. (Mr Iloaro) brought a copy of it under the notice of the House of Commons. Then “ the fat was in the fire,” to use an expressive colloquialism. Mr Rumanian, a young, able, awl competent educationist, and a Nonconformist to boot, denied that ho know anything about the circular, or that it had been issued by him, although it boro his signature. The Minister followed up this amazing revelation of departmental methods by accusing Mr Hoare of being a receiver of stolen property, because, forsooth, tho document was marked (possibly from a sense of shame) “strictly confidential.’ The ‘British Weekly’—a Liberal paper of tho must strenuous kind—not only ridiculed the Ministerial accusation, but thanked Mr Hoare for what he had done, and promised to publish any other circulars of a similar nature if they were sent to tho ‘British, "Weekly’ office. Tho disclosure, the defence, and tho defiance were followed by most humble apologies. Tho Minister did not approve of tho sentiments of tho circular, while the Permanent Secretary sincerely regretted that it had oven boon sent out, and declared that all copies that could be recalled had been withdrawn. 'The purport of tho circular, known to fame as “the Holmes circular,” after tho chief inspector who issued it, was along those lines of snobbishness and class privilege and of educational closecorporations to which wo have directed attention. It was to the effect that local authorities should not appoint cx-elemont-ary teachers to the higher educational posts, and hi tho course of it Mr Holmes spoke with contempt of tho elementary teachers, and advocated the appointment of graduates at Oxford or Cambridge as local inspectors. The circular was issued at the expense of the Board of Education. Commenting on this document, tho ‘British Weekly ’ wrote: It is impossible to exaggerate its oftensiveness to the great body of certificated teachers in England and Wales, amounting to 91,000. These insults will be remembered and resented for a whole generation. This was nearly six weeks ago; but the agitation and controversy aroused by the incident are still at fever heat. A few days since some 6,000 teachers held a mass meeting to protest against tho insolence and injustice of the proposed policy, and we trust the question will not bo allowed to drop until the causes which led up to it have been ruled out of existence and out of all hope of revival. In England alone does educational snobbery persist to any groat extent. “ It has been the boost and tho salvation of Scotland,” says tho ‘British Weekly,’ “that the son of he may sit on the university benches with tho son of the squire, and may rise to the highest position in tho country.” There can be no pause or cessation in the onward march until the same can be said of England, where, in the voa&t flt Chrpniclp,* the

competition of the pfebs has accentuated enobbism which is the least lovely trait in the fine English character. These episodes, in common with much eke, are largely the outcome of an odious class feeling, which in many ways and forms is resisting to the uttermost the ultimate triumph of that new spirit which has for its motive tho destruction of sectional prejudices and privileges, and the inaugunution of an era of equal opportunities for all.

Mr E. Godfred, one of the J.P.s recently apointed at Port Chalmers, took his seat on the bench for the first time at the local court this morning. A first offender, charged with drunkenness, was convicted and discharged. The feriy steamer Maori being late in arriving at Lyttelton on Saturday morning, a party of West Coasters missed the Midland train. They were anxious to get home, so they hired a motor car, overtook Cassidy’s coach at the Bealey, and arrived at Grcymouth the same evening. A good story was told by one of the speakers at tho Home Rule demonstration in tho Princess Theatre, Hastings, last week, by way of illustrating one of his arguments. He related how, in a part of Ireland where motor cars were detested by tho country gentry, and whore every effort was made to suppress the innovation, a motorist was haled before tho bench of local magnates charged with furious driving. The defendant proved conclusively that he was going up a steep hill when stopi>cd by the rural constable, that his machine was old and could scarcely negotiate the rise at a crawl, and, further, that on a good, level road it was not capable of even ten miles an hour. These facts being established beyond doubt, tho defendant confidently awaited judgment. Tho Bench retired for consultation, and on returning to court dismissed the charge of furious driving, but lined tho motorist £lO, with costs, for loitering. “Our Own” at Lawrence wires:—Tho Hon. R. M’Kenzie’s amended itinerary provides for his staying at Lawrence till Thursday morning, reacliing Roxburgh on Thursday night and Ophir on Friday night His subsequent movements have not yet been finally scheduled, but he will visit Balclutba and Invercargill next week. In presiding at a banquet tendered at Hawera to tho Irish delegates, the Rev. Father Power (who presided) said that if there was anyone present at that gathering who represented Rome it was himself, but the envoys would not tolerate Rome—a bit of pleasantry that provoked general laughter. But he wanted their guests to take a message Homo to Ireland, winch was the one country which had never persecuted for conscience’ sake, even if they include young countries like New Zealand. His message to the people of Ireland was that when they' get Horne Rule they' will not oppress tho minority. In education they must devise a law that will not press too heavily on tho minority. Ho had tho utmost confidence that the wit and wisdom of Irishmen would be able to doviso such a law, though they raid hero that they could not do that. A man who has spent his lifetime in touch with the Maoris, and is thoroughly familiar with them, urges, through the Wanganui Press, that the young Maoris should bo given a place in the universal training scheme. At the. present time, ho says, the young natives, with hut few exceptions, spend their time in loafing, cigarette smoking, and, as ho puts it, "doing anything but work.” Ho considers that defence training would at least give them sometlung to take a live interest in, and would wean them, for part of their lime at least, from idle habits, and bo better for them morally as well as physically, besides providing a defence asset of considerable value. The nether garments of the Now South Wales police force are to bo white no longer. Tho practice of wearing white duck pants (which has always tickled the sense of humor of New Zealanders visiting Sydney) during summer has caused frequent * protests, among other reasons, because they are not deemed as cool as they look, and if they collect any spots they proclaim the fact with uncompromising i cons-picuousnoss. It is now decreed by the Acting Chief Secretary that white trousers shall no longer ho worn, and tho ideal of a man in blue shall bo preserved intact all tho year round. It is also understood that tho dross tunic (rarely used) is to go out, and that a new pattern of jumper, with two breast pockets, is to came in. A Now Zealander arrested in Sydney last week had thirteen tumblers in his hip pockets when ho was taken to the police station. Ho accounted for them by saying that ho had bought them for Is from a stranger in tho street. Tho magistrate, however, fined him 40s for having goods in his possession which he was suspected of having stolen. The Aberdeen engineer who was presented by the King recently with a medal for the bravest act of 1910 was interviewed by a London pressman, who wanted to hear tho story of his heroism. " I canna toll ye ouythlng aboot it,” said tho modest Scot. “It wis a’ ower afore I kont. Tlio hide thing has fairly gi’en mo tho pip.” The Supreme Court observed to-day as a holiday, it being the anniversary of the proclamation of British sovereignty over New Zealand. A sitting in divorce will open to-morrow. There are four divorce cases for hearing. A sitting in Bankruptcy will bo taken on Friday. His Honor Mr Justice Williams leaves for Invercargill on Monday to take the criminal ana civil sittings there. His Honor Mr Justice Sira leaves for Christchurch on Thursday for the sitting of the Arbitration Court there tho following day. Cr Sullivan (chairman of tho City Council Water Committee), accompanied by the mayor (Mr Burnett) and the town clerk, inspected on Saturday tho 75 acres recently acquired by the Corporation in the Upper Leith Valley watershed. It is proposed to plant tho whole area in spring, and tho preliminary work of digging and cutting into sections is now being prosecuted. In the <arly spring, too, the Committee will commence tho work of repairing tho intake at tho Ross Creek reservoir, and in (ho meantime tho surrounding area is being piped to prevent pollution of tho water- at the bands of the many picnic parties that take their pleasure in the vicinity. Tho Minister of Education is quite prepared to accept the challenge of tho Leader of the Opposition, but he considers it pure bluff. “ When Mr Massey gets his guarantee of travelling expenses completed,” adds Mr Fowlds, ” 1 shall be prepared to favorably consider tho proposal. I notice that ho was discreetly silent on the principal char-go I brought against him in that sjrccch: that was that he had appealed to the foreign money-lenders to put the squeeze on New Zealand. I hope tho farmers and settlers in tiro back-blocks will take notice of that fact, because a stoppage of money for making roads and bridges is likely to do more serious injury to them than tho presence of a Single Tax Minister in the Cabinet.” It has been decided to form a Pacific Literary and Debating Club in the Borough of St. Klida. The first president is Mr H. M. Ewing, and the secretary and treasurer is Mr J. E. Green. Tho membership has been restricted to forty. Tho Minister of Works and Mines, accompanied by Mrs MTvonzio, Miss M‘Kenzie, and his private secretary (Mr M'Namara), reached town on Saturday night, and this morning proceeded to Lawrence, where for three days he will represent the Government at tho Gabriel’s Gully jubilee celebrations. On Thursday ho will proceed to Roxburgh and Blacks, but at tho end of tho week ho will visit Southland and make a detailed inspection of tho public works in course of construction in that district. On his return to Dunedin ten days hence he will spend a day hero, and then go on to Ida Valley to inspect the site of tho projected commencement of irrigation works in Central Otago.

Thoro will apparently bo plenty of Richmonds in tho field for tho Gerald ino seat. Besides tho sitting member (Mr Buxton) thoro will bo Mr W. Jeffries (hie opponent at tbo last General Election), Mr J. T. M. Hayhurst, and Mr Armytage, all declared Oppositionists, but the chances are that there will bo some weeding out before nomination day.

The average daffy attendance at the Carnegie Public Library for tho' week ended Saturday, May 20, was 553 persons. We are in a position to state that the Royal Commission (of which Mr Coom was chairman) who inquired into the North of Auckland railway route have completely vindicated the action of the Minister of Works, who two years ago authorised a deviation of the line to too westward of what is locally known as “The Gap,” and tapping the country in tho neighborhood of the Otamatea River. As a sidelight it may be mentioned that tho bridge over tho Otamatea River, which, according to some witnesses was to cost the country between £40,000 and £45,000, will be constructed for about £21,000. The report ■will bo presented to Parliament in due course. The child, tho parent, the grandparent, all are assured of a good likeness with the most exquisite finish at moderate charge at Acme Photo, George street. ’Phone S6s.—[Advt.] No softer or more beautiful effects in photo portraiture can be seen anywhere than in tho showcases in vestibule of Morris, photo, grapher, Princes street. Telephone 859. — [Advt.] Speight’s ale and stout aro acknowledged by tho Dominion public to be the best on the market. —[Advt,]