OPINIONS.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 199, 22 September 1888, Page 3

OPINIONS.

“ Opinions may be worn on both sides like a leather jerkin.” (Contributed.] THE CHANNEL TUNNEL. In moving the second reading of the Channel Tunnel Bill, a member of the British House of Commons advocated the tunnel as a second line of supply for food and raw material in the event of any naval disaster. It is just as well to be prepared for the worst; it is now twenty-three years since this channel tunnelling was first brought before the English public, and still the question is an undecided one. Even if it were impossible for a foreign invader to obtain possession of the English end of the tunnel (supposing it constructed), it would not be impossible for the enemies we have at Home to seize it—so argued one in op. position. this is suggestive. The tunnel would cost an enormous sum of money, and as an additional means of defence to the country, it would prove most likely a source of weakness. It is a little remarkable that the tunnelling of the Channel is advocated by civilians, who generally sneer at the opinions obtained from the military authorities on the subject. As a case in illustration of the control of a similar work, it is known that in the crisis of the Franco-German war, Marshal MacMahon gave orders that the tunnels of the Voges should be blown up, as had been arranged beforehand, to retard the advance of the enemy, but the engineer who received the orders hesitated to destroy those fine engineering works, and the Germans seized and used them. Can England be sure that her channel, if constructed, would fare better in its controlling authorities in the event of war. edison’s latest novelty. Altogether, our experiences of the day have been so delightful and unusual, not to say supernatural, that it makes it difficult to realise that we have not been dreaming Very well done, dear old Colonel Gouraud, agent in London, England, for Edison’s perfected phonograph. Oh yes, send it to London first by all means; there is moie loose cash in London than there is in New York. Dreaming, Colonel Gouraud ! not a bit, dear Sir ; you were and are wide awake. Fancy a wee bit of a cylinder rotating on a spindle rattling off, as the astute Colonel says, “An exquisite poem on the ‘ own story ’ of the phono graph: even a baby recognised the voice.” That is a sweet testimonial I Ah I there’s more to come; hush! listen; round twirls your handle; pianoforte fantasia, cornet obligato ; aye, and omnium gatherum instruments, solos, and duets if you please. And all this, presto ! change! ten days after the instrument breathed in the iron ear of the magic whirligig and at a distance from the place of rebeais&l of a long 3000 miles of salt sea foam. Well, Sir, this is altogether prodigious. EDUCATION ! —EDUCATION ! Twenty-three select and selected individuals on the Education Commission, appointed two years ago, have just brought up a grand voluminous, and admirably complete report. Protestant, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, and all others are represented in the personnel of the inquirers. Viscount Cross, chairman; Cardinal Manning, Sir John Lubbock, the Bishop of London, etc. The report consists of nine parts, each part complete in itself, comprising an account of education during the last fifty years of our history. With part Four, our attention is arrested, and with a great and especial reason we read, “ The Commission has taken the opportunity to pronounce with great definition and decision the importance of religious and moral training and teaching.” They say again, “It is of the highest importance that all children should receive religious and moral training, and this cannot be amply provided for other wise than through the medium of elementary schools ” And further on, “ While differing widely in our view* concerning religious truth, we are persuaded that the only safe foundation on which to construct a theory of morals or secure high moral conduct, is the religion which Jesus Christ has taught the world.” This is very remarkable, and surely deserves the attention of all honest men and conscientious women. Again, the Commissiuners say, u Thus, we look to the Bible for instruction concerning morals, and take its words for the declaration of what is morality, so we look to the same inspired source for the sanctions by which men may be led to prac tice what is there taught, and for instruction concerning the helps by which they may be enabled to do what they have learnt to be right.” Thia closing sentence is everyway most admirably conclusive. There are two “ burning points ” to this Education question—one, “ religious ” instruction during the usual school hours, the other, denominational schools, supported by Government. The experience generally, exceedingly saddening and premonitory of looming troubles ahead, gained during the last past half generation, that is since the passing of the Education Acts of 1870, are disquieting the higher class of statesmen throughout our Empire; and the cases of the state of the colonies are held up in warning to cause the less able of our rulers to “ tak tent ” ere too late. The larrikinkm, extravagance, go-aheadism, amounting to recklessness, indebtedness, etc., of the British colonies are now traceable, and most unmistakeably so, to our systems of public iustruction. Now, dear sir, do not think that the above is my own unsupported opinion ; it is not. Although the opinions of me British Education Commission are exactly in agreement with my own, still it is an opinion that I have always held, and on suitable occasions have maintained. The Roman Catholic Church has always strongly opposed the “ godless school ” system, but there is every symptom of being too late in attending to its opposition just now, since there is a generation half way through its career on its path to—to—what must one say ? To prosperity or adversity, which ? The report makes a wise suggestion condemning the employment of young children in theatres, and recommends the application of the Factory Acts to theatrical employment. We should like to see this brought to the notice of New Zealand’s House of Kepreseutativea. OPERATION OF SKINNING A STONE. Seizing a workhouse with all its goods and chattels for balance of account due to a creditor for goods supplied. Ah ! that happened in Ireland. . Well, what of that ? Only this, that Paddy has a droll way of coming at his own. Only compare, suppose that the Gisborne Hospital were seized by a tradesman for goods supplied, but to whose oft repeated accounts rendered no returns were made by trustees. Well, it would be scandalous ;to be sure it would. P.S. The sweating horror is still dragging its slow death horrors, along withits vigorous denials, before the Lords' committee; more sorrows, more “ necessary ” heartlessness disclosed in the crashing crush for existence.