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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXV, Issue 168, 17 July 1891, Page 2

MbWabd, the present Postmaster General, first made himself widely kaown by his success iu carrying a motion in the House of Bepresentatives condemning the San Francieco mail service. His grounds of objection were set out at considerable length in a speech in the House. Ho considered the seivice too expensive a, luxury for the colony, and pointed out the superiority of the com • meroial benefibs derived from the direct steam servioe to England. The Sun Francisco steamers were said to be almost useless aa meaos of carrying merchandise, and he held lha arrangement to be of much more sevioe to the United States, which paid nothing, than to New Zealand, whioh paid a great deal. It is singular that it should ba Mr Ward's lot shortly after becoming a Minister to propose the continuance of the service for a definite period of three years. Circumstances have no doubt changed considerably, but still most of the arguments whioh he formerly uaed against spending publio money on the servioe are as good now aa they were when he used them. The measure whioh proposed to grant State aid to private schools has been defeated in the House of Representatives by a large majority, The decision was in no way; a party one, even members of the Government baking opposite sides. A strong appeal was made to the Houbo by Mr Perceval to consider the oase i of the Eoman Catholics, who Qannot conscientiously use the State schools, and have at great cost provided for the sducation. of their own. children. But the ippeal was of no avail. The Minister of Education followed in the wake of bis predecessors, and maintained that to pass che bill would be fatal to the system of State aducation, and the majority of members on both eidcß of the House agreed with him, Ii is now evident that in the present Parliament it least the Roman Catholioa have no chance of getting what they have been demanding for many years. Possibly they may try again aaoh session, bub in the faoe of the majority this morning it is evident that there will be do change b afore the nexG general eleotion.