THE New Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENDO. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1875.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4409, 31 December 1875, Page 2

THE New Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENDO. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1875.

The Board of Education received a few days ago the disagreeable intelligence that the General Government could not find the money they were led to expect as a building fund. The letter of the UnderSecretary conveying this intelligence was read at tlo Board meeting yesterday, and elicited a short discussion ending in a resolution to appoint Messrs. Campbell and Luckie n a committee to frame a further statement to the Colonial Secretary on the subject. There is no subject in which a wider interest is felt and there are few that will ca" se greater disappointment if the funds are not forthcoming.

We cannot believe that the decision communicated to the Board is final, and, with tlio Board, declino to regard it in that light. So far as we remember the circumstances, the correspondence began with the General Government. They wished to know from the Board—somewhere in September last—what sum would be required to enable them to conduct efficiently the work of education in the " Provincial district of Auckland." The reply was a full statement of the affairs shewing that between £13,000 and £14,000 would be required to meet the current expenses of the schools and Board, and £25,000 for school buildings. Then came the deputation to Dr. Pollen when in Auckland, and the proceedings connected with which were fully reported in our columns at the time. Not a word was said to lead to the smallest doubt that a sum would bo forthcoming. The only question was the amount and its reduction to the smallest possible sum. For this purpose elaborate statements and details were compiled and laid before the Colonial Secretary. Nothing further appears to have been heard of it till the letter 'we publish to-day, announcing that the money could not be got at all. The Abolition of Provinces Act does not come into operation till the first day after the end of the next session. Hence the Government had not taken the intended vote for school buildings, and lience there was no money available. Surely this must have been as well known months ago, when the correspondence was opened by the General Government as it is now, and expectation ought not to have been raised merely to be disappointed. Of the absolute need of school buildings in the City there can be no doubt. The health of the children and the health of the teachers demand the buildings which Auckland, alone of all the provinces, great or small, is loft without. The wretched little hired buildings used for school purposes are inadequate and unsuitable. In the hot weather they r.re especially so, and the cause of education is lowered and injured by them to a degree not easily overrated. While Canterbury and Otago, AVellington, Nolson, and even Napier and Taranaki are well suppli d with fine, airy, and well-ap-pointed schools, why should Auckland, with lier great population and great contribution to the general revenue be left out in the cold 1 We cannot see what the erection of school buildings has to do with the abolition of provinces at all. The money to be devoted to it is neither the property of the General nor of the Provincial Governments. It is the property of the people of the colony and of the people of this in proportion at least to the large contribution to the revenue taken from their pockets. They have a right to it and we cannot see how any Government, having only the good of the people at heart, can take any other view of the question. It is their bounden duty to find those school buildings. The Education Board is not in any sense a political body, and has nothing to do with the Abolition Act in this matter. Nor should the negotiations have been suffered to go so far had it been the intention to fall back on the omission of the sum from the Appropriation Act. Such an omission could only have been accidental and, as Mr. Luckie justly observed at the meeting of the Board, there could be no risk in the Go- , vemrient taking on itself the responsibility of remedying the oversight. So palpable is this to our mind, that we cannot believe the Government intend to take their stand on the point raised and make the people of this province suffer seriously for another year on account of an omission for which they are not in the least degree responsible. Most probably the Board, if .they persevere, will lind the Government only too glad to be pressed and to be justified by that pressure in taking upon themselves the very slight responsibility which will enable them to do a permanent and solid good work in the erection of the school buildings so much needed, and the absence of which is felt to be a standing disgrace to the province.

We do not suppose that there will be much jubilation ov«r tlio battle which was won in City East yesterday. The gentleman who wa3 defeated is too much respected as a man of high ability and character, for even those who opposed him to feel exultation at his discomfiture. Both sides worked hard, but the winning side had the advantage of a better, more carefully prepared organisation, missing no possible advantage which they could secure. The opinions of both candidates are so nearly alike on all important questions affecting the Province of Auckland, that we believe, if both men were in the House, they would be found in nearly every case in the same division lobby. Mr. Clark, during his candidature, has greatly increased the impression entertained of his abilities, not only in the city but throughout the province, and we hope that he will not abandon the idea of becoming one of the representatives of the province of Auckland. Mr. Rees has been in the eye of the City East electors for some considerable time, and has attracted sympathy for the courage hs I showed in confronting the almost omnipotent Sir Julius Vogel, questioning his policy, and challenging liim to the contest. We are sure that Mr. .Rees will not be found deficient in working ability as a member of the Legislature, and anyone who looks at what he has done, must he convinced that he will bo found independent and courageous, and a zealous champion of the rights of Auckland. The position of affaira at tho Thames is rather interesting, and unfortunately the narrative breaks off at an important point, when everybody must be impatient to hear what comes next. Sir George Grey addressed a crowded meeting at the Theatre Royal, Grahamstown, last night, and when the telegraph office closed, our correspondent c«uld only inform us that there had been some interruption, which, however, had apparently been easily got over,' and which would probably attract, greater sympathy for Sir George Grey. Political meetings at the ;

Thames are frequently of a lively character, and more than once they hare terminated in a free fight on the stage.