THE New Zealand Herald MONDAY, JULY 30, 1877.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIV, Issue 4899, 30 July 1877, Page 2

THE New Zealand Herald MONDAY, JULY 30, 1877.

The latest accounts from the seat of war in Europe do not make affairs as favourable for Russia as they appeared to be a few days ago. It appears that the Russians have been repulsed at Silistria, a town oil the Danube to the east of Rustchuk, and therefore considerably to the north of the Balkans ; and at Plovna, a town immediately in the rear of the Russian forces which have crossed the Balkans, a strong Turkish force threatens the communications with tho Russian supports. If this be true, tho position of tho invaders who have advanced on Philippopolis may soon be a very critical one, for the Russians, even allowing for the most sanguine calculations, must be greatly inferior in number to the Turks south of the Balkans, even without taking into consideration the Landwohr or Rcdifs which hare been called out, and which may be set down in round numbers at about 150,000 men all told. For if the communications are cut at Plevna, and tho P.utamno crai .... ..I- - -•

mist, as their repulse at Silistrin, seems to indicate, the Turks will simply have to play a waiting game to find matters all their own way. A rough estimate of the Russians who have crosscd tho Pruth, and are now in force in and across the Danube, sets their total strength down as 310,000 men and 070 guns. In regarding this number, however, allowance must bo made for the men in tlie Dobrudscha, say 25,000 men ; tho number of those employed in garrisons on the Pruth, 15,000 men ; those at Bucharest and along the Danube, regarding which opinions vary, some placing the numbers at 40,0011, others at 00,000, tho latter being probably nearer the mark ; at Widdin, 25,000 ; at Plevna, tho same number, and 35,000 south of tho Balkans : in all 185,000, which, allowing 50,000 as the number placed hor.i dc combat by casualties and sickness, leaves only 75,000 men actually in the field. Of course these numbers are only approximate, but it seems probable that they are not very wide of the marl:, and- if so, a singlo defeat of a severe nature would seriously jeopardise) the safety of a very large portion of the invaders.

Friday night was occupied by a discussion on the second reading of the Charitable Institutions Bill, but tho measure did not pass that critical stage, having been strongly opposed by a considerable number of members, including some Government supporters. Mr. Stevens moved an amendment to the motion for the second reading, explaining, however, that he did so "without any hostility to tho Government." Mr. Roes and Mr. Lusk strongly opposed tho bill, tho former eontending that an income-tax should bo imposed to be partly devoted to the charges which the bill proposes to meet from the contributions of the charitable and from the Consolidated Fund. Tho Government, in regard to this as well fts to other of their bills this session, have the advantage of being able to say that something must be done, and that these measures cannot be simply rejected. This matter of the support of charitable institutions will be a difficult one to deal with, and wo believe that the system proposed by the Government, would bo found inadequate. In many localities, the necessary voluntary contributions could not be obtained. Notwithstanding tho strong opposition to the bill which has been rather unexpectedly developed, tho Government anticipate being able to carry it by a large majority. The Financial Statement, which is to lie made on Tuesday, will, it is said, form the turning point of the session.

(jn'-UKK Archibald Bell-the-cat, who, mi tho authority of Sir Walter Scott, returned thank? becansc, with one exception, no son of his "ceuld pen a line," and also unlike Mrs. Squecrs, who was also thankful for that she was no grammarian, tho modern father and tho modern mother are, with the modern legislator, somewhat solicitous about the education of the young. Every Education Bill, therefore, which is at all likely to bring forth good fruit, is a matter of moment, not to father;; and mothers only, but to everyone who feels any interest whatever in the futmv of New Zealand. The present Education Bill of Mr. liowen, which has been already read a first time and will, ii' passed, come into operation on the first day of the next year, requires more than a passing thought. I'orhups the prominent feature of tho bill, which on the whole—though capablo of wholesome emendation—is a workable one, is the proposal to make the cost of education a charge on the revenue of the Colony. By its provisions the poll-tax in tlii.-. province on every man capable of paying 10s or £1 will be done away v.-itli, and the State will contribute £3 10s towards the education of every child attending what are called its Public

Schools. Tho cost of education is estimated at £4 a head, and the additional svnn of ten shillings It la proposed to raise by charging overy parent or guardian l()s ahead fox- every child attending school up to tlio number of four, unless tho said child had attended (1.) all tho possible number of times, when no ten shillings aro required, or (2.) all except.five when only livo shillings are to be paid. It seems, too, as that if the sum of £-1 bo really required for tho education of each child—the estimated amount of iJ.llio.tloo is not largo—that as, according to the statistics given, there aro only ,'!8,000 children ill attendance at our public schools, there is a good chance of having a deficit in tho amount necessary, as £3 10a a head for tho abovenamed number of childron will only give £133,000, which added lo £10,000 from capitation fees, makes £L">SJ,OOO, and that is supposing that no father has more than four children at school, and no child earns exemption from the tun shillings tai. However, a supplementary vote of £8000 or £10,000 would remedy this, but it seems to us that what is principally wanted is some inducement to teachors to mako tho children under their charge as proficient as possible. A man generally works best when his own interests are involved in the result, and school teachers are no exception to the rule. At present a teacher is paid not in proportion to tho roal good he effects, but according to the number of children he instructs. In other words, ho is paid per capita, with littlo regard to what Unowlodge oach caput rotains. ft may lie said, and indeed has been said, that as each parent is desirous of having his child taught by the best master, so the mere fact of ono man having a greater number of scholars than another shows that tho parents of tlioao have groator faith in his works than in those of another ; and thoroforo ho ought to be paid in proportion. This may bo true in cities or large towns, but in out-districts, where public schools aro chiefly wantod, it cannot apply, as there is probably only one school to which children must be sont, bo the master popular or tho reverse. What seems to us to bo needed, and what Jlr. Bowon's bill lacks, is some measur-i which, liko tlio Education Act in England, insists on both the proficiency of tho pupil and Ilia attendance at school. That is this. In England any master, or, rather, any managers of schools, who place their school buildings under Government inspection aro paid at the rato of 4s a head for each child who passes tho Inspector's examination in writing, tho same amount for arithmetic, and the liko for reading, provided that the school comes up to tho requisite standard laid down, in tho matter of offices, space, &c., and that tho children oxamined have attended tho necessary amount nf school hours. This double plan, if so it may bo called, prevents the master from being either a mere machino, taking little interest in his work, except to secure the largest possible average attendance of children, and also from pressing on a few brilliant or promising boys to the neglect, very often, of those less gifted by nature, and showing these off as specimens, as who should say, " See what wo can do, at our establishment By an Act which came into force in England on thelirst day of 1875, every person employing a boy iti agricultural pursuits under the age of 12 unless lie had attended school at least 150 times during the preceding year, or 250 times if he was under the age of 10, was liable to a penalty, as also was the parent or guardian of tho child who allowed him to bo so employed. This Act might, we think, be kept in mind when legislating on the subject of Education. Kegarding the construction of the Boards proposed, wo think the plan proposed a fair one.