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New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5398, 6 March 1879, Page 2

F/ioir all parts of the prolines there came yesterday expressions of satisfaction at the result of City West election, and those who voted for Mr. Curtis's bill last session were confronted by the figures as was Belshazzar with the writing on the wall of his palace at Babylon. The warning came too late for the ancient monarch, but the premonition may be in time to those who are willing on this point to submit to the deliberately-expressed will of the people. In no part is feeling on this subject so thorough and determined as on the goldfield, and notwithstanding Sir George Grey's great public services, and the special obligations which the Thames district is under to him, W3 believe his constituents would insist upon his being " sound" on this point. And we do not wonder at this. The feeling is not caused by any bigotry, bub has its root and flourishes in the value attached to the Bchools. The goldfield hardly knew what schools were till within the last year or two, but now it is well supplied, and fine commodious buildings have been erected. The committees in the different districts are composed of excellent men, anxious to make the Act a success, and when it is threatened these persons will exert great influence in its favour. No one needs to travel far at the Thames to see what the Act has done ; its monuments are conspicuous enough to all who visit the schools. The goldfield has several outlying districts where any man who sought to impair the system by which the school was supported would stand a good chance of being lynched. The fesv families residing at such places as Waitekauri, Paeroa, Puriri, or Tapu would insist upon distinct pledges on this point. No one need to canvass these districts on any other ticket than a proclaimed desire to maintain the present system. Amongst the messages received yesterday was one from tha Hon. R. Stout, who telegraphed as follows to the member for Newton: " Hearty congratulations on the success of the friends of national education in the City West election." To this an answer was returned to the effect that Mr. Stout might trust the province of Auckland on the education question.