VINDICATED!

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7023, 11 January 1910, Page 6

VINDICATED !

*To the Editor "N.Z. Timea.") Sir, —Your correspondent “Aristobulus/’ in your issue of the 6th inst., referring *o Sir Robert Stout's pronouncement some months ago in' England on the subject of secular edu-> cation in New Zealand, remarked that perhaps Mr Gammoll would return to the subject on Sir Robert’s arrival in New Zealand next month. In reply X beg to say thero is no occasion, to wait so long. The puzzle is already solved, and the vindrication of Sir R. Stout complete and crushing, as I will now show in a very few words.

Sir It. Stout’s assertion was some-* thing to this -effect: In 1877 the pro-! sent Secular Education Act came into| operation in New Zealand, so that a whole generation lias elapsed since that date. On inquiry into the effect of the Act on that generation wo find that criminality in the Dominion is now less than it was previous to the year 1877, in fact, that it has been reduced, by no less than one-half or thereabouts,, tn support of this startling statement,, startling alike to friend and foe, Sir Robert’ referred us to the statistics of the colony. No one could understand', at the time what were the particular! statistics in question, indeed, some 1 , ecclesiastically-minded persons of sceptical tendencies were rash enough to deny their existence; one even, went to the Registrar's office and reported they were not there. Hut they were there all the same, for, besidies its Official Year Book the Government publishes every year a huge volume entitled “New Zealand Statistics," and this series goes very much further back than does that of the Year Books. It is possible therefore by help of these volumes to compare the ratio of crime to population before and after the passing of the Education Act, and with the result X have already mentioned. I have taken at random three consecutive years at the end of each period, viz., 1874 to 1876 and 1905 to 1907, Persons tried Population (exTears. and convicted elusive of in S. and Dc. Courts. Maoris). 1874 194 341,860 1875 257 375,856 1876 249 399.075 Average... 233.3 372,263.6 1905 ... ... 272 882,462 1906 240 908.726 1907 ... 302 929,484 Average... 271.3 906,890.6 A simple calculation shows that the ratio of criminals to population in the first triad of years is 62.6 per 100,000, in tho second 29.9, or rather less than one-half tho former. Heme© Sir R. Stout's statement seems to bo rather under than over the mark. It is possible of course that, if a more ex-

tended period of years ho taken, a slight modification of this result may bo obtained, but it is not likely that tho general issue will bo seriously affected. Tho triumph of the secular system of education seems complete.

I sing no paeans, I insult no defeated critics, tho causb is too great and sacred for tho intrusion of personal feelings; but X solemnly call tho attention of the Wellington Education Board to this demonstration, and respectfully point out to its members how grave will bo their responsibility if at their next meeting they should do anything to destroy or even impair a system that has proved so beneficent an influence to tho community as a whole.— I am, etc., JOHN GAMMELL. Seatoun Hights, January 10th.