Political.

Otago Witness, Issue 1419, 1 February 1879, Page 17

Political.

THE DUTIES OF GOVERNMENT. 1. Government should render all the private rights of its citizens or subjects secure. 2. It should protect Jife against attacks of domestic und foreign enemies. 3. Jt should keep away influences obnoxiou3 to health, and pi-jtect it ny a controlling supervision of f ictories, provisions, and dwellings. It ought also to prohibit the overwork of children and women for industrial ourposos

4. It should securo the parsoaal and religious liberty of citizens or subjects, their proporty and honour, their right to assemble peaceably, and to petition tho Government for a redress of grievances, tho liberty of speech and of the press. 5. It has no right to teach religion, nor to onjoiu upon its members what creed they shall pr .fess. 6. It ought to provide for an eirly, firm, impartial, public administration of justice, so as to help the poor as well as the rich to his right, gratuitously, at the State's expense. It ought also to institute juries. 7. It oug'ut to caie for the bost education of the people, rninglod with wholesomo labour. 8. It should found the best schools and colleges, where every one, without distinction of sex or creed, both, the poor and the rich, should gratuitously receive tho most perfect physical and ment il cultivation. It ought also to provide for the niaintenauco of public libraries aud mu s cums.

9. The public schools being secular institution^ tho tuition money of the State should not be divided among tho sects. 10. Government should educate its citizens or subjects, becauso tho pooplo, if ignorant and lacking civilisation, are unable to govorn thouisolvos.

11. It should compel parents to perform the obligation of sending their children to school. 12. It should foster aud encourage tho culture of the arts and sciences.

13. It should forbid nod puuish actions which corrupt public morals— cy., extravagances^ intoxication, games of hazard, immoral exhibitions and publications. 14. It should grant no exclusive privilogo to auy individual, seek, or party.

Pure- religion and undented is " ministering" —not. the other thing, "being ministered unto." It is handing over tho morning paper 1,0 another for first perusal. It is vacating a pleasant seat by the fire for one who comes in chilled. It is giving up the most useful armchair for one who is weary. It is giving up jour own comfort and convenience for the comfort aud convonienco of another. This ig at once ruo courtesy and roal Christianity,