Correspondence.

Otago Witness, Issue 1419, 1 February 1879, Page 22

Correspondence.

KYf BURN DIGGINGS SCHOOL.

TO THE EDITOR

Sir, — In your issue of the 18th January, your correspondent from this placo, sa^s, " About eighteen months ago our school committee, b.ickccl up by the Good Tempers, who wanted a convenient loom to hold thpjr mdotings in, succeeded in getting tho building which was intended for a central school, pl-iced so far from the centre of the settlement, aud in so an un tuitablo a place that it never his, and I venture Lo think, never will answer the purpose for which it was intended." Now, Sir, on Ivyeburn, those statements are known to be so far from the truth, and onesided, that they would have been allowed to pass as unworthy of notic3, but for the fact that they appear in the column of your paper, headed " Educational," and niv evidently intended to mislead those iv authority in such matters, a^.d thus, for the sake of favouring a few muleouteurs, prevent justice being done to a great majority or. the population. With your pei mission, 1 will briefly stu/e a few facts rehtingthercto, and ..How those "stubborn chiols" to spenk for themselves. Two years ago at the yearly election of tho school committee, it was known that we were to have a central school, and there was quite a rush to got nominated on tho committee — a voiy unusual circumstance up to the time I spon'k o f . The Lower Kyeburu had a majority. One of tbeir number also was Pppoinfed chairman. This increased their strength. The secretary w.is chosen from amongst the up cree'e mpinbors. About the first work of this foinniittee was to fix upon a site for tho now school. The down creek wen proposed the east bank of the creek, some two or three hundred yards lower down th.in where the building now ctand- 1 . Tin-, propo3al was objected to, not only by the up creek members, but by neariy every parent on the creek, up and down, as tht-re were no bridges, and most of them lived on the west bank of the creek. This the up creek men pointed out, and several parents threatened to withdr.iw their children unless the school wero erected somewhere on tho same side with thr-ir homes. Tho committee met to ti'y to arrange matters. Fora time both parlies were firm. At 'ength the majority, that is to say the Down Creek men, including the Chairman, resigned in a body, on tho motion of one of their number, thus betra,ing their trust and deserting their post of duty. Now these are the men with whom "Your Own" sympathises, aud for whom he steks to do battle. On the other haud, the minority, who had stuck to their posts, were natuially a little disconcerted at this unexpected oecuirenco. j They, however, soon rallied, elected fresh men from both ends of the creek to supply tho p'oce of their deserters, and unnnio. ously agreed to erect the school where it now stands, with tho approval of Mr Hislop, and near which it is proposed to erect the teacher's residence, as it is pretty generally considered to bo the most central and suitable on the creek. The above shows pretty clearly that the men who now

complain so loudly are really responsible for the school being placed where it is. At tho same time the public do not seem to appreciite the manner inwhich they set about it. Doubtless they saw that the great majority of the parents were agniust them, and feared to face tho threatened storm. I maintain that they should bo thankful that their inconsiderate act was not fraught with worso consequences to themselves, and as for the Committee being influenced by the Good Tempbrs, I veply not more by the Good Templars than any other section of tho community. Moreover, it may readily be believed that if tho Good Templars wished to hold their meetings in the school they would bo most anxious that the building should be centrally placed, and as for its being the Chinese headquarters, these gentry "were forced among us under protection of the police, and now their different quarters extend further both up and down the creek than those of European miner?, and their headquarters are decidedly their best quarters on this place, besides being tho best only on the Kyeburn diggings, and a tidy, substantial building of white iron it is, which, though owned by " The Heathen Chinee," will compare not unfavourably with the home of a Christian, and which, we may feel certain, was built where it is because the site ia really central. John Chinaman has an eye to business. Moreovor, they have two gardens nearly adjoining their store, in which maybe seen crops about as good as any on Kyeburn This proves that a garden ia that neighbourhood is not an impossibility. I may mention also that our worthy minister has found it absolutely necessary to hold each alternate servico in the school, and on bis w->y there to pass the door of the church in which he has officiated for a number of years. Again, the children up-creek number 43, th 9 nearest family being about a mile from school. The others are at a considerably greater distance. Whilst down creek, leaving out the hundred, the nearest boundary of which is about three mile 1 ? from the school, there are onljr eight children below the teacher's present retidence, which is just about a mile from the school. Now, three of these have been moved down very recently from between the teacher's residence and the school, so that _ uutil quite lately there were only five children down- creek below the teacher's residence, or in other words, more than a mile from the school, and the father of two of these injured innocents persistently refused, for years, to allow a child of his to a'tend, although we had p. half-time school within a mile of his door. Again, tbe present Committee thought its Chairman, who is M. 0. 0. for the riding, has at length managed ti get the creek bridged at three points below the school, so that now there is a good road from the Hundred to the fchool over which any child may travel with perfect safety. I maintain, therefore, that the down creek resident* have no cause for complaint. And when the Post-office is moved to the new residence, which it undoubtedly must be— and this is tho sore pomt — it will be a simple act of justice to a vast majority of tho Kyeburn re-i-dents. The preaent committee have held office for two years, some of them for over six years, and T venture to predict, that if they consent, nearly all of them will be re-olected on Monday first. Prom this it may bo see that they possess the entire confidence of the inhabitants, which the proteges of "Your Own" most certviulydo not, else they had never thought of resigning at the time, and in the manner they did. In conclusion, I advise " Your Own," in tho future, to bomoiocvndid and impartial, and in mattors where tho whole district is equally concerned — if he would employ his pen to any good purpose— as a rule "to advocate the greatest good for tho greatest number." This id what he has not done in the letter complained of, which many here think should bo allowed to pass unnoticed, and thus give no pretext to " Your Own" to continue a war of words, whilst others are anxious to make public the truth at all hazards.