SATURDAY, AUGUST 26. THE LAND QUESTION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2686, 6 September 1905, Page 15

SATURDAY, AUGUST 26. THE LAND QUESTION.

THE 'EDUCATION ESTIMATES.

A VOICE FROM THE BACKBLOCKS.

RURAL EDUCATION.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.

General satisfaction is expressed by the members of the Freehold party with the terms of Mr Massey' s amendments to the Premier's proposals on the land question. The amendment, of course, amounts to a no-confidence motion in the Government, and it will probably be treated as such by the Government. A long debate may be looked for. and it is anticipated that the subject will occupy ■ the attention of the House for about a fortnight.

The discussion of the Estimates of the Education- Department was taken late on Friday night, -and, as is the case with most of the other, important departments, the votes 'were passed by a thin and somew.hat listless house. The Premier, who, as Ministea" of Education, was in charge of the Estimates, did not appear to be very wideawake, and his attitude was one of ease and comfort. This was the state of affairs at 1 a.m., when Mir Taylor rose, and said: "The position in this Chamber affords a perfect illustration of the position of the Education Department. The Minister in charge is fast asleep." — " Oh, no, he isn't," Mr Seddon retorted— " Well, I only wanted to know whether he was or not, ' said Mr Taylor as he proceeded with a vigorous criticism of the department.

In speaking on educational matters on Friday night, Mr Massey ,drew attention to the ease of a family of seven children in the Mercury Bay district who, he _ said, were entirely without educational facilities, they having no means of getting to the nearest school (at Mercury Bay), which was seven miles, away. The family, he said, lived at a place called Soddon Park, and. stra-nge- to say, they had not written to the Minister ot Education (Mr Seddon), or to the member for the district (Mr M'Gowan), but to himself (Mr Massey). He thought this was a case which should receive the attention of the Government. Mr Seddon promised to have -inquiries made into the matter.

The question of rural education received some attention during the debate on the Estimates of the Education Department on Friday night. Mr Kirkbride first brought up the matter, and among other speakers on the 'subject were Messrs "Massey, Baume, Bollard, and Laurenson.— Mr Massey, after referring to what had been done in the matter in America, Canada, and some of the European countries, said that the question had lately been 'taken up by the Auckland A. and P. Association. He quoted from the report of the sub-committee set up by the association to inquire into the matter, and he also alluded to the investigations made on the .subject by Mr Edwin HaM (secretary to the Auckland A. and P. Association) during 1 his recent visit to Canada. He suggested; that something be done by the Government in the way of providing a fund to enable Education Boards to appoint qualified experts for the purpose of instructing the teachers, and so placing the latter in the position of being able to .impart^ information to the children. —Mr Seddon expressed his sympathy with the proposal, but lie made no definite statement as to whether the Government would take any action in the matte*. — Mr Kirkbride has arranged for evidence on the subject to be given before the Education Committee by Mr George George, director of technical education at Auckland.

In the course of the debate on the Colonial Bank petition Mr Herdman charged the Minister of Publio Works with " quibbling." Mr Hall-Jones replied that quibbling was the usual tactics of a lawyer, or words to that effect. Mr Herdman took no noilce of the retort, but Mr Baume< objected to the Minister making the remark, which be said was derogatory to the legal profession. Mr Speaker ruled that the expression was unparliamentary, and askpd thie Minister to withdraw. Mr HallJones intimated that he was not certain whether lie wovild withdraw the remark, and he seemed desirous of taking time to consider the matter 1 . After some discussion, in which the Standing Orders were turned up with feverish haste by several members, tha Minister said he would withdraw the remark, " but," h« added, " the honouiraible gentleman said I was quibbling,"—;^Laughter.} Be asked that this term", being also unparliamentary^, b.e also withdrawn. " I will withdraw it at once without wasting the time of the House in doing it," said Mr Herdman. Be added a sting to his (withcfcraft&l by ffjQftferJkfrgj "he knows no

better." This a.cain brought the- Minister indignantly to his loot with another demand , for withdrawal. Mr Berdman withdrew, and the incident ended. j JOTTINGS. i "The bribery and corruption by Ministers who go about tha country piomising roads , and bridges is a hundred thousand timeo j greater than the- bribery and corruption amongst voters," said the Leader of the Opposition on Friday night. " The bribery and corruption going on on the part of private individuals is retail," he continued, "" and that oh the part of the Government is wholesale." " Ho! " said the Premier. The Dunedin members approached ths Minister of Lands on Friday in connection with the question of a grant which was promi&sd by the late Sir John M'Kenzie to the Maori Hill Borough Council as compensation for the transfer of some of its land, which had resulted from a survey error some years ago. The sum had not been received, and the members a«ked that a grant bo made in fulfilment of the promise. Mr Duncan stated that he would accompany the members to the Colonial Secretary, with a view of see-ing whether a grant could bo placed on the Estimates for the purpose. *