OPEN COLUMN.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume V, Issue 537, 30 August 1897, Page 3

OPEN COLUMN.

I Correspondence is invited upon allsubjects, but we do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our correspondents. J

OUR LAND LAWS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —the attractive title of Mr Vile’s last letter causcil me to thinh that I was nbout to peruse a quiet and rational disquisition on a subject that is always green in these parts But you may guess my disappoint ment when 1 discovered that instead of a sober dissertation in keeping with his own repute and experience he had submitted for our perusal an assault on our land laws which had evidently been written in a state of irritation, lie says, “At present

these laws are simply a pest; ” and again he says, “ the whole business 1 is one of continual worry.” Evi- i dently, then, Mr Vile is agitated on , the subject of our laud laws, and it

is not to be wondered at that while in this state of mind he makes several almost inexcusable mistakes. The first is to associate the name of llallanco with the idea of a boom and speculation in land. The fact is that the Act of 1885 was designed by our great statesman to meet only the requirements of 'jona tide settlers, thousands of whom were at one time hungering for an opportunity to make a home on the Crown lands, and since that time, mainly because of the act and his Village Settlement

amendments, his name has become a household word in the homes of hundreds of settlers in the bush. Now, Mr Vile can scarcely have forgotten all this, because it is only 12 years ago since he and I, led by Messrs McCardle and Hogg, formed the fighting nucleus which helped Mr iiallanee to make it nossible for

large numbers of men and women to enter into possession of this natural inheritance around i’ahiatua. The second mistake Mr Vile makes is in asserting that in his experience “ the second man who occupies is the best.” Perhaps Mr Vile will be excused by some for not seeing this point, but it is a fact nevertheless that it is not a compliment to the second man to tell him that he is a better man than he who had made

it possible for him to come second ; and it certainly is an insult to the first man, who by dint of hard living and many sacrifices of time and means has performed the work oi pioneering. The third mistake which he makes is not less glaring than the other two, but it is amusing, and will no doubt serve to tickle your readers' understanding when I point to the incongruity of Mr Vile, who is a Minister’s nominee, endeavoring to agitate the settlers against another Minister’s nominee in a Democratic country like this. In conclusion, might I ask what is the cause of Mr Vile’s agitation ’? Can it be that he has been hit hard

on a tender spot lately ? I should hope not, because 1 have always regarded him as being capable of taking a defeat in public life cheerfully. However, let me assure him and anybody else who may have business with the Land Board that

I will bo glad while I have a seat on the Board to render them any assistance in my power.—l am, etc. Alex Bekse. A SCHOOL TROUBLE. TO THE EIiITOR.

Sir,— On the 18th August you ! published a report of the meeting of : the Pahiatua School Committee, j held the previous evening, and as 1 , have just read that report 1 would ! esteem it a favour if you would re j print that portion referring to myself, ! also a few remarks thereon. The I

resolution was not forwarded to me for fully a week after the meeting, I and this will account for my not replying sooner. Extract of report j referred to:—“Mrs Thomas wrote! complaining of the treatment of her child by the infant mistress by having 1 a book thrown at her and with hav- ;

ing been beaten. She was also 1 called by her surname while the other children were addressed by their Christian names. The child had also been ignored by having no lessons given her, and had been told that she went home and told lies. Mr Thomas wrote reporting on the letter of complaint. The book throwing at the child was denied by the teachers and children. The punishment as complained of was also denied, Miss Warren and the children also bearing out the denial. Miss Petrie did not cail the children

Iby their surnames. Mrs Thomas had forced herself into the school and before the other children used violent language to the teacher, j Mr Eraser moved That Mrs Thomas i lie informed that the headmaster’s i report states that the statements ! made by her child as to excessive punishment are untrue.” On 2nth of May I made a complaint to Mr Levin I member of the committee) that my child had been illtreated by her teacher. On the B)st

Mr Levin stopped Miss Petrie on her way home to dinner .and told her of the complaint, instead of keeping it lor the meeting. On that afternoon my child was called out four times and accused of being untruthful, etc. That the hook was thrown at her

could bis borne out by the pupil teachers if they liked to speak. My little girl was so upset at the treatment that she was ill for several days ufter, and still begs me not to send her to school. 1 again make the statement that Miss Petrie called my children by their surnames, such us “ Como out here, you Thomas girl/’ etc. I once spoke to the

headmaster of this practice, and lie said lie did not approve of it. Ah to my forcing myself into the school, the facts are that 1 went to the school, opened the door of Mihh

Pluck’s room and asked her if i could get into Miss Petrie’s room through her room. She said “ No; this is the way,” and opened the door of Miss Petrie's room for me. I leave it for the public to judge if this is

lb iui tin: [miuiiu iu ii mio forcing oneself into the school. I asked vli- Petrie what she had heen doing to my child, as she had been delirious all night, and that i would held her responsible for the child’s illness. Also 1 asked who gave her authority to use the cane, as according to the Act, no one hut the headmaster can use it. Shu replied, “ That is my business.” She also remarked to me that she would make jit pretty warm for my child. This | is the violent language I am accused of using before the school children. I Miss Petrie took me to the

Headmaster's room, opened the door for me, and called Mr Thomas, so I did not force myself into that room. Miss Birnie and Mr Phillip can bear this out. I did tell Miss Petrie that sho was deceitful, but this was said in the corridor, not before the children. When first this trouble aroie I asked Miss Warren if she had heard ', me use any violent language. She repli.d that 1 had uot said anything lhat could be construed into violent lauguag ■, and that she had often felt sorry for my child. I presume Miss Warren lias not forgotten it. I am, .fce., Kathleen Thomas.