Correspondence.

Colonist, Issue 16, 15 December 1857, Page 2

Correspondence.

To the Editor of the' Colonist. Sra^Having received the following letter from Melbourne,"with a request that I would lay it before liis Honor the Superintendent, "I have thought it but just and reasonable;that the diggers, whose occasional communications you have favoured the Nelson public with lately, should be aware of the high opinion their former associates entertain of them. Your insertion, therefore, of the following spirited despatch >yill oblige Your obedient servant, : •■ S. A; To his Honor the Superintendent'of-Nelson and his Executive. Gentlemen,—Having heard from our friends who have preceded us to your twopenny-halfpenny gold fields, how shamefully neglectful you have been in providing suitable accommodation for the gentlemen who have done you the honour to leave pur comfortable and thriving gold fields to put you in the way to render your settlement attractive and prosperous, Aye have commissioned the ganger of our party to give you this timely notice, —so that you may not say you were taken by surprise,—that, wind and weather permitting, we purpose taking up a. commanding position on your Quartz Ranges, and expect to find suitable accommodation, and passable roadg to the same, ready for us; and as the extent of country we may require will depend greatly upon the probable productive nature of the ground, we request, you will not suffer the present bouncing, blustering party to extend their present so-called claims until we have exercised our right of pre-emption which we claim in consequence of being the first body;ofe immigrant diggers* Who have condescended to recognise you as the Executive body of the Province" of Nelson. ; We have read a sort of anonymous grumbling remonstrance addressed to you in the name of some cowardly fellows who are afraid to come to the scratch. As to their bouncing about' their apparent apathy respecting many matters,' and their ' merely waiting for settled Government,' and iv the same breath saying, ' Now we have it,' (have what?) and again, ' the Government must,' (must what?) or, 'we will take the initiative in the various subjects affecting our position as diggers,' (alias squatters); it is all bosh, don't believe them, gentlemen; it is their bluster and swagger. All you have to attend to is our instructions, if you do that all will be right, and we shall go a-head like bricks; but woe betide you if you do not. It will be needless for you to wrife to acknowledge the receipt of this, as before it would reach here we in all probability shall be far on our way to our destination. Calling, your earliest and earnest attention to our instructions, We remain, your obedient servants, Signed by Secretary Revolver on behalf of the body. Melbourne, November 3rd, 1857. To the Editor of the Colonist. Sin, —" Education is the birthright of every human being." And as no one can dispute the claim, we may admit the title of every member composing that vast family to receive a full share of the common perogative. A right so definitely established can never be made void. .It is true the full benefit of this universal patrimony may be very sparingly or partially given, differences of opinion exist as to its distribution, nevertheless, it is mine, and therefore I ought to have it, is the sufficient demand of interesting appliants. As to theory, system, and practice, much has been said, done, and written well by the eloquent, the learned, the philantrophic, who have from time to time given to the age the favour of their sayings and doings. Upon a subject that lias been so ably and prolifically nandled, we would scarcely presume to venture an opinion, feeling sure that our own must fall far below tlie merits of predecessors,—yet we do not consider the subject of education as becoming weary of,being, talked over, and, acting upon this principle, desire to avail ourselves of the invitation given in .your journal for anything relating to this :i important rniatter. Unable to offorf anything "new, we hlay be'pardoned for glancing back at systems proposed and carried' out by some' of the most distinguished; friends to humanity, as agencies employed in. a high and.noble work. Founders of systems which still exist embellished by modern improyeaiehts; and as in accordance with the laws of nature and: of mind there is always progression—so here we have little need to rest satisfied with present attainments. Adopted plans are never complete in perfection; here a little and there a little might in some cases prove a happy addition; in others the surplus quantity that needed taking from. Let 'Excelsior' be the watchword for every movement in the right direction, which the necessity of the times may demand. Wide have been the advancing steps taken of late to accelerate the progress of knowledge, outstripping the tardy pace of the former days, and the brilliancy of concentrated light now emerging from all quarters on every question that occupies public thought, throws the expiring candle of the past far into the shade. Nevertheless, the past hath taught its lessons, its experience has beeii paid for,—an article never sold cheaply.' If there exists among the stern teachings of this common preceptor any scholarships of rare and costly value, we find it in the 'footprints' of those who have gone before us. In our walk through life, we daily gather that which is peculiarly our OAvn, storing our budget with something for present use and future necessities; but we rejoice greatly when the legacies of the noble and ' trUehearted' come down to us in tlie shape of those immortal " Footprints that perhaps another Sailing o'er lifts', narrow main,. Some forlorn aud shipwrecked brother Seeing, may take heart again." Not only are those indelible footmarks valuable to the tried and tempest-tossed, but they admit of a retread in many important matters connected with general good, and in none more so than the often talked over section distinctly called popular education. Let us for a moment glance backward ou the earlier pages of time's history, and we find those who have immortalized their names by doing (not an evil,) but the good that 'lives after them.' There was Pestalozzi, a man of active benevolence, high spirited devotion for his great work, —mere theories and speculations he never ventured upon. While others lamented and talked, and finally nodded and slept, he, alive to the crying evils of the lifeless mode in which knowledge was conveyed to the young, with his own mind practically seized on the great idea of interest and fan-' gibiiity, to reach the understanding with' their application to the faculties of - a little child. Certainly the novelty of the idiea did not originate with the Swiss teacher; it claims a birth prior to his days, and was employed by him, who " without a parable spake not unto the people." The first preceptor Divine, the latter human, will sufficiently account for any error comingled with the good.—and if the discovery does not belong to Pestalozzi, yet he evidently used it much more systematically than some of his predecessors in the field. His adoption of the principle that real notions of sensible objects found the basis of all others, led him to infer the uselessness of abstract reasoning with children. Tell us to look at a beautiful landscape through the grey mists of gathering night. Well, is it not splendid ? What do you think of it ? Wait till we see broad daylight upon it. So a child cannot receive (much less retain) the real nature of things intended to convey instruction, if they appear to its capacity through the gloom of confusion. Now it was more particularly in the sphere of " intuition " to which " Pestalozzi" gave direct attention that the record of liis scholastic proceedings warrant him to excel. A complete system of education he never did construct, and it was perhaps the distress and straitness of his pecuniary circumstances that forced upon him the necessity of invention, or rather the falling back entirely upon himself for the development of his own resources. A practical exemplification of the uses of adversity, the man and his doings were the better for it, inasmuch as he substituted for mere book knowledge the actual observation of external objects, taught more by things than words, by bringing into play the perceptive i faculties, presenting them with tangible truth.

■+•'»'•' ._'..*" '■ , , __... __?:.. ",_j ; —. ..'.L—.._., i* .^._..'.i ■_L_"—'_.i,_. | ..-___ii/^ ->^^j! j||-__*. , . clearly, certainly, aud definitely. All this was done. A something in " short order " coming at once to the desired point. I see and therefore do I know. We must not be understood as advocating such an absurdity as an entire system of actual observation to the exclusion of every thing else. It is to the reflecting power or sight of the mind that objects and. truth can be so presented that a child may become conscious of their existence, and to a certain extent, familiar with their nature. In perfect accordance with the philosophy of "•"-' mind and matter in all ages, Aye become daily impelled to the admission of actual.aud revealed facts. which can never come under our own observation." " To refuse the reception of every thing that is not - ■ tangible to our external senses,- Arould be the per-' verseuess of folly, for there is not the slightest doubt that our acquisitions become more enlarged from the perceptions of others, than within the1 camped circle of our own limits. Even the", scoffers at authentic revelation are bound to admit *'"" Avhat they Avould fain deny, viz., that throughout;.',,- 1 the vast complicated machinery of nature, thercUs-' a power that worketh unseen. Where ** Pcstalo__X"^; erred, was in placing too high an estimation-ott^ the material. Yet even here he exhibited marks of a mind truly great, inasmuch as it was open to conviction; and on the suggestion of another talented individual, so modified his plans, that a more direct mental process was the result of his' alteration,—his tiny men and women became acquainted with the nature of abstractions, and acquired ideas through the reflection of inner sight. Now, give children words that they do not under- "■ stand, without the "eyesof their understanding being opened." The result is this; if they think at all, f they directly invest them with an idea. - A child's-' / idea -audibly expressed, savours of much may be - iof the ludicrous; yet, after all, Aye I_Mf -111»'" m indulging thisteelifngat their expeW'-W'lßey — tell us of the innate perception they have to take things as they are. No cool speculation Avith them, "- no reasoning on perplexing dogmas. ," Spect I growed," A\'as the finale of. Topsy's. reflections, lhis is often seen to great advantage in public schools Avhich christian philantrophy has established in the large cities of our fatherland, where the martyrrlike Avork of instructing congregated numbers of the most wretched and depraved, devolves upon voluntary'labour. ' This, class of juveniles are generally distinguished for their shrewdness and intelligence-; but alas, it is too frequently the intelligence of low cunning," fostered ' by their early initiation, into misery and crime. Qwck m their apprehension of sounding words, they stay not for-real meanings, but speedily array them in garments peculiarly' their own. .The figurative language used in poetry, presents them with a license which they freely make use of. We will give only one illustration among many. A lady looking in at a shop window in one of the London streets, had her attention directed to the acute expression on the face of a little ten--year-old urchin, who was doing the same thing as herself. No ceremony of introduction was needed to comir.eace an acquaintanceship Avith this bixeheaded and shoeless gentleman. After the usual enquiries as to his name and locality, came the proposal of a puzzling question. '" Well, my boy, ' what do you live upon?" 'VLive upon, ma'am, Avhy there's lots of us up there, and Aye live like the hymn saysat school, | ' Ho all ye hungry starving souls,T:iat feed upon th-j wind.'" We may suppose ourselves about right in saying that our immortal " Watts " never contemplated such an application of the figure. It is true that much has been done in-the present age toward meeting the" moral, intellectual, and physical Avants of the children, and on the happy combination of all three depends *he omvard progress of humanity. Like the human frame, no part may be severed therefrom Avithout being rendered distorted and useless, aud it should be the great aim in education to preserve the perfect harmony of the whole .by Aviscly adapting the - power of knowledge to the requirements of every part.' A2ILE. December 14... .. • . . , i ."* "' ■;■' " To 'the Editor of the Colonist. ' '\ " Sißy-^My attention has frequently been called as a matter of much importance, to the future of New1. Zealand. Often may we-read some glowing statement of the future glories of this country from our antipodean writers, avlio, perhaps, may never have set foot on Maori soil, or made but a short sojourn amongst us./ To-one who has spent nearly sixteen years in New Zealand, and who" has had the stern realities daily'staring him in the face, though admiring show capped mountains, dark i gullies, and fern clad hill's, "such poetry loses its | effect. In respect to the future of New' Zealand, much depends upon tlie present acts of our legislators. As the present is the product of the past r so will the future be of the present. We are as yet young as a people, and much land is yet to be, occupied ; and it should now be the earnest endeavour of our legislators to sow the seed that may produce the desired fruit in after years, when toe are all passed away and forgotten. One thing which appears to me of the utmost importance to the future of New Zealand, is the immediate occupation of the soil'by an honest, industrious, and patriotic people—by a system of judicious and liberal letting of the land'in moderate quantities." From the laud either dir'eptly or indirectly has come our Avealth, and from the land must Aye expect it, until the channels at present open both for the. investment of labour and capitaare closed, and a population reared of native growth that will supply the A\\<mts of both the* miner and the manufacturer. The acquisition of large properties in land, cannot in my opinion be advantageous to the future of New Zealand, but may be productive of the most ruinous consequences silently but surely has the acquisition of large properties inland been going on, /while in some eases these properties with their live stock have been let,: the owner retiring to England or elsewhere, Avhile others contemplate doing likewise. Absenteeism is an evil in the smallest sense of the word, —it has drawn from us a considerable amount of hard cash to pay original absentee land purchasers, nor has our little setllenient yet got over the^struggle before another ruinous curse of absenteeism has began. Can any one look upon Ireland with all her natural beauties, her great resources of Avealth, and not mourn for her present condition, and at the same time wish to avert evils that may, although at some remote period, befall this our adopted country. Some interested parties may call rhe an alarmist, that.no such thought is^ to: be feared, but facts are stubborn things. Is not the country being traversed iri all directions by parties in quest of runs/and Avheu, a -report reaches us of the discovery of open country, we have a complete rush or rather scramble. It is from this class, the owners of large landed pro- . perty, that absenteeism is to be feared, for small or moderate properties inland will not give sufficient in the Avay of rent to enable the oA\_iers to.live abroad as absentees. There can be no doubt that at some future time these runs, as far as aA-ailable, will be occupied as farms, nor is it impossible for a state of things to "take place as in Ireland, of an absentee landlord, middleman, and tenant. Change the thing about as you may,Avhether it is let in one large property, and under-let in small farms or otherwise, make what you Avill of it, it is a certain ruinous system, both" to landlord and tenant, and a curse to the country. Should things ever appear to take this way, it is to be hoped that our Legislators will be found Avith sufficient humanity and justice to establish a tenement right by law, that will not only be a safeguard to the industrious farmer but likewise to the landlord himself. But preventives are always better than cures, therefore, that Avhich will have a tendency to prevent absenteeism, and at the same time promote the welfare of our commomvealth, without injury to any existing class, should meet Avith immediate and earnest support from every well Avisher of the future of New Zealand. Most of our legislators talk largely of broad principles'on ' the hustings, but are apt to overlook them for "personal interest: but blind in selfishness must he be who can neglect principles, tho setting aside of Avhich may involve a country in future ruin, in Avhich his offspring may be enthralled. To the adventurous seeker of Avealth, it is useless to appeal; but to.him who has here made his homo, and whose children will spread into the country, and

there form; a part of the, future, to him it should be a matterof momentous;consideration and sacred responsibility. As to the-occupation of the soil in moderate' Sized farms being to a certain extent a preventative of absenteeism, I think no one Avill deny; but there are other'considerations in respect to the peculiarities of this country, which make it desirable that it should be immediately occupied by a honest arid industrious population. Such is the nature of a considerable part of this country, consisting as it does of fern nills Avith occasional slopes of available land j thatnothing but the horny hands of the untiringavorkirig settler can bring it into useful occupation, or make it serviceable to the comhiunity. To the capitalist this land can never be a satisfactory investment, for it is worth-less-as runs for any description of stock ;itis as the raw material in manufactures, it is only by labour that it can be made valuable either to the settler, or the public at large. Nothing will tend more to open up the resources of the country than such occupation, nor can it be injurious to the present large proprietor, but of the greatest benefit by,bringing a labouring population around his estate, and othenvise enhancing the value of his property. . Last, but perhaps not least, in a country such as this is, the, protection it Avill afford against that class which out goldfields are likely to bring from Australia, and:.'-.to which this country offers so much shelter; in its bush and brake. A people so settled upon land Avhich they make their own by honest industry cannot feel otherwise than grateful, and: a love of country spring up amongst us that may .exhibit, if needs be at some future time, ; .deeds of devotion aiid courage not to be surpassed by other moun^ countries Avhere Tells?; shall be found in plenty : but no tyrant dare placeihis rhatijupori a pole to test the servility of our chikfretttfJ xmr■■ •'<•' -'■■'•-<\ " ':.-"■.'.'. ■ '■" - ;t COSMOPOLITE. December '10.* — • ■'