CHURCH OF ENGLAND EDUCATION SOCIETY.

Colonist, Volume II, Issue 193, 26 August 1859, Page 2

CHURCH OF ENGLAND EDUCATION SOCIETY.

At a meeting of the Committee ofthe Church of England Education Society held at the Thorrdon School-room on Wednesday, the 7th instant, the following petition was read and unanimously adopted, and it was determined that it should be inserted in the Wellington newspapers, and be left at the Spectator Office for ;the signature of members of the Church of England. .

To the Honorable the Provixcial Council. This Petitidn:_heweth— That' the undersigned members of the Church of England venturer respectfully to state the following objections' to. the present mode of establishing and supporting schools out'of the, public fluids ofthe Province. '" ,-'*-!. .„ ~ ..,.«■■*•. L That it interferes with the principle of religious 2. That it puts the Provincial Government into the false position of a.sectarian seminary. / 3. That" it interferes with tiie principle of civil'liberty. '._.„.,■_.-■ 4. That it gives no security for the I>wuc money being properly expended. * ' '-'IrfiSf5. That it gives no security for the children being properly taught. - - * % - '„'... ■ Ist. *" It interferes with the principle of religious liberty." For it refuses.aid to any schools where the children are taught in accordance with the creed of their parents. - . - 2nd. "It puts the Provincial Government into the po-ition of a-.sectarian seminary." For it lays down certain rules in what one peculiar way religion is to be taught. 3rd. " It interferes with the principle of civil liberty." For it spends the taxes paid by a large majority, for the exclusive benefit of a minority, in opposition to the express wishes of that majority. . 4th. " It gives no •security for the public money being properly expended." For there is no obligation on any one to*maintain the school after the Government have gone-to considerable expense in erecting a school-house and providing.books, <fee. sth. ••* It gives no security for the children being properly taught." For there is no Inspector to examine the children, in tlie secular subjects which the state requires. ~ ~ Your petitioners would further venture to suggest that in lieu ofthe present system to which these and so many more objections might be brought,' your honorable council would either enact that no grants at all should be i_ii.de fbr educational purposes, on the undeniable grounds :th3t'i. there is .no" one iirthe province that ought to' receive eleemosynary' support, and that is unable to pay for the education of his children; or else to establish a system equitable for all the population alike, that is all pay their share of taxes, every school may receive its grant in aid, without reference to any religious question whatever, and solely on condition of its duly giving secular instruction; and that, these grants in aid should be made, First—According to the number of children under tuition. ' . Secondly—According to the proved merit of the teacher, which two conditions of course imply inspection and examination. Thus your petitioners would hope to have made _6 clear, that if the Government should indirectly support denominational schools among others, it would at all events lose its sectarian character, and give aid to all alike who help themselves. And your petitioners, &c, &c. —Independent, .Aug 19.

The wreck of the Valentine Hellicar, as it now lies at Otaki, was sold by Messrs. Bethune and Hunter on Tuesday. The ship and gear were sold in one lot, and brought £55, and certain anchors, chains, &c. (the property of the master), were sold for .£3B. Two bales of wool were advertised for sale at the same time r but were not offered.—-Spec-tator, August. IS. A somewhat novel sale was held yesterday by Messrs. Duncan and Vennell, consisting of a cargoof fruit imported in the cutter Aquilla, from the* Society Islands. Oranges were the staple article,, and certainly we believe sucli fruit has rarely beer* seen here. They brought 3s. per'dozen, and besides them there were sold bananas at 7d.,! and? arrowroot at 4^-d. per lb.; cocoa nuts at 3d. to 6d. each ; chillies at 2s. per bottle, aud a fishing seine* for £7 10s., and a few other goods at ordinary prices.— lbid. The nomination of a person to represent the Country Districts in the Provincial Council iri the place of Mr. Johnston who had resigned his seat,, took place on Monday last in front ofthe Resident Magistrate's Court. Mr. Woodward, the Provincial Treasurer, was proposed by Mr. Mitchell of the Porirua Road seconded by Mr. Reading of Karori, and, no other candidate "appearing* was declared duly elected.. The attendance was not very numerous, and the proceedings only occupied a few minutes.— -Spectator, 19. On Friday evening. las% the Revd. H. W. Scott gave a second lecture on the -proverbs ofthe people, in the school-house, Karori. There was a large attendance and _ the audience appeared much interested in the subjects brought* before them, by their marked and sustained attention Tlie proverbs touched upon were, Cleanliness next to Godliness; Stitch in time saves nine; Bird in the hand, &c.; Rolling stones gather no moss; and Birds of a Feather flopk together. These proverbs were familiarly illustrated by a reference to every day circumstances, and the lessons taught by them, adapted to the character and occupations ofthe audience duly enforced. — Independent, August 19. The A.S.N. Company's Royal Mail Screw Steamship Boomerang, Henry O'Reilly Commander from Melbourne, arrived in this harbor on Wednesday, witli the European and Colonial Mails. The Boomerang left Melbourne on Wednesday, the 10th instant and cleared the Port Phillip Heads at 6" p.m. She, experienced moderate Westerly winds during the first part of the passage, and strong N.N.E and northerly winds .with thick cloudy Weather, the remainder. Entered Cook's Strait on Wednesday, at 6 a.m., and arrived in Wellington at 10,30 p.m. the same day. She brings 5 cabin, and 21 steerage passen-gers.—-Ibid. •Land on Defebred Payments r Society.— A numerous meeting of the members of this useful and increasingly influential Society, .was held on Monday evening at the Lyceum Theatre. The affairs of the society 'seem' tpf.be in, a very flourishing condition; ihe receipts amounted to £418 13s. 4d.; seven new; shareswere taken and five shares advanced. As the benefits of this Society become more extensively made known, we have no doubt that there will be a great accession to the number.of its members.— N. Z. Advertiser, August 10. '■■■x'a.-: .X '.'. Last evening, the Rev. H. W. Scott, Congregational Minister, opened the season's lectures at the Athenrum by delivering one on '" Photographs of Londoh Life." The audience -was an exceedingly good one, notwithstanding the drizzling southeaster, and evidently much interested by the subjects brought under its notice. Although the lecture extended to a greater length than is usual, little more than the outlines ofthe various phases of London Life could be presented. Here and there \\ihere the lecturer filled up his picture, it was done so with graphic and finished touches. The street and shop life of London, and its home, philanthropise.and\religions life, were .successively passed in, rapid review and the various lessona they taught and brought out and enforced, briefly but wi^i much tact. The next lecture, to be delivered by the Rev. J. Buller, was announced by the chairman, W. Lyon Esq., to take place next Thursday week.— lndependent, August 12. Potteryware.—jA flower pot can be seen at our office made by Mr. Harper of Karori, who a year ago made large numbers and disposed of them in town. Having now a place of his own he can produce them at a much cheaper rate, and if encouragement be afforded is desirous of turning his attention to" other articles of domestic use.— Ibid. Flax.—Mr. Hooker, of the Pakawai Mill has left with us a specimen of New Zealand flax, prepared by machinery of that gentleman's invention, and which he states can be produced at a remunerative rate. Mr. Hooker-, is by profession an engineer and Has had considerable experience on the continent in machinery, and is conversant and had to do with mills for the spinning,, hack- , ling and entire process of European Flax. . His invention for cleaning New Zealand flax is said |to be simple, and the machinery- could be manu; factured in Wellington. Specimens of the flax have been sent to France and England with a view to ascertain the probable marketable value, but in the meantime. Mr. Hooker informs ua that he intends producing the- requisite quantity to enable him to apply to the General Government for the reward offered. — Ibid.