The Daily News. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1900. THE OPAKU RESERVE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 200, 28 September 1900, Page 2

The Daily News. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1900. THE OPAKU RESERVE.

The Utter signed by the Hoc. Thomas Kelly and the member for the district, Mr. E. M. Smith, which appears in another column, acd the importance of the subject, makes any npology for again referring to (lis subject quite unnecessary. It is evident that we are a long way from out cf the wood yet, and that vigorous action is necessiry if the district is to save this valuable block of land for the purpose for whi'jh it has been set apart. The action c f the two gentlemen signing the letter referred to is so very extraordinary that we are quite at a loss to understand them. The Hawera Star, which has alreidy rendered splendid service, in publishing the letter has the i following remarks, which are very much to the point and really caver the whole ground and [show how untenable the position taken up by Messrs. Kelly and Smith is. The Sta/r says:—" We are very glad to publish the letter fiom the Hon. T, Kelly, M.L.0., which appears in snot her column, but we do not find in it any i eison for changing the view s wo bave already expressed in regard Co the Opaku reserve. At the outs9P, it must be siid that for any [ division in Taranaki counsels Mr. Kelly lis blameworthy. If he takes any interest in local public affairs he must hive ssei! reports of discussions extending over columns of the public press, reprcs niiDg efforts to arrive at unanimity, and yet, not till the representatives of various bodies had mac in conference and elaborated a scheme, aud presented it to the Minister, does Mr. Kelly siy a word. Then he appears as the author of an entirely different scheme, and induces members

of tho House of Representatives to join in a letter which throws everything into confusion, and enables the enemies without the gate to profit by the division within. Cool, indeed, it is for Mr. Kelly to moralise on the evils of "divided counsels!" Why, if he objected to the educational bodies' scheme, I did he not say so months ago, and so endeavour to prevent the division which he affects to deplore ? As to his scheme itself, we are certainly not less alive than he is to the importance of the dairy industry to Taranaki and the colony. We have never lost an opportunity of urging on the Government the establishment of a dairy school or college. Nor do we think the educa-

ional bodies can be fairly accused of ukewarmnees to the dairy school. U1 tha facts which Mr., Kelly quotes ibout the dairy industry are taken from in article in the London Times, »hich was published in the Star ome time since, But Mr Kelly's facts md fears are entirely beside the issue. Che point of the whole matter is inrolved in ono sen bet ce .of the memoandum by Mr Kelly and Mr Smith : 1 In other provincial districts they hav« chools of engineering, mining, and igriculture, bub in Taranaki there is lotihing of that character." Exactly, >ut have the Government or have the nembers from any other given provincial district propossd that reserves olemnly set apart for university eduation within that district should, by lot of Parliament, be diverted from hat purpose to technical eduoation ? *Ve venture to say no instance of the :ind cxn be quoted, and yet that s what Mr Kelly proposes in reation to a Taranaki reserve. By ill means let a school of tho kind llr Kelly pleads for be established, fhere is revenue for it in the shape of he rents from the Mokoia reserve and >■ agricultural endowment on the Witi im« -Plains. If Mr Kelly wants k ie the "help ourselves" argument lure is is ready to his band, and ho cat 'wry forcibly ibc the Gove,'mmut tc •;Ce wisr.cvir further Huiyuut is re|u:rs:il under tb.Q Uchukal tducatioi >o:icy of which bo much is heard. Th< 0.-(e;ing of the dairy industry is ai uuiih a national qut&lion heie as it Denmark, but we venture to say thai hu Danish Government has mado pro '-ion for the (scientific side of the in iurtry out of the national treasury, anc jot by filching local reserves. As t< ■no Victoria University College Council i would, if w/te, endorse the propoaali 'Ji the Tarantki educational bodies because, indirectly at !exst, they mak, lor sU'6(,£jt£ieaing the position cf "Vic toria College. It is a feature of thee proposals that University schol&iship provided for cut of the rents arisiDj tho reserve shall ba tenable a V ictona College aioau; and, moreuvei uiio f mid fibßistiinctj OJ cecosciai'y oduckiion in Taranfiki fauat to increase tho of; itti ■ ■.O-'VI'H. -.' O. ■■ n-, i*

a broad view of the situation should convince the College Council that it it better to approve of a scheme which has the purpose, and rfould, we believe, have the effeot, of nursing educational interests in Taranaki than to rob the district of its reserve and destroy its hope of getting any practical benefit from the system of university education new or in the future.