Mr Mitchelson and Educational Retrenchment.

Observer, Volume X, Issue 622, 29 November 1890, Page 7

Mr Mitchelson and Educational Retrenchment.

The Fon. Mr Mitohelson said at Edendale Hall that the Auckland Board, and that at Hawke's Bay had reported to the Miniflter of Education that they* could administer the Education Aot at 5a per head leas than the legalised allowance. The hon. eentleman stated so far what -was quite true ; but he did not state that in Auckland that 5s came off the .£3O yearly salary of the poor pupil teachers, and also off the salary of the secretary, and off the salaries of the inspectors. He did not oare to enlighten hia audience so far, nor did he state that, while those nersons were beinsr ruthlessly retrenohed, the headmasters were oarefolly overlooked with their ,£3OO to ,£SOO of yearly salary. Off those salaries not a single penny has been retrenched, nor apparently will a single penny be ever retrenched while the present Board of Eduoation can prevent it. Now, while we are all in favour of retrenchment in the public expenditure, y t we rather think there are bat very few persons indeed, outside the Board of Education and their pampered pets among the headmasters, who could stoop to STich a style of retrenchment as that. A lesson to the pnblio, however, is sriven by this one-sided proceeding, namely, to consider carefully who are the persons to whom the duty of retrenchment is to be entrusted. See what a travesty of retrenchment has been done here in our very midst by some of ourselves. The weak, and the helpless, and the poorly-paid have been cruelly retrenched by our very respectable Board of Eduoation, while the highly-paid, and in many instances the good-for-nothing individuals, have in all cases not been retrenched to the- amount of one penny. The Hon. Mr Mitohelson will kindly note these remarks when next he talk a about retrenching the cost of primary school eduoation. Meanwhile we must cry shame upon, the sample of educational retrenchment adduced .by him .

1 Garrulous Eeea ' is the title of some versea that arrived too late for this issue.

' Ormond's Lament,' concluding portion, is crowded out of this issue.

Mr Doolan oaused a lansrh at Devonport on Monday night by askinar Wr Jackson Palmer if he would take Btepa to introdaco the Koch care.

Mr Thoa. Thompson made an excellent impression by his address on Tuesday overling, and got a triumphant vote of thanks and confidence.

Next week's Observer, issued just the day before the poll, will be the most powerful organ tor influencing the result of the city and suburban elections.

W. J. Courtney got a big requisition to ooatest Newton ; but he took a sensible look at Goldie's popularity, and declined to spend money upon a fruitless battle.

Napier's reply to the Waikato requisition is an exquisite exhibition of calm confidence and conscious superiority. He is required in the city, or ha would have great pleasure in going up and defeating Bryce.

Mr Rees has (on an accusation evoked by Mr Ewing* ton) challenged Mr Mitohelson to appear on a public platform and fisrht out the East Coast Native Land question. No fear of Mitohelaon appearing.

The Central Liberal Committee haa resolved to recommend Mr John Lundon to the Bay of Islands electors as the Liberal candidate for that constituency, and haa notified the various unions in the district to that effeot.

Mr Thoa. Givinin a well-known local politician at Onehunga, ia said to have been assaulted in a cowardly manner, the other night, at an hotel, by a public-house loafer, when advocating the claims of his favourite candidate.

Andus Raynea, mine host of the Kaibu Hotel, has done a gracef nl and patriotic thing in retiring from Bay of Islanda contest, to prevent the return of a minority representative. Coutts has also retired, and Dargaville might as well chuck it up.

Mr Joseph Greenwood has been making great progreßa during the past week or so in hig wooing of the Eden electors, and he bids fair to win the election. He speaks to-night (Thursday) at Swanson Schoolroom, and on Monday evening- «•»▼*; »+■ "WWomiti Sohoolroom.

Cadman stands a fair show of being ousted from Parliament. _ It seems he has offended the Labour party, who are in a large majority in the Thames electorate, by voting on the Harbour question in the interests of the Kauri Timber Company and other biff ratepayers.

Mr J. M. Shera haa appeared as a City candidate sinoe the O.M.s observations were printed. Of Mr Sbera very little need be Baid. He has a long Liberal record, and out of Parliament has sat at the feet of Grey with great diligence. In Parliament he conld never fill Gray's seat, but the eleotors will probably give him a ohance to try. He and Bass are the only Greyites who have a show to be elected for the city, judging by, present indications.