The Tuapeka Times. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1871 "Measures, not Men."

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 187, 7 September 1871, Page 4

The Tuapeka Times. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1871 "Measures, not Men."

From our Wellington Correspondent's letter, it appears that the business of the new Parliament is progressing at a very slow pace. The result will be that matters appertaining to the outlying districts will not come on for discussion until those members who represent the towns will have had their say, and perhaps gained their wishes, and are desirous of returning to their respective homes. The Public Works scheme, although not likely to meet with much opposition, is bound to occupy the attention of the Assembly the greater part of the session. Then there is the Education Bill, the Goldfields Consolidation Bill, the Otago Land Bill,

and a host of others, which we venture to say, if passed during the three months sitting of the Assembly, will neither be read nor understood by one-third of the members. Matters involving radical changes should be made known months before they come on for discussion hi the ifou.se of Representatives. Take for instance the Education Bill. It was only laid on the table by the Government a few days before they asked the Members to discuss it. This measure, above all others, should have been the property of the public at least six months before it came to be discussed in the Assembly. The same applies to many other measures, not only introduced by the Government, but by private Members. One of these we propose summarising. It is an attempt at reform, introduced by Mr. Macandrew, who has tabled a number of resolutions, in which he proposes to abolish all the provincial legislatures, and the Westland County u Council of the Middle Island, and substitute in lieu thereof one provincial legislature for the Middle Island. The proposed legislature is to consist ot a LieutenantGovernor and a Provincial Council. The Members at present representing the Middle Island in the House of Representatives to form the first Council under this new regime. The Revenue of Hie Middle Island to be appropriated by the Provincial Legislature, subject, as a first charge, to such contributions in respect of the general liabilities of the colour as the Colonial Legislature may from time to time determine. All expenditure incurred in the Middle Island under the Public Works and Immigration Act to be administered by this Provincial Legislature. All existing Acts for regulating the sale and letting or occupation of the waste lands of the Middle Island to be repealed, and a uniform A.ct substituted by this new Provincial Legislature. Mr. Macandrew also proposes to remodel the Colonial Legislature. The Legislative Council is to consist of twent}' Members, one-half of whom to be elected by the Provincial Council of the Middle Island, and one-half by the Provincial Councils of the North Island — the Members of this Legislative Council to be elected for ten years. A House of Representatives, consisting of a certain number of members, to be elected by the people. The Colonial Legislature to be confined exclusively to questions of federal concern. The foregoing is a brief summary of Mr. Macandrew's proposals, which may be said to assu me a. miM form of separation. The resolutions are in themselves good, and might possibly be practicable ; but even although we learn they are receiving favourable consideration in Wellington, we have no "hope whatever of their being carried. The Middle Island has of herself too many jealousies to soothe and satisfy, and we feel confident will prefer to be allied, uu at present, to the North Island, in the hope of soon having Provincial Councils abolished, and the County system initiated. Even supposing Mr. ! MaoandrewV resolutions were car1 ried into effect, the outlying districts of the Middle Island would be nearly as far removed from the centre of Government and receive us little attention as at present. Let us be done with these fancy schemes of legislation, and go in for what is really practicable ; let us cast aside" our leading-strings and \yaik like me.n, and govern ourselves.

as we can do. We have as little faith in Mr. Macandrew's new fancy scheme of government as we had in his fancy scheme of immigration, by which he proposed landing twenty families of stocking weavers at Catlins River, and a like number of coal miners at Preservation Inlet. We cannot do better than conclude in the words of a contemporary, who writes as follows on Mr. Macandrew's resolutions :—": — " They mean nothing, and are simply absurd. They will be tabled and doubtless form the fruitful theme of tiresome discussion, very much to the edification of those members who have prepared speeches on the subject, and very much to the impediment of public business and the cost of the public."

We have received a copy of the Education Bill, and from a perusal of it are far less pleased with the Bill than we were with the telegraphic summary of it published by us last week. The Clause referring to Aided Schools, changes the character of the Bill entirelj", and makes it little short of a denominational s}' p stem. It will doubtless give satisfaction to the Koman Catholic portion of the community, but if carried will prove a signal failure as a national system of education. The result of it in Lawrence will be that a Government Roman Catholic school will be established, and in a very few months afterwards a Government Episcopal school — and who knows but what our Presbyterian, Wesleyan and Congregational friends will make similar claims to have Government schools themseives. The whole community will be taxed to teacli all descriptions of religious dogmas, however much these dogmas may be opposed to each other ; and instead of one good school in the district, we shall have half a dozen inferior in every respect to the one now in existence. We say inferior, because the amount of Government subsidy, when so distributed, will be so little to each school, that it will be all but useless. Mr. Bathgate, as yet, is the only member who has raised his voice against the principle of the Bill to which we refer, but- if the measure is not hurried through the House, but receives calm and careful discussion, we believe that several objectionable clauses will be greatly modified. There is another part of the Bill which we shall at present only touch upon, and that is the clause referring to the proposed Minister of Education. This gentleman, in our opinion, is to have by far too great a discretionary power in Ills liancls. la fact, lie is to te almost absolute, and to reader aid to certain schools whenever he thinks necessary, thus over-riding the Education Boards with a high hand.