The Wanganui Chronicle AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIWES SINE LINEA." TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1892.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11703, 13 December 1892, Page 2

The Wanganui Chronicle AND PATEA-RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. "NULLA DIWES SINE LINEA." TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1892.

At a political banquet held in "Wellington a few weeks ago Sir Rjbert Stout, who was present, sat still and accepted with the utmost complacency the cheers of the assembly while he was puffed and praised as the author of tbe- Education Act. If Fir Eobert has at any time since explained why he allowed himself to be thus honoured when the honour was due to another, we have been so unfortunate as not to have seen or heard of the explanation. Sir Robert Stout was not the author of the Education Act, and neither was he a genuine supporter of the measure. Indeed, be wentso far in the direction of determined opposition, as to use the forms of the House in order to try to get the Bill shelved altogether. Several of the leading journals of the colony have stripped the Dunedin knight of the unmerited honour which his friends havo bestowed upon him, and which he apparently was so ready to accept; but a correspondent, wrjting later, gives a few facts from an v old number of Hansard which cannot he gainsaid. The writer in question cays; — " In 1887 the Ministry was Major Atkinson's (Premier), and his colleagues were Dr Pollen and Messrs F. C. Whitaker, C. C. Bowen, J. D. Ormond, Donald Eeid, George McLean, and Tawiti. The Hon. Mr Bowen moved the Education BiH in an able speech, Mr Stout said on the second reading ; — ' The principle of Stale education has not been attacked, and therefore one cannot very wall avoid voting for the second reading of this Bill:' You say he avoided voting for it j by absenting himself. Evidently Mr Stout was not, therefore, the originator. | The Atkinson Government carried the second reading in triumph. On lOfcb ' September, 1887, Hansaid tells us that Mr Stout moved that the Chairman report progress — that is the Parliamentary form for killing a Bill iv Committee. He and the opponents of the Bill were defeated. On 11th September Mr Stout again moved in Committee to kill the Bill. Happily, Major Atkinson and MeFsrs Pollen, Whitaker, C. C. Bowen, Donald Keid, and J. D. Ormond defeated Mr Stcut, and carried into law the greatest and beat Bill ever introduced into our Parliament. Yet in face of these facts Sir Eobert Stout's admirers frequently praise him to the skies as the originator of the scheme. Sir Kobert was later a Minister for Education, but during that time ho did nothing of real value to enlarge or improve the system introduced and firmly established by the Atkinson Ministry." Commenting on the above, the Marlborough Express observes :— " 'Twas ever thus. Even the Labour Bills of the present Ministry first sow daylight during 1 tlio existence of tbe Atkinson Government, which, however, had so weakened itself in other wayu that to carry them was iuipcsEible."

The Committee of the Catholic Boys School in Blenheim have sought and obtained from the Harlborough Education Board the services of the Board's Inspector in the examination of the school in question. The Board, that is, have raised no objection to the Inspector performing the duties, and that gentleman has expressed bis perfect willingness to comply with the reciuest. The move is one in the right direction, and it says a <*ood deal for the Committee of a private school that they are prepared to submit their scholars to a public test. We should be glad to see the precedent thus established widely extended ; but it must be obvious to the Catholic authorities that if their school? are to have a fair chance of success in comparison with those carried on under the Act, they must be carried on on the same lines. The syllabus must be similar, tho modes o f teaching must be those of which the Inspector approves, atad as' much time mubt be given to the subjects in which the children are to be examined as is given in the public schools. We shall look with interest for the results of the Blenheim examination.