MR. C. E. CARTER IN THE WAIRARAPA.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXII, Issue 2588, 24 October 1867, Page 5

MR. C. E. CARTER IN THE WAIRARAPA.

Mr C. R. Cabtbb addressed a public meeting in the Greytown schoolhouse, on Monday, the 14th. inst., when he gave an account of his trusteeship* of the G-reytown reserves, and "descanted upoa several topics of interest. After making somd preliminary remarks, and explaining in what position the trust stood, he said : — " The main and most important question now remains for me to touch upon, that is, what is to he done with the twenty-eight acres and forty-eight acres of re* serves in order that the greatest amount of publio good may be derived from them ? To my mind your course is clear and distinct. Education waat to be promoted by theso reserves. * * * Nothing that I am aware of, has been done to ia» troduce a higher class of instruction for those, youths whose mental qualifications — whose brains, are of a higher order than tho average. There is a sprinkling of clever boy 3in every community thirsting for knowledge, for these there is no in* tellectual opening. Mere reading, writing, and arithmetic are but tho tools whereby to gain, knowledge and acquire that sort of education which disciplines tho mind and makes men abfo to grapple with and overcome intellectual diflSU culties, 1 Vould nsk, what is to become of out vaunted New Zealand free institutions, if the rising and coming generations of this colony dft not furnish educated politicians ? The present race of old and distinguished colonisfs would pass away. Who are to replace them ? Are we always to import statesmen and professional* from tho old country ? That would neither be, to our interest nor our credit, it would be deroga« tory to us as Englishmen. I am sure you feel and see this great educational want as much as I do. It is no new idea of mine. I have cherished it for years, and during my visit to England X saw much that made me feel acutely that our New Zealand youth are greatly inferior, not in mental capacity — but in intellectual training : it is pre«mature to talk of universities and colleges and stuffing boys with a knowledge of the classics,, while the establishment of grammar schools— middle-class schools has been so . generally neglected in this province. We have the primary or elementary schools, we want next that sound* practical, and gonoral education of the English grammar school or first-class academy. It i$ theso institutions that hare sent forth into the world tho men who have made England the great country it is. There are three stages of learning, first, that acquired in tho common school: second, that obtained in the grammar school* third, that, the highest class, to be dorived from ft college. Establish tho first and second and colleges as soon after as you can ; but lam convinced that neither tho second nor the third can be established witheut aid and en« dowments, and the sooner we begin this th« better. Education should be a national object for it contributes to make a nation successful in war, and great and prosperous in peace. 1 * Mr Carter, having referred to the attentiott paid to education in the United States, and the admirable display made by that country in the Pari» Exhibition, continued thus : — " Now, I dare say some of your are ready to aak, " -what did New Zealand exhibit ?" Well that New Zealand which, thinks so muoh of herself— which contains a population of over 200,000 — which exported in 186S over two millions sterling worth of gold, and above a million's worth of wool — which has educated inon and ominont men as her leaders and legislators— which talks of loans by millions up to seven — which submits to have a more espensive government, and to heavier taxation thfut any other country — which is so poor as to require a little loan of a quarter of a million— which it a» rich as to make a present of a quarter of a million to foreign creditors — which is to be the " United Kingdom," of the future— which is to sweep th* seas — have a brush with Australia, and conquer India. How do you think this great country; e£ anamolies was represented at the Paris Exhibition, in order that emigrant* might he attracted to her shores, and capitalists be made of her intel* ligence and hor vait resources? I will tell joil what this colony did exhibit to the "crowaeil heads" of Europe and millions of people. On» | dirty Maori mat ; a thigh and leg bone of th» moa ift full sized drawing of a moa ; four or fit* unclean fleeces of wool ; a sectional drawing of the Canterbury country ; and what else do you think ? lam afraid I should stay here all night before you gueßsed it, bo I will tell you,— it waft a bundle of heart of totara shingles, and that; an indifferent specimen. (Great laughter.) I sneaked out of the New Zealand Court, for when I heiurd people asking the way to it I felt ashamed of my country, and my only hope for the credit of Uxm colony was that these contributions had been genfc; by patriotic Maories. (Cheers.)" The apeakee then digressed a little to the Bubject of provincialism, upon which he expressed his eentimente ft* follows :— " The time, I trust is not far dttt*r»fe when it will be fairly discussed as to whether urn period has arrived for gradually allowing «%,.

Provincial Governments to die out, but take care before you agree «o p:wt with tho?c provincial Institutions, which have been our pndn and our boast, and have mado New Zealand what it is, that you do not simply exchange the General Government for the Provincial ones-better rcxnain as we arc than do that. I, as a strong proTincialist, did in my first public address to you m 1857, when I was a candidate for your suffrages, stated to you as follows :— ' Some complain of the extensive* powers of the Provincial Councils as being too great,' to this I replied, ' for a number of years these extensive powers will be required; "but when these islands are peopled with a large population— when the country is intersected with common roads and railways— when powerful Steamers ply on our coasts, and messages are sent by elec'rie telegraph, then can centralization take place — the ' Six. Colonies' [tho provinces] become one colony, and tho present provinces be divided into counties ; the whole governed by a strong central Government.' Again, in 1858, I spoke thus . — ' lam of opinion, that while the unity of the colony and the six provinces in it should be maintained, yet I would separate the districts in each province, giving to each district a full and complete system of local self-government, and a just 6hare of tho land revenue raised in it, to be expended by the local authorities.' I think that you will agree with me that if these powers are handed over to you and are worked successfully — it will be best done by the best educated men amongst us." For this reason he impressed upon his hearers the urgent necessity of commencing an agitation for a free grammar school for this district, and open to lads selected from the common schools on account of their 8 iperior proficiency in them. Tho way this may be done is for Greylown, Carterton, Mosterton, and Feather to'agive to throw into one common lot— fo use a fashionable word for a dubious financial transaction— to consolidate all the educational reserves within the boundaries of theso districts, and at present vested in tho Superintendent and partially lot. I think it would be necessary to pass a resolution to tin's effect, adding to it that it is the earnest wish of tho settlers that not any portion of the funds arising from them should be expended out of this district, I protest against it, and I feel assured that you will support me. (Cheers.) So far so good. I have now to ask you to consider all I have said to-night, and to consent that the spare reserve acres may, through the Small Farm Association, and by an act of the General Assembly, if required, be handed over to form one lot with'the above-named valley reserves, and for the purpose and on the conditions I have just named. Before you entertain this proposal, let me explain its feasibility. If theso reserves are thrown together they will comprise about GG town acrco, 48 reserve acres and about 730 suburban and rural acres. Theso would let for at least £150 a year, with 14 year leases and grassed and fenced at the end of the term. The accumulation of principal and simple interest from this fund of JSISO a ye.ir — lent out yearly (is it accrued — would amount' to the sum of £3625, say allowing for non-letting, charges, &c, £3000. Thus at fourteen years from this time there would be £3000 to commence a grammar school with, and an increased rental on tho lands of, I should say, four times the present value, say £GOO a year, and during the fourteen year?, there is the chance of gifts of land and money from private parties to enable you to found one sooner than fourteen years, say in five or seven years. Mr Carter concluded his speech by a reference to the attacks that have been made upon him during his absence. The following resolutions were then unanimously passed : — (1) That tho thanks of this meeting are duo and arc hereby tendered to Mr Carter for his very interesting address, and is of opinion lhafc that part of it relating to the trusteeship of the Greytown reserves is satisfactory. (2) That in the opinion of this meeting the revenue derived from the Educational Reserves in the Wairarapa ought to constitute a separate fund for educational purposes in the Wairarapa district, and that the Chairman be requested to communicate this resolution to tho Government with the view of steps being taken to give it legal effect. (8) That in the opinion of this meeting it is highly desirable that, a grammar echool should be establishod in tho Wairarapa as soon as prac^cable. (4) That in order to forward the establishment of such grammar school — which shall have for its primary object tho education and boarding of a certain number oi' boys, selected on account of their merits from the common schools of this district — it is expedient that the reserve town acres, tho unsold town acres and the forty-eight acres forming the Greytown belt be especially reserved, by such legal enactment as may be necessary, for the purpose of being added to the educational reserves in the townships of Fcathcreton, Greytown, Carterton. and Masterton, in ordor to form 0110 common trust anA fund for tho endowment of such a grammar school as is herein named. (5) That Mr C. R. Carter do convene a meeting of tho members of the Small Farm Association and the Small Farm Committee as early as possible, to take into consideration the abovo resolutions with a view to their adoption, and also to sanction the appropriation of such rescrvo town acres as may be sufficient for tho purposes of the school — (he court house, public hall, a telegraph office, and other buildings. On the following Thursday evening, Mr Carter attended a public meeting at Masterton, and made a speech similar in tenor to that at Greytown. Resolutions were passed to the samo effect as those reproted above.