UNKNOWN.

Waikato Times, Volume I, Issue 5, 11 May 1872, Page 2

UNKNOWN.

Til n fight over the Kdiu: d ;■' u I'ili '.viildoub'-le-s be long- and fierce. The principal sfand will b" in id" nga \ list it by tho.se win dill -r from its Iramri'S'■ in the I wo quest ions of '"A id 1,0 I )euomiuat.ioual Schools" and the (-■»rri - pn'sury Clauses," Wc purpose consider n s | idl h tii esc questions. It is aim/st neo Hess lor us In point out Ilnfth' 1 ' l* mling of moiuiy I, , scl.iools, flu; priucipul feature in which is I,lie inculcation of ocrluiii dogmas would be maiiifcsl.lv unfair In those who bear au equal ml 1 a.re of tin: burdens of taxation, but whoso religious s. Tuples prohibit them from allowircr 1,1 n:i r eb ild ■•en to nH"iid :i school in \vj 1 ii; 11 l.b"V w edd imbibe what tliey consider to b<! erroneous doctrines. In a thinly populated country like New Zealand, it is impossible, except in our large towns, I.luil more than one school can In supI iU-icd. If aid is, therefore, granted to denominational schools, the children whoso parents 11 >1 1 a dilVu-eul. faith from find taugbl in 11ie.se schools, vvifi be lelt to grow upiu igiioranee. or. u,l least, be necessitated to atlei.d ;i, reboot which, from want of sufficient funds to pay a good teacher, will be presided over l,y one of little ability or aptitude for the p<tl'oi-malice ol his office. The clauses in the new Hill which nllow the granting' ol aid lo schools already in exi: icMce, provided they are brought, under the _<\cl, and religi ms instruction confined lo llie reading- of the Scriptures without com•n cut, g-o as far as any legislation, under the circumstances, would be justified in doing. Wo can sympathise w.th those who feel that no .system can satisfy them w!i : ch does not provide for the inculcation of docirines, a belief in which they consider absolutely neeests ry to .salvation, aid regret equal y with flcm lliaf the splitting up of the people into different sects bus rendered it. impossible for the (lovernuicnt to grant aid to*.' any but a purely secular education. The reli g-ious instruction of our children \vill devolvenpon parents and t he e'erg-y, with Ihe co-operation of those who are willing- to sissist. Provision is made in llie Bill for g ranting the use of the school buildings at such times as may be found most convenient for Ihe imparling of religions instruction. \Ve trust that the gravity of the question will awaken 111 ts somewhat, latent energies of the clergy ot all denominations, and that they will "endeavour to instil into the minds of their iloeks, that in going fo church they are not lit!lilling their whole duty either to their God x >r the State. It is the duty of good citizens to do nil in their power to prevent the rising generation of' their adopted country from crowing- up in a state ol heathenism. Ihe iirst obligation is sell-apparent and the sccoud almost equally so. 11 our children arc al'*-" 11 -' , ' ' wrtnout beinglo beeonic men ami , ... f; b i-o-ht the f >-^p is | stian | ty, we shall /. fi lew yenrs have an enormous criminal population to control and maintain in our gaols. i The Bill prov : des for the compulsory att.cntlanee of children between the ages ot seven j twelve. H, however, exempts those who j jeside more than two miles distant, from the j school, or nre receiving efficient education, j The compulsory elaases can only be brought j into force in a district on a memorial being : presented to the local committee signed by j more than one-half of the ratepayers. It is to be hoped that this portion of the Bill will pass ihe House unaltered, as it is of the id most importance that the Govemmet should 1 ossess tin? power of compelling' parents to educate their children, who would otherwise 'omit to do so. It. will be urged by some that nnv infer'feienee on the part of the Government is an encroachment on the liberty of the subject, j ifinr.st, however, be remembered that the j future welfare of a child depends equally upon ! ihe mental culture accorded to it as upon the supply of proper food. The law compels the parent, to provide the latter, and, with equal .justice, he'should be forced to provide elementary instruction for his children. " - i

Tuf.rf. are few who art? not aware that there : is a Government Printing Office in Welling- ; ton. .Its exister.ee unci management liave; 1 een matter lor discussion during several | ■sessions of the Assembly, 'ihe reply each j Ministry in succession has made to severe • Ventures passed upon it has been, that it is : necessary in order to the speedy printing oi ; Parliamentary papers unci Government forms, j Ts T o reform has taken place, and it is now, as j Ibrmerly, in a most unsatisfactory state. . In i

the first place, the forms required in the • various Government departments throughout the Colony, arc not to hand when needed, and a delay of several weeks is occasioned by ; having 1 to send for themlo Wellington ; and, |in the see>.id, it is most expensively worked. 'The wages paid to , the workmen, including ■ overseers, are about thirty per omfc. more : tha.il those paid by any private employer; in ! fact, the management of tlie establishmerit | throughout shews an arnonn!. of extravagance : in I he indulgence of which, we deem, the Go- ; vernment are not warranted. We feel eonfi- : lent that the work could be done at little ! more than half the cost and more satisfac- ; torily if contracts were called for. or the work : divided at fixed rates among- the offices I throughout the Colony. A thorough investi:i gal ion should be instituted into this matter ; i a-id, we believe the result would be n dis- ; covery on the part of the Government—as was the case in New South Wales—of the i most needless expenditure of public money. We trust that during- the comber session i of the Assembly (he deai.h warrant ef this exi pensive and inefficient department will be signed.