"OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 1873.

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 109, 16 January 1873, Page 2

"OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 1873.

It appears to U 3 that tho J3oar 1 of Education is very dilatory. Tho Education Act has been law for some lime now ; tho Board has met once or twite, but nothing practical has yet resulted, beyond ■what was only meant as a matter of foim. We allude to the proclamation by the Superintendent, announcing that the payment of the J&l household tax should bo made at the offio of the Provincial Treasurer before the «3rd February. This want of activity has given some plausibility to tho wholesale uccusations that have been brought against the Act itself in tho editorial columns of one of our Contemporaries, and by means of letteia from correspondents in tho same journal. Tho taxing olause )g the one tlint comes in for moat of the abnso, it is said that the people cannot support any more taxation, find that the rate lalls unequally on the rioh and the poor, also Unit the whole Act is a sham, aa sorno br-moms of mathematics aro not included in the list of subjects to be taught in the &chools. \[o purpose ti eating the-e objections seriatim. To

commence, we deny that the people, w itli the exception of a very small propoition, are unable to pay the rate without missing the amount they have to contribute, and provision is made for cases where the contrary may be the oase, as no payment is to be demanded irom any person when, in the opinion of a local Board, to do so would he an act of oppression. As regards its unequal bearing on the rich and the poor, we may point out that those who fairly come j under the foi mer category will dot n c no direot benefit i from the expenditure of the rate, as they will not ' use the schools established by the state. They will ! naturally seek a higher class education for their I children than can reasonably be expected to be pro- , vided at public expense. The pocr man, whose | very existence is doubtful, except to a very limited extent, will derive a'l the benefits; it is therefore j only f.iit that he should pay a littlo moie for educa- i tion in proportion to his riches than Ue who derives I only an indirect advantage. One of the writers we lu'ne alluded to says the Act is a sham, because geometry, mensuration, and algebra are not included in the list of subjects This individual says • — " I shall suflW myself to be distrained before T pay one cent of this obnoxious tax, simply because it is the offspring of hypocris) ." What a peculiarly upright man this must be 1 Sooner than conform quietly to ' the laws of the colony, he will put its administrators 'to trouble and himself to expense. A man who writes such twaddle as this is individually beneath [ contempt, but when his effusions are given space in ; a respectable journal, they may do harm by instilling [ stupid and violent opinions into the minds of others jas ignorant of the question as he. For the purpose of leading the people oft' the true scent, and from looking at the Education Bill only, whilst considering its provisions, its enemies have dragged in several ulterior questions, in which our power of analogy fails to find any bearing on the question. What the present tariff, an income or a property tax have to do with our local Education Act, would puzzle a Philadelphian or any other lawyer to find out. When a man is advocating a < bad oauae, he naturally tries to, lead his auditors j away from actual facts into the realms of surmise and speculation. If we could only arrive at the truth, we have little doubt that some of the violent ravers against the Act would be found not poor men, but of that class — to be met with in every community — who are always opposed to expending their money for the benefit of any but themselves. Others, if they would throw off their cloak of anonymity, would doubtless be found to consist of I small-miudcd local politicians, who purpose, at no distant date, to raise a war-cry somewhat as follows .» " Down with the Education Kate and the oppressors of the poor !" These men will not be listened to ; the poor man is well aware that the Act has been passed for his especial boueftt — we j mean, of course, for that of the class to which ho belougs. A labouring niau may not have wife or children, and for that very reason is better able to pay the rale than his married brother who has taken those responsibilities upon him. Let us look at the question in another light : We are paying large Bums of money annually to introduce population; it is therefore indisputable that the mau who marries is conferring a benefit on the colony, provided, of course, that wo are acting wisely in inducing population to our shores. We consider that those who, in spite of factious opposition succeeded in getting the Education Act through the Couucit, are entitled to the thanks of the whole community. The position we were placed in was simply — either pass an Act or allow our children to grow up in ignorance, and to remain as lo»g as they lived a disgrace to the colony , and those who hold any political power at the present tirae-~every man who possesses a vote has some power, and would, therefore, come in for his share of the disgrace. We had to educate the people, and we have adopted the readiest, in fact the ouly means at hand to da so,

It lios boen brought to our notico that *\cvv few applications have been made in this district b) the friends of those desirous of emigrating from the old country to this colony We call the attention of thoso settled m the colony to the \ery favourable terms on which the) tan luue their relations or friends brought out. On payment of Cl at anj Moiu\> Order office iv the colony, a ticket will be uttucd entitling the person specified tltc-rom to a five passage. Females between tho ages of 12 and 35 will be brought out five, on application being made as above. Paj ment of £2 is required for children under 12 years, of age. We commend the above facts to the notice of those having friends in the old country who arc living on a miserable pittance, and whose food is restricted in quantity nnd of poor quality It is unnecessary for us to point out that such win earn good wages und lhe well in this colony. If all would write home and explain the facts of the cose to their friends, wo feel confident that their would be little necessity for immigration agents. Tho payment demanded hero is not greater than* any working man can. easily make without material sacrifice. It aflbi'ds us inuoh pleasure to announce that another Odd Follows' Lodge is about to be established in the Waikato. Ngaruawahia is the place select ed for headquarters. The Odd Fellows 1 and kindred societies luvre worked greut good ; crcry old colonist is aware that habits of economy, sobriety, and general good follow on the establishment of a branch of one of those societies m a district or town. Wo wncercly trust that the new lodge may have many members, and that cncli may act up to the rules laid down for his guidance. We understand that the portion of the Domain Tunnel j now remaining unfinished measures only GO feet. It is expected that this remaining portion will be cut out and finished in the course of a fortnight or three weeks. Itapid | progress is being made in tins and other works along the line. A meeting was held at Hamilton on Tuesday evening last "to consider the best steps to be adoptod to connect the Thames Goldfields with tho Waiknto " From some cause unknown to us, our reporter's note&have not come- to hand we are therefore compelled to hold over further notice of this meeting till next issue. A meeting on tho same subject is called for Saturday nc\t at Ngaruawalna. We trust that it w ill be fully attended. Dr Edward Waddington is gazetted medioul referee under " the Government Awuntioa Act, 1869" Tho following par.igiaph, extracted from the Lorning Slar notifies, tho retirement from business of an old colonist — Mr Hobbs, of Queen street In speaking of his successor it Bft^s — "It is with picas uro we note, by advertisement in this day's Hsne, the success, of u young man who by his in- I tcgrit) and perseverance while in tho employ of Mr Hobbs, of tins t>ity, for ncarlj seven years, has now become his successor. It h ono of thoio oases of patient perseverance which has met with its reward. Mr W. Rushbrook is woll known in Auckland as a young man of sterling principle, and he may rest assured the public will always appreciate nnd givo their support to thosr who endeavour, as in his cane, by strict and unswerving integrity to merit if, and we have no doubt that the same liberal patronage which has hitherto been bestowed upon Mr llobbo will be awarded to Mr llif-hbrook, -AuvnuistiUEM.

The lown Board of Ngaruawnhia metonthelHh mat, M the Central Uotel, for the purpose of hearing and deciding on objections to the rate for the ourrent jean The Hoard waited for two hours, when no objectors luung appeared the metftin,' adiourned.