CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XII, Issue 5, 23 May 1884, Page 17

CHRISTCHURCH.

(Ftom our own correspondent.) Public opinion here is much exercised by ibe numerous speeches and addresses in the political campaign. * As long as tbe struggle was between the thiee parties— tbe Government, ihe followers of Mr. Montgomery, and tbe adherents of Sir George Grey— tbe situation was generally regarded n& hopelefs. This realisation of Captain Mangat's triangular duel most men looked upon as a deadlock. From thiß it is possible that the manifesto of Bir Julius Vogel may release the country. It is too early yet to be able to ray with truth that this manifesto will cause a rush to the ancient Vogelian standard. But that there is much indication to be dazzled with tbe hopeful programme so cleverly addressed by Ibe arch-febemer to all the political interests, is beyond a doubt. Many of us here think that millions are better than self-denial, and some would sot be sorry to get a chance to exalt the prophet of millions, at the expense of the apostles of self-denial. About constitntirn-mongering and novelties of taxation, pore or less dangerous, there are many doubts, bat lavish expenditure with remission of taxation has charms for eveiybody. 'For my part I should not. fiom tbe indications I have seen, be at all surprised to see tbe Vogel policy made the turning point in the general elections, men from all the ranks of all tbe political fragments tossing up their caps, and making cause for tbe " man of progress." One aspiring bead evidently thinks so, and, thinking so, has determined to lead the party of resistance to tbe Eide of speculative politics. Mt. Wakefield has lost no time, though a private member, in addressing the Colony-through his constituents at Leeston, a spot from -whence a Premier was wont to speak to the nation. It is certainly that the new influence will canse Mr. Montgomery to be left high and dry,- and sorrowfully watching Sir George 'Brey leading a small but compact following on an erratic coarse towards the sources of the fountains of perennial good, while the gentlemen of the Ministry wait to be absorbed into coming " combinations." Mr. Wakefield relies on being joined by Mr. Ormond, of Napier, who relies on I know sot what, to get a Beat. Mr. Macandrew, of jour old province, is sure to stand at the side of Sir Julius; accepting and giving large ideas, and offering, probably vainly, bis bale of paper to be converted into the flow of notes of tbe great national Bank of issue. Mr. Bichardson. who has just been returned unopposed for Eaiapoi, is an old colleague of Sir Julius*. He is very much opposed to the Government ; he dislikes " Greyism " still more ; he is by no means fond of Mr. Montgomery, and not likely to play second fiddle to Mr. Wakefield. The party of Sir Julius would be the very i refuge for him that be is looking for. In like manner, the Canterbury contingent which has lately turned against their old friends the Government, want an excuse for- joining Mr. Montgomery. They have not much faith in Mr. Wakefield, while Sir Jnlius is sure to offer them •• works." Sir Julius has many chances in his favour in this district ; at all events, there is a good deal of wholesome fear of extravagance born of bad times, direct taxation, public deficits, and private mortgages. But in that feeling there is too little hope to gild the long, dreary prospectof up-hill work which all tbe prophets but Vogel predict for the people as the only road to renewed prosperity. They all applaud the speakers who talk of the dignity of labour and the heroic work of colonization. But, in my opinion, which I give for what it is worth, they will be likely, should the opportunity be given them, to throw sentiment overboard and embrace the man who promises to advocate money. Prudence says, "Vogel is all very well, but we want to see his scheme before committing ourselves." Let the scheme only come, it will be swallowed. A flow of money may bring retribution by and bye. But before Nemesis comes every man will have a chance to make something either to take himself off out of the avenger's reach, or to stay and get on better terms with him than he enjoys with his present tormentors. Our people are too apathetic to care for decentralisation, for retrenchment, for constitutional questions of any kind ; they will pass resolutions of confidence in a demagogue who promises them all they want, but the great Panjandrum whose roads to that desirable consummation are professedly so much briefer, will leave all demagogues to the solitude of their several stumps. Millions are, in the presenttemper of our people, the only cure for political apathy. In all the situation there is not a single element, except VogeVs, of comfort to cur side of the education question. Sir Julius wants to make other people besides Catholics pay for the education of their children, whereby the work of carrying the rest of the world, Christian Heathen and Hebrew to the goal of a vicious education on their backs, may be made a little easier for the Catholic population. Secularists here have discovered that Sir Julius Vogel's attack on their education fetish means "a return to denominationalism," and are calling the people to arms in their usual solemn unargamentative manner. I very much hope the Julian programme is rightly understood by them. They say the people must be educated because the people i» the master now-a-day s. There they are perfectly right ; where they are wrong is in imagining that what they supply in their whited sepulchres is education in the only sense of the word applicable to the case of the said master. In every criminal session of tbe Supreme Conrt our Judge (Johnston) hits the- right nail on the head for these people, when he inveighs against the prevalence and increase of forgery, which is not the crime of the illiterate. But they continue to put all speakers who dare to tell them on public platforms, as the Premier did the other day, that they believe in religious education. If there is any hope for the Catholic claims, it is in a system of wholesale retrenchment, which Sir Julius Vogel is tbe only leading public man bold enough to openly advocate. It is significant as you, sir, pointed out last week, that Mr. Larnach should have followed his lead. As for the Government, they will do justice to us whenever it becomes safe to do so, not one hour sooner. • Mr. Montgomery is the uncompromising apostle of secularism, as is natural to a man who has imperfect views of education. Bir George Grey has an eye to the main chance; alone. In 1875 he was fighting for Provincialism. Westland had solved the education, difficulty in a juat manner. Sir

Qeorge denounced the Abolitionists as about to destroy a noble system of education. When he became Premier a deputation waited on him in this city to urge tbe claim of the Catholics, and Sir George referred that deputation to Mr. Cole who, he said, was a most excellent person and would attend to tbe question in his place in the House. A few years later when Mr. Pyke's Bill was going through to destruction, Sir George opposed it, because it would " destroy our holy religion." It is tbe only time that Sir George ever poeed, I believe, as a deeply religious Protestant. During his late campaign he was, of course, what is calkd "true blue" en the education question. Kot much more can be expected from Sir George Grey by the friends of justice and morality tban from Mr. Montgomery. Mr. Wakefield once Fpoke up for the good cause, but he has abandoned it, and at the last election, it took its turn to abandon him. He is not likely, if be gets to power, to be a fountain of juttice. If Sir Julius Vogel conies foiward into a commanding position at the election!, wby not surpoit bis programme t If we believe the country to be of grand resources, we are justified in supporting a progressive policy that discounts our future a little. _ The main present cost is to a sjsetm of education which is pernicious. Let that system contribute by its mutilation to the advancement, moral as well as physical, of the country.