CUMULATIVE VOTING.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVIII, Issue 11, 9 July 1886, Page 15

CUMULATIVE VOTING.

MSpO£ HE Member for Waimate, with a zeal and determinatioa that reflect great credit on his moral qualities, never allows a session of our Parliagf<i§j|g|p meat to pass without introducing a Bill to repeal |$Qgs||-» that clause in the Education Act, which authojS^^l,** rises cumulative voting at the elections of school ~'^ committees. This is the solitary instance in which the Constitution of New Zealand, or, if you will, the law of New Zealand makes provision for the representation of _ minorities. In itself, apart from the principle involved, this is a small matter ; and if a judgment may be formed on the subject, from the interest taken in the election of these committees, it is quite evident that the public regards it as a small matter. School committees are, in almost every instance, elected by a few cranky or busy bodies. The public seems to care much for only one thing, and that secured, is perfectly indifferent to all else. So long as the public schools give gratuitous education to children, the people apparently are satisfied . They appear to be absolutely indifferent as to the persons appointed members of committees. This is quite clear from the fact, so long and so universally notorious, that in large cities and towns containing from ten to five-and-twenty thousand inhabitants, hardly three hundred persons can be induced to take part in the election of a school committee. Nevertheless, the Member for Waimate is as active and as busy in the House of Representatives on this question as if the entire country was inflamed with the greatest ardour and zeal on the point. Notwithstanding the most profound indifference, so far as the public is concerned — which is a patent fact — a Bill is annually introduced into the House of Representatives to do away with cumulative voting and passed by that unique and wise assembly, to be, however, as certainly rejected by the Legislative Council. But the strangest thing about this whole affair is, that Mr. Stewart's Bill is brought in by a man, and supported by men, who claim to be not only Liberals, but even Democrats ; whereas, it is always rejected by the Conservative House of Parliament. We were greatly struck the other day by a passage in Mr. Labouchere's speech on the second reading of Mr. Gladstone's Home Uule Bill in the Biitish House of Commons. r lhe Hon. Member for Northampton, speaking of Mr. Goschen, said that no one would know that Mr. Goschen was a, Liberal, except on his own statement to that effect. He said he was a Liberal, but that was all that was Liberal about him. So, indeed, may we say in reference to the Member for Waimate and his supporters. The representation of minorities ought, on principle, to be dear to real Liberals and Democrats. Par from it, however, so far at least as the so-called Liberals of New Zealand are concerned. With the exception of the principle of cumulative voting recognised by it, there is nothing Liberal in our Education Act. Apart from this principle, this Act is most tyrannical. It steps in between children and their parents, depriving the latter of the right to direct the ed ucation of their children, and insisting on their education according to the ideas of a majority of their fellow-citizens. It takes the money of the minority and spends it on the froe education of the majority, to the exclusion of the minority, whom it thus

plunders in a spirit of tyranny for the purpose of bringing up children in ignorance of even the existence of God. And now the attempt is made to prevent the minority from exercising even the least influence on public schools. In whose interest is this ? Not in the interest of the people at large, who can now if they wish effectually control the elections, but who do not, because they do not care about them, and who thus permit, as we said above, the cranky and busy bodies to do as they please in reference to them. Now, indeed, a few earnest men, wishing to prevent either utter godlessness or rampant bigotry from ruling the roost, can and sometimes do spoil the little game of local cliques. But if Mr. Stewart's Bill ever pass into an Act of Parliament,, the case will be different. Neither minorities aor, indeed majorities will be represented on school committees or school hoards, which are elected by the committees, but only the nominees of the cranky and busy bodies. Then we shall see rampant bigotry in many instances, infidelity in others, and tyranny everywhere — without let or hindrance, for the public at large, so long as no fees oc rates are levied — do not care a button how the education system is administered.

A meeting of the Ladies' Association of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul will be held in the old church building, Dunedin, on Monday evening, the 19th inst. It is hoped that a large attendance of the Catholic congregation will take place, as the matter to be laid before them is of great importance. The work that the Society is doing appeals to the sympathies of every Catholic in the comm unity, and urgeutly calls upon them for aid. Very excellent results have already heen brought about by the labours of the lady members*, and not only nave a large numbe* 1 of poor people received substantial material assistance, but spiritual effects no less desirable have been produced. The , Dnihj News, a new morning paper, has been issued in Dunedia. The enterprise is that of a body of printers who have joined together for the publication. It is very much to be regretted that the Legislative Council should have thought fit to throw out the Bill for the abolition of the duty on gold. Apart from all other considerations, the time was hardly opportune for such a step, when temptations to emigrate to another colony are being held up to so important and useful a body of our settlers as the miners. It is an unfortunate effort of statesmanship that not only perpetuates a heavy grievance, but tends to rob the country of the very men to whom much of its prosperity in the past is due, and on whom its future welfare in a great degree depends. Here is another of those cable reports that place us all in the position of Lord Dnndreary, and bring bafore us continually situations that no fellow can understand :—": — " A number of letters have been published in the newspapers which show that in December last, Mr. Gladstone offered to co-operate with the Conservative party in dealing with the Irish difficulty. Mr, Gladstone stated that he made the offer on the ground that he had received information that the power behind Mr. Parnell threatened to perpetuate outrages in England." The picture of the greatest statesman of the day terrified by a continuance of irrepressible outrages, gives O'Donovan Rossa an importance hitherto with-held from him. Is it a pity that Rossa must lament that the pictnre is completely false? The following paragraph taken from the Dublin Freeman of May 15, is somewhat inconsistent with the perpetuation of outrages by Irishmen everywhere :—'• The opponents of Home Rule have reason to be dissatisfied with the stats of Ireland in these critical times. Crime of any serious kind may be described as absolutely unknown in any part of the cmntry, and notwithstanding the great tension wrought by a political crisis of unprecedented magnitude, a profound peace reigns over the land. It would have been a rare source of inspiration to the spent orators of tie loyal and patriotic Union if they could have pointed to a spirit of lawlessness among the Irish people, or to an outbreak of crime in any corner of the island. To men who have been co assiduously heaping filth upon their country such ai eventuality would have been welcomed with unutterable gladness. But the fact remains that, if we except the 'contingent treason' of the Loyalists of Ulster and their official organ, the Belfast Kens-Letter, we may claim for the country an immunity from disorder of which few nations can boast. The Tories and loyal minority generally ignore the fact, and they are astute in their silence. If crime were rife, it would tell not only against the present Home Rule Bill of the Government, but it would be a perfectly just argument against entrusting, under any circumstances, the control of their owa affairs to a people who had yet to learn the practice of social order. As it is, the supporters of Mr. Gladstone's measure c^n point as a weighty argument in favour of that proposal to the undisturbed peace in Ireland which has followed the introduction of Home Rule into the British Parliament." It would be well if the news agent- who coutrou the cable would take example by the Tories a'so in the matter of silence, whether astute or otherwise. But at least he faithfully copies them in employing every means to damage and befoul the Irish cause.

The half-yearly meeting of the members of the New Headford Branch of the H.A.C.B. Society was held in the school-room Sew Headford, on the 17th ult. The attendance was very good. The Secretary submitted the balance-sheet for the half-year, which wa» unanimously adopted. It showed in a very evident manner the rapid strides made in the financial position of the Branch sinca the annual meeting. The officers elected for the ensuing term are as follows : -President, Bro. Henley Senior ; Vice- President, BroH. Leathern ; Secretary, Bro. M. F. Ryan (re-elected ) ; Treasurer. Bro. Henley Junior ; Warden, Bro H. Gillon ; Guardian, Bro. B Murphy ; Sick- Visitors, Bros. O'Rourke and Nolan. In the course of an amusing speech during the debate on the Home Rule Bill, Mr. Labouchere exposed the policy of Lord Balisbury, who had declared that he meant to act the Tory with a high hand, and to play cat's paw for neither Whig nor Radical. The programme of the Marquis is twenty years of coercion for Ireland and after that, when the popular spirit has been well broken, some milk and water measures of local government.— We are curious to learn whether this is the policy that the country is about to adopt by returning a Conservative majority.— ln such a case there will be an instance of the blind leading the blind, and the inevitable catastrophe must be looked for. —Lord Salisbury with all England at his back attempting the impossible, and kicking against the goads will be a remarkable spectacle. A stbono comment on the mistaken policy oi the Legislative Council in rejecting the Abolition of Duty on Gold Bill, is furnished by the report of the Minister of Mines, in which it is conclusively shown how much the Colony has owed to the mining population in the past, and how much it depenis upon them for its future welfare. — Mr. Larnach states that, exclusive of gold and coal, the value of our mineral exports amounted on Dec. 31, to four millions of money — and that the value of our minerals is equal to 39 per cent, of that of all other products of every kind. He shows, moreover, that the gold produced by crushing quartz had increased during the year by 23,1330z., and that the promise of an increase in the future both of gold and silver mining was abundant.— On the other hand while the industry has increased, the number of men engaged in it has fallen off by 856, and although the paradox appears of an increase in the product while the labour has decreased, we may be convinced that such a state of things must prove temporary, and that this industry like every other, or even owing to its nature more than any other, must eventually depend on the number of hands engaged in it— Mr. Larnach himself, indeed, appears aware of this truth, for he calls upon the miners to consider the wealth that surrounds them before they think of risking their fortunes at Kimberley. — In this, however he alludes more especially lv the silver ore which is found to abound in certain districts of Auckland.— lt is, nevertheless, an unlikely way of encouraging the disposition to continue or engage in mining pursuits of any kind, when the men who are exceptionally fitted by their experience for such undertakings find a burden of which they have long complained, and whose injustice must be evident, replaced upon their shoulders just as they were looking for its immediate removal. — The Legislative Council cannot, therefore, be congratulated, on an endeavour to foster so important an industry. Mr. Larnach also gives a very favourable account of the coalmining prospects of the Colony and speaks in very cheering terms of the work that is going on at Qreymouth and Westport.— The increase of out-put at the Messrs Kennedy Brothers' Brunner mine was for the year 25,633 tons, and owing to the excellence of the coal, placed more within reach by the improvement of the bar, and the facilities now afforded to shipping, the Minister predicts that Greymouth at no distant day will rank second in prosperity to few chief towns in the Colony. — Let us hope that the completion of the railway will also before very long lend its aid to a consummation so much to be desired . The cable, still continues to give a hostile tone to all the newa sent here about Ireland. — We must receive with reservation every report co ncerning the attitude of Mr. Gladstone or the Irish party, thou gh, perhaps, no such extreme step will be taken as that of misrepresenting the results of the elections. So far Mr. Gladstone seems to have lost ground, but as we go to press there are some signs of a turning in the tide, asd he has made a slight recovery. The adverse voice of Gi eat Britain, nevertheless, must not discourage us and we shall only recognife in defeat the necessity of fuither efforts n ever to cease until the victory has been won. — So great a change, perl aps, could hardly be expected to take place without a more prolonged and extensive campaign. Ottr friends the Orangemen are showing their teeth in Dublin, as may be seen from the news by cable. — As to the pretended attack of rioters, we may probably take it for an attack provoked by members of an Orange club insulting the passers-by and thus inviting an opportunity of muidering the people, according to the most approved ditch-lining tactics — that is by firing from under cover on an unarmed mob.