PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 2884, 17 May 1872, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Yesterday. Mr Sumptor moved that an address be presented to His Honor the Superintendent, asking him to set aside certain lands specified as a reserve for a rifle range for the Oamaru volunteers. The motion was supported by the Prouincial Solicitor. ’> he motion was carried. The Hon, Dr. Menzics moved that the Superintendent should be requested to place LIOO on the estimates for exploring and mak* ing a road from Mavora lakes to the HoJlyfoad River. The track now followed was not the best for stock being driven to Martin’s Bay. Park horses had been taken years ago to the bead of the Hollyford River, and therefore he concluded that this was the best route and most easily formed for stock. Mr Daniel, in seconding the motion, said that the track proposed was the most natural and best route that could be adopted. Mr Hutchison thought the sum asked was too small. The motion was agreed to. Mr Macassey moved that the official reports received from the Warden of the Wakatip district for the past three years be laid on the table. Agreed to. EDUCATION. Mr Tolmie resumed the debate. He considered the subject had been fenced with by honorable members. He thought this ought not to .have been. The community numbered 70,000, of whom 10,000 were Roman Catholics. Concessions were asked of the Protestants that ought not to be granted, Whatever was disagreeable to the Roman Catholics should be removed from our system of education. Beyond that -he was not prepared to go. Denominatioualism had been a failure everywhere. He should like the Bible to be read, the Lord’s prayer and commandments lea nt, otherwise no feeling of responsibility could be induced on children. He advocated compulsory education. It had been tried in America with great success. He hoped the Government would bring forward a resolution acceptable to the House, and n«t the wishy washy mealy mouthed resolutions proposed yesterday. He would have a national secular education, but would wish the moral law recognised. Mr Green wished the Council to decide whether the system should be denominational or secular. The previous resolutions left the question where it was before. The terms of the amendment of the Hon. Mr Holmes affirmed denomiuationalism. The term “national” did not apply to the Colony. It would be many years before it became a nation. The course pursued by the mover had been objectionable, for it was only intended to catch votes. Many Roman Catholics had told him if the Bible were excluded and a purely secular education imparted, they would send their children to the schools. It was therefore thp duty of the Council to adopt such a resolution as would reconcile all classes to an educational system. He moved—“ That the following words be added .'—‘Recognises the right of all classes of the community being placed on an equal footing, and participating equally in the advantages of the public schools, an' 4 is further of opinion that this can only ha secured by the adoptiou of a purely secular system of education,’ ” Mr G. F. C. Browne wished that the words “ from which the reading of the Bible and other religious instruction shall be excluded,” should be added. Mr Green had no objection to add there words to his amendment, Mr M'Dermid asked if the schools where there would be no difficulty in Bible reading should be deprived of it, because in some schools it would be objected to ? The Hon. Mr M*Lean would not be a party to such a proposition, for on a similar grouptf every historical work should be excluded. He objected to the aided schools clauses in the Government Bill. They would become powerful political engines. He held secular education to mean education without any instruction in religion. Mr Cntteu intimated that when the proper time came, he would be prepared to move amendments which he thought would meet with the general approval of hou. members. Mr Lumsden would support the amendment, and would be prepared, for the sake of united action and peace, to exclude tfcg Bible altogether ffoiq qur public schools. He believed that the cause of religion would not be injured, but rather served, by so doing. Mr Maccassey was glad that at length they had in the amendment by the hon. member for Blueskin (Mr Green) a distinct issue placed before them that all coaid understand, and on which the Government would be bouud to express some distinct principle and statement of thecourse they intended to take. Were he (Mr Macassey) to vote for either of the amendments, he should certainly support the one moved by Mr Green, because it bad at least this merit—it is distinct and understandable.

Dr. Webster repeated his conviction that good, rather than evil, would, under the circumstances, result from the exclusion of the Bible from our public schools. He criticized the conduct of the Government, and blamed them for not having indicated clearly {U}cl distinctly what course they intended to pursue. They had now an amendment that clearly expressed what he believed the majority of the Council wanted, and he should heartily support it.

Mr M'Arthur was not satisfied with either of the amendments. Mr Bathgate would let his opinion be known distinctly, and would be prepared to support the amendment as it stood ou the paper. The amendment of Mr Green, with the words moved by Mr Browne added, was then put, with the following result: — Ayes, 15; Messrs Armstrong, Bastings, Brown, J. C., Browne, G. H. (teller), Daniel, Green, Hickey, Hutcheson, Innea, Lumsden, Macassey (teller), Mervyn, M Glashan, Shepherd, and Webster. Noes, 23; Messrs Allan (teller), Barr, Basstian, Bathuate, Bell, Blacklock, Bradshaw, Clark, Cutten. Duncan, Henderson, Holmes, Menzies (teller), Mollison, M‘Arthur, M'Dermid, M‘Kenzie, M'Lean, Reynolds, Shaw, Smith, Thomson, and Tolmie. Mr Cutten then moved the following amendment as against the Hon. Mr Holmes’s: —“ That this .Council is of opinion that the Education Ordinance of Otago has worked satisfactorily in the past, and regrets that any section of the community should refuse to avail itself of the provisions of that Ordinance, but, in order to remove any objection to a general system of education, resolves that any Colonial or National plan of e lucational will not be satisfactory unless the teaching be of a purely unsectarian character.” On a division being called for, there voted, Ayes, 19 : Messrs Allen, Barr, Bathgate, Bradshaw, Clark, Cutten (teller), Duncan, Henderson, Menzies, Mollison, M‘Arthur, M'Dermid, N‘L?an, M‘G ashan, Reid, Reynolds (teller), Shand, Smith, Thomson. Noes, 17; Messrs Armstrong, Bastings (teller), Bell, Blacklock, Brown, J.C., Browne, G. F. C. ,* Daniel, Green, Hickey, Holmes (teller), Hutcheson, Innes, Lumsden, Macassey, M‘Kenzie, Webster. Mr Macassey observed the vote first taken, which was the first intimation of the views of the Government, to be decisive of tbe question. Mr Cutten’s amendment was then put as substantive motion, and affirmed.

This Day. The Speaker took the chair at the usua time, two o'clock. REPORTS. Dr Webster brought up a report on the Amoko school committee’s petition. The recommendation of the Committee was that the decision of the Education .Board be reconsidered in regard to the appointment of Mrs Robertson as teacher, and that, should she not be continued in that capacity, Mr Robertson will have a strong claim upon the Government on a count of his weak health. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS, The Executive gave the following replies to questions asked : To Mr Tolmie : It was intended to place a small sum on the estimates' for immigration merely as an amount to facilitate the passage ofgdesirable immigrants. The Horae agency of the Province was working well. The agent of the General Government, to a certain extent, had control over the Provincial agents. No recommendations were sent to immigrants to the north of the Mother Country. It was believed that attention was given to the introduction of persons from Norway and Sweden. To Mr Shepherd : Tenders had been taken for putting the shelter sheds in good order, and it was believed they were now iu good repair. To Mr Shepherd : It being found advisable to move the camp at Roxburgh, steps had been taken for that purpose. To Mr Shand : The reason why the Waste Land Board refused to complete sale of Section 8, block 11., and Section 10, block 1., Outram, was because there was a drill shed on the section named, and a section was leased without any record in the land office. It was always intended to reserve the drill shed section, and that would be done. There had no doubt been [some irregularity in the Waste Lands Department, but as the transaction was an old one, he could not explain it. ORDERS OE THE PAY. The Provincia 1 Solicitor moved the second reading of the Otago Roads Ordinance Amendment Bill. He explained that the Bill proposed to amend certain sections, excluding Crowux lauds and laud were the native title had not been extinguished from assessment and giving vrorqen, owners of property, the right of voting. ’ Mr Lumsden ask d if women were allowed to vote by proxy, and Mr Thomson requested some teiihincal information. Mr Shepherd suggesthe thatfleased lands should be brought under assessment, and Dr Webster proposed certain alterations. The Provincial Solictor said it was the intention to bring ihe ordinance under the ‘‘(Highway Boards Empowering Act.” The Bill wa read a second time and committed. IN COMMITTEE. The lion. Mr M'Lean moved an amendment upon clause 5, to the effect that persons entitletf to vote under the provisions of the Bill should be allowed to do so by proxy. The amendment was supported by Mr Tolmie, opposed by the Provincial Solicitor, and lost. The clause was then agreed to as read. The remaining clauses were agreed to, and the Bill ordered to be re-printed without amendments. The Bill was then read a third time and passed. [Left sitting.]