RUNNING COMMENTS ON PASSING EVENTS.

Evening Star, Issue 2912, 19 June 1872, Page 2

RUNNING COMMENTS ON PASSING EVENTS.

To the Editor.

Sib, —By an oversight, my jottings respecting the Police were omitted from my last communication; and as I am reluctant that the pres l nt and future generations should be deprived of the benefit of perusing them, I forward them to you at the very earliest moment after they have turned up. Here they are:— “And so the ‘upper ten’ have made another spasmodic effort on behalf of the police. Really their conduct in this affair has been most erratic. First, we have a long list of great names appended to a requisition to the Mayor to call a public meeting ; and when that meeting is called, the owners of the great names appended to the requisition almost to a man either absent themselves from the meeting altogether or refuse to take any part in its proceedings, or to form part of the deputation in the appointment of which that meeting resulted. -Next, they turn up again —when all their influence could effect but little good—as a deputation, on their own hook, to argue with the Superintendent and Executive as to the course they (the Executive) ought to have taken under the circumstances, and very properly were mildly snubbed for their pains. When I read the account of their interview with his Honor, I was led to ask in my own mind, “ What were these numerous and influential friends of the police about all that live long day, given to reconsider the foolish resolve to strike ?” They all denounce the men forjthe course they took on that occasion, and most of them appear to blame the Government for not reinstating the men; but why did not they or some of their number between that six in the morning and six in the evening, point out to the men whom tjiey

befriend, the extreme folly of the course they were proposing to take . Had this been done I believe all the mischief would have been timely prevented. lut no, as was very justly remarked by the Superintendent; the “ sympathy” expressed with the men, at that particular juncture of affairs was doubtless the mam cause of their persevering in their stupid and illegal resolve to strike Much as I regret the ultimate issue of this affair, both as regards the men themselves and the interest of the citizens at large I cannot but attribute a very large part of the blame to the action or want of action of the professed “ friends of the police themselves, by whose lavish and constantly reiterated praise they were first led to form an over-estimate of their importance and then deserted in the time of their real somewhat before my usual time trespassed upon your space with the above I am disposed to avail myself of the same opportunity to add a few words about the Education Question, of which we have heard and lead so much, and really done so very little. I will put them thus The time is approaching when the General Assembly will be called to deal with the vexed question of Popular Education. Considering the importance of the subject, I cannot help looking upon the expression of sentiment in Otago as highly unsatisfactory. In fact it is impossible to form a clear notion of what the inhabitants of the Province want. True, there are the manifesto of the Association for the promotion of National Education in New Zealand; a succession of socalled “debates” in the Provincial Council; a whole host of letters in the newspapers, and numerous newspaper articles ; but notwithstanding all these, if it is wanted to get outside the claim put forth by onr Homan Catholic fellow-colonists, one is altogether at fault as to what the rest of the community require. If 1 were a member of the General Assembly and were asked to say what the general idea is, I should reply that the bulk of the very enlightened population of the Province demand what they are pleased to term a * ‘ purely secular” system of education, but which they wished nevertheless to be accompanied with “Biblereading” and other “religious instruction.” In support of this paradox, I should refer the House to the manifesto alluded to, and to the records of proceedings and reported “ debates in the Provincial Council. But this is really too serious a matter for joking upon. Although the gist of the matter has been often alluded to by the Press, it has been too much lost sight of by the public. The main question at issue was plainly brought out by a friend with whom I was talking the other day, who asked “Is it the province of Government to teach any religion at all ? And if so, what ?’ Now, sir, if you appV the question as a test of public opinion so far as it is formally set forth, what is the result ? Every man holding the affirmative says, “ Of course it is the duty of the Government to see that religion is taught; and it follows, of course, they should teach my religion, and my religion only, for I hold that to be true ; and so also, as a matter of course all other religions to be false.” This must be admitted to be a reductio ad abmrdum, but th?re is no escaping the conclusion—either every man believes his own religious doctrines true, or he believes a lie ; and if he hold them true, he must wish others to believe them too. Of necessity if any religious teaching is gi ven,|heconsi ders that, and that only, should be imparted. But is it too late even yet to obtain some public expression of opinion, embodying something like a common-sense answer to the question put ? For my own part I am not quite decided in my own mind, and know others who are in the same position of doubt, could there not be got together a few men of intelligence, well acquainted with thesubject, whowould lay aside all extraneous considerations, personal feelings, individual pecularities of faith, practice, &c„ and calmly and dispassionately discuss the clear and understandable issue, “Shall the Government be asked to teach any religion ; and, if so, what ’ I believe if the issue, thus put, were calmly and deliberately discussed by but even half a dozen intelligent citizens, the result arrived at, and clearly expressed, would have more real weight with those of our representatives who are accustomed to think than all the clap-trap yet uttered about a purely secular system of education, which shall embrace the reading of the Bible, and at least some amount of religious teaching. I am, &c., Nemo, June 19, 187*2.