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Evening Star, Issue 3236, 4 July 1873, Page 2

We were somewhat surprised at the opposition to the very reasonable petition of the eighty-one girls to be allowed to compete for scholarships with boys. The old worn-out thread-bare arguments cropped up again and again from men, some of whom might fairly be assumed to know what education meant, while others might be excused not knowing better, for their “speech bewrayed them.” As Mr Stout truly said, from the style of opposition adopted, education must be supposed by them to be a bad thing ; for it was assumed that, instead of leading to a more thorough appreciation of the duties of everyday life, it rendered women unfitted for them. The argument resolves itself into a question of caste, and assumes that there are those amongst us who are born of poor parents, and shall therefore bo doomed to a life of servitude ; and others, whose parents are rich, and consequently entitled to revel in intellectual as well as social superiority. Very little thought should have sufficed to have placed the question in its true light. We need not travel over the ground so often trodden, a n d waste time in proving education to be a gofld and necessary thing. If it were not so, the wiser phm wqyld be to shut up our schools, take lessons of the Ma-orjs, or go back to the manners and customs of our forefathers, tattoo our skins with pictures of heathen deities, and show their beauty of daslgjx by discarding the use of clothes. The arguments in opposition, followed to their legitimate conclusion, really led to this. They were affirmed to be baaed upon experience and observation, Mr Lumsdcn especially was strong on this point, when he declared that it was the educated man who did not succeed in the Colonies, We do not kiiow anything more mischievous than generalisations frqm imperfect observation. A few men come out here who are learned, and not finding an opening for making a living in their own fashion, prefer moping loafing to energetic effort in some.other line. They have bones and muscles, but they will not train them to utility; they know much, but they do not a pply it ' so Mr Lmnsden and those who think with him conclude that all educated men are like them.

The truth is that they are basing their theory upon exceptions. They see these, but they do not see the thousands of men and womcMi of education who have sense enough to apply their superior knowledge to the better direction of effort in daily routine. Even the very fact of which Mr Lumsden spoke with a sneer, that educated women are provided with a sewing machine instead of, as of old, being doomed to “stitch, stitch” to earn their daily bread was an argument in favor of education, of which the sewing machine ia oue result. The mistake lies really in not perceiving that because education has thus far been monopolised by the rich and influential, it is supposed to be degrading that brains so aristocratically endowed should be employed in so vulgar a manner as that of directing bone and muscle engaged in manual labor. It is assumed that boys and girls so educated are capable of something better than using a plane, a hatchet, a file, or following the plough, or scrubbing floors, cooking dinners, and making butter and cheese. So long as this notion holds, the evil may perhaps, exist ; but our contention is that the bubble must burst when education becomes general, and that society will be the better for having reliable men and women intelligently performing those duties, that are now very often imperfectly done, because to a certain extent executed in a serf-like spirit. Our experience is that the best domestic servants and the best employes in all departments of industry are those who know the most. They are the most moral, the most truly religious, the most reliable in every respect, and the most comfortable to have to do with. We are glad that the majority of the Council took the correct view of the matter.

In consequence of pressure upon our space, owing to the proceedings in Council and other matter, we are obliged to hold over our reports of the Resident Magistrate’s and City Police Courts. A most important deputation waited on his Honor the Superintendent, this afternoon, to urge upon him the absolute necessity of extending the jetty accommodation at Dunedin, and making other arrangements connected with the trade of the Port. The pressure on our columns renders it impossible to give a full report until to morrow. Between fifty and sixty gentlemen met at the lower hall, Athenaeum, last night, for the purpose of forming a committee to promote the election of Mr Mercer to the Mayoralty. Those present passed an unanimous resolution that they would give their active support to Mr Mercer, and constituted themselves a central committee, afterwards subdividing into Ward committees ; and separated with a determination to be successful. In the Provincial Council yesterday afternoon, Mr Stout gave notice that on Monday he would move That this Council is of opinion that the Executive is deserving of the gravest censure for not officially transmitting to the Waste Land Board the resolution of the Council recommending the postponement of the consideration of the sale of land in the Maerewhenua district, applied for by the Hon. R bert Campbell, and for not urging and advising, through the leader of the Executive, who is, ex officio, a member of the said Board, the postponement of the consideration of the said sale recommended by the Council.” We understand that to-morrow week there will be a four-oared boat race between a crew under the command of Mr W. Mills, and one under the command of Mr A. D. Wilson, both of this City; the distance being four and a-half miles, starting from the old jetty at half-past two o’clock. Both crews aro m active training, and the race will no doubt cause much excitement amongst the betting community. We understand the following are the names of the crews Mills’s boat: Messrs F. Merriraan (stroke), W. Mills, Ji MiJlg, Denniston ; J. Duncan (coxswain), Wilson’s bpat; Messrs Wilson (stroke), Logan, Denniston, A. Tame j Jackson (coxswain). The High School girls have again “moved” tpe Provincial Council; this timein the direction of asking that steps may be taken to make tfre.in *s gpod citizens as their brothers, and as well enable them * ‘ to belter perform their duties,” Thn Hon- Major Richardson brought up the petition ; and Mr Oliver remarked that he had been informed on a very high authority that signatures had been obtained to the last petition without the girls knowing what they were signing. Major Richardson claimed the paternity of the “flowery” petition; and said if there was any blame about getting signatures, it rested with him, as he requested the Lady Principal to obtain as many as she could ; and he was informed that that lady requested the girls to obtain their parents’ consent te their signing it. There was a full House and galleries crowded in gvery part last night, when the Government determined to force on to a discussion Mr wanjb of confidence motion. At the conclusion ql Mr Stand’s motion, which was introduced by a speech ql half-an-hour’s duration, in the course of which he was called to order no fes# than six times, a silence occurred, no seconder ftp? pearing, and ultimately the Hon. Mr Reynolds seconded it pro forma. Immediately the motion was put from the chair the memhers of the Opposition walked out of the House, and when it came to be put, on the doors being locked, no voices were to be heard in the affirmative. Mr Shaud and Mr J. C. Brown were the only Opposition members in the House, while on the Government side there remained Messrs Bastings, Bathgate, G. F. C. Browne, Clarke, Gumming, Daniel, Davie, De Latour, Fish, Haggitt, Hazlctfc, M'Dermid, M‘Glashan, M‘Leau, Oliver, Reynolds, Roberts, Rogers, Teschemaker, Tolraie, Turnbull, Turton, and Dr. Webster. Mr Driver was locked out, 1 he announcement that the motion had been lost was received with some applause from the galleries. Tim Government are determined to proceed with no business while there appear on the order paper notices threatening to the Government, apd stated that such was their determination in respect of Mp Stout’s motion. The Provincial Secretary intima|bed that the Government were perfectly prepared to go on with the business, but would not proceed with one single ioia until Mr Stout’s motion was disposed of. The Government were anxious to give the hon, member and his’ party an opportunity of discussing the matter at the earliest opportunity, and, with that view, moved the adjournment till seven o’clock this evening. The Government would be glad to haye the matter thoroughly discussed, because they would be able to show clearly and distinctly tHat _their action had been that of straightforward and honest men : if they failed to convinoe the Council of that, then he should not regret having received an adverse vote. ibis brought Mr Reid to his feet, who, after taunting tile Government with delaying the business, intimated that hp would object to the adjournment unless all the correspondence relating to the sale to Mr Campbell was laid on the table, and time given for its perusal. He then charged the head of the Government with treating him discourteously, inasmuch as when he (Mr Rfiid) called on the Secretary to see the correspondence, a view of it was refused to him. & Tolmie at once explained that that statement was not direct, the fact beiii" that he told tffia Under-Secretary Mp Reid should'perils,c what correspondence that was in the office he liked • thoi/g'h ft ps unnecessary, because be {Mr Tolmie) intended to lay the whole of it on the that forenoon for members to peruse. In the debate which resulted, Mr Reid was under-

stood to say that he did not agree with Mr Stout’s motion, and Major Richardson expressed his disapproval of Mr Shand’s action last night; adding that he told that member that if he persisted with his motion, he (the Major) would not be inside those walls He further expressed his disapproval that one member should be allowed to move raotioos which were calculated to jeopardise his party. In reference to Mr Stout’s motion, he thought the party should take issue with the Government on another ground altogether ; and that was what was intended to be done with the agricultural lands of the Province. The adjournment was afterwards moved till Monday, and the whole of the papers ordered to be printed. The House then adjourned.

Mr John Barnes will address the ratepayers at the Caledonian Hotel, Great King street, this evening, at 8 o’clock. The management of the Princess Theatre have had occasion, of late, to complain greatly of the acts of some miscreants, who persistently tear down their playbills from the walls and hoardings, and to-day offer a reward for any information likely to lead to the conviction of the offenders. This may have the effect of preventing a repetition of the practice.