NATIVE SCHOOL TRUSTS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1567, 25 September 1905, Page 3

NATIVE SCHOOL TRUSTS.

BISHOP WALLIS ON THE COMMISSION. The report of the Royal Commission on Poriraa and othor nativo trusts connected with the Anglioan body, which was recently published, has drawn forth a letter of protost addressed by the Bishop of Wellington (Dr Wallis) to the Primate of the Ohuroh of England in New Zealand. Every member of Parliament lias rej ooivod a copy of this lettor. Bishop Wallis points out that tho Government did not ask Parliament to approve tho appointment of the Commissioners, nor did the Government first approach tho General Synod or the Churoh Missionary Sooiety, and “unless Parliament is determined upon a hostile notion, both Synod and Society be consulted before legislation is initiated.” Tho Synod’s sohemo for administoring tho Porirua trust, as affirmed by tho Supreme Court, and finally upheld by tho Privy Council, has not received a fair trial. On the other hand, as to the [Commission’s proposal that the Governor should appoint an auditor, to whom the trustees must render what reports . I and explanations he requires, if this : I means placing “ tho control of the . administration under the Government i of the day, the trustees will be de- < prived of the discretionery powers which properly belong to them, and a very dangerous precedent for the treatment of endowments will have been set.” No carelessness [or maidadministration has been proved against the trustees to warrant _ the appointment of such an auditor. Bishop Wallis contends that the Commission’s proposal to amalgamate the Porirua and Otaki trusts to maintain a “school” at Otaki is against the intention and express wish of the donors, who wanted a college (“ karete”), not a school (“kura”), i.e., a place of secondary, not of primary education. As regards the hostility lof West Coast tribes to Wairarapa tribes—under the Bynod’s scheme, not a penny of the Porirua funds has been spent, or ever will bo spent, in maintaining the college at Clarevdle (Wairarapa), but only in maintaining children of the West Coast tribes attending the college. The Comrms* • sion appears to be in error on this point, and it has also overruled the hostility which is fast diminishing and will probably disappear. The donors wished to benefit their race, not their tribe.

“ But my gravest objection,” writes Bishop Wallis, “is to the proposals with regard to religious education.” (The Commission reports : “ While, therefore, feeling that religious instrution should not be excluded from the school, we are of opinion that no attempt should be made to influence the scholars towards any church or particular denomination of Chritianity except on the request in writing of the parent or guardian,” etc.) Writes Bishop Wallis : “They hold that the proposed school should belong to the Church of England, but they destroy its character as a church school, and imagine that the church will accept the idle privilege of appointing trustees ; they ‘ feel that religious instruction should not be excluded from the school,’but are'not concerned to define its character ; it may not be Christian at all, but Mormon or Hauhau. Is it proposed to deal in the same fashion with the Methodist and Roman Catholic endowments ? ” Bishop Wallis asks that such steps may be taken to avert the calamity as commend themselves to the Primate’s judgment. He suggests a special session of the General Synod.