THE GLOBE. TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 1879.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1655, 10 June 1879, Page 2

THE GLOBE. TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 1879.

We have now bofore us the proposition of tho central committeo as to the method of dealing with tho funds subscribed for the Kaitangata disaster. Tho primary recommendation is of course the relief of tho widows, orphans, and others who lost relatives and friends by tho explosion. It was for that object that the fund was raised, and for that the people of Now Zealand responded most generously to the appeal made to them. But, as there will bo a balance after tho Kaitangata sufferers are seen to, tho committee make further propositions. Their suggestion, as embodied in the letter to tho Mayor, is to form what we may call a National Provident Fund, tho nucleus of which is to como from tho balance of the Kaitangata Relief Fund remaining unappropriated aftor the wants of those for whom it was raised have beon relieved. It has been suggested, as wo understand ii, by the Christchurch Fete Committee, that yearly carnivals should be held for tho purposo of raising funds, which funds wero to bo invested until required, and tho proposals from Otago evidently point to some method or other of raising money being used, year by year, though they do not suggest what that method should be. Now we think that the whole scheme, as proposed, is not a desirable one. Virtually wo aro asked to help to establish a national relief society, with all the machinery of managing committee, trustees, &c., for which thero is not tho slightest necessity. This, our readers will agree with us, is not a proposition which should find favor in tho eyes of the Chr.stchurch committoo. Besides there is this to bo looked at, that the amount supposed to form tho nucleus of this national relief fund is in itself so exceedingly potty as to bo quite out of proportion with tho national character of tho proposal. It thereforo becomes pretty certain that for many years to come the fund will havo to dopend upon tho result of such periodical efforts as may bo made in tho various centres of population. But when no special circumstances arise to call forth tho sympathy of tho public, and thero merely remains tho ordinary duty of contributing, wo shall find a vast difference in tho receipts as compared with those that tho efforts for tho Kaitangata disaster produced. Tho result will be that tho project will fall to tho ground, and that after all nothing will como out of it. It may bo said that it is all very well to pick holes in tho proposition, but not so easy to supply something that will meet tho case, That may be so, but we venture to offer a suggestion for tho consideration of the committoo who meet on Thursday next. It is to the effect that the surplus remaining from the Kaitangata Relief Fund be equally distributed amongst tho hospitals of tho colony, and that cases of national calamity arising in future be dealt with as they so arise, and upon their individual merits. The hospitals of the colony are most deserving institutions, but in many cases their usefulness is to a great extent crippled by want of funds, and any addition—howovor small —such as we propose will be gladly received, and will enable thorn to add to the comfort of those within the hospital walls. As to tho futuro, we havo alroady shown how unlikely it is that tho public, with no special object to excite their sympathy, will fool inclined to meet, with any degree of liborality, mere periodical efforts. The most sensible way, therefore, as it appears to us, is to deal with each disaster as it may occur, and, judging from tho noblo response made, both for tho Indian Famine and Kaitangata Relief Fund, the people of Now Zealand may well bo trusted to do thoir duty when the necessity arisos. ♦ A good deal has been written and said of late respecting the establishment of Saving Banks in tho Government public schools. The plan was orginally started

by tlio Government under tho idea that children attending such schools would thus be educated in habits of economy, and would early learn the benefit of laying up pennies for rainy days. Tho fact that it is possible to inculcate too early tho lovo of money into the youthful mind does not seem to have struck tho promoters of the scheino, as also the fact that tho money that is to be laid by is not money earned but monoy given to tho children by their parents, so that a child's succoss in tho money-grubbing process is not dependant for the most part on his own industry, but on his unduly developed talent of screwing funds out of the pockets of his doting father and mother. In poiut of fact, tho wholo schomo has a vicious tendency, and we are glad to say that it has not been adopted, as far as we are aware, by any of the schools in Canterbury. In Otago, we believe, however, tho case is somowhat different, and tho system has been taken up by certain school committees. But public opinion among our Southern neighbours is by no means unanimous on the subject, and tho Dunedin " Morning Herald " had, a short time since, a vory strong articlo containing soutiments with which wo heartily agree. Tho following is an extract from tho article in quo3tion:— " Wo fail to see what tho hoarding up of ponnies and sixpences has to do with frugality, unless indeed frugality moans tho mere wrotched lovo of monoy, pure and simplo. Saving is in itself no virtue, and may vory easily become a vice. It is an excellent practice for young peoplo to save part of their earnings, and it is a good thing to teach them that it is a duty to do so: for there can bo no real liberty and independence for oithor rich or poor without a certain amount of prudenco in regard to monoy; but for heaven's sako lot children bo children in heart and mind as long as they are children in years —simplo, joyous, unselfish, and not detestable littlo money-grubbers. Ohil dren have no business with money; in nino cases out of ten they learn to lovo it far too soon; indeed nothing strikes a now chum moro than the "cutenoss and—if wo may say it—the downright greed of our colonial youngsters, and it does seem as if this proposal to establish Savings Banks in schools were a base pandering to that intense and vulgar worldliness which is a characteristic of all now countries. It is timo enough to teach our youth to take caro of their pence when they begin to earn them; to turn tho innocence and simplicity of little children into the lovo of money is only too surely to make it tho root of all evil; it is to poison and debauch tho infant mind, and toach it (to uso a strong metaphor) to bo lewd before it knows what passion means. Wo sincerely trust that our schools will bo kept puro of tho abomination."

Mr. Fraser, tho phrenologist, has just returned from Parihaka, where he felt Te Whiti's bumps. This is quite a now feature in warfare. To send a cunning phrenologist into the enemy's camp with a view of manipulating the head of the arch-conspirator must surely bo a late idea of the Native Department. To find out whether the bumps of caution, or destructivoness, or language, or order, or colour prevail, will, of course, be of immense value. Sir George Grey will henceforward be able to regulate those sparkling littlo speeches of his completely to the taste of tho native prophet, and will benefit in many other ways. If activo operations are undertaken no doubt Mr. Fraser:s chart will bo called into constant requisition along with tho maps of tho country. One thing is clear, that To Whiti either does not intend to fight, or he thinks uncommonly little of tho science of phrenology.