MATTERS EDUCATIONAL.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 13, Issue 668, 29 March 1869, Page 3

MATTERS EDUCATIONAL.

To the Editor of the Hawke's Bay Times. Sir, —I am induced to send my quota of assistance towards the development of the proper course for us to pursue in the question of educational tax now agitating the Province; and I the more gladly accept, the medium of jour paper a 3 I know, on the one hand, that you advocate the views and actions of those who oppose the tax, and, on the other, ss I shall express opinions antagonistic to those views and actions. "Audi alteram partem" is an axiouiatiel rule I have had laid down to me in earl,} years ;—it is a rule which should be daily carried out when opposing interests and opinions are at issue ; —and in the con eideration of the present qu'stion I ask those who are acting so energetically noio to pause and "hear the other side." What I have chiefly to say against the opponents of this tax is not so much in defence of the Education Act (for goodness knows of all the abortions that ever have been ejected from the brain of the lion member for Clive, this stinks in our nos trils the most!) as that by refusing to comply with the terms of an Act which their own silence assisted (in a negative sense) in making law, they do a great injustice towards the only individuals likely to bo affected by it. I have waited for the champion of the school interest to appear, and boldly stand up in defence of that great principle which teaches that two wrongs do not make a right, and that, in removing one evil, we must be careful not to inflict a greater ; and I regret to say that there neema to be but the one all-pervading idea ■""that is, to refuse to pay.

It may not be generally known that the ?ehoolmasters and mistresses of the Pro>e vince have had no capitation allowance e paid to them since June last year! .And i- that they have held to their posts and j. maintained their credit on the faith of i. the temporary provision for the payment y of their allowances being carried out. The . G-ovemment, pressed by the Council and e the people, have been obliged to make some e sort of a measure by which the maintenance of these schools could be diverted from being a charge on the general revenue, TJie agitation of this question did not begin last session ; but at length after so much 'j searching for data j after ransacking the '. archives and blue books of other brains—--3 trans-provincial and trans-colonial,— the j ridiculous mouse comes forth from the - laboring mountain in the form and garb of the present Act. But, I pause to en- - quire, what did ice do to prevent the'parturition of that precious little bantling . which the hon. members had been incuba- - ting for about 12 months ? Did we have | meetings 12 months ago ? Was there anyt thing done (except individually) likely to stay the Act becoming Jaw ? I say, No! . Did we not by our silence (or indifference) give consent to the work of the Council ? 3 Could we not tell on its becoming law i that a rate was imposed with pair.s and no- ' nalties on refusing to pay ic ? I say, Yes ! ; Well, then, Sir, it does seem to me to be - very absurd for a self-governing people o make laws by iis representatives, and i i refuse to obey them after consenting tu • them. I know that laws are often mad' ! which, from their arbitrary and despotic , powers are properly rejected by the force of public opinion. But these are met bv a combined and united acion so soon as the ; attempt to pass them through the Legislature becomes known. I again ask what i have we done in this or any other direction i to aid and assist in a common and most i important public duty? Absolutely no- \ thing ! Seeing, then, that nine months have i elapsed since the Act passed, and all the i intermediate stages of its operation have ' been parsed through, down to the appoint- « ment of collector, without any opposition, 1 I think it but a manh, straightforward . justice«to pay the tax and set about its im- | mediate repeal, so as to prevent its impo t sition another year. But, as I take it, this J question of education is one that cannot be ( so summarily disposed of. We may have \ this tax taken off, but what then? Some e other tax must be substituted for it. It a cannot be expected that the State is going 1 to educate the whole of the young commu v nity, while parents look on with iudilFer- - ence. Especially, however, is this province in the position to say that the people must now take up and carry on the work of education, the cost of which they have es caped so long. This a grave and import- t ant question—one which requires much i thought and careful consideration. The [ future depends upon the present. That t cold blooded, narrow-minded philosophy i which declares that " posterity must take c care of itself" must be eradicated from i our system, insofar as it trenches on the r. vital principle of that posterity's very exis fence. As the l{ twig is bent the tree's inclined." According to the labor we bestow on the great work notu, our country and our children will be blessed in years to c come with the advantages which their liberal and enlightened ancestors have se- a cured to them. —Yours, &c, \ Alpha. f Napier, March 26, 1869.