Hawkes Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 1871.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 968, 15 March 1871, Page 2

Hawkes Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 1871.

Mr. Colenso's address to his constituency at the public meeting last week seems to have been on the whole of a very satisfactoiy character, at any rate if we may judge from the little criticism that has been brought to bear upon it. Making but one exception, we are prepared to award our full approval to the sentiments he expressed on the several subjects brought under consideration. The exception we allude to is that of the Permissive Bill, upon which we may take another opportunity to write/mean. time, we wish to note some of the subjects on which we are agreed. The question of the Toll gate is one of these, and it seems most unaccountably to have been forgotten on the nomination day; yet it is one of no small importance to the community. Our thanks are due to Mr Colenso, therefore, for resuscitating this question and bringing it so prominently before the electors. Time was when it occupied a foremost position, and was most obnoxious to those who suffered from its impost; but the agitation for its removal proving unsuccessful at the time, people have submitted to it as an unpleasant necessity, and regarded its removal as hopeless. Mr Colenso put the case in its true light in showing that while all communication between the town and the Meanee district was subject to the toll, this was not the case with legard to communication between Meanee and the southern districts of the Province, Travellers from those districts —from Waiiarapa and Wellington—could pass on close by the gate to Meanee, and thence to the north, without being taxed ; but the small farmer, the dairyman, and all persons residing beyond the gate who have business in the town, and vice versd, are subject to the tolls. All this involves a manifest injustice, and one that the removal of the gate to the bridge, over the Ngaruroro would remedy. No possible objection could be brought against it there. Before the bridge was built a charge was made for the use of the Government punt, and when the punt was displaced and the noble bridge substituted —affording infinitely more conve-

nience to the traffic— there could have been no reason for the cessation of the charge at that point. The obvious reason for the placing of the gate in its present position is the taxing of the traffic between Meanee and the port — a most unwise and impolitic measure, that traffic consisting chiefly in the necessaries of life, and being carried on principally by the small market-garden-ers and dairymen, whose business it would appear the duty of the Provincial Government to encourage rather than to check. With Mr Colenso's views on Education and the rate for its support, we are in perfect accord, and the thanks of the electors are due to him. for placing the question so clearly before them. views embrace three points, -which are —lst. That the Government should

ensure the education of the people. 2nd. That all should be able to a\ ail themselves of the means of education provided by the Government, 3rd. That the Government scheme of education should be of a secular nature. His promise to endeavor to obtain some important modification in the obnoxious rate must be regarded as satisfactory, and, like him, we approve of ibe Nelson system of education as described by Mr Huddlestone before the electors of Canterbury; but we rather incline to the opinion that tfie General Government will take this matter from the hands of Provincial Councils and inaugurate a comprehensive system of education for the whole of the Colony. Of course in such case there need be no interference with the provinces of Nelson or Otago, where satisfactoiy systems are already in operation.