THE EDUCATION BIL.

Kumara Times, Issue 288, 6 September 1877, Page 2

THE EDUCATION BIL.

[TO THE EDITOR.] Sir—l have just woke (as from a ceam), and after wiping my eyes, and yaviing a little, I asked myself if I was in a fritiab/ colony, and if bo, was it reigned' cer by that illustrious continent wife, Jtolifio aud loving mother, our most gracilis and humane Queen of England. Yu will most likely say that I did not await at all, but was Btill dreaming, or I woM not have asked bo Btupid a question, bit I tell you I was wide-awake as I am now After rubbing my eyes I read the poposed' Education Bill, and knowing as lio that noble lady queen's disposition tomrda all ber loyal subjects, without distinction of clime, creed, or color, I felt assurid that she would never consent to let lose on any portion of them such a plague at some of her place-hunting servants wouHsow broadoast In this our adopted courtry— New Zealand; I will venture a little farther, and Bay that I don't think the respectable portion of her subjects, vhom the tyranny of this Bill would not affect have any desire to deprive their fdlowcitizens of equal freedom with themsilves. Tbis I think I will be able to prove to your satisfaction if you will pay a little attention to my interrogation of two old mates of mine. Ist. I ask them if they are acquainted with the subject of my letter up to the present. They answer yes. And now I will address them personally. "Now, mates, I need not tell you that we have served our Queen and country, and served them faithfully ; and need not tell you that that Queen treated ns justly and equally without inquiring about our clime or creed, except for the purpose of compelling us to make pro Der use of them at the proper time " '»Yes that was so." Now to make my letter as short as I can, for the Editor and his Devils dislike long cnffers, I must ask direct questions and give me direct answers ; " did our beloved Queen, when we were about to take our departure to fight her battles on foreign fields, say, my whoJo hope la in my Protestant or Catholic subjects." "No she said her soldiers and sailors." " Very well we at length arrived at one of these bloody fields and not the least of them where we found the fair daughters of England, old and young, who were to be as did happen in a sister village like so many slaughtered and dressed sheep, in the shambles, and those of them that were not so slaughtered and dressed, being experimented upon by their osptors, with such a horrible system of cruelty that no pen could or ever did describe the mildest form of it J' "Yes that was so." " Now were they Protestants or Catholics or both who poured out their hearts blood while in the act of bringing retribution on .the cruel savages, who so maltreated our women and inno* cent children?" "Both." " Did you see there would-be tyrant, with an Education Bill in his hand, which if put in force, would be more horrible to some of those gallant heroes who lay on the ground! covered with wounds and" clotted in their gore, than even the unprecedented cruelty of the savages already refered to was to their innocent victims ? " " No, such folk keep clear of a place where men are wanted." " I see we will agree " Well now, not having such a bigot, and having finished our noble mission, we returned home to our beloved Queen who received us with "Oead Mille Failtha," and decorated our breasts with suitable honors. Did you observe when relating to her the sad fate of many of her fair daughters and innocent children, as well as the fall of many of the noble defenders of her Crown and dignity the tear—yes. a tear, brighter than the most radiant sem in her royal diadem which she tried to check or hide but in vain, for down her cheek it rolled ?" " Yes it was from the heart. " " W 9B that Royal tear for her Protestant or Catholic children ?" "For both without question." "Now, and in conclusion, I ask yon, If you think the tender heart from which this tear flowed would sanction the passing of any law that would tear the child from the mother's breast to be brought up in habits such as would itrike terror into such mother's and father's heart, and such as the proposed Education Bill contains ?" " No." " Now have either of you any desire to see Ruch law in force ?" " Certainly not." "Now I think I have proved my cas<% and now old comrades as of yore we are rpady to sing : The Sliamrnck and Thistle keen, t )i;ethrr with the Rose, With great anus, aid smaller ones, we'll proudly onr foes.

CMvintryour indnljrencfl, Mr Editor on »f ho-ie»t J-hn Bnll, Sandy, and Myself, f.r owr \n-\g varn,

Na TBI MUISOAIDABIB

Ancient Mariner (to his youngest) . " Well, if you likes the girl why don't you go and tell her so, 'Enry. I mind the time I married your mothet-ah, and done ray six months for whoppinw her. r,oo-long afore I was your a»e ; but, lor' there ain't no speret in youth notv-a-days!" '