The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 1881.

Kumara Times, Issue 1467, 10 June 1881, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 1881.

The position of affairs at the Kumara State School cannot be regarded as satisfactory. The public looked anxiously forward to the meeting of the Local School Committee, believing that something would be done to explain away the scandal which had arisen in " Boycotting " certain children whose only fault was that their parents objected to be victimised under the illegal poll-tax which had been enforced. The Committee have met, and nothing has been done to remove the stigma which attaches to the person or persons who outraged the feelings of many individuals, by holding up to public ridicule some little children who were made an example of for the purpose of extracting a miserable sixpence from the pockets of their parents. There is no doubt whatever but that the tax is illegal, and the Committee must be aware of this, if they have ever taken the trouble to read the Act under which their body is constituted. No effort is made to set up a defence of the recent outrageous treatment of the children, and we are left completely in the dark as to whether the Committee authorised the " Boycotting," or are opposed to it. Until the Committee clear up the difficulty, or at all events give an expression of opinion, they must divide the blame with the persou or persons who paraded the children, and ordered certain of them to fall out of the ranks. It is true that the Chairman of the Committee, Mr Seddon, has written what purports to be an explanation of the cause which led to the imposition of the tax, and this journal was to be taken to task for daring to expose such unjust and illegal proceedings. But it will, we think, be generally admitted that the whole tenor of that gentleman's lengthy communication substantiated rather than disproved the remarks we made, and showed that there was just cause for complaint and a necessity for investigation. It is equally true also that the real point at issue was carefully evaded, while many of the statements made can be easily controverted. Mr Seddon draws upon his imagination to no small extent when he refers to the blushes of the children when they were placed in a false position by the action of their parents, who had not paid the poll-tax, If there was any blush at all, it must have been the blush of honest indignation at the treatment they received, and any other blush ought to have been that of shame mantling the cheeks of the person or persons who caused the children to suffer such indignity. There are many other matters connected with the direct management of the Kumara State School which have been the subject of comment for some time past, and which may probably call for remark at no distant date. For the present, we content ourselves with protesting against the illegal imposition of a poll-tax, and the remarkably injudicious steps which have been taken to enforce its payment.

It will be seen from a report that appears in another column that the Central Board yesterday took action in some of the matters complained of.

Tenders are required by the Public Works Department for the supply of timber for the restoration of the Kapitea dam, in two contracts. Particulars can be obtained at the Kumara Water-race Office, Dillman's Town, where tenders will be received till noon on Tuesday next, 14th inst.

At the nomination of candidates for the Grey Valley election at noon yesterday, at Greymonth, about 120 electors and others assembled in front of the Court House to witness the nomination proceedings, Mr H, A. Stratford opened the proceedings by reading the writ, and then called upon the electors to make their selection. Mr Jfancarrow proposed Mr G. G. Fitz Gerald as a fit and proper person to represent that constituency in Parliament. Mr C. S. M'DoWall proposed Mr J. M. Morris, and Mr M'Leod seconded the nomination. Mr Perkins proposed Mr T. S. Weston, and Mr Taylor seconded the nomination. A show of hands being taken, the Returning Officer declared the result to be :

Mr Weston 70 MrFitzGerald 40 Mr Morris 6 Mr M'Dowall and Mr M'Leod, demanded a poll on behalf of Mr Morris. The Returning Officer declared the poll would be taken on Thursday, the 16th instant.

The funeral of the late Mr Daniel Hughes took place yesterday, at Hokitika. A large number of friends followed the remains to the Cemetery, many of whom left Kumara by a special coach of Mr Rugg's early the same morning. One of the heroes of Rorke's Drift, named Cassidy, has been sentenced to one month's imprisonment for larceny, at Brighton. The Mormons are trying to get a large tract of land in Mexico for colonization purposes. M. De Lesseps says that the Panama Company has 16,000 women shareholders. It is rumored that a coach is to be started to run between Liverpool and York, at one penny a mile fares. The whole distance is about 100 miles.