COURT FEES, AND NATIONAL EDUCATION.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 208, 18 December 1869, Page 1 (Supplement)

COURT FEES, AND NATIONAL EDUCATION.

The opinion expressed by us last week in reference to the excessive rate of the charges in the Resident Magistrates Courts, has been unexpectedly confirmed. From one of our exchanges, we find that the grand jury at Hokitika at the recent sessions made a presentment to the judge in which the following passage occurs, “We would also point out to your Honor the enormous charges which have to be met in the Resident Magistrate’s Court in endeavoring to recover small sums of money. These charges consist of fees and costs of Court so utterly out of proportion to that of any other Court of Justice known to the Grand Jury that they would most respectfully beg your Honor to examine into them, and if possible, to recommend their reduction.” In reply his Honor said “ With regard to the matter of fees and costs I think the Government might take it into consideration, and fees might be diminished where the suit is by a trustee in an insolvent estate. The Government has unfortunately, as all know, peculiarly heavy calls upon it, has very heavy expenses to meet, and we are therefore burdened with heavy duties ; the screw is put on wherever in can be applied. However, something might be done, though of course not until the next meeting of the Assembly.” On another subject that of National Education the grand jury said:— “ And, lastly we would call your attention to the very unsatisfactory state of education as it is now conducted in Westland, and would beg your Honor to use your influence to have the National system of education established, and a proper superintendent of schools appointed to visit and see carried out the system in its integrity, as the Grand Jury are most anxious it should be. To this His Honor replied as follows With respect to the last subject in your presentment, lam personally heart and soul with you. Ido hold by a national system in preference to one denomination, al But I would not attempt to supersede the denominational system that was doing its work well, merely on that account. If there is one object more than another, it is the fostering of anything tending to make us a united people, this cannot be effected while religions difference and distinctions are maintained. It is not so much that different dogmas are taught in schools but those that are at the first separated by distinctions will the longer consider themselves of different nationalities and creeds. What we should aim at is, that without throwing down existing institutions where so much good has been effected, we should raise up one upon a firmer and broader basis. This, however, is but an opinion of my own, and it is a matter upon which thereis aconsiderabledifference of opinion. Good men have differed, and, I suppose, always will differ upon it,”