The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, January 21, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 944, 21 January 1911, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, January 21, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Our esteemed Palmerston contemporary refers to our remarks anent the delay of the Saturday mid-day train to meet the convenience of a few sea-siders, as a “short-sighted policy,” and then proceeds to throw the following hone to the poor Foxton dog “ We have a very good recollection of movements initiated in Foxton which have met with the hearty support of Palmerstoniaus, who are always pleased to give a helping hand to our venerable sister town. It is surely shortsighted to complain ot the delay of the Saturday noon train, for by that arrangement additional people from this district are enabled to visit the seaside for the week-end, and that means the expenditure of extra money in Foxton. The possibilities of the Mauawatu Heads as a seaside resort are so great that Foxton should welcome any arrangement which will add to its poptilarity, and visitors should be heartily welcomed if only for the loreign capital they take to the place to grease the wheels of business. We would go further and suggest that if Foalou was a little more wide-awake it would be agitating for light line of railway to the Heads for use during the summer months. Failing Government assistance, it could be done by a syndicate, and if carried out its gain to Foxton would be an eyeopener to residents at the Port. If Foxton people will take the Herald’s advice and resuscitate the Chamber of Commerce projects could be initiated which would have the support of Palmerston, and ultimately benefit both towns and the important territory surrounding them.”

A question which is going to loom large on the political horizon in the near future is that of education, and there is every reason to believe that an attempt will be made by certain sections of the Christian Church to interfere with our present system ot free, secular and compulsory education. In Sydney a conference has been convened by Cardinal Moran at which the question is being discussed from the Catholic standpoint, and although no details are coming through, it is safejto presume that a well-defined policy will be laid down for future action throughout Australia. Both the Anglican and Presbyterian Churches have, in a measure, endeavoured to obtain Bible instruction included in the school curriculum. There is, however, a lack of unanimity on the subject by clergy and laymen. We hope that every attempt made to convert the State into the parson will be strenuously opposed. The Church alone exists lor the spiritual guidance of the people, and if the masses are more godless now than heretofore —which we refuse to believe —then the Church must take the blame. The priest or parson who asserts that the children who received their education in our State schools grow up more godless, criminal or immoral than the product of denominationalism, tells not ouly a base falsehood but utters a wicked libel. Statistics prove that on the whole those who owe their educational course to our splendid Stale system are equal, if not superior, both morally and in any walk of

life, to those who have been care

fully nurtured in the denominational institutions of this laud. We sincerely hope our legislators will set their faces against any attempt to undermine our present splendid system. Some very important resolutions have been discussed at a largely attended native gathering which took place recently at Taiporoheuui, near Hawera, those present representing Maoris residing between White CliiTs and Waitotara. It is very reassuring to learn that the tone of the meeting was distinctly favourable to social reform among the Maori people. The proposals adopted are of farreaching significance, and show that the Maoris are fully alive to what is necessary for the welfare of the race. Here are a lew suggestions made by the president of the Union of the Maoris of the Corporation Area, who made an eloquent appeal to the tribes to give careful consideration to the requirements of the present and the future in their own best interests :—All Maoris within the area to make a stand against liquor drinking ; co-operation to be sought with the authorities in putting down all disorderly and unseemly behaviour within the district; all Maoris to return to the Faith, and a strict observance ot the Sabbath to be kept ; all Maoris to commence farming in deadly earnest. Really no more progressive resolutions could have been framed by a meeting of intelligent, patriotic, thoughtful Europeans,