NEW BILLS.

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 137, 22 September 1847, Page 2

NEW BILLS.

Two new Bills were introduced into the Council by His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor

on Thursday last. The object of one, being "to promote the education of Youth in the colony of Nuw Zealand," is much to be commended. To the other respecting the "fencing of Land" we purpose to direct attention in the proper place. The Bill first referred to goes to provide as follows :—: — Ist that it shall be lawful for the Governor for the time being, out of the public funds of the colony to establish and to maintain schools for the education of Youth, and to contribute towards the support of schools otheru ise established, as he may from time to i lime see occasion. 2ndly, that any such School shall be subject to inspection by one or moie persons appointed by the Governor. 3rdly, that religious education, industrial training, and instruction in the English language shall form a necessary part of the system to be pursued. 4thly, that any such School ahull be placed under the Buperintandance and management of the I3is:iop of New Zealand, or the Bishop or other head of the Roman Catholic Church, or the Superintendent of the Wesleyan Mission, as the Governor may see fit 10 direct. sthly, that the Teachers shall be appointed and removable at pleasure by the person under whose superintendance and management each school may be bo placed. 6lhly, that every school supported by public funds shall be inspected once at least in every year. 7tlily, that the Inspector shall report in writing to the Governor on flic state and efficiency of each school so inspected. Bthly, that the whole of those reports shall be laid before the Colonial Legislature. 9th ly, that the amount of aid to be advanced annu ally shall not exceed a certain proportion of j estimated revenue for the corresponding year It does not seem very clear whether the provisions of this Bill are to be taken us intending to apply generally boih to the public schools, and those to the support of which it is proposed to contribute, or to the former only. Is n proposed to subject schools receiving but pattial support, to the like superintendence, management, inspection, and report, as those wholly supported by the Stale? If so, (independently of the questionable policy of such a general application) one clause would clabh strangely wah another. For example, the supenntendance clause, with that relating to the appointment and removal of teachers. If it be intended simply to give the Governor power to contribute from the public funds as he may think fit, without exacting terms, the bill should signify this more explicitly* There is an ambiguity here that it would be well to coi rect as the measure passes through Committee. And again — al:hough the Bishop of New Ztaland, the head of the Romaa Catholic Church, and the superintendent of the WesJeyanMission are each named specifically,— the Presbyterian Church is not named at all. If this be not an oversight, it is manifestly an injustice— a degree of injustice which, considering the liberal way the Council has dealt by the Marriage Bill, the same Council will scarcely perpetrate, and that with their eyes open. But it must be an oversight. At all events as such we at present receive it. The second Bill may be dismissed in very few words. It is entitled a Bill l ' to encourage the fencing of land/ The first clause provides for the cost of erecting divid ng fences to be borne by adjoining occupatitsiu equal proportions. Clause 2 proposes to give to the persons lencing a power of recovering in a summary way one half the value, if not forthwith paid on demand by the person liable. Clause 3 provides the like power of recovery for repairs. Clause 4 limits ihe amount of fencing and repairs recoverable summarily, to within one ha f the cost of ereci ing an ordinary three railed fence of split posts and rails. Clause 5 and last defines the word o.vner to include the tenant in fee simple, tenant in tail, tenant for life, tenant for any term of years not less than seven, and "sufficient fence" to mean any fence capable of preventing the trespsas of cattle, Considering the tendency of those provisions, the title scarcely expresses the purport of this Bill. It may undoubtedly promote, but it cannot be strictly said to 4< encoinage" the fencing of land. If the preamble to a bill should be the echo of the sense of if, the preamble in this case is but an empty sound—" vox et proctcrea nihil." But that is a matter of sophistication that we need not deal with. Taking the measure on its merits, the powers f recovery do seem, of the two, to be rather more summary thata needful. A moderate interval should be allowed after the time of demand, for payment of the onebalf value, before summary proceedings could betaken ; otherwise this measure instead of ! benefiting, may be made a ready instrument of great oppression to many ; ruin, perhaps, to some. Suppose a case, for instance, where a wealthy proprietor might fence both lands without any pecuniary incouvenience to himself; then forthwith demand immediate payment of bis half; in default, recover iv a summary wayj drive the pooi man off, and get the property into his own hands, simply for the cost of fencing it ! This is not an imaginary case. Such a case is very possible. Many contingencies of the like sort, or worse, are very probable, should this Bill pass in its present shape, and become the law of the land. Therefore, it will be wise of the Legislature to pause upon it for a while; and.

hear the opinions of the settlers, before passing so important a measure. At all hazards, it cannot suffer much by any sort of a reasonable delay.

Fatal Accident. — We deeply regret to have to record the death of Mr. Colin Campbell, pilot of the harbour, by drowning, yesterday morning. It appears that in the discharge of lus duties, the deceased p,n off in a whale-boat with two maorits, from the north head, in order to board the ship Thomas Lownj, and conduct her in. The wind was blowing strong in the vessel's favor, with a heavy se i on. The boat, however, was got close to her, but in taking in too much tow-line she fell a-stern, and under tho ship's counter soon swamped, only the two maorios escaping. Mr. Campbell, who wa* formerly master of the Sir John Franklin, has been held in general respect by tho inhabitants of Aucklaud during the course of his residence here, and has left a widow and child to deplore his nremature loss.

Bay ok Islands.— By the arrival of the Maid of the Mill, and a new schooner, the Nancy, on )esterday, we learn that ihe Juno, steamer, held left Whapu on Saturday, the llth Instant, and proceeded to Uu vruiti, to take in firewood, and would be detained there only a few days before she proceeded to Sydney.

Caution roit Householders.— On Sunday evening last, while the family were all out at worship, some thief or thieves eflectcd an entrance into the house of Mr. Charles Davis, near the Roman Catholic Chapel, in West Queen -htieet, ami speedily decamped with a silver watch and JljJlO in money. The owner returned in lime to discover his loss, but not to secure either the thief or the property, which have accordingly vanished together. We regret that occurrences of this sort ure not so rare as formerly, for symptoms, of burglarious intentions have manifested themselves we hear in other quai tors of the town. We would advise our active new police not to confine their perambulations merely to Shortland Crescent and the beach, but to extend their Held of evening observation to the soattered streets where here and there houses are beginning to be sprinkled.