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New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 747, 11 June 1853, Page 2

The Government Gazette, published yesterday, contains a document, or rather a series of documents, which will command the attention of a very wide circle of readers, not only here but in other countries, and especially in England. We allude to the Reports on the Schools partly supported from the public funds, in the Auckland district, as prepared by the Inspectors, Chief Justice Martin, Dr. Sinclair, and C. W. Ligar, Esq. These Reports have been looked for by many with lively interest; and his Excellency has acted in accordance with a general wish in directing their immediate publication, instead of holding them over as he might have done, until the Session of the Colonial Legislature.

The interval since the Gazette came into our hands has been 100 short to admit of our giving the documents that minute consideration to which they are justly entitled, and we have no intention to-day of criticising them in their details, still less of instituting any comparison between the several Schools 0 s to their respective amounts of efficiency, economy, or return of general benefit to the country for the measure of support they have received* All who desire to follow out such a line of investigation as this, have the materials now placed within their reach ; and it will at once be perceived that—;\s might be anticipated from a Board of Inspection at the bead of which was Chief Justice Martin—the Reports exhibit, all through, an integrity of purpose which,—however kindly and considerate its forms of expression may be,—does not shrink from pointing out deficiencies, and suggesting the need of improvements, whercever the interests of truth, impartiality, and the public good, seemed to the Inspectors to require such notices. But we cannot permit the appearance of the. Reports to pass without a few words, addressed respectively to the friends of Sir George Grey's system of Native Education, and to those who may be deemed, moreorless decidedly, its opponents. To the former, and indeed to the friends of the Christian civilization of aboriginal races universally, we have to offer our hearty congratulations on the good that has been effected even already ; and still more, on the foundations which have been laid for future good amongst the interesting native people of New Zealand. Let them remember how, at a comparatively recent period, this people were sunk in the deepest depths of degradation and cannibalism, and let them then look with wonderand thankfulness, as they needs must, at the change which has been wrought through the instrumentality of those Missionary operations, of which, in later years, schools have formed so important a feature. When Governor Grey took up the subject of Education—bringing, as he did, to the undertaking an energetic zeal which has never since flagged —he had sagacity to perceive that the only means of successfully attaining his n ble object was by combining the efforts of the Government with those of a corresponding nature which had been previously organized by the Missionaries. He found in the New Zealand Missionaries men of whom he has himself testified in a despatch io the Secretary of Slate (.Inly 16, 18 49),—" It may reasonably be doubted whether, at any period of the world, there has existed in one country, amongst so large a number of men who had de\olcd themselves to the holy calling of a Missionary, so many persons who were eminently qualified by piety, ability, and zeal, to discharge the functions of the office on which they had entered. The result has been, that these gentlemen, scattered throughout the country, have exercised an influence, without which all the measures of the Government would have produced but little effect." The practical conclusion at which his Excellency arrived, in view of this cheering fact, is thus tersely and lucidly slated in a subsequent passage of the same despatch—-"The Government, therefore, in establishing schools, thought it most desirable not to attempt to set up a system of its own, which might have required years for ils developeinent (during which a generation might have melted away, and an opportunity have been lost which could never be recalled) but rather to join its exertions with those of the Missionaries, and to endeavour, whilst it established ils own educational institutions, to render the system of the Missionaries more complete and effective than hitherto.- It, therefore, provided considerable funds which should be set apart for educational purposes, but determined that those funds should be applied under the direction of the heads of the different denominations which had missions established in New Zealand." The results of this wise policy are partly exhibited in the Reports which we this day publish. - However the effects actually produced may vary in the different schools, the: aggregate effects of the whole, taken collectively, are of the most encouraging character ; and there is not one of the schools of which it can he truly said that it has not within it the capabilities of extensive usefulness. From tin; nature of such operations, moreover, their visible results must necessarily be progressive and gerniinant; and it is only when the children now receiving education come forth into the world of adult life, that the advances, even lo tin; present generation, can beat all adequately appreciated—while in future generations the fruits of the seed now sowft will be far more abundantly and satisfactorily seen. It is a great achievement for the Native race that such a system has been established ; and it is further mailer of congMtniaiion that Sir George Grey has in his Hands the first appropriation of the sum reined by the Imperial Legislature for Native P«i'poses, as there can be little doubt that, so far as his arrangements can secure the object, the just and benevolent intentions of Parliament towards the New Zealanders will ( Qnlim> e to be carried oat, with a due regard t° the vitally important interests involved in foeir education on sound —that is, on Christian—principles. we also would urge a careful perusal °'the Reports upon the opponent,* of the exiting educational plan. The number of those we believe to be, comparatively, very small; for, strictly speaking, we do not class an >ongst them the great majority of those [ vl| ose attachment lo the principle of "VotaiUaryism," may render them generally hostile to State grants for religious purposes. Many who are firm in their adherence to the v ojimiary principle in the abstract, yet can perce 've that this constitutes a clearly exceptional jjjse—thequestion really being, wbelbcror not "Keshan be any efficient system of ediicajj°» at all for the Maories. In the present ', a te of ihe Colony, no such system could ay ea probability of success, without the of the Missionaries, and they, J|areassured, would be united and inflexcj in their refusal to identify themselves tli> \ Y system of education, especially for t - e Native race, of which religious instrucJ> was not a fundamental and essential element. Bu t we have to look for the " deliverance"

which a few, of a widely-different class from those " Voluntaries" who are philanthropic as well as conscientious, will pronounce on the Reports. Mr. Brown and bis deputies and collaboraieurs in the Southern Cross, have, from lime lo time, and particularly within the last few months, directed reiterated and bitter attacks against these Schools. Vituperation of the most insulting foulness has been levelled in lite columns of that Journal against the Governor for making grants lo them, and against the Missionaries for receiving (or, as Mr. Brown's newspaper classically expressed it, " sacking" and '•fingering") those grants. The assailants of the Schools clamoured for an account of the way in which the money was expended Well, here it is for them, authenticated by the signatures of the Chief Justice, the Colonial Secretary, and the Surveyor-General. We declared, more than once, our willingness, and even our anxiety, that the questions in controversy between us should be investigated to the utmost, and the materials for such investigation, which were then alleged to be wanting, are now, in a great measure, supplied by the Inspectors. Will Mr. Brown's newspaper favour ils readers with the views of" the clique" on ihe present aspect of the case? Will it venture lo reiterate its accusations against the Missionaries? Or will it (as it did before with regard lo this very mailer) experiment on Ihe credulity of its readers, by denying ils own statements? Or, once more, will it try to escape the difficulty, by affecting to pass ihe subject by in dignified (!) silence? Amongst our last words in the controversy provoked by our contemporary, some months since, on the "Missionary teachings'" and schools, were the following, written in anticipation of the then approaching inspection "Whatever the results (of the inspection) may be —whomsoever they may justify, or on whomsoever Ihey may cast blame —we shall be prepared lo receive and consider them with all impartiality." Will Mr. Brown's newspaper now attempt to prove the charges ii then so dogmatically preferred? Whatever course Mr. Brown, and his colleagues in conducting the Southern Cross, may think it safest at this juncture to adopt, ue shall probably have something more to say on the subject.

hj is simple courtesy on our part to acknowledge gratefully the Resolution of the Pensioners' Election Com mi lice, (which appears in our advertising columns), expressing approbation of the course taken by I hj is journal in relation to some of the most important privileges of the Body of Pensioners ; audit would be affectation to say that we do not feel pleasure in receiving this evidence of their appreciation of efforts which were sincerely designed to promote their welfare specially, as connected with that of the community generally. The broad object we have endeavoured to keep continually before us has been to help forward, so far as we could, such movements and measures as we believed to be for the eventual as well as the present good of the country, and therefore to expose and resist the attempts of selfish and factions parlizans to advance their personal ends, or to gratify their private resentments, r.o matter what injury they might inflict on other and more public interests. With respect to the Pensioners, we have always thought well, spoken well, and hoped well as to their location in our district. We saw the importance of having within call such an additional force as these veteran soldiers would prove on any emergency, were such to arise; and, as the continuance of tranquillity, and the closer cementing of the bonds of friendliness between the colonists arid the Natives, happily rendered it more-and more improbable that there would be any necessity for their services in their military capacity, we observed with lively pleasure the more than realization of all we had anticipated of them as settlers, in the steady conduct, and rapid progression in agricultural exertion and success, by which the history of so many of them has already been distinguished. While, on the one hand, we did not endeavour to inflame their minds, or to render them discontented with their position, by carping constantly on the difficulties they have had to pass through,—(and how few of the settlers, military or civilian, have not been obliged at first to grapple with difficulties and annoyances in some form ?)—on the other hand, we did not overlook their rights as our fellow-colonists, or seek to exclude them from any political privileges enjoyed by ourselves. We.hada strong confidence that their early hardships would be bravely overcome, and that those who manfully struggled on in a course of regularity and industry would at no distant day reap the harvest of their perseverance in an amount of prosperity, to which, had they remained at home, comparatively few of them could have attained ; and already there are throughout their settlements abundant and cheering proofs lhatour anticipations were well founded. Holding these views, we necessarily regarded them as entitled to a full participation in the elective franchise as well as in other privileges; and therefore we contended against the narrow and domineering spirit in which Mr. Brown and his newspaper would have restricted them to a very small representation (if indeed it would have allowed them any real representation at all) under the provisions of the Municipal Charter. We advert to this point the more readily because we find it has engaged the attention of the Pensioners themselves. Clear-headed men amongst them have seen too much of the world to be long led astray by such transparent artifices as those by which the Southern Cross has tried to use them as tools for the purposes of its Proprietor and " real Editor." They can penetrate into the true character and motives of a parly politician who would ply them with incentives to dissatisfaction and murmuring, by dwelling, in an exaggerated strain, upon every thing in their affairs that could be construed into a grievance, and parading an affectation of sympathy with them—so long as he could, by doing so, strengthen the case he was labouring to make out against Governor firry—bill who

would, on another occasion, virtually disfranchise them, in order to sustain the case he was at that lime trying to build up in opposition to the Governor and to that municipal charter which (if we except the previous control over Hundreds given to SVardens chosen by the people) conferred the first actual measure of self-government by really representative institutions which the colony ever received. Nor are they at a loss to foresee somewhat of the style in which the Cross will speak of thcni after the important thirtieth of ihis month, when it will be (bund in what an overwhelming majority they prefer Col. Wynyard to Mr. Brown as the Superintendent of the Province. They can form a right judgment of those who would one day deprive them of their civil lights to gain an end, and another day pet and Hatter them in the hope of gaining another end, through the employment of those very civil rights : in short, they can see through Mr. Brown and his newspaper—as, before this month of June has expired, they will prove at the poll. With reference to the movement to secure a satisfactory representation of the Pensioner settlements in the Provincial Council, we desire and trust that the interests of those settlements may be fairly, honestly, and efficiently represented in that Council, and in the House of Representatives also. Ft must, of course, rest with the electors themselves to determine whether they will give their support to candidates taken from their own class, or to others not belonging to that particular class or to their own localities, but able and willing, notwithstanding this, to understand and advocate their views on questions affecting their welfare. It is important for them to remember, however, that they are not necessarily confined to the geographical limits of their own settlements in making their choice, but may fix upon candidates in any part of the Province where they may find the most eligible men. A competent member, whatever class or station in society he may belong to, is undoubtedly preferable to an incompetent one- provided, of course, that the former is determined (as every representative should be,) to study, enter into, and use his utmost endeavours to advance the interests of his constituents. Nor would it be the part of intelligent and patriotic electors, to restrict their attention so exclusively to their own local concerns as to lose sig t altogether of the general interests of the Province. We should not, ourselves, veto either for or against a man solely because lie was or was not a military man or a civilian, a merchant, a professional man. an operative, a capitalist, or an agriculturist. 'lhis may properly be one, but only one, amongst tin; considerations by which the choice should be decided. The man who is best qualified by information on the subjects on which he '/nay be called upon to legislate, by genera! ability, and, above all, by unimpeachable honesty of purpose and purity of motive, is, beyond all controversy, the kind of man who will best promote the interests of his constituents and of the Province. Such men, we earnestly hope, maybe found, brought forward, and returned to our forlhcomingCouncilsjand, we repeat, we as earnestly trust that in those Councils our Pensioner fellow-settlers may have a sympathising, and, in every respect, a creditable and efficient representation.