New Zealand Mail. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. SATURDAY, MAY 13, 1871. THE WEEK.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 16, 13 May 1871, Page 12

New Zealand Mail. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. SATURDAY, MAY 13, 1871. THE WEEK.

« iff-E 'will venture the prediction that the peace of Europe and even that of France has not been settled by the late conferences and treaties.” We thus -wrote in the Mail of the 29th ult, and the news brought by the Nevada tends to some extent at least, to confirm the truth of the prediction. A fierce war rages in Paris ; and “ Paris is France.” Fresch centralism has produced an incapacity for selfrule, and given to Paris an importance which no capital in any other country possesses. The majority of the Parisians are republicans, while the majority of the French people are imperialists. The rural population in France, are said to be ignorant and priest-ridden ; but they desire a strong and stable government, because it alone can make them feel they have security, and because the division of landed property in France haß made the French peasantry eminently conservative in politics. The majority of the people in Paris, and of several other large cities in France, profess not only a republican creed, but they possess also a republican faith. That is to say they believe what they profess, which is not the case with their opponents. Hence they are formidable in point of numbers, and more so on account of unity of sentiment, and earnestness of purpose. It is not the truth of a principle, but the living belief in its truth, which makes it powerful and all prevailing. Were it not for the presence of a German army this would make the French republicans of 1871, as formidable and dangerous as they were in 1791. With the aid of centralism, the possession of Paris would enable them to dictate to the rest of France on what system it should in future be governed. As the case at present stands, the Prussians may find a more fearful antagonist to deal with than the one with which it before had to cope ; while the peace of Europe appears less assured than ever. The Tory party in England will gain strength by what is going on at Paris, and we shall not be surprised to learn that it is again in power. The troubles in France will prove favorable to New Zealand. Vast sums of money will be invested in English and Colonial securities. A Tory Ministry will prove of no detriment to the colonies, though it may postpone for years the reforms promised by the Whigs.

The leader in our last issue on Elementary Instruction was written before the new Executive had been constituted, and therefore before it was possible for us to know what their intentions were with regard to this subject. Though we still believe it is one which the General Legislature should deal with, we are not sorry to learn that it is the intention of the new Government to introduce a bill on the subject in the approaching session of the Provincial Council, as no law could be more unsatisfactory than the one we have at present. It will be necessary for the Government to bear in mind that a uniform rate of £1 per house is unjust in principle, besides being very unpopular: and while it would realize a gum amply sufficient to support town schools, it has been found totally inadequate to meet the educational requirements of sparsely populated districts. We shall be glad to lend the Government any aid in our power in getting a good and thorough Education Act passed; but no law will be of this character which while enforcing a compulsory rate for the support of schools, does not provide supplementary aid when required for this object, and which does not make education compulsory.

We are gratified to learn that it is the in* tention of the new Executive to adopt those bold, wise, and honest measures which are absolutely necessary to relieve a wealthy province like this of the disgraceful stigma of being unable to meet its engagements. They will require all the moral support they can obtain in endeavors thus directed, and we trust that it will be accorded to them. We had written our sub leader before we had heajrd of their intentions, and though our object was to urge them to adopt a course which, we now find they had resolved to take, still what we have written may serve to strengthen their hands. Direct taxation is not a popular measure j but if equitably- imposed, and moderate in amount, it is the best way of raising a revenue, of obtaining a loan on its security, and of returning to the taxpayer in better means of communication, in a reduction of the price of carriage, in restoration ©f trade and confidence, and in increased prosperity, more than an equivalent to, the amount of his compulsory investment in a fund expended on roads, bridges, immigration, railways, and other public works, or devoted to th© payment of the interest on a loan raised for these purposes.

As it is the intention of the Government to introduce a Highway’s Bill into the Council, it is most desirable that the measure should be as complete as possible, and at the same time not be liable to have its most important provisions pronounced ultra vires by the Attorney-General. From the first time a Road Act was passed in 1853 until now we have taken much interest in the subject, believing good roads of the first importance to a new country, and at the same time being convinced that the low price charged for the public lands of the province would prevent an adequate fund being raised to make and maintain the roads necessary for opening up the country for settlement. If possible, roads should precede, and thus attract settlement, but as that is not possible the land should be sold on the clear understanding that it would be subject to an annual contribution for the construction and repair of the roads required. A tacit understanding of this sort waß come to between the Government and its land purchasers from the time the cheap land regulations were brought into operation j and this fact should not be lost sight of in determining the mode land should be rated in the Highways’ Act. Would it not also be well to introduce into the proposed bill some provisions with regard to floods, bridges, and ferries, which would enable the Board of Wardens to provide against and repair the damage done by the former, and to maintain in a state of efficiency the latter ? Could they not be empowerd to levy a special rate in the one case, and to levy taxes in the other ? A Road Bill, in our opinion, will not be complete without it contains some provision of this kind.