New Zealand Mail. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1871. THE WEEK.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 34, 16 September 1871, Page 10

New Zealand Mail. PUBLISHED WEEKLY. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1871. THE WEEK.

No sooner has the long-winded debate on the Education Bill been brought to a close than another has commenced, which promises to be still more prolonged and not a whit more fruitful of practical results. In nearly every instance the objections urged against particular provisions of the Education Bill could have been more appropriately urged, and will be sure to bo again urged, when the bill is in committee. So with the Financial Statement. The time of the House will be wasted in its disoussion, instead of each member who objects to this or that part of it reserving his remarks until the measures which are to carry it into effect are before the House. If a member has anything new to say let him say it; if not, he had better hold his peace. We are heartily glad we have not discussed the principle or provisions of the Education Bill, because we believe it would have been wholly a waste of time had we done so. With the exception of the remarks of the Premier and those of Mr Bryoe, there were few made by any member of this province that were entitled to any weight. They were simply the individual views of the members themselves, and the knowledge and experience they have acquired on the subject has been too superficial and limited to render their views of any more consequence than those of any other of their fellow settlers. The Government deserve great credit for boldly bringing a measure of the kind forward, and we would rather accept it, with all its imperfections, than, by urging objections to this or that clause, endanger the passing of the bill into law. We trust the compulsory clauses will be retained, and that the principles of direct election and cumulative voting will be adopted in committee. We speak the sentiments of the people of the whole province in protesting against the adoption of the principle of a uniform house rate. In opposition to the views expressed by the majority of those who are favorable to religious teaching in Government schools it might be forcibly urged that in towns such teaching should not be insisted upon, but that in rural schools it was necessary.

We find that some hon. members cried " oh !" when Mr Creighton stated in a recent debate that there was a time when the North Island pajd two-thirds of the public burdens, as if the statement was wide of the truth. It is fortunate that our journal :s not a Ministerial organ, or we should not be enabled to lighten the darkness of the minds of those Middle Island members who received the above statement with so much incredulity. Ministers and Ministerial journals have been, in the habit of allowing the representatives off

fcho Middle Island to have too much their own way, and without venturing to oppose them they are palpably in the wrong. There was not only a time when the North Island bore two-thirds of the public burdens of the colony, but this state of things continued during more than half the period of its existence as a British dependency. When the territorial revenue of the Middle Island was relieved from contributing either to the cost of the colonial Government, or of the extinguishment of native title, this was the case; and at that time, 1856, the whole of the population of the Middle Island was not so large as that of the province of Wellington. How far that meaiure has been instrumental in effecting so remarkable an alteration in the relative positions of the two islands, would have been a question which would have engaged the attention of the House long ago if more regard had been shown to deal justly with this island than to secure Middle Island votes. There was a time when the North Island contributed by far the larger portion of the cost of the General Government, and the time will come when ifc will be able to do it again. But when it arrives it will not seek to domineer over the Middle Island, because it happens to occupy so fortunate a position.

The Victorian Government propose to reduce the amount of the grant-in-aid to agricultural societies from £SOOO to £2500, which has not, we may feel sure, augmented its popularity in the societies' committee rooms j and steps are being taken to obtain a fuller recognition of the claims of agriculture upon the Btate. It is feared that if the usual aid be withdrawn many of these societies will collapse. We merely call attention to the circumstances, as shewing why so many flourishing agricultural societies have been established in Victoria, which will also indicate why there have been so few societies of the kind sustained here. A. small sum of money voted in aid of agricultural exhibitions would promote agricultural education, and prove in many other respects extremely beneficial. The Mornington agricultural society has asked the cooperation of other societies to obtain an additional duty on imported bacon, butter, and cheese into Victoria. At the prices ruling here for these articles no duty is required to check their importation. The low price of farm and dairy produce, which obtains at present in this province, is one of the principal causes of the prevailing stagnation in business in Wellington which the long continued wet weather has been the means of greatly aggravating. The Government of New South Wales has recently raised*the price of freight on railways, which has caused much dissatisfaction. It appears that the net cost to the Government of transmitting goods per railway there, is about Id per ton per mile, but thia does not include wear and tear of plant and machinery. Upon this subject the " Sydney Herald" has some very sensible observations which are as applicable to the people of New Zealand as to those of Australia. It observes:—" The colony will not commence works for the benefit of particular districts unless they are made to be productive. It is extremely discouraging to contrast the ardent desire for railroads and the willingness to pay for them expi-eased in general terms before they are commenced, and the language afterwards. There is no difficulty in raising money—none in spending it; but to pay is met with sturdy repugnance." It appears that the railways have on the whole greatly reduced the cost of transit. The object and aim of railway administration should be to make them pay the interest on the money borrowed, which has not yet been the case with railways in New South Wales. The total cost of the railways was £5,848,267, and their net earnings left less than three per cent per annum towards interest on cost of construction.